Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

DJ hurriedly headed outside, with his keyboard on his back.

“Bye guys.” He called. “I’ll be back later.”

“Wait, where are you going?” Dylan asked.

“Where I always go on Thursday’s.” DJ said, like it should’ve been obvious. “Bye.”

“Wait, I-“ But DJ closed the door before he could finish.

“I don’t know where that is…” Dylan mumbled. “Okay then…”

“Don’t know where what is?” Dolly asked as she walked downstairs.

“Where DJ goes every Thursday night.” Dylan answered. “Every week, he takes his keyboard and leaves… I don’t know where. Do you?”

Dolly thought for a moment. “Hm… No… But he always looks happy when he leaves and even happier when he gets back… Hey, maybe he’s got secret girlfriend that goes and serenades?”

“I don’t think so, he doesn’t look THAT happy…” Dylan said.

Dolly scoffed. “And how would YOU know?”
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DJ hurried through the city streets, knowing he was running a little late already. Once he got to specific intersection, he dipped into an alleyway and up a fire escape.

“Gotta hurry, almost 6:00 and Jack gets real disappointed when I’m late.”

When he got to a specific floor, the window was slightly ajar, as he expected. He carefully nosed it open, and climbed in. Inside, he quietly slunk through the sterile, almost hospital like floors until he came to very, specific room. One that read, “Overnight patients.” Just like the window, this door was expectedly open as well. He quietly slipped inside.

He was now in a room full of cages. Though, they were more for keeping things safe than contained. Inside one, a large, orange cat was staring boredly out… Until he saw DJ.

“Hey, DJ!” He called.

“Hey Gus.” DJ answered back. Almost all at once, the occupants of the other cages emerged, from dogs, cats, birds, and even a pet Iguana in a glass case to the side.

“DJ!” A small Boxer Puppy with a cast on his front leg happily barked.

“Hey, Bubba.” DJ said with a smile.

“Was startin’ to think you weren’t gonna show.” A large bulldog in a cone said.

“Like I’d disappoint you, Jack.” DJ answered.

“*squawk* Almost late! *squawk*” A parrot called from his cage.

“Yeah, sorry Pierre. But it’s tough to get away from the fam, y’know.”

“Don’t be too disappointed.” Gus the cat said. “A few of us would love the company you got…”

“Yeah, well…” DJ said. “So, I hear someone’s getting his cast off, tomorrow.”

Bubba happily barked. “Yeah, I get to go home tomorrow!”

“That’s great.” DJ said. He then looked into one of the floor-level cages.

“Hey, Greta.” He said softly. “How you feeling?”

An elderly Labrador, so old that her face was more grey than black, looked up at him with tired, old eyes.

“Hey, DJ.” She said. “I’m feeling fine… I’ll feel much better when they get this dadgum kidney stone out…” She rolled her eyes. “But watch ya gonna do?”

“Sorry.” DJ said. He walked up to the Iguana. “Hey Lily, how’s the eye?”

The Iguana turned her head, revealing one of her eyes was unfocused.

“Other than the fact that I feel more like a chameleon, I think I’m good.”

“Well that’s great.” DJ said. “So…” He got out his keyboard. “How much time we got?”

“A while.” Gus said. “I think the overnight nurse left to get dinner and I think her boyfriend picked her up… So you know they’re going to that fancy place uptown.”

“Great.” DJ began setting things up. “Guess we got a little while.” He pressed down on a key, and low note filled the room.

“That ain’t hurting you, is it Jack?”

“Nah, that’s perfect.” The bulldog said.

“Great, so uh…. Greta. You can pick first.”

“Aw, Greta only likes old-people music.” Bubba complained.

Greta looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. “Boy, if I was 10 years younger…”

“*squawk* Still be pretty old. *squawk*” Pierre said. Earning several chuckles from the other animals.

Even Greta laughed. “Ah, yeah, it’s true… Aw, DJ. You know what I like, hon.”

“You got it.” DJ began playing slowly, a rhythm that was familiar, almost sad… And as he did, he began singing, slowly.

“Just an old, fashioned love song, playing on the radio… And wrapped around the music is the sound of someone promising, they’ll never go.”

As he sang, the animals all settled down, even Bubba who actually really liked this song. Greta just closed her eyes and smiled as the song brought back memories of happier days…

DJ picked up the tempo as he played. “You’ll swear you’ve heard it before as it slowly rambles on and on. No need in bringing ‘em back cause they’ve never really gone…” He quickened his pace.

“Just an old-fashioned love song… Coming down in three-part harmony!” He sang, noticing the others bobbing along to the music.

“Just an old-fashioned love song. One I’m sure they wrote for you and me!” He slowed again. “To weave our dreams upon, and listen to each evening, when the lights are low…” Greta’s tail started to wag slowly.

“To underscore our love affair with tenderness and feelings that we’ve come to know.” Lily bobbed her head rhythmically.

“You’ll swear you’ve heard it before as it slowly rambles on and on. No need in bringing them back cause they’ve never really gone, come one Greta!” DJ called. “Help me finish this!”

Greta smiled as she cleared her throat. “Just an old-fashioned love song!” She sang. “Coming down in three part harmony!”

“Yeah!” Gus called. “That’s it.”

DJ and Greta sang along together. “Just an old-fashioned love song. One I’m sure they wrote for you and me!”

DJ stopped… Soon, all the animals were cheering for him and Greta, who was giving a small chuckle…

“Oh, DJ…” She said. “You and that keyboard can make magic…”

“Heh, nah… I don’t make anything… The song’s always there, I just let it use my paws for a while.” DJ said.

“Not bad for ‘old-people’ music.” Jack said, looking at Bubba who blushed a little.

“Heh. Well, some of my favorite songs are old songs.” DJ said. “Speaking of which, Bubba. You’re up next.”

Bubba hesitated. “… You know what I like…” He said…

“Hm… I think I forgot… What was it again?” He winked at the others…

Bubba looked around before giving a bashful smile. “You know… The one by the guys with the face paint…”

“Hm…” DJ said. “Did it go like this?” He began playing on his keyboard, switching the instrument to guitar.

“Well the night’s begun, and you want some fun! Do you think you’re gonna find it!?” He sang. “Think you’re gonna find it?” He repeated.

“Yeah, that!” Bubba said.

“Kid, this is ‘old-people’ music, too.” Greta pointed out.

“Yeah, but it goes like this!” He began drumming his paws in the air. “Shout it, shout it, shout it out loud!”

As the night went on, DJ played several songs that patients at in the veterinary clinic loved, from Jack’s favorite of the song, “Brandy” be Looking Glass, to Pierre’s favorite of “10’000 miles” by Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Every animal in that clinic had a favorite song, and DJ played each one… Just like he did every Thursday night. New patients would have favorites, sometimes there would be return visits from past patients… And each Thursday, DJ snuck out and played for them.

When things winded down, and 9:00PM rolled around, DJ started packing up.

“Aw.” Bubba said. “Do you have to go now?”

“Afraid so.” DJ said. “My family will start to wonder, and the nurse will back soon, anyway.”

“DJ, you’re a treasure.” Gus said. “Not even this darn rash puts a damper on hearing you play.”

“*squawk*Always nice to hear, *squawk*”

“Thanks, Pierre.” DJ said. Before he left he stopped by Greta’s cage. “You feel better now, you hear?”

“Ah, you’re a good boy, DJ… Don’t let anyone tell you different.” She said.

“Thanks.” He looked up at Bubba. “You be good when you get home, now. Don’t too eager to get back in here.”

“I’ll try.” Bubba said. Then he yawned… “Bye, DJ…”

“DJ, you gotta gift.” Jack said. “And bless you for wanting to share it with us.”

“Thanks…” DJ waved goodbye and slipped out of the room.

Chapter Text

Deepak carefully adjusted his cushion so that it was facing JUST the right spot towards the pond. While his other siblings ran around, and played around the park, he preferred to take this time reflect, to clear his head. And in what might be surprising, a public park is a great place to do that…

He climbed up onto the cushion and sat in the traditional lotus position.(Which wasn’t easy to learn, being a dog and all.) Took a deep breath, closed his eye, and he began his usual mantra.

“Miaow-wow-wow-wow-wow. *breath* Miaow-wow-wow-wow-wo-“

“What the heck is this?” A gruff voice broke his concentration. He opened his eyes and saw a dog he’d never seen in the park before.

He was a short, Doberman pup. Still standing a head taller than Deepak.

“Why are you meowing?” He asked. His face looking skeptical.

“Oh, greetings.” Deepak said. “Forgive me for not noticing you. My name is Deepak, and I am using this beautiful day to-“

“De-pack?” The Doberman interrupted. “What kind of name is that?”

“It’s… Just my name.” Deepak answered. He felt a bit put off by the other pups rudeness. “Uh, what’s yours?”

“Rumble.” He answered.

“Well hello Rumble, it’s nice to meet-“

“Why were you meowing?” Rumble once again interrupted. “You some kind of weirdo, doesn’t know he’s a dog?”

Deepak was getting a bit annoyed by this dogs flippancy. But he breathed deep, and let it slide.

“Oh, of course I’m aware I am a dog. But I was meditating, using the mantra of the Great Guru Miaow.”

Rumble stared blankly. “…What?”

Deepak sighed. “I was chanting. It helps clear my head, so I get in touch with my inner cat.”

When he heard that, Rumble raised an eyebrow. “Wait… So you’re a dog… That’s trying be a cat?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that but-“ He stopped when he heard Rumble start laughing.

“Um… Is something about that amusing?”

“Oh, I’ll say there is!” Rumble laughed. “A dog, wanting to be a cat?! Now that is about the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard!” He rolled over onto his back, still laughing.

Deepak blushed. “Well… You don’t have to be rude about it…”

Rumble got up, still giggling. “A hippie dog that wants to be a cat… What will they think of next?” He noticed Deepak’s cushion. “What’s that? The thing let’s you channel the force or whatever it is?”

Deepak grumbled. “It’s just a cushion…”

“Really, let me try.” Without warning, he pushed Deepak off, sitting down on his cushion.

“Hey!” Deepak cried, as got up. “What was that for?!”

Rumble ignored him. Instead, getting comfortable. “Not bad, not bad… I could get used this.”

“Please get off that!” Deepak begged. “You’re gonna pop it if you don’t sit on right.”

“Oh, what? Is there some special way you got a sit on bloody cushion? Or wait, let me guess, only cat lovers can use it right, is that it?”

Deepak had finally had enough.

“Okay!” He huffed. “I think you need to leave!”

Rumble’s face got serious. “Oh yeah? And who’s gonna make me?”

“Well, I hope you’ll be decent and leave on your-“ Deepak stopped when he saw that other dog was now standing up… And he noticed how much bigger he was.

“You trying to pick a fight, cat boy?” Rumble said.

“Um… Uh…” Deepak backed away. “Look, all I meant was…”

“Heh, you are like a cat… Get all scared and wimpy real easily…”

Deepak cowered away… Backing up as the other pup stepped forward.

“What you gonna do? Hiss at me? Scratch me? Or you just gonna sit there and cry?”

Deepak actually did notice his eyes water… Which only made him get even more flustered.

“Hehe, look at you. Guess you really are a cat.” He gave a mean grin. “Why don’t you meow for me?”

“W-what?” Deepak shakily asked.

“Come one, meow for me. Just so I know that you’re really to big a pussy to be a dog.” He laughed.

Deepak lay there, his face red from both anger and embarrassment, this bigger dog laughing at him… He was just about to start crying…

“OI!” Called out a new voice… One Deepak recognized.

Rumble rolled his eyes and turned around… Only to freeze when he saw three, identical Dalmatians glaring at him.

“Step off our bro, you flea bag!” One with a golden “#1” around his neck said.

Rumble backed away as they three approached, one with a golden “#2” helping Deepak up.

“You okay mate, did he hurt you?” He asked. Deepak seemed as surprised as Rumble but dried his eyes and shook his head.

“Listen here, punk!” The first one said to Rumble. “No one, and I mean NO ONE screws with our bro. Got it?!”

Rumble stammered. “I-Uh, I uh I didn’t know he was-“

“Apologize.” The third one who had golden “#3”. “Apologize for everything you said!”

“Uh.” Rumble looked at Deepak. “Uh, sorry?”

“Sorry for what?!” The first demanded.

“Sorry for knocking you off your cushion and making fun of you…” Rumble said hastily.

“Good. Now listen up and listen up good.” The first said. “We ever catch you near him, or any of our brothers and sisters ever again, we’ll find you…” He got right up in the Doberman’s face.

“And when we’re done, you’ll have to eat kibble through a bloomin’ straw…”

Rumble gulped.

“Now beat it!” The third said.

Rumble nodded, but before he left, the second one stopped him.

“Wait. Look him in the face.” He pointed to Deepak.

“Wha-O-Okay…” He did as he was told.

“Now meow.” The second demand.

Rumble’s face fell. “Wh-what?”

“DO IT!” The second said.

Rumble whimpered, but he looked Deepak right in the face… “M-Meow…” He said, weakly.

“Good kitty.” The first said with a smirk. “Now GET!”

Rumble took off, with his tail between his legs, whimpering to himself.

Deepak sat there… Unsure of what to say…

“Punk.” Dimitri 1 said. “You sure he didn’t hurt you, Deepak?” He said.

“N-No… He didn’t.” He looked up at his brothers. “Th… Thank you…” He sniffed. “I… I feel almost ashamed, now. I didn’t expect you three would ever-“

“No one picks on our pack.” Dimitri 3 said. “Least of all some wimp like him.”

“They especially don’t mess with the one’s who don’t deserve it.” Dimitri 2 said. He threw his front leg around Deepak’s shoulder. “You may be a hippie, cat-lover. But you’re kind of alright.”

Deepak smiled. “Thanks, guys…”

“Besides.” Dimitri 1 said. “Givin’ you grief about ‘Guru-Miaow’ or whatever is OUR job.”

Deepak gave a deadpan look while the others laughed.

“Come one, man, let’s go home.” Dimitri 2 said. Deepak picked up his cushion and joined them, the three walking close as if they were guarding him.

Deepak. (Silently) “Bless you three…”

Chapter Text

Perdita lay by the window of her family’s London home. For some reason, everything looked so much brighter. The trees looked greener, the sky looked bluer, and even the dull, grey, and brown buildings looked a bit livelier…

She sighed to herself… Everything just seemed so much better nowadays…

And her then her thoughts were interrupted by something gently nudging her stomach.

She smiled. “That’s not going to make anything happen faster, dear.” She said to her husband, Pongo. Who was laying next her, looking at her stomach. Which they had recently learned something very precious was growing inside of…

“I know.” He said with grin. “It’s just… I have to remind myself this is really happening sometimes.”

“Oh, trust me.” Perdita said. “It’s really happening…”

“We’re going to be parents.” Pongo said.

“Yes.” She sighed happily to herself. “We are…”

“And… I’m gonna be a dad, a, a father…” Pongo said, rolling onto his back.

“Yes, dear. That is what the male parent is called.” Perdita chuckled.

“Am I even ready for that?” He wondered.

“Of course you are.” Perdita said. “There is no one I could think of to be more qualified to be a father than you.”

“But… I have no experience being a dad…” Pongo said.

“Nor I being a mother.” Perdita pointed out. “This a new experience for us both. For all of us, really. Roger and Anita may not be dogs, but living with a litter of puppies will be new for them as well… But we’ll be alright. We’ll all learn how to do this… No matter what happens.”

Pongo smiled at her. “Right…”

Perdita smiled back, but then sighed to herself. “Besides… We have to get to the due date, first…” She looked at her stomach, that wasn’t very big now, but that was going to change…
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Over the next few weeks, things went mostly smoothly… But Pongo began to notice that pregnancy had certain… Effects on a dog…

He walked into the kitchen one morning, to find Perdita already at her bowl… And a half-empty bag of dog-food beside her.

“Did… Did you eat half a bag yourself?” He asked.

Perdita’s face reddened as her eyes darted back and forth. As if she just realized it as well.

“Uh… Yesh?” She said, her mouth still full. She swallowed, her face now very red. “I’m sorry dear, but I woke up and it felt like I hadn’t eaten in weeks, and then before I knew it, I had-“

“Hey, it’s alright.” Pongo said. “I mean, you are eating for more than yourself now.”

“Yes… But I will be very grateful when I don’t feel like this anymore.” Perdita said.

“Don’t worry. It’s all perfectly normal.” Pongo said as he next her. Then he smiled playfully. “Guess I’m going to have to decide how I feel about chubbier dogs when this is over, though.”

The glare she gave him made him think that might not have been the smartest thing to say…
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Perdita wasn’t the only one who was acting a bit differently during all this. Such as the day she had an appointment with a groomer…

“Are you sure I shouldn’t come with you?” Pongo said.

“I’ll be alright, dear.” She insisted. “It’s just a coat cleaning.”

“But what if they’re not careful?” Pongo said.

“Darling, these are professionals, they groom pregnant dogs all the time.” She gave him a lick. “I’ll be fine. Anita will be with me.”

“Are you certain?” Pongo said.

“Goodness me.” Nanny said. Even though she couldn’t understand them, she could see how uncertain Pongo was. “He’s as concerned about you as an old mother hen.” Perdita chuckled as Pongo blushed.

“That’s not a bad thing, though.” She said, patting his head. “Every good man worries about his lady.” Perdita smiled.

“Don’t worry.” She promised. “I’ll be just fine.”

“I know… But maybe I should come anyway?” Pongo said.

Perdita laughed. “You are hopeless… Besides, last time you came with me to the groomers, it took so long that you fell asleep, and they made wait outside cause you were snoring so loud.”

Pongo looked at the ground. “…It’s not my fault…”
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One night, very close to the due date. Pongo and Perdita were laying in the cellar, in a spot that he been cleaned out for Perdita when the time came.

“It’ll be any day, now.” Pongo said.

“Mm hm.” Perdita said half-heartedly. She had been feeling a little anxious ever since a certain day…

“Listen.” He said. “Whatever happens, we’ll get through it together. And one day, very soon. All the uncertainty will be like a bad memory.”

“Yes…” Perdita said, though she didn’t sound sure.

“I can’t help it, Pongo.” She said. “I’ve just been feeling more and more… Unsure about all this… Are we qualified to be parents? I mean, it’s clear we won’t be looking after just 2 or 3 pups.”

“It doesn’t matter, love.” He said. “You’ve been so strong the past few weeks. It’s showed me that you can handle this… And once they’re born. Me, and Nanny, and Roger and Anita. We’ll be able to help you out more.” He nuzzled her cheek.

“We’ve got this. Both of us.”

Perdita finally allowed herself a small smile.

“Oh, Pongo… What would I do without you?”

He laid down next her, and she rest her head on his back.

Both ready for whatever the future held…

Chapter Text

Fergus leafed through garbage cans in one of the many, dank alleyways he liked to hang out in, tossing the stuff that was even too nasty for him out.

“Moldy banana, rotten apple… Ugh, why can’t human’s ever throw away anything worth eatin’?” He dug deeper. “What happened to the good ol’ days when they tossed half a sandwich, or whole chicken leg?” He grumbled. “Stupid, less wasteful generation, US VERMIN HAVE’TA EAT TOO, Y’KNOW!” He was just about to give up and head downtown when he a heard a voice.

“Fergus, is that you?”

Fergus jumped out of the can. “I swear, officer! Everything was like this when I got here!” He put on his best innocent face… When he saw that it wasn’t an officer… In fact, it was the last animal he thought would ever be looking for him. And definitely not one he’d find in a grimy alley like this.

It was Delilah Dalmatian…

“Mrs. D?” He said, calming down.

“Yes, hello Fergus…” The older dog said. “Have I caught you at bad time?”

“Wha,? Oh, nah. Just trying to find some lunch.”

“…..From a dumpster?”

The fox shrugged. “Vermin life…”

Delilah grimaced. “I see…”

“Speakin’a that. What brings you ‘round these parts? This place ain’t exactly up to hospital health standards.”

“Indeed…” Delilah said, shaking something she had stepped in off her paw. “Actually, Fergus. I was looking for you.”

“Me?” Fergus bewilderedly asked.

“Yes… Are your friends around?”

“Nah. Sid’s reorganizing his nut stash, and Big Fee said something about chewing new holes in the deli walls… Says it keeps them on their toes.”

Delilah raised an eyebrow. “I…See…”

“So…What I can do for you, Mrs. D?”

“Would you take a walk with me?” She asked.

“Uh… What?”

“A walk…” She repeated.

“Uh… Sure…” Fergus hopped down and followed her out of the alleyway. He was a bit uncertain. It wasn’t that he disliked her, she was the mom of two of his best friends. But he was certain that, “Friend of her kids” was all he was to her. It also didn’t help that she was a hospital worker and he… Well, he was just dumpster diving.

Not much in common.

Regardless, he followed her until they got to a spot, that overlooked the river… She hopped up on a bench, and motioned for him to sit next to her…

She didn’t say much, at first… She just watched to sun sparkle on the water…

“You confuse me, Mr. Fergus.” She finally said.

“Wh-What?” Fergus stammered in surprise. “Come again?”

“Mr. Fergus. You are a complex individual.” She said, confusing him even more. “You’re a mischief maker. You enjoy being a mischief maker, do you deny that?”

“Well, no… Heh, guess I couldn’t even’if I wanted to.” Fergus said.

“And you enjoy being, in your own words, ‘vermin’. And you enjoy getting on PC Pearl’s nerves, correct?”

“Heh… Only if there ain’t anything better to do.” He said with a hint of mock innocence.

“Which brings me to my point. How is it, that some so content with being a troublemaker… One of the most noble creatures I have the honor of knowing?”

“I, uh… What?” Fergus said, thrown completely off guard.

Delilah finally smiled. “I owe you a great debt, Fergus.” She said. “You, and your friends. Without you, me, my family, none of us would be here today.”

“Oh, Mrs. D. Is THAT what this is about? Back when that crazy lady came after ya. Aw shucks, ma’am, ye had me worried. I thought this was serious.”

“It IS serious, Fergus.” Delilah insisted, her tone and look made Fergus believe so.

“I don’t know how much you know about what happened that night, but you can believe that my family faced our darkest hour… Both me and my husband failed to keep our children safe, and I came THIS close watching all my children be murdered in front of me, by a woman that has haunted my nightmares sense I was a puppy…” Fergus had never seen her this serious… But from how she talked, this was something she was not happy recounting…

“But we didn’t… We’re all alive, and do you know why?”

“Uh…”

“Because some… Brave, trio of hooligans somehow found it in their hearts to jump in and help save us.”

“Aw, Mrs. D…” Fergus said, blushing. “Yer’ makin’ me sound right special.”

“You are special, Fergus. And no matter what anyone says, as far as I’m concerned you are a hero. To both my family, and to me…”

“Geez, Mrs. D… I didn’t do nothin’ heroic… All I know was… I saw those thugs loadin’ them kids up in that container, and thought… Those were D-dawgs, little brothers, and sisters. The same ones that make a ruckus, everywhere they go. And the same ones that took me in when I got hurt and…” He hesitated… “They same ones that still called me a friend… Even after I went and took advantage of ‘em… Those same, sweet, little punks were being treated real bad… And I wasn’t gonna let that happen.”

Delilah listened to him, her face changing from simple understanding, to one of very, grateful pride…

“…And when I learned what that fur-hungry, floozy wanted to do to ya’s…” Fergus continued. "Well, Pardon me French, Mrs. D, but I’ll be damned before I let that happen… I my not show it much, but those little ankle-biters make life interesting around this town… And your family is the closest thing I have to one of me own… So I didn’t do anything heroic… I just did what I knew was the right thing to do… Yeesh, that feels weird to say! See!? This the effect you dogs have had on me!”

Delilah actually laughed at that. So much that Fergus started chuckling as well…

After a moment, she put her paw on his cheek…

“Regardless of why, or how… You did something not even my ancestors did… You fought that evil woman, and you and your friends saved us all… So Fergus, I guess what I really wanted to say was this…”

She leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Thank you, Fergus.”

Fergus just sat there, stunned…

“I, uh… I…” He stammered…

Delilah hopped down form the bench.

“I know you’re not keen on living indoors, but don’t be stranger around our house… I can at least make sure you don’t have to eat out of a garbage bin, most days.”

“Uh huh…” Was all Fergus could say.

“I see you later, Fergus.” Delilah said as she headed home.

Fergus sat there…

“Huh… Well…” He said.

“I think I could used to at least a few people liking me…”

Chapter Text

“Whip it, Delgado!” Came a cry that echoed across the park. And when that was called out. London’s fastest little pup would come speeding down the road! He loved the feel of the wind in his face, the pavement under his paws, his wheels skating along as if nothing could possibly stop him! He jumped and sliced into a turn, letting his wheels skate behind him along the pavement, being followed by the glorious sound of rubber sliding against concrete!

Finally, his target came into view. The unmistakable yellow plastic of his favorite frisbee! He pushed his forelegs even harder, feeling his ears flap behind him. He jumped, landed with a forward somersault, leapt again…

And snatched the flying disc out of the air.

Dozens of enthusiastic cheers from his siblings followed.

“That was incredible!” Said Dizzy.

“He was like a bullet!” Said DeeDee.

“Hot diggity!” Diesel yapped, peeking his head from his hole in the ground. “He’s faster than a train!”

“That’s a scientific impossibility.” Dawkins said, very matter-of-factly. “The average speed of a train is 120 miles per hour. The fastest a dog has ever run is only 45 miles per hour. And that was by a greyhound.” He chuckled. “I doubt dear little brother could do that.”

“Woah. Nerd alert.” Their older sister, Dolly said. “Answer me this, genius? How fast does it take to get an egghead talking about something dumb?”

“Well that makes no sense, I’d need to-“ Dawkins stopped when he realized what he just walked into. He turned and gave his smirking sister an indigent frown.

“Hehheh.” She chuckled. “Looks like the answer is, instantly.”

“How fast did I go?” Delgado asked, dropping the frisbee at her feet.

“Wicked fast, man.” She said. “I’d even say you broke your previous record.”

“Really?!” Delgado exclaimed, jumping up and down.

“Definitely.” She said. She held her paw up for “High-five” to which he happily leapt and returned.

“Oh, more than definitely.” Came the voice of the older brother, Dylan. He held up a stopwatch.

“You beat you previous time for a frisbee catch by five whole milliseconds.”

“Yes!” The pup cheered. “I don’t know what a millisecond is. But anything that make’s sports sound sciency is cool!”

Dawkins snorted.

“Hey, let’s try for even faster!” Dolly said. Taking the frisbee in her teeth.

“Yeah.” Delgado cheered. “I’ll bet I can make it in half that time!” He ran back to his starting position while Dolly wound up her throw.

“Um, are you sure that’s such a good idea?” Dylan asked.

“Relax, bro.” Dolly said, well, slobbered would be the better choice of words. Since she was still gripping the frisbee in her mouth.

“It’s fine.” She assured. She turned to Delgado and nodded.

“Ready?” She asked.

“Ready!” He answered, getting into position.

Dolly wound up and flung the yellow disc into the blue! Delgado immediately shot off after it!

Oh, how he loved this. There was nothing that could compete with the wind zipping past his face, the drool flailing from his tongue. It was like heaven to him… He made ready to turn. A sharp, almost 90-degree angle of one to catch the frisbees trajectory. He jumped. Landed to his side and let his wheels slide.

Ah, that sound… The sound of rubbing hitting the road… It was like-

POW!

Suddenly, Delgado found himself flipping over to his side. He tumbled and rolled until he came to a rather abrupt stop in the grass.

“DELGADO!” Dylan cried as he and the other pups ran over to help the crashed dalmatian.

“Ohmydogohmydogohmydog!” Dylan repeated, s he usually does when he’s stressed. “Are you okay?”

“Ugh.” Delgado groaned. “I think? What happened?” He glanced up at his wheels, now sticking in the air. One of the rubber tires hanging limp and lacerated from its spoke.

“Ah a blowout.” He groaned. “Hit the power-slide too hard.” With help from his siblings, he got himself upright.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Dylan asked. “Nothing broken?”

“I think I got a scrape or two.” Delgado said. “But I’m fine.”

“Hah.” Dolly said. “It’ll take more than a tumble to shake up Delgado!”

“He wouldn’t have had to if you hadn’t thrown so hard.” Dylan said. Looking at Dolly accusingly.

“What, are saying this is my fault?” Dolly returned.

“You know he shouldn’t push himself too hard.” Dylan said.

“Oh, relax.” Dolly scoffed. “He’s not hurt.”

“But next time he could be!” Dylan said. “You know what state he’s in. Will please remember that?!”

Dolly scowled. “I do!” She said.

“STOP!” Delgado shouted.

“I’m fine.” He huffed. “Will someone please go and get the spare for wheelchair?”

Dylan and Dolly stopped arguing and looked at the pup in surprise.

“Yeah…Yeah I’ll get it.” Dolly said. Giving both him and Dylan a look before leaving.
Before Dylan could say anything, Delgado had gotten up and was walking away.

“Delgado? I’m-“

“I’m going to sit by the pond.” Delgado stated. His tone not offering arguments.

Dylan frowned and hung his head.

“Will he be okay?” Dizzy asked.

“Yeah.” Dylan said. “I don’t think it was the fall that hurt him.”

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Delgado squeezed past some bushes to a spot by the pond, hidden from the main path. He stood and watched the sunlight twinkle on the smooth surface.

He looked down and frowned at his reflection.

“What’s he think I am?” He asked himself. “Made of glass?” He huffed. “I took a tumble, it happens.” He stared back at his wheelchair.

“Besides. It’s not like I’m not used to this thing, it’s been attached to my backside since I can remember.”

He looked down at the water again… And noticed something. Tiny ripples were distorting his reflection…
That’s when he heard it… A sound coming from the other side of his spot. The sound of someone… Crying?

He very carefully peeked through the bushes. And saw another little puppy sitting on the bank.

It was girl, he wasn’t sure what breed, but she had a cream-colored coat with spots of orange. She was looking into the water, holding her front-right paw up as of examining it. It looked like she was wearing a weird glove of some kind. Delgado heard her sniff and realized the ripples in the water were from where she had been… Crying?

“It’s so ugly.” She sniffed. Surprising Delgado. He was so surprised, he jumped back, snapping a twig.

The girl yelped in surprise and turned to him.

“Oh.” He stammered. “Sorry?”

“Who are you?” She asked. Before he answered, he noticed that she crossed her paws, as if to hide the one wearing a glove.

“I-I’m Delgado.” He answered. “Listen, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I just heard someone crying and-“

“Oh. You heard that?” She asked, looking away.

“Yeah. I didn’t realize anyone else hid here.” He chuckled.

“I wasn’t hiding.” She said quickly. “I was… Um, just…” She sighed. “Oh, what’s the use.”

“Why were you hiding?” He asked.

She hesitated.

“You don’t have to tell me.” He said. “I just want to make sure you’re okay. I-I can leave if you…”

“NO.” She said. “Well, that is to say…”

Delgado had seen this look before. Living with 98 siblings gave one a sense of another’s mood. And while he wasn’t used to being in this position. He knew what he had to do.

“Do you want to talk?” He asked. The girl looked away from him… But gave a slight nod.

“Alright.” He said. “But uh… Let me get free first.” He was still talking from the bushes. With much difficulty, he freed both him and his wheelchair. When it was free, he noticed the girl staring at it wide eyed.

“What’s up?” He asked.

“Y-Your legs.” She asked.

“My legs, what’s wrong with my-“ He turned around.
“OH MY GOSH!” He yelled. “WHERE ARE MY LEGS?!”

The poor girl gasped in fear…Until she noticed the smirk he was giving her.

“Gotcha.” He said.

“What?” She asked, now confused. “I-“

“Don’t worry about it.” He said. “Yeah, I ain’t got no back trotters” He turned so she could see.

“Take a look.”

“I’m-I’m sorry.” She stammered. “I didn’t mean to gawk.”

“It’s alright.” He assured her. “I almost like it when people notice them. Makes surprising them much better.”

She half smiled. “It doesn’t seem to bother you.” She pointed out.

“Nah.” He said. “Besides, not like I can do anything about it now.”

“Does it… Does it hurt?” She asked. “Your wheelchair, I mean.”

“Eh, at first it did.” He said. “But ya get used to it.”

She turned away. “You make it sound easy.” She said.

“Make what sound easy.” He asked. Then he looked down at her paw. The weird glove ran all the way up to her knee and looked like it was made of metal with some soft material at the end.

“Where’d you get that?” He asked.

She looked to him and when she saw where he was pointing, she instinctively pulled he paw away. Delgado knew he said the wrong thing when he saw tears welling back up in her eyes.

“Hey, I’m sorry.” He said. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

She gave him an unsure side eye… Then wiped her eyes and held her paw out.

“Go ahead and look.” She huffed.

Now that he got a good look at it, he noticed it was strapped to her leg. With moving parts like one of Dawkins machines.

“Wicked.” He said. “Where’d you get a glove like this?”

She scowled. “It’s not a glove.” She said, clearly angry. “It’s prosthetic.”

“A pros-what now?” He asked.

“A fake leg.” She said. “That’s what it is. An imitation.”

“A fake leg?” Delgado asked. Then he remembered his mother telling him about something like that. How some animals and humans have mechanical limbs to replace the ones they lost. He always thought they looked cool. But this pup didn’t seem to think so.

“Oh.” He said. “Well, at least you got a leg.” He turned to his wheelchair. “I can’t even sit down with this thing on.”

“At least no one can see your stubs.” She said. “I see mine every time I have to wash this.”

“Hey, I can’t even take a bath by myself.” Delgado said. “And forget about using the lamp-post. I need help for that, too…”

The other pup seemed surprised at his casual tone.

“How are you so… Positive about it?” She said. “Doesn’t it feel like a part of you is always missing? Like you’re not… Whole?”

“Nah.” Delgado said. “Can’t really see how I could feel that way, anyway. I don’t ever remember a time I didn’t have this. It’s as much a part of me as my other parts, except I can drift with these.” He chuckled to himself.

“I wish I was that lucky…” The other pup said, looking away. “I remember having all four paws. But I got this infection in my paw, see… And my owner didn’t catch it in time. By the time they did notice, it had already spread… The vet said the only way to keep it from becoming worse was to amputate the paw…”

“Geez.” Delgado said. “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t remember much about the operation… All I know was that I went to sleep and woke up with… This.” She help up her prosthetic.

“…..Is it really THAT bad?” Delgado asked. “I mean, they had to do it to save your life.”

“Yeah, and now I can’t run like I used to, I can’t dig like I used to, it chafes, it get’s stuff stuck in it, and everyone ALWAY’S stare at me...” She sighed. “And it’s a constant reminder that I’ll never be the same again… That I’m… Broken…”

“Woah, woah… Broken?” Delgado said. “Broken is a little harsh, don’t ya think?” She said nothing.

“Hey, look at me.” He said. “Okay, yes. You may not be the same. But that doesn’t mean you’re ‘broken’. You’re still you. And sure, you may not be able to do the same things, the exact same way as before. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find NEW ways to do them.”

The pup’s face softened a bit. But then she said, “But how do I learn to get around a change like this?”

“It was hard for me to get used to it, too… But I had a bunch of help from my family. Do you have any family?”

“Well… I have my owner…”

“And are they trying to help you get used to it?”

“I mean… I guess… They try and get me to do the things we used to, but… I just don’t feel like trying. Trying just makes me feel even worse.”

“You’ve gotta try.” Delgado said. “Cause this.” He pointed to her prosthetic. “Is just an outside thing. It’s what happens up here.” He pointed to his head. “That really counts. Look at me, I have wheels. And my favorite thing to do is run. Was it hard at first, heck yes. But after time, I built up enough strength in my front paws to run just as fast as anyone with four. And then I kept going, and I started getting faster. Do I still need help, yes. But it hasn’t slowed me down.”

The pup seemed to actually consider these words.

“I’m not promising that thing’s will ever be 100% the same.” Delgado said. “But you only lose if you stop trying to live.”

The pup finally looked at her prosthetic… Was this really THAT bad? Sure, she couldn’t do things like she used, to but was it actually stopping her from learning new ways to do things?

In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that there wasn’t anything stopping her from trying…

A voice called out from the park. “Delgado! Dolly got your spare!”

“I should go.” Delgado said. “Listen, if you come to the park often, I’d sure like to talk with you more.”

“…Yeah…” She said. “I’d like that too…” She smiled a little, looking at herself in the waters reflection.

“Well, I should-“

“Sophie.” The other pup said.

“What?”

“That’s my name.” She said. “It’s Sophie.” She smiled at him. “And… Thank you, Delgado… Thanks for pulling me out of my funk…”

Delgado smiled back. “Hey, dogs like us have to stick together. Besides, as far as I’m concerned, if we can keep going… Dogs like us are unbreakable.”

Chapter Text

How did this go so wrong?

Not even in my worst nightmare had I imagined things could go THIS badly…

But there we were, sitting in a hauntingly empty house, one that wasn’t our home. In a town that wasn’t anywhere near were we lived, with people that were just as lost as us…

I looked at my wife, Perdita. she still lay there, rarely speaking, rarely moving… She didn’t sleep much, nowadays, or even eat much… All she did was the same as me… Sit here, hoping that one day we’ll wake up and this whole, horrid ordeal just be a nightmare…

But I have a horrible feeling it’s more than that…

I can’t even remember how many days it’s been… One day, we were living our happy, peaceful lives at our home in the country, me, my wife, our puppies, and our pets… Not a worry in the world…

And then, just like that. It was gone.

I don’t even know how, or when it happened, just that, one day, our world was replaced with darkness… And not like a nighttime darkness, no… This was emptiness… A hallow, hopeless emptiness. One that ate away everything around it… We could feel it eating away at us, too, me and my wife. I felt afraid, angry, sad, and empty all at once. Our thoughts were filled by an awful voice, telling us there was nothing left to do but to lay down and succumb to it… That there was nothing left anymore…

But we couldn’t…

I felt it my wife’s heart as I did my own, we couldn’t just lay there and accept it. We thought of our family, our home, each other… We had to hold on for them…

Then everything went black…

And we awoke in this town…

Now, at first we thought it was a dream, or, well… HOPED it was adream, more like… But the sights, the sounds, and especially the smells proved otherwise. You can always trust scent, y’know. And this told us that we were a LONG way from home…

First, came the confusion. How did we get here? Second came the questions. Where IS here? Third came the scary questions. Were we dead?

And finally came the scariest of all… The realization that we were alone…

It was just me and my wife. Our pets, our pups… Nowhere to be seen. Of course, we were both borderline hysterical... But we decided the only way to get any answers was to look for them. And while she didn’t like the idea of wandering through a strange town, I convinced her we had no choice.

It was almost a relief to see people, humans… But they all seemed on edge. Afraid, even… They hardly paid us any mind, but when they did, it was either surprise, or sorrow…

“More new arrivals?” I heard one say. “This gets worse by the minute.”

New arrivals? What were they talking about?

Everything felt so… Alien. Like this world had nothing familiar in it… It was… Like being in a dream, without dreaming…

Finally, after a few minutes, my poor wife dropped to her haunches and sighed.

“Oh, it’s hopeless…” She said. “No one here can help us; they don’t even understand us…”

I knew one of those was true… Asking humans for help when they can’t speak your language IS a bit difficult… I wracked my brain, there must be something we can do to make sense of this…

It was at that moment that a small glimmer of luck finally came our way…

“Oh, so yer the new arrivals that’s got everyone fussin’?” Came a gruff voice. We turned, and saw and older man, with yellow hair and a rough-looking face. I stood in front Perdy, unsure of what he wanted.

“Woah there, big fella. I ain’t gonna hurt ya.” He said. “Name’s Cid… Uh…” He looked around. “This may be a dumb question, but you two can’t speak, can ya?”

Me and Perdy looked at each other. He was the first human to EVER ask us that… We just looked back at him…

“No? Figures.” He said. “I just thought I’d ask, can’t be sure of anything, these days…” He said. “Well, I reckon if you’re in a place like this, you ain’t just the regular kind of dumb animal.”

I heard Perdy huff in offence. Humans…

“Either way, Aerith and Leon are on their way… They look after all the arrivals.”

There it was again, ‘new arrivals.’ what on earth was going on?

“I don’t know where yer from, but you must have guts to end up here… Though I wouldn’t call ye lucky… If you’re here it means… Well, I’ll let them explain it… I don’t understand it much, myself.”

I have never before wished so much that I could speak human. What on earth was going on here?

“Don’t understand what?” I heard a woman’s voice, say. A young woman, and a rather rough-looking younger man were walking our way.

“Only that I don’t understand a lick of what’s going on.” Cid said. “It gets crazier by the day, Aerith.”

The man stopped and looked down at us. He had a look in his eyes the betrayed the youthfulness of his face. Except, of course, for the scare that ran down between his eyes.

“Are these them?” He asked.

“Yep… Must’ve just got here.” Cid said.

“Oh, you poor things.” The woman said, kneeling down to us. “This must be so frightening for you.”

I don’t really like being talked down to, but at this point, I was just relieved we were getting some help.

I sensed Perdy ease up in this woman’s presence. Something about her was just… Calming…

“Any idea where they’re from?” Leon asked.

“Nope.” Cid answered. “And they ain’t the speaking type, at least, I don’t think they are.”

“Well that doesn’t make it easier…” Leon said.

“You two must be so confused.” Aerith said. “But if you’re here, that means you’re very strong…”

I stepped closer, trying to urge her tell us anything…

“Yes, I know.” She said, as if understanding me. “This probably doesn’t make any sense…” Then she squinted, and looked at me real close…

“Leon.” She said. “Do you know what I’ve just realized? These two look just like the dogs in that picture.”

“You mean the one in that house that appeared a few days ago?” Leon said.

“Yes. Do you think…”

Leon looked at us. “I mean… It’s possible… Of course, there’s no way to know for sure…”

“Y’know, that old loon’s back from wherever he zips around to. Maybe he can help.” Cid said.

“Might as well.” Aerith said. “Merlin knows more about anyone in this town than we do, anyway.”

“Can’t hurt.” Leon said. Then he looked at us. “If you can understand me, just know… You’re about to find some things out that are not gonna be pleasant.”

With renewed uncertainty, we followed them…

Aerith explained that the town was named, “Traverse Town.” And that everyone there was in the same position we were… Displaced people, who just found themselves there… Guess that’s what the “new arrivals” thing was all about. That also explained why everyone looked so one edge, like the sky was going to fall, or something…

Perdy hadn’t spoken a word since we met Cid… I could tell what was on her mind, the pups… Of course they were on my mind as well, but I knew we couldn’t get anywhere without help.

When we finally met Merlin, well… I don’t know what I expected, but it wasn’t that… An old man, living on an island, proclaiming himself to be a wizard usually gets you locked up where we’re from… But we aren’t there anymore…

The weirdest thing though… Is that I felt I knew him from somewhere…

And even weirder is that he seemed to know us…

“Ah, Aerith!” He said, when we walked in. “Good to see you.”

“Hello, Mr. Merlin.” She said. “I hope you’re alright.”

“As good as I can be, with how things are.” He said. “And Master Leon. Keeping thing’s in order, I presume?”

“Like you said, as good as I can.” Leon answered.

“Well, as much as I’d like to think that this is just a social call… I assume not…”

“I’m afraid so.” Aerith said. She gestured to us. “We got some new arrivals, today.” And when that wizard focused on us, his eyes went wide.

“Oh… Dear…” He said. “Things really are getting worse, then…” He walked over to us. “Especially if it’s just the Pongo’s by themselves.”

I perked at that.

“You KNOW us?!” I said without thinking. I do that sometimes, speak without remembering humans can’t understand me… But what happened next really surprised me.

“Of course, I know you.” Merlin said. “Who doesn’t know the heads of the world famous One-Hundred-and-One Dalmatians?”

Both me and Perdy sat there, absolutely gob smacked! A human that could understand dogs?!

“Wait, you can understand them?” Leon said.

“Of course.” Merlin said. “I speak fluent canine. And they can understand you a lot better then you can them so you best watch what you say.”

I wanted to cry! I was so relieved.

“You have no idea how happy I am that someone can hear us!” I said.

“Yes… I know you must have more questions than you both have spots.” Merlin said.

“Wait… You can just, understand what they’re saying?” Leon repeated.

“Yes.” Merlin answered.

“….Can you teach me how to?” He asked.

“Afraid not. It took me about 20 years.” He then smiled and held up his cane. “I can turn you into a dog if you really want to speak with them…”

Leon held up his hands and backed away. “Uh… No thanks, I’m good.”

Aerith laughed. And I admit, that was the first time I genuinely smiled since we got here… It was Perdy who brought everything back on track.

“Please, sir.” She begged. “Tell us where we are, how we got here and… Where are our puppies?”

“Yes…” Merlin said, his mood darkening. “I guess we better get the hard part… I take you didn’t explain anything?” He asked the other two.

Aerith shook her head.

“Right…” He looked at us. “You best sit down for this…”
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“D-Destroyed?!” Perdy gasped.

Merlin sadly nodded.

“Our world is… Gone?” I said.

“I’m afraid so…” Merlin said.

“But… But… How, why?!” I said. I couldn’t believe it… I just… How do you accept something like THAT?!

“We don’t know why.” Merlin said. “But it’s happened to several worlds already. That’s what Traverse Town is… A world built to house everyone who’s world was destroyed.”

“But… Our pets Our humans.” Perdy said. “Does that mean that they…”

Merlin shook his head. “I’m very sorry…”

I almost collapsed… Roger… Anita… Nanny… They were… Gone… My best friend, the only humans I ever considered family were… Gone…

Even Aerith and Leon, who most likely didn’t know us until a few hours ago, seemed sorry for us…

But even then… There was one more question still unanswered… And it was the one we feared getting an answered to the most…

“Sir.” Perdy said. “Where are our puppies?”

Merlin looked very solemn for a moment. He looked to Aerith and Leon…

“Are they the only ones that have arrived?” He asked.

Aerith nodded.

“And… No sign of any puppies?”

“Puppies?” Leon said. “You mean, they…” He looked at us… And I could see pity build up behind that gruff exterior…

“No…” He said, looking away… “No sign.”

Merlin looked back at us… “… If they didn’t come with you… Then… Well…”

“…No…” Perdy said. “No….N-NO, they can’t be!” She dropped to her haunches. “They’re alive! They have to be!” She buried her face in my shoulder. “They can’t be gone!” She sobbed… “Oh please, heaven above, don’t let this be true!”

I just held her… I couldn’t believe this. I didn’t WANT to believe this. All our struggles, all our happiness… Undone in an instant, for seemingly no reason… Our family, our friends, our world… Gone… All we could do was hold each other… The last bit of our world either of us had left…

At that moment, I wished for nothing more than to have not survived… Anything would have been better than knowing I outlived my children… I already faced that possibility once before, and me my wife fought tooth and nail to stop it… Was it just our destiny? Were we targeted by whatever was doing this? Or were we just more innocent bystanders to something that no one could explain?

Aerith watched us, her own eyes full of tears…

“Oh, Merlin. Isn’t there anything you can do?” She asked.

“Yeah. If they survived, shouldn’t there pups have as well?” Leon asked.

“Hmm…” Merlin pulled on his beard. “There may be one…ONE. Other possibility….”

Both me and Perdy perked when we heard that.

“What?” She begged. “What?!”

“It may be possible that instead of being dest-Uh… Gone, with rest of your world, your pups might, and let me stress again, MIGHT have simply been scattered throughout the cosmos.”

…”Simply”?

“I… I don’t understand, what does that mean?” Perdy said.

“We just simple, London dogs.” I pointed out. “The cosmos is far from our area of expertise.”

“Oh, yes…” Merlin said. “Well… imagine there are more worlds than just one… And your puppies have been scattered about them like leaves scattered about ones yard…”

What?

“He means your kids are on other worlds.” Leon said. “The destruction of your world blew to others… Like an explosion scatters debris.”

Not a pleasant image, but alright…

“Y-you mean our puppies are lost, alone, somewhere in parts of the universe?” Perdy asked.

“Exactly!” Merlin said, excitedly. Until he noticed that Perdy and me were less than excited. “That is to say… I’m sorry… But, if it’s any consolation… It does mean they’re alive…”

It was miniscule comfort… But it was something…

“Don’t suppose you would know anyway of getting them back?” Leon asked.

Merlin shook his head. “Magic is muddled enough as it is. Locating anything take massive amounts of focus.”

“Any way we could find them?” Aerith asked.

“Not without a way of getting of this world.” Merlin said. “And even then, you’d be going who knows where, having to face who knows what… It’s not something that could be done without a serious amount of planning.”

I wanted to beg him to help us. Tell him that no matter what, we’d search the cosmos from one end to the other to get our pups back… And the Leon said…

“No one’s been able to get off world for weeks. Not even Cid… Everyone here is stuck. Not to mention the Heartless running around…”

Heartless? What are Heartless?

“I’m afraid Master Leon has a point.” Merlin said. “Getting off world just isn’t possible right now…”

We both wanted to protest. But it was the truth. As much as I didn’t want to accept it…

There was only one thing I could say.

“Thank you… Mr. Merlin… It’s not much comfort but it’s better than nothing.”

“You’re quite welcome…” He said. “I’m only sorry I can’t help you more…”

“I think we should get to finding our new resident’s a home.” Aerith said.

“Oh, you don’t have to do that.” Perdy said.

“Actually… You may already have one…” Leon said…
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They took us to a large house in the 2nd district.

“This house appeared not long before you did.” Leon explained. “And we’re pretty sure it’s for you.”

“Traverse Town is made up of the memories of its citizens.” Aerith said. “And the buildings reflect that.” I wasn’t sure what she meant, but we followed them inside anyway…

And I almost fainted.

“Pongo.” Perdy said. “It’s just like home.”

Indeed it was… Very much like home. Everything looked like we were right back in London.

“And THIS is why we think it’s your house.” Aerith said from the next room. We went in… And what ever was doing this must’ve been very kind… OR very cruel…

It was our pictures… All of our pictures in a small sitting room… Us, our puppies… All of us…

“Yeah, not much left to wonder when you’re faces are literally on the walls…” Leon said. “Well, this place is yours. We’ll make sure the boys deliver you some food every week and… We’ll let you know if anything else comes up… About anything, really.”

I walked up to him and held up my paw.

“Uh… What?” Leon said.

“I think he’s trying to thank you.” Aerith said. I nodded.

“Oh, well… You’re welcome.” He said. Taking my paw in his hand and shaking it. Perdy came over and nuzzled Aerith’s hand.

“You’re welcome.” Aerith said with a smile. They both turned to leave.

“We hate to just leave you, but we need to check on others, as well.” She explained. “Well keep in touch, though.”

“And as weird as it is too say… Welcome to Traverse Town.” Leon said. They both left… Me and Perdy stood alone in our big, empty new house…

Perdy looked at the pictures…

“Pongo…” She whispered. “Is this really happening?”

As much as wanted to say no. That in a few minutes, we were both going to wake up, and be at our home in the country, our pups playing happily, and our pets being just as happy as we were…
But I knew I couldn’t… Because I know I wasn’t… This was really happening… I just sat by her…

“Pongo… We’re the last, thing left of our home… Our family, our friends, our…” She choked as her voice cracked. “Our puppies… And the worst part is that I don’t know what I prefer! To accept the fact that they’re gone, or to think about the fact that they’re out there, somewhere, facing God-knows-what kind of dangers, and not being able to help them!” She leaned against me. “They didn’t deserve this…”

“None of us did.” I said. I thought of all the people from my world. Did the feel anything when it happened? Was it a peaceful thing or… Was it worse? I thought of all the animals that helped us once… None of them deserved this… Least of all the ones that helped us save our puppies…

I even thought of that devil woman… By the almighty, I actually felt a sliver of sympathy for that murderous witch! No, I wouldn’t have cried, but did even someone like her deserve this?

We sat there in our big empty house… The last remnants of our own world…
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I guess we had no reason to complain… Not many dogs displaced from their homes found out they had a large house, and a community of people willing to try and at least make you feel at home waiting for them.

Cid stopped by one day, said if we ever need anything done to the house, repairs, anything tuned, let him know. We also learned why he wondered if we could talk. Those boys Leon mentioned came by to deliver food… And as I live and breathe, they were a trio of ducks! Walking upright and talking just like human boys! They were a bit hard to understand, by I did pick up a very interesting tidbit from them… Their world hadn’t been destroyed. They said they were their because their uncle, who was busy in another world, left them here to help people out…

I couldn’t even begin to wonder about that, but it did give me hope… Hope that leaving this place was possible.

As time passed, me and Perdy kept to ourselves. Leon, or Aerith would check up on us, but not much else. We met a girl named Yuffie, claimed to be a ”ninja” or something… Not entirely sure what she meant, but she was nice…

One day, I managed to coax Perdy into going on a walk with me… And I really wish I hadn’t… While we we’re walking by some garbage bins, she spied something small and white rummaging around in them… Now, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get my hopes up, but Perdy makes a mad dash for it… Only to find that it was a local creature called a “Moogle”… I’ve never seen my ol’ girl so heartbroken… We apologized and left… Just in time for it to not see her burst into tears…

Talk about us also spread fast, the Dalmatian couple living in the big house. I heard some people wonder if we’re really shape-shifters, and only took the form of dogs in the day. Other’s thought we were cursed… I can’t deny we didn’t FEEL like we were…

But the story of our pups being scattered throughout the worlds is what made Perdy never want to leave the house, ever again…

“I can’t stand hearing humans gossip about us.” She said. “Especially about our pups.”

One night, I tried using the Twilight Bark, to see if anything happened… And I came to a horrifying realization that we we’re the only dogs in the entire town…
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It wasn’t long after that, that things started to get really bad…

I got my first look of one of those, “Heartless” devils Leon spoke of… A nasty little thing, too. Like some inky-black imp… It didn’t scare me, mind you… Until I learned that it was the leftover heart of someone who had completely given in to despair… Merlin said that when a heart is consumed by darkness and emptiness, that person, or thing, becomes a heartless…

And I immediately thought of my Perdy… She was so utterly destroyed by everything that had happened… I thought… Could it happen to her?

From that day on, I vowed never to leave my Perdy’s side. She was all I had left in the universe, and I was all she had… If this the end, we were going to meet together…
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And that’s where we are now…

Heartless attacks are getting worse, and worse… I’ve all but given up hope of ever seeing my puppies again… Perdy… Well… You know how she feels.

Was this what got for trying to be happy? For saving our children from a mad-woman? Dear lord, would’ve letting HER have them been the more humane option!?

I don’t know anymore…

I hear there’s some ruckus in the plaza… Some, “new arrival”… Some kid they say… Someone tell that poor boy to hold on to whatever hope he has for as long as he can… If he’s here, it won’t last forever…
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“This is the puppies home.” I heard Leon say from outside. I didn’t think much of it, but that’s when he came into the house…

He was some, spiky-haired kid in red-shorts and big yellow shoes… He looked at us… He didn’t say a word, but… I could sense it… He knew what it meant to lose someone close to you… To see you’re world destroyed and not know what to do… He looked at us… Then he left…

I didn’t even catch his name…
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I woke up the next morning, with Perdy screaming my name from the other room… I jumped up, ran in as fast I could… And stopped…

I couldn’t believe it…

I… Couldn’t believe it but… Oh, God if you listen to dogs prayers, don’t let this be a dream!

Perdy was laying there… On the ground, as she always did… The boy was in the room… He smiled at me, and waved…

And around Perdy, climbing on here, and hugging her, and kissing her…

Were three of our puppies!

The moment they saw me, they ran over to me… I just collapsed. I was overwhelmed, I didn’t have the strength to stand any more… I felt that any moment I was going to wake up… And this just be a dream, but no… Three of puppies were really there, crawling on me, and nuzzling me just like they used to…

Never let anyone tell you that grown men don’t cry, cause I was weeping…

“Leon told me what happened.” The boy said. “He seems to really care about you… I know this only three but… I promise, me and my friends we’ll bring them all back to you.”

I couldn’t finding anything to say… Not that he’d hear me…

Perdy stood up and licked the boys hand.

“Hey, you’re welcome.” He said. He left, simply smiling at us…

The pups told us what happened… They didn’t remember how, or why, but the remember being in a chest… But like they were asleep… They couldn’t tell me much more, but they knew they weren’t the only ones… Part of me knew that this was just the beginning. That the worrying was far from over… But for the first time in months… I felt a small bit of hope…

And that night, me and my wife slept snuggled together with three of our puppies, for the first time in far too long…
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The next day, I left the house for the first time. I had to learn that boys name… I found Leon and he told me what was up…

Sora.

That was the boys name. And he was a… “Keyblade Master?” Didn’t know what that was, but the point was that he was going around, and trying to fix the worlds… A kid… a kid that in dogs years wouldn’t be much older than my own pups… was traveling around the cosmos, trying to fix everything… I tell you, for the first time, in a while. I felt humbled by a human… And what’s more, he promised he’d help my family… Is “Keyblade Master” another word for “angel” because that’s what he sounds like!

Leon also told me to lay low, keep the pups inside. That Heartless were popping up more powerful now… Sora’s presence may have triggered more of them to start appearing…

“No good deed” and all that, eh?

One thing I did know. I wasn’t about to let a boy go around the universe, saving my pups without some sort of reward. I learned from Cid that he travels around in a “Gummi Ship” A craft made of blocks, or something… So, I set about finding blocks like that…

Bit by bit, Sora helped build our family back again… First it was three pups, next it was twelve… Our family was becoming whole again…

I gave Sora anything I found that I felt he could use. Blocks, potions, anything I could… I gave him a ripped page one day, for no reason other than thinking it was important… And he was overjoyed…

Apparently, it was a page to magic book… Who knew?

One day… Sora came into our house… And he looked very sad… I can’t imagine what the poor boy had gone through, but he looked devastated… In a way I understood…

He had failed to protect someone close to him…

When I saw him, I nudged him over to the couch… He didn’t even protest. He sat down, and was immediately covered in puppies… Perdy climbed next him and licked the tears off his face… He looked at us, and gave small, but grateful smile…

“Thanks, guys…” He said…
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I woke up… I took a deep breath… Feeling better than I had in weeks… Everything just feels better, y’know?
The sun was shining, the birds were singing, roger was playing his piano and-

……Roger was playing his piano…

……….ROGER WAS PLAYING HIS PAINO!!!!!!!!!!!

I looked outside, and instead of seeing a dim, city street, I saw our farm... I was in the upstairs bedroom…

I was…

I was home!

I ran downstairs… Almost running into Nanny.

“My goodness.” She said. “Where are you going in such a hurry?”

I didn’t have time to wonder, I ran into Rogers music room… And there the ol’ boy was…

“Ah, Pongo, ol’ boy!” He said. “Sleep late again, eh?”

I was… Flabbergasted… What… I suddenly realized something…

I ran outside, into the barn and…

There they were…

All 99 of them… Playing, rolling around, fighting…

All 99 of my pups… All safe, all alright… All home…

“Pongo?” I heard Perdy say. I turned and saw her… She must be feeling what I am…

“Perdy… How… What… I…” I couldn’t find the words… I was just… I was overwhelmed…

“Did… Did all that really happen?” She said.

“I… I… I think?” I said. I wasn’t sure…

Oh, it really happened.” Said a familiar voice. We turned and saw Merlin standing in the barns doorway…

“All 101… Safe and sound…” He said. “I imagine it feels pretty good to have someone fighting for you this time, eh?”

“Merlin!” I said. “But… How… How are we home?”

“It’s a long story… And with any luck, your part in it has ended. But the short answer is… Sora. He set what was wrong, right…”

“Sora? But where-“

“Off on another adventure.” Merlin said. “But don’t worry. He’s got everything he needs. All you have to do is never forget him.”

“I can’t see how we could.” Perdy said. “He saved us all…”

“He saved more than you.” Merlin said. “He saved the universe… Well, I must be off… Unfortunately, if all goes well, this means this is the last time we’ll speak. World order and all that.”

“Merlin, just one thing.”

“Hm?”

“If you see Sora… Give him our thanks…”

Merlin smiled. “Of course.” And in zap, the old wizard was gone.

Me and Perdy looked at our pups, we looked at our home, we looked at each other… We may have been able to hold on… But it was that spiky, haired kid that brought us all back together…

So wherever you are, Sora… Thank you…

Chapter Text

Gathered around a large table, in dark, gloomy castle were Disney’s most recognizable villains. Usually, if they were gathered like this, it was to plot some scheme to cause trouble, or wreak havoc on the kingdoms more innocent citizens…

But not today.

Today they were gathered for a different reason… One that centered around one of their more famous members and her recent… “exploit”…

They set there, an awkward air about them. None of them unsure if they wanted to be the one to speak first. Captain Hook just nervously polished his hook, Jafar drummed his fingers idly on the table, even Ursula, who loved to stir up drama didn’t want to go first…

The center of all this awkwardness just sat in her chair, angrily puffing on a cigarette. Her eyes even more full of venom than usual. She felt it… The looks they would shoot her way every now and again, the whispers… At this point, she was half-hoping/half-daring anyone to break the ice, just let this nonsense be done with already!

Finally, the last person she wanted it to be spoke up.

“So… That’s your new motivation, huh?” Hades said. “Dalmatians pushed your mom of a cliff?”

Instantly the mood around the table changed. Hook broke down in a fit of laughter as others joined. Some tried to be more polite, like Ursula, who held hand to mouth, but it was obvious she was giggling.

The target of this, A miss Cruella De Vil. Sat there sneering, her jaw clenched she almost bit through her cigarette!

As he was laughing, someone knocked Hades head with her staff.

“Hades, really?” Maleficent said. “Would it kill you to be more supportive?”

“Actually, no.” Hades said. “I’m immortal, nothing can kill me.” Then he grinned and pointed at Cruella. “Especially not-“

Maleficent. “Oh, don’t you dare.”

“-Dalmatians pushing me off a cliff!” Everyone erupted with laughter, even the usually stoic Shan Yu cracked a smile.

Finally, Cruella had enough.

“ALL RIGHT, I GET IT!” She bellowed, making everyone quiet down, only the bravest still snickering.

“It was dumb, I know!” She said.

“No, love.” Ursula said. “Making you born with the mismatched hair was ‘dumb.’ Having mummy die via doggy hit-squad is outstandingly dumb.”

“Ugh!” Cruella groaned, dropping back down. “Look, all I can say is that seemed like a good idea, at the time.”

“By who!?” Hades said. “Who thought that best way to give you and that dogs a connection was by having some of them kill your mom?!” Cruella folded her arms and huffed.

“What would this master of storytelling do with OUR backstories if he got the chance.” He scanned. “You targeted Ariel because some red-heads pushed you mom off a cliff!” Ursula laughed so hard she shook the table. “Oh… Oh my…” She wiped a tear with her tentacle. “And let me guess, a flying boy in spandex off’d Hook’s mom! Hook laughed as well.

“Oh, oh.” He said. “But it wasn’t in Neverland, some flying brat just came sailing by!” Soon the whole table was laughing.

“Or, or wait.” Hades said. “Maybe, Doctor Facilier’s mom was killed by wealthy, upper-classmen…. No… Wait, that would work… See, they gave you the wrong story!”

“Don’t you think I know that!?” Cruella said. “Don’t you think I’d rather just be the devil woman who kills puppies? I didn’t need a reason, that was the point! I was evil, vicious, not some punk-rock loving harlot!” She sighed and sat back down. “I already had the ‘honor’ of starting the cursed live-action remakes, now I’ve got THIS attached to me.”

Seeing her more genuinely upset made the others back off a bit.

“Why do we need to be understood?” She said. “What’s wrong with just being… Evil?”

Ursula. “Hm. She does have a point. What happened to the old days when our motivations could be told via exposition… Or when we got the best songs in the movies?”

“Aye, even when our goals were laid bare, it was simple and easy.” Hook motioned to his titular hook. “A boy cut off me hand, I want revenge. Simple, easy to understand.”

“Yeah, and to tell the truth, I’ve got a similar backstory.” Hades admitted. “The guy I hate killed my dad… Although, he was doing us both a favor, so…”

“And who even said our goals have to make sense?” Cruella continued. “We’re villains. We’re supposed to want to do things that hurt people, or are petty, vengeful.” She looked at Maleficent. “No one bats an eye when you cursed a baby for not being invited to the christening.”

“Yes…” Maleficent agreed. “Though they tried, with me, don’t forget.”

“But why do I need a reason to kill some puppies? I love fur, they have fur, done and done.” She took long drawn out puff of her cigarette. “All I can hope for is everyone forgetting about this.”

“Yeah… But until then, at least you know you gave everyone a real, big laugh.” Hades said.

“Lucky me.” Cruella grumbled…
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Meanwhile, in another part of the Disney kingdom. Mickey stared confusingly at the two he was speaking with.

“Why do you two suddenly want to take a DNA test?”

Pongo, slamming his paw down on Mickey’s desk. “It’s important, okay!”

Chapter Text

Inside an SUV that was parked alongside the London riverfront. A strange kind of catching up was happening.

“Yo, Hunter. Digging the ponytail.” Dolly Dalmatian said.

Hunter, a human boy. Pulled on his long, blond hair done up in a ponytail down his back. “Yeah, I was gonna cut it, but I felt it represented the new ‘me’ a bit better.”

“Yeah, I think it does.” Dylan agreed.

“Speaking of the new you.” Doug said. “Been hearing about what you’ve been doing in the news. ‘The De Vil corporation reducing use of chemicals, launches new line of organic, pet care products.’ You keep it up kid, and that name will start be associated with something GOOD for a change.”

“Won’t THAT be something.” Delilah said.

“Yeah, well. I’m just doing what I can…” Hunter said. “To be honest, I thought I’d have a harder time with the board and everything, but it seems they were just as happy as I was for change in management.” He chuckled. “Guess there are some people too crooked even for the suites.”

That five laughed. A far cry from the first time they ever met.

“It really is good to see you doing well.” Delilah said. “Especially after taking up such a big job.”

“Yeah… ‘world’s youngest CEO’ and all that.” Hunter said. “It’s stressful but… Hey, keeps me busy.”

“You doing anything else?” Doug said. “Got any hobbies? What kind of hobbies do rich humans have anyways, boats?”

Hunter laughed. “No… I’m not doing much else at the time…”

“Are you seeing anyone?” Delilah asked, coyly.

“Mum!” Dolly said. “Don’t embarrass him.”

“Ha…. No, not that either… It’s just me, a few work friends and… I see you guys once in a while… I’m trying new things but… Well, hard to get into the swing of life when it yours is rocked so strongly.”

“Ain’t that the truth.” Dylan said.

“What about you all?” Hunter asked. “How’s the fam holding up.”

“We’re getting better.” Doug said. “A few of the pups still have nightmares but… It’s getting less frequent.”

“Well, if there’s anything I can do, don’t hesitate to ask.” Hunter said.

“We appreciate it, dear.” Delilah said. “But I think things are getting better. For all of us…” She chuckled. “ I mean, look at us, the Dalmatians and a De Vil having a talk… Our ancestors would flip if they could see us.”

They all laughed. It was true, though. This small moment of catching up was something no one in either family ever thought possible… Yet here it was…

When the laughter died down, Hunter took a heavy breath…

“Listen.” He said. “There is something I wanted to talk with you four about…”

“What?” Dylan asked.

Hunter hesitated.

“Go ahead love.” Delilah said. ‘You know you can tell us anything.”

Hunter swallowed…

“I went to see her last week.”

The four Dalmatians all traded looks.

“You mean… HER, her?” Dolly said.

Hunter nodded. “First time I’ve spoken to her since, well. Y’know.”

“….Well, what state is she in?” Doug asked.

“She’s in a padded cell.” Hunter said. “The guards say she doesn’t speak… She just sits there…”

“What’d she say?” Dylan asked.

“Nothing.” Hunter said. “They brought me in, we were separated by a plexiglass wall, and she just sat there, face to her cell wall, didn’t even look at me… I heard her breathing, but she didn’t say a word… She didn’t even move.”

“… What did you say?” Dolly asked.

