HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

What do you call a fic that's not a fic

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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by RandomGeekNamedBrent »

angelusbr wrote:
JeffCvt wrote:I...
... don't know what to say.

All I can say right now is that I don't know who I hate more at this point, Pete or Piper.
we can hate both
I hate both. no redeeming qualities to either.
I'm just glad I'm pretty sure Val will make everything work out in the end. and until it doesn't, I won't stop believing it will.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by JeffCvt »

I wasn't saying that I only want to hate one or the other, I do hate both. I just can't figure out who I hate more.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by RandomGeekNamedBrent »

it can't be equal?
I'd say I hate Pete more. At least Piper has the whole "he almost killed me" reason for being as much of a jerk as he is to Volant.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by JeffCvt »

No. One has to be hated more in some way, shape, or form. It's just the way my mind works.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by copper »

Well, there goes Bora...

I believe Piper deserves the most hatred, given his past. Pete is an amateur and selfess compared to him. :lol:
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

Aww, I spawned a discussion. *wipes a tear with a finger* I am so touched guys.

In return, allow me to treat you with a second 'minitrailer' I came up with while reading the 'Trial in Heaven' arc. It will take some time to get to it, as it will be a long episode for season five, and some things may change until then (references and the stuff, you know), but in the meantime I hope you enjoy it. 8-)
Because it is going to happen :shock:

The day your doubts become stronger than your certainties…
Grape looked into the golden eyes of her second-born kitten, while stroking her head. Peanut, squatting next to his lifemate, couldn’t help sharing that terrible sense of dread radiating from her.
“Peanut…” Grape didn’t even have the courage to look at him –after all, hadn’t she wished for this miracle as well, then? “Peanut,” she repeated, her voice, barely a whisper, her eyes filling up with tears, “What if they took them away from us?”
The dog had no answer, as he realized he didn’t know his best friend at all…
…The day you realize you’ve been living a lie…
Fido waited. He didn’t say anything else, he just waited for the black female feline to speak, to rise her eyes to his and tell him he was wrong, that it was just paranoia.
Sabrina did not. In fact, she just kept holding her arm with her paw, while looking at some spot on the pavement.
Fido stood up, forcing himself to do so despite feeling a wave of nausea coursing through him.
“I think it is over between us, then,” he said in a flat tone. Then he walked away from the room.
…The day your certainties start to crumble…
“If there isn’t going to be a golden age for us,” said the raccoon, his face reflecting disappointment rather than disbelief, as he sat on the log, “what is there left for us? We’ll lose our home. For nothing.”
…The day you lose what you love…
King tried hard to breathe life into Bailey’s lifeless form. He almost broker her ribs, unaware of the voices around him, unaware of nothing but a growing, glowing rage in his heart for this absurd turn of his fate!
And someone was going to pay for this!
…It’s the day you fight back!
Two foxes snarl at Zachary!
Thomas and Celia Milton toast with champagne glasses over a real estate contract.
Fido barks angrily at Sabrina.
Keene grabs at his head in despair while he stares at the eviction notice.
Spirit Dragon is forging a magical attack!
A very, very angry Spot (Superdog) is about to hit you in your face!
HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES
ENDGAME

Martin Foster drew in a long breath from his cigarette, then exhaled the smoke puff over the immense beak of Pete, the minuscule, mortal David calmly challenging a cosmic Goliath.
“I want you guys to leave us alone,” Martin said. “Now.”
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Wolfy »

Hmm what to say to sum up this piece.
LE MIND BLOW!!!!!!!!!!

Looks like stuff is gonna go down. If Pete caused all this then Pete must be dispersed.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by copper »

Nice foreshadowing, cannot wait for this to come, whenever it does come. :lol:
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by RandomGeekNamedBrent »

:shock:
I'm even more scared than I was with Pete's laughter.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by EvanAierkan »

Oh Mary Sue, you're so silly. Challenging a god :roll:
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by JeffCvt »

This tops everything so far. I almost don't care about what is happening in the story right now.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES
Season III
Episode 15 – Field Test
By VALERIO

1.
Barons House, Lev. 13, Apt. 130, The Fulcrum, Terrace High

The black rabbit was enjoying a moment of sacred relax, lost in the arms of his wonderful white-furred girlfriend –okay, so it wasn’t exactly manly to look like the girl in that moment, but Jasmine was a strong female, and he had accumulated a lot of stress in his life. He just needed someone like her to take care of him in those small homey moments…
“More popcorn, lover?” Jasmine asked, her voice like the finest honey. She could read him the telephone book and still excite him straight into making a litter! Shame, shame, shame on you Shadow Barons!
“Mm-m,” he said. The TV was showing Lethal Weapon. Mr. Joshua was at Murtaugh’s home, and he was reading the Christmas Card were Mel had written ‘DEAR BADGUYS NO ONE HERE BUT US COPS. SORRY. -- THE GOOD GUYS’
Jasmine plopped a popcorn into Shadow’s mouth.
On the screen, Gibbs’ car crashed into the house.
In the reality plane, *poof* a Norwegian/Coon mix feline popped a meter over the happy couple before gravity claimed its prey!
Jasmine screamed. Shadow’s popcorn stuck in his throat. In a few seconds he was already turning cyanotic while trying desperately to bet his chest.
The female rabbit immediately pushed the cat away and against the table where the popcorn bowl lay. A cascade of popcorn covered the two rabbits, while Jasmine did Shadow a Heimlich and a moment later he expelled the obstructing body. The popcorn bounced against the bookshelf and back…against Jasmine’s snout.
She made a disgusted, trembling face…then, she noticed the mess her fur had become when the butter-covered popcorn had spilled all over her. “Dirty…”
Shadow tried to reach out for her, to console her, but all she saw was a horrid ghost of the Christmas Future, all covered with food and butter, trying to claim her.
Shouting like a blood-crazy samurai, Jasmine ran to the nearest bathroom. The door slammed shut with force enough to shake the whole apartment.
“Sorry for that,” Lizzie said from the pavement. “But while I was visiting Vollie there was this blue birdie, but he was a mean birdie, and he said that Volant is his Paladin and then he—“
But by then, Shadow wasn’t listening to her anymore. He was walking toward the stairs, all bent down like the Hunchback of Notre-Dame. “I’ll take a shower as well. Just clean up before leaving. You owe me that much. Goodbye.”
The cat got up and shook her head with reproach at the gaiting pet. “Tsk, what manners—“ then she turned her head to the TV. “Ohh, movie!” she laid down on the couch and started eating popcorn off it.

