Housepets!

a short while later, the two arrived at Buster's house. "Alright, here we are. I'll just need to talk to my mom before we go upstairs," he said as he reached for the doorknob. He took a deep breath and put his usual calming smile on his face, but unlike most days, his eyes gave away that it was a mask.

Then he opened the door and went in.

The living room was set up like an art studio, with his mom's latest painting in the middle sitting on an easel. It was a painting of himself and his two cousins that she was doing for their grandparents.

His mom had finished painting for the day since the natural light had diminished. She was currently cleaning the kitchen. She stepped out when she heard the door open.
"Hi, Buster. Who's your friend?" she asked.

RandomGeekNamedBrent wrote:a short while later, the two arrived at Buster's house. "Alright, here we are. I'll just need to talk to my mom before we go upstairs," he said as he reached for the doorknob. He took a deep breath and put his usual calming smile on his face, but unlike most days, his eyes gave away that it was a mask.

Then he opened the door and went in.

The living room was set up like an art studio, with his mom's latest painting in the middle sitting on an easel. It was a painting of himself and his two cousins that she was doing for their grandparents.

His mom had finished painting for the day since the natural light had diminished. She was currently cleaning the kitchen. She stepped out when she heard the door open.
"Hi, Buster. Who's your friend?" she asked.

My name's Gage M'am.

"Nice to meet you, Gage. It's good to see Buster making friends here."
"I hope you don't mind, but I invited him to stay here tonight."
"No problem at all. If you need anything, Gage, just ask."

Seth wrote:Well thanks but don't worry about it I'm pretty low matinence.

"well alright then. You two have fun," she said as she began to walk back to the kitchen.
"Wait, mom," Buster said before she was cleaning again. "I haven't only made friends in the past two days."
"What do you mean?" she asked, a bit confused.
"I... think I kinda have a boyfriend now. Or will soon enough."
"wait, you're..."
"Apparently."
"when..."
"Just figured it out today."
"Who?"
"He's that artist I told you about earlier. And already I know he has feelings for me, i just need to make it official tomorrow. So we might be leaving pretty early tomorrow morning to go to his place."
"Okay... well, you'll have to tell dad."
"I know. I will eventually. Anyway, we've both had a long day, so we'll just go upstairs and sleep now."
"alright. goodnight."

and with that out of the way, Buster headed upstairs towards his room.

RandomGeekNamedBrent wrote:

Seth wrote:Well thanks but don't worry about it I'm pretty low matinence.

"well alright then. You two have fun," she said as she began to walk back to the kitchen.
"Wait, mom," Buster said before she was cleaning again. "I haven't only made friends in the past two days."
"What do you mean?" she asked, a bit confused.
"I... think I kinda have a boyfriend now. Or will soon enough."
"wait, you're..."
"Apparently."
"when..."
"Just figured it out today."
"Who?"
"He's that artist I told you about earlier. And already I know he has feelings for me, i just need to make it official tomorrow. So we might be leaving pretty early tomorrow morning to go to his place."
"Okay... well, you'll have to tell dad."
"I know. I will eventually. Anyway, we've both had a long day, so we'll just go upstairs and sleep now."
"alright. goodnight."

and with that out of the way, Buster headed upstairs towards his room.

Gage followed Buster towards his room, "Well, that could have gone worse."

The familiar pale blue light appeared in the room.
"I salute your pure soul," Hubert said. "You have my word, nothing shall go unattempted so that your life together will be a reality."

valerio wrote:The familiar pale blue light appeared in the room.
"I salute your pure soul," Hubert said. "You have my word, nothing shall go unattempted so that your life together will be a reality."

"I appreciate it, though I know you're doing it more for him than me," Buster said as he opened the door to the room. "Though I don't remember inviting you in," he added.

as he opened the door, he saw something he didn't expect... something he never expected to see again.

floating in the middle of his room was yet another ghost to add to his incorporeal friends list, but this wasn't just any ghost. This was a ghost he knew. He just sat there, staring at the translucent German Shepherd with wide eyes.

"'ello, bunny-boy," she said with a British accent.

Duke listened to Rena's response and faintly paid heard when Buster and Gage left, he didn't have it in him right now to thank them fully but the next day he'd make it up to them. As for the situation now, Duke had already thought this through and spoke with a new and suprising sense of clarity, speaking softly but calm.