“I told her that I planned on staying as head of the company. Told her where I planned on taking it… I won’t deny that there was smugness in my voice when I told her that the board was happy to see a change in leadership… But she didn’t even react to that… I told her… That our company was distancing itself from the fur trade. From now on, any and all products produced by the De Vil corporation will be cruelty free… A braced myself for her to lose it… But she didn’t… Her breathing didn’t even change… I don’t even know if she COULD speak anymore… I told her that I was going to make sure she was taken care of and… If she ever got out, she’d still have home waiting for her.” He wiped his eyes.

“I can’t expect you all to feel the same, but I do feel sorry for her… She is my family, after all…”

Delilah put a pw on his hand. “We understand, love… And we’re very proud of you. She’ll never admit it, but she’s lucky to have a grand-nephew like you.”

“Which means SOMEONE in your family did something right.” Doug said. “I doubt it was her, but it’s nice to know that…”

“Thanks.” Hunter said.

“Huh.” Dolly scoffed. “The whole, ‘silent’ thing is probably just some ploy she’s trying to pull to get sympathy.”

“I don’t know about that.” Hunter said. “When we were done, the doctors pulled me aside and told me about her medical results. Most of her blood is chemicals. Her skin is more plastic the real skin, and she has so many painkillers in her system that it’s a wonder she feels ANYTHING… They say shouldn’t even be alive…”

“That’s what a desire for revenge does to you.” Doug said. “You hate something so much; you’d do horrible things to yourself just for a chance at revenge… And usually, you’re the only one who gets hurt.”

“Maybe she’ll finally get some help?” Dylan said. “Maybe this could change her?”

“I doubt it.” Hunter said. “They say she hasn’t been responding to therapy of any kind. It’s like she’s… Not even there anymore.”

“Regardless.” Delilah said. “We’re all moving past this. She’s lost her hold on our lives and she knows we’ll all move on… She can’t hurt us anymore…Any of us.”

There were murmurs of agreement, maybe not as certain as they would’ve liked to be, but still.

Just then, a phone alarm buzzed.

“Welp, guess that’s my que.” Hunter said. “Gotta get back to the grind.”

“We love talking with you Hunter.” Delilah said. “And don’t be a stranger around the house, Dizzy and DeeDee are always asking about you.”

“Well you can tell them I’m fine.” He said. He opened the door, and the dogs got out.

“See ya, Hunter.” Dolly said.

“Bye.” Dylan waved.

“Be good.” Doug said. “And remember, you can always talk to us if you need to.”

“Heh, bet I’m the only human who gets to here that.” Hunter said.

“And nice to know you can.” Delilah said. The dogs left and waved goodbye as the car drove off.

“Wonder what that driver thinks whenever we stop here.” Dolly said.

“Best part about hired help.” Dylan said. “They don’t get paid to think about that.”

“Let’s get home, sweets.” Delilah said. “We’ll need to get those pups dinner soon.” But as they left, she turned around.

“Good luck, Hunter.” She said. “You’re doing things neither of our family’s thought possible.”

Chapter Text

Having a pet can be a hassle. A blessing, yes… But like anything worth doing, owning a pet comes with some challenges… If you own more than one, you have even more challenges…

That made sense to Roger and Anita Radcliffe, who were the proud owners of the world famous, “One-Hundred-and-One-Dalmatians.” Two adults, 99 puppies. To some, that would seem insane. Fortunately, with Roger being a musician, most people just wrote it off as “One of those quirky things rich artists do.” Some buy yachts, some have over a hundred dogs.

They both preferred that just fine, others left them alone, and they got to live in peace with their dogs…

There was just one, small detractor from an otherwise happy life…

They had no idea HOW they had ended up with so many dogs… First it was two, then seventeen, then a hundred and one!

But it wasn’t like they were unhappy. They loved their dogs, their dogs loved them, and that was good enough…

But sometimes, on certain nights, when things were quiet, questions would buzz in Rogers ear a bit louder than usual.

“Darling.” He said one night as he and his wife sat by the fire. “I have a thought.”

“Just the one?” Anita said, teasingly, looking up from her book. “What about, love?”

“Well… Have you ever thought about just how much of the happiness in our lives we owe to them?” He pointed to the two adult dogs, Pongo, and Perdita, who were sleeping soundly at their owners feet.
“And I just don’t mean companionship, I mean that… We may not even be married today if it wasn’t for them.”

“Yes, they really did bring us together… Perhaps in more ways than one.” She winked at Roger, remembering the unusual circumstances of their first meeting.

“Heh… I still don’t know what came over him that day…” Roger said, rubbing his neck. “But regardless. They brought us together, they gave us a huge family of puppies, and have just made our lives better.”

“Yes, they really have given us more happiness than we could ask for.” Anita said. “And the funny thing is how little we know about them.”

“What do you mean by that?” Roger asked.

“Well, they take off one day for seemingly no reason, and a few days later, they show back up, covered in soot, after apparently finding not only their own pups, but 84 others. There’s story there we may never know.”

“Yes, that’s one I still can’t figure out.” Roger said.

“And they seem to have no trouble with them.” Anita said. “The new pups are as obedient and well trained as the others, despite us never training them…” She looked at the dogs. “There’s something they know that we don’t.”

“Indeed… Wouldn’t it be something to learn things from them?” He said. “See things from their eyes…”

The clock on the mantle chimed. Ten o-clock.

Roger got up and stretched. “Well, no sense in musing about it. Some things are just not to be known by us.”

“Indeed.” Anita said as she got up. “And besides. It’s not like we could learn anything that would change how happy we are.”

They doused the fire and headed upstairs to their bedroom, as the farmhouse settled down for the night…..
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The morning sun shone through the window, making Roger open one eye. He pulled his head off his pillow and yawned.

“Welp, gotta get started early today, I was bit stuck on that chorus, but I think with rested head I could-“ He yelped as he tried to climb out of bed, but instead fell off!

“What the devil?” He said. Suddenly, now the he was awake, Roger felt very strange… He felt alright, but at the same time, he felt… Wrong… His muscles felt very odd, like they were out of place, and for some reason, he felt very… Fuzzy.

Oh, and there was also they fact that he seemed to have shrunk.

“What on earth?” He said. Despite his brain telling him that he was standing upright, he was no taller than his bed. He tried to stand taller, but it felt like was stuck crawling on all fours…

“What is going on?” He said… That’s when he heard a voice.

“You alright mate?” A voice he never heard called. Though, he couldn’t help but find it familiar…

That’s when Pongo walked in.

“Oh, it’s you, ol’ boy.” Roger said. “Could’ve sworn I heard someone-“

“Who are you?!” Came the voice again.

Roger saw Pongo looking at him in a very strange way, like he didn’t know him.

“Pongo, what’s wrong?” Roger asked. “You act like you don’t know me.” And what happened next made Roger’s heart stop.

“I don’t know you!” Pongo growled. “Now who are you, how do you know me, and what are you doing in my house!”

Roger blinked… He shook his head.

“I must’ve hit my head. For a second I thought I heard you-“

“I asked you a question!” Pongo said again. “What are you doing in my pets room!?”

Roger’s jaw dropped.

“Pongo… Did you, did you just… Did you just speak?” He said.

“Yes! And if you don’t answer me, I swear I will drag you out of this house by your throat, now who are you!”

Roger said nothing, he just sat there in total shock.

“Alright, have it your way.” Pongo growled as he slowly approached Roger.

“Pongo, boy. Wait!” Roger said, even though he was sure this was crazy. “It’s me, it’s Roger!”

“What are you on about?!? Pongo said.

“Listen to my voice, it’s me. Roger… Your owner.”

Pongo stopped… And his ear went up…

“You do sound remarkably like him…” He admitted. But then he shook his head. “But what am I to believe, my pet just turned into a dog?!”

“Dog? Pet?” Roger thought. But he pushed them aside for now. “Pongo, I swear, I don’t how I’m talking to you, but it’s really me… It’s Roger.”

“And I’m just supposed to believe that?” Pongo said. “Are you crazy, or just stupid?”

Roger thought for a moment… “Um… Okay, if I wasn’t Roger, would I know that when you were a puppy, you had a stuffed elephant that you took everywhere with you, and we called it ‘Mr. Trunks’?”

Pongo stopped and his eyes widened.

“Oh, and one day, you lost him by dropping him down a sewer grate.” Roger finished, giving him a hopeful smile.

Pongo stared…

“Roger?” He said, uncertainly.

“Yeah, ol’ boy… it’s me.” Roger said, relieved but just as uncertain.

Pongo carefully approached him. “Roger? Roger Radcliffe?”

“Yeah, ol’ boy… I’m just as confused as you.”

“I don’t even… I … What?!” He said.

“I don’t know, either!” Roger said. “I woke up this morning like this, I can’t make heads or tails of things.”

“And you understand every word I’m saying?” Pongo said.

“Yes. It’s like I’m speaking to a man!”
“Hey, now. No need to be insulting.” Pongo joked. “I can’t believe this.”

“Me either!” Roger said. “But… Your voice, you’re mannerisms. They’re just like I imagined you’d be.”

“I don’t think you’ve got yours down, yet.” Pongo said.

“What’s that even mean?” Roger said. Then he finally noticed something. “And why the bloody hell are you taller than me?”

“I guess cause Dalmatians are taller than Labradors?” Pongo suggested.

“What?” Roger asked even more confused.

Pongo’s face went blank.
“You mean… You haven’t looked at yourself?”

“No, why would I-“ He was cut off by Pongo putting a paw on his face and turning his head, coming face to face with a bedroom mirror…

And the golden, Labrador retriever staring back at him…

“…. Pongo…. Is, is that me?” He said in a shaky tone.

“Looks like it.” Pongo said. “Gonna be honest, I think it suites you.”

“Okay, now I’m going to do something, I really don’t want you to hold it against me.”

“…Sure….?” Pongo said.

“Thanks mate.” Roger said.

And then he let out a piercing scream.
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Pongo rubbed his ear.

“Well, you’ve found the howling cords.” He said.

“Oh. My. God!” Roger said as he looked himself over. “What happened to me?!”

“You obviously turned into a dog… A Labrador retriever by the looks of it. Not a bad breed to be, but I always pictured you more as a ‘Setter’ type.” Pongo said.

“I… I don’t even know how to respond to that… Or how I even should be able to! Why are you talking!?”

“Technically, it’s not that I’m talking, it’s just that you’re finally able to hear me.” Pongo said. “I could always understand you.”

“Really?” Roger said. “You understand human?”

“Every word.” Pongo said.

Before Roger could comment on that, he heard someone else come up the stairs.

“Pongo?” Perdita said. “Is everything alright? I heard someone scream.”

“Oh, my…” Roger began.

“Who is he?” Perdita asked.

“Uh… Perdy… This is… Well, first off, it’s very weird…”

“She sounds just like I thought she would.” Roger said.

Perdita raised an eyebrow.

“Uh… Perdy.” Pongo said. “… This is Roger.”

“Roger?” Perdita said.

“Uh, hello Perdy.” Roger began. “Er, Perdita? Miss Perdita? Ma’am?” He whispered to Pongo. “What’s the proper etiquette here?”

Why do you think I would know?” Pongo said.

“Pongo, what’s going on?” Perdita said, just then, the other form on the bed stirred.

“Rog’?” Anita said. “What’s all the noise?”

“Oh… No.” Roger said. “This is not good. If she’s me like this, she’ll think a stray got in the house!”

“Wait.” Perdita said. “That voice. Pongo, what is-“ Anita got up, shook her head, and turned to them.

“Oh….. My….” Roger said as he stared, mouth open.

“Well, I don’t think we’ll have the problem you thought we would.” Pongo said.

“Wait… Who is that?” Perdita said. “Pongo, what is going on?”

“Perdy?” She heard Anita say. “Did you just say something?”

Perdita turned and stared at the dog sitting on the bed, a brown/gold, Labrador…

“And… Who is that?” She said, looking at Roger. “How did that dog get in here?”

“How is that exactly what I would say, and yet I still feel demeaned?” Roger said.

“Did it just talk?!” Anita said.

Perdita looked at Pongo. Finally beginning to realize what was happening… Pongo just nodded. She looked at Roger, again, he also nodded. Perdita fell to her haunches, her eyes wide with shock…

“Anita.” Roger said. “Something weird has happened.”

Anita’s eyes went wide as dinner plates. She looked at the other dogs, Pongo just shrugged. Then she looked up at the large mirror…

Her jaw almost hit the bed she stood on. She looked back at Perdita, who finally composed herself and looked at her owner.

“Hello, Anita.” She said.

Anita stood there… And then promptly fainted on the bed.

“Oh boy.” Roger said.

“See, that’s what I expected YOU to do.” Pongo said.
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After a while, Anita stirred again.

“Ugh, Roger?” She called.

“Yes, dear.” He called.

“Oh, I had the worst nightmare. I dreamt we were dogs, and Pongo and Perdita could speak to us, and all that…”

“That’s a nightmare?” Pongo said.

“Shh.” Perdita told him. “Let her ease herself into this.”

Hearing this, Anita shot up from the bed.

“Woah, darling.” Roger said. “Take it easy.”

Anita looked at the dog that spoke with her husband’s voice.

“What… In… Gods name….” She stammered. “Am I dead?”

“No.” Roger said. “At least I don’t think so.”

“No, you still have a non-decaying scent.” Pongo said. “You’re still alive.”

Anita stared at him. Then back to Roger. “Roger, your dog is talking.”

“Yes.” Roger said. “He’s actually quite the eloquent speaker.”

“And my dog… Is she also talking?”

“Yes.” Roger said. “Once again, a very pleasant conversationalist.”

Anita looked at Perdita, who could just offer an awkward smile. She looked back at her husband.

“And you… You’re a dog?”

“Yes… I am.” Roger said. “A, what did you say I was?”

“Labrador retriever.” Pongo answered.

“That.” Roger said.

Anita looked at herself. “And I am also a dog?”

“Yes you are.” Roger told her. “Again, apparently a Labrador, same as me.”

“And you’re not a bad looking one, at that.” Pongo said. Perdita shot him a glare.
“I’m just trying to make her feel better, love.” He said.

“Oaky, our dogs are talking, and we are also dogs. IS that right?” Anita said.

“Well, it’s more like now that we’re dogs, we can understand them.” Roger said. “At least as he explained it.”

“As he… Do they know how this happened?”

“Not a bloody clue, ma’am.” Pongo said. “Now I get it, what IS the etiquette for this situation?”

Anita looked back at Roger. “Rog… This cannot be happening.”

“I would agree.” Roger said. “Except that as far as I can tell, it is.”

“This has to be a dream.” Anita said. “Or a hallucination, or something.”

“It is not, trust me, I tested.” Roger said.

“Pongo, this is… Incredible.” Perdita said. “How on earth could something like this happen?”

“I don’t know.” Pongo said. “This defies all laws of… Anything!”

“Why do you two have such normal voices?!” Anita said, exasperatedly. “I always thought you’d sound gruff, or like… Well, animals.” She threw her head back. “You sound better at English than most people I’ve spoken with…”

“… I’d say she’s taking this well.” Pongo said. Roger just shrugged.

“What on earth can I say?” He said. “I’m as confused as she is.”

Perdita pushed past him and stood over Anita.

“Uh… Listen… I know this is very strange, trust me, it’s not any more normal for us… But I know you. You’re stronger than this. You’ve made it through tough times before, like when we moved of your parents house?”

Anita looked up at her. “You remember that?”

“I was there for it, wasn’t I?”

“So, you remember when I flunked that interview at the gazette?”

“Yep.” Perdita said. “You came home and cried your eyes out onto my coat.”

“And you remember when I broke up with a boy?” Anita asked.

“Yes, and it was totally him and his obsession with his car that was the problem. You should’ve let him go a lot sooner than you did.”

“… And you could understand me when I sang along with my Frank Sinatra record?”

“Every, out of tune, note.” Perdita said.

Anita stared at her. “Oh my gosh…”

“Mm hm.” Perdita said. “You and I have trusted each other all our lives.” She pointed to Pongo and Roger. “And we’ve trusted our men as long as we’ve been together. Why should this be any different?”

Anita looked at Pongo and Roger, who gave her reassuring smiles.

“This is really happening, isn’t it?” She said.

“I think so.” Roger said. “I really do think so.”

Anita got up onto her feet. “Well… How did it happen, and how do we undo it? No offense, but I’ve lived to a long a human to consider life as anything else.”

“Well, we don’t know.” Pongo said. “It just happened, as far as we can tell.”

“No scent of anything off on you.” Perdita said. “You just smell like, you.”

“And as far as undoing it, well…” Pongo shrugged. “We’re just as in the dark as you.”

Anita groaned. “Fantastic. And just how am I supposed to live as a dog?”

Perdita huffed. “Well, if you’re gonna be like that…”

“No, I… Ugh.” Anita said. “I am so confused.”

“I think we’re putting too much faith in finding out anything right now.” Roger said. “I think the best thing we can do is try and just… Make the best of this situation.”

“Make the best of it?” Anita said. “Darling, we. Are. DOGS. No offense.” She told Pongo and Perdita. “We have woken up as a different species.”

“I know that love… And we also have the two dogs we trust the most to help us through this.” Roger said. “Besides, maybe this happened for a reason.”

“What reason could this have had for happening?” Anita asked.

“Well, we have always wondered about certain parts of our lives… And we have a chance to speak with the two members of our family that despite living our whole lives with, have never spoken to before… That can’t be a bad thing.”

Anita looked at the Dalmatians. As strange as this was, they were her family as well. And she had no reason to not trust them before… Why SHOULD this be any different?

She finally gave a small smile. “Maybe you’re right, love.” She said. “Maybe you are…” The two humans-turned-dogs faced the Dalmatians.

“Well… Alright then.” Anita said.

“Alright indeed.” Perdita said.

“Well… Even though we’ve know each other for years… It’s very nice to meet you.” Anita said.

“Likewise.” Pongo answered.

“I have… So many things I’ve wanted to ask you.” Roger said.

“As do I.” Pongo returned. “We might be the only dogs on earth to get this chance.”

“And come to think of it, there has been one or two thing’s I’ve always wanted to ask you.” Perdita said to Anita.

“And I’d be lying if I said the idea doesn’t intrigue me now.” Anita admitted.

“Well, I say what are we waiting for?” Pongo said. WE have no idea how long we have, or anything.”

“Wait, I just thought of something.” Anita said. “Perdy… Could you… Well, As strange as it is to say… Could you introduce me to the puppies? Like, as a dog… Please?”

Perdita smiled. “I’d love to.”
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After sneaking out of the house, avoiding Nanny who had remained human for whatever reason, Pongo and Roger went off to talk, while Perdita and Anita headed towards the barn.

“Do the puppies ‘like’ us?” Anita asked. “Like, as humans?”

“Of course they like you.” Perdita said. “You’re a part of their family same as me or Pongo.”

“How do they see us?” Anita asked. “Are we like, ‘owners’ to them. Or are we like a second pair of parents, or more like an aunt and an uncle?”

“It’s… Complicated.” Perdita said. “All you need to know is that they love you, just like any other family member.” They stopped the barn, where the pups usually slept. It was still fairly early, so the were probably just waking up.

“Ready?” Perdita asked.

“Um… I guess…” Anita said. “Oh my, how should I approach them, are they verbal? What would be their human equivalent age. Are they like, toddlers, or…”

“How about you just come meet them?” Perdita suggested. She went inside and Anita followed.

“Oh… Oh my.” She said. Inside, most of the pups were awake, and they were running around, and wrestling, and doing all the things puppies do.

“Oh my goodness.” Anita said.

“What’s wrong?” Perdita asked. “You’ve seen them like this before.”

“Yes, but that was when all I heard was puppies yapping… Now I hear…”

“Children?”

“Yes…” Anita said. It was true, instead of barks and yips, she heard the pups laugh, and yell, and make noise the same as human children.

“It’s… It’s bit odd, I won’t lie.”

“Yes. I try to keep them quiet in the mornings.” Perdita said. “I know you and Roger don’t get fully awake until that bean juice you drink settles in your systems.”

“Well… That’s very thoughtful of you.” Anita said.

“What?” Perdita said, spying the unsure look in Anita’s eye. “Do you find that hard to believe?”

“Well, no. It’s just that… How do I react when I learn that my own dog raises her children with me in mind? That’s more considerate than some human mothers I know.”

“Like I said, you’re part of our family. The pups treat you as such.”

As Anita watched the pups play, she realized something. 99 puppies were a daunting sight to care for as a human, but as a dog? It looked rather scary.

“How do you manage them all?” Anita said. “It’s one thing to make sure they’re fed, and have plenty of room, but.. TO raise 99 pups? How’d you two do that?”

“Well, it’s the same as any children.” Perdita said. “A good balance of nurturing, discipline, and the occasional need to wrestle one to the ground if they get TOO rowdy.”

“Ah.” Anita said. “How often does THAT happen?”

“Not too often…” Perdita said. “Of course, that’s usually because I’ll give them, ‘the eyebrow’.”

“What’s ‘the eyebrow’?” Anita said, turning to her, only to see that Perdita was standing over her with a furrowed brow, one raised in the air, in a bizarre balance of looking slightly annoyed to absolutely furious. Anita actually felt herself shrink back on instinct.

Perdita’s faces switched backed to a more friendly one. “That.”

“Oh…” Anita said. “…. Seems effective.”

“It is.”

Anita shook the fear off her face. The more she learned, the less she knew…

“Hi.” Came a much younger voice.

Anita turned and saw one of the puppies looking up at her.

“Who are you?” He said. She could tell he was a boy because of his voice, and the fact that he was wearing a red collar.

“Um… I’m, uh.”

“She’s a friend of mine, dear.” Perdita interjected. “She’s just visiting the farm from London.”

“Oh…” The pup said. “Well, I hope you like here.”

“Why thank you, uh…”

“Lucky.” Perdita whispered.

“Oh, you’re Lucky?” Anita said.

“Yep.” The pup said. “Mama says Roger and Anita named me that because of the spots on my back.” He turned to show off the spots on his back that formed a horseshoe.
“Have you met Roger and Anita yet?”

“Uh… Yes, I think I have.” Anita said.

“They’re nice, aren’t they? Mama says they’re real special humans.”

“Oh… Well, that’s nice of her…” Anita said, hoping her new fur would hide her blushing.

“Yeah… Well, it was nice to meet you.” He said before scampering off.

Anita watched him run of and join some of his siblings.

“That was Lucky?” Anita said.

“Yes.” Perdita said. “He’s our youngest.”

“He sounds just like I imagined he would… He’s a sweet little thing, too.”

“Yes… He’s the one we almost lost that night, do you remember?”

“Wait… You mean the one that Roger saved?”

“Yes… My dear little Lucky… He maybe small, but he’s just as rowdy as the rest of them.”

“Yes… I know it’s a bit late, and he’s just fine. But I’m so sorry you had to go through that.” Anita said. “That would be a nightmare for any mother.”

“Thank you. But thanks to your husband, it never got any worse…” Perdita said as she watch him play. “I really should thank him for that when I get a chance…”

Anita smiled, and watched the others play…

“Now, let me see.” She said. “That one’s Penny, right?” She pointed to a pup wearing a blue collar.

“Mm hm.” Perdita said. “She’s our eldest girl.”

“That’s Freckles, that’s Pepper…” Anita pointed out all the pups she could recognize. “I guess I must ask, now. Are you alright with me and Roger naming most of your children?”

“Oh, of course.” Perdita assured her. “It’s every dogs wish to receive a name from a human… That means we’ve now got a special bond with you.”

Anita smiled, but then felt a slight twinge of awkwardness when she spied a pup she recognized.

“Um… Should I feel sorry about naming him Rolly?” She asked, pointing to a male pup that was bigger than the others.

Perdita chuckled. “Why would you?”

“Well, I don’t know if it’s as insulting toa dog as it is a human to receive a name based on how much you weigh…”

“Oh, no…” Perdita said. “Rolly suites him fine, even if he wasn’t chubby. Honestly, I think you did a great job naming them.”

Anita scanned the room. “Now where is…”

“Who are you?” A gruffer voice said. She turned to see a larger, male pup looking at her.

“Ah… Hello Patch.” She said.

“How d’you know my name? I never seen you before.”

“Patch, be nice.” Perdita said. “She’s just a friend.”

Patch looked at her skeptically. “You look familiar.” He said. “You sure I don’t know you.”

“Uh…” Anita began to sweat. “You MAY have met me once…”

“No… It’s not that… I think I KNOW you… I just don’t know where from…”

“Uh…”

“Patch, why don’t you go play.” Perdita said. “It’ll time for breakfast soon.”

Patch did as he was told, but he shot Anita one more accusing glare…

“Goodness.” Anita said as he left. “He’s a sharp one, isn’t he.”

“Yes, Patch’s instincts are quite unshakable.” Perdita said. “I’m not surprise he recognized you.”

“This is both a bit alarming AND exciting.” Anita said. “They all act exactly as I imagined them too. Even his voice, Patch sounds just like I’d expect a rowdy, little boy to sound.”

“I’m not sure what that’s like…” Perdita said. “Us dogs can understand several languages.”

“Well, I will say again. You’ve done an amazing job with all of them… And hearing them talk just makes them all the cuter.”

“Well… They have their moments.” Perdita agreed.

Just then Nanny’s voice was hear outside the barn. “Breakfast!” All at once all the pups suddenly stopped playing.

“You might want to take cover for this.” Perdita said.

“Huh? Anita asked, only to almost be trampled by the surge of pups as they ran out the door.

“Goodness… That was a bit less cute.” Anita said.

“Yes, they get a little excited come mealtime…” Perdita admitted. “Can’t control everything.” They peeked outside as Nanny was filling the large bowls that puppies ate from.

“She takes care of them almost as much as I do…” Perdita said. “It’s a shame she didn’t get the same chance you did; I would love to thank her for all she’s done.”

“Nanny really is special.” Anita agreed. “She looks after us all.” They left to let the pups eat. And to avoid being seen by Nanny, they weren’t sure what the old girl would do if she saw the strange dogs walking around.

“Now that I mention it.” Perdita said. “I’ve never properly thanked YOU for what you did for us.”

“Me?” Anita said. “What’d I do?”

“Oh please, you and your husband both not only found room in your heart to keep my fifteen pups in your home, but also the others we adopted.”

“Oh, well now, I... Wait… Adopted?”

“Yes, the other 84 pups… Poor little things didn’t have a home, we couldn’t just leave them.”

“Oh… So, you only gave birth to the original fifteen?”

“Yes… What did you think…”

Anita shuffled her newly acquired paws. “Well, I had always assumed that… Uh…”

Perdita’s eyes widened. “You think that I… Oh goodness, no!” She laughed. “I did not give birth to 84 additional puppies!”

Anita let out a sigh of relief. “Oh... Okay, all this time I had wondered.” She also began to laugh.

“Crazy human!” Perdita joked. “I appreciate the optimism but dear lord, no… I’m not THAT fertile!”

“Too bad, I was hoping the to ask where I could get some of that vitality!” Anita laughed. The two laughed for a good few minutes, both nearly to tears.

“Oh… Oh my…” Perdita said, quickly recomposing herself. “That wasn’t very lady-like, was it?”

“Oh, don’t worry… Besides, who’s going to know?” Anita said. Then tone changed…

“So, wait… Where did the other 84 come from?” She asked.

“Well, we rescued them when we found our puppies…” Perdita explained. “Poor things, they had no one… We couldn’t just leave them…”

“Rescued? Rescued them from who?” Anita said.

Perdita’s eyes widened as she realized. “That’s right… You never found out, did you?”

“Found out what?” Anita asked.
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While this was going on, Pongo and Roger where sitting on hill overlooking the property.

“And so I just sort of, shout?” Roger asked him.

“Kind of. But it’s down in diaphragm. Like this.” He cleared his throat and let out a bark that rang through the countryside.

“Like that.”

“Oaky, let me try.” Roger took a deep breath, and gave his best, but what came out sounded more like a pained cough.

“Ow.” He said. “Think I almost threw something up.”

“Well, it takes practice. Even the pups had to be taught to do it properly.” Pongo said.

“Heh, well. Don’t I feel special… Can say I’m the first musician to give barking a proper go.”

“Yes… *sigh* isn’t this an odd feeling… I’ve known you all my life, and still feels like we just met.”

“You’re telling me.” Roger said. “I always knew you were smarter than other dogs, but this was NOT why I expected.”

“Y’know, all us animals can speak to one another?” Pongo said. “It isn’t just dogs.”

“Get out.” Roger said.

“I swear. Dogs, cats, horses, cows, we all can…”

“I don’t know if I find that amazing or scary.” Roger said. He sat down. “This gets more and more strange every moment…”

“Yes, it is… I don’t know who or what did this, but’s not an opportunity that comes often.”

“No it is not. I will admit though.” Roger said. “You’re not quite what I expected.”

“What do you mean?” Pongo said.

“I mean, your voice is what I imagined but… I don’t know, I always thought of you as… Less mature…”

“Less mature?” Pongo said. “How do you figure that?”

“Well, you always going crazy as a pup, tearing into things, running around, and that didn’t go away as you got older.”

“Well, maybe that’s because you were so involved with your music that you never thought of much else?” Pongo said.

“What? That’s not true.” Roger said, defensively.

“Oh, please.” Pongo said. “You wouldn’t have even met the woman your were going to marry if I didn’t mess with that clock.”

“Yeah well maybe- Wait, what?” Roger said. Pongo realized what he just said and looked away.

“What do you mean, ‘mess with that clock’?” Roger said.

Pongo tired not to laugh as he said. “I MAY have skipped the clock ahead to five one day to make sure we went to the park earlier…”

Roger’s jaw dropped in disbelief.

“Did you trick me into taking you to the park early so you could meet a girl?”

“….It ended up turning out well for both of us…”

“Oh. My. GOSH!” Roger said, getting up. “I got played by my own dog!”

“You met someone too!” Pongo said. “It was for your own good.”

“That doesn’t matter!” Roger said. He tried to sound angry, but he was fighting laughter. “My own dog. Used me to meet a girl… I can’t even be upset; it was a wizard job.” Pongo finally let the laugh he had been holding in.

“Okay, then. Mr. Smart dog.” Roger said. “How did wrapping us up in your leash factor into your plan?”

Pongo stopped laughing. “That was more of an ‘improvisation’.”

“Uh huh.” Roger said. “Here’s my theory, you were thinking with something that wasn’t your brain.” He motioned downward. “It might be a little too late, what with you having 99 kids, but that thing could get you into trouble someday.”

Pongo just laughed. And soon Roger was laughing.

“Oh… Ol’ boy, I ever tell you that fools aren’t born?” Roger said. “Pretty girls make them in there spare time.”

“Oh, I found that out.” Pongo said. “But she’s a girl worth being a fool over.”

“Oh, mate. Likewise…” Roger said. “Y’know, I always did know you had something to do with us meeting, but I didn’t know it was this deep… But I can’t complain. In seriousness, I should thank you.”

“Oh really?” Pongo said.

“Yeah. Truth be told, I didn’t know where my life was going to go… My music career hadn’t taken off, and I was lonelier than I seemed… Guess I should be glad you were there looking out for me.”

“Well… We’re family. It’s what we do.” Pongo said.

“And now, thanks to you.” Roger continued. “I have a large, happy family, with a wife, a growing career, and this large place to call home… If you were human, I think I’d legally owe you royalties.”

“Ah, I’m quite happy where I am.” Pongo said. “My family safe and sound… All of them.”

“Yes… That is what I’ve been waiting to bring up.” Roger said, a bit uneasy.

“What?” Pongo asked.

“Your family… I don’t want to bring up any bad memories, because it sure wasn’t fun for me either but… You’re puppies were stolen… Just out of the blue, one day. And then, not long after, you two disappear.” Pongo hung his head as he recalled those times.

“But then, on blooming Christmas Eve, you both show up, covered in soot, with not only your own pups, but 84 more?! There is a story to that, and I want to know it.”

Pongo sighed. “I suppose it is fair… Well, where do I even start?”

“How the day you two just disappeared? Where did you go? Where even were your pups? The police couldn’t find them anywhere in the city.”

“They weren’t in the city.” Pongo said. “They were hidden in a mansion in Suffolk.”

“Suffolk!?” Roger said in surprise. “That’s even farther from London than we are, what were they doing there?”

“She wanted to hide them from the police, so I guess she figured that was the best place.” Pongo said.

“Well that explain why the police couldn’t-Wait a minute…’She’!?” Roger asked. “Wait… No! Don’t you tell me…”

Pongo nodded. “De Vil.” Roger almost fell over; he shook so hard.

“I KNEW IT!” He shouted. “I KNEW that spidery bitch had something to do with it!”

“Oi! Watch the language!” Pongo said. Roger looked confuse, but then remembered what ‘bitch’ meant to a dog.

“Sorry ol’ boy but… Ooooh! That crazy old bird rubbed me wrong the moment I met her. Anita wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, but I knew she had something to do with it…”

“Well, you were right. She hired the goons to steal them, and take them back to her family’s estate in Suffolk… It was almost the perfect crime.”

“And she had all of us fooled, too!” Roger said. “Ooh… That burns me up.”

“You think YOU’RE mad?” Pongo said. “Imagine how I felt when I came home and found my children gone…”

Roger’s temper eased. “Oh… Oh dear… Ol’ boy, I’m sorry… I knew even back then it must’ve felt horrible.”

“I never felt more like a failure at the moment… To them, to my wife… Let me tell you, I hope no one feels how I did.”

“I can imagine… So wait, how do you find out they were in Suffolk?”

“Oh, well we used the Barking Chain.” Pongo said.

“The what?” Roger asked.

“The Barking Chain. Or the Twilight Bark, which ever you prefer.” Pongo said. “It’s usually just a gossip chain, but it’s how dogs communicate, we bark a message, and then send it along, the next dog that picks it up passes it along, so on, so forth.”

Roger looked impressed. “Amazing. It makes perfect sense, of course. But still… Is that what dogs barking late at night usually is?”

“Usually.” Pongo said. “Of course it’s usually just gossip about fashion, or other such nonsense.”

“Incredible.” Roger said. “Dogs have a tabloid.”

“Yes, but think goodness they picked up on that message that night… And they found in their hearts to pass it along…”

“Well that’s one more reason to love dogs.” Roger said. “When did you send that message? How long did it take to get around?”

“Well, you remember that night, when you took us for a walk, and I started barking?”

“Yes…” Roger said. Then it dawned on him. “You mean that night when I thought… Oh, Pongo. I am so sorry. You were trying to save your kids, and I was trying to shut you up…”

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” Pongo said. “You couldn’t have known.”

“But I knew something wasn’t right.” Roger said. “And I knew in my gut that woman had something to do with this… maybe if I had just listened to my gut, I could’ve… Oh, Pongo… I feel like I haven’t just failed you as your owner, I feel like I failed you as your friend.”

“Don’t, please.” Pongo said. “You didn’t fail me. You did everything you thought you could do… And besides, you took us all in, you gave those pups a home… That’s more than we could ask.”

“Well… Thank you…” Roger said. “It does mean a lot…”
There was a small pause, Roger figured it best to wait before dropping the next question…

Finally, he took a deep breath…

“Alright, let’s have it… What did the crazy bird want with your puppies?”
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“No…” Anita said. “You have GOT to be joking.”

Perdita raised her eyebrow. “Would I joke about this?”

“Cruella?!” Anita said, stunned. “Cruella De Vil stole your puppies?!”

“Hired two men to do it, but yes. She did.” Perdita said. “Hid them away in Suffolk.”

“Suffolk?! But that’s-Oh my gosh… Perdy, I-I don’t know what to say…”

“You don’t’ have to say anything, it wasn’t your fault.” Perdita said.

“But I defended her.” Anita said. “Called Roger an idiot for suspecting her, And I let her play me like a cheap flute!” She huffed. “Am I stupid? Did I just not see that the woman who is clearly evil was clearly evil?”

“Don’t be hard on yourself.” Perdita said. “I can’t very well blame you for wanting to see the good in others, even if it isn’t there.”

“So she stole yours… Did she steal the other 84?”

“No, she paid for those, from what they tell us… She only stole ours.”

“No doubt to get revenge for NOT selling them.” Anita said. “How could I not see that… So, you rescued ALL of the ones she was hoarding?”

“Yes…” Perdita said. “All 99… Oh, you should’ve seen Pongo, he was always counting them as we made our way home…”

“99…” Anita repeated. “But… What on earth would she want with 99 Dalmatian puppies? Bad enough to steal them, even…”

Perdita’s face suddenly became very grim…

“Perdy?” Anita said. “Perdy, what is it? What was she going to do?”

Perdita let out a heavy sigh…

“She was going to skin them…” She said. Anita gasped.

“…And turn them into fur coats…” Perdita finished.

“Skin… Coats? But… Oh dear lord,,, And after I defended her. How could I not see how wicked she was?” Anita said. “Those sweet, innocent puppies… She was going to… To…”

“Butcher them.” Perdita said. “And they came VERY close… Mere moments away from doing it…”

“Oh, Perdy… I… I…”

“Of course, it wasn’t her. It was her two thugs… The ones that stole them… We found them, having cornered the puppies, they were about to…” She choked up as she recalled it. “… They were going to beat them to death…”

Anita couldn’t even say anything, she was shocked.

“One had a club, the other had a fire poker and they were going to… Luckily, we arrived just in time.”

“What… What did you do?” Anita asked.

Perdita looked at her, in behind the eyes of her loyal pet, Anita saw a fire flicker, one that implied the only thing she remembered from that moment was seeing red.

“Anita Radcliffe. Those two men were about to beat my babies to death… what do you THINK I did?”

“Did you… Y’know?” She motioned to her throat.

“No… No, they lived… And to my knowledge are still alive. But don’t think for one second it didn’t cross my mind… But I knew I gave him something to remember me by… And if they ever lay a hand on my children again, I won’t be so forgiving.”

“I don’t blame you…” Anita said. “Oh, Perdy I feel so foolish. I didn’t see that woman as the threat she was, and your children almost paid the price for it… I am so, so, sorry.”

“Don’t.” Perdita said. “Trust me, you are the last person to blame for this…”
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“Coats?!” Roger repeated. “Dog skin coats?!”

“That’s what they told us.” Pongo said.

“Oh, of all the underhand, evil things to…” Roger almost shook with anger. “Now the only thing I’m sorry about is that I wasn’t with you, so I could’ve walloped those two slugs myself!” He huffed. “Make a coat out of MY dogs kids, will ya?”

“We gave them a good thrashing.” Pongo promised. “On that, you can be certain.”

“But still… What kind of a monster would think of hurting something like a puppy?” Roger said. “Oh, I hope… Ah… No sense on getting mad about it… You brought them all back… And that’s what’s important.”

“Yes… Though we couldn’t have done it without help.” Pongo said.

“How DID you do it?” Roger asked. “How did you get all those little ones from Suffolk to London? Where did you sleep? What did you feed them… And what was with the soot?”

“Well, it’s a long story, and honestly, most of it is just us, dodging Cruella and her goons while trying to not freeze to death.” Pongo said. “As for where we slept and ate, well… A Collie and the cows he watches over gave us shelter in their barn… And the cows, well… They let the pups…”

“Wait.” Roger said. “These cows, who spoke to you, let the pups…”

Pongo nodded.

“……That’s a might bit odd…” Roger said.

“Only if you think about it too hard…” Pongo said. “But moving on, we had gotten a ride in Dinsford on a moving van. But Cruella and her goons had caught up to us, so we rolled in soot to make ourselves look like Labradors, and little by little, snuck onto the van…”

“Amazing…” Roger said. “So, the soot was a disguise… I must admit, it did fool me… But what about Cruella? Did she just give up, or?”

“No… I don’t think she’s ever given up, to tell you the truth… But as far as our escape goes, there was a car chase, and car crash and the last I saw of that woman was her, sitting in the wreckage of her car, cursing to the sky…” Pongo sighed. “And that’s it… We made our way home and… Well, here we are…”

Roger just shook his head. “Unbelievable. And I mean that. I honestly having a hard time believing some of it, and yet here you are…”

“I’m not sure I believe some of it myself.” Pongo said. “If you had told me that meeting the love of my life would have led to us having 99 children and a woman with a death mark on our heads. I would called you crazy.”

“I just… I’m just blown away… You and Perdita brought them all home… And you somehow did it without losing any of them, or getting caught… And now… And now you live with this… The knowledge that that woman might still have her sights set on you, and yet you still stay strong…”

“What else can I do?” Pongo said. “I’ve got 100 things depending on me.”

“Pongo, I just…” Roger sighed and sat down, feeling overwhelmed… “As weird as this is to say, I can only hope I’m half the man you are one day…”

Pongo smiled. “Well… I did take some inspiration from a very good human.”

Roger wiped his eyes. “Thank you…” He stood up.

“Well, I don’t know HOW this works, but I hope that if/when this ends, I’ll still remember enough to keep this promise. You will never have to carry this alone ever again. Your family is my family too, and I’ll do what I can to ensure their safety…”

“Thank you, Roger.” Pongo said. “That means… That means a lot…”

Just then, a call came out from across the farm…

“That’s Perdy.” Pongo said. “Come on, better see what’s up.”

“Was that a bark?” Roger said. “It sounded like perfect English…”

“And how do you know English isn’t just perfectly translated barking?” Pongo asked.

“Okay, I’ve been trying my best not to get philosophical about this, please don’t get me started.” Roger said.
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When the four met up again, Roger and Anita ran up and hugged one anther as good as dogs can…

“Getting used to this body was easier than I thought.” Roger said.

“There is something strangely natural about it.” Anita admitted. “Darling, I have found out some…Startling things about our dear dog’s lives.”

“Me too.” Roger said.

“And it seems I owe you an apology.” Anita continued. “It seems you were right about… Well, right about Cruella…”

“I’m not exactly happy about it.” Roger said. “Especially since it’s a bit too late… But I have discovered something else… We have two extraordinary dogs that have, for someone reason stuck with us… Even though we must have seemed bloody useless when they needed us.”

“Oh, don’t put yourselves down.” Perdita said. “We couldn’t expect you to do anything more with what you knew.”

“You are only human.” Pongo said.

“Well we’re not only human anymore.” Roger said. “I don’t know HOW this happened, nor do I care. All I know is, I will never let you face anything alone, ever again.”

“Nor I.” Anita said. “Though… I can’t help but wonder… If this ever stops… If or when we ever change back… We’ll we remember it?”

“I don’t think that whatever did this to us would let us learn what we have, and NOT remember any of it.” Roger said. “But even if we don’t… It was a blessing to speak to you both…”

“Likewise.” Pongo said. “Even if WE never remember any of this, it was just nice to finally talk with you, share our story with you… And eve better to know you understand…”

“But the thing is…We didn’t really need this to let you know that we love you.” Perdita said. “Or to let us know that you love us. That’s the best thing about the bond between dogs and humans… We can understand so much about one another without ever saying a word…”

“Though, if there’s one thing I would love to say, over and over.” Pongo said. “It’s thank you. Thank you for giving us a home, and for taking in all our puppies.”

“And Roger.” Perdita said. “While I can say it.” She walked over and nuzzled his cheek.

“Thank you for saving my Lucky…”

“Oh… You’re very welcome, ol’ girl.” Roger said.

They sat there without speaking… two couples that had known each other for years, yet were just really meeting for the first time… With family bond that both transcended species, yet was now strengthened by it… Why it happened, who knows… But it did, and that was enough for them…

“I KNEW it!” Came a voice, interrupting the peace. They turned to see Patch looking at them with a triumphant grin on his face.

“You ARE Roger and Anita!” He said.

“Patch!” Perdita said. “Were you eavesdropping?”

“A little…” Patch admitted. “But I knew it anyway, they look like Roger and Anita, sound like them, smell like them… It was obvious!”

Roger shrugged. “I guess he does have a point.”

Patch gave a smug smile.

“Alright, you.” Pongo chuckled. “Don’t act too proud of yourself.”

“I’m not surprised he figured it out.” Anita said. “He is YOUR son, after all.”

“So you’re Patch?” Roger said. “The yappy little one that always chews up my shoes.”

“Yep.” Patch said.

“Should I feel bad about all the times I had to take a newspaper to you because you insisted on going to the bathroom inside?”

“Nah. I took a tinkle in your favorite chair once, figure that makes us even.”

“You did what?”

Patch took off running. “Gotta go, bye! Nice talking to you!”

Roger just stared. “What a little punk…”

“Yeah, we’re trying with him.” Pongo said.

“Guess that’s another reason to hope we remember this.” Anita said. “Make sure we set a good example for them as humans…”

“They already know you’re good humans.” Perdita said. “Maybe the best they’ve ever known.”

“And all of them love you.” Pongo said. “Especially the ones we rescued… You may be the only humans to ever have shown them love in their lives.”

Anita chuckled. “Well… If 101 dogs love us… We must be doing something right…”

Roger nodded. “Must be…”

“And we must have done something very good to have two humans that we could always call friends.” Perdita said.

“And for that, we’ll always be grateful.” Pongo added.

Four dogs stood, watching over their home… Two seeing things in a new light. Two seeing things as they always have. Just reassured that it was the life they’d always longed for…

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Roger opened an eye… The morning sun shone through his window… He yawned, reached up and rubbed his head… And then he at up as memories returned to his brain.

He looked himself over, he was human again… He ran to the window and looked outside… It was early morning…

“Was… Was it all a dream I had?” He said. He heard Anita stir.

“Oh, my…” She said. “Roger, dear. You up?”

“Yes love…”

“I had the strangest dream last night…” She said. “I was a dog, and Pong and Perdy-“

“Could understand us?” Roger guessed.

“Yes… How did-“ Anita slowly got up.

“Roger… Was that real?” She asked.

“I don’t know…” Roger said… “But we both remember it…”

“It must’ve been important, if we both remember it.” Anita said. “But… Why? Why tell us things like how our dogs sound, or what the pups think of us, or-“

“Or that Cruella De Vil stole the puppies from us.” Roger said. “That’s a bit specific…”

“What do we even do with that knowledge?” Anita asked. “We can’t very well prosecute someone over a dream.”

“No… No we can’t…” Roger said. He thought for a moment…

“Maybe we aren’t supposed to do anything with it…” He said.

“What?”

“Maybe all we’re supposed to do is… Understand… Whether or not what we just went through was real, we know that something happened in those dog’s life. And maybe all we need to do is let them know it will never happen again, and that we understand, besides. Dream or not, I made Pongo a promise, and I plan on keeping it.”

“I guess that’s all we can do.” Anita said. “But my goodness, what a strange story this will make.”
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Downstairs, Pongo, and Perdita were also waking up.

“Oh dear…” Perdita said. “Darling, I had the strangest dream…”

“Would you believe I did too?” Pongo said.
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(A few days later.)

Roger tapped the keys on his piano.

“And if you could talk, what could you tell me?/If I could hear, what would I know?/There’s a story in your eyes that’s just waiting to to-o-old./And if I could here it, where would we go?”

He stopped. “There… I think that’s the start of something, what do you think?”
Pongo wagged his tail.

“I think so too.” Roger said.

“I think it’s wonderful, Rog.” Anita said. Perdita nodded.

“Well, I figured after all is said and done, the next thing I should do write a song about it… A song that says… ‘I want to hear your story’.” He looked at the Dalmatians. “And that I understand…”

He wrote down what he had, and got back to work…

Chapter Text

Dante was sitting under a tree in the park… He was alone this time. None of his other siblings were there… It was just him, and his thoughts…

Which were not good company at the moment…

What were usually musings of the end of the world, and questioning the futility of life were now regrets and fears of things that had past… But not without leaving him and his family with some sizable trauma…

The worst of which is that he was possibly to blame for it…

They told him that he wasn’t, that they should have listened to him and all that. But he knew… He knew that he screwed up badly…

“Maybe I just shouldn’t come home…” He said. “It’s not like I do anything but drive people crazy… And when I’m not doing that, I’m making them upset, or almost getting people hurt…” He looked up at the evening sky…

“Would they even miss me?”

He sat there wondering that very question… Until he heard a voice.

“Nice brooding spot.” Came a male voice. “Mind if I join you?”

Dante turned and saw a young man standing there. He was dressed a bit weird, not like anything Dante usually saw humans wearing. But what really caught Dante’s attention was his almost sliver hair. He looked WAY to young for that hair color…

He didn’t wait for Dante to answer, not that Dante expected him to. He sat down next to him, looking out at the sun as slowly dipped below the London skyline…

“Not a bad place to ask questions that you don’t know the answers to…” He said. “Trust me, I have a few of those…”

“Huh.” Dante said, not the expected the human to hear him. “Bet yours didn’t almost get someone who cared about you killed.”

And then something happened that rocked Dante’s world…

“Actually.” The human said. “That’s exactly what mind did… In fact, it may have…” He turned and smiled at the dumbstruck dog.

“Surprised? I guess you would be… But they told me dogs have a language here, so I took a translation spell just to be safe.”

Dante shook himself out of his shock. “I’m sorry, did you just say you can understand me?”

“Yeah, and I’d heard what you were saying, too… Do you really think whatever it was that you did was bad enough that your own family doesn’t love you anymore?”

Dante forgot about being shocked that the man could hear him and turned away. “Trust me.” He said. ‘If you knew what I did, you wouldn’t have to ask why I think that…”

“Well let me give it my best guess… You have always thought you were a bit different from your family, right?”

“Uh… Yeah?” Dante said.

“And you always thought that there was something coming that made everything, your family’s struggles, everything, meaningless? Am I warm?”

“Uh… Very.” Dante said. It actually hurt to hear it worded like that, but that’s how it was…

“And when that day finally came, instead of realizing that what you wanted probably wasn’t a good thing, you did what you could to help it?”

“…Yeah…” Dante said as he hung his head. “Walked right out and embraced it, actually…”

“And only too late did you realize that by helping it, a lot of people that didn’t deserve it were gonna get hurt, right?”

“Correct…” Dante said, now laying on the ground, feeling even worse… “Realized it too late like a big idiot…”

“And now you think that no matter what you do, your friends and family will never really forgive you, and you actually prefer it that way, because you don’t think you deserve it, right?”

“Geez. What are you, a psychic?” Dante said.

“No… I know because I did the exact, same thing…”

Dante perked up a bit…

“At least you didn’t backstab your best friend, almost hurt the one person you were even doing all this for, AND get hundreds of people hurt in the process… Cause I did…”

“You… What?” Dante asked, warily.

“Ah, there’s a lot you wouldn’t understand, but… I screwed up bad one time… Sure, I could easily say that I was manipulated, cause I was… A bit… But I know myself… And the truth is, I wanted to do the things I did… I wanted to feel strong, and validated… It wasn’t until too late did I realize just how screwed up what I wanted was…”

“…What-What did it take for you to realize that?” Dante asked.

“I had to fight my best friend… And I almost killed him…”

“W-What?” Dante asked.

“Again, long story… But the point is, I was so far gone that I was ready to kill the person that I called my friend all my life… And all he wanted to do was help me… In fact, we were more than friends… He’s the closest thing I had to a brother…”

“Brother?” Dante repeated.

“Yep… You ever had someone you called a brother try desperately to bring you back to your senses?”

“…Yeah… Yeah I did…” Dante said, glumly.

“And then no matter what you did, or said… That guy still had it in his heart to help you? When you probably deserved to be left where you were?”

“Yeah…” Dante said, remembering what his brother and sister did for him. “They’re ready to give up everything to save you, even when you almost cost them everything already…”

“Uh huh… And then, even after all that… They still take you back…”

“Because they tell you that family doesn’t care…” Dante said. “And for some reason, you can’t believe that… Like you’d prefer if they hated you because that’d at least make the pain justified…”

“Yep… Listen, I don’t know what it is you’ve done… But take your family up on that offer… I tried the whole, ‘I’ll leave, they’ll never miss me’ road, and trust me… It only makes things worse…” The man got up to leave.

“Whatever it was, if your family says they forgive you, they forgive you… And if you really trust them, you won’t have to worry about making the same mistake again…” Dante thought about this… And then, as he recalled every time his family had reassured him that they didn’t hold what he did against him. And that he was just as much a member of their family now, more than ever… The regretting soon eased… Not ceased… But it didn’t hurt as bad…

The man turned to leave. “Guess I better get back…”

“Wait.” Dante said. “Why are you here, anyway?”

The man sighed. “I’m looking for someone… I don’t think he’s here but… I think I was brought here for a reason and… I think you may have been it…” He walked off…

“Wait!” Dante called. “Who are you?”

The man stopped and looked back at Dante.

“Riku.” Was all he said…

Chapter Text

“Dolly, are you sure about this?” Dylan asked as he watched his siter and brother set up recording equipment in the pups treehouse.

“Bro, trust me. This’ll work.” Dolly assured him. “Humans are going crazy for these things called, ‘V-Tubers’ and me and Dawkins have the perfect idea on how to capitalize on it.”

Dylan gave his usually sensible brother an expectant glance.

“Well, as strange as it sounds, I am confident it’ll work.” Dawkins said. “See, Dolly will play games on camera, giving commentary, making jokes, whatever she see’s fit. The human’s will think she’s a hyper-realistic avatar that someone is using via motion capture. It’s perfect!”

“And just HOW is that supposed to happen when humans can’t speak dog?” Dylan asked.

“Bro, again. We thought of that.” Dolly said. “I’ll talk as usual, but Dawkins will put subtitles on the screen, translating my barks into human words, and they’ll just think I’m a human super committed to the bit! It’s win-win!”

“Uh-huh… And what is the benefit of doing this exactly?” Dylan wondered.

Dolly and Dawkins exchanged knowing looks.

“Bro, check this.” She handed Dylan the pups tablet, with an article displayed.

“This one V-tuber made over $50,000 last year!” Dolly said. “Even a fraction of that would set us up comfortably!”

“And it would be a great step forward for putting dogs in the ring of human entertainment!” Dawkins said, pumping his fist triumphantly in the air.

Dylan shook his head. “Listen, I’m not gonna stop you. But just remember human entertainment has a big dark side… Just be warned.” With that, he left them in the treehouse…

Dolly and Dawkins swapped looks…

“Pfft.” Dolly said dismissively. “Whatever, his loss.”

“I concur.” Dawkins said. “Why shouldn’t dogs get as much a chance as humans?”

“C’mon, let’s finish getting set up.” Dolly told him. “We’re streaming first thing tomorrow evening.”

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“Okay.” Dawkins said. “I think that’s done it.”

Dolly was sitting in front of a camera with a headset. “Right, let’s do this!”

“I’ve got you started on an easier game.” Dawkins said. “On account that you’re not really a ‘gamer’.”

“Yeah, Yeah. How hard could it be.” Dolly said. She picked up her controller. “Just make sure everything’s ready.”

Dawkins checked the scene. Dolly was visible in the corner foreground while the game screen took up the background.

“Looks good…” Dawkins said. “Give me a mic check.”

“Bow-whacka-wo-o-ow!” Dolly sang into the mic on her headset, picking up load and clear on Dawkins’ end.

“Good, good.” Dawkins said. “Now, let’s test the translation software. I’ve rigged it up to display a speech balloon any time you say something.”

“Cute.” Dolly said. As soon as she said that a text balloon appeared on screen, displaying the word ‘cute’ as text.

“Good, good.” Dawkins said. “Give me a longer sentence.”

“Dawkins is a great, big, brainiac who will most likely marry a computer.” Dolly said. Sure enough, word-for-word, it appeared on screen… As evident by the dirty look Dawkins gave his sister.

“I’m just teasing, brainiac, come on.” She said defensively.

“Well regardless.” Dawkins said. “I’d say you’re ready. Remember, the script to your opening is on the floor next to you, and you water is in front of you. We’re aiming for a maximum of 15 minutes for our first go. Sound good?”

“Yeah, yeah, bro. Really, it’s just sitting in front of a camera, talking while you play games. Not much to it.”

“As far as you know.” Dawkins said. “But anyway, clearing the screen, lights, camera… And…” He tapped a button on the tablet.

“You are live.”

Dolly waved to the camera. “Bow-whacka-what’s up people of the inter-webs!?” She said with an enthusiastic wave. “I’m Dolly and today we’re playing uh…” She looked at the screen, and realized she had no idea what she was really playing… “Uh… This… But yeah, let’s get into it!” Dawkins slapped his paw against his face.

“So, I think I’m supposed to do… Something with these buttons…” She said. “So… Uh… She messed with the controller for a moment.

“Uh, no…No…No…N-Woah, hey. It moved… Okay we do that and… Oh… Am I dead? Yeah, I died…”

Dawkins, turning aside. “I feel compelled to inform you all that she is attempting to play, ‘Pac-Man’…”
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The stream went on.

“Okay, found out I have to eat these little dots here… Eating them, eating the-Woah… Woah, Dawkins you didn’t tell me the ghosts chased me! I can’t work under that stress… And there’s MORE of them!?! Dude, how is anyone supposed to play this, this is… Oh gosh, they’re chasing me!!!… How do I… What do I… Can I attack them? I… Oh, no… You can’t…”

Dawkins just rolled his eyes. “Maybe you’d be better off jumping through a hoop, or something that dogs normally do as entertainment for humans…”

“Dawkins! I think I broke it!” Dolly said. “I pushed this button, and now all there is on screen is the word, ‘paused’ is that bad?”
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15 minutes mercifully passed, and Dawkins motioned for his sister to wrap it up.

“Okay, you lovely people. That is all the time we have. I know we didn’t even clear the first stage or even get a quarter of the way through, but hey. That’s just one of those things. So if you like this video, please let us know if you want to see more, SEE YA!” She waved goodbye as Dawkins’ ended the recording.

“Ugh…” Dolly sighed. “Who knew this would be so strenuous?”

“It might have helped if you actually knew how to play the game.” Dawkins pointed out.

“Oh, Dawkins…” Dolly said. ‘Nobody cares if I was good or not, the point of these videos is being cute and quirky while doing them, and I think I did both amazingly.”

“Whatever you say…” Dawkins said. “Well, it’s out there. Our first video… I guess we won’t know the real results until tomorrow…”

“Good.” Dolly said with a yawn. “Cause THIS sleepy dog needs some snoozing.”
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The next morning, Dolly and Dawkins hurriedly checked the pups tablet.

“I don’t wanna look.” She said. “I’m nervous… How many viewers did we get throughout the whole thing? I wanna guess… 300? No, 250, no, maybe 275… Am I close?”

Dawkins looked up from the tablet. “Dolly… We got 20 viewers in all…”

“What!?” Dolly said. “How is it THAT low, what did we do wrong? We had me as an adorable star, we had you doing all the nerdy camera-y junk? How’d THAT fail?!”

“Maybe knowing what games are and how to play them might help?” Dylan said as he entered the room. “Just an idea…”

Dolly frowned. “I think I did okay…”

“Though, even though we only got 20 viewers, most of them left comments.” Dawkins said.

“Ooh, sweet!” Dolly said, grabbing the tablet. “Lemme read them!”

“Uh, I’d be careful about th-“

Dolly ignored him.

“Okay, this one says, ‘sweet fursona, I want to…’ Uh… Dylan… What does that word mean?”

Dylan looked it over… And he recoiled so hard his fur felt it!

“Uh… I… Uh… I…”

“And this one says, ‘I’d like to see what you look like in…’ Why would I even wear that?” Dolly said.

“I’m afraid all of these are of a similar nature.” Dawkins said. “They’re all, rather… Well, Not Safe For Pups…”

“Yeah… Remember when I said there was a dark side?” Dylan said.

“Is THIS what I’m going to have to put up with if I go any further with a channel?” Dolly asked. “A bunch of humans being creeps?”

“Most likely.” Dylan said. “Though, that’s just par for the course…”

“Ew… Well, surely it can’t be THAT bad…”

“This one sent you fanart…” Dawkins said. He pulled it up… And all three Dalmatian's jaws dropped…

“Uh… That’s… Uh… That’s being real generous with your anatomy.” Dylan said.

“That’s being real generous with the laws of PHYSICS.” Dawkins said.

Dolly said nothing for a moment…

“Dawkins.” She finally said. “Delete our first video, cancel our channel, and for the love of dog, delete all the comments.”

“Done and Done.” Dawkins said.

“If that’s what humans are into, they can have it.” Dolly said.

“Yeah… Gotta remember, humans do that mostly because they love it enough to where the negatives don’t bother them…”

“Well props to whoever does that.” Dolly said. “Dawkins, next thing I want you to make is something that can permanently erase images from your head.”

“Oh, I wished I could…” Dawkins said…

Chapter Text

Each pup after being asked, “What’s your favorite video game?”

Dylan. “Oh, dog… Do I have to pick just one? I like The Zelda series, and Mega Man, and Star Fox, and Pokémon. But those are just the EASY ones. I love indie games, like Shovel Knight, or Undertale. I also am SUPER stoked for Starfield, and I don’t care what anyone says, No Man’s Sky was GREAT! The haters are just people who don’t appreciate the vastness of space, and furthermore-“

Dolly. “….I played Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater once… So I guess that… I wiped out immediately, though…”

Dawkins. “I find myself too busy for games nowadays…(Eye’s shift nervously…) “But when everyone’s asleep, I get on HearthStone and sweep lobbies… Dog it is fun to hear humans cry…”

Dante. “Majora’s Mask… But only up until the Moon crashes……..It’s so beautiful….”

Destiny and Dallas. “We don’t really play games, to hectic of a work schedule…”
Déjà vu. “I play Nintendogs…”
“You ARE a dog!”
“So?”

Delgado. “Sonic… Go ahead, ask me why…”

Diesel. “Minecraft… But only when I get to dig!”

Dizzy and DeeDee. “We like Animal Crossing.”

“Yeah, especially when the cute dog gives updates…”

DJ. “DJ Hero… Act surprised.”

Da Vinci. “I used to like Animal Crossing, because it was so calm, and let you decorate… But then Miitopia came out, and that’s just a really advanced art program with an RPG built around it, so I play that a lot…”

Deepak. “Doom… What? I do Yoga, I play Doom. It’s balance.”

Chapter Text

Dolly scrolled the articles on the pups tablet.

“No… No… No… We can’t even eat that… No… Ugh! Why is this so hard?!”

“What are you doing?” Came Deepak’s voice. He looked over her shoulder. “Are you searching up… Recipes?”

“Uh… Maybe…” Dolly said.

“Why?”

“Well, I’ve been think about broadening my skills, becoming more well-rounded, y’know?” Dolly said.

Deepak’s eyebrow just flicked up. “This has something to do with Hansel, doesn’t it?”

“Ugh, yes…” Dolly admitted. “It’s his birthday tomorrow…”

“So, why were you looking up, ‘Siberian cuisine’?”

“Well, you know how he’s always talking about his home, and his family? I thought, maybe the best way to surprise him would be to make him a dush from his home.”

“Well, first off. That’s a very nice thought. But, um… It seems you are forgetting one thing, dear sister…” Deepak said.

“And what’s that?”

“You can’t cook.”

Dolly huffed and crossed her paws. “How do you know? I’ve never tried. I could be really good at it.”

Deepak rolled his eyes. “Dolly, cooking isn’t some dormant trait one is born with. It’s an acquired skill. One that takes people months to get right… It is also one area that us dogs are famously disadvantaged in…”

Dolly grumbled. “Stupid species-based differences… But what if I found something that was SUPER easy? One that anyone could make.”

“Dolly, you know you could just get him a dish specially made from a restaurant, or something.”

“Yeah, but that wouldn’t be the same KIND of special. I want to give him something made from my own, two paws…”

“And?” Deepak said expectantly.

“And? And what?” Dolly said, nervously.

“Dolly, your aura is all out of whack, there’s another reason you want to do this, isn’t there?”

Dolly’s eyes darted back and forth, seeming to search the room for a reason to not answer… Finding none, she sighed and relented.

“Okay, fine. I want to do this so that maybe… Maybe he’ll see that I know how to do more than just ride a skateboard and cause trouble… Maybe he’ll actually see I’m more mature than that.”

Deepak shook head. And then pushed past his sister and sat in front of the tablet.

“You’re gonna want something easy, and low effort.” He said. “But also filling.”

Dolly grinned. “You’re the best, Deepak!”

They scrolled through several recipes, some with names they couldn’t to pronounce.

“He won’t eat that, too starchy.” Dolly said.

“And I doubt we have the optimal tools needed for stripping fish…” Deepak added, reading another. “Not that I’d want to do that anyway…”

“Man, why is human food so complicated?” Dolly asked. “Why don’t they just eat the same thing, every day? Us dogs do, and our food comes in bags.”

“Because humans have some strange need to overcomplicate things…” Deepak said.

“Ooh, wait… What about that?” Dolly said, pointing to the screen.

“Pelmeni?” Deepak said.

“Yeah, click on that.” Dolly asked. They read the recipe, describing it as a dumpling, filled with meat.

“That looks easy.” Dolly said. “I guess we can skip the onions and garlic cause, y’know… Poison to dogs.”

Deepak studied the description carefully. “Dough, meat, usually beef or fish, salt and pepper…” He nodded. “I am one to agree, this does seem very simple… Minimal work, minimal ingredients…”

“Great!” Dolly said. “Let’s get online and send out a grocery order.”

“But sister there is ONE little detail you’re forgetting…” Deepak said.

“And that is?”

“They have to be boiled. Which means we’d have to use the…”
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The two stood in front of the kitchen stove.

“So THAT’S what this thing is for?” Dolly said. “Making food?”

“Cooking food, yes.” Deepak said. “Which, of course, makes sense as to why we’ve never touched it, since we don’t cook.”

“I always thought it was where humans dumped food they didn’t want…”

“And we technically don’t even need the oven itself, we just need one of the stove eyes.” Deepak pointed out.

“Eyes? Has this thing been watching us for as long we’ve had it?!” Dolly said, alarmed.

Deepak rubbed his temples. “Guru Miaow, have mercy on me today…”

Deepak asked Dawkins to give them a hand working the oven. And after a quick flip through the owner’s manual, he managed to get them set up…

“It’s simple, really.” Dawkins said. “All you have to do is turn the knob to adjust the heat. As for what level’s you’ll need, that’s up to you.”

“Thank you, brother Dawkins.” Deepak said. “We wanted to make sure we got it right before we started playing with actual fire.”

“Yes, and it’s a good thing Dylan keeps this thing clean, even though we don’t use it.” Dawkins answered.

“Yeah, kinda hard to make fun of him for that now.” Dolly admitted.

“Well, as long as you don’t put anything on their you aren’t supposed to, you shouldn’t burn the house down.” Dawkins said. “Uh, speaking of which… Why DO you two need the oven?”

“Uh, well…” Dolly began.

“Our dear sister wishes to make Hansel a surprise for his birthday.” Deepak interjected.

Dawkins looked between the two…

“Dolly? As in, cook something? For someone else?” He asked.

“Yes. And I am going to assist her.” Deepak promised.

Dawkins raised his brows in a “whatever you say” look and left. “Good luck with that.” He said.

“Gee, sure feels nice to have such supportive siblings.” Dolly said, sarcastically.

“To be fair, we’re doing something a bit unconventional.” Deepak reminded her. Just then, they heard Dylan’s voice.

“Hey, who made a grocery order of, ‘eggs, flour, olive oil, milk, and ground beef’? Did one of the pups get the tablet again?”

“Uh, no.” Deepak called. Him and Dolly ran from the kitchen into the hallway.

“That’s ours.” He said.

“What on earth could you two be doing with all that?” Dylan asked.

“We’re making Hansel a surprise for his birthday.” Dolly said. “I’m cooking him ‘Pal-something’.”

“YOU’RE cooking him something?” Dylan asked. “But you can’t cook!”

“How do you know?” Dolly said. “None of us have tried.” Dylan looked at Deepak.

“Worry not, brother.” Deepak said. “It is a very simple dish, and I am helping her.”

“…But you can’t cook either.” Dylan pointed out.

“No, but surely you concede that us together have a better chance of performing this labor of love.” Deepak said. “And would you really stop Dolly from doing something out of affection?”

Dylan looked at him for a moment, then at Dolly. Both gave him pleading eyes.

Finally, he rolled his eyes in defeat.

“Ugh. Okay, fine. Just PLEASE don’t burn the house down.”

“Thank you brother.” Deepak said.

“Whoa, Deepak.” Dolly said as Dylan left. “Didn’t know you were such a sweet-talker.”

“That wasn’t ‘sweet-talk’ it was the truth. And now it’s up to us to prove we won’t disappoint him.” Deepak said.

They gathered the ingredients and headed into the kitchen. Once there they cleared out a spot on the rarely used countertop and laid everything out.