In Chocolate’s room, a very worried ghost was conferring with the wizard rat, recapping the events just transpired at the Lucky Charm Grove.
<Pete mentioned a…’game’ he and the Dragon are playing. Care to explain me what’s it about?>
The female brown rat shook her head, her arms crossed at her chest. It was rare to see worry shadowing her face, and Shadow would’ve gotten a bad case of the shivers at that sight…
<Chocolate..?>
“I’m sorry, but no. And please don’t try to peek into my mind, you must be at least ten thousand years old to do that.”
Morrigan scoffed, and the objects inside the room trembled. <Not helping, here.>
“It wasn’t my intention in the first place. Morrigan, Pete was right on one thing: this is not worth it. And you know it. Accept it.”
<But-->
Chocolate lifted a warning finger. “No ‘but’. Admittedly, the gryphon played his cards well, distracting us from his real avatar. But his strategy worked, and now Volant’s fate is no longer for mortal, untrained hands. If you want to do something useful, keep watching over these premises. Oh, and please pay some extra attention: there has been a recent death, this new spirit is quite…discontent.”
<Fine, fine! I got it. Just don’t use that word, okay?> Morrigan faded away.
Chocolate waited a minute, standing in silence on her red cushion, an unearthly silence filling the room, until... “Morrigan…”
<Dang it!> and this time, the invisible presence disappeared completely.
The rat stood up and walked toward a doll house –a fine model, one of the finest on the market, highly detailed, depicting a typical two-story suburban row house. A model big enough to allow its owner to enter it easily. Children would have skinned her to get their hands over that luxury toy.
Jason Barons had bought it at his pet’s request, seeing in that toy a rare sign of normality.
Perhaps the man would have reconsidered it, had he known what Chocolate used it for…
Chocolate put her paw on the handle…and at that moment, a wailing sound from a loudspeaker pierced the air, drawing all her attention.
The sound of an air raid siren!
“Most unfortunate,” was her only comment.
---
The Stellarium

“How long before you finish digesting that thing?” the macaw asked nervously.
The Boa constrictor burped. Only a creepy bulge in his body proved that, until a few minutes ago, there had been a third living being on the roof of the Fulcrum.
“Relax, Piper. She’s tough, but in an hour, tops, only you and I will know this Bora girl ever existed. Oh, and thank you for the meal. Tasted like chicken.” Another burp. “Are you sure it was wise to get rid of her before she could tell you something more, anyway?”
The macaw shook his head. “Believe me, Macajuel: she hadn’t a friend in the world. Present company excluded.” He placed a wing over his own chest, grinning. “She was obsessed with getting rid of the inhabitants of this place. A wild girl, but not very smart. Not to mention she didn’t know how to write, so she couldn’t live any note around.” He ruffled up with annoyance. “Ahh! I just hope we’re done soon with this charade: the General needs to do business here, we’re just wasting time with this ‘happy family’ play!”
Macajuel smirked. “You could hardly be considered ‘happy’ in this community. The pets do not trust you, to say the least. Except Volant.”
The macaw let out a sound like a hissing cat’s. “Don’t mention him again! That brute was my greatest disappointment! I hoped I could shape him into a nice bodyguard, now I’ll have to start all over again.”
“Any idea so far?”
The bird looked down at the tiny figures romping in the Hexagon park. “That Samson guy is physically perfect, he’s built like a dreadnought, but he’s a softie. The others are too…average. Guess I’ll have to wait and be a nice pet parrot. Ick!”
Macajuel laid down. He looked almost happy himself, it had been some time since he ate such a fill instead of those snack-sized rodents. Hmm, one week of blissful digestion… “Now, now, you can’t blame the General: when he had set his eyes on this place, Gottschalk wasn’t a good friend of that Foster guy yet. Plus, Foster turned out to be a real pro when dealing with the underground. Taking on the Russians and that monster dog did impress the Man.”
Piper didn’t say anything. He was busy thinking on a way to speed up the General’s plans. He couldn’t just sit idle, he needed—
The air raid siren broke his concentration and filled him with a sense of dread!
---
DE2 Advertisement Agency, Lev. 22, Apt. 225

“…Our insurance agency needs more coverage,” Herbert Jameson was saying to Daniel Elmer Carter and Daniel Eustace Carter, who were listening intently to their future new client. “Today, people won’t just trust the typical, reassuring slogans, believe me. I need a new approach to appease their fears in front of this crisis that is eating jobs, splitting families… You know the drill, I guess.”
The two cousins looked at each other and nodded. Daniel Elmer was the real creative brain of the team, while Daniel Eustace would gladly take care of the financial aspect of their business.
D. Elmer said, “Nothing we cannot work on, Mr. Jam—“
“Herbert, please. If I am trust you my business, I prefer to do it on a first-name basis.”
“Herbert. If you trust us that much, we need more of that trust. I aim to a customized advertising campaign, and this means that to win the clientele’s trust then—“
Herbert nodded. “I see where this is going. The more you know about the particulars, the better the ads.”
“Excellent! So, do we have a deal?”
Before an answer could be given, the siren pierced the air, startling the three into standing up as one man.
“What the (censored)?” Daniel Eustace, raised in a fine English family, said in a very un-classy manner.
---
Warreck & Verde, Attorneys at Law

“Yes. Yes, of course. We will be very honored to be your attorneys, Mrs. Lundberg…”
Sitting in front of his colleague and partner, Daniel G. Warreck was discreetly crossing his fingers against his lap, while trying to keep a straight face.
It didn’t happen often that Melissa Verde would bow before a potential client like a good doggie begging for a treat –politically incorrectness aside. But in this case, it was totally worth it: Gabriella Lundberg was going to run for Mayor of River Ridge in the next elections, and she was well-known for her pet-friendly political agenda. Her adversaries would try every dirty trick in the book to stop her, and she needed two good and pet-devoted lawyers to back her up!
This could be the occasion of a lifetime! It was worth to sell yourself at the cheapest price, dignity be darned.
“Tomorrow?” Melissa scribbled date and time on her bloc notes. “Fine! Yes, anytime. 9 will do, then, just—“ At that moment, the alarm sounded. The lights went out The PC monitor did the same…and so the telephone line. The line fell just completely silent, not even the good ol’ uniterrupted hum.
Melissa stared at the phone in disbelief.
The emergency lights turned on –these consisting of rows of luminescent arrow-shaped panels on the pavement and the wall, invisible under normal illumination.
Their faces lit up in a ghostly fashion, the two lawyers knew what was happening.
Melissa let out a discouraged moan. “Oh, please! Not that, not now!”
---
The Hexagon Park