"About earlier today, the cafe. I need to say that i'm sorry. I should have done things differently, but you need to understand and know today, all of you. Yall have been my first real mutual contact in years, where I don't feel in danger or threatened all the time. In the woods unless you have family or friends the only contact you have is with predator and prey, and that doesn't last more then a few seconds, and after being alone so long I guess you start to let go of the things that keep you sane, the things that you do to greet others and to make friends, it can all just fade away into theres nothing but insanity and the body. I'm not asking for sympathy but I just want you to know that I am sorry and that I can do better to fit in here, I will do better"

Duke felt a slight tension as he was curious and a little scared of what response would come, he felt like his insides were light as if there was nothing but silence, he saw as things grew darker from lack of light, but it wasn't what he had said that was causing this, as after a few seconds after finishing he dipped his head and passed out from exhaughstion and the loss of blood from earlier, he'd be fine, thanks to Rena's first aid and the help of his freinds but he was out cold for the time being.

He'll be all right. Miles thought to himself as Duke went out. Poor guy.

Then for some reason, Miles felt a little odd. Not the same odd when he felt the evil presence earlier, but a different presence. A new presence. Miles scratched the back of his head. As far as he was aware, the only spirits he knew of were him and Hubert. Plus some local ghosts he felt earlier. The was new.

Hello? He thought, reaching out in the direction he felt where the new spirit was.

RandomGeekNamedBrent wrote:

valerio wrote:The familiar pale blue light appeared in the room.
"I salute your pure soul," Hubert said. "You have my word, nothing shall go unattempted so that your life together will be a reality."

"I appreciate it, though I know you're doing it more for him than me," Buster said as he opened the door to the room. "Though I don't remember inviting you in," he added.

as he opened the door, he saw something he didn't expect... something he never expected to see again.

floating in the middle of his room was yet another ghost to add to his incorporeal friends list, but this wasn't just any ghost. This was a ghost he knew. He just sat there, staring at the translucent German Shepherd with wide eyes.

"'ello, bunny-boy," she said with a British accent.

Oh great another ghost, just what we need. Since when did I become a dead pet magnet?

"You aren't, Buster is," the ghost said to Gage. "and thanks for not exposing me to them, Hubert."

Then buster snapped out of his surprise. "But you..."

"died, yes. that's usually when a ghost is born."

Marine Fox wrote:"About earlier today, the cafe. I need to say that i'm sorry. I should have done things differently, but you need to understand and know today, all of you. Yall have been my first real mutual contact in years, where I don't feel in danger or threatened all the time. In the woods unless you have family or friends the only contact you have is with predator and prey, and that doesn't last more then a few seconds, and after being alone so long I guess you start to let go of the things that keep you sane, the things that you do to greet others and to make friends, it can all just fade away into theres nothing but insanity and the body. I'm not asking for sympathy but I just want you to know that I am sorry and that I can do better to fit in here, I will do better"

Rena, after some effort, had managed to get Duke into her home and onto a flat surface. The living quarters of the bookstore were actually rather clean, but any table or counter that had a chair nearby usually had two or three books within arms reach of the chair. the only exception was the dining table, which was mostly clear. There were bookshelves, filled with mostly books, but you'd find figurines or photos every now and then (but it almost seemed as if the figurines where put there to fill holes, considering how many books could be seen on the tables and counters).

As she listened to Duke, Rena went around gathering things, including a pot which she filled up with water and put on the burner to get it boiling, since she's not able to reach the alcohols, her first aid kit, which had her needles, antiseptics, and other medical supplies, and a water bottle, which she filled with water to give to Duke. Once Duke finished speaking though, she laughed. "First off, Duke; I'm a hunting dog, I'm supposed to know how life is out there, so you don't need to seek for my forgiveness for that, second, you're actually rather well behaved in human society for having been alone for years, but you're still rough and could use some work, and third... That wasn't a cafe, that was a pizza place."

Pulling some antiseptic, gauze and wrapping from her actual first aid kit, she continued, saying: "But, as it is, you're not going to be able to move around much, so I'll help you move around the town, get you used to how human societies work, so that you don't have to try and live out there in the woods. Not only does it seem to be horribly dangerous out there at night at the moment, but your leg will not let you live safely during the day, either. Anyways, how are ya feelin'?"