“Okay, so. How much do you know about making dough?” Deepak asked.

Dolly thought for a moment. “About…Almost nothing.” She said.

“Right…” Deepak sighed. “Well, how about we do this. I’ll get the eggs ready; you mix the water, milk, and oil.”

“Sure. how hard can that be?” Dolly said.

“Follow. The. Recipe.” Deepak said with unusual severity.

“Okay, geez.” Dolly said. She skimmed the recipe on the pups tablet. “2/3 cup water… What the heck does that mean? 2 tsp oil, 1 cup milk? Who wrote this an alien?!” She looked at the ingredients.

“Eh, I’m just gonna wing it.”

Deepak, with a little effort and one egg cracking, actually managed to get the two eggs they needed into a bowl.

“Okay Dolly, you got the other stuff ready?”

“Yep.” She said, grabbing the bowl from him and dumping the eggs into her mixture. “Now what’s next.”

“Uh, are you SURE you followed the recipe?” Deepak said, looking at her mixture, and the amount of milk and oil left.

“Of course I did.” She said. “So what do we now?”

“Well, use a whisk and mix it, but I’m sure…”

Dolly grabbed the whisk and began poking at the mixture.

“How long do I do this for?”

Deepak groaned.

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After Deepak had taken the whisk from Dolly and showed her how to properly mix something, he looked at what they had.

“Well… It’s something.” He said. “Now we need to add flour-“

“Gotcha!” Dolly said, dumping the whole bag of flour in the bowl.

Deepak coughed. “D-Dolly! We didn’t need all of it!”

“Oh, whoops.” Dolly said. Deepak quickly brushed what he could off the top and out of the bowl.

“Well, I guess it’s too late.” He said. “We’ll have to knead this and use that we can.”

“I feel like asking why you said we ‘need’ this would be a really obvious joke.” Dolly said. “So I’m not gonna.”

“Thank you.” Deepak said. “And yes, ‘knead’ k-n-e-a-d. It means roll it around until it’s a big lump.”

“Oh, I can do that.” Dolly said. “That can be hard.”

“Yes… It SHOULDN’T be, at least.” Deepak muttered. “Anyway. I’m gonna get the meat ready.”

After carefully prepping the meat. Ignoring both his canine instincts to eat it raw, and his personal beliefs against meat. He washed his paws and turned back to Dolly.

“Alright, how we… Looking?” He saw Dolly wrestling with the dough that was stuck to her paws.

“This stuff is impossible!” She said.

“It shouldn’t be that sticky!” Deepak said. “Are you SURE you measured everything right?”

“Of course I’m sure.” Dolly said. “It’s just that this stuff has a mind of its own.”

Deepak helped free his siter from the dough, messing with it himself.

“I don’t think you added the right amount.” He said. “But, seeing as how we have no more flour…” He glared at her.

“We’ll have to work with this.” He got the rolling pin and, after some struggling, rolled the dough into a flat sheet.

“Alright, here’s what you do.” He said, handing her a circular cookie cutter. “Take this and start cutting out circles. I’m going to get the water boiling. Do NOT do anything other than that.”

“Okay, okay… Yeesh.” Dolly said.

Deepak carefully got the water on temperature he was comfortable with. He read that water usually heats up at a manageable pace on high. He then gathered the bowl with meat in it… And braced himself for what his sister had done with the dough…

Only to find that it had been cut in several, perfectly sized circles.

“Wow…” He said. “Good job, Dolly.”

“Thanks… Don’t know why you gave me this, though.” She said, holding up the cookie-cutter. “I couldn’t cut a thing with this flat side, so I just used a butter-knife.”

Deepak face palmed.

“Okay… Anyway. Here, take a pinch of raw meat and put it in the center of each circle.”

“Oooh. Y’know, I’ve never eaten this raw.” Brought some up to her mouth, only for Deepak to swat it away.

“And there’s a reason for that!” He said. “Raw meat could give you worms. And that’s NOT what you want.”

“Okay… Worms. Got it. Raw meat bad.” Dolly said. They carefully laid the meat out on each circle of dough. Deepak only having to remind Dolly once not to eat it. When this was done, he showed her how to wrap the dough around it.

“Just a few pinches and there we go.” Deepak said. “Now you try.”

Dolly, albeit sloppily, managed to duplicate Deepak’s.

After all fifteen dumplings were formed, they took them to the pot.

“Now, you have to let them boil until the reach the top. Then let them boil for another seven minutes.” Deepak said. “I’m gonna set a timer, you watch them. I have an evening meditation session with Constantin, so you NEED to pay attention. Got it?”

“Sure, sure.” Dolly said. “I got this.”

“Alright.” Deepak said. He hopped down and headed out.

“After all it’s just waiting…” Dolly said. “I can do that…” And she did… And she waited… And waited…

And her eyes suddenly felt heavy.

“*Yawn*… Man… Waiting is boring… I think I need to just…” She laid down on the countertop…
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Dolly was awoken by the sound of beeping… She stretched and got up… And then the smell hit her nose.

She a smell of something burning.

Thankfully, it wasn’t a fire, but when she checked on the pelmeni…

“Oh… Oh, that’s probably not good…” She said.

“Dolly, I’m back.” She heard Deepak call. “How does it look?”

“Uh… Well.”

Deepak came into the kitchen.

“Why is that alarm still beeping?” He said. “And what is that-“ He looked at the pot, and his eyes went wide.

“Oh dear.” He hopped onto the counter and switched off the burner. Looking inside the pot, he was greeted be a mass half-burnt dough…

“Dolly… What happened?” He said.

“I don’t know.” Dolly said. “I woke up when your thing went off, and-“

“Hold up. You ‘woke up’?” Deepak checked the timer.

“Dolly, this thing went off an hour ago… And seeing as how there’s no more water in this pot, I’d say these, or I should say, THIS dumpling is more pan-fried than boiled!”

“And that’s… Bad?” Dolly guessed. Deepak answered this by grabbing a plate, and with a potholder in his mouth, dumped the results of their day onto it…

A mass of half-burnt dough, that had no indication that it was ever supposed to be dumplings of any kind…

“… Oh…” Dolly said.

“Oh, indeed…” Deepak repeated. “Well, I guess this was to be expected. I truly don’t think you read the recipe right and falling asleep while something was cooking wasn’t just a bad idea, you’re lucky there wasn’t a fire. And-“ He stopped we saw that Dolly had walked off, her back turned and her head down…

“I get it.” She said. “Dolly did something she had no business trying, and it ended up a massive failure… As usual.” She slumped to the ground.

“You don’t have to rub it in.”

Deepak sighed. “Guru Miaow, forgive my short tongue.” He said. He got up and walked over to his sister.

“Well…We can say we tried, can’t we?” He said. “I mean, this isn’t exactly what dogs do.”

“But you did it alright.” Dolly said. “And we could’ve done it if I hadn’t screwed up… Ugh, do I just know how to make messes? Is that the only thing I’m good at?…”

Deepak didn’t answer at first…

“And what am I supposed to give Hansel? I wanted to give him something that reminded him of home. And all I have is something that’s just proof that I can’t do anything… What am I supposed to do with that?”

“Well… We can’t say for certain that it’s ruined…” Deepak said. “I mean, we haven’t tasted it… Maybe you should give it to him anyway?”

“Why? It’s clearly not what it’s supposed to be.” Dolly argued.

“Maybe not… But you don’t have to tell him that…” Deepak said. “Just tell him you tried cooking… After all, it’s the thought that counts.”

“I’ll bet if there was ever something that could be considered an exception to that rule… It’s ruined pelmeni.” Dolly said.
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Regardless, the next day, both her and Deepak were at that park, with their dish covered in a basket.

“Now, remember.” Deepak said. “Don’t call attention to it’s failings, just let him decide for himself.”

“If I didn’t want to call attention to this things failings, I should blindfold him.” Dolly said.

“Oh, there he is.” Deepak said. Hansel and his pet had just entered the park.

“Go for it.” He said, giving Dolly a push. Dolly gulped and carried that basket over to the husky.

“H-Hey, Hansel.” She called.

Hansel turned around, greeting her with those eyes she couldn’t help but look into.

“Oh, hi Dolly.” He said.

“Yeah… Hi.” She said dreamily. It was Deepak nudging her that brought her back to her senses.

“Uh, happy birthday.” She said.

“Thanks.” He said. Still not breaking expression.

“Uh, I made you something.” Dolly said, holding up the basket. “Deepak helped.”

Hansel looked surprised. “You made something? As in, cooked?”

“Yeah… Heh, never tried that before… I hope you like it…”

Hansel uncovered the dish, and his eyes widened at the sight of the lump of dough.

“What is it?” He asked.

“Well it’s… It’s, uh…”

Hansel sniffed it. “Was this… Supposed to be pelmeni?” He asked. Deepak’s heart sank when he saw Dolly’s shoulder slump in disappointment.

“Yeah…” She said. “It was…”

“You tried to cook pelmeni?” Hansel asked. “As in, a traditional dish from my home?”

“Yeah… I tried… I-I’m sorry, I never should have-“ Deepak nudged her again… And her jaw dropped when she saw Hansel eating it excitedly.

“Aw, yes!” He said. “And the underside is burnt, too. Oh, this is perfect!”

Dolly and Deepak exchanged shocked looks.

“And it’s got the beef! I love the beef. My owner usually uses fish, but beef is best!”

“Wait… You LIKE it?!” Dolly said.

“Oh, yeah! It’s a little doughier than I’m used to, but it’s still great!”

“But… But… It’s not even how it’s supposed to be.” Dolly wondered.

“Yeah, that’s the best part.” Hansel said, licking his lips. “My pet’s family always makes pelmeni when he visits them. And sometimes, one or two of the dumplings doesn’t turn out like it’s supposed to. Those are the ones I get.” He took another bite.

“And usually, I’m lucky to get two or three, but you’ve made a whole batch of them!”

Dolly looked at Deepak who gave her an “I told you so” face, before leaving the two.

“Oh, Dolly this is amazing. Thank you so much!”

“Uh… You’re welcome…” Dolly said. “I’m gonna be honest. They didn’t turn out like I wanted them too. I wanted to make you something from your home… But…”

“Well in that case, it’s even better!” Hansel said. “Because they do remind me of home… But knowing that you made me a big plate of ruined pelmeni will always remind me that… No matter how much I miss home sometimes… My life is so much better with you in it…”

Dolly’s face lit up when he said that.

“B-Better?” She repeated. “I… I uh… Thanks?” She said.

“Yeah… Better. Especially since now I know no other girl can ruin pelmeni like you.” He leaned over and licked her cheek.

“Thank you, Dolly.”

Dolly stood, petrified.

A sharp whistle blew from the park.

“Gotta go.” He said. “Thanks again.” He finished the last few bites and left.

“Uh huh… Bye.” Dolly said, still entranced.

Deepak sat next to her.

“Well… That went far better than expected.” He said.

“Yeah… Yeah it did…” Dolly sighed.

“I knew you shouldn’t’ve worried. For as Guru Miaow says, ‘in order there is chaos. In chaos there is order. To find one, you may have to brave the other’.”

“I’m just gonna pretend I know what that means…” Dolly sighed.

“Fair enough.” Deepak said with a shrug.

Chapter Text

Patch lay in the hay that covered the dairy barn floor. Outside, he could hear the wind roaring and whirling, blowing snow everywhere. While he and his family were safe, and warm inside the barn. He remembered the biting cold the blizzard brought, having been trapped outside in it not too long ago…

He was grateful for the warmth, and for everything the cows, and the collie had done for them… But now that he had a moment to rest, and collect his thoughts. The past few hours came crashing down on him…

He should’ve been sleeping. But his thoughts were buzzing in his head… He wasn’t sure how much the rest understood, but he did… And the more he thought about it… The less relaxed he became…

“They were going to… After they took care of us… And then…” He shook his head and covered his eyes… The world had become a much darker place than he even imagined…

“Psst, Patch?” He heard a voice whisper. “You still awake?”

“Yeah, Penny.” He whispered back to his sister. “I’m awake…”

“Can’t sleep either, huh?” She asked.

“Nope…”

“Too much new breathing…” Penny said.

“Yeah, but… That’s not why I can’t sleep…” Patch said.

“Why not, then?”

“Penny… Do you… Do you know what those men were gonna do to us?” He asked.

“I mean… I didn’t really think about it, but yeah… I know.” Penny said.

“And… That’s why they stole us…” Patch said. “They brought us out here to hide us and…”

“What are you guys talking about?” Their brother, Rolly, asked. “Shouldn’t you be asleep?”

‘Rolly. Do you know what those two men wanted to do to us?” Patch asked.

“...Not really…” Rolly said. “All I know is that it must’ve been real bad, mother was really mad.”

“She should’ve been.” Patch said. “The more I think about it, the angrier I get.”

“Well, they didn’t feed us enough.” Rolly said. “Which is bad enough for me.”

Patch sat up. “That’s all you can think about!?” He whispered. “Rolly, those men were gonna KILL us!”

“Huh?” Rolly said. “How d’you know?”

“Rolly, that’s what ‘popping us off and skinning us’ means! They were gonna either knock us out and cut our skin off!”

“What? Why?!” Rolly asked, sitting up.

“One of the others said that woman wanted to make coats out of us.” Penny said. “And the only way they could do that is by, well… Taking our skin off…”

Rolly held his stomach. “Oh… Suddenly I don’t feel so good…”

“And those men are chasing us now.” Patch said. “And if they catch us, they’ll do just that! So maybe being hungry isn’t the most important thing to think about!”

“I’m sorry, it’s just… Aw, man…” Rolly said.

Patch’s temper eased. “I’m sorry, Rolly. I didn’t mean to snap…” He said. “It’s just… Now that we’ve had a breather, everything’s coming down hard… We’re running for our lives… We have two men and a crazy woman chasing us, and if they catch us, they’ll kill us. ALL of us. You, me, Penny, all the new ones…” His voice trembled a bit. “And they’ll kill mother and dad, too… I think the tall one wants too…”

“Hmph, probably just mad that dad beat him up.” Penny said.

“Yeah, but that’s the point…” Patch argued. “Now they’re after us, and they’re MAD. They won’t stop…”

“Well… Maybe they’ll get tired, and give up?” Rolly said, hopefully.

“Not likely.” Patch said. “They wouldn’t go through all the trouble to steal us, and then let us get away…”

“And you know that woman is crazy.” Penny said. “You could see it in her eyes…”

“They won’t stop… And now we’re on the run, from three, crazy humans, who will kill any of us if they catch us…” Patch said. “All because they want our fur…”

“And… They STOLE us… The others say she payed for them… Why?” Penny asked. “What makes US special?”

“Who knows…” Patch said. “Maybe it doesn’t even matter… Maybe she just thought we were easier to steal…”

“What kind of monster makes a coat out of dogs?” Rolly wondered. “And for that matter, why would ANYONE make a coat out of dogs?”

“Does it matter?” Patch asked. “The point is, she was gonna try to…”

“And they almost did if…” Penny started, looking at her parents. The two were sleeping, with several of their brothers and sisters snuggled close to them…

“If mother and dad hadn’t shown up…”

“Yeah, do you remember how they crashed through the window?!” Rolly said. “That was cool!”

“Heh… Yeah, I guess that was pretty cool…” Patch agreed. He looked over at his parents… Never in a million years would have imagined his big, dopey dad and his worrisome mother would’ve ever been able to do what they did. He always thought they were just city dogs. The kind that never did anything with a human attached to their leash… But here they were, having just watched them crash through a window, looking madder than he’s ever seen them in his life… That was pretty cool…

“But what now?” Penny said. “We wouldn’t have even survived this blizzard if it wasn’t for the collie and the cows. What will happen next?”

“And what about all the others?” Rolly asked. “We don’t know them, some of them don’t even have names… What’ll happen with them… Even if we get home…”

Patch thought for a minute. He looked at all the pups in the barn… He thought of how far they had come… And he thought of one thing his father said back in the Colonels barn… That they’d take all the pups home with them...

Sure, the world seemed a little darker knowing that three people wanted to kill him and his family… But seeing just what his mother and dad were capable of, just what they were willing to do…

It didn’t seem TOO dark now that he thought about it… It couldn’t be. Not with dogs like them in it…

“Guys. I think we should just trust them.” He said. “They’ve gotten us this far… Who’s to say they can’t get us the rest of the way?”

“But… What if-”

“Don’t worry about the what ifs.” Patch said. “We’ll worry about those when we get to them… For now, all we have to do is just trust them…”

Penny and Rolly looked at one another.

“He is right… They did get us this far…” Rolly said.

Penny smiled. “And we did have help… Who knows how many more animals out there are willing to help us…”

“I know it’s scary…” Patch said. “But look at what we did. Did you ever think us city-born pups would’ve made it this far?”

“Yeah… I wouldn’t’ve thought I had this in me.” Rolly agreed.

“Exactly.” Patch said. “Maybe we’re all a little stronger than we thought.”

“Maybe we are.” Penny agreed.

Rolly just yawned. “We should get to sleep.” He said.

“Yeah.” Penny agreed. “Who knows what tomorrow will bring.” The three pups curled up next to each other… And soon their breathing joined the other 100+ creatures sleeping soundly in the barn…

Chapter Text

As the summer sun beat down on to the English coast, a young Border-Collie sat in the shade of her pet’s lighthouse home. Lazily watching the waves hit the shore… Summer was her name funnily enough. And she had lived in Cornwall all her life. It was her, her pet, and her friends. Spike the Doberman, and Chips the gull… There was also Bessie, the cow. But she didn’t talk with her much... Despite the sleepiness of today, she knew it wouldn’t be long before someone found their way to this spot. Cornwall was a popular vacation spot, and soon there’d be tourists showing up, to spend a day at the beach, or just get away from the city for a bit. They’d come in everything from buses, to cars, to bikes, with their towels, and umbrella’s and weird, inflatable beach toys. And they’d range from nice, regular people, to stuck-up jerks that sat on a beach chair all day, complaining that there are no coffee shops around…

Summer didn’t mind them, though. They were just being humans. In fact, she loved it when humans came around. They were fun to watch, fun to mess with, and a lot of times, they would leave uneaten junk food lying around…

Nowadays, she finds herself not thinking about that… Her thoughts, no matter how hard she tried, always found their way back to one, fateful summer… When the strangest group of visitors she’d ever met pulled up to the lighthouse…

They came in a bus, not unusual. The same kind of large, red city bus she had seen a hundred times. The first thing she knew was that it was a family of Dalmatians… Not a breed she usually saw around Cornwall. The second thing she learned was that there were a LOT of them. 101 to be exact. 2 parents, 99 pups. She couldn’t even begin to think about THAT. And even stranger… They came with no human… That many dogs, no human? How’d they even get the bus?

But they seemed nice enough, as rowdy and chaotic as one would expect from a family of puppies…

But then she met him… Some, nerdy, Dalmatian boy that acted like he was the smartest thing in the universe… He basically insulted her to her face, had little to no idea what he was doing when it came to, anything, really … And for some reason…

For some reason she felt like he was worth taking a second look at…

And that’s when a loud squawk broke her out of her thoughts.

“Oi, what’s up, Summer?” Said Chips as he landed next to her.

“Oh. Nothin…” Summer said, stretching out, and yawning boredly. “Just thinking…”

“Bout what?” Chips asked. His eyes blinking out of sync.

“Nothin. Really.” Summer insisted. “Why do you care, anyway?”

“Cause ya got that look you only get when you think about your boyfriend.” Chips said with uncharacteristic slyness.

Summer recoiled. “What?! How did-”

“Ah! Knew it!” Chips laughed. “Got the dreamy eyes and everything!”

“Oh, buzz off, you!” Summer said, playfully swatting at him. “Today just reminded me of them.”

“Seems to happen a lot, nowadays.” Chips said. “Really got you blood pumpin, didn’t he?”

“Oh, mind your own business.” Summer said. Chips flew off laughing to himself. Summer shook her head, but she had to admit he was right. She had been thinking about them a lot, especially him… And why her thoughts kept going back to that scrawny city boy was still beyond her… Why did he stand out among the rest, like the gloomy, black-coated one, or the sweet, little yoga one… Why him?

Maybe it was the way he immediately rushed off to help his sisters. That was pretty brave of him. Or when he helped rescue his parents, sister, AND Spike by hang-gliding through a storm. She couldn’t even pretend that wasn’t cool...

Or maybe… Maybe it was something else… Like when he tried to be romantic, but failed. She couldn’t place it… Not yet, anyway.
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She thought about him on and off for a few days. Sometimes when she didn’t mean to. And any time she saw the color red, she thought of his collar, or anytime she saw a tourist eating cookies-and-cream ice cream, she thought of his spots. She even found herself hoping that every bus coming from the city might be them, again... She just couldn’t place why she thought so much about him…
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Then one day, she happened upon an old newspaper… One a few months old, but still readable… And the headline made her freeze…

“Fashion mogul, Cruella De Vil, arrested for animal theft.” Is what it read, she scanned the rest.

“Authorities apprehended Miss De Vil on the London docks for the theft and attempted smuggling of Dalmatian furs, De Vil is famous around the world for her insistence on using authentic animal skins in her coats, so-” And that’s all it said… The paper was torn, she couldn’t read the rest… And even though she had no idea who Cruella De Vil was… She got a horrible feeling in her gut. An anxious feeling… One she couldn’t shake.

And finally, she was overcome with one thought…

She ran to the cliffs overlooking the beach.

“Chips!” She called. In a minute, she heard wings flapping.

“What’s up?” The gull said.

“Listen, you said you visited the Dalmatians once in London, right?”

“Uh, yeah? Why?”

“Where do they live? What’s the street address?”

“Uh… I think…Uh…”

“TELL ME!” Summer cried…

“Woah, geez...It’s 101 Dalmatian Street, Camden Town.”

“101 Dalmatian Street.” Summer repeated. “Huh… What are the odds?” She turned and ran off. “Thanks' Chips!” She called.

“Wait, where ya goin?!” Chips shouted.

“To London!” She shouted back.

Chips shrugged and followed her…

Rather than run all the way, they found a bus that was heading back to London from Cornwall. They managed to hid under the seats, and by some miracle, they weren’t seen…

All the while, Summer was clutching that old newspaper.

“Please be okay.” She whispered to herself. “Please be okay, please be okay…”

“Uh, you good?” Chips whispered.

Summer said nothing… She wasn’t sure herself.
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When they finally arrived in the city, they didn’t even bother hiding. They jumped off the bus along with everyone else. With Chips leading her, she raced through the unfamiliar city. She had never been anywhere this big or crowded, but right now, it seemed like just a hurdle. One that was miniscule compared to what she might find out...

Finally… After what felt like hours. They arrived… And Summer was not one bit surprised to see the one building on the street that looked like a colorful tornado had hit it. Paw marks, and paint marks, and chew toys littered the street in front of it… But none of it mattered.

She jumped up the steps and pounded on the door.

“Please answer…” She whispered. “Please, PLEASE answer.”

“Mate… You sure you’re alright?” Chips asked again.

Summer didn’t answer, she just waited…

And finally, that door knob turned...

And among the sounds of what could only be a mosh pit of puppies, and the sights of a house, just as chaotic as she imagined… She saw that boy, standing there… Just like she remembered him…

“Hi, sorry. Couldn’t hear you over the vac-” He stopped and stared at her, just like she was at him…

“S-Summer?” Dylan finally said. “Is that you?”

Summer had just realized she had been holding her breath.

“H-Hey city boy…” She said.

“Wha-What are you doing here?” Dylan asked.

Summer looked down and held out the newspaper clipping she was still holding on to… Dylan took it and read it…

“Oh… But… Wha-”

“I had to make sure you were okay.” Summer interrupted. “I… I needed to see you, okay… With my own two eyes.”

Dylan looked confused.

“Look, I don’t know what this is. But the idea of you being gone before I knew just… It just didn’t sit right with me.”

“Summer, I don’t… How’d you even know this was about us?”

“Just a feeling.” Summer said. “Look, I know this sounds silly, but… I felt something with you, Dylan. Something I’ve never felt with anyone else… And maybe it’s just a friend. Maybe it’s more… But all I know is that I couldn’t bear to not know if you were okay or not before I found that out…”

Dylan looked at her. “And… You came all this way… Just to see if I was okay?”

“Well, you and your family, yes. But… Yeah.” Summer said. “Kinda crazy now that I hear it…”

A smile spread across Dylan’s face.

“Well… As you can see, I’m alright.”

“Yeah… Yeah you are…” Summer agreed. “And I’m very glad you aren’t a coat… Okay, now that I’ve had a minute to calm down, just what the heck is all that ‘De Vil’ and coat business about?!”

Dylan chuckled and motioned towards the house. “Come on in, it’s a crazy story…” He opened the door back up. “Just don’t mind the mess.”

Summer smiled and followed him in…

Chips just shook his head…

“If I were a crab, this is where I’d start singing.” He said to himself...

Chapter Text

Y’know somethin?

To this day. I still can’t rightly understand just WHAT happened… And the more I wrack my head tryin’ to understand it. The more mad it sounds! I feel that if I tell anyone else this, they’ll think I've escaped from the loony bin!

Ah, but what’s the use? If I keep this to myself any longer, I WILL go mad…

It all started with a simple job…

Me and my brother, Horace. We work as, uh…. “Consultants” of sorts. Helping out those in need with jobs that might uh… Well, might not be the kind any “clean” folk want to be known for, ya catch?

“Crook” is such an ugly word, by the way…

Anyways. One day, we get a job from an old associate. A person of high class and all that. The one that wouldn’t be seen with the likes of us unless they needed our specific skills. One that always pays good…

And one that is deeply involved in the fur trade…

In fact, that’s why she comes to us. Fur transport happens to be our specialty. Whether or not it’s still on the animal in question is a non-issue…

Anyways, she says she’s in the middle of a big, new, business venture. And wants us to do what we do best. Pick up the goods, take them to the usual spot. Keep them from being discovered by those who would ask such nosy questions. Like if what she was doin’ was “legal.” and all that. Ya catch on?

Well, this one job was a big one. See, she had been securing “assets” from all over London. Said she had some big, business venture, and hired us to be the middle men. The ones who make sure these “assets” stay nice and secure until she needs them.

Think of it like a bank… Oh, what? That’s a great allegory. Don’t act like banks aren’t crooked as well!

*ahem* Sorry about that. But anyway, that’s what the job was. She’d give us a call, when she got her hands on more, “assets” and we’d meet in a special place, quietly load them up, and head out. Sweet and simple…

At least… That’s what it SHOULD have been…

One day, she gave us a call. And I can tell right away she’s fightin’ mad. I mean, she’s mad almost all the time, but this time, she was about to lose it!

She says that the owners of some of these “assets” had refused to sell them. And that convincing them wasn’t an option. And if there's one thing I knew, it was that “no” wasn’t something she was used to hearing. She told us she was getting what she wanted one way or another.

She wanted us to steal them.

Now, theft wasn’t part of the additional deal. Believe it or not, it’s a whole other animal than smuggling. You gotta be smart and quick. And it takes a decent amount of planning… But then she promised to double our fee, so… Eh, we’re flexible.

She told us who owned them. Some blond ponce and a mousy bird that lived in London. Says they USED to be friends, but I could tell you right now, any “friend” of the woman employing us was just useful to her, plain and simple… But that’s besides the point. They had something, she wanted it, and she wanted us to get it… Easy…

And I think that’s where this whole thing just went to pot…

See, I guess now is as good a time as any to tell you that the “assets” we were being hired to secure were, well… Puppies. Dalmatian pups if you want specifics. Little spotted rats, look like albino hyenas. I assume you already know. And this couple had fifteen of them that for some reason, they chose to hold onto instead of taking the money our employer offered, which between you and me was an absolutely ballocks amount!

They also had two adults, which must have been the parents, but the woman wasn’t interested in them. Which is fine by me, pups are easy to deal with, but full grown dogs are just a mess, ain’t got no sense.

Can ye tell I ain’t an animal person?

Well anyway, we don’t steal them the first chance we get. No, you don’t do that. You wait, and watch them. From a distance of course. FInd out patterns, and such. Like when they leave, who goes where, how they lock up at night, that kind of thing. Patience lets you learn things. And learnin, makes ye smart…

What? Why ye surprised?

Oh, what? Didn’t think this would be this well planned out? Well let me tell ye, with the right amount of planning, stealin’ anything can be a very rewarding job…

Oh don’t give me that look, you’re just upset cause it’s puppies!

*ahem* Anyway. We learned from watching them that every evening, the Mr. and Missus take the two adult dogs for a walk, and are usually gone for about 30 minutes, which may as well be a hundred years in this line of work. And they left those little pups at home… Tsk, tsk… Leavin’ pups at home like that, don’t they know the kind of crazies that live in this town?

Now, here came the big problem. They didn’t leave them at home alone. They had a little, ol housekeeper. But, I figure with a little sweet talk and some misdirection, she wouldn’t be much of an issue…

So one night, after careful planning. We made a go for it… We waited at the corner for the Mr and Missus to pass us. Poor sods, not a bloomin idea what's about to happen… Sure wouldn’t’ve minded to see their faces when they got home that night…

Oh, what? You gotta take enjoyment in your job.

And that’s when Horace gets cold feet about the whole thing. Says it don’t feel right, and if we’re caught, it’ll be the clink for life.

He wasn’t wrong, but I felt confident about it. Sure, there were times things didn’t go our way, but it happens… I convince that it’ll be worth it, and we get on with it… But… Truth be told…

I also had somethin’ naggin at me brain. Like we were makin’ a real, big mistake by stealin from this family. I don’t know why, they were nobodies. Just a musician and his wife who got a love of spotted dogs. They weren’t of high class or anything. The kind of people we steal from all the time…

But it was still there…

Either way, we drove up and knocked on the door. I prepped us up a little ruse, claimin’ we were from the electric company. Classic misdirection. But this little ol’ bird..She was a stubborn one. Told us we weren’t comin in with the owners gone, and when that happens, well, there’s only one thing you can do… Get a little… Rough.

Now, I don’t like roughin’ up old women, but we had a job to do. And honestly, I didn’t even do anything violent. I just distracted her while Horace ran in and got the goods. We hopped in the truck, and headed off. Easy as pie.

But I shoulda known better. Nothin’s ever that easy.

For reasons I can’t even begin to fathom. The next week, the story of fifteen puppies gettin nabbed was on the front page news! How’s that even work?! Was the news week really that slow?

I don’t know. But it made us right anxious. I specify US because the woman wasn’t worried at all. She told us not to worry and just to lay low. The buzz will dye out soon, and we’ll be in the clear again. Nothin’ to it…

So why did I still have that naggin feelin?

Now, I reckon all you animal lovers out there are thinkin, “Oh, those poor pups. Having to live in such horrible conditions” and so on. Well, I’ll have ye know that we did pretty good jobs takin’ care of those runts. Wasn’t much to it, honestly. Made sure they were fed, made sure they had a place to do their business, swat ‘em on the head if they won’t listen. All in all, not really a bad life. But don’t get any cute ideas, now. I knew what these pups were destined for. And it didn’t hurt my feelin’s one bit to think about it…

Guess can’t really say I DIDN’T deserve what happened next…

The craziness began one night. Me an Horace were layin’ low. Keepin quiet. The pups were either sleepin, or playin. That new batch we swiped seemed to like watchin’ the telly, so we just let ‘em.

It occurs to me that I just described a life that I’d wager some of you actually dream of… So I got THAT goin’ for me, I guess.

Well, as I said, it was very calm, Horace fought with a pup or something. I don’t know… I was drinkin a bottle of my favorite gin, when… Somehow, when I picked up me bottle and brought it to me lips… I was starin into the face of a cat!

I don’t know how a cat got in here, or why my hand couldn’t tell the difference between a glass bottle or a cat, but that’s just what happened. I dunno…

I ran it of by chuckin some stuff, and didn’t think about it again…

Until one day…

One day, our employer comes in, huffin’ mad. Turns out, the heat didn’t die off like she expected, and the coppers were still searchin’ for those stolen pups!

I should’ve felt flattered to be at the center of the criminal world, but why’d it have to happen over THIS?

Anyways, she says there’s a change of plan, and wanted the job done tonight. The job, of course, to get to the messy part… The skinnin’.

Now, now. Don’t give me that. This is what I was gettin’ payed for. I’ve skinned a few animals in my day, and I’d known ‘em longer than I knew these pups. Wouldn’t be a bother to me.

What DID bother me was that, this change in plan moved things up a bit more than we were ready for. We were waitin’ on the pups to get a bit bigger before doin’ em in. As to get the most fur while it was still soft. See, Dalmatian fur is soft as pups, but rougher when they grow up.

And, yeah. I admit. I wasn’t mentally prepared to do such a messy job this soon. Just cause I ain’t got a problem with it, doesn’t mean it’s easy.

But she was adamant. Like she is about most things. So adamant, in fact. That she threatened to turn us in, if we didn’t do it!

Now that’s gratitude for ya. She knew she couldn’t be connected to this. But me an Horace, who had been seen stealin’ puppies, could have…

Ever have one of those days where you felt like you put your foot in a bear trap? Cause that’s where I was mentally.

Either way, she stormed off, an Horace wanted to get to it… But we were watching a brand, new episode of “What’s my crime.” and I wanted to see the end…

Yeah, I like game shows. What of it?

So, I told him that we’d get to it when the show’s over… And if I could have gone back, knowin’ what I do now. I’da strangled myself for bein’ so daft!

While we were watchin’ TV. Those pups, who had never so much as sniffed somethin’ without us knowin’ Had snuck out, real quiet like, through a hole in the wall… I kid you not! Somehow, they managed to sneak out on us while we‘re distracted… Sneaky little twerps. Almost like they had takin a page from our book, watched us, learned when we would get distracted. But, c’mon. That’s nuts, right? Dogs ain’t that smart, right...

Right?

Another shame to me an Horace, we only noticed they were gone after the show had ended, and we got up, ready to do the deed.

I chose a fire iron. I figured I could give them a pop on the head, and that’d be the end. I’d let Horace do the skinnin, he had steadier hands. He must of had the same idea, cause he wrenched a table leg free to use as a club. Before we could argue though, we heard one of the pups yelp… And that’s when we noticed. They had flown the coop!

A bunch of puppies, roamin’ free in a dusty, creaky, ol, manor house. With our employer due back in the mornin’ expecting fresh Dalmatian pelts…

This was just, bloomin’ peachy!

We chased them down. They had run up the stairs, when heard a pup whimper. He was one of the ones we swiped, a fat little bugger. I tried to coax him over, but he ran. Me an Horace checked out the upstairs rooms, searchin around...

Then I get the idea to check under the bed…

And the same, damn, cat from earlier jumps up, and screams in my face!

I couldn’t believe it. I really couldn’t. But as all those pups ran over me, it clicked. That cat was the ring-leader. It had somehow got those pups to follow it!

I don’t know how, why, or whatever, but that’s what my gut was tellin’ me.

The moment I can get on my feet, I chase them out, only for Horace to run into me, sendin’ us both down the stairs…

It was just one of those nights…

I voiced my justified displeasure at my associates performance, and we got back to it. They tried hidin’ under the stairs, but the fat one gave em’ away again…We chased around, until finally… FINALLY. We got them cornered…

Now, at this point, I was at my limit. I didn’t care about the cat, or the pups, or the fact that it almost was like I could see the fear in their eyes when they realized what was about to happen… I had a job to do. And if all I had to do to not only stay out of jail, but get paid a massive amount of cash was kill some puppies. Well, sorry kids… Life ain’t fair…

Put that on my bloody tombstone…

“We got ‘em now. Horace!” I remember saying. I was almost glad, really. After taking care of these pups, and havin’ to chase them everywhere tonight. I was glad this would be over soon…

And then it happened.

Right as we got ready to do these pups in… We heard a crash, we turned around…

And two, spotted, ANGRY lookin’ dogs were standing there… Growlin’ and glarin’ like the hounds of hell!

Now, I ain’t afraid of no dogs, just cause it bares its teeth… But these two… These two were different…

They looked at me, and my heart stopped… It was like, like they KNEW what we had done, and they KNEW what we were about to do… And I knew… They weren’t gonna let us do it…

I shook those feelin’s off. They were just dogs. They shouldn’t be a problem… Right?

I stood behind Horace, he could take em… Until the big one grabbed his club, and tried to pull it away. And when he did, he pulled it back, right into my head!

Look, I was already havin’ Bad night, so I kicked him away… That might not have been the best idea, because then both of them could get at him! I picked up a chair to knock the smaller one away, but the big one pounced on me, knockin’ the wind right out of me!

These things were really fightin!

I managed to kick it away, but before I could get it with my fire iron, it scrambled behind me and… Well, bit my arse.

Horace wasn’t doin any better, that smaller one was showin him no mercy! He swung and flailed around with his club, but hit nothin. I couldn’t even help him, cause the bigger one managed to grab my suspenders, and caught me, literally, with my pants down!

We must’ve looked right sorry that night. Two grown men, gettin our clocks cleaned by two dogs!

I heard Horace shout my name, and I could only shout his back, before he ran into me, sending us both into the wall so hard, it brought the ceilin’ down on us!

… Got my arse kicked by a dog…

Guess I deserved it, really… But that didn’t make me feel any better.

When we managed to crawl out of that wreckage, to say I was mad was an understatement. I was FURIOUS! I sowre, I’d skin every, single one of those dogs. Even if it was the last thing I did. ‘Ell. At this point. I would’ve done it for free! Money be damned! The sheer satisfaction of killin’ those dogs would’ve been payment enough!

*ahem* I guess one would describe me as a vengeful person…

The pups must have escaped during our fight, but that many pups leave tracks. So we followed them to an old barn up the road... We get out, and some old, sheep dog comes out and starts giving us lip. I had no more patience for dogs that night, so I swung my iron at him. The barn looked empty, save for a horse. We didn’t see any other dogs, but then I noticed a big pile of hay… I thought they might be hiding in that, so I got the idea to burn them out…

And that’s when I felt something kick me right in the back! I sailed through the air and crashed head first into the back wall! WIth Horace landing on me not long after!

I tell ya, I was about to go ballistic!

That was, until I noticed the dog’s tracks leading out through the back pasture… Huh… Well that’s lucky…

Me and Horace get back to the truck and follow the tracks, right up to where the ended at a bridge… We get out and look around. But not a hide or hair of them is anywhere to be seen… And then Horace says… He says, “What if they went up the creek to hide their tracks?”

… Do you see what I have to work with?

I pull him back in and we chug on…

Well, we were in the soup, now. The sun was coming up, and not only did we NOT have any Dalmatian hides. We had managed to lose the whole lot of ‘em… And me an Horace were sore, cold, and all around just not in a good disposition… But if you thought WE were in a bad mood…

Oh, boy…

We thought it best to circle back, and head back to the manor. Our employer should be back soon, and while everything in me was telling me to pack up, and get the heck outta there as fast as possible. I knew it wouldn’t do no good. That woman’s a terror when your working for her, forget about being on her bad side… She could easily pin this all on us. She could get us for everything, even the destruction of her family’s property… And she’d do it, to…

So, we figured the best chance to save our own skin was to go back and explain things…

She took the news… Well, she was bloody pissed, is what she was.

I mean, you clean up the language of what she told us, and you ain’t even got a proper sentence. However… She wasn't’ going to turn us in, just yet…

See, I don’t know how, or why. But this whole, “Dog-skin coat” thing was set in her mind. She wanted it. Wanted it bad. SO bad, that she said that we were going to scour the entire country if we had to to find those dogs…

Now, I wanted to just quit, right then and there. I didn’t sign up for this, and I didn’t like the idea… But, well… What do you say to someone who could get you put away with a phone call?

“Yes ma’am.”

And that’s what we did. Me an Horace bundled up, and took to the roads. She joined us later, going the opposite ways, and we searched up and down every road we could.

And you know what we found?

A whole lotta jack!

I don’t know how! But somehow, some way, over 100 dogs managed to avoid us… We couldn’t find a single footprint! Not to mention it was snowing, so any footprints they did leave were covered up by then...

It was madness, I tell ya! Absolute madness.

And this is where I began to seriously question my choice of occupation. Sure, I’d done a few things I wasn’t proud of. But they all had SOME sort of payoff… But this time… This time, I was driving around England. Seeing way more of it than I ever cared to, freezing my tail off, looking for a bunch of spotted dogs! Ones that we didn’t even know were alive anymore with how cold it’s been.

Not exactly a highlight.

Two things kept me going. 1. If I didn’t, that bird would have me put away. Probably for life, if not worse. And 2. The sheer desire to get revenge on those spotted hyena’s. Yeah, it was petty! But it was all I had! I figured, I could die happy, knowing I had put down those mutts that humiliated me…

Maybe that’s not healthy, but I didn’t care…

Anyway. After about two days of searching. We’re driving along, just outside of Dinsford and I suddenly hear the old woman screech my name from up the road, pounding on her horn. She’s stopped at a road that goes through the trees, and she’s pointing at something off to the side.

“See?” She says. “Here’s their tracks, heading straight for the village!”

I poke my head out… And by george… It IS! A cluster of prints. This first sign we’d seen in days. They were heading for Dinsford…

Oh, oh… We had ‘em now…

We went around the side roads, not seeing anything. When we got to the village, we got out and began poking around… She kept circling the street. We rummaged through whatever we could. Didn’t want to attract TOO much attention. These country folk didn’t take kindly to people making a mess…

That’s when Horace brought my attention to something. He pointed to the ground, and there were a bunch of Labrador pups running around.

“Look, Jasper.” He said. “Do you suppose they disguised theirselves?”

… In hindsight, I didn’t give my brother near enough credit for his perception.

Instead, I voiced my doubts about such a claim, and got back to work… The lady yelled at us again, but at that point I was deaf to it… That’s when Horace spotted dog tracks going into an old building. We poked around, and heard puppies whimper inside. We ran around back, but didn’t find anything… I was just about to chew him out, when suddenly. That old bird starts SCREAMING our names. Like, crazy screaming. We burst through the door we couldn’t unlock before… Only to find that she was parked on the other side of it… Oops.

“There they go!” She screamed. “In the van!” She points to a moving van driving off, and it’s full of black, dogs. At first I think she had really lost it… Until I saw a big one… And it was carrying a little spotted puppy in its mouth… And it’s coat, spots had rubbed off, as if it was just a…

No… No, no, no… I must be seeing things. That’s impossible. There’s no way a dog was smart enough to disguise itself, there was just, no way…

I shake that off and me an Horace take after it. It tripped, but just before we were on him, another dog ran over, tripping us both up!

If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear they planned this…

The van speeds away. THe only thing me an Horace could do was get back to our truck. The crazy old bird is now screaming mad, tearing after this truck. I take a back road, around him… My mind is going absolutely nuts. Was this really happening? I thought back to the past few days, the cat. The pups sneaking out. The horse, the sheep dog, now the soot and the labrador… Was it all planned? Did these animals actually outsmart us?!

It wasn’t possible… It shouldn’t BE possible… And yet… And yet…

I just shook my head. And came to a conclusion. It didn’t matter. It didn’t matter what was real or not. The only fact that I cared about was that I searched half of England to find those dogs, and now that I did…

I was gonna see some dogs die.

… I admit that my mental state might not have been quite right, at the moment.

I raced that old truck along the hill side. Staying above the moving fan. I could see that old bird trying to run it off the road. No idea who was driving, but he was just as stubborn as she was. I looked ahead, and saw a spot where the roads crossed… I sped up. All I had to do was give that truck a nudge, and it’d be in the ditch! That’d be all it took. That’s all I had to do, and this would all be over. No more dogs, no more chasing, and once we were through, I’d never have to deal with that crazy woman, ever again…

I know, I know. Yeah, I wasn’t thinking quite right. But if you had had to put up with what I did, I bet you’d feel the same way!

I must’ve been more out of it than I thought. I heard Horace yell my name, but I didn’t respond… And then… Well, then what happened was something so insane, it was either incredible luck, or divine intervention.

Horace, either out of fear, or from being the only one with any sense. Grabbed the wheel from me. And I do mean, FROM me, because it broke loose from its mount! Now, there’s a few moments where certain, four-letter expletives are not only appropriate. They are encouraged…

Careening down a hill with no control over your car is one of them.

And when we got to the bottom, there was only one thing to break our fall… That crazy woman’s car…

And we hit so hard, I still feel my teeth clattering!

We hit so hard, our truck literally exploded! Her car, too! Both vehicles, completely destroyed. It was bloody spectacular.

I braced myself for the end… That this was it. I had finally bitten the big one, and it was during a car chase to catch some spotted, bloody dogs…

Almost funny, in hindsight…

And I guess with hindsight, you could guess that, by some miracle, I DIDN’T meet my end there… Me and Horace were blown clear from the wreck. We landed with our seat, still intact, both of us clutching it for dear life… It took a minute, but after a while, we realized. We were alive.... Both of us. Not a scratch on us. I almost hugged him, I was so happy…

But, unfortunately…

So did she…

That, boney, old hag had somehow still survived. And when she pulled herself from what was left of her car, she REALLY let us have it. SHe was cursin’ and screechin’ and sobbin’ up a storm…

And me? Well… I had what you might call an epiphany.

I realized that, my life… Everything I had done, had led up to this moment. Every moment of my life had culminated here… And here I was, sitting in a ditch, somehow not dead, surrounded by the wreckage of two vehicles… And the realization that I had been bested by a bunch of animals…

They rock bottoms as low as you can get, but I felt like I was lower.

And I looked at that woman, the woman who, for some reason, had always scared me. Had always seemed like she was, above everything, the law, human decency, society. Yet, for all that, status, and money, and power… Here she was, in the exact, same spot as I was. Tired, cold, and miserable. Cursing the fact that she too, lost to some dogs…

I realized. I didn’t care anymore. I didn’t care about going to jail, or getting revenge on those dogs. Because what was the point? In fact, I kinda welcomed the idea of going to jail. Because I knew, as soon as I was out, I could start again. I could turn over a new leaf… It was like sitting in the ditch was a new beginning. And that didn’t feel too bad, if I’m being honest.

And I gave that woman one more look, and finally said the words I had longed to say for a while…

“Ah, shut up.”

Me and Horace crawled out of that ditch, and walked all the way to London, where we promptly turned ourselves in. The police were suspicious of course, but we told them everything. We even told them about that housekeeper, who could identify us. And pretty soon, we were official inmates of London’s prison system… Never have the slamming of cell bars felt so good.

I thought of what would happen once I got out. So many possibilities. But for now, I was just glad to be away from that woman, and animals of any kind…

And that’s where we find ourselves now… I never heard from that woman again, much less seen her. Don’t know what happened to her. And those dogs, well… I heard that some musician had bought a farm that he and his “101 Dalmatians” could move into… So there’s that…

And me and Horace? We worked odd jobs for a while, enough to keep us afloat. Watched the world change, and may have finally found our place in it.

And hey, thanks for listening, mate. I don’t know if you believe me, or if I could even expect you to believe me… But getting that off my chest felt good. So thanks. For listening to an old man ramble…
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The recording stopped as Hunter, Dylan and Dolly exchanged looks.

“Great story.” Dolly said. “But why did your great-aunt keep this?”

Hunter shrugged. “Don’t know. Just something I found looking through her private files at the company.”

“Probably played it just to get mad.” Dylan said. “Or maybe she planned on blackmailing him with it at one point.”

“Don’t know.” Hunter said. “I looked him up, though. He died in 93, survived by three grandkids. I’ve been trying to track them down, I guess this belongs to them… But what would they think?”

“Maybe she played just to remind herself that it actually happened.” Dolly wondered. “Like, she needed another voice to confirm that she wasn’t crazy and she really did get outsmarted by great-great-great grandma and grandpa.”

“Well. One thing’s for sure.” Hunter said. “We now know that she was too crazy, even for her own lackeys.”

“Not really a surprise.” Dylan said.

Chapter Text

“Bow-Wacka-Wow!” Was the cry that shattered the morning tranquility of the London park. Just as it did almost every morning. Dolly Dalmatian caming tearing by on her skateboard, past humans just trying to enjoy their day. She secretly loved the chaos, if she was honest. Watching humans have to move out of the way, or scramble as she came by. The novelty of seeing a dog riding a skateboard must’ve long worn off on these people, because the only thing they did when they saw her was shake their fists angrily and shout.

She skidded to a halt near the spot her and her friends, Roxy and Snowball, hung out.

“Sup, ladies!” She announced. “What is going… On?” She stopped when she noticed Roxy was looking a bit down. Snowball gave her the usual, half-lidded look.

“What’s wrong, Roxy?” Dolly said.

“She’s not been having a good day.” Snowball said in her Russian accent.

“What? What happened? Are you hurt? Did someone hurt you? Tell me who did and I’ll go smack ‘em with my board!”

“No.” Roxy said, glumly. “No one’s hurt me… Well, not PHYSICALLY, anyway…”

“So, what’s wrong?” Dolly asked.

Roxy looked away, almost a little embarrassed. Dolly looked to Snowball for an answer.

“She won’t tell me specifics, either. Said she’d wait and tell us both.” Snowball said. Then she turned to “And now she’s here, so SPILL!”

Roxy still looked hesitant.

“Hey, Roxy.” Dolly said. “You know you don’t have to be afraid of telling us anything. We’re your friends.”

“Da.” Snowball said.

Roxy looked at them. Then sighed.

“Ok…” She said, “My owner’s putting me on a diet.”

Dolly raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“A diet.” Roxy repeated. “Y’know. As in, feed me less cause I’m too big…” She looked at the ground, still embarrassed. “Even for a Rottweiler.”

Dolly sighed in relief. “Oh, is that all? Roxy, I was really worried. I thought something was wrong.”

Roxy frowned. “Did you not hear me? My owner has to put me on a diet, because the vet said I was too big for a dog my age. Dolly, I’m a ROTTWEILER. I’m supposed to be big. But apparently, I’m too big for even a big dog…”

“So?” Dolly said.

“So!? So it means that in order to have gotten to this point. I have let myself go in a way that is beyond excessive!”

“Well, Okay. But what’s wrong with having a little chub?”

“Nothing, if you ask me.” Snowball said, motioning to her own, spherical body.

“It’s not just a little.” Roxy said. “The vet says that if it keeps up. It might affect my health.” She flopped to the ground. “Just great.”

“Well… So what?” Dolly said. “Diet’s aren’t THAT bad.”

“Say’s the dog who’s never had ANY trouble with her figure.” Snowball said.

“Hey, what’s that got to do with it?” Dolly asked.

“No offense, Dolly.” Roxy said. “But you Dalmatians kinda lucked out on the genetics.”

“C’mon. Luck has nothing to do with it.”

“It does when you eat an entire dumpster’s worth of outdated deli meat, and not gain a single ounce.” Snowball pointed out.

Dolly, recalling the very moment she meant. “Okay, yeah… But, still…”

“Not to mention that YOUR family specifically is known for your, uh… ‘large number of members’. Yet your mum is almost skinnier than you are!” Roxy said.

“I mean… Yeah, okay. I get that. But c’mon. You can’t compare yourself to us like that. You said yourself, you’re a naturally big dog. And besides. It can’t be your fault entirely. Remember, you’re a pet. And your owner just probably over feeds you every know and then. It’s nothing to worry about.”

“Great. So both me AND my human haven’t noticed that I’ve had an issue. The ONE other person I depend on to notice these things.” Roxy buried her head between her paws. “Just, wonderful.”

Dolly and Snowball traded unsure looks.

“What now?” Dolly whispered.

“Got me. This isn’t my forte.” Snowball said. “I never have any problem staying in shape.”

“Really, none?” Dolly said, skeptically.

“I am round. Round is a shape.” Snowball said.

Dolly rolled her eyes and thought… Then, she got an idea.

“Hey, Roxy. Look at me.” She said. Roxy did, looking at her with the same, glum eyes.

“Look, okay. So you need to make a change or two. But did the vet say it had to be a HUGE change? Like, did they say that it had to be a life-altering change?”

“Well… No… He didn’t say that…” Roxy said.

“What did he say, exactly?”

“Well, he said that. My owner should probably start taking me on walks, more. Maybe feed me a little less… With how things have been, we really have been getting off schedule. Not being able to go out as much, stuff like that.”

“Well there ya go.” Dolly said. “You’re just out of it. So is everyone else. It’s not your fault your human got a little slack, but it’s not their fault either, really. This is just what happens.”

“I mean… I guess.” Roxy said. “But how am I gonna get back into the swing of things? It’s not like I was that active to begin with.”

“Well, we can help you.” Dolly said, motioning to Snowball.

“Da.” Snowball said. “My human takes me on jogs every morning. Maybe you can convince your human to do the same.”

“Plus." Dolly said. "I happen to know one or 97 pups that love to run around… I’m sure they wouldn’t mind having someone else to play with... Trust me, keeping those pups busy is a workout.”

Roxy finally allowed herself a smile. “Thanks, you two… I guess… I guess I was just letting it get to me.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. And besides. If nothing else, remember this.” She hugged Roxy. “We love ya. No matter how big ya are. Right, Snowball?”

“Da.” Snowball said, brushing up against Roxy. But then she looked her in the eye. “Just don’t get TOO big. I’M the soft one, remember?”

Roxy and Dolly just laughed.

Chapter Text

“So, Dylan.” Dolly asked. “I usually wouldn’t ask about stuff like this, but what’s with this, ‘multiverse’ thing I’m seeing everywhere?”

“Heh.” Dylan chuckled. “That became popular because of a show, recently.”

“So… It’s just another nerd thing?” Dolly said.

“Well, yes and no. It’s usually explored in fiction, but it’s an actual scientific theory. It’s basically the theory that there are multiple realities, and there’s a version of each person alive that is unique to that reality.”

“........Huh?”

“Okay, you know that old movie, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life?’ where the guy gets to see what life would be like if he hadn’t been born?”

“Yeah…”

“Imagine that, but for like, everything. LIke, imagine there was a world where, say… We were cats, instead of dogs.”

“Ugh… Only one who’d be happy about that would be Deepak.”

“Exactly. And then apply that to any possibility. Big or small…”

“Sounds kinda confusing.” Dolly said.

“It is, but it’s fun to think about.”

“Maybe for nerds.” Dolly said as she walked away.

Dylan followed. “Aw, c’mon. Don’t you think it’d be a little fun to wonder what you might be in other realities?”

“Bro, I think they just call that, ‘regret’.” Dolly said.

“Not like that. I mean… What if there’s a universe where we’re humans. Or anything besides dogs, really… What if there’s a universe where humans can understand dogs, and we co-exist as species? Or, one where we live in America instead of England. The possibilities are endless!”

Dolly did consider this for a minute. “So, that would mean that there’s a reality where Clarissa wasn’t our next-door neighbor. Me and Hansel are an official couple. I’ve won several awards for being the first professional skateboarding dog, and you actually have a real life?”

Dylan grumbled… “Hypothetically.”

“Yeah, cool. But unfortunately that ISN’T the world we live in, so thinking about what another me in another universe is enjoying is just depressing…”

Dylan cracked a cocky smile. “Better be careful about what you wish for.” He said. “These kinds of things work backwards, too…”

“Oh, yeah? Like what?”

“Well, if there’s a universe where everything goes great for you, there’s gotta be one where it doesn’t.” Dylan said.

“Like how?” Dolly asked. She tried to sound bored, but the idea actually intrigued her.

Dylan thought for a moment. “Like… Oh. There’d be a universe where you realized that skating wasn’t your true calling and become a novelist.”

Dolly shook her head. “Ugh… I hate writing.”

“Or one where you work for Clarissa as a full-time maid, and spend every waking moment being so grateful that you get to work for someone of such high status.”

“Ugh. Dude! Now you’re just being weird!” Dolly said.

“Or one where-”

“Is there one where you realize that Portia will never love you back and your constant fawning over her is really unhealthy?” Dolly interrupted.

“Geez.” Dylan said. “Low-blow…”

“Or maybe one where you and Roxy get married? I’m sure she’d like that…” Dolly said with a giggle.

“I mean… Maybe… But that’s also the thing. A universe could be a dream come true for one person, but a living nightmare for someone else.” Dylan said. “Like, there’s one where we don’t live at 101 Dalmatian Street, which would be horrible for us. But Clarissa and the Postman probably wouldn’t mind…”

Dolly thought for a moment. “Or one where a meteor hit Clarissa’s and she had to move… I’d sure like that…”

“Yeah, but that’s because you’re mean.” Dylan said. He ignored the face Dolly made at him as he considered other possibilities.

“Come to think of it. There’s a lot of recent events that could have created a very different reality if things had gone differently…” He said.

“What’s that mean in english?” Dolly asked.

“Well… What would’ve happened if Mr. Fuzzy had actually stayed with us, as a pet?” Dylan asked.

Dolly shrugged. “I dunno. Just lived with us, I guess…”

“But think of all the problems we’ve had that would’ve been solved if we had a human…”

“Yeah… Or, things could’ve turned out worse…” Dolly pointed out.

“Like how?”

“Well, think about it. Hugo’s constantly wondering why we don’t have a human. And even if we had one, it’s still illegal for all of us to be in one house… If Mr. Fuzzy DID stay with us, he could’ve gotten into a lot of trouble that wasn’t his fault…”

“Gee… I never thought of it like that…” Dylan said. “But what about other stuff… Like, that time we got framed for vandalizing the park. What if we never found out who did it, and were never let back in?”

“Ugh… 97 counts of permanent cabin-fever.” Dolly shuddered.

“Or, what if we never put a hole in that wall… Da Vinci’s art would’ve never become famous, and a lot of stuff wouldn’t have happened…”

“Yeah, or what if Hunter had…” Dolly began, but stopped…

“What if Hunter had what?” Dylan asked, cautiously…

“Uh… I don’t really want to go there… Because if we do, we’re gonna have to go to other places… And I really don’t want to…”

Dylan grimaced. “Yeah… Sad fact about the multiverse theory… It gets too real, too fast.”

“Yeah… But like… Now that I’m thinking about it-”

“Dolly.”

“No, really… We’ve kind of avoided it for a long time, for our own sake but… What WOULD’VE happened?” She asked.

Dylan sighed. They had both avoided this very topic for a long time… Their own minds had asked enough, “What ifs” on their own, almost to the point of madness… It was only just recently that their whole family seemed to finally be at peace with it… And now…

“What would’ve happened?” Dylan repeated. “We would’ve watched Hunter take our little brothers and sisters away. And mum and dad would’ve come home, to find that the grandnephew of our family’s worst enemy had taken their kids away, and the only explanation we could give them to how he got by the security systems that they had made a point of explaining the importance of to us would’ve been that I had been a huge idiot and let him in… That’s my best guess…” He sighed. “And even if we got them back, there’s no way they’d ever trust me, ever again…”

Dolly hung her head. “Yeah, I guess that’s how I’d imagine it going, too…”

“And if we didn’t, mum and dad would spend six months, not knowing where their kids are, only to probably hear on the news, or something that some famous old fashion designer had finally gotten the coat she’d always wanted… And then.. Well… I’d have the blood of all my little brothers and sisters on my paws… And then, well… Pick a worst case scenario… It’d probably be that.”

“...You’ve thought about this more than once, haven’t you?” Dolly said, staring at her brother with concern…

“Heh.” Dylan weakly laughed. “I’m a nerd. The hypothetical is where we do most of our thinking…”

“Geez… Well, you shouldn’t feel too bad. Cause the only way that would’ve even happened would’ve been if we didn’t take him on together. And you gotta know that me not having your back will only happen in a very, dark timeline…”

Dylan smiled. “Don’t worry. I knew that.”

Dolly returned the smile, but then frowned when she thought of something else…

“So… Do you think there’s a universe where we never got on that boat in time?” She asked. “And we were all on our own, for the rest of our lives…”

“Oh, for sure… There’s a universe for everything… I’m sure there’s even one where that woman caught our ancestors and we weren’t even born… Or one where Hunter was okay with helping her… Heck, I’m sure there’s even one where one of US helped her get what she wanted…”

Dolly gulped. “Geez… This multiverse thing sounds more, and more horrific the more you think about it…”

“Hehe. Yeah, that’s the ‘fun’ of sci-fi. Read too much into it and it gets really scary… But that’s why we love it. Thinking about what MIGHT have happened helps us appreciate the fact that we’re in the universe where it didn’t. And when you’re talking about life or death over stuff species changes or having super-powers, well. You appreciate it even more…”

“I guess that’s true…” Dolly said. “Kinda scary to think just how many ways our reality could’ve become worse, though.”

“Yeah, but also remember this.” Dylan said. “There’s a hundred universes where that woman finally got exactly what was coming to her... In so many ways…”

“Oh, I don’t need to… I imagine a new one almost every night… I do have one other question, though…”

“Yeah? What?”

“Do you think… Do you think there’s a universe with a version of her that ISN’T pure evil?”

Dylan thought for a minute.

“I’m sure there is.” He finally said. “You might have to look for a long time, but sure… There’s no rule that says a person HAS to stay the exact same way all the time…”

“Yeah. That’d be a weird thing to see, though…” Dolly said.

“Maybe one day we will, but until then… It’s all just hypothetical.” Dylan said.

“I guess some nerd stuff can be kinda cool.” Dolly admitted.

“Well, I’m glad you think so.” Dylan said. Kinda smugly.

“Thought, now I have to ask. What’s the difference between an alternate universe, and an alternate timeline?” Dolly asked.

“Oh, gosh. You just HAD to get me going.” Dylan said...

Somewhere… At the same place, but in a far, different time…

A human girl, with white hair, done up in pigtails looked over her brother’s shoulder.

“Watch drawing?” She asked.

“It’s a character of mine.” He said. He turned and showed it too her.

“It’s me, but as a dog. I thought a Dalmatian would really fit my personality.”

The girl blinked… “Dylan, you’re weird.” She said.

“Aw, c’mon. Dolly.” He said. “What’s wrong with exploring the ‘what ifs’?”

Chapter Text

Delilah groggily opened the door and walked in. She had worked late, yet again.

“That makes the fourth night this week I’ve had to pull overtime…” She thought. “At least I can say we’re helping people, but why is it when someone does something stupid like get their head caught in a bike wheel, it happens at 9:00pm?” She was greeted by an unusually quiet house. The only light was on in the kitchen. She dropped her bag at the door and wearily walked in.

Dylan was still up, doing the dishes. “Oh, hey mum.” He said. “Long night, again?”

“Hello, sweets.” She said. She opened the fridge and grabbed a can of cold, dog food. “And yes… Another long night.”

“That makes the fourth this week.” Dylan said.

“Yes, but it’s not like we can do much about it…I take it you already put the pups to bed?”

“Yeah.” Dylan answered. “They’ve been a little upset that you haven’t been here the past few days, but I think they’re adjusting.”

Delilah’s heart sank. The last thing a pup needs to be adjusting to is their mother not being around…

“Well, I’m sorry…” She said, “Hopefully things will calm down by next week, and I’ll be home earlier.” She closed the fridge door, and noticed something she didn’t when she opened it. A painting that had a prize ribbon attached to it.

“What’s this?” She asked.

“Oh, that’s Da Vinci’s. She entered it into a local art contest and won.” Dylan said. “She’s pretty proud of it.”

Delilah looked surprised. “Da Vinci? Entering an art contest?”

“Yeah, she sent it in through the mail. She’s getting a little more open to sharing her art nowadays.”

Delilah was very surprised. Last she knew, Da Vinci wasn’t comfortable sharing her art like this…

“Well… That’s very good for her.” Delilah said. “When did it happen?”

“Last week.” Dylan said.

“Last week?!” Delilah thought. “How did I not notice it until now?”

She sat down and poured the dog food into a bowl. As she slowly ate, she looked around the kitchen.

“You’ve been doing a really good job cleaning.” She said, “Even above the cabinets are dusted.”

“Oh, I didn’t do that.” Dylan said as he finished up. “Dizzy and DeeDee did.”

“They did?” She asked.

“Yeah, they’ve been asking if there was any way they could help me out with cleaning, so they helped me get the spots I’m too big to reach.”

Delilah almost couldn’t believe it… Dizzy and DeeDee were usually the ones making messes… And now they wanted to help their brother clean? Just how much had she missed while at work?

She finished up, and headed upstairs… Before she went into her room, she poked her head into the pups room… Each one of them were curled up in their favorite spot. She saw Dorothy curled up next to Dolly and tiptoed over to check on her…

Seeing her youngest daughter curled up with her eldest gave Delilah the first real smile she had given in the past few days… That’s when Dorothy’s eyes fluttered open, when she saw her mother she smiled.

“Hey, baby.” She whispered. “Go back to sleep now. Don’t wake the others.” Dorothy smiled and yawned.

“I’ll see you in the morning. Night-night.” Delilah turned to leave, but before she closed the door…

“Nigh-nigh, mama.” Came Dorothy’s voice… Delilah turned and saw her littlest… The one who last she knew had only spoken once before… The one who just spoke two other words she didn’t even know she could say…
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Delilah lay in her bed, looking at the ceiling…

“What am I doing?” She thought. “How much of my family’s life have I missed?” She thought of the past few weeks. Had she really been working so hard that she hadn’t noticed all the changes her family had made? Her daughter was getting braver about showing her art to others. Her youngest was speaking more… And she had missed that. Of course, she could rationalize that being a nurse, she had responsibilities but…

“What will that matter if I miss being a part of my own family?” She thought. “Will my youngest grow up, never used to me being around?” But, that was silly, she thought. It had just been a busy week, she couldn’t control that. And the pups knew that her job was demanding, so maybe she shouldn’t feel too bad…

“But they won’t be pups forever.” She thought. “One day, you may come home, and Dorothy will be speaking full sentences...Or even have her spots!” That would be something she would hate to miss… But, still… She had a responsibility to the hospital, that was important as well… And she had to make money for the house, or else it wouldn’t matter if-

“You almost came home to find them gone.” Her brain reminded her.

Oh… Why did it have to go there?

“You almost lost them, twice… And no amount of rationalizing could make that okay…”

Delilah sighed. She knew herself better than she gave herself credit for…

“And besides… I’m beginning to feel these long hours. I almost passed out today.” She thought. “Maybe… Maybe some time off would do me a lot of good… In more ways than one.”

She made up her mind… She knew what she had to do…
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The next morning, as the Dalmatian family woke up, Dylan stirred from his spot under the mantle.

“Okay.” He thought. “Gotta get up. Get the pups breakfast, and then get ready to clean up whatever mess they make today.” He got up. Shook the sleep from his head. And headed out…

...Only to be surprised that the pups were already eating breakfast.

“Uh… Okay… Dawkins, did you-”

“Oh. Morning sweets.” Delilah said, as she came into the dining room. “Sorry to mess with your schedule, but I got the pups breakfast while I was up.”

“Mum? What are you doing here, shouldn’t you be at work?” Dylan asked.

“Well, ordinarily, yes but… Well, I’ve taken some time off.” She said, sitting down. Immediately, the pups all looked up, excitedly.

“I feel like I’ve been working a bit too hard these past few weeks, and it’s not only taken a toll on my abilities as a nurse, I feel like… Well, maybe I’ve been away from home too long… I’ve even become so used to hospital floors and walls that the paint and hardwood is throwing me off…” The younger pups looked confused.

“But the point is, I’m going to be home for a few days.” She said, “To be with you all, and recharge my proverbial batteries.”

The pups reacted to this with a mix of confusion and excitement…

“Mums staying home?” Delgado said.

“Is something wrong?” Da Vinci whispered. “And she just doesn’t want to tell us?”

“I didn’t know mum ran on batteries.” Diesel wondered.

“Maybe she’s just feeling out of balance.” Deepak said. “She does help take care of a lot of other people…”

“Who cares?” Dizzy said. “Mums gonna be home!”

Dorothy ran up and snuggled Delilah.

“Yes, baby, I’m gonna be home for a while.” Delilah said, picking her up and nuzzlin her.

“But, with how crazy things have been, won’t the clinic need you?” Dylan asked.

“I wasn’t kidding about needing a break.” Delilah said. “I’ve been running on fumes the past few days. Besides. Doctor Dave has been a little TOO dependent on me, lately. It’d do him some good to get himself together.” She chuckled. “Besides. I’m never here after breakfast. I’m interested to see how you handle things.”