Elpis was listening to an audiobook from his Kindle, when the sound filled the air. The Australian terrier’s fine ears could pick up the sudden stop of all activities around him. He could almost see animals and humans looking around, scanning the sky, puzzled, someone scared…
An air-raid siren? The dog’s mind couldn’t simply associate any danger to that sound –that was for movies and war documentaries. What danger lurked now? Surely, if war had been declared to the United States, it would be known beforehand. Right?
Elpis stood up…and someone picked him up almost brutally.
“Sorry for being rough, fella,” Samson said, before the smaller dog could protest. “But looks like it’s shelter time! Don’t worry, your family will be waiting there! They are safe!”
Despite the reassuring words, the big Saint Bernard knew his worry was seeping from his voice…
---
The same thing happened everywhere in the building. The commercial areas died in a last flicker of lights. Taps stopped giving out water, electricity and gas in the restaurants stopped flowing, and cooks and chefs cursed their souls out. Customers and managers stopped as if time had suddenly frozen. For a moment, an unnatural silence fell on the level, the only sound coming from the panel sliding over the windows, darkness conquering the day in a few moments.
Then the luminescent panels appeared.
Then the siren stopped, and the pre-recorded, feminine voice said with a metallic, authoritative tone, those words everyone dreaded to hear.
“Your attention, please. NORAD has launched a nuclear attack warning. Incoming ICBMs are expected to strike this area within 25.36 minutes. All staff and civilians are required to move to the underground shelter area immediately. Please follow the arrows and use elevators without hurry. They are programmed to work at full regime. Your attention, please…”

Nuclear attack?!
Kwesi felt his soul drawn into an abyss of despair, his mind unable to comply with this sudden development.
The third world war! The end of all things on Earth had come, at last! And the Basenji felt nauseous at the thought that flashed in his mind –this was so ironic, after all, that he ran away from his real home, only to find death in this country where he wanted to build a better life!
At least, his parents would be safe. It was very unlikely that his father would be killed by a nuclear blast in the middle of nowhere…
---
Brother Lazarus gave a last look at his chapel, hoping he would find it when he’d come back…
While he waited for his turn at the elevator, together with a group of ministers of various cults, inwardly he smiled at the thought that at last no one was claiming his faith was better than the others. No matter how many deities people believed in: when it came to fate, there was only one road. And compassion was the best help to walk it.
---
The parking area doors closed with loud clangs. They were sturdy enough to withstand small missiles and tank weapons. The ventilation turned off as much quickly to prevent the seeping of radiation. The gates all around the perimeter of Terrace High raised for 5 more meters, to prevent entry of hostile forces –in case the whole area survived the direct impact of a megaton-range hydrogen bomb, that is.
---
The Noah’s Ark Biopark

Visitors and staff were frozen like so many deer in front of an incoming truck.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” said a voice on the PSA once the automatic warning had been given. “Please follow the indications to the nearest shelter area. The staff will help you find the nearest shelter to your position. Please do not panic, we have enough room and supplies for everyone.”
At the same time, with the whirrs of powerful motors, the animals’ cage started going down underground like so many elevator cars. All aquatic life swam down into the most secure areas.
---
Protective screens were sliding down the walls of the Gaia’s Greenhouse, hoping to protect the plant life on display. In a protected environment, tons of seeds were waiting the moment they’d be used to give new birth to the scarred world…
---
Fingers were tickling rapidly on the keyboards, while on the large wall display the systems showed one red light going on after the other. The room was a cacophony of commands and checking procedures.
“Communications out.”
“Main Power Lines out.”
Switching to autonomous Power Cells.”
“Elevators still operative at full capacity.”
“Evacuation at 60%.”
“Reported three human and two dogs wounded so far.”
“Hospital ready to initiate all emergency procedures.”
“Time to impact: 9 minutes, 5 seconds.”
“All backup systems of The Kingpin online.”
“Environmental controls online and working at 100% capacity.”

At the center of that ordered chaos stood, impassible, Raimund Radulph Gottschalk, together with his two faithful dogs. He surveyed every aspect of the situation with clinical, detached eye, knowing that a single error could make the difference between life and death. And here there was no personnel to fire, there were only men, women and animals trained for a day like this.
Today they would prove their valor!
---
“Time?” Athena asked, in the throat mike after the last residents had entered the elevator.
“Three minutes and 20 seconds guys!” Came Tobee’s voice from the auricular. “You better hurry!”
The elevator doors opened. Athena and Hannibal stepped into the car. “On our way.” The doors closed.
The husky nodded to the black Alsatian, who nodded in return. Hannibal then pressed a blinking red button.
Immediately, a series of clangs announced that the elevator was now in free fall –the only way to make sure to reach the Kingpin in time!

The elevator covered in flash the distance between level 11 and the Ground level. It kept its speed even when it passed through the parking area and past the detention level.

“Do you think it will work out? We’re taking a royal risk, here.”
To her merit, Athena didn’t flinch. “We knew it could happen. Now it is time to see if we were ready as we claimed.
Airbags plopped inside the cabin, until the two dogs were covered in a thick layer of protective cushions –the brake was going to be tough on them, without that safety measure they’d be splattered all over the car.
And brake the elevator did! Even with the cushions, for a moment their inner organs tried to exchange places and Athena and Hannibal fainted.
---
In the control room, everyone now was silently watching the dotted lines covering the last of the gap between them and their target.
‘Random launches’, the NORAD had told them. Just something to make sure that the terror was well-spread everywhere in the States –as if it was necessary!
But they also served to make sure that there were as little safe areas for the survivors as possible. Babylon Gardens had become a target the moment the farm had been created. It had taken just a few hours of reprogramming the launch codes to make sure that the farm would not nourish anyone for centuries to come.
Perhaps they would blame it on Martin Foster, but after all who would think to become a target of a nuclear attack just because he wanted to help animal welfare?!
On the screen, other two windows showed River Ridge and Babylon Gardens. Perhaps the city would be spared, but even if the intended target of the missile was the farm, the Gardens were close enough as to being a primary target thems—
The three windows flashed with an intense, eye-burning light!
“Impact!” said one of the operators. Many stood up to look in shock. That same operator said, “Primary target alpha confirmed.” Which meant that Babylon Gardens was being swept by the hand of an angry, nuclear divinity created by the folly of mankind.
But there was no time to weep for the fallen, because the room shook a moment later, as if that same god had decided to stomp the very earth with his foot, like a child with a toy he didn’t want anymore.
“Primary target beta…” said the operator, his voice faltering for a moment. “Confirmed.”
Terrace High was no more.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by EvanAierkan »

what
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by JeffCvt »