RandomGeekNamedBrent wrote:"You aren't, Buster is," the ghost said to Gage. "and thanks for not exposing me to them, Hubert."

Then buster snapped out of his surprise. "But you..."

"died, yes. that's usually when a ghost is born."

"You don't have to thank me. I know you would reveal yourself. Buster, do you want me to explain to the others?"

Miles was preoccupied looking out a window in Rena's home.

Hey! Hey you I'm talking to you! Miles thought again to where he felt the presence of the new ghost. Hubert! Tell me there's another ghost here cause I feel it! If not I'm gonna go crazy!

Miles was genuinely excited and anxious.

Siiiigh. Okay, okay. Sorry. It's just, well, I don't know that many friendly ghosts, and wait. She? She!? Miles thought back to him.

Oh? Oh, oh okay. Well, it'll still be cool to meet her then. He thought back, a little dissapointed.

valerio wrote:"You don't have to thank me. I know you would reveal yourself. Buster, do you want me to explain to the others?"

Buster took a breath to try and regain his composure. "No, I can do it. This is Tara, she was a stray I befriended when I lived in England for a while. One day we were playing in the woods and a wolf came after us. She stayed back and fought it while I ran. I looked back just in time to see"

"I think that's quite enough," Tara interrupted. "I can take it from here. Anyway, after I died, I stayed behind and played with him for a while. His parents thought I was an imaginary friend for a while, but eventually they thought I was just a delusion brought on from the stress of losing me, so they took him to a psychiatrist to get rid of me. I decided to lay low for a while until he'd moved on from me. But he didn't. He decided to emotionally separate himself from everyone so he wouldn't lose a friend as close as me again. Then he saw Janus who, if I recall what I look like, looks very similar to me, and his emotional walls broke down. Probably helps that I was his first crush, too."

"Why are you even still here? can't you move on?"

"How can I move on while my little bunny boy is suffering? I'm not sure about how this whole ghost thing works, but I think my unfinished business is protecting you." She then flew over behind Buster. "And you're lucky I was here, or what Hubert here showed you earlier would have probably driven you quite mad. Unless I'm wrong and my attempts to hold your sanity in place were all for naught. As I said, I'm still getting used to this whole ghost thing."

Gage scratched his head fur, "So buster has a spirit tied to him too? Greatttttttttt. No offense Tara but this whole thing is just getting, well ####weird." He sighed, "But I guess that's no excuse to be rude. I'm gage."

"well being a spirit isn't any less weird, Gage," Tara said in response. "Miles had a while to get used to it and Hubert had god knows how long. I've only been dead for two years. But nevermind that, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"and Hubert, could you let Miles know I look forward to meeting him? He's the only other spirit here with a date of death even remotely close to mine... and I haven't had much practice with all these powers. I pretty much only have the basics down, so no telepathy."

The dragon bent his slender neck. "It shall be done." then he extended his mind to Miles, then repeated him what Tara had just told. <I will now create a link between us so she can hear you and answer... Done.>

Really? Really really?! And sorry, didn't know you didn't know how to do telepathy! But it's so cool you have other powers! This is all I got it seems! But, it'll be great to finally meet you! I've not had that many good experiences with other spirits so this'll be a real treat! Oh, thanks Hubert. Miles thought, hardly containing his excitement.

Don't give me too much credit, Miles. The basic powers I was talking about are the things that come naturally to spirits: floating, going through walls, and turning transparent, She thought back to Miles. and If you can't find a way to make things work with Rena, I'm available, she added flirtatiously

Well that's cool, I can't, wait wait. What? Miles thought for a second, clearly embarrassed and turning red. Hu-Hubert! I thought our conversation was private when we talked about that!

musclecar326 wrote: Thanks. Mason called as he went into the bathroom to wash his face off. A couple of minutes later he came out, So where am I going to be sleeping? He asked politely.

Rex stood silent for a second, before answering, scratching the bck of his head in the process "Well, there are two options - either we get out a folding bed for ya or if you're not troubled - we can all sleep on my bed - it's big enough... Your Choice."

Gage sat down with his back against the wall, "Well Buster in light of this I really doubt we'll be getting any sleep. You got any coffee? I have a feeling we'll need it tomorrow."