“Oh… Well, usually. After Breakfast, Dolly takes most of the pups outside while I clean up, and then I start the usual chores, like getting the paw prints of the floors and walls.”

“Walls? Why would there be paw prints on the walls?” Delilah asked.

“BOW-WHACKA-WOW!” Came Dolly’s voice as she jumped from the top of the stairs, bounced of the wall, and landed in the dining room doorway.

‘What, up fam!” She called. “Who’s ready to- Oh, hey mum what’re you doing home?”

“Oh… That’s why…” Delilah said…
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Once the pups had eaten, just as Dylan said, Dolly took most of the pups outside while he got to work cleaning up.Only difference was, this time, Delilah was joining them.

She sat next to Dolly as they watched the pups run around and jump, and chase each other.

“Oh… I don’t think I remember the last time I just sat out here.” She said, “In fact, I don’t remember h the last time I’ve sat outside this long in a while…”

“Take it those hospital rooms don’t allow much natural air in, eh?” Dolly asked.

“Not really… And my goodness, it feels nice to get some fresh air. My poor nose is practically destroyed by smelling nothing but synthetic fibers and chemicals all day…”

“Ugh. Sounds gross…” Dolly said.

“Dolly, Dolly!” One pup called. “Deklan found the tug-o-war rope!”

“Sweet!” Doly said. “Excuse me. Mum. But I have to go defend my title as reigning, backyard tug-o-war champ.” She hopped over, and was soon trying to wrestle the rope away from five of her brothers.

Delilah laughed as she watched… She scanned the yard, almost all the pups were engaged in some physical activity… But then she saw Da Vinci…

She was sitting by the far wall… Her art supplies were next to her, and she was studying the wall as if she was looking for something on it….

“And what is so interesting about this wall?” Delilah asked.

“Oh, hey mum.” Da Vinci said. “Just trying to figure out what to paint.”

“Dylan tells me you won an art contest.” Delilah said. “And, I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner, but I’m very proud of you. Not only for winning, but for being brave enough to enter… And I’m sorry I didn’t know…”

“Oh, it’s okay.” Da Vinci said. “I know you’ve been busy.”

“Yes, but I hate that I was too busy to notice that you’d won…” She sighed. “Not that I would be able to tell. I don’t know where you got your artistic flair. I’ve never been any good at art.”

“Art isn’t just about skill… It’s about feeling. Art is anything you make that just feels right. And once you feel right about doing it, you’ll get better at it before you even know it.” Da Vinci said.

“Thank you, love. But I don’t think I’ve even given art a try…” Delilah said.

Da Vinci smiled and pushed her paint cans towards Delilah.

“Do you want to?” She asked, wagging her tail.

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Delilah laughed as she was once again hit with back splatter from blue paint as she followed Da Vinci's lead and splashed it across the wall.

“Oh my! I don’t know if I’m doing this right, but it is rather exhilarating!” She exclaimed.

Da Vinci splashed red paint across the wall. “That’s how you know it’s working. It’s the feeling of expressing yourself through the colors and movements!”

Delilah dipped her paws in some black paint and spread it across the wall, leaving smears. Da Vinci followed this by patting orange paw-prints around the edge. When they stepped back to look at their work, it didn’t look like anything specific, more like a window into a world of swirling colors…

“Well… Not bad for your first time.” Da Vinci said.

“Why thank you.” Delilah said, happily. “Guess when I have as good a teacher as you, anyone could learn this.” She put her foreleg around her daughter. “Thank you for letting me share this with you. It’s been too long since I actually did something so… Well…”

“Messy?” Da Vinci guessed.

“I was going to say colorful, but yes.” Delilah said. She looked herself over. “And speaking of messy, you ARE sure this paint just washes off, right?” She was covered in paint splotches, and her paws were both blue and yellow.

“Oh, yeah.” Da Vinci assured her. “It’ll come right off. The colors on my spots are a kind of body paint. It’s a bit more resilient, but it still comes off…”

“Well that’s good… As much fun as this was, I don’t think they’d appreciate it if I came back to work with this on me.”

“Hey, at least it isn’t red.” Da Vinci pointed out.

“Ha! Now that it’d give them a fright.”

They laughed… Then Da Vinci turned back to the painting.

“Y’know. I never get too attached to my paintings.” She said, “They don’t last forever. Even this one will be gone come the next rainfall… But I think… I think I’ll remember this one a lot more…” She looked up at Delilah. “Because it’s the one I did with my mum.”

Delilah smiled, and her eyes watered. “I think I’ll remember it too…”
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After Delilah had washed the paint off her fur, she headed back out… But as she passed the pups room from the bathroom, she heard some kind of noise.

She peeked inside, and saw Dakwins in his loft bed, fiddling with something…

“No, no… It’s just not right.” He said. “The calibrations are still off.”

“Something wrong?” Delilah said.

“Oh, hello mum.” Dawkins said. “And, well… Yes. Something is a bit wrong…” He motioned to the machine he was working on. “I’m trying to upgrade the kibble pump so it can switch between the different types of kibble everyone eats, but it’s just not wanting to cooperate.”

Delilah climbed up and studied the machine. “How is it not cooperating?”

“Well, I’ve rigged a multi-output suction system that we hook the main nozzle to. The idea is that all the other tubes will close except for the one dispensing the desired kibble. The problem is, the other nozzles are closing too slowly, which leads to a little bit of the kibble types mixing, which kind of defeats the purpose.”

Delilah thought for a moment. “Is the problem in the software?”

“No…” Dawkins said, shaking his head. “The program’s doing exactly what it needs to.”

“Then do you think the problem is with the hardware itself?” Delilah asked.

“Hm?” Dawkins said. “I… Actually didn’t think about that.” He popped open the pump and took out one of the vent covers. Delilah squinted as she looked it over.

“Aha.” She said, “Look here.” She pointed to the spiral-styled vent doors. “There’s a lot of plastic flashing around the hinges. It’s catching on the pins, and making them close slower.” Dawkins looked where she was pointing, and sure enough, there were small bits of rough plastic left over from wherever the pieces were made still stuck to them.

“Also, you might want to think about widening the hinges. The pins fit too snuggly, and if you fit in one that’s just a few millimeters bigger, it should widen it out enough and let it move more freely on the hinge.”

Dawkins blinked in surprise. “That… Actually might work…” He said. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

Delilah chuckled. “Don’t beat yourself up. When you’re too focused on the complicated stuff, the simple things can sneak by you…”

“Well, thank you.” He said. “...By the way, since when did you know so much about machines?”

Delilah smiled. “You forget I’ve got masters in nursing. You’d be surprised how much knowledge of machines that requires. A ventilator not acting right, or a hospital bed not reclining the way it’s supposed to are rare issues, but they pop up every now and again. And as a nurse dog, I’ve learned to listen for tell-tale signs of specific failings.”

“Wow.” Dawkins said. “I guess I didn’t know that.”

“Not many people do.” Delilah said. She left him to his work, and headed downstairs. By this time, the pups had already come in, and were starting to settle down. Most of the younger ones had piled onto the couch and were starting to yawn, and find a place to get comfortable.

“Well, this looks very peaceful.” She said.

“Yeah, about this time, the younger ones need to take a nap.” Dylan said, “If they don’t settle down themselves, we’ll let them watch tv, or DJ will play them some music.”

“I see… Well, not that I didn’t know it, but you seem to have everything well in paw when we’re not around.” Delilah said.

“Eh, some days are easier than others.” He said. “Some days they’re too wired, and need either me or Dolly to lay with them.”

“Well, I know you handle it well.” She said. Seeing all the sleepy pups had Delilah yawning herself…

“Oh… Excuse me… I usually don’t get sleepy around this time.”

“Eh, don’t worry about it. When they wake up, we’re gonna get them lunch, and probably take them to the park if it’s not raining.”

“Well that sounds lovely.” She said. She carefully climbed up on the couch and found a spot to curl up. The moment she did, several pups snuggled up next to her.

“Oh… Oh this is just what I’ve been needing.” She sighed.
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Delilah was woken up by some commotion coming from the back yard. She carefully moved herself from the pups laying next to here, and ran out to see what it was…

She saw Dolly playing with Delgado and the Dimitri trio. And they were fighting over a rubber chicken, barking, and running a bit harder than they were when the younger ones were out.

“She must take this time to play with the ones who like to play rough.” Delilah thought. “Sure can be loud, though... “ She was about to head inside, when she heard their neighbor, Clarissa, shout from over the fence.

“WILL YOU RUFF-RAFF KEEP IT DOWN! ONE IS TRYING TO ENJOY ONE’S LUNCH!!!”

“Ugh, great.” Dolly said. “Guess we’re gonna have to deal with her today.”

“Now, Dolly. Be nice.” Delilah said. “You were being kind of loud. You have to be considerate other peo-”

“Wicked little splotched goblins! YOU’VE RUINED ONES ATMOSPHERE! One wanted to come out and enjoy one's lunch, but now it is RUINED by the lingering drone of shrieks!!!” She heard Clarissa shout.

Delilah very calmly blinked...

“WHAT did that bloated Chihuahua just call my pups?” She thought.

“Is that how she talks to you?” She asked them.

“Eh, not usually.” Dimitri 1 said.

“Sometimes it’s worse.” Dimitri 2 said.

“Usually she’s more colorful with the language.” Dimitri 3 chuckled. “Dylan still won’t let me look up what ‘genetically stunted’ means.”

Delilah frowned. “Oh, does she…” She quietly walked over to the fence and peeked through, spying the Corgi sitting on her patio. Still grumbling to herself.

“Dolly, pass me that rubber chicken.” She said. Dolly did, and Delilah stretched it out, carefully aiming it at a spot on the back opposite fence, under the tree.

“Uh, weren’t you just saying something about being considerate of others?” Delgado asked.

“Yes I was, love. So please remember that I never want to catch any of you doing what I am about to.” She let the chicken go, and it bounced off the back fence, ricocheted off a tree branch, and smacked Clarissa directly on the head.

“Still got it.” Delilah said, smugly.

The other’s stared in shock.

“Woah.” Dolly said.

“Nice shot, mum!” Delgado said.

Delilah held in a laugh, but motioned for him to be quiet. Clarissa had recovered from being hit, and was now angrily marching over to the fence.

“SEE HERE, YOU HOOLIGANS!” She began, only instead of Dolly meeting her like she was used to, it was Delilah,

The taller dog glared at the Corgi with a look that suggested that she was 1 second away from popping her head like a zit… But then.

“Oh, so sorry. Clarissa.” Delilah said in the friendliest tone you could imagine. “I was playing with the pups, and I guess I got a little carried away, I hope I didn’t cause you any distress.”

“Uh… I…” Clarissa said. She wasn’t used to Delilah being here when this sort of thing happened. “Well…”

“Oh, and you are right. We should be more considerate of you. You do love the peace and quiet of being alone. After all, with this big house and yard all to yourself, with almost no one else around, it is selfish of all of us to make so much noise.”

Clarrisa said nothing… She just handed Delilah back the rubber chicken and took her food inside. A look of absolute confusion and insecurity on her face.

A very smug, and VERY satisfied smile spread across Delilah’s face.

“If there’s one thing I’d ever want you all to learn.” She said, “If you can’t say something nice. Say something clever, but devastating.”

The pup's jaws were practically on the ground.

“That was… So COOL…” Dolly said.

“I didn’t know there was a nice way to be so mean.” Delgado said.

“Hah. Well, when you’re a mother. You get to learn these things.” She tossed Dolly back the rubber chicken. “But I’m serious, don’t ever let me catch you doing that. She’s bad enough on her own. Don’t give her justification.”

They watched her go inside.

“When did mum get so cool?” Dimitri 1 asked.
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Delilah walked back inside, still feeling a bit smug.

“And those kids deal with her on the daily.” She thought. “So much that they don’t even talk about her…” She shook her head. “I really do miss a lot when I’m at work.”

The pups were still napping inside, and Dawkins and Dylan were hooking up the new kibble pump. Delilah decided to check up on what the others were doing. DJ was practicing on his keyboard and Triple D were going over their latest ad shoot, so she didn’t want to bother them, but then she passed a room where she heard someone making a low, humming noise.

She peeked inside, and saw Deepak sitting with his hindlegs crossed, humming slowly, and rhythmically to himself.

“Miaow-wow-wow.” He took a breath. “Miaow-wow-wow.”

Delilah watched him silently, she wasn’t sure if even letting him know she was there would surprise him.

But much to her surprise, he said, with his eyes still closed. “Hello, mother.”

“Oh, sorry to lurk about, I was just curious as to what you were doing.” She said,

“Just my daily meditation session.” He said. “Helps me stay calm, and collected… Like a cat.”

“I’d argue about cats being THAT calm and collected.” Delilah thought. Then she said, “Y’know, a few of the other nurses are into stuff like yoga and meditation, and I’ve been told it works. Though, I’ve never tried it…” Deepak opened an eye, and his tail slightly wagged.

“Could you give me a lesson on it?” She asked.

Deepak’s face lit up. “Let me grab my spare cushion.”
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Delilah tried clumsily to get into the same lotus position Deepak was.

“How do you DO this?” She said, unable to get her hindlegs to cooperate.

“It takes some practice.” Deepak chuckled. “But if you can’t do it, you can just pick whatever is comfortable.”

Delilah got into the closest thing she could. “Okay, what next?”

“Well, the point of meditation is to get in touch with ourselves and the universe. The first step to doing that is to clear one’s head.”

“Yeah, I'm pretty sure I’m going to need more than one day of this to do that.” Delilah said.

“Well, the most important step is the first.” Deepak closed his eyes. “Now, close your eyes and repeat after me, Miaow-wow-wow…”

Delilah closed her eyes and repeated, “Miaow-wow-wow… I do hope I’m saying that right.”

“Don’t worry, just repeat. Miaow-wow-wow…”

“Miaow-wow-wow…” Delilah continued.

The two repeated the mantra until finally, it was in sync. Delilah felt her breathing becoming more steady, and her chest felt less heavy. And soon, her mind felt less heavy…

After about 5 minutes, a chime sounded.

“So, did you feel anything?” Deepak asked, still not opening his eyes.”

“I don’t know, what was I supposed to feel?” Delilah asked, her eyes still closed.

“Well, according to Guru Miaow, if you really got in touch with yourself, when you open your eyes, you’ll get a glimpse of what really drives you in life… So?”

Delilah opened her eyes, seeing Deepak smiling at her.

“Did it work?’ He asked.

“Oh yes, sweetie…” She said with a warm smile. “It worked…”
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Delilah stretched her back neck. “Well, one thing’s for sure. I don’t feel AS tensed up.” She thought. “I wonder if I should start doing that more often?”

When Delilah had gotten downstairs, all the pups were awake, and currently eating lunch.

“Mum!” They all said when they saw her.

“Hello, Sweeties.” She said. She took her seat and was almost instantly surrounded by pups.

“Dears, if there is one thing I know, it’s that taking a break like this was EXACTLY what I needed. Not only to unwind and spend some time with you all, but also to reassure myself that I have nothing to worry about when I do leave the house. You all handle things so well, I’m honestly a bit humbled.”

“Eh, we just go with the flow.” Dolly said.

“Though we do have a plan for most days.” Dylan interjected.

“Well, it does my heart good seeing you do it, however you go about it.” She breathed deep and recalled the OTHER reason she wanted to spend time with them. “... Does my heart good like you wouldn’t believe…”

“Well, we’re planning on going to the pa-uh, the P-A-R-K later.” Dolly said. “Do you wanna come with us?”

“Darling, I would love to.” Delilah said.

Chapter Text

When they got to the park, Dolly was riding her skateboard, while Dylan was, as usual, running around, trying to keep an eye on everyone. Delilah kept close, carrying Dorothy on her back.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been here.” Delilah said. “In fact, when was the last time I just took you on a walk?” Dorothy just shook her head.

“Right.” Delilah said, taking it as an answer. “A long time.” She took Dorothy to a playground that had been built in the park. Fortunately, no human kids were around, so she was free to put Dorothy in one of the smaller swings, and lightly push her back, and forth.

“I know it’s been a while since we’ve done this.” She said, as Dorothy giggled. “I don’t mean to be so distant these past few weeks but… I’ve just been so busy… Especially with all this craziness going on today.”

She rhythmically pushed the swing, watching it rock, back, and forth… The only sounds she seemed to register were her daughter’s voice and the creak of hinges…

“I forget you all won’t be puppies forever.” She said, “One day, you’ll all be grown, and finding your own ways in life… Maybe even having puppies of your own.” She smiled at Dorothy. “How would you like that? To be a mama one day?” Dorothy just tilted her head to the side.

“Yes, I know. That’s still a long way away… Even for the older ones…But still… Not as long as we think…”

The sounds of excited barking is what pulled Delilah away from her thoughts. Dorothy began yipping and pointing.

“Alright.” Delilah said. “Let’s see what the others are up to…”
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When Delilah rejoined the others, they were watching Dolly and Delgado race each other.

“Go Delgado! Go Delgado!” The pups chanted.

“Goodness.” Delilah said. “Isn’t it a bit odd for them to be cheering for one of their siblings over the other?”

“Eh, Dolly usually wins most of the time they compete at anything, so they always root for whoever takes her on.” Dylan explained. “It’s all just for fun though.”

Delgado and Dolly were racing from the pond to the fountain, Delgado pushing his front paws as fast as he could.

“He’s not going to over-do himself, is he? Delilah asked.

“Nah, he does this all the time.” Dylan assured her. “In fact, he’s gotten stronger on his front paws than I think I am on all four.”

Sure enough, Delgado handled his wheels on his front paws with ease. Swiftly turning and swaying without any hint of getting tired. In fact, he was even keeping up with his big sister. When they both finally arrived at the designated finish line, Dolly jumped and rolled, while Delgado skidded to a halt.

“Ha!” He said. “Beat you!”

“No way, I totally got here first.” Dolly said.

“Nuh-huh.” Delgado said.

“Uh, yuh-huh.” Dolly returned.

“Nuh-huh!” Delgado said again.

“Oh boy, another tie.” Dylan said. The pups all groaned.

“It’s always a tie.” One pup said.

“Eh, nothing wrong with a tie.” Dolly said. “Just means I know someone is as equally cool as me.” Delgado smiled, but still looked unsatisfied.

“I want a rematch!” He said. “I KNOW I’m the fastest.”

“Woah, bud…” Dolly said with a pant. “I’m a little worn out right now. You’ll have to find someone else to race you.”

“Well then…” Delgado said as he scanned the crowd of his family.

“Ooh, mum, how about you?”

“Me?” Delilah said. “Darling, I’d love to, but I haven’t done any serious running in a long time…”

“Aw, please?” Delgado said.

“I don’t..” Delilah was about to say no, but then she saw those eyes… Those big ol’ eyes that begged not to be disappointed… She was usually immune to them but this time…

“Oh, alright…” She said. Both Delgado and the pups let out a chorus of cheers.

“Uh, mum. Are you sure?” Dylan said.

“Yeah, no offense, but ‘nurse dog’ is a pretty big leap from ’track dog’.” Dolly said.

Delilah smirked. “Clearly, you’ve never had a patient with bad nausea, and the human nurse not having a bowl on hand.”

“Ew!” All the pups exclaimed.

“Gross, yes. But I had to run pretty fast that day… And I’ll tell you now, those hospital sheets stayed clean because of it…”

“Okay, point taken, just don’t be gross anymore.” Dolly said.

Delilah chuckled, and took her place next to Delgado.

“Hope you don’t expect me to go easy on you just cause I’m your mum.” She teased.

“Nah. Just as long as you don’t expect me to go easy just cause you’re old.” Deldado said.

Delilah recoiled. “Oh… Is THAT how it’s gonna be?” She said. Delgado shot her a cocky grin.

“Boy, you are lucky you’re so darn adorable.” She thought.

“Alright, ready?” Dolly said.

“Set…”

“Go!”

Delilah and Delgado took off.

And Delilah was right about one thing. She HADN’T done this in a while. She hadn’t felt the wind in her face, or her ears wagging in the wind in a long time. She also hadn’t worked out her legs like this in a long time…. Which she was starting to feel…

“Oh, my DOG! Why did I do this?!” She thought. “I feel like in a little while, my pups will have to take ME to the clinic… Oh gosh, that’d be ironic…” And it was that little bit that gave Delilah the urge to keep going. Well, that and not wanting Delgado to feel TOO smug about his, ‘old’ comment… THough he wasn’t exactly wrong…

SHe managed to keep up with him, though… And seeing him happily running next to her, it made her feel so proud… So proud that out of all her pups, he was the one who had the biggest, physical limitations. Yet he didn’t let it stop him…

“Where did he get that?” She wondered. “Because I know I’m not that strong…”

When they finally got to the end, Delgado pushed forward, with Delilah not too far behind…

“Yeah, Delgado!” The pups cheered

Delgado skidded to a halt, triumphantly pumping his paw in the air. Delilah sort of.. Stumbled, to a stop…

“You okay, mum?” Dylan asked, running up.

“Oh… I’m… Fine.” Delilah panted.

“Wow, I’m impressed.” Dolly said. “I expected you to give out halfway through…”

“Well... Your vote of… Confidence is very reassuring…” Delilah said, still out of breath.

“...Do you need some water?” Dylan asked.

“YES.” Delilah said.

After spending about 5 minutes at a water fountain, Delilah took a seat on a park bench.

“Note to self. NEVER doing that again…” She said, “... Of course, as a nurse, with the knowledge of the physical exploits expected of my breed, maybe this is a sign that I should do it more often…” She huffed. “Worst part of being a nurse. You can medically assess how out of shape you are…”

Delgado rolled up to her. “Hey, you okay?”

“Oh, I’m fine, love…” She said.Then she raised an eyebrow. “Why? Came to make sure you didn’t make an old dog feel too bad after mercilessly defeating her?” Delgado’s eyes darted around, “Uh, no…” He said.

Delilah laughed. “I’m teasing, darling… In fact, if there was any dog I’d be happy to lose to, it’s you.”

Delgado smiled. “Thanks… And,uh… Actually. I wanted to say thanks for running with me… Dolly’s the only one who likes to really race with me, but she gets tired out easily… Plus. It was nice to run with you for a change.”

“Well thank you, darling… And you are very welcome.” She said. He ran off, making his own, “zoom” noises.

Delilah shook her head. “Never one to sit still.” She said… She sighed happily… And then immediately winced, as her body reminded her it hasn’t forgiven her for that unprompted workout it received.

“Yet another thing I’m unsure how he inherited.” She said. “The constant need to be moving.” She laid her head down, hoping she’d feel better…

And that’s when a ball rolled up next to her…

“Oh, sorry.” Said a voice, “Didn’t mean to disturb you.”

Delilah looked up and saw a husky she recognized.

“Oh, hello Hansel.” She said.

“Oh, Mrs. Dalmatian, I didn’t know it was you.” He said. “I usually don’t see you around here.”

“Yes, I’m taking a few days off.” Delilah said. “Spending some time with the pups.” She chuckled. “And as you can see, that’s left me a bit tired.”

“Yeah, your pups are quite a crowd. But they’re good kids.” Hansel said. “The park wouldn't be the same without them running around.”

“You’ve no idea how much that means to me.” She thought. But she just said. “Thank you.”

“And Dylan and Dolly do such a good job keeping up with them.” Hansel said. “Honestly, your family cares for each other like no one else I’ve seen.”

“Well, aren’t you a gentlemen...” Delilah thought, but then she said. “It’s no wonder Dolly talks about you so often.”

Hansel’s ears perked up. “I’m sorry?”

Delilah put a paw to her mouth. “Oops… Shouldn’t have said that out loud…”

“Dolly talks about me?” Hansel said. “What does she say?”

Delilah cursed her loose tongue, but now that she started this, she had to be careful…

“Well, she mentions how good of a friend you are.” Delilah said. “And how good of an athlete you are.” She was trying very hard to NOT embarrass her daughter. Only tell him the most basic things a friend would know.

“She thinks I’m a good friend?” Hansel said. “Wow… I always thought the same about her… The way she makes time for me despite taking care of all those pups…”

Delilah shook her head. “Oh, you sweet, clueless boy.” She thought.

“And she says I’m a good athlete?” Hansel said. “That feels a bit… A bit reassuring. I’ve always looked up to her as an athlete.”

“Oh?” Delilah said.

“Yeah. In fact. She’s truly something special. She manages to be all those things, while also being a phenomenal sister… I’m truly lucky to know someone like that.” He said. “I just wish there was some way I could tell her that…”

Delilah’s ears perked up. “You do?” She asked.

“Yeah… In fact, there’s a lot I’ve wanted to talk with Dolly about, but I’m just too nervous… Plus, she’s very busy taking care of her family, I don’t want to intrude…” Hansel said.

“Really?” Delilah thought, and the wheels in her head began turning. “So… If you had a moment with Dolly, just the two of you, you might be able to tell her how you feel?”

“I’d hope. If I’m not too afraid…” He said.

“Well… She might be free tomorrow evening…” Delilah said. “So, you might ask her then… And She also happens to like that bistro on the riverfront, the one that always throws out the ribs? If you need an idea of where to go so you won’t be disturbed…” She carefully watched his reaction.

“Really?” He said. “But, would she be okay with it?”

“Trust me, dear boy.” Delilah said. “She’d be okay with it.”

Hansel perked up. “Well… Okay then. Uh… I guess I should ask then… Would you be okay with me asking Dolly to go out with me tomorrow?”

Delilah had to hide her laugh. “Yes, Hansel, you may do that.”

“Great!” He said. “Thank you so much!” He headed off, Delilah smiling to herself.

“Dolly… Don’t say I never did anything for you…” Then she got an idea.

“Oh… Oh, yes… Yes we should… Oh…” She was almost giddy. “It’s perfect! Ol’ girl. You better hope this works, or else your daughter MAY hate you for life… And you’ll hate yourself, too.”
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The family headed home, by this time, it was late afternoon and the pups were getting a bit tired. Dorothy was already asleep, laying on Delilah’s back as she carefully carried her home…

“Alright, once we get inside, you guys just sit tight while we get dinner ready.” Dylan said. The fact that only a few pups reacted to the word, “dinner” was a sure sign that they were really tired.

They all filed inside and dispersed around the house. Delilah took Dorothy upstairs, and carefully laid her down in the pups room.

“What a day…” Delilah said. “And to think, this is what Dylan and Dolly do, every, single, day… And now that I’ve seen it…” She thought for a second. “I’ve already got something planned for Dolly, but Dylan… What does he like to do?”

“Anything space related.” Came a voice. Delilah nearly jumped out of her skin, but it was only Dante, sitting in a dark corner of the room…

“Oh, Dante…” She said, “You startled me...Wait, when did you get up here?”

“I was in here when you came in.” He explained.

“Wait… Have you been up here all day?”

“Nah. I just move to whichever room has the darkest shadows.” He said.

“...Why?”

Dante shrugged. “Can’t lurk in the shadows without shadows.”

“So… You’ve been home all day, just lurking about by yourself?” Delilah asked.

“Yep…” Dante said.

“... Not to repeat myself, but why are you doing that? Like, what is the benefit of hiding in the shadows?”

“Can’t be afraid of the inevitable darkness when you’re already friends with it.” Dante said.

Delilah blinked wordlessly.

“Okay, then…” She finally said…

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Back downstairs.

“Uh, Dylan…” Delilah asked. “I have a question… Is Dante always like, well…”

“Always lurking in the shadows, talking about the end of the world?” Dylan guessed.

“Uh, yes. That.” She said,

“Yep.” Dylan said. “It’s kind of his thing.”

Delilah frowned. “I knew he was a bit gothic.” She thought. “But I didn’t know he was that serious about it…”

“Uh, does he always stay home by himself?” She asked.

“Not always. But when he does go out with us. He’s still prophesying about doom and gloom.” Dylan said.

Delilah was now troubled. Being a bit distant from her pups for a little while was one thing. But this was a bit more than just not noticing her pups getting older. Dante needed to see that the world wasn’t as doom and gloom as he thought…

“But how?” Delilah thought. “If he’s been like this for a long time... “ She would have to think about this some more.

Dylan called the pups down for dinner. Delilah, still thinking of this, took her seat.

“Dylan, and Dolly work so hard around here… I want to do SOMETHING to show how much I appreciate them… And I’ve already got something planned for Dolly. ANd Dante said Dylan likes space stuff… But what could that mean…” She thought while absent mindedly chewing a mouthful of kibble. “And Dante… Dante needs… I’m not sure. But he needs something to brighten his mood. ANd to help it stay brightened… But what?”

“Uh… Mum? You good?” Dolly said.

“Oh.” Delilah said, coming back to reality. “Yes. I was just thinking. Well, my sweets. I can honestly say that I have had the best day I’ve had in a long time…” The pups all barked in agreement.

“I didn’t know you could paint so well.” Da Vinci said.

“Well ‘I’ didn’t know she was such a good shot with a rubber chicken.” Dimitri 1 said.

“I didn’t know just how knowledgeable you were about machines.” Said Dawkins.

Delilah smiled. “Yes… And I’ve learned a lot about you all today as well… And I can safely say I’d love to do everything I’ve done today more often… Except the rubber-chicken part.” The Dimitri’s groaned in disappointment.

That’s when they heard the front door open.

“Honey’s. I’m home!” Came Doug’s voice. As per usual, it was answered by a bunch of pups rushing towards the door with a chorus of, “Dad!Dad!Dad!”

Delilah followed behind, just in time to see Doug get buried under a puppy pile.

“Oh, Doug.” Delilah said, shaking her head, but smiling.

WHen Doug popped his head out from beneath the pile of puppies, he planted a lick right on her nose.

“Hello, sweetheart.” He said. “Enjoying your day off?”

“Very much so, yes.” Delilah said.

“I’m glad.” The pups got off of him and got up. “Ah, it’s so good to see you all after a day full of looking at nothing but papers,and reports, and fireman that’ve been on call for so long that they’ve forgotten some basic grooming skills.”

Delilah hugged. “We know you’re working hard, Doug.” She said,

“Yeah… But if there was ever a break I needed, it’d be just some time off my paws…” Doug said.

Delilah thought once more. “Hmm… Dylan, Dolly, Dante, and Doug…” Then she smiled.

“I think I’ve got quite the day to plan tomorrow…”
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Later that night, Dylan and Dolly were getting the pups to bed… But some of them were two wired to lay down… Some of them were still running around, refusing to quiet down.

“Aw, c’mon guys.” Dylan begged. “The sooner you go to sleep, the sooner you wake up.” But those were lost on the pups…

“Does this usually happen?” Delilah asked, watching from the doorway.

“Sometimes.” Dolly said. “When it does, if it goes on for too long, we usually get DJ to play them some music.”

Dylan sighed. “Looks like we’re gonna need that tonight, too. DJ.” He said.

DJ got his keyboard out. “You got it.” He said.

“Does it usually work?” Delilah asked.

“Sometimes…” Dolly said.

DJ started to play a few, slow notes... And at first it seemed to work… But pups like the Dimitri’s and Delgado were still awake.

“Yeah… Sometimes.” Dylan said. “But if those guys don’t go to sleep, they keep getting up, and then none of them can get to sleep.”

Delilah pursed her lips together… Then she got an idea.

“Do you mind if I try something?” She asked.

“Sure.” Dolly said.

“Go ahead.” Said Dylan.

Delilah walked over to DJ and whispered something in his ear. He nodded and started playing a softer song…

“Wait… I recognize this tune.” Dylan whispered.

Delilah cleared her throat and put a pwa on Delgado’s head, softly rubbing it.

And as the tune continued. She began to softly sing.

“Baby mine, don’t you cry...
Baby mine, dry your eyes…”

“Wait, is she really doing this?” Dolly whispered.

“Shush.” Dylan said.

“Rest your head,
close to my heart,
never to part,
baby of mine…”

One by one, the pups began yawning softly… And then, each one was soon asleep… Delilah motioned for DJ stop, and he slowly trailed the song off… He put his keyboard away, yawning quietly himself…

“That was, *yawn* really sweet, mum.” he said.

SHe kissed him on the head. “All the sweeter with your music.” She said.

She carefully tip-toed out, leaving 97 pups softly sleeping…

“Wow, mum.” Dolly whispered. “I had no idea you could sing like that.”

“It was actually kind of beautiful.” Dylan said.

“Thank you, loves.” She said, “You two should get to bed too. I have a small feeling that we’re going to have another busy day tomorrow…” Dylan and Dolly slowly snuck inside, finding their spots and settling down.

Delilah’s heart practically melted seeing all 99 of the pups sleeping peacefully…

“Oh… I don’t know what I did to deserve this, but I’m very glad I did it.”

Chapter Text

The next morning, Delilah made sure she was up well before the pups. She had quite a day planned out, and she had to get started early. And the first thing on her list involved Dante.

She slowly crept into the pups room where Dante was curled up in the darkest corner he could find.

“Psst, Dante.” She whispered. “Dante, wake up.”

“Hmmm?” He grumbled. “Mum, what-”

“Come on, get up. I want you to go somewhere with me.” She said.

“But… It’s like... 7:00 AM…” He said.

“I know, come on.” She whispered again.

After some coaxing, she finally got Dante up, and both of them quietly left the house.

“Where are we going so early?” He asked, still groggy.

“Somewhere.” She said.

Dante wasn’t used to seeing the city so early… In fact, if he was even awake this early, he was usually finding another dark corner to hide in. Away from the early morning sun.

“Y’know, Dante.” His mother began. “I’d never want to discourage any of my pups from doing what they like… But it does worry me a bit that you seem to have just no hope for the future…”

Dante shrugged. “How can I have what’s not there?” He asked.

“And how do you know it isn’t?” She asked back.

Dante shrugged again. “Why bother even looking for it? One day, everything we know and love is gonna be gone. And it could happen at any moment. Why bother living your life, hoping it isn’t going to happen?”

Delilah turned around to face him.

“Y’know Dante… That’s a very bold world view for someone who’s never lost anything in his life.” She said, “After all, you have a home, a family, and a future… Some dogs, why, some PEOPLE aren’t that lucky…”

“I mean… Yeah... “ Dante admitted. “But… Even then, that could be gone…”

“Yes… And it might…” Delilah said. “But why bother about what might happen, and miss all the things that ARE happening… I know the world’s going to end one day. Maybe in my lifetime, maybe not… But even if it happens tomorrow, do you think I’ll regret not worrying about it?”

Dante didn’t say anything.

“I would think of the first time I looked at Dylan when he was just born, and remember realizing that I was a mother… I would think of when I fell in love with Doug, and when Dolly called me ‘mum’ for the first time. I’d think about the day DJ wrote his first song… Or Da Vinci painted her first picture. I would look back on my life, and realize it wasn’t all for nothing… Because living it is reason enough on its own…”

Dante still said nothing, he just looked at the ground…

“But…” She said. “If you don’t want to take it from me… You might try taking it from some other people I know.” That was when Dante realized they were heading towards the park.

“Why are we going here?” He asked. “I come here all the time.”

“Yes, but I usually pass through here on my way to work in the mornings… Working or not, I’d hate to disappoint these people.” Dante tilted his head in confusion, but followed his mother into the park…

“Now, let’s see… Where is he…” Delilah said. ‘Aha.” She pointed to an old man sitting alone on a park bench. He looked rough, and weary…

“That’s Mr. Ladkins.” Delilah explained. “He was a patient at the clinic not long ago.”

“Uh… Okay.” Dante said. His confusion only increased when she started over towards him, barking to get his attention.

The man looked up and his face immediately lit up.

“Delilah!” He said. “There you are!” She walked up and let him pet her head. “Almost thought you weren’t gonna show.”

“Like I’d do that to you.” Delilah said, even though he couldn’t understand her.

“And who is this?” He said, looking at Dante. “C’mere, little guy.” He held out his hand. Dante hesitated, but Delilah urged him forward. He stroked Dante’s head very softly.

“He one of yours?” The man asked Delilah. She yipped in response.

“Well, he’s got a right, pretty coat.” The man said. “Ain’t ever seen one like this.”

Dante let himself be a little less tense when he realized his mother trusted this guy. And if he was being honest, he didn’t seem like anyone to be worried about.

“Bring him along on your rounds, today, eh?” The man said. “Good, good. Always good when family does things together.” He shuffled on his seat, and then Dante noticed something… The man only had one hand…

“Welp, better let you get on with it.” He said. “Gonna head up Hampstead, and visit Lily before heading home…” He got up, and with no trouble, hoisted himself off the bench with his one hand, and walked off.

“He’s always on the move.” Delilah said.

“That guy…” Dante said. “He only had…”

“One hand?” Delilah said. “Yes, and he’s very good at getting along with it. He lost in Korea, from what he tells me, and Lily would usually help him, but…”

“Lily? Isn’t that who he said he was going to see?” Dante said.

“Well… Yes.” Delilah said. “But he meant that as to say, her grave.”

“...Oh…” Dante said.

“Yes… She died just last year…” Delilah said. “I used to see them together on that very bench… After she died, he stopped coming for a bit, but lately, I see him back here all the time.”

“Wait… So, he loses his hand, and then loses his wife, but he still comes to the place that would remind of both those things?” Dante said.

“Exactly.” Delilah said. “At first he said he didn’t like the memories… But then he realized that all the memories he had were good ones… So he comes here every morning… And, I say hello every time I see him…”

Dante was absolutely confused. “But… How does remembering that not hurt?”

“Who says it doesn’t?” Delilah said. “But hurting isn’t always bad… It helps remember that what we had was real.” She motioned for him to follow. “C’mon, let’s who else is around.”

They walked through the park. The next person they saw, Dante actually recognized. And his seeing-eye dog recognized them.

“Ah, Mrs. Dalmatian.” Geoffrey said. “Good to see you this morning.”

“Hello, Geoff.” She said,

“And you must be.” He looked at Dante. “Ah, yes. Dante. No offense, dear boy, but you are the one who sticks out the most.”

“Uh, it’s good.” Dante said.

“Well, how’s he doing?” She asked, motioning to the human Geoffrey always accompanied.

“Alright, as one can be.” Geoff said. “Unfortunately, his knees have been giving him problems lately.”

“Oh dear.” Delilah said.

“Doctor said it might do him good to stay off them more often… And you know he’ll hate that.” Geoffrey said.

“Yes. He does so enjoy walking with you.”

“And I him, but I was only supposed to be his eyes… I’m a bit useless being the other parts.” He said with a light chuckle. “In fact, his daughter has even thought of having him move in with her, so she can take better care of him…”

“If that happens, what’ll you do?” Delilah asked.

“Come with him, of course.” Geoffrey said. “Though I fear my days as a seeing-eye dog are coming close to an end. I’d just be there as his pet… In fact, my own eyes aren’t what they used to be.”

“Oh, well I’m sorry.” Delilah said.

“No no.” Geoffrey said. “No need for being sorry. I’ve served as this man’s eyes for nearly fifteen years, and I have not once made a mistake, nor led him astray. And if that ends because neither of us are fit to walk, then it will have ended with success.”

“Yes it would.” Delilah agreed. “Well, whatever happens, do know we’re all thinking of you.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” Geoffrey said.

Delilah and Dante walked away.

“Well, he was kinda casual about something that would change his whole life.” Dante said.

“Well, you heard him.” Delilah said. “It was a life well spent. One where he knew he helped at least one person live a better life.”

“He wasn’t even upset.” Dante said. “It was just like.... He knew it was bound to happen but…”

“Didn’t worry about it?” Delilah guessed. “Just prepared himself to meet it whenever it happened…”

“... How many other people, and dogs like that do you know?” Dante asked.

“Oh, a few…” Delilah said. “When you work in a hospital, you get to learn a lot about how people prepare themselves for the worst. And some of the people have gone through really bad times.” She pointed to a woman sitting on a bench, feeding pigeons.

“That woman was at the clinic when her husband had a heart attack. She was in the room when he flatlined.” Delilah said. “Yet she comes here every morning, feeding the birds… And if you ask them they’ll tell you she’s the nicest soul around.”

“All these people went through so much… Yet they still try to live their best life…” Dante said.

Delilah wrapped her foreleg around Dante. “Yes…They never gave up hope, even though they had more right to give up on it than most people do…”

“And you.” Dante continued. “You know about all these people’s stories, and everything they’ve gone through… And you still live your best life.”

“Yes, but it’s a bit easier for me.” Delilah said. “I have 100 reasons not to give up hope. And trust me, there are days when I wonder if what I’m doing even matters. But I think of you all, and I get through it… Not because I know it will get better. But because the chance that it will get better is worth it.”

Dante said nothing. He just looked at the ground.

“Now Dante, I don’t tell you this as a way to put you down.” Delilah said. ‘I just want my son to live his best life. And that won’t happen if you keep thinking it’s not worth it.”

Dante could only hang his head…

“But… How do I find meaning, when I’ve spent so much time ignoring it?” He asked.

Delilah hugged him. “You can take solace in knowing that all 100 of your family want you to be happy in life. And that you deserve to feel happy. Never forget that.”

Dante’s eyes started watering as he hugged his mother back.

“Thank you.” He said. “I’ve never said this before, but… I love you… I love you so much…”

“I love you too, Dante.” She said, hugging him tighter.
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When Dante and Delilah arrived home, everyone else was up, and having breakfast.

“Oh, Hey mum, hey Dante.” Dylan said. “Where’d you go?”

“Just out for a walk.” Delilah said. Dante came in, and wordlessly took his seat.

“Everything okay?” Dylan asked.

“Everything is fine.” Delilah said. “We just took an early morning walk around the park.” She took her seat. “So, anything happening today that I don’t already know about?”

Dylan shook his head. “Not really.”

“Good, because I do have something planned.” She said, “Dolly.”

“Hmm?” Dolly said, looking up with a mouthful of kibble.

“Today at 4:00, I have us booked for an appointment at the spa.” She said,

“What?” Dolly said, gulping down her food. “We’re going back to that place? Intentionally?”

“Yes. I know our last experience with that place was not exactly, er, great. But I think it’d do us good to give it another chance.”

“...Okay…” Dolly said, uncertainly.

“But before that, Dylan.” Delilah said. “I want you to come with me somewhere at about 12:00.”

“Uh, okay… Where?” Dylan asked.

“You’ll see.” Was all Delilah said.

“Wait, you mean I’m gonna be on SOLO pup care?” Dolly complained.

“You’ll have Dawkins to help you.” Delilah said. “And you’ll have-”

“Me.” Dante interrupted. “I… I can help too…”

The entire table full of pups turned and stared in shock.

Delilah smiled. “See, you’ll have all the help you need.”

“Woah… Dante NEVER volunteers.” Dolly said. “Just what DID you guys do today?”
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After breakfast, while Dante watched the pups upstairs, Delilah helped Dylan and Dolly with the clean up. If there was one thing she’d hoped she learned after working in a clinic for so long, it was at least how to keep things clean.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea to let Dante look after the pups?” Dolly asked. “He doesn't have the best, er… Disposition for pup care.”

“I know.” Delilah said. “But you’d be surprised what someone can do if you just let them. Besides, I think Dante may be wanting to try a new outlook on life…”

“Well, what’s he doing with the pups now?” Dylan asked.

“He said he was going to read to them, I think.” Delilah said. Dylan and Dolly traded worried looks.

“Is.. That bad?” Delilah asked.

“Mum, Dante’s favorite books are Edgar Allen Poe!” Dolly said.

“He’s probably gonna give those pups nightmares.” Dylan said.

“Alright, if you’re worried, let’s go see.” Delilah said.

They crept by the door to the pups room, and sure enough. Dante was reading from his favorite author… But instead of looking scared, the pups looked… Invested?

“While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
‘Tis some visitor,’ I muttered, ‘tapping at my chamber door—
Only this and nothing more’.”

Is what Dante read, in his lowest, most chilling voice. The pups, though looking spooked, sat forward anxiously, listening intently…

“Wow…” Dolly said. “Guess he’s better with them than I gave him credit for.”

“I told you there was nothing to worry about.” Delilah said, thought there was something she wanted to make sure to address.

“Ah, Dante.” She said. “Sorry to interrupt, but… Skip the Tale-Tell Heart, please?”

“Aw… Okay.” Dante said.

Satisfied, Delilah headed back downstairs.
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When 12:00 rolled around, Delilah and Dylan headed out.

“So… Where are we going?” Dylan said.

“I’ll tell you when we get there.” Delilah said. She stopped at the bus stop.

“Oh.. We’re going, inner city?” Dylan said.

“Yep.” Delilah said. When the bus arrived, they climbed on, and took their seats.

“Ah, it is such a nice day.” Delilah said. She looked at Dylan and noticed he looked a bit anxious.

“You alright, love?” She asked.

“Yeah, I’m just… I’m usually watching pups by now, or having to deal with some of the pups fighting, or cleaning… Gosh, I hope Dolly can run the vacuum…”

“Goodness me, I think you needed a break just as much as I did.” She said.

“Sorry. It’s just… Once you’ve gotten into the swing of worrying about so many others, it’s hard to not be in that mindset.”

“Yes… And I want you to know just how proud I am of you for doing it.” Delilah said. “In fact, that’s partly why I’m doing this. I always knew you worked hard, looking after your brothers and sisters. But to actually see just what you do… I knew I had to do something to show my appreciation.”

“Aw, Mum… You didn’t have to… I do what I do because I want to… And I know you and dad work so hard, I just want to make things a little easier.”

“Well thank you.” She said, “But, I still think you’re a bit overdue for a proper day just for you.”

The bus stopped, and everyone shuffled out. Delilah and Dylan walked a few more blocks, until they stopped at a large building… One Dylan recognized…

“Wait. Here?” Dylan asked. The building was a large dome, one with a sign that read, “Planetarium.”

“Yep.” Delilah said. “Everyone tells me you like space, well this is the best way to see it.”

“But… Mum, we’re dogs. We can’t go in here.” Dylan pointed out.

“Not usually.” Delilah said. “But if you just so happen to know someone who works here…” She urged him to follow her. She walked up to the ticket booth, and barked.

“Sorry.” The girl in the booth said. “No dogs allo- Wait, Delilah!?” She said, “Omigosh! It IS you!”

“Uh, mum… Who is this?” Dylan asked.

“This is Millie. I helped her get through recovery after she broke her leg one time.” “Delilah explained, “We still see each other often.”

“How have you been?” Millie said, then she noticed Dylan. “Aw, is this one yours?” Delilah nodded.

“So, what can I do for you?” Millie asked. Delilah motioned towards the doors.

“Oh, you wanna go in?” She said, “Sure! Just have him stick close.” She pointed to Dylan. “C’mon.” They followed her up the stairs, and through the door. Dylan had never been in a building like this before, but even the lobby excited him. The space-themed decorations, the odds and ends in display cases, even the space themed bathroom markers.

“Woah.” He said. “It’s all so...So… Spacey!”

“I’ll have to agree with you there.” Delilah said.

Before they got into the main floor, they were stopped by a larger, gruff looking man.

“Oi, Millie. What’s this?” He asked, pointing to Delilah and Dylan. “No dogs allowed.”

“This is actually a therapy dog.” Millie explained. “And I’m showing her around so she has a better sense of the place for when she comes here accompanied by patients.”

The man furrowed his eyebrow. But shrugged. “Alright, just keep an eye on em’.” And he want back to work.

“Good thing he’s not to keen on asking questions.” Millie said.

“But mum, I’m not a therapy dog.” Dylan said.

“Yeah, but she didn’t mention you, did she?” Delilah said with a wink.

Millie opened the doors to the main floor…

And Dylan’s jaw hit it…

Massive models of planets, and moons swirled overhead, dangling from the ceiling that was made to look like space. Models of rockets, and landers and shuttles and rovers were on display, and the music sounding like something from a space odyssey…

“Oh… My… Dog…” He said.

“Well, he looks like he likes it.” Millie pointed out.
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Delilah watched Dylan scramble around like he was a puppy again, taking in everything. She should’ve brought something to record this, because everything he saw, he knew almost everything about.

“Oh, see this? This is a replica of the lunar module that the Astronauts had to fly back in during the Apollo 13 mission.”

“Really?” Delilah said. “Didn’t they make a movie about that with that guy who’s in everything?”

“Yeah, but even weirder, the abort guidance system it used was written by Jack Black’s mom!” He said.

“...Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“I’m gonna have to look that up.”

“It’s true!”

Dylan could tell her everything about the ships, asteroids, and planets… And when they got a certain, red planet…

“That’s the one.” He said. “Mars… The angry, red planet itself… No human has ever set foot on it… And I want to be the first dog to go there.”

“I’ll bet you could, if you put your mind to it.” Delilah said. “As far as I’m concerned, you could do anything.”

“Thanks…” Dylan said. “But… It’ll take a while…”

Millie just watched them.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think they were having a moment…” She thought.
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After they thanked Millie, Dylan and Delilah headed home, Dylan every now again checking on the bag that hung from his tail that contained the Mars shaped ball he got from the gift shop.

“It’s not gonna go anywhere.” Delilah said, laughing.

“I know, it’s just… I love Mars.” He said. “Thank you so much for this! I’ve always wanted to go to a place like that, I just had no idea it’d be that cool!”

“Well I’m glad. And you are very welcome.” Delilah said. They sat by the bus stop… Just waiting…

“Though, as nice as it was to have the day to ourselves… It did feel like it was missing something.” Dylan said.

“No little pups running around?’ Delilah guessed.

“Heh, Yeah…Weird, isn’t it? You get a day by yourself, and it only reminds you of how much you’d miss everyone if it was just you…”

“Oh, I know what you mean… More than you know…” Delilah said. She inhaled heavily.
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When they got home, it was about 3:00. The house was quiet, much more quiet than what was typical.

“Hello?” Delilah said. “Anyone home?”

“In here, mum.” Dolly called from the living room. They walked in to only find Dolly, Dante, and Dakins sitting ion the sofa, watching TV.

“Where are the pups?” Delilah asked.

“Sleeping upstairs.” Dolly said. “Dante read them part of ‘The Hobbit’ and it knocked ‘em right out.”

“What?” Dylan said. “I’ve been trying to read them The Hobbit for years, they say it’s ‘too boring’.”

“You don’t do the voices right, apparently.” Dante said.

Dylan rolled his eyes.

“Well it’s good to see everything in order.” Delilah said. “Dolly, don’t forget we have to be at the spa by 4:00.”

“Right…” Dolly said. “So… Why are we going there today?”

Delilah tried to keep her smile hidden. “I just thought it’d be a nice day to go…” She said. “Plus, you have a certain Husky coming to call this evening.” She thought to herself.

“By the way.” She said. “When does Triple D get home?”

“About 5:30.”

“Perfect.”
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Later, when Dolly and Delilah made it to the spa.

“Ah…” Delilah said, as the lady massaged her back paws. “So nice to be here on our own terms.”

“Yeah, this is… Actually kinda nice.” Dolly said, as the other lady massaged her back. “Surprised we didn’t get a lifetime ban after last time.”

“Heh. Not to say we wouldn’t’ve deserved it.” Delilah agreed.

“Eh, what’s the worst we did? Made a mess, tripped up some employees, no big deal.” Dolly said.

“Almost got carted off to Africa.” Delilah said. “That would’ve ruined the day…”

“Well, I don’t think anything could ruin this.” Dolly said.

“Oh, they let YOU back in?” Came a voice.

“Oh, good. Love being proved wrong.” Dolly said. She looked down and was met with the scowling face of her neighbor.

“Hello Clarissa.” She said.

“Really, they do let just about anyone in here.” The Corgi said. “Must be desperate for business.”

“Hello Clarissa.” Delilah said. “How’s your head?” Dolly tried to hide her giggle.

“Hmph. One’s head is just fine. Nothing a little grooming can’t fix… Too bad I can't say the same for you.” She said, looking at Dolly. “I don’t think anything could fix that. I mean, do you even exfoliate?”

Delilah was about to say something, but then Dolly just laughed.

“I guess not… But If I ever did decide to start a face-care routine, I could just leaf through your trash for inspiration. I mean, there’s so many empty product bottles in there, you must use a whole bottle of each a day… And there’s like fifteen kinds of face cream, and fur cream, so I have a lot of options.” Dolly flashed Clarissa a grin.

Clarissa’s face went bright red… She turned sharply and stormed off in a huff.

“Very nicely handled.” Delilah said.

“Like you said. Can’t say something nice, be clever but devastating.” Dolly said.

“Now you’re getting it… I do wish she’d leave you alone, though. It’s not healthy to expect nothing but malice from someone you see so often.”

“Ah, she’s not anything to worry about.” Dolly said. “Just another, insecure powder-puff.”

“And if she makes a comment about your looks again, I may have to go feral.” Delilah said.

“I’m not worried about that either. I know how I look, and the only dogs whose opinions I care about think I look fine.” Dolly said.

Delilah smiled. “Well, that is very grown-up of you.” She said.

“Yep… Besides, I know I look good enough that at least one human has wanted to wear me. Any of these powder-puffs got THAT going for them?”

Delilah laughed so hard, the spa workers jumped in surprise.

“Sometimes, I think they’re talking.” One said.

“Maybe we have been here too long.” Said the other.
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When Dolly and Delilah got home, it was about 6:00.

“What’s up, non-fashionable peeps?” Dolly called.

“Dolly, be nice.” Delilah said.

“Hey guys.” Dylan said. “How’d it go?”

“Didn’t get sent off to Africa this time, so better.” Dolly said. “I actually feel good, the massage took out tension I didn’t even know I had.”

“Well don’t get too excited. You don’t want to get all sweaty.” Delilah said.

“Why not?” Dolly asked.

“Well, because-” Delilah began. Just then, the doorbell rang. Delilah smiled knowingly.

“Because YOU have a visitor.” She said,

Dolly shrugged and opened the door… Only to be met by Hansel…

“H-H-Hansel?!” She stammered. “W-What?”

“Wow.” He said. “Dolly, you look great.”

“Uh… thanks?” She said. “Uh, what are you doing here?”

“Well, yesterday, your mum told me that you’d be free tonight, and I was wondering if you wanted to go, uh… Out, with me?”

Dolly’s jaw dropped… She turned back to Delilah, who just gave her wink.

Dolly’s face went from surprised… To happy… To ECSTATIC.

“Would you give me ONE, teeny, little second?” She asked Hansel.

“Uh, sure…” Dolly closed the door… And practically tackled her mum.

“Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!” She said. “I don’t how, or why, or what, but… OH my gosh, thank you!”

“You’re welcome, dear.” She said, “Now go on… Don’t keep him waiting.”

Dolly opened the door again.

“Uh, so is that a-” Hansel began.

“YES.” Dolly finished. ‘I would love to go out with you.”

“Great!” Hansel said. “Uh, you mum also mentioned a bistro on the waterfront you like, is that okay?”

“That is perfect.” Dolly said.

“Great… Well, shall we?” He said, motioning outside.

“Yes… We shall.” Dolly said. She gave her mum one last grateful smile, and headed out.

“Uh… I’ll try to have her home by 8:00.” Hansel said.

“It can be 8:30.” Delilah said.

“Uh, Okay… And, uh… Mrs. Dalmatian… Thank you.” He said.

He closed the door, and him and Dolly walked down the street together.

“Oh… Don’t let him go, Dolly… Boys like him are rare.” She said,

“Wow… So, you planned that?” Dylan said. “The spa, all that… just to get her ready for a date?”

“Yep…” Delilah said.

“Kinda sneaky…” He said.

“Oh, don’t you know?” Delilah said. “Sneakily playing match-maker runs in my family.”

“Well it made her happy.” Dylan said.

“Yes… Just my way of thanking her for all she’s done.” Delilah said.

“Kinda weird… You took this time off to take a break from work, but you’ve been working to make everyone happy just the same.” Dylan said.

“Yeah, well… That’s what happens when you get a reminder of why you work so hard in the first place… Speaking of which. Your dad should be home soon… I gotta hurry.” She raced upstairs.

“Wait, what are you planning for him?” Dylan asked.

“Nothing you need to concern yourself over.” Delilah said. “Trust me on that.”

Dylan grimaced. “Ew…”

Delilah opened the door to the bathroom, where Triple D were doing their evening fur-care routine.

“Girls, I need a favor.” Delilah asked.

“Yeah?” Destiny said.

“Sure.” Said Dallas.

“Can our own mother really owe us favors?” Deja Vu asked.

“Good question, but the point is, I need you to give me a bit of a touch up.” She said, pointing to her face. “The spa did a good job, but I need your more ‘breed oriented’ expertise.”

“Wait… You want us…”

“To give you…”

“A makeover?!”

“...Kinda.” Delilah said.

The girls exchanged uncertain looks… before their faces morphed into eager smiles.

“Okay, now I’m kind of scared…” Delilah said.
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Delilah sat, very still as Dallas rubbed something on the spots on her face.

“This stuff will make your black spots look like they’re glowing.” Dallas promised.

“Well, that should be neat.” Delilah said.

“And the shampoo Deja VU is using will make your fur feel like a puppy’s again.”

“Blimey. With that kind of promise, I’d think you girls had got into witchcraft.” Delilah said.

“Beauty is the boon time grants us. It never stays forever.” Deja vu said. The other three stared…

“That was freaky.” Destiny said.

“Thanks, read it on a bottle of toothpaste.” Deja Vu said.

“Well, whatever. If you could just be done by whenever your dad gets home, I’ll be okay.”

“Ooooooh.” Came three voices.

“So that’s what this is about.” Destiny said.

“You wanna look good for your man.” Dallas said.

“That’s really sweet.” Deja vu said.

“Goodness.” Delilah said. “Didn’t know you three were so knowledgeable in such things.”

“We know beauty. And beauty done for the person you love is the best there is.”

“Just as long as you know that true love doesn’t care how you look.”

“....You three have been doing too many commercials.” Delilah said.

“Yeah, probably.”
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When Doug got home, he didn’t even bother announcing it. He was just so tired.

He trudged in, hung up his hat and headed right up to bed. He opened the door to him and Delilah’s room…

“Oh, going to bed so soon?” Delilah asked. Doug turned around… And almost fell over…

“And here I did all of this for nothing.” Delilah said. Triple D hand done everything they promised, her fur felt softer, they had done her lashes, so they flushed out more, and yes… Even her black spots looked bright…

“Delilah, I… Wow.” He said. “You look… Amazing.”

“Thank you.” She said. “Triple D and a day at the spa is what it took to look like this, but I think it was worth it.”

“I’ll say…” Doug said. ‘So, uh… What’s the occasion?”

“Well, it’s just I’ve been doing things to show my appreciation for my family during my time off, and I think the last person on my list is you. So…” She passed by him, dragging her tail under his chin…

“Shall we?” She said, motioning towards their room.

Doug stared…

“Oh…” Was all he said.
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Later that night… As the two held each other.

“How did I get so lucky?” Doug said. “The largest Dalmatian family in the world… And I get the one that’s one-in-a-million…”

“Oh, you.” Delilah said. “I’m the lucky one. Of all the dogs I could’ve met, I not only got the one who’s a wonderful family man, but a big, strong, fireman to boot.”

“Oh, well if we’re pointing that out. How’d I get lucky enough to find the one who’s not only a great mother, but also a hot nurse?”

Delilah giggled. “Oh, stop…” She said, “I must’ve been born under a lucky star to meet you. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, or the life I have… But I wouldn’t trade this for anything in the universe.”

“Right, back, at ya.” Doug said.

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A few days later…

The whole Dalmatian family was having breakfast together, the sounds of chattering and chewing buzzing around. Delilah took a slow drink from her water bowl, trying not to think about tomorrow… Which wasn’t easy when Dylan said.

“So, you’re going back to work tomorrow?” He asked. This what met by a chorus of disappointed, “Awww’s” from the pups.

Delilah sighed. “Yes… Gotta be back first thing in the morning. I tell you, while I’ve never NOT liked working at the clinic, it’ll be a drastic departure from the past few days.”

“But you’ll get back into it.” Doug assured her. “After all, there’s two things you seemed born to do. And one of them is to be a nurse.”

“Yes.” Delilah said. “But still. I’m going miss being able to do this more often.” She said,

“We sure liked having you around more often, mum.” Delgado said.

“Oh, thank you baby… But at least I’ll go back knowing this… I’ll never have to worry about if my pups are in good paws. Each one of you has reminded me just how smart and capable you are. And I’ve seen how creative, resourceful, and strong you all are, as well… Not that I had any reason to doubt it… I always knew you all brought out the best in me… And that was definitely proven true the past few days... “
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The next day, Delilah got up, and got ready to head out… But when she got to the door, she saw Dolly sitting there, holding her bag…

“I just didn’t want you to leave again for the first time in a few days without having someone to say goodbye to.” She said.

Delilah smiled. “Thank you, love.” She said, taking her bag and kissing Dolly on the head. But before she left, she looked at Dolly, and smiled a knowing smile…

“My goodness, girl… You’re still practically glowing… Are Husky kisses really that strong?”

Dolly smiled from ear to ear as she held her cheek. “Maybe…”

“Well, I’m happy for you.” She said, “Just, uh… Take it slow, alright… I know you’ve only had one date, but… Don’t try and take things too fast… Enjoy every little moment as it comes…”

“I’ll remember that.” Dolly said.

And with that, Delilah walked outside, into the morning sun of London… Which, for some reason, seemed just a little brighter…

Chapter Text

The multiverse is a vast place. Teeming with possibilities. Some good, some bad. And this is a story of one of those possibilities...

The time: Present day.

The place: A colorful town house cozily nestled along the streets of Camden town, London. It’s address. 101 Dalmatian Street.

Its residents. 0 humans. 101 Dalmatians. 2 adults. 99 puppies.

Even with such unusual criteria, life for the family in this house is simple, and happy. Of all the beings on this street, they are the least deserving of what is about to happen to them...

Unfortunately. Deserve has very little to do with it...

The day started like any other. Dylan, the eldest male pup was getting his siblings breakfast. Dolly, the eldest female pup, was keeping her younger siblings occupied until breakfast was ready. On this particular day, the parents, Doug and Delilah, were free from work. And they too were spending the day interacting with their family...

“Dolly!” Dylan called. “What’s wrong with the kibble pump? You touched it last.”

“It was fine when I touched it.” Dolly answered. “Maybe aliens came down and destroyed it too.”

In this universe. The extraterrestrial is not as rare as the one you are accustomed to the Dalmatians inhabiting. This universe is one of many extraordinary phenomena. Though history for the Dalmatian family remained largely unchanged, the mere fact that they exist in this universe is all there needs to be for this story to happen. For a while they shared no part in the histories of its more famous inhabitants. They will soon take part in its future. As will all who inhabit this universe...

“Ugh! Please don’t get started on the aliens again.” Delilah Dalmatian said. “I thought they had become old news after that fiasco in New York.”

“How could aliens become old news?” Dolly asked. “Besides, we weren’t born when the New York thing happened.”

“Well it was all anyone was talking about for the next few years. So can we please talk about something else?”

Dylan asked his brother, Dawkins to assist him. Throughout the house, several of the puppies were engaged in some activity. DJ, the music lover, was upstairs practicing. He was in a smooth jazz mood that morning. Da Vinci, the artist. Was adding yet another piece to her already impressive gallery.

“Hmmm... Why am I feeling... Purple.” She said, “Yeah, something purple... Purple and golden...”

Elsewhere, three rambunctious triplets were considering their own possibilities.

“Go ahead.” Dimitri 1 said. “What are you afraid of?”

“Uh... I don’t know guys... Are you sure this is how that guy got his powers?” Dimitri 2 said, warily looking at the large spider his brothers had managed to trap.

“Sure.” Dimitri 3 said. “He got bit by a spider, than he got spider powers. Makes sense to me.”

“Doesn’t it have to be radioactive, or something?” Dimitri 2 asked.

“Ugh. Mate. That’s just a myth. Spiders can’t be radioactive.” Dimitri 1 said.

“Yeah, how do you know?”

“Have you ever heard one on the radio?”

“Oh, guess not... Alright then.” Dimitri 2 said as he reached to pick up the spider.

Inside, yet another pup was taking in the morning.

“Miaow-Wow-wow.” Deepak said, as he sat cross legged in a corner.

“I am calm...” He said. “Balanced...”

After struggling with the machine, Dylan and Dawkins finally got it running.

“Finally! Okay guys, breakfast!” Dylan called out.

The family began pouring into the dining room.

All except one...

A black coated Dalmatian sat staring out the window. Not making a sound.

“Dante? C’mon.” Dolly said. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s today...” Dante said. “Can’t you feel it? It’s happening today...”

Dolly rolled her eyes. “Yeah, whatever... That’s what you always say...” Dolly walked in and took her seat at the table.

“Where’s Dante?” Delilah asked.

“Oh, the usual.” Dolly said. “Talking about the ‘end of the world’ and all that... Like he thinks he’s one of those sorcerer guys...”

“Given how many ‘end of the world’ situations we’ve had. I don’t think the end of the world is what it used to be.” Doug said.

The family shared a laugh. Dylan in particular as he put the kibble pump away. His brother was always going on about the end of the world. Rather it be floods, fires, mad scientists or evil trickster gods. He knew his world had seen much...

But it hadn’t seen everything.

Dylan took his seat at the table...

And that’s when he heard it...

It was faint... As if from far away. But it echoed sharply. A dull, droning sound that lingered in his ears...

A snap.

Like a human, snapping their fingers.

He was familiar with the sound, but this sounded... Off...

And then he felt this... Unnerving feeling. One that made his fur stand up on its end... one that made his stomach flip and his limbs feel weak...

He turned to Dolly... She had a similar look on her face.

When she did look back at him. All she said was...

“You heard it too...”

Dylan scanned the table… All the others had the same looks of confusion and fear… The same ghostly stares in their faces…

“D-Did you all hear that too?” He asked…

Delilah, always the more instinctive of the family. Stood up, her alway white face looking even more pale than usual…

“...I need to get Dorothy.” She said. And practically ran out of the room. Doug stood up quickly as well…

“Dad… What’s going on?” One of the pups asked.

“I...I...I don’t know honey.” He said. He was breathing very heavily.

“Dad, I’m scared.” Another said.

“Me too.” Several added.

“...I know babies…” He said. “I am too…” He shook himself back to his senses. “Uh… Everyone get into the living room. C’mon, right now!” He said. “Dolly. Get everyone from outside. Dylan, get everyone from upstairs.”

Dylan and Dolly shared worried looks as they urged the pups to follow their dad.

“Bro…” Dolly said, shakily. “What is happening?”

“I don’t know… I-” They were both interrupted by the sounds of screeching tires, and a crash from outside. Dylan ran to the dog door and poked his head out and saw that someone had rear ended another car… Only when the driver got out to yell at the other one… He saw that there was no driver...

Dylan shook his head… “What… That’s…”

Delilah was sitting at the bottom of the stairs, clutching Dorothy for dear life.

“Mum… What is going on?” He asked.

“...I don’t know love… I really don’t…”

Dolly came in with the others.

“Guys, I can;t find Dimitri 3. Did he come inside?” She asked.

“No… What do you mean you can;t find him?” Doug asked.

DImitri 1 and 2 were sitting there, shaking…

“He was there.” 1 said…

“But then he just… Just…” 2 stammered.

Dylan ran upstairs to get the others…

“Da Vinci, Delgado?” He called. “Guys… Guys where are you?!” That feeling in his stomach was growing worse, and worse… It was as if everything inside was screaming at him that something was wrong, but it didn’t know what...

He found Da Vinci in the pups room.

“Oh thank dog.” He said. “C’mon, we got to-” He stopped… Da Vinci was shaking…

“Da Vinci… You alright?” He asked.

“.......Dylan…... “ Da Vinci whispered. “I feel…….. I feel…” She looked up at him with horrified eyes… Eyes that were begging him to help her, but she didn’t know why.

“I feel really weird.” Is all she said.

“What do you mean, how weird?” Dylan said. Then, once again, there was another sound of a crash. He looked out the window to see that a truck had somehow plowed into the wall in the backyard! And once again… No driver…

“What is going on? Da Vinci, you need to get downstairs an-” He turned… And he saw that Da Vinci wasn’t there anymore… She was nowhere… And Dylan came to a horrifying realization…

He couldn’t even smell her anymore…

A dog’s nose is it’s most reliable sense... And he couldn’t… He couldn’t smell her. Anything… It’s as if she was just…

Gone…

Dylan shook his head…

“No… This, this can’t be… There has to be some kind of explanation for this…” He said to himself… Then he heard shouting.