:shock: :o

I have a theory as to what may have just happened, and I hope for my sanity that it's right.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by angelusbr »

I...
That was really cruel...
I like it (I'm serious).
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Coatl_Ruu »

Woah. That ... kinda blew me away (and a few major cities, I'd wager). Can't wait to find out what the heck happened!
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by RandomGeekNamedBrent »

:shock:
pardon my French but...
sacrebleu.

oh, and holy ****

(hoping that what's going on is indeed what I'm thinking, reminiscent of a recent episode of Eureka.)
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by EvanAierkan »

No seriously, what? Is this fic going to go for the apocalypse setting we saw earlier in S2 and Dean's fics?
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

Are you asking for spoilers, kind sir?

Oh, and no. Not any Eureka inspiration (didn't even know about that episode, heh)
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

2.
Primary Target Beta Strike Area, formerly known as Terrace High. Detonation, plus 30 minutes.

Two years of hard work, an army of 25,000 workers, and then the machines, the money… Everything a human could do to create a new kind of pet-friendly environment had been turned to a smoldering, radioactive crater.
Two hours to set the coordinates. The press of a button. Less than thirty minutes of agony, hoping and praying against the inevitable.
And one second to unleash the very power of the sun!
A 3-megaton warhead, designed to annihilate a metropolitan area, had made short work of the premises created by R.R. Gottschalk.
The dream had turned into nightmare.
The hopes of the survivors looking at the screens were going with the mushroom-shaped column of dust, ashes and fire that one hour ago they called home.
Silence – stupefied, dazed silence reigned absolute inside the vast underground complex that was now home. 2,523 souls, divided between humans and animals, residents and visitors had just been welcomed in the dread new world.
Other screens showed what had been of the site aseptically called ‘Primary Target Alpha Strike Area’, the real target of that attack.
The Babylon Gardens area.
The first 3-Megs warhead had been intended for the farm, to prevent survivors from looking for food there, while the annihilation of Terrace High was intended to deplete US authorities of a rest & rescue site.
The Gardens had barely escaped the fiery destiny reserved to the High. The suburban pet-friendly community created by the late Henry Milton was shattered, most of the houses had collapsed like card houses under the blast. Others had just been singed… The nice, orderly plateau had been turned into a surreal painting of destruction with cars hanging like nails from the buildings, telephone poles standing in amidst rubble plies… A painting where still no one dared to move…because those who were outside couldn’t move anymore. And no one with still a sane mind would leave their shelters, not until the local authorities – if still there were any – would acknowledge what the control room of The Kingpin was reporting to their benefit…
---
“Babylon Gardens Police Station, Kingpin’s Control Room reporting.” The female operator waited a couple of seconds, then went at it again, all the time keeping a controlled, professional voice. “BGPS, KCR reporting, roger. We have the latest data regarding the fallout’s direction. Please acknowledge. BGPS—“
“We heard you the first time, KCR,” said the familiar voice of Chief Norton. “It’s surely nice to hear your voices. What’s the situation by your side? We see a nasty mushroom—“
“A direct hit, Sir,” Gottschalk interrupted him with his measured voice, almost alien in its detachment. “The Kingpin stood the attack. No radiations seeping down here, you can call back the Yamato.”
A chuckle from the other side, followed by statics. “Humor from you, I had to wait the end of the world to hear it. So, that report?”
The operator nodded. “Sir, forecasts are good for your side: the fallout is moving opposite to the Gardens, with minimum precipitations. Keep everyone indoors for one month and follow standard procedures as given to you by the Government.”
“Heh, the only time those leaflets got it. Thank you, Ter—Kingpin. Is there anything we could do for you?”
“Just one thing. Foster?”
A pause. “He was at the Lucky Charm Grove.”
Which meant two kilometers from the Farm. Straight in the line of the blast.
“I see. Thank you, Sir,” Gottschalk said. “We are going to open comms with your survivors. I guess this is a good occasion to field-test our emergency systems. There are several residents, here, who will want to get in touch with their friends and relatives.”
“That’s a good idea. Ah, Kingpin..?”
“Yes, Commander?” as per procedures, now Horace Norton was the commander of the local forces, that is until the military could take over –though that was hard to see in the immediate future, as the National Forces were being deployed in the major strategical areas. Theoretically, Horace was the commander of the local NG group, but that group was mainly spread inside the houses, with their families…
“Can you set up a comm bridge with other areas?”
“We will, once we have the clearing from the Pentagon. As of now, all residual channels are overloaded, I won’t risk adding our voices in this moment of chaos, unless you need—“
“No, thank you Sir. I know rescue is not on its way right now and I’m sure you sent already all sorts of distress calls. It was just to help survivors here to learn something…” Horace had a daughter, back at River Ridge. She had gone there to work for the zoo.
To his merit, the man’s voice didn’t show the anguish that was eating him. “I’m sure you’ll monitor all calls just like we’re doing. Thank you for putting up this line.”
“My duty, Sir. I am sorry to cut this conversation short, but—“
“I know, don’t worry. I’ll keep in touch with your operators. Good luck.” The line fell silent, though it was clear the operators in contact with the Gardens were still busy. “Get me in touch with the Milton Residence.”
A moment later, a high-pitched voice that would have even sounded funny in a different situation came online. “What the kibble happened?! Man, one moment we were there, enjoying a nice massage – them wolves know how to give one – and the next is the darned end of the world?!”
Gottschalk recapped the situation. “It appears that you are now the only ones with the resources to help as many residents as possible. Satellites indicate that your mansion is in pristine condition despite everything.”
“Yeah yeah, you know how it is. Generous souls like us deserve the best luck…” Then Keene realized what he had just said. “I’ll miss that crazy human, tho: I liked it when he went around kicking butts. Err, sorry for asking, mein Herr, but do you have anything to spare’ Even without the fallout, stores are not likely to replenish by themselves, here.”
Gottschalk nodded. “I have arranged food, water and medicines to spare. We have two emergency tunnels, one of them reaching to your area, so now you know you can count on us. But please, remember that first you have to do the best with what you have. I know for a fact Milton first and Foster later arranged emergency sites with supplies.”
A pause, then, “Yes, that we know too. I was speaking just in case it got ugly. Some things one can’t just foresee, man!”
The human nodded, looking around. “Agree on that. How are you and your staff?”
“Miles, Lucretia and the cubs are safe and sound. Luckily, they little ones like to spend some time here in the jelly pool…” His voice became really sad for the first time. “The others were at work.” No need to add else. “Even worse, Mr. Steward was here when the sun came down.”
“I heard that, Sir.”
“Shut up and be grateful you still have a job! Not to mention you look spiffy in that vice-butler uniform. Now, mein Herr, is there anything else? Because my co-litter and I have to coordinate the rescues here.” The line was turned off before the answer could be given.
Gottschalk turned to another operator. “General Status Report.”
The man nodded. “All systems operative. All lights are green. Power plant at 60% and covering all functions. Energy backup cells ready to be turned on anytime. No deceased so far. No traces of contamination.”
For the first time during that day, Gottschalk smiled. “Good.”
---
The Kingpin.
Initially called ‘Fulcrum II’ by its designers, it had been rechristened to put in evidence that in desperate time the residents of Terrace High could count on this structure the only and best chance at survival for a long time.
The Kingpin was a perfect replica of the Fulcrum, both in shape and height. It stood, majestic, inside what was once a natural cave created by million-years long geological processes. The walls had been reinforced, insulated, covered with floodlights.
Like in a Jules Verne depicting, vegetal life flourished thanks to the polarized light and an irrigation system rich with the necessary nutrients for the plants. Staff was already working in the greenhouses to grow the food.
“A nuclear plant?” Steve said. “Man, we just survived a nuclear holocaust out there and I don’t think it’s good PR to live off that stuff, eh?”
Tobee was busy checking data on his tablet. Without raising his eyes from the screen, he said, “No other choice lad they evaluated all other possibilities from—“
“Solar cells are going to be inefficient due to fallout and solar screening caused by the other explosions,” Gauss said, making the one-eyed cat turn. “They will be useful only once the dust has settled and the climatic conditions have improved, which will take time. Not enough water to start a hydroelectric system, and what we have is to be used to generate air and methane for the emergency power generators.
“Coal and petrol are out of the question: they are not nearly efficient enough for a complex of this size and necessities, plus they will pollute the air. Photoatomic energy has not been invented yet. Nuclear power, ironically, is our best options: we tap from a secondary artesian well to run the plant, the byproduct is water vapor which, as I said, is used to create air and methane, and its efficiency is still unbeaten.”
Steve’s tail lashed nervously. “You know how to sell that thing. Next time try to put some heart in it, it’s not a medical report.”
Gauss said nothing, but kept walking among the crowd. Now, his duty was to work with the Security staff and keep an eye on the pets and people for signs of panic. For now, the shock was still dominant in their thoughts, they were numbed. Soon, someone could start shouting they wanted out of here despite better judgment…
“Your attention, please,” said that same feminine voice that had once announced the end of the world. “Communications with the surface have been re-established. Please note that, despite our own system capable to handling all your calls, the other systems outside may be overloaded and unable to comply to your requests. The service is toll-free. Thank you.”
Immediately, a constellation of mobile screens lit up in the crowd. At last, all of them had something to do, the first sensation things were under control.
---
Bannister House, Lev. 20 Apt. 203