Seth wrote:Gage sat down with his back against the wall, "Well Buster in light of this I really doubt we'll be getting any sleep. You got any coffee? I have a feeling we'll need it tomorrow."

"I have some pet-safe iced coffee in the mini-fridge against the wall over there. Or if you want to go the other way, there's some orange soda in there too."

actually, Tara thought to Miles, I figured it out before then. Remember when Buster noticed your emotional conflict? I put that together with the way I saw you look at her.

Leafolawl wrote:

Marine Fox wrote:Duke being appropriately overly emotional. (That tends to happen a lot with near-death experiences... I know this one first-hand.)[/color]

Blah blah blah, Rena apparently talking to herself.

"... Duke?" Rena asked after a few moments of silence from the fox, positioning herself so she could look at his face. "Carn sarnet, poor fellow must o' passed out when he was done talkin'." She said to herself. "Miles, get the needle into the pot of water before it starts boilin', get me some rags, and make sure my ma's still sleepin'. Can't have her walkin' in on me suturin' a fox's wound. It doesn't look very good, considerin' I'm a huntin' dog."

((OOC: Yes, I shortened the quotes, get over it, at least I was trying to be funny. >:I (those were long posts anyways.)))

RandomGeekNamedBrent wrote:

Seth wrote:Gage sat down with his back against the wall, "Well Buster in light of this I really doubt we'll be getting any sleep. You got any coffee? I have a feeling we'll need it tomorrow."

"I have some pet-safe iced coffee in the mini-fridge against the wall over there. Or if you want to go the other way, there's some orange soda in there too."

I'll pass on the orange soda. I'm a little guy It'll hit me pretty hard the next morning and we definitely don't need that. Thanks for the offer though.

Miles blushed even redder when Rena walked in. But when she asked for the supplies, he got out of the room as quick as possible taking a needle with him.

"S-sure!" Miles said, then he peered back in from the kitchen, "W-where do you k-keep your rags? And wh-where's your m-mom's room?"

No fair. We just met and your already teasing. Wait, you were watching us? How long have you been here? He thought back to Tara.

I've been following Buster for two years, so I've been here as long as he has, She thought back to Miles.

"I don't think I'm okay with this, Tara," buster said to the spirit without warning.

"what?" she asked, tilting her ethereal head.

"You've been a ghost this whole time, just watching me. You watched as my uncle prescribed pills so I'd stop seeing you, even though you weren't a hallucination. You watched as I distanced myself emotionally from everyone in my life so I wouldn't be hurt if I lost them like I did you. You watched as I slowly drove myself crazy with guilt over running while you fought that wolf." It was slightly hard to tell, but there were a few tears running down his cheeks as all these feelings that he'd pushed down for two years were being brought forward. "If you thought I'd be happy to see you again, you were wrong. If you weren't incorporeal, I'd punch you right in the face."

"Buster, I..." she began

"No. You can keep following me if you want, I can't stop you, but don't talk to me and act like nothing happened."

Tara remained silent, with a melancholic look on her face.

Gage sat back and watched, it was clear to him that it was not his place to interfere in the matter.

xhunterko wrote:Miles blushed even redder when Rena walked in. But when she asked for the supplies, he got out of the room as quick as possible taking a needle with him.

"S-sure!" Miles said, then he peered back in from the kitchen, "W-where do you k-keep your rags? And wh-where's your m-mom's room?"

"Second drawer down just to the left of the sink." Rena instructed as she turned to leave. "My ma's room is the room at the end of the hall, an' did ya get that needle into the water? I don't want it warpin' on me. Medical supplies aren't cheap ya know. Don't bother answerin', I need to go make sure Duke's not bleeding from anywhere else, he passed out and I'm not sure if it's from blood loss or somethin' else." She threw out as she left in a hurry.

Miles was going to respond, but felt a little tension over there so he kept quiet.

Miles had the needle in the water already. He looked for the drawer that Rena mentioned and found it easy. Without grabbing any, he walked down the hall. The door was creeked open just a little. He took a deep breath and went completely invisible. Then, he slowly and as quietly as he could opened the door until he could fit his head through. He took a quick peek around the door to check on the lady. And she was...

ooc: Your call leafolawl.