“Hugo!?” His neighbour, Clarissa, was shouting. “Hugo, where are you!?” She didn’t sound like her normal, impatient self, either… SHe was worried.

“Hugo, you answer me this very minute!” She yelled.

Dylan backed away… He walked out of the room, as if on autopilot… He walked downstairs, his eyes glazed over…

When he got downstairs, his dad was counting the pups.

“85. 86. 87.”

Dorothy was beginning to whimper in her mothers paws.

“I know baby.” Delilah barely said, more of a gasp. “I know…”

Dolly ran up to him .

“Dylan… Where’s-” He just looked at her… His eyes listless.

He saw Dante, staring out the window… His brother was breathing very slowly…

“Dante.” He asked. “What’s happening out there?”

Dante slowly turned to him… His eyes, red, puffy… His body was shaking...

“The end of the world.” Is all Dante whispered.

And then Diesel said...

“Guys… I don’t feel so great…” He said. “I feel a little...

And he looked at his paws…

And the whole family stopped, Doug stopped counting, the pups stopped talking, the whole house went dead silent.

Particles of Diesel's fur were breaking off… As if crumbling… Blowing away in the wind, like… Dust…

He only managed to give them one last look…

“Oh, I REALLY don’t dig this…”

And then his whole body just…

Blew away… Like dust in the wind, he crumbled away before their eyes…

And he was just… Gone…

The rest of the family, with empty, blank faces fixed to where he once sat. Unable to comprehend what just happened.

Doug finally let the breath he was holding out. “Wha- What… What just-”

“Dad?” One of the pups said. Right before she also crumbled to dust, blown away. The pups began whimpering and crying, soon, another disappeared, then another… Right before their eyes, half of their family just… Vanished in front of them…

“Destiny… DALLAS!?” Deja Vu screamed, seeing her sisters weren’t by her anymore...

“Daddy.” Dizzy said. “Daddy, I’m scared.”

Doug held her. “It’s gonna be okay baby. It’s gonna be-” His voice died when he felt his paws go limp… And he realized that he wasn’t her anymore… She was just… Just…

Doug just shook his head. “No...No no- Wha… What is…”

“Doug…” Delilah said, very quietly and very calmly…

The family looked at her, she hadn’t moved from that spot the moment she got her paws around Dorothy… And now she was looking down at them…

Except she wasn’t holding Dorothy anymore…

Because Dorothy wasn’t there anymore…

Delilah looked up at her family with eyes of pure pain…

“...Doug…” She tearfully repeated…

Before her own fur crumbled…

And then she was gone as well...

Doug slowly stepped toward the spot where his wife sat… Unable, unwilling, to believe what he just watched…

“Delilah…” He whispered… “No...NonononononononoNONONO!”

Dolly looked at Deepak.

“What. Is. Happening?” She said.

Deepak looked up at her…

“Balance… Balance… In its most perverted form…”

Dylan finally ran outside. He heard humans and animals shouting and crying. He heard vehicle alarms blaring. He heard sirens, and alarms going off everywhere.

He still heard Clarissa shouting for Hugo… Only she was sobbing.

He finally spotted Pearl.

“Pearl!” He shouted. “PEARL!!!”

“Dylan?” She said, “Dylan, you need to get inside, something is-”

“WHAT IS HAPPENING!?!?!” Dylan shouted.

Pearl looked at him… And she understood.

“It happened at your house… Didn’t it?”

Dylan nodded. “Da Vinci, Diesel, Dizzy, Dorothy, my m-” He choked as it finally caught up to him…

“My mum’s gone…Pearl… My mum is… SHE’S GONE!!! MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS! THEY’RE GONE!” He screamed.

“Pearl, what in the name of dog is happening?!?”

Pearl shakily sighed.

“We don’t know… All we know is that it’s happening all over the world… People, humans, animals, all kinds of life is just… Vanishing…”

Dylan felt that feeling again… His stomach felt like there was a rock in it… His legs turned to jelly as he finally collapsed to the ground…

The sounds of the world falling apart eventually grew numb to him…

The time: The last normal day in human history.

The place: A colorful townhouse amidst a city falling to ruin.

The residents. 48 Dalmatians. 1 adult. 47 puppies.

None of them with any idea what just happened...

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On the other side of the world… A man held the body of his friend…

A man who considered himself a warrior now fell to the ground…

He thought… And thought… And finally, the only phrase that could sum up his feelings came out…

“Oh God…”

Chapter Text

The time: Five years later.

The place: Camden Town London. A city that has long adjusted to its new way of life… Less people meant less traffic, less litter, smaller crowds, less waste. The air was a little cleaner, the streets a little safer…

But less people also meant strains on workforces, on infrastructure. Less people led to slower production, slower manufacturing. Repairs on buildings and streets took longer, keeping what problems still existed in check was now everyone's problem… Crime skyrocketed, hospitals were understaffed, emergency services were severely crippled…

Less people didn’t mean less problems… It only meant that now the people who benefited from causing problems had less reason to stop...

The residents: Half of what remained… Population rates stagnated. Old life was dying as fast as new life was being born. People stopped trying to fix things… And just started trying to outlive them…

And those were just the human problems…

The animals fared even less… Five years wasn’t much to humans in the long run… But to dogs…

It was a lifetime…

A lifetime of fear, uncertainty, and confusion… For some, it began with their owner never coming home… Or disappearing with a trace...Or vanishing before their eyes… To be out on a walk and feel your leash go limp as you realize your human is gone… Or to chase after a ball or stick and return it… Only to find your master not there… To some, it meant loss of a provider… Of a caretaker. To others… The loss of a friend… Of family… It meant trying to survive without a human, and those that couldn’t… Didn’t....

To others… It began with the loss of a mate… Or a pup, or a kitten, or a friend… Same as humans, someone you know and love just vanishing… To watch that disappear before your eyes, to sense something is wrong and be able to do anything about it… And just watch them vanish… To wake up one day with a smaller family and be unable to do anything about… And live with that for a lifetime…

And to some, a smaller family was unheard of…
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Dolly Dalmatian walked along the grey sidewalk… Down a street she knew very well, but hadn't walked in some time… Five years had been a long time to endure, but she did it… Many things had changed in those years, not least of which herself… She had grown into the tall, sleek physique typical of her breed. Though her inactivity in recent months had made itself evident around her haunches. Her snout had grown, though at the right angle one could still make out the round, stumpier face of the dog that used to tear around these very streets. One might mistake her for her mother, which is something she hated… Probably why she elected to start wearing the gray jacket she did. Almost never seen without it…

She usually wouldn’t come down this street. It held too many painful memories…But she had something she needed to tell them… Something it wouldn’t be right to keep to herself…

At least, that’s what her husband told her…

Her and Hansel had been married for about 3 years now… Hansel’s human had been among the ones that vanished, and she started staying with him in his inner city home to keep him from being lonely…

In a way, as horrible as it sounds, she should thank whoever did this… For it was in those moments when they realized how they really felt about each other…They started dating, and soon, fell in love…

Yet… She couldn’t deny it. Finding her happily ever after while the world is in this state was… Well, it felt wrong… She loved Hansel more really now than her childhood crush. But without her mother there… With her other brothers and sisters who watched her try and win his affection…

It felt like she didn’t deserve it…

That’s why she hadn’t been back here in so long. She couldn't stand the feelings of having what she had, knowing what she lost…

But as her poet husband said…

“We can’t run away from the past… Better to face it now than wait for it to catch up to us…”

And with her family, that was good advice…

She finally made it to the one… Dalmatian Street.

“I still never found out when they called it that.” She said, “Were our ancestors THAT famous? Wonder what they’d think of us now?” She turned the corner, keeping her head low...

She passed one house, and heard a voice…

“Dolly?” Came the voice of an elderly Corgi. “IS that you?”

Dolly raised her head and gave a half smile. “Hey, Clarissa.” The Corgi had LONG ago mellowed out. Not having Hugo around made her a little more self reliant. At first, Dolly didn’t think much of it… Until Clarissa started asking about them, if they were okay, if the pups needed anything… It was like she was a different person… Dolly used to even joke about how it took half the universe being destroyed to get her to actually care about others, but… After a while, she realized she was genuine… And… After a while, she realized… Maybe, maybe the old girl wasn’t so bad after all...

“Why, I haven’t seen you in months! How are things?” Clarissa asked. Her fur was greying, and her eyesight wasn’t the best… She even stopped wearing her vanity collar. Saying it was for “a dog with a human” and that wasn’t her anymore…

“I’m fine.” Dolly answered. “How you holding up?”

“As good as one can.” She said, “Come to visit the family?”

“Yeah… I know I haven’t seen them in a while, but…”

“Oh please, I know they’ll be excited to see you.”

“Yeah… Well, you take care of yourself.” Dolly said.

“Thank you dear.”

Dolly walked the next few steps… And finally looked up at the old place… 101 Dalmatian Street…

The building had long been washed of it’s paint. They thought it best, as it just made losing Da Vinci hurt more… Now, it looked just as bland as every other building on the street… The clutter had been picked up… One wouldn’t think that this house used to belong to 101 spotted dogs…

Dolly sighed, and walked up the steps…

She didn’t bother using the scanner, even though she knew it still worked for her. She rang the doorbell and waited…

In a moment, she heard the door latch click and open… And she was met with a face that had long since changed… But she knew as her brother…

“Dolly?” Dylan said.

She waved casually. ‘Hey bark-breath.” She said,

“What are you doing here?” He said.

“I was in the neighborhood, thought I’d stop by… You look like you’ve been taking care of yourself.”

“Heh. Thanks.” Dylan said. His strict grooming regime aside, Dylan wore those five years well… He had also grown into the sleeker, taller figure that Dalmatians were famous for. In fact, he was almost identical to his great-great-great grandfather. Uncannily in some ways. Though he still had his rounder nose, and floppier ears.

“So… How’s Hansel?” He asked.

“He’s fine… Just fine… Uh, listen… You got a minute?”

“Sure… What for?”

“Uh… There’s something I need to tell you…”

“Oh… Okay, sure… Come on in…” He motioned for her to step inside.

“Woah.” She said, “You redecorated…”

“Yeah, been trying to give some flow to the chaos.” He said.

“It’s nice…” She said, she looked around. “Place is kind of quiet, anyone else here?”

“Just a few… I think they’re hanging out in the basement…”

“You remodeled down there, too?”

“Yep… bit of a project, but we got it done…”

“So that’s...What? 15 still here?”

“....14.” Dylan said.

“What… But last you messaged me-”

“Yeah… Darby… She found a human…” Dylan said. “Said she wanted to… Make her own life…”

Dolly looked at the ground… Back then, such a thing would’ve been unheard of… Well… back then, things were different…

“How many does that make that have gotten… Human’d up?” She asked.

Dylan thought for a second. “........30.” He finally said.

“30…. Do you see any of them anymore?”

“A few… I hear from all of them… DJ and his human played on Broadway a few nights ago… Deja Vu is touring Japan with hers… Everyone seems happy…”

“Yeah… Happy.” Dolly repeated. “But not together. What about you?”

“Me… I mean… I’m okay… Still got these guys to look after, but…”

“But are you okay?” Dolly asked. “Or are you just holding it together for them?”

Dylan sighed. “For a little while, that’s all it was… Just hold together for them…” Before he said anything else, he walked into the kitchen.

“Thirsty?”

Dolly followed him into the kitchen, seeing all the old photos hurt her more than she thought… Especially the one of their mother, with Dorothy sitting on her head.

“Oh, mum… If you could see us know… what would you say…” She sighed. “I know I could really use your help with some things. In more ways than one…” She went into the kitchen.

“Wow… You redid this palace, too.” She said,

“Yep, less pups, more freedom to experiment.” He said.

“Wait. You’re cooking?” She asked.

“A little.” He said. “Just some stuff I learned…”

“Well THAT’S unexpected.” She sniffed in the air. “Wait… why do I smell eggs… No one in this family likes eggs…”

“Uh… yeah, well.” Dylan said, nervously. “I wanted to try something one day… And... Uh…”

“Dylan… I know what fresh eggs smell like… You cooked them this morning.”

“Uh… Well…” Dylan stammered. “See, I…”

“Dylan?” Came a female voice. Four paws skittered down the stairs.

“Dylan, who’s here?” And a Border Collie with patchy fur walked into the kitchen.

“Is everything good?” She asked. Then she noticed Dolly. “Oh, hello.”

“Summer? Uh, hi. Why are you here.” Dolly asked.

“Well, I think I live here.” She said, “At least I have been.” She looked between them. “Should, I uh… Should wait until you’re done…”

“Yeah, yeah. Maybe you should.” Dylan said. Half laughing, as if nervous.

“Oh… Okay, babe. I’ll be upstairs then. Nice to see you Dolly.”

“Yeah, nice to you.” Dolly said. Summer left, and Dolly looked backed at Dylan with amused shock.

“Uh… Something you wanna tell me?” She laughed…

“Look, Summer moved in with us about a year after you and Hansel got married. We met up, and it turns out her human had… Y’know… So, I invited her to live with us… She was lonely…”

“Uh-huh, the ‘babe’ implies you BOTH were…”

“You gonna judge me for finding some stability in all this?” He asked.

Dolly put her paws up in defeat. “No… I guess not… But man, when were you gonna tell me?”

“I didn’t think about it.” Dylan said.

“So she eats the eggs?”

“Yeah, she likes ‘em over easy with salt…”

“So you learned how to cook eggs for her... Man, you are really something.” Dolly said.

“Well. I can’t deny she’s worth it… She’s been such a big help to me.”

Dolly’s heart sank. “You mean… She did what I was supposed to have been doing.”

Dylan sighed. “Now, I didn’t say that… I’m not gonna blame you for latching onto whatever happiness you could find. Especially now… You deserved to find your own happiness just as much as I did… Besides, we didn’t know that… Dad was… Well…”

Dolly’s heart sank even further and her eyes got watery at the mention of her dad… It had been not too long after she and Hansel got married that Dylan had called her and told her…

She shook her head, she didn’t even want to think about it... She looked at a picture hanging on the wall… The most recent pictures they had of both their parents…

“You ever think about how lucky we were with mum?” She said, “She was still just as we remembered her… But dad, well…”

The picture of Delilah was one from about 6 years ago. She was still sunny, smiling, with that half-lidded eye look she had. The only thing that took away from the warm smile she always gave.

The one of Doug, was from about 3 years ago… And while he was smiling, there was a hurt in his eyes… One that had been there ever since that day… His spots were more gray instead of black, he had lost weight, and his coat sagged around him… As the months went by, his health had gotten worse and worse, until… Well, like she said, she didn’t want to think about it...

“So. You and Summer take care of everyone now?” She asked.

“Yeah… The guys really seem to like her, and… Well… I really like having her around.”

“Yeah… Well, it sounds like everything’s been fine…” Dolly said.

“Fine is a strong word, but… Better… Better than a year ago, definitely.” Dylan said. He pushed a bowl towards her. “Alright, enough about me. What’s going on with you?”

Dolly sighed. “Well we’re fine. Hansel’s doing support groups for pets who lost their owners and… I’ve been… I've been keeping busy, doing anything I can…”

“That’s all we can do.” Dylan said.

“So… Going back to you.” Dolly said. “How’s Deepak?”

“Oh, he’s fine… He’s still living next door. Looking after Constantin’s place.” Dylan answered. “Still teaches yoga in the park…”

“Well good for him… Has he, has he ever come back here at all?” Dolly asked, warily.

Dylan shook his head. “He says that after all it took to finally find balance again. Coming back to where it happened would probably give him another panic attack.”

Dolly sighed, though she’d expected it.

Not long after it happened, Deepak had been getting very bad panic attacks. Having night-terrors about his family disappearing, waking up screaming… It had gotten so bad, they didn’t know what to do…

That’s when Constantin had offered to take the pup in. The old cat might not have mellowed as much as Clarissa had but he always had a soft spot for Deepak. On top of that, he explained that Deepak had lost something so vital to his inner balance, watching his family, especially his mother vanish like that… That the only way for him to find it again would be to rebuild it from the ground up. And he couldn’t do that in the very place it had been destroyed.

The family agreed, and Deepak moved in with him.

Little by little, he made improvements. And as he grew, he found the inner peace he had so longed for… Constantin had passed away not too long ago, but Deepak remained in his home. Helping others who needed to be rebuilt as well…

A fact that eased Dolly’s mind, greatly. Though it hurt that he’d had to leave his family to do it.

“I speak to him, of course.” Dylan said. “It’s just… He’s very adamant about not bringing up the past.”

“Can’t say I blame him.” Dolly said. She mentally prepped herself for the next question…

“Alright… I gotta ask.”

“I figured you would.” Dylan said.

“....Have you seen Dante?”

Dylan shook his head. “Nope…. I gave up expecting to see him again a long time ago.”

Dolly hung her head.

The very next day after it happened, Dante had disappeared. Not like the others, he had run away… Out of grief, out of regret. They didn’t know. Dylan said he’d finally lost his mind after the end of the world DID come… Others thought it was intense guilt for having survived… A fact Dolly didn’t want to think about.

Suddenly, sounds of yelling came from the basement.

“Better go see what that’s about.” Dylan said.

“Go ahead… Hey, mind if I look around?” Dolly asked.

“Sure… Just, uh...Please don’t start anything with Summer…” He said.

“I won’t start anything with your girlfriend.” Dolly teased. She walked out of the kitchen and looked upstairs... The same ones she used to slide down… Into the same hall she used to give Dylan grief about cleaning…

“...Maybe I should go talk to Deepak about getting ‘rebuilt’.” She thought. She walked upstairs, not much looked changed… But then she came to the door to the room her and her siblings used to share…

She hesitated… But she slowly pushed it open… The smell of dust is what hit her first…

The wave of painful nostalgia hit her second…

The room had been untouched… It was still the same as she remembered it… After it happened, everyone had started sleeping together in the living room. Made it easier to get to the pups that woke up crying… Though, watching their faces as they remembered that the mother they were crying for wasn’t there anymore never got any easier…

The spot the Dimitri’s would cuddle together in was still there. Deepak’s hanging bed, Dizzy and DeeDee’s spot… The messy spot Da Vinci liked to sleep… It was all still there…

Dolly felt a tear stream down her face. She finally closed her eyes and shut the door. She couldn’t bear to look at it anymore…

She looked up… And saw the door to her parents room…

As much as she didn’t want to… She slowly walked over to it… The pictures were still their, of her and Dylan, of Dorothy, and of course… OF them… The way she remembered them… The old, happy couple…

She was about to open it…

“I… I haven’t touched that, either.” Dylan said. She heard him come up the stairs.

“In fact… I don’t think I even come upstairs much…”

“Kinda makes it seem silly hindsight, doesn’t it?” Dolly said. “All the worrying, and the scheduling, and the making sure they could get to work on time, and all that and… Now I’m just thinking about what I’d give just to have spent more time with them… All of them…”

Dylan wrapped his leg around his sister. “We can’t think like that… We have to move on…”

“It’s not fair, Dylan… It wasn’t fair on the pups, or any of us…” Dolly said.

“It wasn’t fair for anyone…” Dylan said. “But it still happened.”

They had long ago learned of what had happened, though they didn’t understand much of it. Just something about a mad man and magic glove or something… But in the end, it made no difference… To the Dalmatians, it was just another case of a monster trying to break their family apart…

Only this time… This one may have succeeded…

“But hey…” Dylan said. “Better this, than being a coat…”

“Is it?” Dolly asked. “Which is better? To live knowing that someone tore your family apart at random, and you are not able to do anything about it? To know that in an event that apparently affected the whole universe, YOU survived? Or would it’ve been better for us all to die together?”

“Oh, Dolly. Don’t think like that.” Dylan said. “What happened was awful… Don’t think I don’t know that… But look at us… We’re moving past it…”

“Barely...” She said,

“Barely is good enough.” Dylan said, taking her paws into his.

She just shook her head. “Where did you get all that optimism?”

“Heh. Mum said it’s what great-great-great grandpa was like… I think it’s finally kicking in for me.”

Dolly just chuckled. “Well… I guess moving on isn't the worst thing you can do…”

“Yeah… By the way, you said you had something to tell me?’

“Oh… Right… Well, see… I’m not really sure HOW to tell you…”

“Well, go ahead…” He said.

“Well. It’s just… See…” She had dreaded this, but now that it was time, she was a little excited. “Dylan… I’m-” And then…

That’s when it happened…

They both froze in their spot… afraid to breath, afraid to move…

There it was… As clear as day… As clear as when they heard it five years ago…

A snap.

A droning sound that sounded far away, yet seemed to echo across the universe…
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“Dylan…”

“Maybe… M-Maybe it was just our imaginations…” He stammered. “Maybe it was n-nothing…”

“Dylan, I heard it!” Dolly said, panicking. “Dylan, what is gonna happen!?”

“I don’t know! I… I….” And then Dylan felt something… He felt… He felt the nervousness leave his body… he was still scared, but… He felt… Almost… Hopeful…

“Dolly… Do you… Do you feel that?” He said.

“Dylan… I… Yeah… I do…” She said. “I feel…”

“Dylan?! Dolly!?” They heard a voice called from downstairs.

A female voice….

The voice of…

“Dylan?” Dolly said, as tears welled up in her eyes…

They cautiously approached the stairs… And both gave each other one look, as if silently agreeing that they wouldn’t judge one another if they had just gotten their hopes up…

And they looked down…

And at the foot of the stairs…

Dolly collapsed to her haunches, holding her paws to mouth…

“Dylan? Dolly?” Delilah said. “Is that you?” There she was… Right where they had last seen her… Looking just as she did when she disappeared…

Dylan slowly walked down the stairs.

“Mum…” He asked warily. “Mum is that you?”

“Dylan…” She said. She felt a squirming in her arms, and looked down… And Dylan almost choked… To see Dorothy, still in Delilah’s arms… Just as she was five years ago…

Delilah looked up. “Dylan… It really IS you, isn’t it?”

“Y-yeah mum… It’s me…You’ve, uh… Been away for a little while.” Dylan said, his eyes watering. “Is it… Is it really you?”

“I…” The commotion in the living room grabbed both their attention… And Dylan finally fell to his haunches… .

There they were… Just as they had been.. Dazed, confused… But there they were…

Dolly hadn’t said anything. She was afraid she’d wake up any minute and this would just be a cruel dream… Until…

“Dolly?” She heard Da Vinci say. She had come out of the pups room.

“Dolly is that you?”

Dolly finally looked at Dylan, who looked back at Delilah.

“Mum…”

“I… Yes baby… It’s me…” Delilah said, as she began crying as it all came back to her.

Dylan wordlessly wrapped his paws around his mother and baby sister. Holding them tight.

“I’m so glad you’re home.” He said.

Dolly finally leapt down the stairs and joined him. Hugging her mother tightly.

“Oh my babies.” Delilah whispered. “My babies…” Soon, the other pups gathered around.

Dylan gave Dolly a look… And she knew what to say…

“Group hug!” She called, with happy tears, and then all the other pups joined in. Hugging each other tightly.
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When it did break up, then the real questions began…

“DYLAN!’ He heard Diesel say. “You’re big now?!”

“Heh… Yeah, bud. I guess I am.” Dylan said.

“I dig it!”

“Dolly, Dolly, you look so pretty!” Dizzy said, running up to her sister and jumping into her paws.

“Thanks.” Dolly said tearfully. “You're just as perfect as… As the day…”

“Oh, my darlings. Let me look at you.” Delilah said. “Oh, my boy, you are so handsome!” She put her paws on Dylan’s face.

“Heh… Thanks.” He said.

“And Dolly… Is that really my little girl?”

“Yep…” Dolly said.

“I… I don’t understand, I just… I-”

“Dylan!” Summer called. “Dylan, did you hear that!? I just looked outside, people are starting to just appear out of thin air! What is...Oh…” She stopped when she got to the top of the stairs.

“Dylan.” She said, “Are these... Are these… “

“Dylan… Dolly… ” Delilah said. “What is going on?”

“Uh… Mum..” Dylan said. “What is the last thing you remember?”

Delilah thought for a moment… “I remember… I remember hearing a noise… That awful snapping sound… I ran to get Dorothy, I felt this horrible feeling in my gut… I held on to her, sat right here and… And then… And then I…” It all started coming back to her.

“I remember everyone crying, and shouting… And then, Dorothy… She…” Delilah held her daughter tighter. “And then… I felt… I felt very strange… And then the next thing I know, I’m right here… Talking with you.”

Dylan and Dolly shared an apprehensive look.

“How long ago was that?” Delilah asked.

Dylan cleared his throat…

“Mum… That was five years ago.”

“F-Fi…. Five years?!” Delilah said. “No… No, that can’t be true, I… I remember it like it was yesterday!”

“To you it was.” Dylan said. “But it’s been five years…Trust us on that.”

Delilah shook her head. “I… I can’t… I Don’t understand this…”

“We don’t either.” Dylan said. “All we know is that… Is that five years ago. You, Dorothy, and 51 other pups just… Disappeared… And now… Now you’re back…”

Delilah still couldn’t believe this. “Five years… That’s… That’s…”

“A long time.” Dylan said.

“I can’t believe this…” Delilah said. “I really, can not-”

“Dylan?” Came a younger voice. “Dylan, what’s going on, why do I hear voices…” A pup came up the stairs from the basement.

“Is everything good up...Here…” She stopped and her jaw dropped…

“Dylan…” She said… “Am I dreaming?”

“Uh… No, DeeDee. You’re not…”

“Wait… THAT’S DEEDEE?” Delilah shouted, looking at her much taller daughter.

“Mum?’ She said. “Is it really…”

“DeeDee?!” Dizzy shouted. She jumped out of Dolly’s paws and ran to her.

“D-Dizzy?!” The older pups said.

“DeeDee! You’re so big!”

“You’re so small!”

“Mum! Why is my twin bigger than me!?” Dizzy shouted.

Delilah just shook her head. “No...NONONO… This can’t be happening…”

“Trust me. It is.” Dylan said.

“Five years… Five years…” Delilah kept repeating. “I just can’t… Wait.” She said, looking up.

“Where’s Doug?”

Dylan lowered his head. Dolly turned away, and even DeeDee’s head dropped…

“DeeDee…” Dizzy said. “Where’s daddy?”

Dylan took a deep breath

“Summer.” He said.

“Yeah, Dyl?”

“Will you go down stairs and keep an eye on the others… We need to take mum somewhere…”

“Yeah, sure…” Summer said.

“Dylan…” Delilah siad, her voice shaky. “Where are we going?”
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-Doug Dalmatian. Loving Husband to 1. Loving father to 99-
-Never forgotten, by those he never forgot-

Those were the words on the small stone in the cemetery… One the Delilah now stood over.

“It was peaceful.” Dylan said. “He went in his sleep… But his health had been… Had been declining ever sense…”

Delilah put her paw on the stone.

“Oh Doug... “ She wept. “My brave, brave Doug… I’m sorry… I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you… I’m sorry you had to do this alone…” She finally broke down, putting her head on the stone, and crying…

The others didn’t do much better… The pups were crying, hugging each other… Dolly held Dorothy, who didn’t seem to understand. DeeDee held Dizzy, who was crying her eyes out.

After a moment, Dolly handed Dorothy to Dylan, and approached her mother.

“It wasn’t your fault.” She said, “None of this was…”

“It wasn’t fair for him!” Delilah sobbed. “It wasn’t fair on you!”

“No… No it wasn’t.” Dolly agreed. “But it wasn’t fair on anybody… But listen… you’re back now… And it can’t change what’s happened… But you can help us make it a little better.”

“What could I do for all of you?” Delilah said. “You and Dylan are so much stronger than me. You endured all this for five years. You made sure my pups had a home, and some stability during this…”

“It was mostly Dylan.” Dolly promised. “But that shouldn’t surprise you.” She brought Delilah’s head from the stone to her lap.

“And there’s still 52 pups that still need a mother… And 47 that just got their mother back… You have to be strong for them…” She then gave a deep sigh as she looked back at Dylan and the others.

“And… I’m also gonna need some help… Because I don’t know how to do this part.” And she reached up, unzipped her jacket, and moved it away from her stomach.

And she pressed Delilah’s head against her…

And Delilah’s eyes perked up…

She heard something… It was very faint… But she heard one… Then two, then three, then, four, five, six…

Six, tiny heartbeats…

Coming from inside her daughter...

Delilah sat up.

“Dolly…” She gasped. “Dolly, you’re…”

Dolly nodded, as tears streamed down her face.

“You’re gonna be a grandma…” She said.

“Wait, WHAT?!” Dylan cried.

“That's what I came to tell you today.” Dolly said. “You’re gonna be an uncle.”

“I’m gonna be… WHAT?!”

“Dolly’s gonna be a mommy?” Dizzy said.

“Yeah, punk… I’m gonna be a mommy.” Dolly said.

“Dolly… I-I’m just so…” Delilah hugged Dolly.

“You can’t change the past.” Dolly told her. “But you can help us with the future.”

“C’mon guys.” Dylan said. “Let’s go home.”

Delilah turned and looked at the stone one last time. “Doug… I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you in those years… I’m sorry I let you do this alone… But I promise you… it won’t be in vain… I’ll make sure our children have the life you wanted for them. And I’ll make sure our…” She choked up… “I’ll make sure our grandchildren know just what a brave, loyal, loving dog you were. You fought so hard for them… Let me do the rest… And when I join you.. I’ll do so knowing we both gave our family the best life that we could give them... “ She turned, and left…

Vowing to make good on the promise…

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On another part of the world… In a field of rubble.

Warriors, gods, and heroes, stood against the one who had caused all this pain…

It may have been too late to stop it.

It may be too late to undo it…

But it will never be too late…

...To Avenge it.

Chapter Text

Perdita was casually chewing a mouthful of kibble, looking out into the yard of her family’s farm. The sun was starting its descent below the horizon, casting long shadows that reached all the way up to her seat on the family’s farmhouse porch…

She gave her husband an aside glance, and saw that he was looking at her with a very, content smile on his face.

“What?” She asked.

“Oh, nothing.” He said. ‘Just thinking.”

“About what?” She asked.

“About how absolutely perfect you are.” He said.

Perdita blushed. “Oh… Well, thank you.” She said, smiling. “What brought that up?”

“I’ve been thinking about it a lot recently.” Pongo said. “And I’m just perplexed at how a creature as perfect as you exists.”

“Oh, stop.” She said, “I’m not perfect.”

“You are to me.” Pongo said. “The moment I laid eyes on you, I knew that I would never meet another creature in the world as perfect as you.” He moved closer to her. “And in all the years we’ve been together, you are still the most perfect thing in the world.”

Perdita smiled and nuzzled him .”Well thank you, love.” She said, “But really, where are these thoughts coming from?” She raised her eyebrow. “You haven’t done something wrong, and are just trying to put me in a good mood before telling me, have you?”

“Pongo laughed. “Hehe. No. No, not this time… Really though, I wonder what I ever did to deserve someone like you. Everything about you is perfect. The way you look is perfect. The way your spots are spread on your coat, the way you wear your collar, the way your eyes are a perfect shade of hazel, and your smile is something that just makes me happy I’m alive.” He stopped and looked at her. “Even that eyebrow thing you're doing right now, it’s perfect.”

“Okay, now I AM worried.” Perdita chuckled. “Not to say I’m not grateful.”

“Oh, I’m grateful.” Pongo said. “You’re even the perfect shape.”

“Oh?” Perdita said. “And, what shape would that be?”

“Well, it’s just, you.” He said.

“Would you think I was perfect if I were any other shape?” She asked.

“Of course.” Pongo said. “It’d be the perfect shape because it’d be you.”

“I’ll remember that.” Perdy said, coyly.

“Good. Also remember that I’ve seen you pregnant with fifteen puppies, and STILL thought you were the perfect shape.” Pongo said.

Perdita blushed even harder.

“Even your voice is perfect.” Pongo said. “Even when you’re upset.”

“Oh, is it?” Perdita asked. “You know I’m going to have to bring that up next time I’m upset, right?”

“Yeah…” Pongo said. “But it’s alright… Cause even your temper is perfect.”

“Are you SURE you didn’t do anything wrong?” Perdita asked.

“Yes. I swear, all I’m doing is pointing out what I’ve always known. And that’s that you are perfect. In fact, that perfect temper is what makes you a perfect mother.”

“Oh, darling. Please.” Perdita laughed. “I am NOT a perfect mother.”

“Okay, ALMOST perfect.” Pongo said. “After all, who else could raise 99 kids to be as respectable as ours are?”

“Well, I had a LOT of help.” Perdita said. “Especially from an ALMOST perfect father.”

Pongo smiled. “Well… I know I have some rough spots… But you… I don’t think you have any rough spots.”

“Oh darling.” She said, “Be realistic. I have flaws just like any dog. I know I can sometimes be short tempered, I can be a bit pessimistic, and I know I can let my more worrisome side get the best of me.”

“Oh, I know you have flaws.” Pongo said. “But you’re still perfect even with them.”

“...Darling, that’s a bit of a contradiction, don’t you think?”

“Well, yes, but it doesn’t matter. They’re part of what makes you perfect.”

Perdita sighed. “It’s a good thing I know you’re trying to be romantic, or else I’d have to point out that that didn’t make any sense.”

Pongo chuckled. “Well, that’s what makes you so perfect. You’re so understanding.”

Perdita shook her head. “Darling, you are hopeless…”

“I know.” He said. “You know what else? You’re even the perfect size.”

Perdita raised her eyebrow again. “Perfect size? What’s that mean?”

“I mean length, height. It’s all perfect.”

“....Perfect for WHAT, exactly?” She said,

Pongo grinned. “Sit up and I’ll show you.”

Perdita sat up, still giving her husband an amused look.

“Okay, hold still.” He said. Then he got up, and placed his chin on her head, sitting down with her perfectly tucked underneath it.

“See? Perfect.” He said, nuzzling her.

“Well, it seems I got the better deal out of this.” She said, brush up to him closer.

“Now I know I’ve got the perfect spot to lean on.”

“And you’re the perfect size to rest on.” Pongo said.

Perdita chuckled. “Well, I might not be perfect. But I definitely feel perfect when I’m with you.”

Pongo smiled, his tail wagging.

Chapter Text

The pups were all gathered in the living room while Dylan set up a large chartboard.

“Bro, don’t you think it’s a little early for this?” Dolly asked.

“It’s never too early to be prepared.” Dylan said.

“Halloween isn’t for another five weeks.” Dolly pointed out. “Why worry about it now?”

“Because everyone knows that Halloween technically starts the 1st of October. And more importantly, the issues that come up start then.”

“Alright, everyone’s in.” Dawkins said.

“Alright!” Dylan said, clapping his paws together. “Okay, everyone listen up.” He stood next to the chart. “Who can tell me what holiday is coming up?”

“The Chinese moon festival!?” Deepak said.

“Uh, yes. But not the one I’m looking for.” Dylan said. “I meant…” He flipped one of the pages on the chartboard.

“Halloween!” He said.

The pups all looked confused.

“But Halloween isn’t for another month.” DJ said.

“Yeah, It just turned Fall.” Da Vinci said. “I’m just now mixing my Fall colors.”

“I know, I know, but like all Holidays, Halloween always starts a little early. So, we’re going to go over…” He flipped another page.

“The Halloween safety rules!”

The pups all groaned.

“Aw c’mon!” Delgado said. “We go through this EVERY year.”

“Yes, but that’s cause it’s important.” Dylan said.

“But then you do it every week until Halloween.” Delgado added.

“Because it’s important.” Dylan said. “Besides, I’ve made some revisions. But first, who can tell me what the most important rule of Halloween is for us dogs?”

“No chocolate.” THe pups said in unison.

“Exactly. Don’t want a repeat of a few years ago.” He glared at the Dimitri’s.

“Can’t help it if I can’t tell the difference between Skittles and M&M’s.” Dimitri 1 said.

“You can when there’s different colored packaging!” Dylan said. “Okay, second rule?”

“No costumes that are hard to get out of.” They all said.

“Right. Don’t want a repeat of last year’s lamppost accident.” Dylan said. “Third rule?”

“Don’t go around alone.” They said,

“Right, and this is the one I want to revise. I think we should up the buddy system for two, to three. WIth the exception of Triple D and the Dimitri’s, who went in groups of three anyway.”

“Why?” Dolly asked, unnaturally invested.

“Well, I think with ‘recent events’ in mind, it’d be best to have an extra pair of eyes on everyone.” Dylan said. This was met with uncharacteristic agreement from the pups.

“Okay, fourth rule?” He asked.

“No staying out past 10:00.” The pups said.

“Mum mentioned having us revise that, maybe making it 8:00, but we haven’t agreed on it yet.”

“Aww!” Dimitri 1 groaned.

“But late night is when you get the best candy!” Dimitri 2 added.

“I know, I know.” Dylan said. “But again… ‘Recent events’... Okay, we’re also adding a 5th rule, here.” He flipped the page.

“I really wish I DIDN’T have to add this but, Diesel. No digging hole in the park to trip up kids and steal their candy!”

Diesel just gave a grin.

“Okay… And I think that covers it…” Dylan said. “Again, em and mum are still working on the whole thing, but I’d say it covers the basics.”

The pups got up to leave.

“We’ll probably do this again next week, so keep that in mind.” He called. Only a few pups groaned.

“Yeesh… Halloween is getting a little too scary.” Dolly said.

“That’s why I do this… Besides… Those poor pups have been through too much scary stuff in real life to have to worry when it’s supposed to be fun…”

“Yeah… Kinda makes ya wish Zombies and Werewolves were the ONLY monsters they had to worry about…”

Chapter Text

“Alright, guys!” Dylan called. “It’s time for bed!”

It took a little wrangling, but soon, he and Dolly got all the pups in bed, and settled down…

Well, ALMOST all of them…

“Hey, where’s Deepak?” Dylan asked.

Dolly looked around.

“Huh… Dunno. Usually, he’s the first one up when you call…”

He walked downstairs, looking in all the usual places his brother would be. On the couch, in the basement, sitting on the back of a chair. But, he wasn’t…

Dylan even checked in the pup’s treehouse, but he wasn’t there, either…

As he started to climb down, he casually looked up… And spied his little brother sitting on the roof! Looking up at the sky…

Not wanting to shout at this hour of the night, he instead ran back inside, and up onto the roof through the door in the attic.

When he finally got up there, Deepak was still looking at the sky…

“Hey, Deepak. Time for bed.” He said.

Deepak said nothing, he was still looking up.

“Uh… Deepak, did you hear me?” Dylan said. “It’s bedtime.”

“Wha-Oh…” Deepak said, shaking his head. “So sorry, brother.”

“What are you doing up here, anyway?” Dylan asked.

“I was... I was trying to get a better look.” Deepak said. “ANd maybe… Maybe hear a little clearer…”

“A better look? At what?... And, what were you trying to hear?” Dylan asked.

Deepak looked back up at the sky.

“Do you see that, brother?” He asked.

Dylan looked up, and saw nothing unusual… Just the night sky.

“Uh, yeah… Just the sky.” He said.

“Yes.... The sky… And the stars, aren’t there more out there than there were last night?” Deepak asked.

“Uh, I guess… Why, what’s up?”

“Do you hear them?” Deepak asked.

“Hear them? Hear what?”

“The new sounds they make…” Deepak said. Then he scoffed. “I know I must sound crazy, and I don’t know how to explain it, but… I feel… I feel our universe just got a lot bigger, Dylan.”

“Well, the universe IS constantly expanding, and it-”

“No… I mean… Not gradually… I feel that, suddenly, our universe just became part of a much bigger one… And each of those new stars is a new world, a new galaxy… With people and creatures… And we’re all… We’re all connected, now…”

Dylan raised an eyebrow. “Uh… You SURE you’re okay?”

“Yes… It’s just… I feel it. Inside me, I feel a kind of connection… A much bigger connection to the universe than I’ve ever felt before, and I think… I think there are so many others out there that feel the same thing…”

“And… What connection is that?” Dylan asked.

“That… Despite there being so many worlds… We all share the same sky… One sky… One destiny... “

Chapter Text

Dolly’s concentration on the screen in front of her was comparable to the focus a surgeon gives to double bypass brain surgery. He paws gripped her controller with an intensity that made one wonder if the plastics were specced for this kind of stress…

As impressive as it was that she was even using said controller without thumbs, even playing the way she was would’ve been impressive with them. Each move she made was calculated, down to the last pixel’s frame. Every detail about the course around she was simultaneously aware of. Even the way her character's hair moved when she turned.

She had done this particular course several times. Each time, a failure. Yet she kept going. Trying and again, and again, until she knew every inch of this course like the back of her paws… Which had been gripping this controller for so long, the veins popping out could be used to trace a racetrack themselves.

Sweat dripped from her brow, yet she had long grown numb to it. The only thing that even existed to her at that moment was this course… 3 laps. The final race in the cup. Fail here, it’s back to the beginning. And she had heard that restarting jingle so many times, it was burned into her head…

It was the final lap. She was halfway through the course. Not a single slip up so far. She made a right turn, drifting into it for the mini boost, releasing and grabbing the item. She dropped it behind her, as she knew there was a second group of blocks coming up soon. She drifted into next turn, just barely dodging the rocks that fell. She knew there was a shortcut up ahead, but it was too risky. Another thing she learned through trial and error. She drifted a hard left, grabbed the item, and hit the ramp… Sailing over the gap.

And there it was…

The finish line…

Like a light basking from heaven, the saw the checkered sign, sitting there, waiting for her to cross it.

A tear fell from her eye. Was this it? Was it finally over?

She let out a breath she didn’t even know she was holding… It was all finally over…

…And then…
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...THAT sound…

That awful, AWFUL sound. That beeping sound that she could only imagine is what will play when Satan himself rises out of hell to bring about the end of the world. That sound only meant one thing…

...A red shell found it’s target…

Before she could even react, the spinning shell smashed into her kart in a way she imagined assassinations being carried out... And her poor character… Her poor, poor, light-blue Yoshi let out the pained cry, as he spun out of control… And fell into the chasm below… His cry echoing eerily as he did…

Dolly stared at the screen with dead eyes…

When her character was brought back up… She saw… In the corner of the screen… Instead of the golden, “1ST” which so proudly used to adorn it… It was the paltry, unglamourous, borderline-mocking, “2ND”... And the checkered flag by the name of the character that took 1ST from her… Like a heartless thief…

Dolly looked at the screen… Let go of the controller with one paw…

And chucked it at the floor so hard that it shattered into pieces!

“DOG, FREAKING, DAMMIT!!!” She shouted. “ALWAYS WITH THE FRACKIN’ RED SHELLS!!! AND ALWAYS AT THE FREAKIN’ END!!!”

She ran up to the screen, looking the CPU controlled winning character in the eye.

“YOU LIKE THAT. YOU STUPID, PINK WEARING POWDERPUFF?! YOU LIKE WATCHING ME SUFFER!!! ARGH!!! SCREW THIS GAME! SCREW THAT HUMANS THAT DESIGNED IT! AND SCREW YOU, PRINCESS PEACH!!!!!!”

She kept shouting and cursing for a while now… From outside the house, two of her brothers could see her through the window…

“So… How long has she been at this?” Dawkins asked.

“About an hour.” Dylan responded, not even looking up.

Dawkins shook his head. “*sigh* So much rage… Do you think we should tell her that she was only playing on 50cc?”

Dylan gestured to his sister, who was now eating a cushion in rage.

“Be my guest, pal.” He said.

Dawkins shook his head. “Who knew Mario Kart would do this to someone…”

Chapter Text

Dylan, Dolly, Dizzy, and DeeDee looked at the crowds of humans swarming Camden’s shopping district.

“Woah…” Dolly said. “Gotta love this time of year.”

“Why are all these people running around?” Dizzy asked.

“Is it a holiday?” DeeDee asked.

“Heh, kinda.” Dylan said. “It’s Black Friday. A day where all the stores and stuff have stuff for super cheap.”

“And every year, humans go out and almost get trampled to get a good deal on toilet seats or something…” Dolly said. “It’s sheer insanity.”

“Why do they do that?” DeeDee asked.

“Because Humans just like to shop.” Dylan said. “Especially when there’s a sale.”

“Why?” Dizzy asked.

“Because humans like spending money.” Dylan said. “Especially this time of year.”

“Yeah, Black Friday is the unofficial start of Christmas.” Dolly said. “After all. What better way to welcome in the season than with a massive market melee!”

“That sounds a bit silly…” DeeDee said.

“It sounds like something Deepak would call ‘sensationalist and materialistic’.” Dizzy pointed out, trying to mimic Deepak’s accent.

“It is, but there’s also some reason behind it.” Dylan said. “It’s a good time to get a head start on Christmas shopping, a good chance to get out and enjoy the last of November before the REAL craziness happens, and there’s even one or two who are actually shopping for stuff they really need…”

“...But it’s mostly people trying to get good deals on stuff they want.” Dolly added.

“Yeah…” Dylan sighed. “Mostly…”

“...Will it last a long time?” DeeDee asked, looking at the crowds only growing larger…

“Nah. Only for the weekend.” Dylan said. He put his paws around them. “But don’t worry. It’s only a human thing. Us dogs don’t have to worry about getting swept up in all that…”

Dolly looked at him suspiciously.

“Not even when you can get a PS5 for the first time in a year?”

“Shh!” Dylan hissed. “That’s what cyber-monday is for!”

Chapter Text

Dolly took a big inhale of the morning London air…

“Ahh…. Can you feel it, Dyl?” She asked her brother.

“Yes, I can feel it…” Dylan said. “You only bring up every day until Christmas.”

“It smells like… Magic.”

“Uh huh. And what exactly does ‘magic’ smell like?”

Dolly thought for a moment. “It smells like… Gingerbread, mixed with peppermint, mixed with hot cocoa.”

“Oh, nice…” Dylan said. “Only two of those things are fatal to dogs. And the other just runs the risk of giving us massive indigestion.”

Dolly frowned. “Okay, Scrooge. What’s got your collar in a twist?”

“Eh… I just never find human’s traditions that ‘magical’.”

“What don’t you find magical?” Came a new voice as Roxy and Snowball walked up to them.

“I heard something about a ‘Grinch’.” Snowball said. “You better be talking about Jim Carrey one!”

“Nah, Dylan here is just being a little bit of a bummer.” Dolly explained, gently punching her brother in the shoulder.

“I’m not being a bummer!” Dylan said, defensively. “I’m just saying that I don’t find human-only traditions that Christmas-y.”

“Ugh. This is the one time of year I’d say be glad you don’t have a human.” Roxy said. “Mine insist on always putting big, scratchy sweaters on me. And making me sit still for all these pictures and then they don’t even let me eat any of the food they make, even though it all smells SOOOOO GOOD!” Roxy huffed. “It’s so unfair.”

“Eh, at least yours doesn’t make you pose as a snowman’s head when we have winter sale.” Snowball said.

“Hey, can’t be as bad as what Hugo does to Clarissa.” Dolly said.

“Oh yeah.” Dylan added, laughing as he remembered. “He dresses her up in all these silly looking outfits, so he can send pictures to his friends, and she HATES it! I mean, she barks and curses and says stuff we have to take the pups inside for, but my gosh is it hilarious!”

The four dogs laughed together for a moment…

“Ah… But why do humans enjoy using dogs as holiday props?” Dylan asked. “Do they ever consider if we enjoy it? Heck, do they ever consider if we even CELEBRATE Christmas, surely there’s been a case of a dog having a different denominational belief than its owner!”

“Yeah, but when you get taken in by human, there’s just some thing’s you gotta accept.” Roxy said. “Besides, it’s not ALL bad. I do like having our house decorated for a while, and even though I can’t eat what they make, they always do make sure to make me something special.”

“Da.” Snowball said. “I admit that when the day is over and it’s just us at home, curling up on his lap while he falls asleep does feel nice…”

“Yeah, and I do see Clarissa and Hugo doing the same on these cold nights…” Dolly admitted. “Kind of the one thing I’ve never questioned about her, she does love her human…”

“Yeah…” Dylan said. “But still. I personally am looking forward to the traditions us dogs have created over the years. And being surprised at all the ones we have that we share with humans.”

“Like what?” Roxy asked.

“Like bringing a literal tree into your home and telling puppies they can’t pee on it…”

“...Yeah, I never got that one.” Snowball said.

Chapter Text

Dizzy and DeeDee carefully peeked around the corner of their room to spy on Dawkins. Who, as always, was fiddling with some sort of machine…

“Okay, you ask him.” Dizzy said.

“Me? I thought YOU were gonna ask him.” DeeDee said.

“But. I don’t know how to ask him.” Dizzy said. “I don’t know how he feels about this. You know he’s all machine-y and science-y.”

“I thought that’s the whole REASON we were gonna ask him?” DeeDee asked.

“Okay, fine. Let’s both ask him.” Dizzy said.

They both carefully approached Dawkins, who didn’t even look up when they sat down in front of him.

Dizzy and DeeDee traded looks. Then, with that strange, non-verbal communication that twins have, agreed on how to ask him…

“Dawkins?” Dizzy began.

“Yes?” Dawkins answered, not looking up.

“We have a question.” DeeDee continued.

“About what?”

“Well…” Dizzy said, hesitantly. “We think you may find it a little…”

“Silly.” DeeDee finished.

“Dear sisters, there is no such thing as a silly question.” Dawkins said.

The two looked at one another hesitantly…

“Do you think Santa is real?” They both asked.

Dawkins stopped… He looked up at them with a skeptical brow raised.

“....Do I think that Santa is real?” He repeated.

“Yeah…” Dizzy said, warily.

“Do I think that a magical being capable of not only ascertaining the moral standing of every child on the planet but also traversing said planet in single night to deliver gifts to said children, doing all of this on a mode of transportation that is considered archaic at best, yet somehow achieves feats outclassing out most modern spacecrafts, and pulled by eight reindeer who are seemingly capable of flight, despite none of their breed or adjacent relatives ever possessing such abilities, all while doing this without being seen, and with the help of elves, running what would have to be a massive operation out of one the most inhospitable locations on the entire planet...Is real?” Dawkins asked.

“...Uh...Yes?” DeeDee said.

“....Of course I do. What kind of question is that?” Dawkins said, looking back down at his work.

“Wait, really?!” DeeDee asked.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I?” Dawkins asked.

“But, but… You seem so… Science-y.” Dizzy pointed out.

“My dear, dear sister. What would that have to do with Santa?”

“But… Everything you mentioned… You think he actually can do that?”

“Of course.” Dawkins said in a reassuring tone. “It’s really quite simple. First off, Santa knows which kids have been ‘naughty or nice’ because he can achieve a state of nirvana so strong, he can sense the emotions of everyone in the world.”

“You mean… He does that stuff like Deepak?” Dizzy asked.

“Exactly. Only, since he’s centuries old, he can do it on a much stronger scale.”

“Oh… So, how does he get around the world in one night?” DeeDee asked.

“And how does he carry all those presents?” Dizzy wondered.

“Oh, that’s even easier.” Dawkins said. “His sleigh generates a temporal, distortion field as he flies. Meaning that time stops for him whenever he’s flying. Allowing him to travel the globe in what seems like minutes…As for the presents, it’s simple. His bag is a miniature pocket dimension, allowing him to store an infinite amount of gifts inside it.”

“What stops him from mixing them up?” Dizzy wondered.

“Really, dear sister. I thought you were a bit smarter than that. Each gift is tuned to the same aura as the house he visits. Each one gives off a different vibe, and each gift for the house resonantes with it. So, each time he opens his bag. The gifts for that house always appear on top.”

“Oohhhh…” The two said.

“That makes sense.” Dizzy said.

“But what about the reindeer? Why does he need them?” DeeDee asked.

“Oh, that’s just a matter of personal preference. He still needs something to pull the sleigh, reindeer are just his favorite.”

“Oh… So… What about kids that believe in Santa… But not parents? How do they explain where the gifts come from?”

“Well, Santa isn’t one to just go about forcing people to believe in him. Especially if it would cause someone severe distress. So, when he comes to the houses where people don’t believe in him, he leaves a special enchantment in the air, that when people see the gifts. they‘re given fake memories of them actually buying them. It helps him cover his tracks, and prevents people from looking into him too closely. He still has to keep some things secret.”

The two looked at each other…

“What about the elves?”

“Native creatures under the North Pole with natural toy-making abilities.”

“...How do they make toys that are perfect matches to the ones you can buy any time of year?”

“Santa secretly has stock in all major toy manufacturers. He even helps design some of them.”

“Oh... “

The two looked at each other…

“How do YOU know all this?” Dizzy asked.

Dawkins flashed his sister a smile.

“It’s all, purely, speculation…”

The two gave him suspicious looks… but left…

“Thanks, Dawkins.” Dizzy said.

“You’re very welcome.” Dawkins said.

After they left, Dolly poked her head in.

“Ah, hello sister. What can I help you with?” Dawkins said.

“I was kinda listening in.” Dolly said.

“Eavesdropping, sister?” Dawkins said, shaking his head. “That’s a quick was to get on the naughty list.”

“Yeah, whatever.” Dolly said with a smirk. “But you really just scientifically explain Santa Claus to those two?

“Science-fictionally explained him, but yes.” Dawkins said.

“...Dawkins, I thought you were a dog of logic?”

“I am.” Dawkins said. Then got back to his work.

“But where does that say I have to be a Scrooge?”

Chapter Text

When you work for a big company, you learn not to ask questions. Not everyone has the same level of job, nor same stake in said company.

When you work for a company whose founder is a barely stable woman who probably should be dead, you learn to ask even less questions.

When you work for a company whose owner got arrested for fur smuggling, and her grand-nephew takes over. Spearheading a massive overhaul in how said company runs, you don’t really ask questions at all.

And when said grand-nephew of said arrested ex-founder comes in with 101 dogs in tow, and takes them up to his penthouse, asking to not be disturbed for the day, are there even any questions left, at that point?

But more importantly, when you’re punching six figures each year, you don’t even WANT to ask questions.
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Which was good if you were Hunter De Vil, and had invited an entire family of Dalmatians to help decorate your penthouse for Christmas. Meant less answering questions you weren’t ready to answer.

“Okay, so, do you want the greenery hanging parallel to the ceiling along the wall, or drooping?’ Da Vinci asked.

“Whatever you think looks better.” Hunter said. “You’re the artist.”

“Woah, Hunter, you got a nice view from up here.” Dolly said, looking out the window. “It’s almost like flying.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty great.” Hunter said. “Best view this side of The Leadenhall.”

“It was very kind of you to invite us all up here.” Delilah said. “And to let the pups decorate it.”

“In fact, it’s a little strange to see them working together so… Un-chaotically.” Doug said.

Hunter chuckled. “Well, even if they were being chaotic, it’d be a nicer way to spend Christmas than I used to.”

“How did you spend Christmas, Hunter?” DeeDee asked, hopping on the couch next him.

“Before you met us, that is.” Dizzy added.

“Well, I guess I should’ve worded that differently.” Hunter said, awkwardly rubbing his head. “See… I actually never really celebrated Christmas before…”

All 99 of the pups stopped decorating with a collective gasp.

“Time out.” Dylan said. “Was it because of religious/denominational differences?”

“Uh, no.” Hunter said.

“Okay. In that case.” Dylan said, before rejoining his siblings in gasping.

“How have you never celebrated Christmas before?” DeeDee asked.

“I wasn’t allowed to.” Hunter said.

“Oh, let me guess who was responsible for that…” Delilah said.

“Are you surprised?” Hunter said. “I was told my whole life that Christmas was just something invented by marketing execs to sell more merchandise.”

“That’s not true!” Dizzy said.

“No, but I believed it.” He said.

“Geez, I knew she was evil, but I didn’t know she was THAT evil.” Dolly said.

“....Isn’t hating Christmas a bit of a step down from killing dogs for their fur?” Dylan whispered.

“Hey, you can still give fur as a Christmas gift.” Dolly whispered back. “A very, VERY messed up gift, but a gift nonetheless.”

“I don’t even think she let her employee’s take Christmas off.” Hunter said. “...In fact, I think ‘renouncing Christmas’ was a requirement in the hiring process.”

“Yeesh.” Doug said. “I’d call her a Scrooge, but she makes Scrooge sound like a saint!”

“Yeah… And oh, she was extra unpleasant the whole month of December.” Hunter said. “What with all this, cheer, and brightness, and good-will-toward-men going on. It was like watching a Vampire try and walk through a church.”

“Well.” Delilah said. “That was then. This is now, and if we have anything to say about it, you’ll never have an un-merry Christmas ever again.”

The other pups barked in agreement.

“Thanks.” Hunter said. “I know one of the first things I did during the restructuring was give all employee’s Christmas leave, and that went over great. I think the next step I’m gonna take is actually put up a tree in the lobby.”

“Well, that’ll be nice.” Delilah said.

“See, you’re already using this company better than she was.” Doug said. “You’re using it to give back to others.”

“I’m trying.” Hunter said. “Of course, I’m just trying to be like a certain family that was good enough to give me a second chance.”

“Aw, Hunter… Why you gotta go and be all cheesy like that?” Dolly said.

“Dolly.” Delilah said. “Be nice.”

The rest of the night, the pups made sure not an inch of Hunters penthouse went undecorated. And when it was done, Hunter sat on his couch, surrounded in puppies cuddling him. Their parents resting on either side of him, while an old, black and white movie flickered on the tv. And single thought ran through his head.

“...This is pretty great…”

Chapter Text

It happened every year…

In fact, you could bet on it…

It was almost a tradition, at this point…

Dylan and Dolly arguing over Christmas specials.
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“Look, the Grinch never said he hated Christmas, specifically.” Dolly pointed out. “Okay, he hated people, who drove him crazy by taking Christmas way too seriously.”

“Okay, I get that.” Dylan argued. “But this guy, who we are led to believe is not a pleasant fellow to begin with, chose to live near a town full of people who loved Christmas, and got mad when they celebrated it. That’s intentionally putting yourself into a situation that is not mentally healthy.”

“Well the Who’s knew he hated Christmas, they could’ve been more considerate.” Dolly said.

“More consider-Dolly.” Dylan said. “Dear, dear sister of mine. He was mad at them, for celebrating a holiday, that comes once a year. He says himself, ‘for 53 years I’ve put up with it now.’ I feel at some point, in those 53 years, he could have realized that maybe he was being a little immature about it.”

“They going at it, again?” Dawkins asked.

“Yup.” Dante said, watching them. “They do every year.

“Whatever.” Dolly said. “I don’t know why I’m arguing with someone who thinks that Rudolph isn’t a story about how deviation from the norm will be punished unless it’s exploitable.”

“It’s NOT!” Dylan said. “It’s about someone being born with a gift, who’s purpose might not be apparent right away, finding out that it’s what makes them special in the first place.”

“Right, and isn’t it convenient that the ‘purpose’ just happens to benefit the people that were making fun of him.”

“This is great.” Dante chuckled. “You guys should do Frosty, next.”

Dolly was about to say something else, when she turned to Dante.

“What? No, what the heck, Dante?” She said. “There’s nothing wrong with Frosty.”

“It’s a classic.” Dylan said. “Showcasing that the time spent with loved ones, no matter how short, is far more important than the circumstances of how we met them.”

“Yeah.” Dolly agreed. “It’s not dumb… Unlike Charlie Brown Christmas.”

“Wha-How is that one dumb?!” Dylan demanded.

“There’s no point to it!” Dolly said. “It’s just, ‘oh, I feel little bummed out about Christmas’ and then it proceeds to show just why he is justified for being bummed out!”

“That’s because he lost Christmas’s true meaning!” Dylan argued. “He got lost in all the commercialization of Christmas, that it got hard to see the truth behind the real thing.”

“But did he learn that at the end?” Dolly asked. “No. It suddenly became a story about a wimpy Christmas tree.”

DJ walked in.

“They going at this again?” He asked.

“Yup.” His brothers said.

“Geez.” DJ said. “Every year.”

“You’d think they’d get bored after 5 years straight, but alas.” Dawkins said.

“I don’t see why, Christmas specials aren’t meant to be ‘high art’ or anything.” Dante said. “They’re supposed to be feel-good stories that make you think of Christmas.”

“Exactly.” DJ said. “...By the way, what IS your favorite Christmas story, Dante?”

“Uh, duh.” Dante said. “Christmas Carol.”

“Ha. Should’ve guessed.” DJ said.

“Cynicism. Ghosts. Fearing that you’ll lose your mortal soul. It’s perfect.” Dante said.

“Nice… I’ve always liked ‘Little Drummer Boy’ I’ll let you guess why.” DJ said.

“I couldn’t really say which one I ‘liked’ per say.” Dawkins said. “But I do find myself humming ‘the miser brothers’ more often than not.”
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“”Well you know what.” Dolly said. “I guess we just can’t agree on much.”

“I guess we can’t.” Dylan said.

“You still like you silly, nonsensical Christmas junk-”

“And you’re still too much of a cynic to enjoy anything.” Dylan finished.

They both began growling in each other’s faces.

“Do you think there’s a Christmas movie everyone agrees on?” DJ asked.

The other two thought for a moment… Then, all at the same time…

“Die Hard.” They all said.

“Oh, yeah, you can’t beat Die Hard.” Dylan said.

“Perfect, Christmas movie.” Dolly said.

Chapter Text

Delilah could barely keep her eyes open as her and Doug walked home…

“Ugh… I always forget how much of a hassle the holidays can be.” She said.

“Yep… Take the hecticness of life normally, and multiply it times about 5…” Doug agreed. He winced and rubbed his eye.

“Hey, don’t fall asleep on me now.” Delilah chuckled. “I’m too tired to drag you home.”

“Heh. Nah, still had some ash in my eye.” Doug said. “I think that makes the fifth Christmas tree fire we’ve put out so far… And add another 6 fireplace mishaps, 18 cooking mishaps, and at LEAST 50 mishaps with Christmas lights…” He shook his head. “I hope the big man wears fire-proof pants and gives everyone a book on basic fire safety this year…”

“Well I’m proud of you darling. I know I was about to just give up today… We had one patient come in with, and I kid you not, ‘a Christmas tree topper lodged in his ear’.... Some people…”

“I don’t wanna know, do I?”

“No.”

“Well, give up for ‘the most wonderful time of the year’.” Doug said.

They got to their house, the colorful, messy brownstone sandwiched in between the other buildings. Against the snowy streets, those lights looked like a beacon… A beacon that was only dampened by one thing.

“Oh, I hope the house isn’t a mess.” Delilah said. “This time of year always gets the pups excited.”

“Hey, give ‘em some credit.” Doug said. “At least most of them have been remembering to get to a lamppost before they got TOO excited…”

They let the door scan their paws, and went inside.

“Honeys!” Doug called. “We’re…Home?”

Inside was NOT the mess they feared it might be. In fact, it was perfectly clean. The floor was mopped, the walls were paw-print free, even the stairs were free of toys and other mess…

And instead of deafening barking, it was Christmas music that met their ears.

“Chestnuts roasting, on an open fire/ Jack Frost nipping at your nose…”

“Welp… Only one explanation for this.” Doug surmised. “We’re dead. There was a freak lightning strike, or meteor, or a car crash, and we are no longer among the living.”

“Oh stop it.” Delilah said. She set her bag down and walked into the living room. It was also celan, the carpet vacuumed, and the tree still as beautiful as it ever was.

She sat down, listening to the song…

“Everybody knows, a turkey and some mistletoe/ Helps to make the season bright/ Tiny tots, with their eyes all aglow/ Will find it hard, to sleep, tonight…"

“Oh, I love this song.” Delilah sighed. “Call me cheesy, but…

“Nah.” Doug said, sitting next to her. “I like it too…”

It was then when Dylan and Dolly poked their heads out from the dining room “Hey mum, hey dad.”

“Hello, sweets.” Delilah said. “Did you do all this?”

“Nah, it was all of us.” Dylan said. “The pups are getting a little better at listening, and a little better at cleaning, and helping out, so… When we got done cleaning today, it just sort of stayed clean… And then we all decided, hey, want to make everything look extra special for you guys.”

“Figured you had a lot of ‘un-merriment’ this month already.” Dolly asked. “You needed something old-fashioned when you got home.”

“Oh, you all.” Delilah said with a smile.

They joined everyone else in the dining room, where Dante was pounding them both fresh bowls of kibble.

“We wanted to make sure it didn’t get too dry.” He said.

“You all are just…” Doug wiped a tear from his eye. “Just the best.”

“Yes…” Delilah agreed. “Though, we always knew that.”

The two sat down, and were immediately swarmed by puppies, snuggling up to them.

“So, who chose the music? I don’t think I’ve told anyone I like that song.” Delilah asked.

“DJ. We asked him for something old fashioned.” Dolly asked.

“And how can you get more old fashioned then the song that is LITERALLY called, ‘The Christmas song’?” DJ asked.

“Well, it’s perfect.” Delilah said. She glanced up, and found that decorative greenery was neatly hanging along the walls.

“Did you all decorate in here, too?” She said.

“Yeah, it was mostly Da Vinci.” Dylan said. Da Vincie grinned.

“Deepak helped me.” She said. “He helped space it all out, and stuff.”

“Yes, it’s all designed and spaced in a way to stimulate the senses.” Deepak said. “Not overwhelm them.”

“Well, I think it’s lovely.” Delilah said. “Oh, you all… You really are too much.”

“Not to say we don’t appreciate it, immensely.” Doug said.
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The family continued to talk and laugh as snow fell outside, the warm lights of their home shining against the snow covered Camden streets. With that song, still softly playing in the background…

“And so, I’m offering this simple phrase/ To kids from one to ninety-two/ Although it’s been said many times, many ways, Merry Christmas…To you…”

Chapter Text

Dante sat on the park bench, watching his siblings play in the snow. All around were people walking, enjoying the snow. Kids playing. Other animals enjoying the day with their pets…

Dante was doing none of this… Instead, he was pondering a question that had been burning in his head all month…

“How does someone like me enjoy Christmas?” He thought.

See, Dante was not a pup one would describe as ‘merry’. He was, by his own admission, gloomy, somewhat of a downer, and a bit moody. This air of cheeriness seemed almost lost on him…

Here was the problem, though…

Dante actually LIKED Christmas.

At least, he wanted to.

He liked seeing his siblings excited, he liked seeing snow, and the whole city getting decorated, and he actually liked the idea that, for one month, most of the world seemed to have an unspoken agreement to at least try and be happy for once.

But he was a glass-half-empty kind of pup. Why would he care about all this peace on earth stuff when he was always talking about the end of the world?

He didn’t know, and the more he thought about it, the more it just confused him.

“Maybe I’m just crazy?” He wondered.

“And how would you be crazy, brother?” He heard a familiar voice say. He looked down, and saw one of his smallest, yet probably wisest, brothers.

“Ah, it’s nothing, Deepak.” Dante said.

“Are you sure?” Deepak said. “Your aura seems a bit… Muddled.”

“Heh… ‘Muddled,’ that’s a good word for it.” Dante said. “Ah, what’s the use? I know I can’t hide stuff from you…”

“Brother, if you don’t want to share, you don’t have to.” Deepak assured him. “I only ask because you seem troubled.”

“I guess I am…” Dante said, looking away. “I feel… Well, like you said, muddled.”

Deepak hopped up next to him. “How so?”

“Well… You know how I’m not the cheeriest dog around?” Dante asked.

“Well, Guru Miaow does not encourage the labeling of others.” Deepak said. “...With that said, I would feel a bit dishonest to say you had a ‘sunny’ disposition.”

“Yeah, so you’d think that someone like me wouldn’t like all of this, right?” He asked, whilst motioning to the winter scene around them.

“Yet, I really kind of…Like it.” He continued. “I like the decorations, and seeing people happy, and the smell of food that would kill us if we ate it…”

“Well, what’s wrong with that, minus the last part?” Deepak asked.

“Well… Why? Why is someone like me, who daily talks about the inevitable end of the world, actually fine with all of this?” Dante said. “Shouldn’t I hate it? Or at the very least, feel indifferent to it? But no, I hum Christmas songs, I help the little guys make snowmen, I watch Nightmare Before Christmas almost every other day, I read A Christmas Carol to the guys before bed, and I am totally on team Cold Miser! …Why!?”