Despite the Kingpin being a replica of the Fulcrum, right now no one really wanted to start living in the isolation of their apartments. This was not the moment to pretend life was going to be all right as if nothing really catastrophic had happened.
Groups were forming. Driven by their pets’ relationships, families that hadn’t really been in touch with each other now started gathering in one single apartment to share comfort and reciprocal loyalty.
Tegan and Elliot had gathered at Elliot’s place. His Dad worked in security, and right now he was busy doing his part helping the others. Renée Jackson and Hector Garcia, too, were outside, taking care of the precious vegetation. Alandra had followed her Dad, she was too scared to do otherwise, much like many, many other pets for whom the situation looked even more ominous. If their humans couldn’t help this terrible scenario, what could they do but stay close to them for comfort?
Elliot and Tegan, too, wanted so much to be with their families, but the previous experiences in their lives had hardened them, they knew how to cope with the unexpected. Within a certain degree…
At last, the long wait at their phone bore a fruit –a signal! A click preceded a tired voice. “…Elliot?”
Grape! It’s me, Tegan! I’m here at Elliot’s place, inside a nuclear shelter, a really big one! There’s all sort of things, it was built just like home and—“ the Maine Coon realized she was babbling like crazy, but right now she didn’t care, Grape’s voice the first real good things since the apocalypse.
“Are the others safe?” Grape asked. Eventually, the sadness in her voice made its way into her friend’s thoughts. Tegan looked at Elliot, whose expression reflected her same terror.
“All of us,” the golden retriever said. “We evacuated just in time. Grape, is Peanut..?”
“I’m here,” the dog said with that same, tired voice. “Mom and Dad… They were caught by the blast. I think. They were at the shelter when the sirens sounded. When they called, they were on their way home…” There was no real sadness in it, just an hypnotic quality, the refusal of the mind to concede to despair.
Tegan felt her breath strangling her, as if air had been turned into an eating virus. She wanted to throw up. Humans had died out there, humans she knew, humans that would be sorely missed. Humans her friends relied on. In the space of a flash, a vast number of animals in Babylon Gardens, millions and millions in the whole world, had become…what? Ferals, or a whole new social class, inheritors of a legacy of destruction?
“…I’m so sorry, guys.” Tegan whispered, as she started crying. Elliot took her in his arms. “I’m so sorry,” she repeated, feeling so guilty for still having a family, a safe place…
“Heh, not your fault,” Peanut said, trying to cheer her up. Him trying to keep up the morale, just so like him. “There’s a car outside, telling everyone to stay indoors, rescue will be here soon with everything we need. They say falloff—Ouch.”
“Fallout, you lug,” Grape said. “Fallout is not going to hit us, not hard at least. Anyway, it looks like we can rebuild. Your real estate value is not exactly top of the list anymore.”
Tegan chuckled. She wiped the tears with her fingers. “Guess so. But we can sell you rocks that glow in the dark now. Interested?”
“I’ll pass, thank you. I wouldn’t know how to pay you, after all.” Markets were history. Money was just sheets of paper and disks of metal.
That conversation would’ve sounded crazy to a spectator, but they were coping. And in this they were lucky. “The kittens?” Tegan asked.
“They are fine. Soon as the siren sounded, Peanut took them and brought them here. Couldn’t ask for a better papa.”
“And little Martin?”
“He too is here,” Peanut said. One could almost hear him wagging. “Will you believe it? He’s still sleeping sound. I suspect he took a lot of cool from his uncle! Luckily we have a lot of soap and diapers, here, and should we finish them—“
“Please don’t go there!” Grape said. Tegan and Elliot made an ICK! face.
“You’ll see,” Peanut said. “We’ll be fine and soon we’ll be together, just like old times and…” his voice broke. “I miss them.”
The line went dead.
Last edited by valerio on Sat Jun 02, 2012 9:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Obbl »

I would have said hydroelectric system instead of dynamo system (unless you're specifically thinking of something I'm not)

OH MY GOSH! Heart. Breaking. :cry:
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by angelusbr »

I got a little sad while reading this. I love when a story draws emotion from me like this one.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by musclecar326 »

:o :o :o :o :o :cry: :cry: Oh my gosh! I cried during that last section! How can you throw this bombshell(No pun intended) at us! Your terrible! I'm going to have to hold my breath until the next part comes out!

Is this the end of HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES? We'll all have to wait and find out.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Coatl_Ruu »

The more I think about it, the surer I am that something else is at work here. That doesn't change the fact that this is ... really, really sad. Though I feel the need to applaud you here .. it's really well done!

Still. :(
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by EvanAierkan »

musclecar326 wrote::o :o :o :o :o :cry: :cry: Oh my gosh! I cried during that last section! How can you throw this bombshell(No pun intended) at us! Your terrible! I'm going to have to hold my breath until the next part comes out!

Is this the end of HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES? We'll all have to wait and find out.
Well there is supposed to be at least 5 seasons in total, so you might make your own conclusions from that.

In other note, this is getting most interesting. I'm certainly hoping this setting is to stay and not just be fixed with some weird time junk or something similar just to get some cheap drama.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by RandomGeekNamedBrent »

I'm not scared. I trust that Val wouldn't kill off Rick's characters, only original characters.

I just hope Val isn't jumping the shark here.

I wanna see how this works out. I've lost my hope that this was just an elaborate drill like in that episode of Eureka.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

3.
The Kingpin nuclear shelter, below Primary Beta Strike Area, formerly known as Terrace High.

The shelter’s designers knew things couldn’t be like before an apocalypse, once the survivors walked into the replica of the Fulcrum. The building’s outline and the apartments’ disposition were for the benefit of that sense of familiarity the mind clung to during a crisis. Humans and animals needed something to refer to, it helped better than any immediate medical treatment.
But the shelter couldn’t be a perfect replica. In a world without use for money or markets, shopping was the first relic to go. There were no malls here, no shops, no bars and restaurants. Levels 1 to 20 were devoted to service management, from toilets to cafeteria, from multispecies hospitals to newsrooms…

Guinevere Cardore was excited. She had to keep herself in check in front of her colleagues, but Frits knew she was in a high mood. He understood it, he felt it too: this was the story of a lifetime, and when things would get back to normality, no matter how long, their report of the facts would be part of history itself!
The staff that once belonged to the Daily Fact was now part of the official newsroom. Their experience and their talents were needed to collect and make sense of all information so that the people down here given a coherent picture of the situation.
‘Beef’ Cox and his staff agreed: anarchy in information, at this stage of things, helped only fear and panic. And, by personal experience, Cox knew how that could be dangerous in a closed system.
“So, what do we have here, guys?” Cox who, for the duration of their stay here, had been nominated head of the information department. In a world that had temporarily lost most of its comm tech, they had to sort out all sorts of input from all other sources, even pigeons and smoke signals if necessary! The Kingpin was an official Strategic Node Area, they’d be in constant touch with the brass at Washington –or what was left of it.
“First strike from China and Iran,” Jeff Lowell said. “We got the Chinese junk, Europe the Iranian fireworks. Caught us with the pants down. Panic ensued and we stroke back –with some extra warhead thrown in the mix. India caught the occasion to strike at Pakistan. Northern and Southern Korea declared a truce, would you believe that? Oh and Israeli leveled Teheran and Baghdad with their own toys. As for Beijing and…well, the rest of the country, China is back to the stone age.”
“Russia?”
“They weren’t aware of China’s intentions,” Guinevere answered. “In fact, they didn’t fire a single weapon, not even a gun with a ‘BANG’ flag. They are already moving to send us supplies and relief. Japan has moved its fleet to patrol Australian coasts, though it had to be expected.”
“Explain.”
It was the turn of the youngest member of the staff, Richard Gates, also the local nerd. “Uranium. That continent is one of the major sources of the stuff. Nuclear war or not, uranium is still the most efficient power source for any nation with the technology to work with it, as our own power plant proves. Japan must have understood that, behind the smokescreen of the truce, the two Koreas will move to get their hands on that ores first.”
Cox nodded. “And so we’re left on the big question: why would China launch a first strike against the United States, without the least reason. There was no tension, and surely punishing us off for all the debts we had accumulated with them is no reason enough,” a nervous laugh accompanied those words. “Situation in our country?”
Guinevere again. “All major metropolitan areas wiped out, Washington included. The whole government from the President down was also eliminated by the blasts, as they all were in a full session. Legislative and Executive Powers have been transferred to NORAD, while SAC is replacing CIA and FBI now that they too are no more. At a local level, it’s all in the hands Joint Security Forces.” Which comprised FEMA, Police and Fire Departments, plus the once detached offices and staff of FBI and CIA, under the coordination of the SNA. “River Ridge is still operative and reports about fallout are good so far, only a few hundreds cases of radiation poisoning, though more are to be expected once the hospitals will get crammed with people from all over the county. The Hunter’s Academy is already operative as animal shelter and coordination center for animal search & rescue operations.”
Cox seemed satisfied. “Great. So we have a starting point: we’ll keep in touch with River Ridge and the Hunter’s Academy to work on the news: those places will turn out to be a precious source especially for those looking for friends, relatives and pets. I want you all to work 24/7 on that, am I clear? We’re one of the few comm nodes, time to earn our boy scout medals. Rich, how long before we can get out of here and start working on the field?”
The young man snorted a laugh. “Is that a joke, beef? It will be at least two years before the rad level will be low enough to get out with a full suit and a heavily shielded vehicle.” He shook his head. “We got the worst, better get used to it.”
---
Room TF-441, Hospital Ward