Deepak thought for a moment. “Hmm… So you feel conflicted… Like you’re supposed to hate Christmas?”

“Yeah…” Dante said. “Most of the year, I have the kind of personality that people who get taught the true meaning of Christmas have in the stories. But come December, and I’m like dadgum Rudolph…”

“Huh…. I admit, this is something I’m not familiar with.” Deepak said. “Did you ever think that you don’t have to hate Christmas, no matter what you think the future of the world may be?”

“I mean… Yeah, but it seems like a huge contradiction.” Dante said. “Why would I care about peace on earth, when I think I’d be disappointed to not witness the Earth literally falling to pieces?”

“So, you feel that liking Christmas makes you a hypocrite?”

“I…. I don’t know, actually… Geez, I never considered that…”

“Well, brother, liking something that makes you happy doesn’t make you a hypocrite. Especially since you aren’t one to chastise others for liking it.”

“Yeah, but… Why do I like to begin with?” Dante said.

Deepak took a deep breath…

“Do you think you like it, because you actually are glad you were wrong for a year?”

“I…What?” Dante asked.

“Think about it. You are so vigilant, so ready for the apocalypse, that you spend most of the year, preparing for it, waiting for it, and constantly warning us about it. And then Christmas comes, and you have to think… It’s still here. The world didn’t end, and everything you like about it is here… Do you think you like Christmas because… It’s that warm feeling you get at the end of the year that said… You made it one more year?”

Dante thought of this for a minute… He thought of all the things he liked about Christmas, and how, even though he did spend most of the year foretelling the world’s end, Christmas never let him down. It was always there, year after year… Ready to give him a break, and another year of proclaiming the world’s nigh end for another year… Until next Christmas, or the end of the world… Whichever came first…

“I…I never thought of it like that…” Dante said. “Heh, when you say it like that, it’s like I’m glad I lost to the world for another year. Like it’s mocking me, telling me, ‘better luck next time, now sit down and be merry for a little bit.’... And the only thing I can say is, ‘thanks’...”

Deepak laughed. “Well, that’s one way to look at it… Dear brother, you’re a bit of a puzzle. Well, in that case. I’ve got no problem saying this.” He hugged his brother.

“I’m glad you lost this year, Dante.”

“Yeah… Yeah, I am too….” Dante said, hugging him back.
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“You wanna watch ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’ when we get home?” Dante asked.

“Only if we can watch ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ after.” Deepak said.

Chapter Text

Dylan slumped back on the couch.

“So…THIS is 2022…”

“Sure looks a lot like 2021…” Dolly said. “Except with the added benefit of the previous year NOT being 2020.”

“Yeah, that’s already a LOT better.” Dylan agreed.

“Still… What does THIS year have in store for us? It seemed like most of what we did last year was just reassuring each other we were still here… But… Man, it won’t be too long, and it will be two, whole years since… THAT happened…”

“You mean when we were almost turned into a coat?” Dolly said. “C’mon bro, it’s been almost two years, we can call it what it was.”

“I…I guess… Still hard to believe that’s gonna be just another moment in our family's bizarre history…” Dylan said. “All the pups have already almost forgotten about it… Who knows if Dorothy will even remember it.”

“I hope not.”

“And… We’re friends with Hunter, now… We’re actually friends with a De Vil. What would our family say to that?”

“Who knows…Maybe it doesn’t matter. Their history caught up with us, now it’s our history… I wouldn’t mind if we’re where that particular bit of history ends.”

“Heh, yeah… Still. I can’t help but be a little anxious. Life has a way of throwing our family curveballs.”

“Well, what a coincidence.” Dolly said. “We just so happen to be very good at catching curveballs.”

Dylan smiled. “Yeah… I guess we are…”

“So anything this year throws at us, we can handle.” Dolly said. “No matter what.”

“I agree on principle, yet I feel like that’s tempting fate.” Dylan said.

“Oh, like what?” Dolly asked. “What could be more crazy than finding out your family has history with an evil, fur-lover?”

“Well, we could be visited by aliens, a war could break out, stuff like that.” Dylan pointed out.

“That could ALWAYS happen.” Dolly said.

“Okay…What if someone finds out we don’t have a human?” Dylan asked.

Dolly’s eyes shot open. “Woah…I guess that COULD happen.”

“We’d actually have to find somewhere else to live, which we might be able to, but. What if something like that happens?”

“Okay, stop. You’re starting to sound like Dante. Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it. We always do.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right… What if mum get’s pregnant again?”

“I told you to stop…”

“Okay, okay. Sorry… You;re right… We should just take it as it comes.”

“Right. Leave the worrying for others… Try focusing on the GOOD stuff that might happen. Our family could win a million dollars, they could invent a drug that cures all diseases, Clarissa could move away. 2022 is full of possibilities.”

“I guess.” Dylan said.

“I KNOW.” Dolly answered.

Chapter Text

Dylan put the kibble pump away, and headed to his seat at the end of the table. 99 dishes filled, perfectly, just like every morning. And just like every morning, all the pups were chattering about this and that… Normal start, so far.

That is, until he passed the spot occupied by his messiest younger brother.

“....Diesel.” He said, looking at something that wasn’t usually at his brother’s spot. “What is that?”

“It’s a rock.” Diesel said, proudly gesturing to the object that was, very much, a rock.

“Well, I see that.” Dylan said. “But why is it at the table?”

“Because.” Diesel said, turning his attention back to the rock. “It’s my new friend.”

Dylan took a very careful, very deep breath.

“Okay, let’s say I didn’t hear you right, WHAT is it?”

“It’s a rock, and it’s my friend.” Diesel repeated.

Dylan blinked.

Okay.” He finally said, walking to his seat.

He sat down next to Dolly, and took in a mouthful of kibble, slowly chewing it, almost pondering the flavor…

He swallowed, then focused his eyes, again, on his brother and his newly befriended rock…

“So…” He said to his sister. “How long has he had the rock?”

“Dunno.” Dolly said. “Came inside with it this morning. Said he found it while digging, said it’s special.” They watched as Diesel pushed a piece of kibble to the rock.

“I didn’t ask any questions after that.” Dolly finished.

“Well…As long as he’s happy.” Dylan said.
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After the pups had finished, most of them usually dispersed around the house for one reason or another. Some went outside, some went upstairs, some actually did activities around the town. But, for some reason, Diesel was still at his spot at the table, looking at his rock.

“Hey, Diesel? Don’t you want to get up and do something?” Dylan asked.

“Nah. I’m still helping my rock adjust to being inside.” Diesel said.

“Uh, what?

“He’s lived outside, all his life, underground.” Diesel explained. “Being inside is a new experience for him.”

“Okay…Uh, Diesel. Dolly saids that you told her this one was special. Why?”

“Well, I find a lot of rocks when I dig. Cause, I like to dig….You know that, right?”

“Yeah bud, I know that.”

“Well, I find all kinds of rocks. Big ones, little ones, smooth, pointy, a LOT of rocks.”

“Okay…”

“But yesterday, I was digging, and…I saw this one.” Diesel said. “And that was the first rock I ever saw that made me go. ‘Wow…That’s a rock. A rock that’s probably been underground all it’s life, maybe before our house was even built. And I just dug it up, and made it see a whole world existed above it…One it didn’t even know about.’ I know I’d be scared if someone messed up where I lived and never gave me a second thought.”

“That’s…Oddly thoughtful of you, Diesel.” Dylan admitted. “But still, that rock probably doesn’t think like that.”

“How’d you know?” Diesel said. “You ever talked to a rock?”

“Well, no… But-”

“So how do you know?”

Dylan gave a relenting sigh. “I guess I don’t, bud.”
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Later, Diesel had taken the rock up into the attic, and set him on a window sill.

“See outside?” He said to it. “All of that was built on top of where you lived. Dylan even says that there’s stuff humans built buried under it. Like old cities, and stuff. I wonder, does it bother rocks when stuff made by humans ends up underground? Or do rocks get jealous of the stone we use to build stuff?”

Dylan and Dolly watched him from the attic hatch.

“I’d say this is weird.” She whispered. “But…This is the most talkative I’ve ever heard him.”

“Yeah, it’s definitely bringing out a side of him I’ve never seen.” Dylan agreed. Dawkins popped his head up.

“Is he still talking to that rock?” He asked.

“Yep… He’s currently trying to decide if concrete is to rocks what robots are to humans…” Dolly answered.

Dawkins rolled his eyes. “You DO know if this keeps up it will only get worse?”

“Hey, if you want to be the one to break this up, be my guest.” Dylan said.

“Gladly.” Dawkins said, climbing into the attic.

“Uh, Diesel?” He said.

“Oh, hey Dawkins.” Diesel siad. “Say, what do you know about rocks?”

“Oh, I’m glad you asked that.” Dawkins said. “That’s just what I wanted to talk to you about. I know a few things about rocks but the most important thing I know about rocks is-”

“Oh, here it comes.” Dolly said.

“Rocks can’t speak, or anything like that. You know that, right?”

“Oh, sure. I know that.” Diesel said.

“Ok well…Why are you talking to one, then?” Dawkins asked.

“Well, I know he can’t speak…But he doesn't need to speak to know how to listen.” Diesel answered. “And that’s all I need him to do.”

“Brother… It’s a rock. It can’t hear you.” Dawkins said.

“I know he can’t ‘hear’ me.” Diesel said, making quotation marks with his paws. “But there’s a difference between ‘hearing’ and ‘listening’.”

“And what difference would that be?” Dawkins asked.

“Well, it’s like how you used to talk to Princess Positron.” Diesel said.

Dawkins’s eyes popped open. “That’s, uh… That’s a bit different…”

“Not really.” Diesel said. “You always said that when you spoke to her, you felt like you could say anything. No matter what. And, even though she couldn’t answer you. Talking to her helped you find whatever answers you needed.”

Dawkins gave a defeated sigh.

“I guess you’re correct, brother…” He said.

He walked back to Dylan and Dolly.

“What was that, bro?” Dolly asked.

“Eh…He had a point.” Dawkins said, climbing down.

“So, what?” Dolly asked. “Do we just leave them?”

“What else can we do?” Dylan asked.
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Later, Diesel was sitting on the family’s couch, still looking at the rock.

“What DOES he see in that?” Dolly asked. “Heh. Given how this usually goes, I’ll bet the rock’s really some part of an ancient evil alien, and it’s attached itself to him to try and get it’s full body back.”

“Oh, don’t talk like that.” Dylan said. “He’s just…Projecting, for lack of a better word. The rock is just part of himself that, talking to helps calm him down. Like an imaginary friend.”

“I guess you’d be the expert on friends being imaginary, huh?” Dolly asked.

“........Okay, fine.” Dylan said.

In a moment, Dante also climbed onto the couch next to Diesel.

“Hey, Dante, look at this.” Diesel said, proudly holding up his rock.

“....Wow….A rock.” Dante said, uninterested. “That the one you’ve been talking to all day?”

“Yep. It’s great.”

“Uh huh.” Dante said.

“You should try it sometime.” Diesel said. “Talking to a rock can be very relaxing.”

“Why would I want to talk to a rock?” Dante asked. “What could a rock tell me?”

“Well, I figured you of all dogs would want to talk to a rock.” Diesel said. “After all, you’re always going on about the ‘Alpaca lips’ and stuff.”

“Apocalypse!” Dante corrected. “And why would that make me want to talk to a rock?”

“Well, I’ll bet this rock has lived through a lot of things that people thought were going to be the ‘end of the world’. Wouldn’t like to talk to something that’s seen a lot of bad things and is still here?”

“I mean… It couldn’t tell me anything.” Dante said.

“It doesn’t have to. It’s here, in my paw. That’s proof enough that world didn’t end when a lot of people thought it would.”

“Yeah, I guess…” Dante said. “But… Still, talking to a rock seems kind of silly.”

“Only if you think you’re too good to talk to rocks.” Diesel said.
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“Hey, Deepak. Check out my rock!” Diesel called, jumping up to Deepak’s pod bed where the pup was meditating.

“It’s…Very nice.” Deepak said, opening one eye. “Uh… I hear you’ve been talking to it?”

“Yep!” Diesel said. “It’s a really good listener.”

“I see…” Deepak said. “Dylan says it was the first to make you really take notice of it.”

“Yep. I never gave rocks much thought before.” Diesel said. “What do you think of rocks?”

“Me?” Deepak said. “Well… Rocks are… Well, rocks. Stone is as old as the planet itself. That very rock might be older than our whole family. Rocks can be giant, or tiny. Incredibly strong, yet can be split by a single trickle of water in the right place. When we want to compare something's strength, we compare it to a rock. When we want to describe something’s longevity, we compare it to rocks. Rocks are dependable, yet unpredictable. We use them to build, we can use them to destroy. Rocks are very complex.”

“Huh.” Diesel said. “Um… I don’t think I understand a lot of that.”

“Rocks are very neat, dear brother.” Deepak said.

“Oh, yeah. I agree… You know… Talking to him makes me feel like you do when you medicate.”

“‘Meditate’ dear brother.” Deepak corrected. “And how does it feel like that?”

“Well, you med-e-tate to find answers, right?” Diesel asked.

“Sometimes.” Deepak answered. “Sometimes, I meditate just to connect with the universe, and myself.”

“Well, that’s what talking to this rock does with me.” Diesel said. “It feels like me and him have a connection. I like dirt, he likes dirt, he likes being under the ground, so do I.”

“Hmm….” Deepak said, rubbing his chin. “It’s not uncommon to feel a connection with something like that. Though, I’d say it’s more of the rock’s connection with the earth.”

“I don’t know what that means, but probably.” Diesel agreed.
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Dylan was up in the tree house, when he heard four sets of paws scurry up.

“Oh, hey Diesel, surprised to see you up here.” He said. “You don’t usually dig heights.”

“I brought my rock to meet yours.” Diesel said. “Is that okay?”

“You mean my moon rocks?” Dylan asked. “Sure.”

“Awesome!” Diesel said. “He’s stoked to meet rocks from space!”

“I guess that would be like meeting an alien.” Dylan agreed. He had to hold in his laugh as watched Diesel carefully set the rock on the shelf with his moon rocks.

“I wonder.” Diesel said. “Do rocks ever look at the moon and think, ‘gee, I want to grow up to be like that!’ Does that happen?”

“Ha! I don’t know, but now I hope they do.” Dylan said.

“Do earth rocks get jealous of meaty rights because they can fly through space?” Diesel asked.

“‘Meteorites’.” Dylan corrected. “And again, I don’t know…”

“What about rocks in the ocean?” Diesel wondered. “Are they to rocks, what seals are to dogs?”

“Man, I haven’t heard you this curious in…Ever.” Dylan said. “And all over a rock.”

“Rocks are cool.” Diesel said. “And I want him to know just how cool he is.”

“Well, that’s… Cool.” Dylan said. “Say, bud… Don’t take this the wrong way, but… Why did you start talking to it? Calling it ‘him’ and stuff, that’s not really like you…”

Diesel shrugged. “Well, I figured, anything that makes me want to know more about it deserves to be talked to like it’s real.”

“That’s…Eh, I guess that makes sense.” Dylan said. “I do have to ask, did you name it?”

“Nah.” Diesel said. “I don’t think he’d like me naming him.”

“Okay….So, what are you gonna do with him?” Dylan asked.

“Probably put back in the hole I found him in tonight.” Diesel said. “It wouldn’t be right to keep him away from his home.”

“Yeah, I guess not.” Dylan agreed.

“I’m gonna miss him…That’s not weird, is it?” Diesel asked.

“Nah, bro… It’s not weird at all.”

“Good. You know, I think a few others learned something from him today. Like Dawkins and Dante.”

“Y’know, I think they did too.” Dylan said. “Funny what a rock can inspire…”

Chapter Text

Dolly scurried up the stairs to the pups room, her mind focused solely on her mission…

“Find the tug-o-war rope!” She thought. She knew it was SOMEWHERE amongst the clutter of the pup’s bedroom, and with her siblings outside, clamoring to test their strength against the reigning, backyard, tug-o-war champion, I.E, HER. She had made finding it a top priority.

She ran into their room, sniffing around.

“C’mon, that thing has been handled by 99 pups, how can I not pick up it’s scent?” She wondered. She check the Dimitri’s barrel, under Delgado’s ramp. Inside DJ’s tuba, nothing…

“Where is it?!” She said. She almost jumped when she heard someone ELSE jump on the desk above her.

“Oh!...Oh, Dolly, you startled me.” Said a voice. Dolly looked up to see her younger sister, Da Vinci, peeking down at her.

“Oh, sorry Da Vinci.” Dolly said. “I was just looking for the rope.”

“Haven’t seen it.” Da vinci said. She turned back to what she was doing. “I’ve been up here, most of the day.”

Dolly hopped up on the shelf, seeing that Da Vinci was just staring at a blank canvas.

“What, uh… Whatcha doin’?” She asked.

“Nothing. That’s the problem.” Da Vinci said. “I’ve been up here most of the day, and I haven’t got ANY ideas of what to paint.”

“Bummer.” Dolly said. “Well, why don’t you paint something abstract?”

“Tried. Heart’s not in it.” Da Vinci said. She sighed. “In fact, it’s been like this for a while.” She looked up at her sister. “Dolly… Am I losing myself?”

“What?” Dolly asked, snapping back from still scanning the room for the rope. “What do you mean?”

“I mean. The past few weeks, I’ve had less and less motivation to do any art. At first I thought I was just tired, but I’ve had to push myself more and more just to get the bare minimum done, and even then, I wasn’t really satisfied with it… It’s almost like I’m losing my love for it…”

“What, that’s not possible.” Dolly said. “You’re Da Vinci. THE art pup. YOu’ve done art that’s made humans gawk!”

“Well, yes, but… That almost makes it worse… It seems like the only reason I’ve done any art the past few weeks is BECAUSE everyone thinks of me as ‘the art pup’... I want to still do art but… It’s becoming more like a chore… I can’t find any motivation, nothing really inspires me… Anything I imagine just looks like a blur…”

“Well… Maybe you’ve just need to kickstart yourself.” Dolly suggested. “Maybe you just need to start something, and see what happens?”

Da Vinci shook her head. “I’ve tried. I’ll start something, in some style, but give up. Nothing ends up looking right, I realize I don’t know how to actually finish it. It’s like I’m fighting myself…” She slumped to the ground, putting her paws over her eyes. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me…”

“Hey, there’s nothing ‘wrong’ with you.” Dolly said. “You just need to…Uh…Find the right medium.”

“But I’ve tried everything.” Da Vinci said.

“Really, everything?” Dolly said. “What about… Classical?”

“Tried it. Nothing felt right.” Da Vinci said.

“Ok-ay.” Dolly said, thinking. “What about… Modern> Something like a city, or something?”

“Tried painting the city skyline from the roof.” Da Vinci said. “Everything looked off, just got frustrated.”

“Well…How about painting another dog, or yourself?” Dolly offered.

“Tried that, tpo. Just became hyper-aware of how off-center I paint faces.” Da Vinci said.

“Huh… Well, how about something more pop-culture-y?”

“No good. Nothing interested me.”

“Geez… So, nothing looks good to you?” Dolly asked.

“No. Nothing.” Da VInci sighed hard. “I feel… Empty.”

“Empty?” Dolly said. Then it clicked. “Aw, that’s it… Da Vinci, you’re just burnt out.”

“But… That’s never happened before.” Da Vinci said. “I can always find some reason to paint.”

“Everyone gets burnt-out eventually.” Dolly said. “Trust me, doing the same thing every day takes its toll on you. It’s nothing to be worried about. It just means you need to take a break, think of something else for a while.”

“But… If I stop, what if I lose my rhythm?” Da Vinci asked. “What if I disrupt my focus, and can’t get back into it?”

“Is trying over and over only to not be happy with what you make really much better?” Dolly asked.

“Well…No…”

“Look, a little break never hurts anybody. Kind of the opposite, in fact.” Dolly said. “In fact, it can help you refocus yourself.”

“I…I don’t know… Do you really think it can?” Da Vinci asked.

“Sure. taking a break, thinking about something else. Heh, ironically NOT thinking about something can be the best way to start thinking better about the same thing.”

“I mean… I guess I could try…I really HAVEN’T had much luck with any other method…” Da Vinci admitted.

“See, what have you got to lose?” Dolly said.

“I guess nothing… Gee, Dolly, I didn’t think you’d know so much about stuff like this… This is usually Dylan’s area of expertise.”

“Yeah, well, I have my moments too.” Dolly said, puffing her chest out.
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“You overheard Dylan giving the same speech to DJ, didn’t you?” Da Vinci guessed.

“Okay, fine. I stole SOME parts.” Dolly admitted. “But I added a few bits of my own. Now c’mon! Help me find that rope, and come outside!” Dolly hopped down and kept searching the room.

Da Vinci giggled. SHe looked back at her blank canvas. Then back at Dolly.

“Come to think of it… Maybe a break is what I really do need.” She hopped down, and joined her sister…

Chapter Text

A large hummer rumbled down the roads of London. Even though it’s drive was about an hour long, it always felt far too short for the person riding in the back.

He looked out the window at the trees and buildings passing him by. It was such a nice day, the sun was shining, it wasn’t too cold, and it seemed like a very pleasant start to the year.

It’s like it was mocking him…

Every month, he made this same drive. Usually putting it off for as long as he could. Because no matter what kind of day it was, nice, bad, rain or shine, this trip always ended with the days feeling exponentially worse. Heck, a hurricane could be raging and it would still seem worse when he was done!

He wouldn’t even make this trip if it wasn’t in a contract he signed. He knew it was the right thing to do, yet that didn’t make it any easier… But today… Today was different…

Today, he had someone along with him. Someone who convinced him to head up here much earlier… Someone who also convinced him that she might be able to get a different outcome from this day…

“Hunter?” The very person asked.

“Are you alright?”

Hunter De Vil sighed. “As good as I can be, I guess, Mrs. Dalmatian.”

“I told you, I can call me Delilah.” She said, Though the other name was fitting. As she was, in fact, an adult, female Dalmatian.

“I know, but… It still feels a bit weird.” Hunter admitted.

“It shouldn’t.” Delilah assured him. “What happened between us was years ago. And you’ve done more than enough to make up for it.”

“I know, and I’m glad you think so but… I hate to think what kinds of things this day might bring back up. And I hate that you’ll be going through it.”

“Now, I came here of my own choosing.” Delilah said. “And even though Doug took a lot of convincing, we all agree that this is the best course of action.” She sighed heavily. “Though, I do admit. It’s not a decision I made lightly.”

Hunter nodded. “I understand… Now, If we get here, and you at all change your mind, I won’t-”

“No.” Delilah said. “Thank you, but… I’m here to see this through. And I intend to, no matter what.”

Hunter nodded and leaned back in his seat, neither saying much else…
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The car finally slowed as it turned into its destination. A few moments getting cleared at the gate, and they were allowed in.

“I hate this place…” Hunter said. “Even without today going on, the whole place just skeeves me.”

“Yes, even I admit that, for being so famous, it really does not conjure the feelings of ‘healing’ it’s supposed to.” Delilah said.

The car finally stopped, and in a few moments, the driver opened Hunter’s door.

“Ere’ we are, sir.” He said. “You know where to go from ‘ere.”

“Thanks Reggie.” Hunter said. “Stay close, and keep your phone on, I don’t know how to today is gonna go.”

“As you say, sir.” The driver said. When he saw Delilah get out, he cleared his throat.

“Uh, shouldn’t you put her on a leash?” He asked.

Delilah glared up at him, giving him a low snarl in offense.

“Uh, I think we’ll be okay.” Hunter said.

“Alright sir.” The driver said.

When he was out of earshot, Delilah rolled her eyes.

“A leash…” She growled. “In dog years, I’m about twice that two-leggers age…”

“Hey, he can’t speak to you like I can.” Hunter said. “Give him some slack.”

“I deal with patients all the time back home, and not one has asked if I should ‘be on leash’... Ugh… I’ve met far more humans that needed leashes than dogs.”

“I’ll probably agree with you.” Hunter chuckled.

It almost made him forget where they were, and what day it was… Until he looked at the big, stone building…

“Well, here we are.” He sighed. “Bethlem Royal Hospital. Oldest psychiatric hospital in the world. And one of the best.”

“Far better than that butcher deserves.” Delilah growled. “She deserves to be rotting in-*sigh* I’m sorry… I know I said I would try and control myself, but-”

“No, no.” Hunter said. “You’ve got more right to be angry at her than anyone else in London.”

Delilah gave a shaky sigh. “Alright…Let’s go over it one more time.”

Hunter nodded. “After they arrange everything, I’ll go in first, see if her attitude changes. Every time I’ve come here, she hasn’t spoken to me. The doctors say she never speaks to anyone.”

“Lucky them.” Delilah said.

“If not, well… Like you said, you might convince her to start talking.” Hunter finished. “Now, once more before we start…Are you SURE you want to do this. There’s no telling how she’ll react.”

“I’m One, Hundred percent certain.” Delilah said, adamantly. “Besides… I have my own demons I need to put to rest…”

Hunter nodded… And they two stepped in.

Walking up to the desk, Hunter gave the warmest smile he could muster.

“Hunter De Vil.” He told the woman. “Here to see…” He looked down at Delilah before continuing. She took a deep breath, and nodded for him to continue.

“...Cruella De Vil.” Hunter said, also forcing it out…

“Yes…” The receptionist said. “Ah, yes. We have your appointment here… I must say, you’re early this month… Figured you’d rather get it over with than dread it all month?”

“You… You could say that.” Hunter said.

“Right… And, who is this?” She said, looking at Delilah.

“She’s a therapy dog.” Hunter replied. “On loan from an inner city clinic, it’s part of an approved attempt at miss De Vil’s rehabilitation.”

Hearing that made Delilah’s blood boil… This monster didn’t deserve rehabilitation. Not after what she planned to do to her- But, she forced herself to calm down. She agreed to this. And she was going to be professional about it… For now.

“I see… Now, I remind you that up to this point, we’ve made sure she has had NO contact with any animals, or fur, or anything with a spot pattern, really.” The receptionist said.

“I know… And I’ve consulted the proper people on this.” Hunter said. “After years of her being unresponsive to other methods. They’ve agreed to this.”

The receptionist clicked her tongue uncertainly. “Very well… Take a seat, we’ll call you when she’s been moved.”

“Thank you.” Hunter said. He took a seat in the waiting room. Delilah sitting calmly next to him.

“I’ve done this each month, for the past two years.” Hunter said. “Every time I sit in this chair, I dread what might happen. I always think, ‘will this be the day she finally snaps? Flies into a fit of rage? Will she admit something to me that shatters my world even further?’ And each time, it ends the same… She never speaks… She doesn’t do anything… I don’t even see her face… I wonder when the day will be when I get a call, saying she’s finally died, or something, and I hate-” He stopped as he choked up.

“...I hate to think that I might feel some relief if that happens…” He wiped his eyes. “I know, that makes me sound horrible.”

“No, love.” Delilah said, putting a paw on his shoulder. “It doesn’t make you horrible.” She sighed heavily. “Hoping to hear it makes someone horrible… Which I have…”

“I don’t blame you.” Hunter said.

“But I shouldn’t think like that.” Delilah said. “It’s giving her the chance to poison my life, when really, she can’t do anything more to me… Or any of us…”

“I…I guess that’s true.” Hunter said.

“Truth be told, I was content with never giving her a second thought.” Delilah continued. “But I’ve always had this nagging feeling that if any of us were ever going to get real closure, this is the way… And I’ve always known it was something we’d have to do together. I just… I wasn’t ready to face her again…” She allowed herself a small chuckle.

“Dylan and Dolly offered to come instead of me, y’know?”

“They did?” Hunter asked.

“They said… They had no reason to be afraid of her like I did… To them, she was just a crazy old woman who one day appeared, gave them all a very bad day, but was ultimately beaten in the end… To them… She was just a pathetic old woman who couldn’t let go of the past…” She gave a deep sigh of pride.

“But I can’t let my pups fight my monsters for me.” She added. “Nor can I continue to let a boy she preyed on just as much as us face her alone… It’s time we truly bury this. For all our sakes.”

Hunter nodded.

Just then, the receptionist called.

“Mr. De Vil? You may go in now.”

Hunter sighed. “Well… Here goes nothing.”

Delilah gave him a reassuring look.

They both got up and walked into the hospitals psychosis unit…
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Walking through the almost eerie halls, with only the sounds of Hunter’s shoes, and Delilah’s paws echoing against the tile floors made the whole hallway have a foreboding sense about it.

“...Gotta love the warm, welcoming halls of a hospital…” Hunter said.

“I’d say you get used to them, but that’d be a lie.” Delilah said.

“I’ll never get used to this place.” Hunter said.

They approached a door with a guard standing outside.

“Hello Mr. De Vil.” He said. “She’s inside, behind the plexiglass, as usual… Hasn’t said a thing. Didn’t even bat an eye when she heard you were coming early.”

“I didn’t expect her too.” Hunter sighed. “Alright… She in her chair, as usual?”

“Yeah, faced to the wall.” The guard said. He then looked down at Delilah.

“Ah, yes… They told us you were going for a new approach… Think it will work?”

“No idea…” Hunter said.

“Well, as usual, I’ll be outside should you need me.” The guard said.

“Right, now, listen. I’m going to leave her out here for now.” Hunter said, motioning to Delilah. “If and when I call her, you let her in, alright?”

“Uh, sure…” The guard said.

“Good…” Hunter took a deep breath, and gave Delilah final look before heading in.

She gave him a reassuring nod.

He opened the door, and stepped in.

“Be strong, dear boy.” Delilah whispered. “She can’t hurt you unless you let her…”
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Hunter stepped into the dark room… The only light was coming from her side of it… He walked over to the single chair in the room, the only piece of furniture besides a small table next to it…

He exhaled deeply and took a seat… Finally looking up at the plexiglass window separating them…

There she was… Sitting with her back to him in a chair… She was almost too tall for it, her long, boney arms draped over the arms of the chair, clutching the ends. As if the idea of sitting enraged her. She was slumped forward, he couldn’t even see her face. She didn’t move, not even a little bit… The only indication she gave that she was even alive was her raspy breathing…

He took a deep breath…

“Hello, Great-Auntie.” He said. “How are you?”

Predictably, she said nothing…The rhythm of her breathing didn’t even change.

“Of course.” Hunter said. “Well, I’m sure you’ve noticed I’m a bit early this month…Not that you care, I’m sure…”

Again, no response.

“The company’s doing great… Our new line of organic pet shampoos has really taken off… We’ve built off your work on skin-care products, and have come out with a few things that have been very popular.”

Nothing…Just more raspy breathing…

Hunter sighed…

“You look well, Aunty.” He said. “I know they’ve been taking care of you…” He finally took a shaky breath, and pulled something out of his pocket, placing it on the table next to him.

“It’s been two years, auntie… Two years, and you’ve not said a word… Not to me, not any of the doctors… You won’t let anyone help you… Do you not want to be helped? Do you want to spend the whatever is left of your life letting that night two years ago eat away at you? Do you not want to move on?”

She said nothing…She didn’t move, her breathing didn’t change… Nothing…

Hunter finally let out an exasperated breath…

“Fine… But, you should know… I didn’t come here early just to go through the same routine as every other time… I you won’t talk to me… Maybe you’ll talk to someone else…”

He got, and walked to the door…
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Delilah sat by the door, opposite of the guard, who would occasionally look at her.

“Sure do know how to train ‘em inner city.” The guard finally said.

Delilah scoffed, even though he couldn’t understand. “It’s called having manners, you don’t need training for that.”

They both jumped a little when a voice spoke from the door.

“Delilah…. You can come in now…”

The guard opened the door, and Delilah…With a moment of hesitation… Finally stepped in…

At first, she just noticed Hunter.

“Are you alright?” She whispered.

He nodded. “She hasn’t said anything, just, keep your voice down…” He walked with her slowly to the plexiglass window…

The moment Delilah saw her, even if she had her back turned, she stopped… Her legs felt weak, and her heart began beating faster…

Only a plexiglass window was now the only thing that was between her, and the woman that tried to murder her and her family…

“It’s alright.” Hunter whispered. “It’s alright…” He turned for a minute to reach the device he had sat on the table. A tape recorder, just in case anything was said…

Delilah sat on her haunches, staring at the back of the woman’s chair… Part of her had always hoped that her return, and the horrible night had just been a nightmare… But there she was… Her long, bony limbs, her twisted, skeletal body… She looked far better than a walking corpse had any right to look…

Delilah looked back at Hunter, just making sure he was still there… When something happened that made them both freeze…

“...And just who have you brought me, today?” Came that unbelievable, yet undeniable voice. There was no mistaking it. Both the human and the Dalmatian had that voice eched in their minds…

“....G…G-Great Auntie?” Hunter finally said in shock…

He was even more shocked when she lifted her head, her bones creaking as if they hadn’t moved in a decade…

“Yes…” She said, her voice was less haughty now… It sounded more worn, and ragged… Rasping on words “....Yes, I’d know that scent anywhere, that whimpering, begging breathing… Last I heard it, it was caged in the passenger seat of my car…” She began to get up, the horrible sound of her joints snapping and creaking as she did…

Delilah couldn’t move… Her heart felt like it might beat out of her chest… All she could do was watch as the woman stood up standing at her full, inhumanly tall height… She stretched out, with even more unpleasant crackling…

Delilah’s breath got very shaky as she began to turn her head towards her… All memories of the night came flooding back to her all at once, until… The same, bagged eyes, those same pointy cheekbones, and that same, horrible, evil grin…

“Why, hello mommy.” Cruella cooed. “My, it’s been a spell, hasn’t it?” She gave a soft chuckle…

Delilah couldn’t say anything… Her mouth wouldn’t move…

Until a hand touched her shoulder.

“Great Auntie.” Hunter said, standing by Delilah. “You’re speaking…After two whole years, this is what-”

“You think I would waste my energy, talking to a sniveling little snowflake like you?” Cruella said, barely containing her disgust. “One who betrays his own family for a bunch of dogs?”

Hearing her speak like that to this boy, finally snapped Delilah out of it.

“So that’s it?” Hunter said, more disappointed than offended. “All I’ve done to have you taken care of, all I’ve done to protect your interests, and your company, and that’s all you’ve got to say.”

“You stopped me from getting the only thing I ever cared about…” Cruella hissed. “The company, the money, it can all go hang for all I care… All I ever wanted was to feel the soft, warm hides of Dalmatians on my skin… To know that her wretched family, who escaped me all those years ago… I had gotten their descendants… And YOU… You took that from me…”

Hunter exhaled deeply…

“Yeah… I did… And you know what… Given the chance… I’d do it all over again…”

Delilah felt her eyes well up as he said that…

Cruella sneered. “You always were nothing… And you’ll always be nothing…”

Hearing that, Delilah finally felt her fear give way to something else… Anger… How DARE this woman think she can speak to this boy like this!

She finally cleared her throat.

“Cruella De Vil.” She said, “It has indeed been a while…”

Cruella looked at her in shock at first, but then gave way to a wicked smile…

“I knew you could speak!” She cackled. “These fools tried to tell me I was crazy, but I knew!” She walked over to the glass, pressing her boney hand against it.

“So nice to see you’ve kept your coat in good condition.” She said,. “It’s such a lovely thing… Too bad it’s attached to a mongrel like you…”

“You’re looking well yourself.” Delilah said. “Especially since last I saw you, you were a half shredded mess.”

Cruella chuckled… She stopped back, turning her chair to face them and sitting back down…

“Yes… My machine… My wonderful, wonderful machine… I had it tailor made with your family in mind… Something to get the job done, but not too quickly… I wanted to drag it out as much as possible…”

“I’m sure you did…” Delilah growled.

“You know, I always thought that if I was to ever see your family again, it’d be your eldest two… What are their names, again, Dylan and Dolly?” Cruella said. “Yes, I remember their names…Just like I remember all of them, never forgot, really…”

Delilah’s eyes went wide.

“Surprised?” Cruella asked. “Well, it’s very easy to keep tabs on your kids when you let them tear around the city, unsupervised.”

Delilah felt her blood boil…

“Let’s see.” Cruella said. “There’s the painter, the musical one, the digger, and of course there’s that little white rat that made my grand nephew betray me… Dorothy, was it?”

Delilah clenched her teeth, it was only Hunter giving her a reassuring pat that made her not try and bust through that glass.

“And of course, there’s those two, very, helpful little ones.” Cruella continued. “Dizzy and DeeDee… Yes, do thank them for me, after all, if it wasn’t for them, we might not even be having this little chat…” She smiled. “How are those spotted beasts, by the way, still keeping their fur well kept? I hope…”

Delilah closed her eyes, and breathed in and out slowly… Very slowly… Until she opened her eyes.

“They’re quite well, thank you for asking.” She said, “Still going about their lives, as if nothing had happened. In fact, they’ve almost forgotten about that night…”

“Really…” Cruella said. “And, you’re still working at that clinic? With that Doctor, oh, what’s his name… Dave… The one with three children? And your husband is still a fire dog?”

Delilah almost laughed. “What do you hope to gain from keeping tabs on my family? You already played your card… And in case you haven’t noticed…” Delilah walked up to the glass.

“You lost… You lost hard…And more importantly. You lost your fright… I used to think you were a monster, but now seeing you, all I see is a sad, old woman who’s lost a lot more than a coat…”

Cruella didn’t respond… She just glared at the Dalmatian.

“What did you hope to gain by coming here?” She finally asked.

“We both needed closure.” Delilah answered. “Me and the boy… The boy who after you abused him still found it in his heart to care for you… And you wouldn’t even speak to him.”

“I had nothing to say to him.” Cruella spat. “And I have nothing to say now. All he is a reminder that family will always fail you…”

Hunter said nothing… He just looked at her with a face of both disappointment and pity.

“That boy is stronger than both of us.” Delilah said her voice getting more and more severe. “So are my children. Dylan and Dolly aren’t afraid of you. No one is anymore… You and me, we’re the last remnants of a feud that’s been over for a long time… It’s one I’ve held onto for a long time, but now… I don’t need to anymore…”

Cruella scoffed. “You think that’s all it takes? I held onto this for 60 years… If I couldn’t get your ancestors, I’d settle for you… And you think THIS-” She motioned to the room around them. “-Does anything to change that… No…I’ve waited over 60 years…I can wait longer if I have to…”

Delilah exhaled sharply…

“...I could’ve let you die on that boat… Killed by the very machine you planned to butcher my babies with… But I didn’t…”

“You should’ve.” Cruella snarled.

“Maybe I should’ve.” Delilah agreed. “But I didn’t have to… And that gives me far greater satisfaction… Knowing that no matter what you do next, you are only able to do it, because me and my husband, who had every right to let you die, chose to save you… You can;t escape that… You’ll always know that you owe whatever is left of your life to dogs.”

For once, Cruella didn’t say anything…

Delilah took this as an opportunity.

“But that’s not even the greatest revenge I’ve taken on you.” She said, “I’ve done something far, far better… I’ve given your grand-nephew a family that truly loves him… And he still has some love in his heart for you…”

“I do, Great-Auntie.” Hunter said. “Despite everything, you still gave me home, and a life… And I won’t forget that…”

Cruella just sneered. “Love makes you soft, boy.”

“Yeah…You told me that… All my life…” Hunter said. “And I believed you…And that got me thrown in a cage… But when I decided to help them… Here we are… And you’re in the cage… It seems your outlook on life just gets people thrown in cages.”

Cruella didn’t say anything, she just glared, her teeth gritting together.

“I used to believe you were a great person, Auntie… Not slowed down by trivial things, like family or love… But now… I still think you could be a great person… You’;ve just got to let go of the past…”

Cruella scowled at him…

“I think you two should leave…” She finally said. She got up, and turned her chair back towards the opposite wall, sitting down with her back turned to them…

Hunter shook his head… He walked over, and stopped the recording.

“It was good to hear your voice again, Great -Auntie.” He said. “You should talk to the staff around here, more…They can help you easier… “ He walked over, and knocked on the door, letting the guard know they were done…

“I’ll be back next month.” He said… “Maybe we can talk more, then…”

Delilah gave the woman one last look… When she came into this room, all she felt was fear, and dread…But now. All she saw was a broken, old woman, with nothing but hate left, burned by the knowledge that she owed her life to the very people she hated… That made her feel more sorry, than anything… And even a little sympathetic…

She turned and left, without a word…
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After feeling it would never happen today, Delilah and Hunter were sitting in the back of his car, heading home…

Hunter was listening to the recording of their conversation.

“What do you plan to do with that?” Delilah asked.

“I don’t know… Can’t very well use it for anything, I’m the only human who wouldn’t hear what you said as just barks. I play that for anyone, they’ll think it’s just proof that she’s crazy.”

“In the one area she isn’t.” Delilah said.

“Maybe I just wanted some proof for myself… After two years of wondering if she could be helped, now I know… She may be too far gone…”

“Perhaps.” Delilah said. “Hunter, you were very brave back there… Braver than me, even.”

“Heh… I guess I always felt that when she did finally speak, it’d be something far worse… But to know now that she was just ignoring me… Well, it was a bit easier.”

“And I meant what I said back there… You are so much stronger than us. You, Dylan, Dolly… You are doing things I doubt my ancestors thought possible… You are choosing to not hate each other…”

Hunter smiled. “That’s actually a lot easier than she would lead you to believe… I hope- I hope one day your family never has a reason to fear mine…”

“I do, too.” Delilah said. “But as far as I’m concerned, that day is far closer than we thought…Because I meant the other thing I said, Hunter… You’re part of our family, now… And we all truly love you.”

Hunter’s eyes watered. “I… Thank you… That-That means a lot…” He wiped his eyes.

“What about you?’ He asked. “Was that the closure you were hoping for?”

Delilah sighed. “I got in this car today, thinking I was going to see a monster… What I saw was a beaten, old woman who had nothing left… She may have been a horror two years ago, but now… Now… I have no reason to be afraid of the woman I saw in there… Nor does my family… So yes… I think I did get what I was looking for.”

The car rumbled along, and for the first time since Hunter had started making these visits…

The day felt better on the way home…

Chapter Text

It had been a long time since Pongo had been to the city park. Not that he needed to, living in the country gave him and his family plenty of room out of doors, but it was still nice to visit once in a while. After all, this was the place he had spent most of his time with Roger when they both lived in that small flat in the city. Going on walks in the mornings and afternoons were how both of them got exercise, and how they both got any socialization. Roger was VERY committed to his work as a musician, and rarely stopped or took brakes unless they were scheduled. Pongo often had to remind him to get something to eat as he feverishly tried to finish a song.

But that wasn’t the only reason he liked this park, nor was it the best…No, his favorite memory of this park was walking alongside him, leading Roger’s favorite memory of the park, walking alongside him…

Pongo wasn’t sure what form of divine luck shined upon him that day, but it resulted in both him AND Roger both meeting the loves of their lives. The moment he saw both of them out the window, he knew they were both perfect. And years later, that hadn’t changed. Not a bit. In fact, he loved Perdita more now than ever. After what they had been through, it was clear that they were always meant to be together…

“Darling, are you alright?” Perdita asked him, breaking him out his thoughts.

“Oh, uh, yes, darling, I’m fine.” Pongo said. “Just… Thinking.”

“What about?” Perdita asked, knowingly. “You always get that look when you’re deep in thought.”

Pongo smiled. “I guess I do have a ‘look’... I was just thinking about how special this park is for us.”

“Yes, I suppose it is.” Perdita said. “So many memories…”

“Any, uh… Any particular ones?” Pongo asked.

Perdita thought for a moment.

“Well, there’s the time Anita first took me here. I remember it being a very nice day… We sat by the pond, while she read a book… That was nice.”

“Any other ones?” Pongo asked.

“...Well, there was the OTHER time we came here and she read a book by the pond… Oh, but that day it was a bit cloudy.”

“Sounds nice… Any other ones?” Pongo asked.

Perdita thought for a moment.

“Mmm… No, I don’t think so.” She said, shaking her head.

“....Oh.” Pongo said, looking back at the ground. “...I… I just thought…” He looked back at her, only to see that she was slyly smiling at him.

“Oh, goodness love, you looked so disappointed!” She laughed. “I’m just teasing you!” She brushed up against him.

“Of course I know why this park is truly special for us. It’s where we met each other. And it’s where our lives truly began.”

“Ah, yes, well.” Pongo said, awkwardly. “O-of course I knew you were teasing…”

“Of course you did, love.” Perdita said.

When they entered the park, it seems their pets had the same idea as they did, they walked down the path, further in, until they approached that fateful spot. The bench along the path, looking out at the pond…

Roger and Anita sat down, and undid Pongo and Perdita’s leashes.

“Now, don’t get into any trouble, you two.” Roger told them. “And also stay close.”

“Roger, dear.” Anita said. “Well, number one, you know they can’t understand you.”

“That’s debatable.” Pongo whispered to Perdita.

“And two, I think they know how to act, They’re quite intelligent.”

“I know.” Roger said. “That’s just it, they probably know what day it is, and I’m just letting them know that 99 puppies is plenty.”

Both the Dalmatian’s faces flushed red.

“Mr. Radcliffe!” Perdita said, flustered.

“I know it’s Valentine’s day and all, but please…” Roger said.

Anita rolled her eyes. “Rog, don’t be vulgar.”

“I’m just teasing, darling, I know they can’t understand me.” Roger laughed.

Anita sighed, but wrapped her arm around Roger’s.

“You are so odd.” She said,

Pongo and Perdita walked off towards a tree by the pond.

“Why must he do that?” Perdita asked, still embarrassed.

“Well, they are still convinced we came about those other 84 the, *ahem* ‘old-fashioned way’.” Pongo said.

Perdita grimaced. “And just HOW do they think we managed that?”

“I don’t know, but it’s not like we can tell them otherwise.” Pongo said. They sat by the pond, eager to talk about something else.

“Ah, that’s better.” Pongo said. “So nice to see this place didn’t change much.”

“Yes… So many memories of this place… Remember when we first took the pups here?” Perdita said. “Patch got so dirty it was hard to tell what was dirt, and what was spots.”

“Went around for a full day with an extra spot before we noticed, too.” Pongo said. “Yes, That was a wonderful day… But still, not the most wonderful day at this park for me… That would be the day I met you…”

“Ah, yes… You refer to the day you followed me and my pet to the park, and wrapped our pets up in your leash, sending all of us tumbling into a pond?” Perdita inquired with a grin.

“.....Must you point that out every time?” Pongo asked.

“I’m sorry, darling.” Perdita chuckled. ‘But when our first impression of each other is that, It’s not easily forgotten.”

Pongo allowed himself a haughty look. “So, you’re saying I did leave an impression on you, then?”

Perdita sighed, leaning against him. “Yes, I suppose you did… Oh, who am I kidding, that was a perfect introduction.”

“It was?” Ponog said, taken off guard.

“Well, in hindsight.” Perdita said. “That moment was the perfect encapsulation of who you were. A dog who was crazy enough to think of something absolutely mad, yet brave enough to actually do it… All in the name of love.”

“Hmm.” Pongo said. “It does make me sound a bit romantic when you put it like that, doesn’t it?”

“Yes… Still absolutely mad… But romantic.”

“Well, you know what they say.” Pongo said. “Love makes you stupid.”

Perdita shook her head. “No, darling… It makes you strong. The things I’ve seen you do when you were motivated by love, it’s… It’s extraordinary, actually.”

Pongo smiled. “Well, I know the only reason I could do those things was because you were by my side…” He said. “You… You’ve given me strength, when I thought I had none.” He sighed.

“And you’ve brought me out of very dark places, when I thought there was no hope.” Perdita said. “There’s been times when I’ve wondered just what I did to deserve having such a brave, kind, loving dog as a husband.”

“And I think the same thing about you.” Pongo said. “Just what did I do to deserve the most beautiful, caring, and wonderful dog in the world as my wife… It couldn’t have been anything I’ve done… I’m not THAT much of a saint.”

“Then, it must be a special kind of luck.” Perdita said. “One that can only happen when you all end up in a pond together.”

“Well, in that case. Maybe we should start recommending it to others.” Pongo laughed.

“Maybe so…” Perdita said.

They both looked silently in each other’s eyes for a moment. The chilly, February air did little to ruin the warmth they felt inside.

“Perdita.” Pongo finally said. “May I say something I’ve said many times before, and hope to say many more times?”

“Only if I can say the same.” Perdita answered.

“...I love you.” Pongo said.

“And I love you.” Perdita answered.

They both nuzzled each other as the sun shone down on the pond’s surface, making their reflection sparkle…
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At the same pond, on the same day, yet in a VERY different year. Another Dalmatian couple was sitting on the same spot…

“Based on all the old pictures I could find, I think this was it.” Delilah said. “This was their spot…”

“Wow.” Doug said. “I guess that means we’ve got good vibes, here, huh?”

Delilah chuckled. “Yes, I suppose… It’s a bit chilling, though… To think, they sat at this spot… Granted, things have changed a little.”

“Well, it might have changed, but I know what we need to do.” He took her paws into his. “We gotta keep a tradition alive.”

“Oh, Doug.” She said, blushing. “But yes… Let’s keep it going.”

“I love you, Delilah.” Doug said, leaning forward.

“And I love you.” She answered, nuzzling him…

Chapter Text

Da Vinci fiddled with a camera until she came into focus.

“Oh, that’s better!” She said. She hopped back, in front of her easel.

“Hello, everyone.” She said, “Welcome to ‘painting with Da Vinci.’ I’m Da Vinci, and no, I’m not related to the other painter…Mostly cause I’m a dog.” She chuckled at her own joke. “*ahem* Anyway, let’s get started. Today, we’re going to be painting something very near and dear to my heart. The city skyline.” She dipped her paws in some gray, and blue paint.

“You can do this however you’re comfortable. I use my paws, cause I can’t hold a brush.” She giggled again, but got to work.

“People ask me all the time. ‘How can you paint, when you’re just a puppy?’ and the answer to that is, the only REAL limit on art is in your head. Anyone can make art.” She swiped her paws against the canvas. “And it doesn’t have to be painting, either. It can be writing, or drawing. Sculpting, anything… Art is what you feel. It’s sharing your feelings with the world.” She wiped her paws off, and dipped them into some green.

“Some people say, ‘oh, I don’t think I’d be any good at art.’ You’ll never know unless you give it a shot. No one’s good at everything, but it doesn’t have to be good. It only has to be what you want it to be. Keeping at it is the key. If you keep at it, you one day might find you’ve gotten better without even realizing it.” She dipped her paws in some orange.

“To me, art is the ultimate expression of one’s self. It can bring our emotions out, lay them bare for all to see, even ourselves. We might not realize things about ourselves we didn’t think about until we get them out and see them for ourselves.”

She wiped her paws off, giving the canvas a thoughtful, final look.

“The best part of painting is watching all the little touches come together, until…” She turned her easel towards the camera to show the painting of a city skyline at sunset.

“...You see it with your own eyes… A bit of yourself, captured forever on canvas.”

She waved to the camera. “Alright, thanks for joining me, I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you got something out of it. Bye!”
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DJ flicked the camera on and jumped behind his keyboard.

“What is up everyone? My name is DJ, and welcome to the vibes.” He began playing a simple rhythm on his keyboard.

“Studies show that playing simple, harmonious beats can help us relax, ease our minds, and help us focus. So for the next few minutes, I will be playing some freeform stylings of chill, lofi beats to help your mind slow down.” He continued to play. Not speaking, just vibing to the music.

It was a synthetic sound. A low beat played from the keyboards speakers, as he pressed the keys. Sending out a harmony of synthetic beeps, and others sounds. His siblings joked how he made music that sounded like a computer was starting up, but decided to learn Mozart as it did.

He tapped away, letting the vibes guide his paws, each note meshed perfectly with the other. In his mind., he pictured the music as an array of colors, dancing in the sky. Pinks, blues, purples, like a sunset had learned to dance.

He hadn’t even opened his eyes, he just let the music move him…

When he finally stopped, he opened his eyes, and smiled at the camera.

“Well. I think that went pretty well. I hope you’ve enjoyed this and-” He stopped when one of his siblings walked up, and whispered in his ear.

“Wha? Huh? W-What do you mean I was subconsciously playing a lo-fi version of ‘Cotton-Eye Joe’? Aw, dang it!” He walked over to the camera.

“Not again…”
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This time, the camera was already on, except it was in a dark room. Only for a flicker of light to reveal the face of a black-coated pup. Most of his body obscured in darkness, aside from his face an white spots.

“Greetings.” He said. “My name is Dante. Welcome to ‘In The Dark…’ where we discuss urban legends, myths, and tales, surrounding London. Tonight, we talk of the dreaded ‘fur-fiend.’ A creature said to prowl England, posing as a human, searching for animals to rip the skin off of… It’s never clear as to WHY it does this, but the leading theory is that this miserable creature is so wretched and disgusting, that the only way it feels anything anymore is by witnessing the sheer suffering of other creatures.”

He held up an old newspaper clipping, the headline read, “Puppies stolen.”

“The earliest known sighting of this creature was in 1961. Were, in its human guise, acquired 99 Dalmatian puppies that it intended on skinning. We also learned that the creature was definitely a vengeful one, as when the puppies were rescued, it hounded them across the English countryside.”

“No one knows where the creature came from, but my theory is that it is a demon placed on this earth to torment animals. It’s most recent sighting was 2020, where once again it kidnapped a family of Dalmatians… It was once again thwarted, and hasn’t not resurfaced since… But who knows… It held onto a grudge for a long time… It might be waiting…Watching… WHo knows when, and where it will strike next…”

The light’s suddenly flickered back on.

“But, as always, this is all purely speculation. Any stories shared in this video are purely for entertainment purposes… Unless, of course…” The camera zoomed into his face.

“They’re true… Thanks for watching…”
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This time, the camera opened to a pup sitting in a lotus position on a cushion.

“Namaste.” Deepak said with a nod. “I am Deepak, and welcome to ‘a moment of meditation.’ Meditating is the practice of focusing to clear one’s head. It’s both very simple, and at the same time, not as easy as it sounds. It requires attention, and focus. You must ignore all distractions. But, the easy part is that it requires nothing. Nothing but what you already have. So.” He clicked the symbols on his fingers, which let out a ringing sound.

“Getting started is simple… All you need to do is find a position that is comfortable. The pose I am doing is probably what most people imagine when they think of meditation. It is called the Lotus Position. It’s a very simple pose, now… Take a few deep breaths… Breath in and out slowly, in….And out… In… And out… Now, close your eyes. Keep breathing, in…And out… Focus on nothing but my voice…”

“In…”
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“Out.”
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”In…”
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“Out.”

He cleared his throat.

“Focus only on my voice. You are calm. You are at peace. You are one with yourself…”

He chimed the cymbals again.

“Ahhh.” He said, exhaling. “Breathe in… I hope in these moments you have felt relaxed, and perhaps your mind is a little clearer. But for now, that will do. Tanky you for joining me, and I wish you all a very blessed day.”
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The camera was lopsided, sitting in the grass…

In a moment, something burst from the ground.

“Hello!” It said, “Welcome to ‘Digging with Diesel!’ I’m…Uh, Diesel! And I’m going to show you all the cool stuff I’ve found while digging today!”

He hurried back under the ground, reemerging later with something in his mouth.

“Auight!” He said, unable to speak clearly with it in his mouth. He spat out an old, leather boot.

“This is a classic find on digs. The single, worn, leather boot. Who buried it? Who’d it belong to? Who knows? All I know is that I find these everywhere. Never in pairs, either… A lot of one-legged people must’ve buried their boots here…Over-all. A solid 6/10. A classic, but not much else.”

He dove back into the ground. A bit later, he came out, hauling an old tire.

“Okay, here we have a usual, ‘what the heck?’ find. Who buried a tire in the middle of London? I don’t find these often, but it always confuses me. 4/10.Makes no sense.”

He dove back into the ground….

After a moment, he called out.

“Oh, WOW!” another moment passed…

Finally, he reemerged.

“You all are in for a real treat today!” He said. “I just found the best thing ever!” He struggled with it for a minute, before finally pulling it out, revealing it to be an old vacuum cleaner.

“Now THIS is what digging is all about. Sure, it’s dirty, but it’s in one piece! And you know why that’s great? It means you have something big and machine-y to bury again! 10/10 made my day!” He threw it back into the hole, and filled it back in.

“That was great. Thanks for watching!” He ran up and licked the camera…

And that was the last of the videos recorded on the pups tablet. Dylan and Dolly gave each other unsure looks.

“Well…On the bright side, you actually got them to try something new.” Dolly said.

“Yeah, but when I said they should try making a video, I had something more…Well, understandable by humans in mind… We can’t post any of these online, no human could understand…Also, I don’t think Mum would appreciate Dante using our family’s story like that.”

“Yeah… Still, they WERE pretty good.” Dolly agreed.

“Oh, definitely, but I think these should just stay filed under ‘familial use only’.”

He switched the tablet off, the screen going blank.

Chapter Text

“Miaow-wow-wow-wow [breath] Miaow-wow-wow-wow…”

If you lived at the house on 101 Dalmatian Street. You knew that sound. Expected it, even. Going so far as to say that if you one day DIDN’T hear, you should be worried.

It was the sound of Deepak’s mantra. Repeating as he meditated. Which he did to clear his head after being in a house with 98 other dogs all day. Not to say he didn’t love each of his siblings, he just needed a break…

…Which usually didn’t didn’t last very long…

“Hey, bro?” He heard Dolly ask.

“Yes?” He answered, not opening his eyes.

“Got a hypothetical question for you…” She said,

He opened one eye, “Which would be?”

“Suppose me, Dizzy and Dee Dee were, again, ‘hypothetically’ playing in the attic, and we hypothetically start jumping on stuff, specifically the stuff mum has asked us NOT to jump on, and we hypothetically knocked over great-great-great Grandma and Grandpa’s clock…Y’know the one, right?”

“You mean the one she says that great-great-great grandfather tampered with so he could trick his owner into taking him to the park earlier?” Deepak said. “Yes, I know it.”

“Yeah, and what say we hypothetically, accidentally broke it…” Dolly said. “What would be the hypothetical best way to deal with that?”

Deepak finally opened both his eyes.

“......And this all….Hypothetical, of course?” Deepak asked.

“Oh yeah, totally in the hypothetical sense.” Dolly asked, with a smile as genuine as a rubber hot dog.

“....Well… ‘hypothetically’ I would say the best course of action would be to own to the fact that you, yourself was not only doing something you weren’t supposed to, but also influencing your younger sisters to do the same, and to admit that your actions resulted in the destruction of someone else property and accept the consequences of your actions…” He flashed his older sister a smile.

“Again, in the ‘hypothetical’ sense, of course.”

“Yeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh…” Dolly grimaced. “Are you sure that’s the BEST course of action?”

“Oh yes.” Deepak said. “After all, in these ‘hypothetical’ situations. Trying to hide your mistake, especially when your accomplices are two, rather talkative younger pups, would only make you anxious until your actions were inevitably discovered, the consequences being far worse, because you didn’t tell anyone…”

“........What if I just tried to hide it?” Dolly asked. “I mean, no one’s messed with that clock in years. Who’s gonna know?”

“Mmm, but you KNOW that in times like these, especially parents tend become very interested in things that someone just broke… I’d even call it a sixth sense.”

“Dangit! You’re right!’ Dolly cursed. “Well, what if I didn’t say anything? What if they saw it broken and just figured that it had fallen on it’s own or something…. And if they don’t mind it then, why should I bring it up?”

“.....In the hypothetical sense, you mean?” Deepak asked.

“Oh yeah, sure.” Dolly said, nervously.

“Well… ‘hypothetically’.” Deepak said. “I’d say that still wouldn’t be very healthy for you, as you’d always have that nagging feeling that you did something wrong, and it’s only a matter of time before it’s revealed, and once again, you KNOW these things tend to reveal themselves at the worst, possible, times.”

Dolly grumbled.

“Okay, fine! But what if I tried to fix it before they saw it?”

“Hm. Not exactly a WRONG way with dealing with it, but can you realistically repair it?” Deepak asked. “By the by, just how hypothetically damaged is this clock in this ‘hypothetical’ situation?”

“Mmmmmmmmmm….” Dolly squirmed. “Hypothetically…It’s face is completely smashed and I think the wood paneling is cracked…”

“Ooh.” Deepak said. “Dear sister, in this situation, the only thing I can say you can do to avoid a worse ‘hypothetical’ punishment is to fess up…”

“Ugh!” Dolly groaned. “But… You know how mum is about her family's antiques. If she finds out I broke one by doing something she’s told me not to, I’ll probably lose my skateboard for a month, or be put on solo pup-care for a week…”

“Hmm… I AM sorry sister, but that’s truly a small price to pay. By doing this, you free yourself from any potential guilt and anxiety.It WILL be worse if you try to hide it.”

Dolly huffed.

“Besides, why are you worried?” Deepak asked. “Isn’t this all ‘hypothetical’?”

Dolly glared at him as Deepak flashed a smile.

“....Are you screwing with me?” She asked.

Deepak closed his eyes with a VERY satisfied smile on his face.

“Perhaps hypothetically…”

Chapter Text

The alarm from the old, brass clock rang at its usual 7:00 am. In a moment, a Dalmatian stirred from her bed. Pulling herself to her paws, stretching out, and yawning. She shook the sleep from her face, and got ready to start another day.

The first thing she did was carefully step over her still sleeping husband. He wouldn’t be awake for another few moments. She carefully tiptoed to the side of the large, human sized bed in the room, specifically the side where her pet, Anita slept. She gave the sleeping human’s face a gentle nudge, and licked her hand. In a moment, the human stirred.

“Alright, Perdy.” The human said, calling Perdita by her nickname. “I’m getting up.”

Satisfied. Perdita gave her pet a more, welcoming nuzzle, and headed downstairs.

Nanny was already up, getting breakfast for the humans ready. Perdita walked to the door of the kitchen, and sat there mannerly, giving a soft bark to let Nanny know she was up.

“Oh, good morning.” The woman said to her. “I’ll be out in a moment.”

Perdita gave a grateful nod, and headed outside. It was a cold morning, all the more so with the wind biting at her. But she walked from the family’s farm house to the barn.

Dalmatians weren’t usually considered farm dogs. They were seen as much too elegant and fussy to live in a place like this. ANd while Perdita tried to be elegant, and only the more unkind dogs called her fussy. She rather enjoyed life on the farm. It was open, the air was clean, there was plenty of room. She didn’t even have to wait for her pet to walk her like she did when they lived in the city. Most of all, it was private. Far from the prying eyes of the city. And when you lived with a famous musician like her husband’s pet was, that can be a problem in the city… Prying eyes and ears.

But none of these were the real reason she truly liked this property in the country. She liked it because it was purchased by their pets, so that they could keep the very things Perdita was going to the barn to check on…

She carefully opened the door… And was greeted by the sounds of puppies. Some sleeping, some playing quietly, and some just waiting fro breakfast.
99 puppies, to be exact. And the story of how they had gotten to be a family of 101(99 puppies+her and her husband.) was quite a tale…

But it’s not the one we’re focusing on today. Today Perdita was simply getting the pups ready to start another day…

One of the pups, her youngest named Lucky, saw her and ran over to her.

“Good morning, mother.” He said, hugging her.

“Good morning, darling.” She said, returning his hug. Soon, other pups had joined them.

“Is it breakfast time yet?” Rolly, her hungriest pup said.

“Almost.” Perdita said. “Besides, what must we always do?”

“Wait until Nanny’s made the pet’s breakfast.” Rolly said.

“Exactly.” Perdita said. “Now, what else must we do in the mornings?”

“Stay quiet.” The pups said.

“Right again.” Perdita said, proudly. “And why must we stay quiet?”

“Because humans don’t like being woken up by puppies barking.” They all said.

“If they’d learn to speak dog, it wouldn’t be a problem.” Patch, the biggest pup, muttered.

“True.” Perdita agreed. “But so far, that seems to be one hurdle they can’t overcome.”

The sound of someone whistling happily outside caught Perdita’s ear.

“Ah. Right on time.” She said, she turned to her pups. “Wake up your brothers and sisters, breakfast will be ready soon.”

She walked outside, where Nanny was preparing the puppy’s food dishes.

“Ah, right on time.” Nanny chuckled.

Perdita gave a friendly bark.

“Why is it that it’s always you and me doing this?” Nanny jokingly asked. “Why is that husband of yours never up?”

Perdita smiled and could give a puzzled roll of her eyes as an answer.

Nanny laughed. “I only joke, of course. Your husband is a very good dog.”

“Oh, I know.” Perdita said, even though Nanny couldn’t hear her. “A bit late to rise, perhaps.”

In a few moments. All the dishes were lined up. All 99.

“Now, hopefully that Rolly-Poly sticks to his own bowl, this time.” Nanny said. “He’s always trying to sneak bites from others.”

Perdita gave an annoyed look. She and Pongo had been working on their son’s greediness. They’d made progress, but he still let his appetite get the best of him from time to time…

“Well, I guess that about does it.” Nanny said. She walked into a shed attached to the barn, and hauled a large bag of dog food on a wheelbarrow. An extra large bag, to be exact. Enough to feed 99 pups, but JUST barely.

“I say.” Nanny said. “It makes perfect sense that 99 pups would need this much food, but to see it all at once…It is a bit striking.”

Perdita had to agree. This wasn’t even all of it, they ate another bag in the evening. But, it was what it was. She was at least grateful that the ones they adopted had been well past their nursing stage.

As Nanny pushed the wheelbarrow, it hit bump on the ground, causing the large bag to slide forward, almost taking the wheelbarrow, and Nanny with it!

Luckily, at that moment, something ran up, and stopped the bag with his head…

“Oh my.” Nanny said. “I almost lost that one, didn’t I?” She looked in front to see what saved her, and the pups breakfast to see the smiling face of Perdita’s husband.

“Well!” She said, gratefully. “What did I say about him being a very good dog?” She gave him a few grateful scratches on his head. “Always there when you need him the most.”

“Oh, I know that as well.” Perdita said. She smiled as her husband joined her, giving her an affectionate nuzzle.

“Good morning, darling.” He said. “Sorry I slept in.”

“Oh, it’s quite alright.” Perdita said. “Especially since you arrived right when we needed you.”

“Well, not often I have to save the pups breakfast, but it’s a nice change of pace.” Pongo said, jokingly.

Nanny undid the bag and began filling the bowls. Very quickly, the bag began to empty, until what seemed like an impossible amount was being shaken into the last bowl, only just barely filling it.

“Well.” Nanny said. “I suppose there’s only one thing left to do.” She cleared her throat, and let out a sharp call.

“Breakfast!”

In a moment, the sound of dozens of paws scurrying out of the barn was the warning any creature not familiar with this farm got, to get out of the way. For at that moment, a black and white swarm rounded the corner, kicking up dirt as they did.

“I swear, if I saw that anywhere but here, I’d have a heart attack.” Nanny said.

The swarm broke out as each pup chose a bowl. Despite their hurry to get a spot, not a single pup touched their food until all their brothers and sisters had a spot. Something that Pongo and Perdita had taught them. It helped make sure each pup had something to eat.

As soon as the last pup had a seat, they all looked to Perdita, who gave a nod.

At once they all started eating.

“My goodness. Your children could strip an elephant down to the bone if they were hungry enough.” Nanny said.

“Probably could.” Pongo said. “I’ve even seen the cows look at them nervously whenever meals are a bit late.”

Perdita gave a light chuckle. “I told you not to tell the pups where steaks come from.”

“I didn’t expect that they’d actually tell the cows.” Pongo said in his defense.

After Nanny put the wheelbarrow up, she headed back to the farm house.

“Now, what say we get you two some breakfast, eh?” She asked.

They both barked in agreement.

In a moment, the two Dalmatians were sitting on the porch, with their own bowls. Calmly eating breakfast as they watched their pups head in various areas of the farmyard.

“*yawn* came a voice, as Roger walked out in his robe, a cup of coffee in his hand. Perdita could never understand why humans liked that bean juice. It smelled horrible, and tasted even worse. Not that they’d let her drink much of it anyway.

“Dogs shouldn’t have caffeine.” She remembered Anita saying. She didn’t know what “calf-een” was, but she did trust her pets when it came to these things.

Though, now she wondered that, if dogs can’t have it, why should humans?

Regardless, Roger took a seat and took a long, contemplative sip of it… In a moment, he let out a contented sigh.