“Are you all right?” Shadow asked, as he stood outside the specially insulated room where a human child was laying, asleep.
The white-furred female rabbit, her paws clasping against her shoulders, nodded. She kept looking at the human. “Yes, thank you. Everything worked out fine, she had her protective gear on when we were evacuated. They’re just keeping her here for a couple of days, to make sure she responds well to this new environment. The stress, you know…” she sighed, her voice trembling. “She wanted to be a mathematician, now she has no future. And please, Shadow, do not tell me there is hope for her. This is the only place known in the whole world to have everything she needs…except for a life. And do you know what she said to me, when we got here?”
Shadow remembered that moment, when the elevator’s walls had opened during the last stage of the descent, to reveal the immensity of the cave and the majestic building that stood like the greatest of the pillars among the arches that held the weight of the vault. ‘The Kingpin’ –a fitting name.
Despite the moment, the black rabbit had felt a twinge of anticipation, of excitement.
“She said this was going to be such a great adventure.”
---
Jameson House, Lev. 19, Apt. 192

“This is so going to be a nightmare!” Piper said, pacing back and forth like a caged animal.
“I can hardly imagine it getting worse,” Macajuel sighed. He had lost all of his snacks in that stupid explosion. Given the ample but limited resources, they could feed him only dead food. They couldn’t raise small animals for his needs. The python was allowed to hunt for any small feral he could find… but so were all the cats. Too much competition. “What’s the problem? Any plan the General had for this place has been automatically discarded with the complex’s destruction. We’ll be cut off from the rest of the world for years, even in case our home was spared by the war. No one here will be the wiser about us. And with a bit of luck the FARCs are as well as gone, too. We can rebuild our lives from scratch.”
Piper would’ve strangled him if he’d had the limbs to do it. “In case you hadn’t noticed, you slithering stomach, scratch is what we are now! We’re just a pair of exotic pets very out of our natural environment, and even if our rainforests could still be there and untouched by the radiation poisoning the atmosphere, we cannot reach them. Humans have well other things to worry about that bringing us home. And I don’t think I could survive years inside this trap! I need vegetation, open skies, fresh air! This wasn’t supposed to happen—Irk!” The latter came when the snake’s spires wrapped around him, squeezing him into a strangled silence.
“I’m beginning to understand why Volant wanted to kill you, Elegante. But now try to remember your place. The General will think of something. You know how much he loves his homeland, and how much he cares for us. He won’t just stay sitting idle.”
“…Grk…”
Mac’s snout came almost in touch with Piper’s beak. “And do not forget that our backup team is here as well: remember, all the residents were moved down here.”
---
“Shadow?”
The rabbit was laying on a bench in the corridor, Jasmine dozing in his arms. No matter how many reassurances the medical staff had given, and that included Jasmine’s owners, she had a mission to make sure her protégée was fine. The white-furred rabbit would feel reassured only once Clarice was back in her safe, insulated apartment.
This had been the first true moment of relax since the start of the crisis, and Shadow answered the question with an upset look, though he tried to keep his voice low. “What?”
It was Maximillion Rozen, the Finnish lapphund of the now-nominated Chief of Veterinary. “Shadow, have you seen Lizzie?”
The rabbit’s ears flickered. “Elizabeth? Why ask?”
Max snorted. “Because last time I talked to her, she said she had to talk with Chocolate, and Chocolate lives with you. I can’t find Chocolate so I am asking you. So, have you seen her?”
“Er…” Yes, last time Shadow had seen her, Lizzie was in her apartment, watching TV. Then all hell had broken loose. Shadow frowned, then touched his own collar. “If you can’t find her, these gizmos should do the job, or so they told us.”
Max shook his head. “Mom tried already. I’ll let you imagine how she is right now…and I’m not better! Didn’t she come with you during evacuation?”
Shadow only remembered himself following Jasmine to her apartment, all his worries focused on his girlfriend--
Oh, heck!
Where was Chocolate?!
Last edited by valerio on Sat Sep 07, 2013 11:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by angelusbr »

You have a natural talent to make the readers be at the edge of their seats.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by EvanAierkan »

Now that Hunter academy was brought up, what happened to Bud? :shock:
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by kavviyenta »

That's not just the turning point for all the pets but for Light and Duke too.

I'm smelling a timeskip. If not, I don't know what is.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by RandomGeekNamedBrent »

...
Okay, I don't believe you're actually going to have things change this drastically. There's going to be some twist, be it that nothing actually happened and people outside Terrace High are going along with the ruse, or weird time junk. some Deus Ex Machina will save them. They won't be stuck down there for years. This is my prediction. and everyone's alive. or else. :evil:

on another note: backup team? I'm intrigued.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

4.
Astral Plane

“How does it feel, teacher?” Chocolate asked, while staring at the chessboard.
“How does it feel what?” the female black cat said, her golden eyes fixed on the chessboard as well. Tarot was right, after all: this plane allowed for a smoother game.
“To be dead,” the brown rat said.
Sabrina shrugged, the only move from her otherwise absolutely immobile body. “Well, you know how the saying goes: it hurts only once, if your conscience’s clean.”
“Yours is not.”
“Depends. I did the right thing with Fido. Nothing to regret. Check.”
“You’ll have to open about it. The longer you wait—“
“You are the student, you’re not supposed to be preaching. And you are trying to distract me.”
“Sorry. Prey species thing: you chose me because my kind appreciates…subterfuges. Your move.”
“I didn’t like being killed off that way, though. Check.”
“No one likes to die, teacher.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I must agree on that. Your move. Oh, and check.”
Sabrina frowned. “I am so going to choose another precognitive game, next time.”
---
The Kingpin nuclear shelter/Strategic Node Area 5, below Beta Primary Target Strike Area