“Ahhh… Well… It’s a lovely morning, eh?” He asked them.

They barked in agreement.

“It is, indeed.” Anita said, coming out to join them. She gave Roger a kiss on the cheek, and sat in the chair next to him.

“Now, what is planned for the day?” She asked.

“Well, I’ve still got that song dancing around in my head.” Roger said. “Still can’t find the right tune for it.”

“I’m sure you will.” Anita said. “You always do.”

“And I assume our canine compatriots have a full day of watching pups?” Roger asked, looking down at the dogs.

“Same as every other day.” Pongo said.

“And I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Perdita said.

She rested her head on Pongos side as the humans, and dogs watched the sun rise high over their farm. A perfectly simple day, for a perfectly simple family…

Chapter Text

Hello! My name’s Lucky. Uh, I’m a Dalmatian. Mother tells me to remember that part. Some people are surprised when they hear a Dalmatian talk.

I live on a farm in the country. Uh, that’s where there’s no buildings, or cities, and people live in houses that aren’t connected to others.

I USED to live in the city. It was nice, full of smells and sounds, and stuff. We went on walks to the park, and watched TV. Back then, it was just me, mother, dad, their pets, Nanny, and I had only 14 brothers and sisters. It was a bit small, though. We had to stay out of the attic, cause that’s where dad’s pet made his music. He made really nice music too. So good that people paid him lots of money for it.

I don’t know why people would pay a lot of money for music when you can just listen to it for free. But it was good that they did, because that’s how he was able to buy this house.

I sometimes miss the house in the city. But we always had to wait to be walked, had to stay inside, because there was nowhere to play outside. We lived right on the street. And it was really noisy, because cars kept driving and honking, and sometimes, there were lots of cars at once. And whenever a firetruck, or police car, or ambalan- Uh, Ambu, amabaloo… Uh, the trucks that take people to the hospitals drove by, with it’s siren and bells ringing, it hurt our ears. It hurt so much, we would all howl, and the humans didn’t like it, but we couldn’t help it. Not even mother could help herself, and she always tells us to try not to howl.

But now we live in this farm house in the country, where no one has to walk us, cause we have a huge yard all to ourselves. We sleep in a big barn, where there’s lots of room for everyone. And almost no cars come by. The loudest noise was the rooster crowing in the morning.

We had to get a bigger place, because now…There’s not just 17 Dalmatians anymore. There’s 101 of us now!

I have 99 brothers and sisters, and mother and dad have 84 more kids!

It wasn’t easy, at first. Sharing my mother and my dad with a bunch of puppies I’d never met. At first, I didn’t want to…

But then mother said that they didn’t have anyone else. Their own mothers might’ve not even wanted them, if they were bought so easily… And that made me sad. Mother and dad both said that, no matter how many new ones there were, they’d still be our mother and dad…

Still, it wasn’t very easy. I had to wait to play with dad longer than before. Whenever I couldn’t sleep, I’d go to Mother and Dad's bed, only now there were usually a bunch of pups there already…

Dad said it was tough for them, too… He says… They barely got a chance to get used to fifteen…Now there were ninety-nine…

I heard mothers pet say the same thing. How no one could’ve been used to 99 pups…

I guess I don’t really understand exactly what they meant. Just that, it was hard for everyone to get used to…

And forget trying to get to my spot in front of the tv. There were so many new people I could barely see what was happening most of the time! That did make me mad… But, one of the new pups had said that… They’d never watched tv before. They grew up in a pet shop, where there was no tv.

I didn’t like that idea. Every pup needs to be able to watch tv.

But now, I guess everyone is used to it. We have all this room, mother and dad are home all the time, they never leave us alone anymore to go on “W-A-L-K’s” anymore.

I think that means going for a ‘walk,’ but I don’t know why dad says it like that.

And even with all 99 of us, they found a way for us to all watch tv…

It’s not even just us on the farm. There’s a cow, a chicken and her chicks, the rooster. And sometimes, we see the Sergeant. He’s a cat. A really cool cat, too. He sometimes comes over from his farm, which is pretty close.

Mother tells us to stay away from the cow. Not that she’s mean, she just gets nervous with a lot of little pups running around her. Her name is Maggie, and she’s nice. But yeah, she gets nervous easily.

We also have to stay away from the hen. She doesn’t like us around her chicks. Mother says she can understand. We also have to REALLY stay away whenever the rooster’s around. Dad says he just doesn’t like anyone near his chicks either, but I just think he’s cranky.

There’s also frogs in the pond, sometimes a duck. But they never stay. Dad says they have to go to other places when it gets cold. I don’t see why they just don’t go into the barn, there’s plenty of room.

On days like this, me, Patch, Penny, and Rolly usually find stuff to do. There my brothers, and sister. Patch is bigger than me. In fact, everyone’s bigger than me. Patch is the biggest boy, Penny’s the biggest girl. Rolly’s big too, but not in the same way. He’s bigger mostly around his belly.

We like to dig, jump from the hay loft into the hay stacked in the barn. We chase each other around the field, and we swim in the pond. Rolly doesn’t run for very long before he gets tired, though. Patch can run for a long time, though. Way longer than me. In fact, almost everyone can run longer than me. Mother says, when I was born, something happened… I got really sick or something, and now I can’t run for very long. Mother and dad, even their pets and Nanny always remind me to ‘pace’ myself. I don’t know what that means, but I can’t run for very long without getting tired. I start to feel out of breath, like I want to sleep… I actually did fall asleep one time, and mother got really worried. She worries about us a lot, anyway, but that time, when I finally woke up, she was crying… She hugged me really tight, too…

Sometimes I get annoyed when mother worries about me. I’m not a baby anymore, but she still treats me like one, sometimes.

I do know she loves me, though. She loves all of us very much. And I love her, too. She says she wants us to grow up to be ‘good, respectable, well-mannered dogs.’ I don’t know what that all means, but she tries to teach us stuff, like to do what we’re told when a human says it. How to sit, wait, fetch, how to eat politely, all sorts of stuff… She does play with us, but not us much as dad.

Dad is different than mother. She calls him silly sometimes, that she has to ‘look after him like he’s one of the pups.’ but she loves him a lot, too. And Dad REALLY loves Mother a lot. I can tell, because they kiss a lot. Blech!

Dad likes to play the games we do. He likes to dig, and run, and all that. But one thing he really likes is to sit in his pets piano room, and listen to him play. I don’t really, I think it’s a little boring. I only have to sit and listen, I can’t climb on the piano, or anything.

Mother and Dad usually don’t get mad at us, unless we’ve done something we know we’re not supposed to do. Usually, even then, mother gives us a look where she raises her eyebrow, and frowns. Dad doesn’t near as much, but when he does, he just frowns with one side of his mouth.

I’ve only ever seen them bear their teeth once and… I don’t like to remember that night.

Some scary stuff happened to us, and we don’t like to talk about it…

Dad says, the important thing is that we’re all together now, and nothing will change that. And even though it’s hard, sometimes. I try and believe him.

So y’know. I like my life on this farm. It’s not too busy, not too boring, it’s a mix of both. And, I guess in a lot of ways…
Heh-heh…

…It’s a life I’m lucky to have…

(Heh, I like my name, cause I can use it in jokes like that...)

Chapter Text

Dolly’s eyes fluttered open as the morning sun shone in through the window.

She stretched, yawned, and pulled herself up, cracking her back as she did.

“Oof… I think I’m getting a little too old for sleeping on a hard-wood mantle… At least, that’s what my back might be telling me.” She did sleep well, though, very well. She remembered having a dream so good, she felt she had slept more soundly than she’d had in a long time. She hopped down. All her other brothers and sisters were awake, which wasn’t surprising. She was usually the last to wake up.

“Another day, another… Guess I don’t have a good metaphor for that, but whatever. Another day.” She ran out of the pups room. Ready to start a brand new day…

Downstairs, Dylan was getting the pups breakfast ready. Filling bowl after bowl with kibble pump. In a moment, each pup had a bowl.

“Fwoo!” He said, wiping the sweat off his brow. “Nothing like starting the day with nutritious target practice.” He took his spot. Looking at all his siblings eating.

“Ah, it’s so nice to have a peaceful morning for once.” He said. “Just a simple, quiet-” Suddenly, he heard a rumbling of paws overhead.

“....Nevermind.” He said.

With a leap, and slide down the banister, Dolly jumped, bounced off the wall, and landed perfectly in the doorway.

“What’s up, fam?” She said.

“....Must you do that, EVERY morning?” Dylan asked.

“Must you always be a stick in the mud?” She returned.

The pups giggled while Dylan frowned.

“So, what’s on the agenda for today?” Dolly asked, taking her seat at the opposite end of the table.

“Well, after breakfast. I’m gonna clean up, and YOU are gonna take everyone to the park.” Dylan said. Immediately, it set off a chorus of happy barks, repeating the word “park” over and over.

“Sounds good.” Dolly said. She looked at the pups. “As long as you all ready for the best day at the park ever!?”

“Yeah, yeah!” The pups all cried.

“I’d actually just like to sit and meditate for a while.” Deepak said.

“Yea-ah.” Dolly said in response to the pups. “Bow-wacka-meow!”

The pups all went dead silent, all staring at Dolly, who seemed just as surprised.

“....What’d you just say?” Dylan asked.

“Did you just ‘meow’?” Deepak asked.

“Ew, no!” Dolly said. “Must have something in my throat.” She cleared her throat. “Once more.”

“You don’t have to.” Dylan said.

“Hey. Gotta say it at least once.” Dolly argued. “Day doesn’t officially start until I do.” She took a deep breath, and super loud to make up for the first one,

“BOW. WHACKA. meow.”

She covered her mouth in mortified shock.

“There it was again.” Dimitri 1 said.

“Is Dolly ‘meowing’?” Dimitri 2 said.

“Ha!” Dimitri 3 laughed. “What’s the matter, Dolly? Cat got your tongue?!” The three laughed, along with a few others.

“N-No. I just… I just have something in my throat!” Dolly said.

“Dolly, you sure you’re okay?” Dylan asked.

“That was a very, fluent meow.” Deepak said.

“I’m FINE.” Dolly adamantly stated. “And it wasn’t a meow!” She pushed her bowl away. “I’m not hungry.” She got and left.

Dylan looked at Deepak, who just shrugged.

“We must be hearing things.” Dylan said.
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Dolly stood on the bathroom sink, looking into the mirror.

“*ahem* Bow. Whacka.” She closed her eyes. “Wow.” She opened them.

“Whew. I knew there was nothing to worry about.” She said, “Bow. Whacka. Wow. Bow. Whacka. Wow. It’s three words, I say ‘em all the time. I just got mixed up.” She cleared her throat again, and in a much louder voice.

“Bow-Whacka-Meow.”

Her eyes popped open. ‘’What?!” She gasped. She looked at herself.

“Wow.” She said, very quietly. “Wow.” Again, louder. “WOW.” Even louder. But the moment her voice hit an octave higher…

“MEOW!”

She clasped her paws over her mouth.

A perfectly pronounced meow…Just like a-

“No!” Dolly said. ‘I gotta be hearing things.”

She looked around. She didn’t want to do anything too loud and bring attention to herself.

“What to do? What to… Wait…” Suddenly, she got an idea. She ran out of the bathroom, up to the attic, and out the trap door to the roof.

Looking out over the London skyline, she cleared her throat.

“Hey, World-Wide-Woof. This is just a test. I, uh, want to make sure I’m not getting a cold that’ll affect my barking.”

A simple enough message. Now, all she had to do was send it. She hesitated… Before taking a deep breath… And then, with all her might…

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“MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!”

Was the sound that almost gave Dylan a heart attack as he was gathering up the food bowls.

“What in the dog was that?!” He cried. All the other pups looked just as confused.

“Yo, did that come from OUR roof?” DJ asked.

“Is there a cat on our roof?” Dee Dee asked.

“There shouldn’t be.” Dylan said. “Stay here, I’m gonna take a look.”

He headed upstairs…

“Dude, what if there IS a cat on our roof?” Dimitri 1 asked.

“Then we should treat it with respect, and friendliness.” Deepak said.

“Uh huh.” Dimitri 1 said. “OR….We could drop it off the roof and see if cats really DO land on their feet.”

The other two laughed while Deepak put a paw to his head.
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Dylan poked his head out of the roof.

“Hey.” He called. “If there’s a cat up here… You might wanna leave. There’s 97 hyper-active pups here that haven’t overcome their ‘cat equals prey’ drives, yet… Also, I’m allergic.”

But he didn’t see a cat. All he saw was Dolly… Hunched over, leaning against the wall…

“Oh, Dolly, it’s just you… Did you hear that just now. It sounded like someone was water-boarding a rubber chicken.” Dylan climbed out onto the roof.

“Unless that WAS you. You know Mum said not to mimic other species' cries, it’s rude, and-” He stopped when he saw that she was shaking…

“Dolly…Dolly, you okay?” He asked. “Wait, did the cat that made that noise hurt you, what happened?!”

Dolly finally looked up at him….Tears streaming down her face that was locked in mortified horror…

“Dylan…” She sobbed.

“....I. Can’t. Bark….”

Dylan blinked.

“Come again?” He asked.

“Dylan…. I. Can. Not. BARK.” She said, even more severely.

“....What does that even mean?” He asked.

“It means I can’t bark!!!” She shouted. “I-I don’t know how, or-or why, but I can’t, Dylan! I can’t bark!”

Dylan shook his head. ‘Okay, I’m confused. You say you can’t bark?”

“YES!” She cried.

“That’s impossible.” Dylan said, “You’re a dog.”

“I KNOW THAT!!!” Dolly shouted. “But I-I….Oh, let me just show you!” She looked back over the roof.

“Hey. This Dolly again!” She called out a message. “Just proving to my brother that I CAN’T BARK!” She took a deep breath, gave Dylan one last look of embarrassment, and let out her cry…

“MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!”

…And just like before, the only thing that came out was a long, shrill, meow…

Dolly looked back at her brother.

“See?” She said, tearfully.

Dylan stared. Then he cleared his ear out.

“I’m sorry, was that you!?” He asked.

“Ye-e-e-s!” Dolly sobbed.

“... You just meowed?” Dylan said.

“Yes! And don’t know why-y-y!!!” Dolly cried.

Dylan thought about it. Then he shook his head.

“Y’know, you have pulled some crazy pranks, but this takes the kibble.” He said. “I’m actually impressed, that meow almost sounded real.”

“Dylan, I’m NOT joking!” She cried. “I can’t bark! Every time I’ve tried, it comes out as a meow!”

“Yeah, sure.” Dylan said as he started back inside. “I really was convinced, though.”

Dolly watched in disbelief… Racking her brain for any way to prove it, some way she couldn’t fake…

She looked around on the roof for anything she could find….Then she saw the door.

She ran ahead of Dylan, and opened the trap door.

“Okay, Dylan!” She said. “You don’t believe me? Watch this!” She put her paw in the door’s path, and let it drop!

“Dolly!” Dylan cried, but it was too late. The door slammed onto her paw, hard!

And when it did, though she tried to hold it in, instead of a long, pained howl, out from Dolly’s mouth…

“MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW-OW-OW-SONOFMYMOTHERTHATHURT!!!”

Dolly whimpered as she held her paw…

Dylan stared in shock.

“....You just meowed.” He said.

“YEAH, ABOUT TIME YOU CAUGHT ON!!!” Dolly cursed, holding her paw. “You believe me, now?!”

Dylan’s jaw dropped.
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Dolly held her mouth open as Dawkins shined a flashlight down it.

“I don’t see anything out of the ordinary.” Dawkins said. “Not that I’d know what to look for. There’s no medical affliction that causes cross-species vocalizations.”

“There HAS to be something.” Dylan said. “Dolly meowed just as well as a cat!”

“Can we please NOT refer to it like that?’ Dolly groaned. “I just want to know what in the heck is wrong with me,”

Dawkins switched off the flashlight and shrugged. “I’m afraid I couldn’t tell you, dear sister. This is completely beyond the realm of science.”

Dylan looked at him in surprise. “And, that doesn’t at all make you wonder?” He asked.

“I don’t know what would make a dog meow, but any scientific implication it might have would be purely anecdotal.” Dawkins said.

“You wanna run that by me again in English?” Dolly asked.

“It’s silly.” Dawkins said.

“It sure as heck doesn’t feel ‘silly’ to me!” Dolly shouted. “You try barking and having the sound of a cat come out your meowth!” Her eyes popped open when she realized what she said.

“Dang it!” She cursed.

Dylan rubbed his head. “Well…If it’s not medical… What else could it be?”

“It might be in her head.” Dawkins suggested. “A chemical imbalance or the like… Though, even then… I don’t know of anything that would cause this… Of course, there’s no way to know without a full examination, but at that point-”

“I am NOT letting you weirdo’s look inside my body!” Dolly said. “Geez, even in context that sounds wrong!”

“Yeah, but what else?” Dylan said.

The three began thinking.

“Well…Maybe it’s not a medical thing?” Dylan suggested. “Maybe it’s more in her head, like you said, bu not in the same way…”

“Brother, are you suggesting that this is of a spiritual nature?” Dawkins asked.

“Hey, you said yourself that it isn’t scientific.” Dylan pointed out.

“Yes, but I didn’t mean she was cursed.” Dawkins said.

“I FEEL cursed.” Dolly said.

“Well, we have to consider it.” Dylan said. “At this point, it could be anything.”

Dawkins rolled his eyes. “Very well…But what do you propose?”

“Well, I guess we just need an expert on cats…” Dylan said.

“And where are we gonna find a cat expert in a dog meow-se?......Oh, my DOG, COME ON!!!!” Dolly growled.

Dylan and Dawkins exchanged looks.

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“Dear brothers, I am grateful you sought me out in your time of need.” Deepak said. “But while I am quite aware that my hobbies are not traditionally ‘dog-like,’ I don’t appreciate being made fun of like this.”

“We’re not pranking you, bro.” Dylan asked.

“Trust us. We lack the imagination to make this up.” Dawkins said.

Deepak rolled his eyes. “So, our dear sister has suddenly found that she meows instead of barks? Is that right?”

“I promise, Deepak, it’s the truth!” Dolly said. “I can’t bark. Anytime I try. I just meow.”

Deepak thought for a moment. “And…It’s not some illness?” He asked.

“Not that I could find.” Dawkins said.

Deepak thought some more… Then he got up, and hopped over to the bookshelf in the pups room.

In a moment, he returned with a book.

“This is a copy of the verse of Guru Miaow.” He said. “Written in its original cat. Only a cat, or someone who has gotten the pronunciation down right can read it properly. I have been practicing for years and can only do the first few. If you can really meow…Read the first.”

Dolly looked over the book…

“Do I HAVE to recite a bunch of cat meditation mantras?” She groaned.

Deepak crossed his paws. “It is the best way, dear sister.” He said.

Dolly sighed and read over the first. She cleared her throat.

“Um….Meow, reow, me-meow.” She said,

Deepak looked shocked. “Yes, keep going.” He said.

“Reow-reow, meow, meowreow.” She continued.

“And again.” Deepak said.

“Miaow-wow, Riaow, Meow.” She finished. ‘Dog, that feels wrong.”

“It didn’t sound wrong.” Deepak said. “You recited it perfectly. The pronunciation of each meow, the accent… I’ve been practicing for years, yet I still haven’t gotten as perfect as that!

“Whoopie.” Dolly groaned. “But I DON’T WANT TO-EOW!”

She glared at him. “FIX. THIS.”

Deepak shrugged. “I don’t know what you expect me to do. I’ve been trying to find my inner cat all my life. I’ve never read up, nor even consider the possibility on if someone was to find theirs on accident.”

“Maybe she’s part cat?” Dylan suggested. Dolly glared at him.

“C’mon. It’d make sense. You like to climb, jump around, make messes, get on people’s nerves…”

Dolly huffed.

“There IS one other I know of that MIGHT be able to help…” Deepak said.

“REALLY!?” Dolly said. “Where?!”

“You may not like it.” Deepak answered.

“Nevermind that, where are they?!” Dolly demanded.

“........Next door.” Deepak said.

“Wait, you mean… No. Nonono.” Dolly said. “I am not giving that pretentious, hair-ball spitter the satisfaction!”

“I don’t like it either, but he might be able to help.” Dylan said.

“I concur.” Dawkins agreed. “This situation is clearly out of paws.”

“Listen. I am NOT going to ask that jerk of anything!” Dolly said. “So forget it!”

“Uh huh. So we’ll just have to keep you inside for the rest of your life so no human hears a meowing dog and takes you somewhere to be dissected, then.” Dylan said.

Dolly frowned so hard she almost smiled.

“FINE.” She said, “Let’s get this over-eow with…Yes, I heard it and I’m not addressing it.”
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Deepak knocked on their neighbor’s door.

“Just breathe.” He told his sister. “He might be prickly, but he won’t turn away someone in need.”

“I just don’t want to imagine how smug he’s gonna act.” Dolly said. “Oh well….At least it’s not Clarissa.”

In a moment, the door opened, and a gray cat stood in the doorway.

“Namaste, young one.” He said

“Namaste, Constantin.” Deepak said.

“My fellow follower of Guru Miaow. You know I am always happy to see you, but.” He looked at the other three… “Why have you brought these three to my door?” Earning frowns from all three.

“Friend Constantin.” Deepak said. “You know I would not do this unless it was an emergency….But something is wrong with my sister that defies explanation.”

“Hm…I fear you are the LAST to realize that something is wrong with your elder sister.” The cat said.

Dylan had to hold his laugh in as Dolly growled.

“I am serious, my friend.” Deepak said. “Something has happened to her that shakes both our worlds to its very core.”

“And what would that be?” Constantin asked.

Deepak motioned for Dolly to step forward.

“My dear sister… Has lost the ability to bark.” Deepak said.

“Hm…I thought you said there was something ‘wrong’ with her.” Constantin chuckled. “That sounds quite agreeable.”

Dolly growled at him.

“But… And here is the part we cannot believe.” Deepak said. “She has gained the ability to meow…”

Constantin’s eyes went wide.

“Young dog.” He said. “I know you to be honest in all things… Which is why you must understand the severity when I ask…What?”

“It’s true.” Deepak said. “My sister…Now meows instead of barks.”

Constantin looked at the others.

“We wouldn’t make this up.” Dylan promised.

“And you know we never lie about family.” Dawkins added.

Constantin closed his eyes and took a deep breath… Then, he leaned down next to Deepak.

“How are you sure?’ He asked.

“She recited the three beginner mantras of Guru Miaow.” Deepak said. “Perfectly.”

Constantin stared at him, then at Dolly.

“Come in, quickly.” He said.

All four Dalmatians entered the cat’s house…

“When did this start?’ he asked.

“This morning.” Dolly said. “As soon as I woke up.”

“And you have never meowed before, I assume?” He asked.

“No. Never.” Dolly said. “Never wanted to.”

“Yes, well…” He led them to his meditation room. “This is very troubling.”

“Do you know what it might be?” Deepak asked.

“I’ve only speculation.” He said. “This is unprecedented.”

He motioned for them all to sit.

“Now…Show me.” He said.

Dolly’s eyes darted back and forth. “Now?”

“Yes, now, dog!” He said. “Do you want help or not?”

Dolly rolled her eyes.

“Mreow!” She said, Her face red with embarrassment.

“Hm….Accent’s a bit iffy, pitch is sloppy, and overall sounds like my Uncle Genghis after he’d had one-too-many catnip treats… But it was, indeed, a meow…Extraordinary.”

“Yeah, I’m glad, can you fix it?!” Dolly asked.

“Hmph. Certainly didn’t mellow out like a cat.” He said. “Not that I expect you to have, but how have you looked into this?” He asked Dylan.

“We know it’s not medical.” Dylan said. “And it’s never happened before.”

“Hm… That only tells us the obvious.” Constantin said. “And you say it only happened this morning?”

“Yes.” Dolly said. “I have never meowed before in my life.”

“Explains a few things.” The cat said. “I am… Admittedly a bit lost.” He said. “This is incredible. To think that a dog would be gifted in the tongue of the cat, and that dog, of all dogs is the one who almost killed herself with my add-on meditation chamber.”

Dolly frowned. “..... I don’t feel too special in case you were wondering.” She said.

“Friend Constantin, isn’t there ANYTHING you might be able to tell us?” Deepak asked.

Constantin tapped his chin.

“I don’t believe so….Unless…No. No, that’s absurd.”

“What?” Deepak asked.

“It’s nothing.” He said. “Barely warrants a second thought.”

“At this point, we’ll consider anything.” Dawkins said.

“Yeah, if you have some idea of what this might be, please tell us.” Dolly said.

“.......Did you just say ‘please’?” Constantin asked.

“I’m really desperate right meow.” Dolly said. “....See?”

Constantin took a deep breath…

“Very well…” He set opposite of them

“There is a theory… An unproven theory, mind you… That states that…A person, or animal, can accidentally become a conduit for spiritual energy, provided they are in a state of absolute rest, and there is a strong enough vibe of energy around them.”

“......Huh?” Dolly asked.

Constantin rolled his eyes. “You dogs and abstract concepts. A person can ‘accidently’ pick up vibes intended for others.”

“….Still lost.” Dolly said.

“Ugh. Deepak.” The cat asked. “Were you meditating last night?”

“Yes, before bed, as always.” Deepak answered.

“And I was as well…” Constantin said. “And both of us follow the same practice… And if your sister was sleeping, in between us…”

“Woah, woah, woah.” Dylan said. “Are you implying that Dolly…’picked up’ meditation vibes like a wiki signal?”

“That is a crass, yet not incorrect description.” Constantin said. “After all, meditation is a form of connection. And if one is in such a zen state…”

Dolly looked between the two…

“Are you saying you two infected me with ‘inner cat’ via meditation!?!” She asked.

“.....In theory.” Constantin said.

“........................................................WHAT?” Dolly said.

“That is…. The most unscientific thing I’ve ever heard.” Dawkins said.

“Not all things are scientific, young dog.” The cat said.

“Well, if it WAS how it happened, how would we undo it?” Dylan asked.

“Oh, it’s simple. You would have to get back in touch with your inner dog…” Constantin said.

“Well, that should be simple.” Deepak said. “With her being a dog and all.”

“Perhaps not.” Constantin said. “She’d have to be in the same state of zen she was when she connected with her inner cat.”

“But I don’t know what that is!” Dolly said. “I don’t know how it happened.”

“I’m afraid that is something only you can find out.” Constantin said. “Now, if that is all… I must ask that you all leave. I’m over do for bathing myself.”

With some grimaces and a few thank you's, the pups headed back home.

“This is ridiculous.” Dolly said. “How on earth did you just ‘accidently’ give me cat vibes?!”

“I don’t know.” Deepak said. “He said it was just a theory.”

“I’d say we’ve got some pretty solid evidence.” Dylan said.

“But… It makes no sense!” Dawkins said.

“It doesn’t have to.” Dylan said.

“Well it still suckssssssss….Oh, great, meow I’m HISSING…..ARGH!!!”

“You are actually quite good at this, dear sister.” Deepak said. “Are you sure you want to get rid of it, it might be very enlighten-” He stopped when she glared at him, steam coming out her nostrils as she huffed.

“....Understood.” Deepak squeaked.

“Deepak. You’re our zen expert.” Dylan said. “How would we get her in touch with her inner dog?”

“I don’t think you can be a ‘zen expert’ dear brother.” Deepak said. “And even if you could be, I doubt I would be one…”

“Yeah, but you know the most about meditation and zen and all that.” Dolly said.

“....I feel I should be deeply offended, but you’re not wrong.” Deepak sighed.
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In the pups treehouse. Deepak lit a candle, and he and Dolly sat across from each other.

“Alright… Dolly. I want you to clear your head… And try and think about how you felt that night…”

“But how can I do that?” Dolly asked. “I have no idea what frame of mind I was in…”

“Yeah, you’re not the most zen dog.” Dylan said.

“Dolly, it doesn’t matter about that.” Deepak said. “There is no one way to become zen. Everyone has their own place of being. Their own inner peace. If you can find that… We can find your inner dog…”

Dolly sighed… “I guess I’ll try anything…”

“Alright…Close your eyes.” Deepak said.

Dolly did.

“Now…Focus on what makes you feel the most calm…The most…You.” Deepak said. “What makes Dolly, Dolly?”

Dolly thought about that…

“Well… I run around…I ride my skateboard, I look after the pups…” She thought. “But…I do that all the time, no matter how I feel…”

“It doesn’t even have to be a real activity.” Deepak said. “What do you imagine that makes you feel the most at peace?”

Peace… What did that word even mean to Dolly…truth be told, she WAS good at disturbing the peace…PC Pearl even gave her a piece of paper that said so…

What was peace to Dolly?

She never considered it before, but she knew she didn’t like sitting around, meditating, or doing anything like that… No, peace to Dolly was something else…

“Is it working?” Dawkins asked.

“I don’t know.” Dylan whispered.

“How is Dolly going to find inner peace, she never sits still… To her, peace is a wide open field, it’s a skate ramp with no humans around. It’s chasing the Postman, and driving you crazy.” Dawkins said.

“Yeah, peace to Dolly is like, whatever finding your inner cat is to Deepak, only the opposite…” Dylan said.

Wait…

The opposite of finding your inner cat…

Something stirred in Dolly’s mind…

She remembered all the times Deepak tried to tell her about ‘inner cat.’ While she’d never want to discourage her brother from finding his zen, she also thought about just how much she’d love to see him try other things, try and be more dog-like.

She thought of every time Constantin would yell at them, for reasons that sometimes weren’t her fault…

She thought of all the other cats, like the ones who made fun of Dylan, or those stuck-up types that Portia hangs around with.

The only thing she’d thought about, if she ever could was…

Was…

“WAIT A MINUTE!!!” She finally cried.

“THAT’S IT! I remember now!”

“Really?!” Deepak said. “That’s wonderful.”

“I remember just how well I slept last night, and how I usually feel the happiest when I’ve imagined I’m making trouble for people who deserve it!” She said, then she looked at Dylan who was growing at her.

“Not you, though.” She said.,

“Oh, nice. I get the trouble for free.” He said.

“And then when he said, ‘the opposite of finding my inner cat’ and that’s when it hit me….I dreamt I was chasing a cat!” Dolly cried. “That’s where I feel the most zen! Sure, I can’t do that in real life, but that’s what makes imagining it so much better. I’ve always imagined chasing a cat, so having a dream about it made me feel really good.”

Deepak just stared.

“....I cannot even BEGIN to describe how unhealthy that is…”

“Yeah, but it’s MY zen spot.” Dolly said.

“....Yes, I suppose it is.” He sighed. “Congrats, Dolly. You’ve reached your zen spot…. Being reminded of how much you like to terrorize other creatures.”

“Ha!” Dolly said, smiling proudly.

“Okay so, now what?” Dylan asked. “If you know where you feel more zen, how do we get you back to…You?”

“Well, if what Constantin said was true, you’d need to remember everything about that moment. Sit back down.” Deepak said.

“Okay, close your eyes, and imagine how you felt when you were, ugh, chasing a cat.” He said that last part with noticeable disapproval.

Dolly thought…

She felt free… Unrestricted… She didn’t feel angry. She didn’t want to hurt the cat, or even catch it. She just wanted to chase it… To chase it through the streets, and the park, and just keep chasing it… To feel the excitement, the adrenaline, the sheer rush of chasing something…That incredible feeling to feel the rush of wind, all four of your paws moving, to jump, leap, and do it all with a really, big…

Dolly’s eyes opened…

And only ONE thing came to her head…

She took a deep breath and…

“BOW-WHACKA-WOW!!!!”

Her brothers stared in awe.

“Dolly?!” Deepak said.

Dolly looked just as shock…

“Uh… *woof!* Uh, *bark!* Oh my gosh!” Dolly said. “I can BARK again!!!!”

“I cannot BELIEVE that worked.” Dawkins said.

“WHO CARES!!! I CAN BARK AGAIN!!!”

“Yes, and all it took was reminding you of your rather unhealthy vices.” Deepak said.

“Thank you guys SO much!” She said, “I didn’t know what I was gonna do!”

“Well, you’re still our sister.” Dylan said. “And not being able to bark wouldn’t have changed that.”

“I still don’t believe who had your barking swapped out for meowing do to criss-crossed zen vibes.” Dawkins said.

“Not sure I do either… But more importantly, I don’t care.” She ran out of the tree house, barking happily…

The three brothers exchanged looks.

“Is there anything to learn from this?” Dawkins asked.

“.....Meditation can help when your vibes get crossed?” Deepak suggested.

“Guys, the only thing I think we can learn from this is…Dolly is chaotic, noisy, and barky… And that’s just how she’s supposed to be.” Dylan said.

“Agreed.” Deepak said.

“I’m going back to bed.” Dawkins grumbled.

Chapter Text

As rain fell on the dimly-lit streets of London, the warm lights of the house on 101 Dalmatian Street glowed in contrast to the gloomy evening. Looking calm, and serene against the rain.

Inside, however, was a different story…

For when your house has 99 excitable pups who have to stay inside, it can be a hassle…

The pups were playing in the attic, some were more calm, and would play quietly, or sit around Deepak while he meditated. DJ was messing with his keyboard. Dante was sitting in a dark corner, and Dylan, the eldest male pup, was helping Delgado readjust his wheels.

“I told you not to run around the attic.” He scolded. “Not only will you snag your straps on something, like you just did, but you might break something.”

“I know, I know…” Delgado sighed. “But up until I did, it was fine…”

“Yeah, that’s the point.” Dylan said. “You gotta be careful…” Then he sighed. “I’m sure that would be easier to remember if CERTAIN OLDER DOGS would also remember it…”

“Hey, I’m being careful!” Dolly called, holding Dimitri 1 in a headlock.

“We’re just…Getting some energy out…” She said,

Dimitri 1 struggled. “C’mon, Dolly, you’re not fighting fair!”

“I am too.” Dolly said. “It’s not my fault you’re short.”

“Come on, mate!” Dimitri 2 called. “Get outta that.”

Dimitri 1 licked Dolly’s arm, making her let him go.

“Ew! Now that’s not fighting fair!” Dolly said.

“Ha!” Dimitri 1 said. “Serves you right!”

“Okay, shortstuff.” Dolly said. “Now you asked for it.” They both kept wrestling around.

“You guys need to be careful!” Dylan said. “You know mum doesn’t want any of this broken!”

“We are!” Dolly called, now holding onto her brother as he was ineffectually biting her front leg.

Dylan rolled his eyes, and went back to helping Delgado.

Dolly and Dimitri 1’s wrestling made its way to the exposed chimney in the attic. He lunged at her, but she just stepped aside, letting him hit the ground, when he did, she sat down on him.

“Ha.” She said, “How’s that?”

He struggled. ‘Hey…No… Fair!”

“Aw, man… Why does Dolly always win?” Dimitri 2 asked.

“Probably the pure, unfiltered awesome I have flowing through my veins.” Dolly said.

“More like cause you got a big, fat, butt!” Dimitri 1 said.

Dolly’s eyes narrowed. “Oh…Is THAT how’s gonna be?” She leaned back, putting more of her weight on him.

“ACK! Dolly, stop!” Dimitri 1 said.

“MmmmCan’t hear ya.” Dolly said, nonchalantly checking her nails.

“Dolly, you’re crushing me!” He cried.

“Well, if I wanted someone, whom I just made rude and untrue remarks about their posterior towards, to do something for me, I might try, ‘sorry’?” Dolly said.

“Ack! Okay, okay, fine. I’m sorry!” Dimitri 1 finally said.

Dolly sat up with a smug smile.

“There, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” She asked.

Dimitri 1 frowned….Then smiled sneakily.

“But I never said I gave up!” He suddenly pushed himself up with all four of his paws, throwing Dolly off him. She fell forward, against the exposed chimney.

“HA!” Dimitri 1 said. “Beat that!”

Dolly rubbed her head. ‘Okay, you little sneak, not bad… but now-” Suddenly, all the pups in the attic went silent as a rumbling sound came from the chimney…

While they knew what the chimney was for, their family never used it. Not only did the house have modern, central heating. Open flames and pups don’t mix…

They DID know enough to know it wasn’t supposed to be making that noise, though…

When it stopped, every breathed a sigh of relief.

“Whew.” Dolly said. “Guess that was lucky.”

“It wouldn’t have happened if you were being careful!” Dylan said.

“Bro, relax.” Dolly said. ‘Nothing happened.”

“But it could have!” Dylan said. “The chimneys and fireplaces in this house were salvaged from the original buildings. They are literally decades old. Mum would flip if something happened.”

“Bro.” Dolly scoffed. “I don’t think one, little bump is gonna do any damage.”

“It might!” Dylan said.

Dolly rolled her eyes. “C’mon, bro.” She leaned against the chimney. “You know this old stuff is built to last.” She gave it a reassuring elbow for emphasis…

“I don’t think anything’s gonna-”

Suddenly, the whole chimney rumbled, and with a loud noise that sent the pups hiding behind the attic’s cluttered, something fell down the chimney until it crashed into the pup’s room below. They even heard Da Vinci, who had been painting down through, cry out in surprise.

All the pups looked at Dolly.

“....Oops.” She said.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
“‘Oops’ is insufficient!” Dylan said, when they all ran downstairs and saw that the pups room was now half full of soot…

“Nice!” Dimitri 1 said. “It’s like something exploded in here!”

“It might as well have!” Da Vinci said, her face now mostly black. “There I was painting, and suddenly, I hear something come down the chimney, and then a huge, black cloud comes pouring out!” She coughed. “I was painting a sunrise, not that you can tell.”

“Well, thank your sister.” Dylan said.

All the pups frowned at Dolly.

“Hey, Dimitri 1 pushed me!” Dolly said.

“You were sitting on me!” Dimitri 1 shouted.

“Okay, enough! Let’s just try and deal with this.” Dylan said.

He walked over to the fireplace…

“Oh, dog, this is everywhere!” He said. Shaking the soot off his paws. “This stuff is at least 40 years old, if not older. We’re gonna need to clean everything.”

By the time he got to the fireplace, the soot was almost up to his knees.

“Geez… This must’ve never been cleaned out for years.” He said. He poked his head up, holding his breath…

“*gasp* Looks like you took out the flue.” He said. “You must’ve knock all the soot built up inside it, and it was too old to catch it all.” He picked up a brick. “I think you knocked a few bricks out, too.”

“...Sorry.” Dolly said.

“Well…Truth be told, it looks like it would’ve happened sooner or later… I guess it was just good it didn’t happen when we were sleeping…” He was about to turn away…

….When a glint caught his eye…

He looked up, and he saw something…

Up, in the chimney, where the bricks must’ve fallen from… Something was sticking out…

“Hey… Hey, someone get me a stool, or something.” He called.

In a moment, Dolly brought him one, and he was trying to reach whatever it was…

“What do you think it is?” Dizzy whispered.

“Maybe it’s old treasure!” DeeDee said.

“Maybe it’s something left by the previous owner, and tampering with it will cause us to be cursed for all our lives!” Dante said.

They all looked at him.

“....Or maybe it’s treasure!” DeeDee repeated.

Dylan finally pulled it down…

It was an old case…

A large case, almost like an instrument case… It was dusty, old, and a little blackened, but still in good shape.

“Woah.” Dolly said. “What is it?”

“I…Have no idea.” Dylan said. He looked it over.

“What if it’s like, someone’s secret stash of money? Oh, or maybe, the previous owner was into smuggling, or something, and it’s something really illegal?” Dolly said.

“What if it’s just an empty case?” Dawkins suggested.

“Mmno. There’s something inside.” Dylan said. He rattled it. “Something heavy.”

“Be careful brother.” Deepak said. “Whoever put it there obviously didn’t want it found…”

A chill passed down all the pups spine.

“M-Maybe Dante’s right?” Delgado said. ‘Maybe it IS cursed?”

“When you gonna read the note, and find out?” Diesel asked.

“What?” Dylan wondered.

“The note.” Diesel said. “On the baggy, stuck to the back.”

Dylan flipped is over, and sure enough, taped to the bag was aplastic back with an envelope in it.

“Huh… Well, I guess I should read that.” Dylan said.

Very carefully, he peeled the baggy open and took out the envelope. It must’ve had a few pages in it, as it was thicker than a regular letter. He carefully opened it, and pulled out the old paper.

“Okay, officially excited.” DJ said, pulling his headphones down.

All the pups gathered around Dylan, anxiously waiting for him to read it.

“Hm Old note paper.” Dylan said, smelling it. “I’m detecting, coffee, dust, and-”

“JUST READ IT!” Dolly cried, with a chorus of barks backing her up.

“Okay, fine!” Dylan said, carefully unfolding it.

“This is…Kind of exciting!” Da Vinci told Deepak.

“Yes. Who knows what we’re about to learn about this house.” Deepak said.

All the pups eagerly sat down.

“Alright, let’s see.” Dylan said. There were a few pages. Strangely enough, they were typed. Not by computer, obviously, but by typewriter. Dylan could see the smal, imprints on the paper.

He cleared his throat. “*ahem* To whoever finds this… If you are reading this, me and my family no longer live in this house.”

“Ooh!” Dolly said. “Spooky.”

“By the time you find this, we will already have moved. If-” He stopped and squinted. “If by some miracle, this has found its way to the hands it was intended for, my deepest regrets for not being there to meet you personally.”

“Woah, woah.” DJ said. “This was left for someone?”

“Apparently.” Dylan said. He kept reading.

“If you are the boy this was made for, you will know what to do with it. And if we are still alive by the time you read this, please, do come and find us… The-” He stopped and his eyes went wide. “The-The pups would love to meet you again, as they talk of you often…” He looked up at his siblings with wide eyes.

“...Oh my dog… A Dog wrote this!” He said.

Whispers and murmurs were exchanged in the crowd of pups.

“Okay, getting a little TOO excited.” Delgado said.

“I dunno.” Dizzy said. “This is kinda spooky, now.”

Keep reading!” Dolly said.

“Uh… I cannot overstate just how much you’ve done for our family. You brought us out of a place we thought there was no escape from. And for that, we are eternally grateful. The reason for our absence is that, as I’m sure you might have guessed. This home was too small for us, and me, my wife, our pups, and our dear pets, have all moved to the country to a place my imaginative pet has deemed the-” And he stopped again…

And Dylan’s already white face grew paler, as his eyes grew to the size of water bowls. You could hear his heart beating in his chest.

“What? WHAT?” Dolly said.

Dylan looked up at his siblings, his face frozen in disbelief… After a moment, words finally broke free from his stunned lips…

“....A place my owner has deemed…The Dalmatian Plantation…”

Dolly’s jaw dropped. Followed by Dawkins. Deepak rubbed his ears in disbelief. Even Dante’s face changed. The crowd of pups turned even paler as the realization traveled through them.

“Guy’s…” Dylan finally whispered. “......This letter… it was…It was written by… Great-Great-Great-Grandpa Pongo….”

All the pups gasped.

“B-But. But…But HOW!?” Dawkins said. “This house has been redone, and renovated so many times, it’s been at least 60 years since they’ve lived here!!!”

“The chimney was salvaged.” Dolly reminded him. “It’s never been touched…”

“Why did great-great-great granddad hide something in the chimney?!?” Da Vinci said.

“And who’s the boy he mentioned?” Dolly asked.

“I-I-How would I know?!” Dylan said. He kept reading.

“This is incredible!” Deepak said. “To learn something from our ancestors that not even Mum or Dad would know!”

“I dunno.” Dante said. “Remember the last time we got a history lesson?”

“If, in the unfortunate instance where you find this, and our time is past, then my dear boy, never forget that you have done something for our family that we can never repay. And it is with all our love, and hope that you remain safe, and remain true to your heart. May we meet again in the next life…” Dylan felt a tear well up in his eye…

“...Gee.” Dolly said. “This kid sounds great.”

“...Yeah… Whoever he was , was…Good enough that they wanted to see him again…” Dylan said.

“Maybe they did, he just never found this.” DJ said.

“Maybe…” Dylan said. He looked down and realized that what he just read was only the first half of the first page… He looked at his siblings, who all nodded at him to read more.

“If… By some chance you are reading this, and you are NOT the boy this was made for. Then I would urge you to please, put this back where you found it. It has no monetary value at all…”

“Bummer.” Dolly said.

“What’s that mean?” Dizzy asked.

“It means whatever’s in there isn’t worth any money. It’s probably some heirloom or something.” Dawkins said.

Dylan continued to read. “In fact, if you don’t know what this is, nor how to use it. Forget you ever saw it. Put it back where you found it, and never speak of it again. It may very….Well…” His words died in his throat.

“Well?” Dolly asked. “What does it say?!”

“Please, brother, don’t leave us in suspense!” Deepak begged.

“....It may very well put your lives at stake.” Dylan finished.

All the pups gasped.

“... I’m scared now.” DeeDee said, hugging on to Dante.

“Geez, what the heck Great-great-great-Granddad!?” Dolly said. “You really cursing us from beyond the grave!?!”

Dylan kept reading. “But, if I can’t dissuade you, at least listen to what I have to say…” He looked at the others.

“Should I keep going?”

“Uh, yeah!” Dolly said.

“We won’t be able to sleep if we don’t hear the end!” Dimitri 1 said.

“I probably won’t sleep anyway.” Dimitri 2 said.

“Yeah, this is WAY spooky.” Dimitri 3 said.

“Keep going, brother.” Deepak said. “The balance is already shifted, now. Leaving it unfinished will only create chaos.”

The other pups said something similar.

Dylan nodded. “Alright…” He kept reading.

“Though I can’t possibly retell what happened to us in just a few pages, for even I don’t fully understand it… But what you need to know is that, for the second time in our lives…Our family had been ripped apart from each other…”

“Wait, what?!” He said. “When did that happen?!”

“Mum never mentioned a SECOND time.” Dawkins said. “Only the time involving…You-know-who…”

“Unless she ALSO chose not to tell us about that time.” Dolly grumbled. “And will when it’s literally on our doorstep…”

All the pups looked around uncomfortably.

Dylan chose to just keep reading.

“All I remember was a horrible night… And darkness. A darkness that I shall not describe here… And me, and my dear wife awoke in a strange town…Alone…”

“...What?” Dolly asked. “What does that mean?”

Dylan kept reading. “It was in this town that we learned the first of many horrible truths. The first is that this town was full of people, and creatures, who at first glance had nothing in common…Until we learned that, like us…All their worlds had been des-” Dylan stopped.

“What?” He asked. ‘Th…That makes no sense…”

“Keep going!” Dolly said.

“...Their world’s had been destroyed…”

“....What?” Dolly asked.

“Not once in our history has our world been destroyed.” Dawkins said. “We have some pretty concrete evidence for it.”

“The second awful truth we learned is that… We were alone…Our pets, our puppies had not joined us… Me and my dear, dear wife were the last things left of our world…”

“Okay, this HAS to be a joke.” Dolly said. “Mum always said he liked to make jokes and stuff.”

“He sounds serious.” Dylan said. He kept reading.

“Though the people of this town were kind, and helped and defended us… The loss of our puppies was like having our world destroyed for a second time… All our struggles, all the fighting we did to get them back from that devil woman, and get them all home…Undone in an instant…”

“...Brother, I think he is serious.” Deepak said.

“I…I think so too.” Dylan said.

“So, what?” Dawkins asked. “Are we to believe that our ancestors SOMEHOW witnessed the end of the world, and it just, what? Got better?!”

“I…I don’t know.” Dylan said. He kept reading.

“We spent many a sad, lonely night in that strange town, in a far too empty house… My dear wife, all but despondent. I was certain that we would die here… At least we’d be together… Until one day… The day that boy, that spiky-haired boy walked into our door.”

“Spiky-haired boy?” Dolly repeated. “Does he ever mention his name?”

“Not so far.” Dylan said.

“There was something about this boy. He was different from every other human I’ve met. And while I will always think my pet, Roger is the most wonderful human any dog could have, this boy…This boy did something else that no one else could have…He brought our puppies back us…”

All the pups went dead silent…

“...Brought them back…” Dylan repeated.

“...A human helped them?” Dizzy asked.

“A human they've never met?” Dee Dee added.

“Well…” Dawkins said. “That’s… That’s rather noble…”

Dylan kept reading. “By some great miracle, our pups hadn’t been destroyed with the rest of our world. They had been scattered in the cosmos. Ending up in different worlds…Alive and well… And that boy…That wonderful, wonderful boy had taken it upon himself to get them all back…”

Dawkins wiped a tear from his eye. “Now I WANT this to be true…”

“Yeah…Now the most unrealistic thing about it is…Did someone, a total stranger, REALLY care about them THAT much?” Dolly asked.

Even Dante wiped away the tear that was definitely NOT in his eye…

“The day he brought the first few back.” Dylan continued. “I had almost forgotten what happiness felt like until I saw those three, precious faces. Both me and my wife were so afraid that we’d wake up any minute and this whole thing would be a cruel dream. But it wasn’t. That boy. That wonderful boy had brought them back…

Little by little, he restored our family… Even though we weren’t in our real home, we began to feel a small sense of normalcy again… Seeing Patch and Penny play fight, seeing Lucky climb up on the television, it was… It was overwhelming..”

Dylan had to stop. He wiped a tear from his eyes.

“Sorry, I…I” He looked up, and saw that all the others were doing the same.

“This kid sounds really cool.” Delgado said.

Dylan quickly continued.

“I had no intention of letting the boy do all this unrewarded. So, with the help of some friends I had made in this strange town, I found anything I thought the boy could use. And bit-by-bit he returned our children, until one day, it still brings me to tears, on day, all one-hundred-and-one of us were back together… We owe our lives to many people. To the dogs that carried that barking chain. To the brave cat who defended our pups in that manor house…”

Deepak perked up.

“To the collie, the cows, and of course, the Labrador… But that boy… He did something for us that we can NEVER repay. He traveled the stars, facing dangers I can’t even imagine, all for us…Which brings us back to now… The contents of this box was meant to be my final repayment to him. The kind, old wizard, Merlin, our stalwart guardian Leon, and the grumpy, yet kind-hearted Sid…”

“Merlin?” Dawkins said. “Like, the wizard from Arthurian tales?”

“And who are Leon and Sid?” Dolly asked. “Are they even human, or are they… Something else?”

“..They helped us fashion this… Yet, in a beautiful twist of fate…I never got to give it to him… Because one day, without warning, we-” Dylan stopped again.

“Dude, come on!” Dolly shouted. “The suspense is killing us.”

Dylan continued with a big smile on his face.

“....We woke up back home…”

All the pups gasped.

“They…They got back home?” Dolly asked.

“How?!” Dizzy shouted.

“It was destroyed!” DeeDee said.

“It doesn’t say how, but he says… The boy did it… He brought all the worlds back.” Dylan said.

All the pups went silent.

“A human… Did all that?” Dolly asked.

Dylan read the last page.

“Against all odds, the incredible human had returned the worlds to how they were. Including ours. Our home, our friends…Even our pets… They had no memory of what happened, nor did anyone else…But we did… And we, all 101 of us, knew, we would never forget that boy. For what he did for us, and for others. His heart was big enough for the whole universe… And it was a blessing that he found room for us in it as well… So, you, if you are not him, if you too have a heart. Please, leave this as you found it. I do not wish to have any world suffer the same fate, but if it does…I want to leave him something to let him know we remembered. And that he is never without friends in any world… And if you are him… Please, take this. With our eternal gratitude.”

Dylan read the last line…

“...Signed…Pongo and Perdita…”

He sat back with a heavy sigh. For once, the whole house was silent… No pup made a noise…

“...A human… A human fought for them.” Dolly finally said.

“A human helped them.” Deepak said. “When they thought they were lost in darkness, a human brought them to the light…”

“...He showed them… Even the end of the world wasn't enough to give up hope.” Dante said.

“He brought them back together.” Da Vinci said. “Even though he didn’t have to…”

Dylan looked at the box…

“...I don’t know if this is true.” He said. “But I think we all agree on what we should do.”

The pups all nodded.

Dylan carefully folded the note back, returned to its envelope, and stuck it to the back of the case.

But before he returned it to its spot…

He looked down…

“...But…Maybe… A quick peek would be okay?”

The pups all exchanged glances, and slowly, a wave of small nods answered him.

Dylan flipped it around, and with some difficulty, opened the first latch…Then the second…

He gave his siblings a final look, before he opened it…

“...Huh?” He said.

The others rushed over.

“Well, THAT’S a bit anticlimactic.” Dante said.

“Great-Great-Great-Grandpa wanted to give this kid who saved the universe… A giant key?” Dolly asked.

Indeed, it was… A large key.

It was built like an old townhouse key… It had three teeth, and an odd, third shaft at the end….Almost like a handle.

Its most obvious feature, however, was that it had a Dalmatian spot pattern. And on the end, it had tow, false Dalmatian ears. Under the teeth, hung two collars. One red, and one blue…

“What is this?” Dawkins asked. “It’s more like a weapon than a key.”

“...Maybe it’s both,” Dylan said. He reached down, and grabbed the handle… He picked it up, looking it over…

“Call me crazy, but… I think this is much more than a giant key…” He said. He returned it to the box.

“Alright. Let’s do what he asked.”

With some difficulty, they returned the box to its spot in the chimney, and replaced the bricks as best they could…

“Right…Now, not a word about this to anyone.” Dylan told the pups. “Alright.”

They all barked in agreement.

“That…That was a crazy story.” Dolly said.

“Too bad we’ll never know if it was true or not.” Dawkins said.

“Granddad seemed to believe it.” Deepak said. “And mum always said he was true.”

“It doesn’t really matter.” Dylan said. “In the end, we’re still doing what he wanted. Maybe this mystery person will show up one day…Maybe he won’t… Point is, we know to be ready if he does.”

“I don’t think I’m gonna be the same after this.” Dante said. “This is just TOO weird.”

“Yeah…Worlds being destroyed, but getting better. A dog getting help from humans and wizards… Space travel… “ DJ suddenly smiled. “I just got a GREAT idea for a song!”

“Well, it was nice for us all to find it together.” Dylan said.

“Yeah.” Dolly agreed. Then she gave a smug smile. “And just think. If I hadn’t caused this mess, we’d never have found it.”

Dylan raised an eyebrow. “Okay, yeah, but we still have to get this cleaned up before mum and dad get home.”

“Ah, don’t sweat it.” Dolly said. ‘I’m sure we can-”

Just then, the sound of the paw scanner buzzed.

“Honey’s, we’re home!” Their dad called.

“I hope you all cleaned up like I asked.” Their mother added.

All the pups exchanged looks.

“.....Aw, shoot.”

Chapter Text

Pongo and Perdita looked at each other… Then back up at the man…Then back at each other… Then back at the man…

He was just standing there, looking around… It was hard to read his expression’s, as his face was covered by his strange helmet. In fact, it was hard to tell anything about him, as he was dressed in a very strange outfit. A kind of armor, what looked like a jumpsuit, and a green cape hanging to one side, along with a strange-looking backpack. 

Most alarming, however, was that he was carrying what was very clearly a firearm… 

They both looked at him with confusion, and intrigue, as no one else seemed to be bothered by him…

FInally, he looked down at them. 

“Is there something you want?” He asked in a rough voice, making them both jump.

“Oh! No sir.” Pongo said, awkwardly. 

“Oh, you talk.” He said with an indifferent tone. “Forgot that happens around here.” 

“We’re so sorry to stare, sir.” Perdita said. ‘It’s just… We’ve never seen anyone like you before…”

“Huh, I’ll bet.” He said. “Well, that’s probably a good thing. WIth any luck, you won’t see anyone like me ever again.” 

Pongo looked at Perdita. 

“Uh, why would that be lucky, exactly?” He asked. 

The man looked down at them. “I’m not the kind of man that peo-er, lifeforms, like you normally interact with… I do things to people for money.”

“......Doesn’t sound so-”

The man tapped his rifle. “BAD things…”

Pongo gulped. “I see…” 

“What, uh, what are you doing here, then?” Perdita asked. 

“I’m wondering the SAME thing.” The man grumbled. “I don’t belong here. DOn’t think I don’t know it. YEt here I am, hanging around, talking to…Whatever you are.” 

“Uh, we’re Dalmatians, sir.” Pongo said. 

“Right…I SHOULD be out looking for my next job, but I’m here, everyone looking at me, youngling’s asking me questions, and I got no idea why…” 

“....Well, you do seem to be dressed like someone who’s meant to entertain children.” Perdita said. “Minus the gun…”

He turned to her, and even though she couldn’t see his face, it was clear what she said didn’t make him happy. 

“...Uh, that is to say…” She stammered, shrinking back. 

The man scoffed. “Maybe you’re right, but I don’t belong here… I need to find either a paying job, or a stiff drink. Whichever comes first…” With that, he straightened up, and with the sound of something spurting, fire came from his backpack, and he blasted into the sky, Pongo and Perdita watching him with awe…

“....Well…He was certainly an interesting character.” Pongo said. 

“Indeed…” Perdita agreed. “One wonders just where people like him come from.” 

“Oh, WOW!” They heard a familiar voice say. They turned and saw some of their pups running up. 

“I didn’t know they could do that!” Patch said. 

“Ah, pups, there you are.” Pongo said. 

“Why were you talking with a Man…Mando… Man-do-lore-ian?” Lucky asked. 

“Is that what he is?” Perdita asked. “I’ve never seen anyone like him.” 

“We met one back there.” Patch said. “He told us that people like him do jobs for other people. Like finding people and bringing them back and stuff.” 

“He sounded very heroic.” Penny said. 

Pongo and Perdita looked at one another. 

“I’m sure some of them are…” Pongo said.

“Pups, let’s go, I don’t think we’re supposed to be in this part of…Wherever this is…” They all left this part of the park… 

However, they weren’t going unnoticed… After they had left, the person watching them emerged from behind the corner she was standing behind, and took a contemplative puff of her cigarette… 

“Someone you pay to gather people up…Hmm…” Cruella said with a wicked smile. “Interesting…” She looked around, and spotted someone wearing similar armor, though it was all silver. 

She walked up, very casually. ‘Excuse me, but I heard a rumor that people like you do certain jobs for money?” 

“If the price is right.” The man said, not even looking up.  

“Very good. WHat if I wanted you to round up a certain number of…Dalmatians?” 

The man looked up at her. “You mean…The same kids that were just talking to me?” 

“Possibly.” She said, “I do have a special plan for the-”

“The same kids that were telling me that some boney, old lady once kidnapped them to make a coat?” The man said. 

“I, uh…Er…” Cruella began. 

The man got up. 

“Are you asking me to kidnap someone’s kids?” He asked in a dangerously calm tone…

“.......You know? Forget I asked.” Cruella said. 

The man sat back down. The pod floating next to him opened, and a small, green child poked his head out. 

“?” 

“Yeah, I know, kid. There’s nasty people everywhere.” The man said, rubbing the child’s head.

Chapter Text

Deepak lit a candle in between him and Dolly.

“I’m so excited about this!” He said. “To actually do this with another of my siblings is…Well, it’s great!”

“Yeah…” Dolly said uninterestedly. “Great…”

“Dante is usually the only one who will do this with me. But, since he’s currently in the park proclaiming about how this heat wave will bring about the end of the world, I’m more than happy to have you as a volunteer.”

“Yeah, sure…Volunteered…Totally didn’t lose a coin toss with Dawkins or anything.” Dolly said.

Deepak gave a reassuring smile. “I promise, this will be worth it.”

He sat down, crossing his back legs under him, and motioning for Dolly to do the same. Which she did with a little bit of trouble.

“So, what exactly are we doing, here?” She asked.

“We’re going to be attempting to enter a trance-like state.” Deepak said. “In which we…Well…It’s hard to explain, actually…We’re going to attempt to communicate with the spirits of those who have past on, yet whose energy is still tied to this place…”

Dolly blinked.

“...So we’re trying to talk to dead people?”

“No, not ‘dead people’.” Deepak said. “I mean, yes, they’re dead, but they still live on in the eternal universe…”

“.....So, dead people?” Dolly asked.

Deepak rolled his eyes. “Call it what you will…”

“Look, all I know is that if I end up getting possessed by some, meta-physical cosmic entity. I’m eating YOUR soul, first.” Dolly said.

“I assure you, it won’t come to that.” Deepak said. “.....I hope.” He motioned for Dolly to sit down, and with some difficulty, she managed to achieve a lotus position.

“Look, let me just say that I’m not a big believer in this.” She said, “I mean, sure, meditation and clearing your head, and all that. Yeah, I get it. But the whole, ‘becoming one with the universe’ and all that? I don’t think that’ll happen unless that candle is burning something stronger than wax…”

Deepak rolled his eyes. “Well, good thing about that is that it won’t take much to surprise you…” He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.

“Now, do exactly as I say.” He said. “Close your eyes.”

Dolly did, trying to take the same pose as Deepak.

“Now, clear your mind.” He said.

“I knew you were gonna say that.” She mumbled.

“Don’t get distracted.” He said. ‘Focus. First. Take slow, deep breaths as I do…In….Out… In…Out…”

Dolly followed. In…

Out…

In…

Out..

“Think of nothing but the empty space around you…”

Dolly tried her best. She wasn’t used to thinking about ‘nothing’ but she tried…

In…

Out…

“Think of the space in this attic not taken up by boxes, and other things.” Deepak said, softly. “Think of the empty spaces. The nooks whether nothing is. The space between the floorboards, the empty space in the rafters… It is in these spaces that the energy of the cosmos gathers And only by clearing our heads can that energy enter us…”

Dolly was a little weirded out by this, but she tried… Thinking of what empty paces feel like… Cooler, darker. She thought of air moving through a crack in a doorway, where you could just feel it…

In…

Out…

“The energy of the universe. Of those that once stood here. Those that do. And those that will are tied to this space around us. Past, present, and future, all exist at once… Let those energies enter your body.”

Dolly wasn’t exactly how she should imagine that. When she thought ‘energy’ she thought something like electricity, and the idea of THAT entering her body wasn’t a very zen idea…

“Don’t try to imagine it.” Deepak said, as if he could tell what she was thinking. “Just let it… Let the energy of this place enter your body. Let yourself become a conduit between the energies of this house, and the universe…”

Dolly wasn’t used to just “letting” something happen. But she took a deep breath, and tried to “let” whatever it was happen.

In…

Out…

“As the energy enters your body, imagine it all collecting at one point. An eye, a spot, anything, between your eyes, at your forehead… This is to be the doorway between this world, and the next…”

That sounded crazy to Dolly at first, but as she sat there…She could feel something moving through her body…

“Just focus on the spot on your head… All the energy of this place now flows through you. Gathering at that point…”

Dolly actually could feel something on her head. But it wasn’t irritating, or uncomfortable…It was calming, and soothing… She actually began feeling sleepy…

“Slowly breathe.” Deepak said. “In…Out…”

In…

Out…

Dolly could actually feel herself getting more sleepy, but it wasn’t a sleepiness like she was tired…More like she felt at ease… It was as if the house itself was rocking her to sleep… She thought she heard the sounds of waves, slowly washing against the shore…

“Deepak…” She said, “...I feel…”
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“Sister? Dolly? Dolly, open your eyes…” Deepak said.

Dolly did…

“Wha…What happened… I feel…” She took a deep breath. “I feel great, actually.”

“I’m admittedly surprised you did it.” Deepak said. “But you did!”

“Did what?” Dolly asked. Then she noticed the room around them…

“Wha….What the heck?” It looked like the attic she knew, but…There was a strange haze to it…

“Deepak, what is…”

“You actually achieve a state of trance.” Deepak said. “I didn’t know if…Well…”

“Is this…Is this real?” Dolly said, looking at her paw…

“Yes…And, also…No… It’s…It’s weird…” Deepak said.

“This is trippy, dude…” She said.

“I know, but you have to stay calm…” Deepak instructed. “If you get too excited, you’ll wake up, and I don’t know if you’d be in the right state to try again…”

“Is this…Is this what you and Dante do?” Dolly asked.

“Sometimes….Come on, let’s go.” Deepak got up and headed towards the attic stairs.

“Where are we going?” Dolly asked.

“Living room.” Deepak replied. “She likes to sit by the fireplace…”

“.....She?!” Dolly said. Deepak was already hopping down the steps.

“Bro, wait!” She called.

It WAS trippy, wherever this was. She could walk like normal, but there was something here that felt…Strange…Not bad, not dangerous, not even off… Just…Different…

She followed Deepak down the attic steps, and ended up in a similar hallway she remembered…But some of the doors were different, or there was just extras, or ones out of place…

“Come on, Dolly.” Deepak called from the steps…

She followed, and looked down the stairs looked different… Older, even…

She walked down them regardless, and saw Deepak go into the living room…Where she saw a strange, light glowing…

“Keep calm.” he says.” Dolly said to herself. “He;s brought me into the spirit world to see some mystery lady…How does THAT sound calming…” She heard him laugh from the room, and heard another laugh… One she didn’t recognize… One that sounded..Older…

She carefully walked down, and poked her head around the corner…

And her jaw, dropped…

The living room was much different than it was in her house. It was older, smaller, and had a more ‘vintage’ look to it.

Mostly, there was a fireplace that wasn’t there in her version of the living room, but none of that mattered.

What did matter was that in a large, velvet chair by the fireplace, with a teacup in her paws, talking to Deepak, was…

“....So that;s why Dante’s not here.” Deepak was saying. “He’s sorry he missed it, though.”

“Oh, that’s alright, love. I’m just glad he’s doing well…”

“D….D….Deepak….” Dolly finally said.

Deepak turned around. “Oh, Dolly, come on in…”

“Dolly?! My goodness, I thought you’d never show up! I’ve been wanting to talk to you…”

Dolly slowly entered the room, not taking her eyes off the dog in the chair.

“Deepak…” She said, “Th-Th-That’s…”

“Dooly, I know you have a million questions, but you need to-”

“THAT’S OUR GREAT-GREAT-GREAT GRANDMOTHER!!!” Dolly finally shouted.

Indeed it was. Sitting in that chair, looking no older than how she did in the picture that hung on the wall, was an adult, female Dalmatian, wearing a blue collar.

“Dolly, calm down!” Deepak warned. “If you get too excited, it’ll break the trance…”

“But, I, she’s….I’m sorry. but…Deepak…Why is our great-great-great-grandma sitting in our living room? She’s, and I don’t mean any offense, she’s dead!”

“Maybe physically.” Deepak said. “But here. In this plane of existence, all things live…”

Dolly dropped to haunches.

“My, my, she’s more high-strung up close…”

“Yeah, this is a new experience for her.” Deepak said.

Dolly tried to calm down, she could actually feel herself waking up.

“I-I’m sorry…Wait, no I’m not, Deepak…Explain how our long-dead, again, no offense, ancestor is here right now!”

“Dolly, I told you…” Deepak said. “In this plane of existence, all the energies of the universe exist where they are tied together the strongest. In our house, all our family exists. Those that are alive, those that have passed on, and those that we haven’t met yet.”

Dolly looked very confused. “So…What, we tapped into the spirit world?”

Deepak looked around…Then shrugged.

Dolly fell to her haunches.

“I…I am so confused.” She looked at the dog sitting in the chair, who was calmly smiling at her.

“....Are you…Are you really our great-great-great-grandma?” She asked.

“I’m sure how I could prove it, but yes.” The dog said. “You can just call me Perdita, by the way…”

“...And you’re here, sitting in a version of our house, drinking…Wait, is that tea?”

“Why yes it is…Would you like a cup?”

“Uh, no thanks, I don’t like tea.”

“Well there’s part of it solved, right there?” Perdita mumbled, taking a sip of her drink.

Dolly just shook her head. “I…I don’t think I fully comprehend what’s going on here.”

“I know it’s a lot to take in.” Deepak said. “But it’s really happening…” Dolly looked at him…Then back at the other dog…

She got up and slowly approached the chair.

“So…Are you REALLY our Great-Great-Great-Grandma?” Dolly asked.

“Oh, yes.” Perdita said. “On that, I am certain…”

“How do I KNOW?” Dolly asked.

Perdita shrugged. “I guess you don’t? How do I prove something like that when this is the first time we’ve met?”

“I…I guess I don’t know…” Dolly admitted. She looked at Deepak.

“How long have you…Have you too been talking to each other?”

“Uh, since last year. That was when I really got the hang of getting into trances.” Deepak said.

“Yes, and him and Dante have been visiting me almost every week.” Perdita said.

“.....I…I’m…” Dolly began. “....I guess I can’t say this ISN’T happening…”

“Now you’re catching on.” Perdita said.

“So….My brothers have been sneaking up here, going into trances, talking to long, deceased relatives?” Dolly said. “Please tell me I’m allowed to think that’s JUST a little creepy.”

“Well, yes, if you overthink it.” Perdita said.

“I…What do you all even talk about?”

“Everything.” Deepak said. “What the family’s doing, what things are like nowadays, stuff like that…”

“It took some doing, but we got Dante to talk more about what bothers him.” Perdita said. “Poor little thing, he’s so much more worried about the world than he lets on…”

“....I guess that’s not a BAD thing…” Dolly said.

“But I have ALWAYS wanted to talk to you. You and your brother do SUCH a good job taking care of your siblings, it makes my heart proud.”

Dolly blushed a little. “...Oh, well, thank you…” She said.

Perdita motioned to the chair across from her. “Come on, have a seat.”

Dolly looked at Deepak, but he had already hopped up next to Perdita… Dolly shrugged, and took a seat.

“So…” She began. “You’re our Great-Great-Great-Grandma?”

“And you’re the chaotic girl who likes to ride her skateboard through the house after her brothers just cleaned it?” Perdita returned.

“......Maybe.” Dolly said, looking around.

“How about we try, ‘definitely’.” Perdita said. She looked Dolly over, not saying anything for a minute…Occasionally, she would whisper something to Deepak, who would whisper something back.

Finally, she gave her one, last skeptical look…Before nodding.

“Yes. I was right.” She said,

“.....Right about what?” Dolly asked.

Perdita smiled. “I knew I’d like you.”

Dolly looked around, awkwardly. ‘Uh…Thanks?”

“Deepak always brings up how despite taking a little TOO much enjoyment over given your brother a hard time, you truly do have the most passionate heart.”

“It’s true.” Deepak said. “Nothing stops you.”

Dolly blushed a little.

“I’ve wanted to talk to you for a long time.” Perdita said. “You’ve brought a spirit to our family that I’ve never seen before.”

“Oh, uh…I have?” Dolly asked.

“Oh, yes.” Perdita said. “A bit of an unfocused spirit, perhaps, but a lively one nonetheless.”

“....Is that good?” Dolly asked.

“Is that good?” Perdita said. “Given what I’ve seen you do for your family, I’d say it’s marvelous.”

“Um…Thanks…” Dolly said. “It’s weird, I always imagined that, if we ever met, we wouldn’t get along…”

Perdita smiled a knowing smile. “Let me guess. It’s because you’re the free-spirited, anti-authority rebel and I’m a stuffy brit?”

Dolly looked away. “I wasn’t gonna say that, EXACTLY…You just always seemed so, I don’t know, ‘proper’?”

Perdita chuckled. “And, ‘proper’ is your opposite, then?”

“....Kinda?”

Perdita laughed. ‘Oh, darling, you are too much…Yes, I WOULD like it if some of the manners I’d tried to teach my own pups got passed down, but that’s not for me to judge. As long as you love your family, and try to at least be civil when you should, it’s enough for me…Also, I raised teenagers during the 60’s. You think I’m a stranger to counterculture?”

“I…I guess I didn’t think about it like that…” Dolly said.

“I thought not.” Perdita said. “Well, if you were worried about it, you should be happy to know that I’ve seen what you do for your family, and I couldn’t be more proud to have someone as free-spirited as you as a part of it.”

“Oh….Uh, thanks, I guess…Even though I’m technically not YOUR Great-Great-Great-Granddaughter.” Dolly said.

“Darling, when has something like biology ever been an issue for our family?” Perdita asked.

“....Yeah, I guess not…Wait…You said you’ve seen what I’ve done, right?”

“Correct.” Perdita said.

“...How much?”

“All of it.” Perdita said. “From when you helped give your siblings their first snow day, to when you scared your brother half-to-death thinking Earth was under attack by extraterrestrials.”

Dolly’s eyes widened.

“Dante had the same look when I told him I knew about that one he pulled on Dylan with the poodle…Honestly, what HAS the poor boy done to earn that kind of thing, twice?”

Dolly looked around awkwardly. “Uh…”

“But she also knows that it was you who helped bring him back to his senses, both times.” Deepak pointed out.

“Yes.” Perdita said. “For as much as you clearly like to cause trouble, you never fail to make sure you fix your mistakes.”

“Well…I know I’ve made a lot of those…” Dolly said.

“Yes…We all do.” Perdita said. “But it’s nothing to worry about. You’re still young, you all are.”

“I guess…” Dolly said. “Dang, I never expected to talk to you, much less it be this casual.”

“I’ve tried to invite you to join us, before.” Deepak said. “You just didn’t think it would work.”

“Yes, if there’s one thing I would advise you to do more often, it’s listen to this one.” Perdita said, nuzzling Deepak’s head.

Dolly finally cracked a smile… For some reason, even though they were several generations apart, seeing them interact just felt right…

“...Y’know, I guess there IS one thing I’ve always wanted to ask you.” Dolly said.

“And what would that be, love?” Perdita asked.

“Well, you did raise 99 pups, right?” Dolly asked.

“Even more later on.” Perdita said.

“Was there ever a time you felt like you just, weren’t qualified to do that?” Dolly asked. “Even with what you went through, was there ever a time you felt like ‘I have no idea what I’m doing, yet a lot of people depend on me doing it right’?”

Perdita gave a soft chuckle. “Only all the time, love…”

“That’s….How I feel, sometimes.” Dolly said.

“I know, and don’t think I’m blind to how this must feel.” Perdita said. “In some ways, it isn’t fair that you’ve found yourself with so much responsibility at such a young age, but I do want you to know that myself, and all of us are very proud of you and your brother.”

“All of you?” Dolly asked.

Oh, yes.” Pedita said. “We all watch you… Me, Your Great-Great-Great-Grandfather. Our pups, their pups, though none of them are pups anymore. We watch you, all of you.”

“...And you’re ALL proud of us?” Dolly asked.

“Well, Patch does like to point out how HE’D do things differently, but he’s always been a bit bullheaded.” Perdita chuckled.

Dolly chuckled for the first time. “Well he sounds fun.”

“Oh, you two would get along SO well.” Perdita said.

“Great-Great-Uncle Lucky and I get along the most.” Deepak said.

“You’d also get along well with Oddball, she’s just as free-spirited as you.” Perdita said.

“Well, gee, now I just feel a little redundant.” Dolly said. “What’s the fun in being a rebel if it runs in the family?”

Perdita and Deepak both began laughing, with Dolly joining after a moment.

“Oh, my goodness, child…” Perdita said. “Are you sure you’re not related by blood? That sounds just like something Patch would say.”

“Nah….In fact, I kinda prefer it like that, truth be told…” Dolly said.

“Oh? And why is that?” Perdita asked.

“Well, I kinda like being a wild card in this family. Don’t get me wrong, everything I’ve been told about you is pretty cool. But I like that I’ve brought my OWN brand of cool to the family.” Dolly said.

“Well…That’s certainly a word for it…” Perdita said.

Just then, they heard a voice from around the house.

“Deepak? Dolly?”

“Is that…Dylan?” Dolly asked.

“Yes…We better get back.” Deepak said. He hopped down of the chair.

“Sorry we have to leave so soon.” He told Perdita.

“Oh, it’s fine.” Perdita said. “Just be good.”

“I will.” Deepak said.

“And Dolly… I’m so glad I got a chance to talk to you.”

“Yeah…Yeah, I am too.” Dolly said.

“Any chance we could do it again?” Perdita asked.

“Uh….Yeah…Yeah, I think so.” Dolly said. She looked at Deepak. “Seeing as how this kid got me hooked on his new-age, hippie stuff.”

“It’s NOT hippie stuff.” Deepak protested.

“Yes it is, love.” Perdita said. “Trust me, I lived in the 60’s. Well, goodbye to you both. Hope to see you again.”

Dolly climbed down and stood next to Deepak.

“So…How DO we leave?” She asked.

“Easy…Just wake up.” Deepak said.

“How do I do…” Then she looked around, and noticed the room was vanishing…

“Goodbye, darlings.” Perdita said. “And Dolly, do be good to your brother.”

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In a minute. Dolly’ opened her eyes for a second time…

Looking around, she saw she was back in her own house…

“....Woah…” She said,

“How do you feel, Dolly?” Deepak asked.

“I feel…I feel woozy…Was that…Was that real?” Dolly asked.

“I think it was.” Deepak said.

“...So…We just spoke to our ancestor?”

“Mm hm.”

“And you…You do that often?”

“Yes…Especially when I feel very lost. They help me out sometimes.”

“........That’s sounding…A lot less creepy, now.”

“Was it worth it?” Deepak asked.

Dolly recalled their conversation with Perdita.

“....Yeah….Yeah, I’d say it was.” Dolly said.

“....You wanna do this again sometime?” Deepak asked hopefully.

“Yeah…Yeah, I think I would.” Dolly said.

Deepak smiled while wagging his tail. “Next time, we’ll do it with Dante, too.”

“Yeah…Yeah, I think we should.” Dolly said.

“Deepak? Dolly?” They heard Dylan call.

“Better see what he wants.” Deepak said.

“Yeah, sure…” Dolly said.

Deepak hopped down the stairs, but before she joined him, she looked up at the house…

“Perdita… If you really are watching us…Thanks for the talk…” And then she followed Deepak downstairs…

Chapter Text

Da Vinci poked her head around the corner along the walkways of the canal. A few humans, but not as many since it was the afternoon, and the sun was beginning to go down…

“Perfect.” She said, She began walking towards her favorite spot. A duffel bag over her shoulder. The human’s were so preoccupied with their phones, or their own business that no one noticed a Dalmatian pup with multicolored spots walking by them. Which is just how she preferred it. She walked until the path ended, and dipped into the alley.

She set down her bag, and unzipped it. It always brought a smile to her face to see a bag full of art supplies, even more so when they were brand-new.

She picked up a can of spray paint, and popped it open.

“Ah…” She sighed, inhaling. “The fresh scent of factory sealed paint.” She took all her cans, and laid them to the side.

“Now, last week’s project was great, but I think this week’s needs something a bit….Greener. I’m feeling something like a forest, or a jungle.” She grabbed two shades of green. To her, there was nothing like this feeling. A full can of spray-paint in each paw, a blank wall, and a clear picture of what she wanted to decorate urban London with.

To her, this was making her mark on the city. Sharing a piece of herself with it. It was even better when people liked it. Not that she did it for the recognition. She preferred that no one knew it was her that did it. Especially humans…

She turned to the wall, ready to begin.

“Alright, first, we-Huh!?” She said, much to her surprise… The wall was already painted…

“I…Wait, what?”! She said again. It was a painting of…Well, she wasn’t sure. It looked like a desert, or some alien planet. There were strange buildings in the background, and in the center was an armored warrior wielding an exotic looking sword. Strange planets filled the sky, and while it wasn’t Da Vinci’s style at all, it was definitely well put together.

“...I certainly didn’t paint this.” Da Vinci said. “And no one EVER uses this spot…” She put her paint cans down and walked up to inspect it.

It was certainly well done. She had to admit. There were spray textures, and smears for the background, but some of the finer details, like the warrior and the buildings, looked like they had been done by a brush.

‘Huh…Well, whoever it was, must’ve known what they were doing.” She said, “But still, why paint something like this?”

She looked to the bottom of the painting, and noticed something… Something that made her eyes go wide.

Where one of the paint smears had begun, there was still an imprint… An imprint of a paw, no bigger than hers.

“....A….A dog did this!?” She gasped. She looked back up, and she could now make out various paw prints in paint…

“...There’s ANOTHER dog in Camden that does street art!?” She said, Not that she was jealous or territorial, but she’d never encountered any other animal, much less a dog that did street art before…

She her paw up to the others to compare it. It was almost the exact same size.

“Unless I did this in my sleep, this dog is no older than I am…” She said, “Are they new. did they just move here?” She wondered. As she did, she felt something on her paws, and saw spots of yellow on her stained pink…

“This is still wet…” She thought. “I wonder if…” She looked down, and saw several yellow paw prints heading into the alleyway…
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She followed them until they faded out… Bringing her into the much darker alley.

“Ugh…Why would an artist want to paint here?” She wondered. It was dark, and dirty, the sun couldn’t even provide much light.

“They probably just use this alley as a shortcut.” She figured. “They probably went back home…” She was about to turn back…When the tell-tale sound of a spraycan came to her ears…

Looking farther down the alley, she saw someone working on the wall…It was indeed a dog. A German Shepard pup by the looks of it. He was spraying the wall with red and green paint…

Da Vinci slowly got closer. She couldn’t see what he was painting, but she could tell he was very passionate about it. As she got closer, she could see he wore a bandana like her, to keep himself from inhaling the spray paint. He also wore a pair of black goggles that had paint splattered around the rims.

She could see his paws were also stained with paint.

“He paints free paw, too.” She whispered.

On the ground, he had a collection of paints. Mostly black, red and green, there were also colors she didn’t use much, like metallics, and glosses. She didn’t get any closer, she just watched him work. He put the spray cans down, and dipped both his paws in the green paint. It was here she saw what the goggles were for, as he began to splatter green paint everywhere. At first with seemingly no purpose, but then it was clear he was doing it in a circle, one that got smaller as he kept at it…

Finally, he stopped…And he stepped back, in a way Da Vinci recognized, he proudly looked up at his finished work.

He stood there for a minute, a broad smile on his face.

“Um, excuse me.” Da VInci called.

“Yipe!” He said in surprise, and quickly began gathering up his paint.

“Wait, wait, no, I’m sorry!” Da Vinci cried. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

The dog turned around, and when he realized she was a dog too, he gave a sigh of relief.

“Geez, you tryna give me heart attack!?” He called. “Don’t you know better than to sneak up on people?”

“I”m sorry.” Da Vinci said. “I just didn’t want to interrupt you while you were painting.”

“Well thanks, but….Wait a minute…. Are you…” His jaw dropped.

“No way… You’re Da Vinci!” He said, running up to her.

“Uh….Yes, I…You know who I am?” She said in surprise.

“Uh, yeah.” He said. “Who doesn’t know the best street artist in Camden?”

“Oh, uh…Well….Thank you.” Da Vinci said, blushing. “I don’t know about the ‘best’.”

“Oh, I do.” He said. He held his paw, and with his other, lifted his goggles. “I’m Loc, by the way.”

“Oh, nice to meet you, Loc.” She said, “Is that Scottish?”

“Nah, it’s the name of a thing, in a movie my pet likes.” He said. “It’s actually short for ‘Loc-Nar’ and it’s well, basically I’m named after a green space ball that melts people.”

Da Vinci blinked. “I see… Uh, not to be rude, but how do you know me?”

“Uh, how else? World-Wide-Woof.” Loc said. “You’re always a hot topic, especially with the underground artists.”

“...I am?” She asked.

“Yeah, everyone talks about the newest piece you do. You’re like, an underground celebrity.”

“Oh…” Da Vinci said, less than thrilled. “Well, I’m honored, but…I don’t really do this for the recognition. I just like to paint.”

“Yeah, but we DO recognize it.” Loc said. “In fact…It’s really an honor to meet you, you gave me the inspiration to start doing this myself.”

“I did?” Da Vinci said. ,

“Yeah, I was always really apprehensive about letting others see my art, but after I heard about you, and that a dog was making street art, it was…Well, it was empowering…”

Da Vinci hoped he couldn’t see her blush. “Well, thank you.” She said, “I’m always glad to help another street artist out. I saw the one you did, it was very…Well done.”

“Thanks.” Loc said with a grin. “It’s called ‘the sands of Oroboris.’ I’ve always wanted to paint it.”

“Well, It’s certainly different.” She said.

“Yeah, it’s the first one I felt comfortable painting out in the open.” He said. “Hey, uh…You want to see my newest?”

“Oh, I’d love to.” Da Vinci said.

“Great!” He said as they walked. “I’ve always wanted to see what you think of my art.”

“Well, I’m not a judge of art.” Da Vinci said. “I just like it. In fact, I’m a little scared to ask people what they think of it.”

“What? But everything you paint is great!” Loc said. “You seem to have a real talent for it, all the stuff I do is based on something else.”

“Well, we all start out like that.” Da Vinci said.

“Well, it’ll be great to hear what you think.” Loc said as the stopped in front of it.

“I’m sure it will be-” Da Vinci looked up at the wall and her words died. Her pupils shrank, and her stomach did a small flip.

The painting he had just finished was one of a scantily clad human woman, plunging a sword into a green alien. Complete with enough green and red blood for both of them. The background was harsh, and rocky, with a storm rumbling behind them…

“Well, what do ya think!?” Loc asked, anxiously.

When Da Vinci could find her words, she stammered. “It, uh…It looks…Uh, well….”

“Ah, don’t tell me I’ve left you speechless already!” He said. “You haven’t seen my others.”

Da Vinci grimaced. “Really….And, they’re ALL like this?” She asked, warily.

“Some, yeah.” Loc said.

“.....I’m sorry, you said this was based on something… What, exactly?”

“Oh, it’s this magazine me and my pet read.” Loc said. He ran to his bag, and pulled out a few issues of it. Said’s issues depicted humans, aliens, machines, not unlike some of the stuff Dylan and Dawkins liked, but these were far more violent, with visible blood, the characters looked far more brutal, and the women weren’t dressed very modestly. Not that it bothered her as a dog… But…

“You ever heard of these? It’s called ‘Heavy Metal’ and me and my pet LOVE em!” Loc said. “The movie based on them is where I got my name.”

Da Vinci looked at them uncertainly. “Really…” She said, These looked like thing’s her mum wouldn’t want her to look at, much less read.

“Well, they look very…Intense…” She said.

“Yeah, that’s what I like about them.” Loc said. “This was my attempt at recreating a cover.” He motioned to his newest work. “There’s something about them that just hits me right.” He said. “The way the machines look, the weird weapons. The alien planets, it’s all so cool!”

“....Uh huh…” Da Vinci said. This was…Not her style. She liked thing’s warm, soft, the kind of things you look at and feel happy. This was…Well, almost it’s opposite. This was hard, aggressive, explicit, even. IT didn’t make her think of anything happy…

“My human says he loved these since he was a kid, looking through them with his dad.” Loc explained. “And now he looks through them with me. Well, some of them, some of the stories aren’t really… ‘safe for work’ as they say.”

“I can imagine.” Da Vicni said. “And you say I inspired you to paint stuff like this?”

“Well, no. You inspired me to paint it publicly.” Loc said. “I used to doodle stuff all the time, but I never showed it to anybody. I was too afraid…But when I heard about you, and how you weren’t afraid to share your art with the world, even though you were a dog, well…I figured I’d risk it…”

Da Vinci wasn’t sure what to say… She was of course very glad to hear that she’d inspired someone to express themself, but….Well, it was just a bit too out there for her. Of course she knew art of all kinds exists, but still…

“It’s NOT for everyone, though.” Loc said. “I know it’s a bit intense, and some people don’t like it, but’ it’s not all blood and violence. In fact, I think that’s the first painting I’ve done with blood in it.”

“Really?” Da Vinci said. Despite being turned off by the violence of it, she couldn’t deny the first painting she saw looked pretty close to something she would do. Warm, expressive, all that.

“What, uh…” She was almost afraid to ask. “What else have you done?”

Loc’s face lit up. “You wanna see?!”

“...Sure…?” She said.

“C’mon, I’ve got stuff all down the alleyway!” He said, excitedly.

She followed him with uncertainty. She wanted to be nice, but she didn’t want to regret this, either.

He stopped at a painting on the wall, a large, eye-ball like spaceship, in front of a clear, blue sky.

“I did this last week. It’s the back of the album cover for the movie.” He said.

“I see…” Da Vinci said, mostly relieved that it was something tame. “Wait, last week? You mean…These paintings have been here for a while?”

“Yeah, no one cleans this alleyway.” Loc said. “Kinda obvious. And yeah, it’s dirty, and dark, but it’s perfect for painting in peace.”

“All my paintings get washed away almost a few days later.” Da Vinci said. ‘In fact, that was part of the beauty. How impermanent they were.”

“Yeah, but I’m glad these are still here.” Loc said. “Especially since I can show you… Ooh, check this one!”

She looked,and her stomach flipped again, joining back a chill running up her back, as it was of a grinning dog skull in a pilot’s suit, with green eyes…

“This one of the most famous shots from the movie, The zombie plane wreck scene.” Loc said. “Used to scare the heck out of me.”

“I see why.” Da Vinci gulped.

“Yeah, I wanted to redo it, but with a dog skull.” He said.

“.......Okay.” Da Vinci said.

“Yeah most of these are just my own takes on scenes, and pages.” He admitted. “I’m not real good at doing original stuff.”

Da Vinci looked at the skull…. For as unpleasant as it was, it DID look like a skeleton of a dog… Which, she knew painting anatomy was hard, forget a skeleton…

“This one’s a little basic, but I felt I had to.” He said, pointing to the next one. It was a of a big, green ball, floating in space.

“That where I got my name from.” He said.

“Ah, yes. The big green ball.” Da Vinci recalled.

“That melts people.” Loc reminded her.

“Yes, of course.” She said.

She looked at the others. A space station, a plane, some kind of digging machine, all looked well done, but…Well…They all had the same, harsh aesthetic. It looked like some of these things could hurt you, and probably do in the source material. But they were all, very well done…

Da Vinci still wasn’t sure what to think. All of this clashed so much with her own aesthetic, yet it was clear that Loc was just as passionate about it as she was with hers.

“I know this isn’t for everyone…” Loc said. “In fact, that’s why I paint back here. I know not everyone likes blood, aliens, and skulls, but I feel something when I see stuff like this. The machines, the inorganic locations, the alien environments. It makes me feel something. I like shiny, chrome metal, I like clunky, old looking technology, I like cities that never end… It’s hard to explain, you know? That’s why I paint it.”

Da Vinci looked at him. She understood, but she didn’t say anything.

“Even after hearing about you, it took me a while before I was ready to share anything I painted with the world. At first, I thought my style was too weird, but every now and again, I’ll find someone back here, looking at it, dogs, humans, not as many people as you, but… A few… And they said they liked it… And that’s enough…Truth be told, I LIKE being more underground. I like being something that;s not as well known…. Because, it helps me know that it’s my own thing… Y’know?”

Da Vinci smiled. “Yeah…I do…” She looked at all the paintings while they weren’t her style, she knew they didn’t have to be. It was another style. And she was happy that it existed. In fact, it helped her appreciate what she did even more. To actually see the harsh, and the brutal done so well, made her own style of soft, and warm stick out more to her…

She looked around…And tt the very end of the alleyway, she noticed something…

“What is that?’ She asked, pointing.

Loc looked at it, and laughed. “Oh, that? That’s my first painting I ever did. First time I got the style right and everything.” The got closer to it, and Da Vinci said that it was a corvette, driven by an astronaut, on route to Earth.

“....Is that a car in space?” She asked.

“Yep.” Loc said.

“....I want to question that, but it renders all questions invalid.” She said,

“Yes it does.” Loc said, proudly.

“....It’s awesome.” Da Vinci said.

“Yes it is.” He said.

Da Vinci looked at him, adn seeing how proud he was, she couldn’t help but smile.

“Y’know, truth be told, there is a lot of this that isn’t my style. But seeing this, and the other stuff…You have a talent, Loc. A talent for a style I don’t understand, but it’s still a talent for making something beautiful.”

Loc blushed. “Wow….I….That….That’s really nice of you to say.”

“And I mean it.” Da Vinci said. “I think the world needs more warmth in it, but…I also know some people take comfort in other things. So never stop giving it to them.”

Loc wiped his eye. “Thank you…”

“....Just don’t melt anybody, okay?” She said with a smile.

“Hey, I can’t promise that.” Loc laughed.

They both laughed as they headed out of the alleyway.

“Y’know, there’s another bonus to painting stuff like this.” Loc said.

“And what’s that?” Da Vinci asked.

“You get to listen to some SWEET music.”

“That’s DJ’s territory, not mine.” Da Vinci said. “My brother’s the music guy.”

“Really? Ask him how he feels about ‘Blue Oyster Cult’.”

Chapter Text

Pongo stared up in complete awe at the massive form standing before him. Never in his life had he even imagined something so colossal, so incredible would even exist, let alone he we meet it…Yet here it stood, looking down at him, with robotically lit eyes, that still seemed to have a very, natural warmth behind them…

The giant in question seemed to regard him with confusion. He certainly didn’t seem afraid of him, more so that this was just as jarring for it as it was for him…

The giant looked around them, as if looking for someone. As he did, Pongo could see his inorganic body more clearly. He was made of a kind metal, that much was clear. His head had no mouth, just a kind of plate. His head was shaped like a kind of helmet, or he was wearing a helmet that had strange horns.

The rest of his body was blocky, and Pongo wasn’t sure, but it looked like he was made out of truck parts. He could see windows on his chest, tires were tucked away under his sides, and those were most definitely smoke stacks on his shoulders.

His torso and arms were red. But his legs were white and blue… Pongo hoped he watched were he stepped.

After seeing no one around, the giant looked back down at him. He cocked his head to the side, and Pongo did the same back at him.

Finally, much to Pongo’s surprise, it spoke.

“Curious. First I find myself in a strange place with no implications as to how I arrived. And now I see I am joined by a canine who’s owner seems to have left him…”

His voice was deep, and booming to Pongo’s ears, but also calm, collected. Like he was trying not to alarm him.

The giant leaned down on one knee, still leaving him towering over the dog, but close enough to where he felt a little more at ease.

“I don’t suppose you could tell me where we are, or why we’re here.” It asked.

Pongo shook his head. “I’m just as surprised as you are, sir.”

The giant blinked, or Pongo guessed her blinked, in surprise.

“Strange. I wasn’t aware your species had the capabilities of speech. None I have met before have possessed it.”

Pongo was now even more surprised. “Wait, you can understand me?” He asked.

“It seems so…” The giant answered. “This is very strange. I have never encountered a canine that could speak.”

“Well, if it’s any consolation, sir.” Pongo said, rationalizing that ‘sir’ would be the best way to refer to someone his size. “I’ve never seen anything like you in all my years.”

“Hm…Then it is possible I am no longer on the Earth I know…” The giant said. “Everything else is identical to Earth. Except, of course, for you…Unless, we are both lost?”

“Uh, well, this certainly isn’t my home…” Pongo said. “I live in England. Not far from London.”

“I am certain canines cannot talk in the United Kingdom that I know.” The Giant said. “Curious. What saw fit to bring us, of all people, together?”

Pongo shrugged. “No idea, sir… In fact, I was so busy being surprised by you, I hadn’t thought about anything else.”

The giant reached up and tapped his chin. “This makes no sense… Clearly, whoever did this, did it against our will, yet I feel that, nothing malicious is behind this…”

“I….I have to agree with you, sir.” Pongo said. “I don’t have any of the usual feelings when something dangerous is a foot.”

“Yes, I have heard of your species’ instincts when detecting danger.” The giant said. “Um, excuse me, I hope that wasn’t rude to refer to you in a such an ‘animalistic’ sense.”

“Oh no, it’s quite alright.” Pongo said. “Most people that aren’t dogs do it all the time, we’re use to it.” He gave a small chuckle. “However, on the subject, I hope it isn’t rude to ask, but…Well, I’ve just simply never seen anything like you, before.”

The giant nodded. “Yes, we try to avoid contact with most terrestrial life, unless absolutely necessary. Though, as mentioned, it seems we are in a special set of circumstances.”

“Indeed, sir, which is why I feel I have to ask…Just what are you?”

The giant looked at him. “I am not from your planet. Any version of it. My people came to Earth from the stars.”

“The stars?” Pongo said. “So, you’re an-”

“An alien is the term most use. Yet we have lived on Earth for some time. Our presence on my Earth is well known, yet if you do not know what I am, then…”

Pongo shook his head. “Well, I know I’ve never seen you.”

The gian sighed. “This is troubling.”

“I’ll say. Now that I’ve got some time to think, all I’m thinking of is how will I get back home? Perdy and the pups will be worried.”

‘I too must return, my team will be equally concerned…” He shook his head. “Yet, I do not know how either of us will…” He looked up at the sky. It was night, they were both standing in a clearing surrounded by trees, trees even taller than the giant.

“I am not picking up any large energy readings, nor can my internal instruments determine where we are.” The giant said. “I am…Perplexed.”

“I don’t have any of those, and I’m just as lost.” Pongo said.

The giant sat down, stretching its legs out.

“Well…Whatever did this, seems to have intended for us to stay here.” He said.

“But, why?” Pongo asked.

“I do not know…But as we’ve discussed, it doesn’t seem like there is any ill intent behind this. At least, none that is apparent.”

“That’s usually the worst kind.” Pongo said.

“Perhaps, but still, it seems all that has come of this is our meeting…Speaking of that, in all this time, we have not been introduced.”

“Oh, right.” Pongo said. “Forgive me. My name’s Pongo. Just Pongo, no, no other name. Obviously I’m a Dalmatian.”

“My name.” The giant said. “Is Optimus Prime.”

“Goodness.” Pongo said. “That’s quite a name.”

“The ‘Prime’ is mostly a title.” He said. “I am a Cybertronian.”

“A what?” Pongo asked.

“I am from the Planet Cybertron. Very far from Earth…At least, my Earth…”

“I see…” Pongo said. Confused by all this. “Well, initial shock out of the way, you’re quite an impressive sight.”

“Thank you.” Optimus said.

“This is of no offense of course.” Pongo said. “But, you are a machine, are you not?”

Optimus held his hand up. “Yes and no.” He answered. “Though I would forgive you for assuming at first glance, I am more of an inorganic life form. My species are autonomous life forms from the planet Cybertron. In many ways, we are similar to robots, yet we think, and feel just as organic life forms do.”

Pongo tried to process this. “Very sorry, I’m a bit confused.”

“It is confusing to the uninitiated.” Optimus agreed. “Especially when the idea of beings who were born of metal is brought up.”

“Well…” Pongo said. “Difference in species hasn’t been a problem for me so far.”

“Nor I.” Optimus said. “Though, it does make our situation more confusing. We certainly have no reason to be enemies, yet we don’t have much in common. What reason would who, or what did this have to bring us together?”

“I surely couldn’t say, sir.” Pongo said. “If this is beyond you, it’s most definitely beyond me.”

“Hmm…” Optimus rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“In my experience, there is always more to everyone than meets the eye.” He said. “Perhaps…Perhaps we have more in common than what is visible on the surface.”

“I couldn’t say what, sir.” Pongo said.

“Hm…Perhaps we were meant to find it… Tell me something about yourself.”

“Me? Oh, there’s not much to me, sir.” Pongo said. “I’m a Dalmatian from England. Born in London, raised in London, moved to the country with the rest of my family, that’s about it.”

“I see…Still not much in common, but I wouldn’t say it’s a bad thing… There has to be some connection here, I don’t think this is by chance.”

“Oh no, it’s far too specific.” Pongo said. “But it doesn’t seem to be nationality.”

“And it’s obviously not biology.” Optimus said.

“Yeah, I know I don’t have tires… Speaking of that, why do you have tires?” Pongo asked.

“Well, I…Perhaps I should just show you.” Optimus said, getting to his feet. He stood back, and stretched a bit.

“My species’ Cybernetic code is incredibly adaptive. It allows us to convert our bodies into different shapes and forms.”

“I’m sorry?” Pongo asked.

“It has caused the humans from my Earth to give us the moniker of ‘Transformers’.” Optimus continued.

“I’m not following.” Pongo said.

“Observe.” Optimus said. Then, much to Pongo’s shock, his body began detaching and twisting! He legs spun at knees, his chest opened and his head rotated into it as the tires folded out of his chest. All of this happened with the sound, not of metal scraping, but a distinctive “TSCHE TSCHE TSCHE TSCHE!!!”

When it was done, Pongo let his jaw hang open as he stared in absolute astonishment as the giant humanoid had converted it’s entire body into the form of a flat-nosed truck!

When he did find his words, it was little more than “WHa-how-I-Did you-Gah-WHAT!?”

“I take it you’ve never seen this before?” Came Optimus’s voice from inside the truck.

“I should bloody say not!” Pongo said. “I…How did you do that!?”

WIth another shift adn the same sound, the truck converted back into Optimus’s original, humanoid form.

“All my species possess this ability.” He explained. “We use it for transportation, maneuverability, though mostly as a form of disguise.”

“Uh, Disguise?” Pongo asked.

“Yes. While currently, we are well known on our Earth, before then, we took it to hide amongst the locals, and keep our existence a secret, so as not to cause a panic.”

“I’d say that’s a good call, but…Does that mean that if you were on my Earth, I might not know it?” Pongo asked.

“If the ones doing it were smart, yes.” Optimus replied.

Pongo shook his head. ‘That might be the most incredible thing I’ve seen.”

“Thank you.” Optimus said, sitting back down. “Though, it seems to only deepen the mystery of our meeting.”

“I’ll say.” Pongo said. “I know I can’t bloody do that.”

“Yes, so it must be something deeper…” He glanced down at Pongo, and spotted his collar.

“You’re collar.” He asked. “I assume that is for identification purposes?”

“Oh, yes.” Pongo said. “Just got my name, my pet’s address, and their phone number, usual stuff. Kinda funny how I wear it all the time, and none of the information is useful to me. I know it already.”

“I do possess something slightly similar.” Optimus said. He pointed to his shoulder where an image of a robotic face was displayed.

“The symbol of my faction, the Autobots.” He said. “To let all who see it know what I am.”

“I see…” Pongo said. “Faction…As in, army faction?”

Optimus looked surprised, but then sighed. “Yes…That is an area of my background that I hope we do not share…”

“Perhaps not on that level, but I’ve met my share of horrors.” Pongo said. “Believe me, we all have our enemies.”

“Unfortunately.” Optimus said. “You said you had a family. May I ask about them?”

“Oh, you can, but, well.” Pongo gave a small smile. “I’m not sure you’d believe what I tell you.”

“This seems to be a time for open minds.” Optimus said.

“...Yeah, you’re right.” Pongo agreed. “Well, there’s my wife, Perdita. Most beautiful Dalmatian that’s ever walked my Earth, or any other.”

“I shall take your word on that.” Optimus said.

“Heh…And there’s our puppies, now, this is important, me and my wife had 15 puppies ourselves at first.”

Optimus thought for a moment. “Ah, yes, I forgot that number was normal for your species' offspring.”

“Well, it’s still big, now…Later on, we adopted another 84…” Pongo said, then he waited.

Optimus thought for a moment. “...So, altogether your family consists of-”

“A Hundred and One Dalmatians.” Pongo finished.

Optimus processed this. “......I am not a parent, in fact, I think I can safely assess that parenthood is the area where you most definitely have more experience than me…However, if I may say so, 99 seems like more than a ‘handful’ as they say.”

“Oh, it is.” Pongo said. “But it’s not a life I would trade for anything.”

“Hmm. This is an area I have no expertise in, even though my species does have concepts of youth, and the changes that come from it, we do not, um…” He spun his hand as he thought of the right way to put this. “We do not, ‘reproduce’ the same way organics do.”

“I suspected that.” Pongo said.

“Still… I do recognize the responsibility a good parent will meet, and to take so many others into your care along with your own, it’s not something I imagine was decided lightly.”

“Oh no.” Pongo said. “It wasn’t….In fact, it was something that changed our lives in more ways than one. It’s a very long story, but…In many ways, were all earned each other’s love. While I would never wish what we went through on anyone, it helped the love and respect my family has for each other grow very strong… I’m sorry, I was rambling there, that memory always gets me emotional.”

“It’s quite alright.” Optimus said. “...In fact, I find it very meaningful.”

“Oh?” Pongo asked.

“In many ways, it is the same with me and my men. We might not be a family in the same way as yours, but in many ways, through our experiences, we have come to trust each other far more than just a group of men in a unit. They come to see me as I think your family sees you. In many ways, I feel I am more than just their leader…”

“And you know that, as much as you would hate for anything to happen to any of them. You feel a sense of pride because you know they can handle things…Because you made sure they could.” Pongo said.

Optimus nodded. “Yes….And sometimes, you feel terrified that so many look up to you. And you fear you might not be enough for what they need you to be…”

“But it doesn't matter, because even if you do fall….They’ll be there to pick you back up…” Pongo said.

“....Because you realize that they do as much for you as you do for them…” Optimus said.

The two looked at one another.

“....It seems we have found our place where we have common ground.” Optimus said.

“Yes.” Pongo agreed. “I must say, it’s quite a place to find it.”

“Yes… But what now? If that’s what we were meant to find, what happens now?”

Pongo thought for a moment.

“...I’m not sure.” He said. “I do know I feel much better knowing that, out there, wherever you come from, someone’s making sure the people they love are taken care of.”

Optimus nodded. “Agreed. It is a pleasing thought to know that, somewhere, even in a place of such unlikelihood, there is someone who also understands me in ways I’m not sure many would.”

Pongo smiled, “Welp, it just goes to show, whether it’s puppies or giant, transforming robots, being a good father, or a father to your men, is a universal concept.”
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The next thing Pongo remembered, he was waking up in his bed, back in his own home.

“What?” He got up and looked around. “...Wait, was that all just-”

“Ah, good morning darling.” He heard Perdita say from the doorway. “Was wondering when you were going to wake up.” She walked over and licked his nose. “Nanny’s got breakfast waiting for us.”

“Yes, yes…Darling, I had a very strange dream.” Pongo said.

“Oh? What about?” She asked.

“Well, I, it’s a bit strange, I think I met someone…”

“Really, who was it?” Perdita asked.

“... Well, I’m not sure exactly, but…I know it was someone I would like to know in real life. Someone I think I had more in common with than it would seem.”

“Oh, well that must be nice.” Perdita said. “It is strange just who we’ll find ourselves on common ground with.”

“Yes…” Pongo said. “Very strange indeed…”
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Meanwhile, somewhere VERY different…

HIs optics were the first thing to back online, followed by his audio receptors. He heard voices, but they were indistinct for now… He tried to get up, only for someone to stop him.

“Easy, Prime.” He heard as his hearing came back. “Take it slow, you’ve been out for a few cycles.”

He looked over, and when his optics finally cleared, he could make the face of his medic.

“Uh…Ratchet?” He asked.

“Yeah, it’s me.” The medic bot answered. “You should take it slow. That Null ray almost popped your circuits.”

“Null ray? I…” His memories came back.

“Optimus, you’re awake!”

He looked down to see a smaller, yellow robot.

“We got a little worried, you got hi pretty bad.”

“I did?” Optimus repeated.

“Yeah, don’t you remember? Starscream got the drop on you from behind a real dish. Hit you from behind.”

“Bumblebee, I…” He looked down at his side. “....Yes…Yes, I remember now.”

“Good.” Bumblebee said. “We got a little worried. Ratchet said putting you under was the best thing to do.”

“Yes…” Optimus said, still listless.

“You, uh, you okay boss?” Bumblebee asked.

“Yes, yes, I’m fine.” Optimus said. “It’s just….Ratchet, I had the strangest dream.”

“Hm. Well, jumbles of memory files are common during stasis.” Ratchet said.

“No, I mean…I met someone I’ve never seen before.” Optimus said.

“Really, who?” Bumblebee asked.

“They were… They were different in many ways, but…In some ways, me and him shared something.” Optimus said.

“Huh, well in that case, it must’ve been someone cool. The world could always use more people like you.” Bumblebee said.

Optimus patted his shoulder. “Perhaps. But I feel that this one was just as good the way he was…”

Chapter Text

Hunter’s car rumbled through an unfamiliar city. He’d been here before, but only because he had to. Perks of being a CEO you get to travel. Cons? You HAVE to travel. Travel across the pond to another, boring trade show. Well, he didn’t HAVE to, per say, but the board told him it might help the company during their restructuring if the new CEO attended a few external events. Sure, the states were alright, but it took him too far from home.

Here, everything was way too big, and way too cramped all at the same time. Not to mention how crowded he knew it was gonna be. And what was the point? Every time he came to one of these, he was just reminded of how many people didn’t like his Great-Aunt….Not that he liked her much, but it was for different reasons.

But it was what he did. No sense in complaining. Can’t very well ask everyone else to get out of the past if he couldn't…

The car stopped in front of the center, and the driver opened the door.

“Here we are, sir.” The driver said.

“Whoopee.” Hunter said as he climbed out.

“Alright, I’ll see you at 3:00.” Driver said.

“Alright, Reg, just remember it’s the right side of the road over here.” Hunter said, jokingly.

Reg shook his head. “It happened one, bloomin’ time…” He muttered.

Hunter watched him leave. Then looked up at the gray, boring building.

“Alright, let’s get this over with.” He said to himself.

He walked in, checked in with the desk and proceeded to the show floor. He knew what to expect. A bunch of people trying to push their products onto others, especially people like him. Either having his company adopt it, or invest in it…9 times out of 10, it was something he couldn’t imagine a regular consumer paying money for.

But he was here, representing his company, and that meant he had to at least give every pitch a chance. Even if he didn’t want to.

A place like this wasn’t showing off usually knick-knacks, though. This was everything from security software, building surveillance, all kinds of stuff like that. His job was to see if anything looked like it was worth investing in.

As he walked around the show floor, seeing the promotional videos that were trying WAY too hard to make their product seem like a huge deal, he found himself feeling those old, familiar feelings. Nothing here looked worth it, and he wished he was back home…And it hadn’t been an hour yet…

“*sigh* I guess I have no right to complain.” He thought. “It’s not really that horrible that I get to travel around, see what the best and brightest are shaping the future to be… Maybe it’s the fact that this is what I could’ve been a part of all this time, but Great-Auntie was too busy…Ah, nevermind.”

He approached one of the booths, and a word caught his eye. “Pest control.”

He approached it, and found small sensors being shown off. The video explaining them played.

“The latest in pest control technology for buildings both corporate and residential. These sensors can tell you what kind of pest you have, simply by scanning for the fur it sheds.”

Hunter smirked. ‘Really? Guess I’m glad I wasn’t part of this earlier. Otherwise, that’d been a perfect tool for… Ah, I can’t finish that sentence.” He put it down, and turned to leave.

“Uh, excuse me.” He heard a voice say. “Are you Hunter De Vil?”

He turned and saw a young woman, dressed in black, with long brown hair.

“Yes.” He sighed. “And, just Hunter, please.” He held out his hand.

That’s what I thought.” She said, taking his hand into a shake. “I’ve only ever seen you in the few pictures you take. Thought I’d introduce myself.”

“And you are?”

“I'm here representing my dad’s company..” She said, “I’m Vanessa. Vanessa Doofenshmirtz.”

“Doofenshmirtz?” Hunter asked.

“I know, I know.” She said, rolling her eyes. “Us rich kids, and last names.”

“Well, I didn’t mean that, it’s just-”

“No, it’s fine. I know my name is a bit obscure.” She said,

“And your dad is?” Hunter asked.

“Oh, Heinz Doofenshmirtz.” She said, “I guess I should add Doctor to that, though I’m not sure if we ever got that official.”

“Oh…Well, I don’t think I’ve heard of your father’s company.” Hunter said.

“It’s Doofenshmirtz Economics Incorporated.” She said, “He had it changed a few years back during his big rebrand. Actually, I’ve wanted to speak with you for a while. I was looking through my company's archives, and it turns out we did business with yours a few years back.”

“We have?” Hunter asked. “Strange, I don’t recall your name in the companies archives…Then again, I could've missed it.”

“Yeah, I found it weird, too.” She said, “Especially with what it was.”

“Do tell.” Hunter asked.

“Well, your company purchased the patent for a machine my dad had built. It was a suction system.”

Hunter raised an eyebrow. “A suction system?”

“Yeah, my dad, and stay with me here, my dad loved oranges, but he hated the stringy white stuff that stayed on when you peeled it.”

“Everyone does.” Hunter said.

“Right, so he invented a suction system that was perfectly separate from orange pulp, peel, and the stringy stuff, after you peeled it.”

“Pretty ingenious.” Hunter said. “Why didn’t he want it?”

“Well, it worked a little TOO good.” Vanessa said. “Turns out, the suction system was so good, it could separate stuff that had been blended together.”

Hunter’s eyes widened as it all began to sound familiar. “Blended?”

“Yeah, you could dump a smoothie in it, and it could tell the ingredients apart, it was that good. He never used it because it was too dangerous.”

Hunter’s stomach did a quick flop. “....Yeah, it does.”

“In fact, he said he was sure that if you put a small animal in a blender, and then put it through the suction system, it would be able to pick out all the bones, and stuff.”

Hunter stared in shock.

“...Yeah, my dad was kinda not well…”

“....I’m sorry, before it was Doofenshmirtz Economics Incorporated, what was your father’s company’s name?”

“Oh, Doofenshmirtz Evil Incorporated.” Vanessa explained. ‘He wanted to keep a name that would still flow with the jingle.”

Hunter stared. “......Well he certainly knew how to make a suction system.”

“Yeah…Anyway, what would your company want with it?” She asked.

“Ah….Y’know, I’m not sure, but you’ve definitely made me want to find out.” He said. Then he thought. “As if I already don’t know… Great job, Great-Auntie, reusing food processing for animal slaughter.”

“So… I hear your position was recently obtained.” She asked.

“Oh, yes… Great-Aunt getting arrested will do that.” He said.

“Yeah, I never met your Great-Aunt.” She said, “She had a bit of a reputation.”

“Lady, you don’t know the half of it.” Hunter thought.

“But I’ve heard of you, and how you’re making big strides to turn her company around.”

“Thank you.” He said. “It hasn’t been easy, my Great-Aunt made a lot of enemies.”

“Well, my family isn’t one of them, so I’m glad to finally have met you.” She said,

“Yes, it was nice to meet you as well.” Hunter said. “Hopefully, with both our companies rebranding, we might find new ways of working together.”

“Very nicely put, Mr. De Vil.” Said a new voice. A tall, young man walked up to them. “Though I sense you still have much to do cleaning up your Great-Aunts mess first.”

Vanessa silently gasped. “You’re-”

“Alexander Xanatos.” The man said. “Head of Xanatos enterprises.”

“Xanatos?” Hunter repeated. “I’ve heard that name before.”

“You should, my father’s company was only the most powerful company on the East coast.” The man said.

“No, I read it once, in my own company’s archives.” Hunter said. “Do you have history together?”

Alexander’s face darkened. “Yes, that would be referring to the time my father took your Great-Aunt to court for the desecration and robbery of his property in Scotland.”

Hunter’s face fell. “Oh….Right…”

“Yes, even though he couldn’t tie it back to her, she was accused of hiring men to steal bits of broken statuary from the property's historic ruins.”

“What would she even want that for?” Vanessa asked.

“Oh, it’s hardly worth talking about, as it was why the case was thrown out. My father was sure of it, but everyone else was sure it was crazy.”

“....Uh, just out of curiosity, why WOULD she?” Hunter asked.

Alexander rolled his eyes. “Very well.The bits of statues that were stolen had belonged to long destroyed Gargoyle statues. The reason my father gave was, according to an old legend, if one mixed the remains of Gargoyles in with other ingredients, one could make a potion that would give its user the legendary rejuvenation powers Gargoyles gain as the sleep in stone. Fixing any damage to the body, be it age, or wounds.”

Hunter let his jaw go slack.

“I know, I know, absolutely insane.” Alexander said. “I can’t believe my father could even say it with a straight face, much less take someone to court over it.”

“Yeah, sounds a bit crazy.” Vanessa said. “No offense to your father.”

“Yeah….A little out there.” Hunter said, nervously. Then to himself. “There’s no bloody way.”

“Yes, our two families, let alone company’s have never been on good terms.” Alexander said. “But, I am willing to forget the past. I think we all think the De VIl corporation can do great things with the right leadership.”

“Thank you.” Hunter said. “I plan to do so.”

“Excellent….Goodness, I actually feel embarrassed sharing that story, who would even believe-”

“Hey, it can’t be as crazy as my dad believing that a secret agent platypus was the reason all his plans kept failing.” Vanessa said.

“Or, it can’t be as crazy as my Great-Aunt having done all of this just to get revenge on some dogs that outsmarted her back in the 60s.” Hunter added.

They all exchanged looks.

Then that all laughed.

“Oh, my goodness.” Alexander said, wiping a tear from his eye. “What is it with us rich kids and having crazy last names and family members?”

“Just a thing.” Vanessa said.

“Keeps things interesting.” Hunter added.

“Now, if you want a crazy story, just ask Miss NorthWest next time you see her, her family might put your history to shame.” He told Hunter.

“Oh, I don’t think that’s a challenge they’d want to make.” Hunter said.

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Later that day, Hunter was back in his car.

“Well, that wasn’t so bad.” He thought. Just then, the chime rang on his car’s screen. He smiled, and switch it on, to be greeted by a smiling face.

“Hey, Hunter!” Dylan called. “How’s the states?”

“Not near as crazy as I want them to be.” Hunter said. “You all good?”

“Yeah, we’re all good. Anything different happen?”

“Eh, kinda. Learned I’m not the only young business executive with a crazy history.”

“Ah, I doubt any of them are as crazy as ours.” Dylan said.

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Vanessa also got back into her car, only to be greeted by a sound she knew well.

“Ctrctrctrctr…”

She turned and saw a teal colored Platypus sitting in the passenger seat.

“Oh, there you are Perry. You been hanging around today?”

Perry nodded.

“Y’know, I appreciate you keeping an eye on me during these, but I don’t think my dad made those kind of enemies.”

Perry cocked his head to the said.

“Yeah, but still, even though he used to be evil, he never really was…”
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And finally, in a helicopter.

“Did you have a nice day, sir?” Said a blonde man on the screen.

“Business as usual, Owen.” Alexander said. “Boring, ol, business.”

“Anything strange or unusual happen?” Owen asked.

“Owen, what is OUR definition for strange and unusual?” Alexander asked. “Besides.” He snapped his fingers and conjured a martini out of thin air.

“The truth is also stranger than fiction.”

“Like you said, sir. Business as usual.” Owen said.

Chapter Text

Dante poked his head up to look into the tree house. No one was there, just like he hoped. With a grin, he snuck inside, and began searching through Dylan’s game console collection.

“C’mon, c’mon, where’d he put it….Ha!” He spied the strange, charcoal-colored shape, and picked it from the shelf. He brought it to the old, CRT TV his older brother had hauled up there, and plugged in the appropriate wires. Then, he opened a drawer under one of the shelves and began leafing through the assortment of oblong, plastic shapes.

“C’mon, c’mon, how on earth do you lose something shaped like that….Yes!” He plucked the tri-handled controller out, and plugged onto the first port on the console.

Then, with a grin, he went to a separate shelf, and ran his paw along the cartridges until he found the gold-colored one.

Plucking it out, he popped into the console’s deck, and hit the switch…

He picked up the controller, gripping only two of the three banana-like grips that it had. Before the screen came to life, displaying that familiar logo of a cubicle “N”...In a minute, that title screen booted up, and the familiar sound rang in his ears.

With a smile, he slumped back into his brother’s bean-bag chair, and sighed contently.

“Yeah….” He said. “This is the PERFECT way to end a day…”

“Why’s that?”

Dante jumped from his seat, only to find his younger brother, Delgado had somehow snuck up into the treehouse without him knowing.

“GEEZ!” Dante said. “What the heck, man? Don’t you know better than to sneak up on people?......How’d you even sneak up here, anyway?”

Delgado puffed his chest out proudly. “Practice. Watch’a doin’, anyway?”

“Nothing. I’m just playing a game.” Dante said, readjusting himself.

“A game? You? I thought you hated games.”

“Why would you think that?” Dante said.

“Well, it’s just you hate stuff that’s high energy…. And stuff that makes you smile… And anything to do with the sun, and outdoors, and grass, and smiling, and laughing, and happiness, and non-darkness, the world NOT ending, and-”

“OKAY! I GET IT!” Dante said. “....But this game’s different.”

“What is it?” Delgado asked.

Dante motioned to the title screen. “It says right there….”

Delgado looked between the screen and Dante….

“.....I can’t read.” He pointed out.

“.....Right. It’s called Majora’s Mask.” Dante said.

“Majora’s what?”

“Mask. It’s a Zelda game. Y’know, like, swords and fairies and stuff.”

Delgado smirked. “Really? I thought only Dylan and Dawkins liked that kind of stuff…”

“Well, like I said, this one’s different… It’s darker, a little scarier.”

“Scary? I don’t think a game with stuff like fairies can be scary.” Delgado said.

Dante rolled his eyes. “See, this is the problem with kids' media being so sanitized. You have no respect for how truly dark fantasy can be.”

“What does that even mean?” Delgado asked.

“Just hush and watch.” Dante said. He started up the game, and was at the file select. Choosing the one with his name.

“Now, I think I was about to start….Ugh, the Great Bay Temple. I hate that part.”

“Is that why you play this game?” Delgado added with a smirk, “Because you actually hate it?”

“No. It’s a good game, it’s just….Certain parts aren’t AS good… It’ a trend with this series and water-based dungeons.”

As he started it up, the screen showed the player character. A boy dressed in green with a sword and shield on his back.

“Yeah, I still don’t believe YOU would like this game.” Delgado said.

“It’s not about the visuals, it’s about the context.” Dante said. “For instance. That character got stuck in this world because an imp stole his horse, and now he has to save it from horrible destruction.”

Delgado raised an eyebrow.

“...Okay, YES< that makes it sound a little lame, BUT that’s the fast version. It’s much deeper.”

“Whatever you say.” Delgado said. “All I know is, this happy looking town with the happy music doesn’t look very scary.”

The beginnings of a smug smile appeared on Dante’s muzzle. “Oh yeah? Well, what if I told you that everyone in this town KNOWS the world is gonna end. They just don’t know what to do about it.”

“.....And?” Delgado said.

“And a lot of them are having even more problems. Like someone’s fiance is missing, the mayor doesn’t know what to do, the carpenters are trying to pretend it’s not happening, AND people are starting to leave their homes, not sure if they’ll ever see it again.”

“Okay…So?”

Dante moved his character away from the building, and hit a button, making the POV go into first person.

“And the reason they know the world is going to end is because the thing that’s going to end is hanging over their town day and night and they can’t do anything about it…”

“...SO what is it, it can’t be that-”

Dante moved the control stick upwards, revealing a moon with a grotesque face hung in the sky over the town…

“....That’s what’s gonna make the world end.” Dante said with a grin.

Delgado looked at the screen with wide eyes.

“...........Did you just gulp?” Dante asked, smugly.

“NO!” Delgado said, defensively. “I mean…. It’s not fair, you surprised me!”

“Ha! I knew it!” Dante said.

“It doesn’t count if you surprise me!” Delgado huffed. “Besides, I guess it’s no wonder YOU like a game about the world ending. That’s all you ever talk about.”

“I do not.” Dante said. “Besides, it’s ALL the game is about. The game’s deeper theme is about who we really are when faced with horrible odds. Like, who would WE be if we found out OUR world was ending. Would we stay the same, or would who we think we are just be revealed to be a…Mask we choose to wear…. I think that’s pretty interesting.”

Delgado looked at the screen… “But…You play as someone trying to STOP the world from ending, right?”

“Yeah…” Dante said.

“....So you like to play a game where you get to be a hero when everyone else is freaking out about the end of the world?”

“Yeah…”

Delgado thought for a minute. “....So going back to what you said about masks, do you think you like to play this game because you feel your own obsession with the end of the world is a ‘mask’ you wear and you would really like to be a hero, you just don’t have the courage, or if your desire to be a hero while playing this game is a mask in and of itself and you play this because you’re not sure which?”

Dante stared and his brother with his mouth open.

“.......Or something like that, I dunno. You should ask Deepak.”

“Eh, we tried to play this game together once, he couldn’t get past the Goron village, makes him too sad.” Dante said.

“Hm….Well, I guess I was wrong. This game really does seem right up your alley.” Delgado said.

“Yeah, that’s why I like it. I love the stuff that looks all happy and cute, but has something dark hiding underneath.”

Chapter Text

“Hello? Is anyone there?” A voice called into the darkness. “I demand to know what I am doing here and how I got here!” She looked around, the room was completely dark… Save for a small, overhead light… Other than the wooden floor, she couldn’t make out anything…

“IS ANYONE EVEN LISTENING TO ME!!!” She screeched. “I DEMAND TO KNOW WHAT I AM DOING HERE!!!”

“Good god, what is that screeching?” Came a new voice from the dark. “Is someone trying to teach a cat opera whilst strangling it?” She heard footsteps approaching.

“Who are you!?” The first woman demanded. “Are you responsible for this!?”

‘Calm down, hon.” The second woman said. “I’ve got no idea where I am, either, I just got-” When she stepped into the light, her jaw dropped… The first woman’s did as well as they stared at one another… The first was a tall, old woman, wearing a large, white, fur coat. The second was taller, older, and incredibly thin. She was wearing only a slim, black suit… Both had boney, pointed faces that seemed to be fixed in permanent sneers, and both had hair with one side black, the other white…

The taller woman shook her shock away. “This…….This can’t be, this isn’t possible…”

“What’s not?” The other demanded. “Who are you?!”

The taller woman looked around before answering. “Am I dead? Is this what my hell is?”

“WHAT ARE YOU PRATTLING ON ABOUT!?!” The first said. “WHO ARE YOU, AND WHERE AM I!?!”

The taller woman gave an unimpressed sneer. “Well, at least I know I mellow with age…”

“WHAT ARE EVEN TALKING ABOUT! I HAD BETTER GET SOME ANSWERS IN THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES, OR…” They both went silent as they brightened, letting them see a little more of their surroundings… However, all that was revealed was a small table, and two chairs…

“Oh, thank goodness.” The taller woman said. “I don’t think I could bear doing this while standing.” She walked over, and casually took one of the chairs, spinning it around, and sitting on it backwards. As she sat down, her body and joints cracked and popped.

“That’s better.” She said, “Joints aren’t what they used to be…”

The other woman stared. “Who….Who are you?” She said in a much calmer voice. “What is this place?”

“Well, I can’t answer that second one.” The taller woman answered, “Not in any way that matters… ANd secondly, I CAN answer the first, but…I’m not sure how…Why don’t….Why don’t you start…”

The first woman rolled her eyes. “If I must. I am Cr-”

“Cruella De Vil…” The second one finished.

“....You know me?” The first asked in surprise.

“In many, many ways…” The second asked with a sly smile.

“....Why waste all this time if you know me, then!?” The first demanded.

“I had to be sure…Had to know I wasn’t just seeing things…” The second said, “It wouldn’t be the first time…”

The first blinked in surprise. Then scoffed. “Well, I shouldn’t be surprised, I AM quite well known…”

The second laughed. “Oh, oh, you are just precious…”

The first raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

The second motioned to the coat the first was wearing. “That coat… It’s pure Mink, correct?”

“Why…Yes, it’s one of my favorites.” The first said. “I DO love fur, you see.”

“Yes, I know…You paid three-hundred-and-seventy-six dollars for it…” The second said,

“Why…Yes….How did you know…”

“And the only reason you got it for so cheap was that you threatened to reveal that the furrier was having an affair…” The second said,

The first’s mouth hung open… “How did….That was…. I…I….”

“But am I wrong?” The second asked, in voice implying she already knew…

The first composed herself. “Alright, fine, I MAY have twisted his arm a little… But he was being stingy, keeping such a beautiful coat locked behind such an unfair price.”

“And then you revealed it anyway….” The second said, “He got divorced, closed up shop, and you bragged about how you got his last work before closing…”

The first’s eyes popped open. “..........How….”

“You don’t have any secrets with me.” The second said, “I know everything about you…”

The first stared in shock. “I…I…That’s impossible. You must’ve simply picked that up through some gossip, or something, it doesn’t mean you know-”

“When you were twelve years old, you knew you wanted to be a fashion icon just like your mother…” The second said, “She was never around. Always going all over the world on fashion shows. And even when she was home, it never felt like she was really there….”

The first listened to her speak, her eyes widening.

“In fact, it seemed the ones she cared about the most were her dogs… She took them everywhere, but left you at home, isn’t that right?”

“.....Yes…. I….I…It seemed like I was just…”

“She never made time for you….But oh, she dropped everything, and came straight home. Canceled ALL her shows, her tours, all of that…For what? Was it for you?”

The first gritted her teeth. “No….No, of course not…It was never for me… It was only because…”

“Because her mutt was going to have puppies…” The second finished. “That’s the only thing she seemed to care about… And when those pups were born, what did you think?”

The first sneered. “A bunch of disgusting, wriggling little rats, is what they were… To think, my own mother loved THESE things more than me….”

“Yes, it burned you up….But there was a small, tiny little detail you DID think was interesting about them, didn’t you…”

The first’s skin went white…

“...Their fur was very, very, soft, wasn’t it?”

“I….I….”

“....And to a girl who wanted to be a fashion designer, it was the softest thing you’d ever felt… Which got you thinking…”

“Look, I was young, and rash, and hurting, it wasn’t my fault!” The first said defensively.

“Yes…Not your fault… Not your fault that the softness of that fur, and the anger you felt to your mother was so great…. You just had to try something… Something that involved luring one of those pups into your room, one night?”

The first’s eyes went wide. “How…”

“And seeing just how soft that fur would be, if it was, say, lining a patch inside your coat?”

The first stared in shock, unable to say anything…

“They looked for it, the next day, dear Mother was so distraught….But they never found it, did they? No, you made sure of that. That spot behind the bush under your window, where the dogs couldn't get to, that made a good hiding place…. And Mother never did question that white spot on the inside of your jacket that you would stroke, every now and again…And smile to yourself, especially when Mother would lament about one of her dear dog’s puppies having ‘run away’?”

A small smirk began on the firsts lips. “Well… I never lied when I said, ‘I’m sure it’s nearby.’ No, I was VERY truthful with that…”

“Yes, Mother was never the wiser….Our mother, at least…” The second said, “It wasn’t our Mother that we had to worry about…”

The firsts pupils shrank…

“You found her in your room, one night… You didn’t hide the scent as good as you thought you did… And she glared at you… A glare only something full of hate, and hurt could glare you know that, because that’s what you felt when you did it… You knew, that mother dog knew EXACTLY what you had done…”

“No, she-she couldn't have!” The first said. “She was just a dog!”

“A dog who glared at you, watched you, every day of your life… To the point where you were glad when Mother finally got back on the road… But even then, you could still feel that dog’s glare…everywhere you went…That’s why you never, liked dogs…”

The first stared at the second…

“.....How do you know this?

The second chuckled as she leaned forward. “Because, darling… I AM you…”

The first stared. “You’re….You’re….Me?”

“Cruella De Vil.” The second said, with a grand motion of her long, boney arms. “A lot older, a bit wiser, but always too close to greatness for some people…”

The first looked around. “This…This is impossible. It should be, but….Who else would know? Who else would know me better than…”

“Yourself?” The second finished.

The first sat down. “How… How is this possible?”

“Got me, love, but I’d know myself from anywhere…” The second said,

“You said you’re older, how much older?” The first asked.

“What year is it where you’re from?” The second asked.

“1962.” The first said.

With a grin, the second said, “It’s 2022 where I’m from.”

The first recoiled. “202-” She counted on her fingers. “That’s….That’s 60 years into the future!”

“Yes, and let me tell you, it’s been one hell of a ride…” The second said,

“But…But how?!” The first asked. “How are you-I still alive?!”

“Oh, I can’t tell you all that, hon.” The second said. “Spoilers, and all that, plus, I’m not sure if I’ll destroy life as we know it by telling you, not that I’m into that sort of science fiction nonsense, but I feel caution is best in this situation…Let’s just say it takes a lot of work done both outside…And inside…”

The first Cruella grimaced. “I see… Well…. I look great for a woman pushing 100.” She said,

“Oh, yes, science does WONDERS for the body.” The second said,

“And my hair, I can’t believe I still have it after all those years.”

“Eh, sorry, hon.” The second said, lifting her hair and revealing it to be a wig… “They can’t fix THAT, believe it or not.”

“Oh…” The first said, distressfully. “Well…..” She looked the second’s attire over.

“....Can’t say much for the fashion of the future…”

“Oh, believe me, in a few years, jumpsuits will be ALL the rage.” The second said, “Believe me, after the 70’s, you’ll gain a WHOLE new appreciation for fashion…”

“Interesting….” They both sat, looking at each other. Neither was really sure this was happening… But there was no one else who could have possibly known what the other knew…

“So… What is the future like?” The first asked.

“Eh, loud, noisy, technology is insane, and they took ashtrays out of most cars.” The second said,

“WHAT!?” The first said. ‘But that was so, so luxurious.”

“Yes, there’s quite a few changes like that… Personally, they can have it. As far as I’m concerned, humanity peaked in 1965.” The second said,

The first shook her head. “I still can’t believe it. You’re….Well, you’re not EXACTLY what I was expecting, but I must say, I think we did pretty well.”

“Oh yes, we have a company, a reputation, we have everything…Almost, everything…” She looked up at the first. “Hate to be like this, hon, but when I look at you, all I can see is every mistake I ever made… Everyone I’m going to make… If I only knew half of what I do now…”

The first shuffled in her seat. “Well, I suppose that’s a good thing. Hindsight and all that…”

“Oh, but it’s more than that…” The second said, “So much more…”

“In what ways do you mean?” The first asked.

The second rolled her eyes. “Oh just look around. I could see it in your eyes the moment you expected we were the same. You already messed up. If it’s as you say, 1962, it means our little “fur venture’ has already happened.”

The first frowned. “Yes… THAT… Oh, to think about it, even now, it burns me up!”

“Oh, you think it’s bad now? Wait a ten years. Twenty, thirty! It never stops…” The second said,

“Thirty? You mean-” The first said.

“Do you see me wearing it?” The second said, “You think I wouldn't wear that coat every minute of every day after the trouble it caused us?!”

“Hmph, well all I know is it wasn’t my fault.” The first said. “How was I supposed to know that those dogs could have escaped so easily?”

And then the second did something the first didn’t expected.

She cracked her head back and laughed…

A deep, haughty laugh at first, but one that ran so long, it became ragged and dry…Sounding more like the elderly woman she was…

So much so that the first shrank back into her seat…

When she finished, the second looked back at her. “Oh…Oh you sweet, stupid woman… You’ve no idea where you messed up…”

The first gulped. “Well,Roger and ANita were none the wiser, how was I-”

“Roger and Anita…” The first spat. “You could’ve skinned the pups in front of them and they still wouldn’t have figured it out. No, you played them perfectly…It was the other couple you should’ve worried about…”

“Other, what?”

“Answer me this?’ Do you think it’s by pure luck that all those puppies found their way back to Roger and Anita? Do you think it was simply bad luck that after taking those fifteen, that’s when the plan fell apart? No… It was because of those two, spotted mutts, that our life is now what it is?”

The first thought for a minute. “You mean…Those fifteen pups parents? Roger and Anita’s prized mutts? Oh, please, how could they be threat, they’re just stupid dogs-Ack!” She stopped when the second reached across the table with surprising speed, and with even more surprising strength in her bony arm, pulled the frit close.

“You have…NO IDEA…What those dogs are capable of… What ANY dog is capable of!! They have a barking chain, which they communicate with. They have animals specifically stationed around the country to relay it…And they found their pups through it…”

The first raised an eyebrow. “Are you telling me that dogs have something more advanced than a telephone? Please.”

The second let her go. “How could I make you understand…I don’t fully understand it, but it’s the truth. Dogs are so much smarter than they seem, those two especially. And despite my best efforts, they took my fur from me…SO!” SHe turned, slamming her boney hands onto the table. “If there is ONE shred of knowledge I could save myself from learning the hard way… You want those pups? GET RID OF MUMMY AND DADDY…”

She shouted so hard, her skin cracked along her face! Falling off, revealing her real, marred skin underneath.

“Sorry about that…Another product of time…” She sat back down, her joints popping with painful sounds…

The first recomposed herself, nervously reaching in her coat for a cigarette.

“Oh, that, and give up on smoking.” The second said, “It does hell to your body…”

The first rolled her eyes, as she lit it, taking a long puff. She then narrowed her eyes.

“So what’s your excuse?” She asked.