“I am so going to see heads roll, ladies and gentlemen!” When Martin Foster got really angry, he’d put on a blank face to hide the most terrible of his emotions.
When Raimund R. Gottschalk got really angry, he’d show it, and everyone around him knew they were in for a very rough ride, because the man made no prisoners!
“Security is on full alert, Sir,” one of the officers said, standing so much on attention that his spine threatened to snap in two. He didn’t dare to meet the deep blue eyes of his boss, eyes that were swirling with rage like twin maelstroms. “We are looking everywhere, we have all the means to do that without generating panic and—“
“You have all the means but one!” Gottschalk interrupted him with an almost animalistic snarl. “Those collars have been designed with triple redundancy, especially for a case like this! How can a perfectly tested and working tracking device like that fail in the middle of our worst-case scenario?! It doesn’t matter that this is a closed space, resident must perceive that they’re being watched over every second, feel that someone is caring for them! You’ve got plenty of dogs to work with, and I am sure plenty of volunteers, so you better not fail me, Mr. Bannister!” His voice lowered to a hiss that would have made Macajuel proud. “And, of course, pray that Elizabeth Rozen is not wounded, or worse. I won’t accept one single loss, especially not at this stage, or your career is going to be extremely short. Am. I. Clear?”
Oh, he was. The Security man was sure his boss wasn’t talking just about his job…
---
Medical Ward, veterinarian section

The first 24 hours, according to protocol, were the most critic. People tended to get injured even in the simple attempt of doing something, anything, to be in control of their personal space. Brawls could start unexpectedly for the most trivial reasons, as a simple steaming valve for a stress of such magnitude.
So far, the human residents had taken it extremely well, given the circumstances. Pets too were doing a good job. She could sort out two kinds of reactions among them: the gamers and the emulators.
The gamers were those pets who lived this situation like a kind of adventure, a live role playing game, much like children. They had to elaborate the depth of this tragedy yet, but they were doing fine and there was no reason to cram the brutality of the situation down their throat.
The emulators tended to reflect the mood of their parents. They…were…
Constance serrated her hands into fists. She knew she had to trust the security, she knew that she had to be of example for her patients, someone was bound to come, it was inevitable, she had to think professional…
“Liz…”
She was sure her daughter had been evacuated, everyone was here. “Where are you, kitten?” she sobbed.
She then felt a furry paw hold her hand.
“I’m sure she’s all right, ma’am,” a spotted Maine Coon said. “Liz is too good a pet for her to happen anything bad. I’m sure she’s somewhere trying to make friend with the local feral community.”
Constance sniffed, then scratched the female cat’s head fur. “You know what, Alandra? I believe you’re right.” And she must believe that one of the million cameras spread all around will find her, sooner or later.
And then, Lizzie was just a curious creature, she must have gone exploring for adventure, not knowing her tracker was broken…. “Shouldn’t you be in your room, girl? Your father will feed me to the carnivorous plants should you even start sneezing.” Hector Garcia had worked hard and still was, to grant his daughter a good life. No matter how hard things were now, as a biologist he knew vegetable life would be back. Life was a tenacious fighter, it had survived repeated global mass extinctions. So, to him it made sense to keep on working for a future. And Alandra had followed suit, she kept her morale high –though the only problem with her was that she was a fragile creature. Constance had to check her up on a regular basis. Should her conditions degenerate, Alandra might need a second kidney transplant…
Alandra rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes, Mom! I’m gonna lay me down and be a good patient! Argh, if only Kwesi was here!”
---
“Are you sure you can do it?” Clementia asked, as she applied a badge to this particular volunteer for the search & rescue team.
“Lass,” Pawdrick answered with all the pride a Scottish Collie could muster, “ye guys are trained to this job. I was born for it. I kin tell one single sheep amidst 253 of ‘em with one sniff. If ye think ye kin do th’ same, I quit.”
The cat nodded. “Then start earning your chow, mutt. Do you remember how Liz smells?” Pawdrick nodded. Clementia gave him a radio with a screen showing an electronic map of the place. An area of the immense complex was flashing red. “Cover the red sector. Once you find her, call us.”
The dog saluted smartly. “Off I go, then. See ye!”
The next in line was Kwesi. “I still must get used to this place, but I’m good at finding hiding places. If she’s hiding in a corner where someone didn’t think to look, I’m your dog.”
A fluorescent ribbon with the badge was applied to his collar as well. Clementia repeated the instructions.
The Basenji started moving toward his destination. In this place, perspective was deceiving: what looked near could be kilometers afar. Luckily, he was one of the few animals around who had grown walking kilometers for a living. Problem was, like he had said, he knew the tracks his family covered, here he had to learn everything from scratch…
And it didn’t help that he kept thinking about Alandra. He felt really bad for leaving her behind at the hospital, but this was too important…
“…and I want one, too!” someone was saying behind him from the line of the volunteers. He recognized the powerful but squeaky voice a certain mouse’s…

“You heard me well, cat! I am a resident, I deserve my badge, and if you don’t have one custom-sized it’s because you’re a bunch of specists!”
Samson was trying to calm down his tiny friend, but without much success. From the palm of his paw, Saga was staring Clementia as if she could actually take on her.
The Brazilian shorthair cat just handed badge and radio to Samson. “Search red area. Call if you find her or when you’re done. I know you’re stronger than any of us, but don’t overdo yourself. You already applied for three other jobs, and we don’t need an exhausted volunteer.”
Samson nodded. “You should have a badge for Saga, though,” he said as he put his own on.
The tiny mouse puffed up her chest. “See? The voice of the people!”
“You’re lucky I’m too busy to tell you—“ Clementia started to say, but Athena interrupted her.
“Clem, Saga has an advantage: she can search in the tiniest places, and she can warn us about hiding ferals.” Then the husky turned to the mouse. “We’ll find you a place in security. Now, please, go. Every second is precious.”
---
“You’re not volunteering?” Linus asked the otter sitting on the bench.
Errol shook his head. “Mate, I’d be as useful as a couple of rubber crutches for a juggernaut. Had you had a good look?” His paw tried to encircle the scenario, the closest possible replica of the late Hexagon Park. Like it, this circular area was rich with green life, but there was no trace of water, save the drinkable one of the fountains.
The silvery-furred river otter sighed, his arms splayed behind his back. “I could be useful to look for her in a watery environment. As it is, I doubt they need my services to look into the communal pools. Not to mention they are already looking for her there.”
The pug hopped up onto the bench. “Why the long face, then? Aside from the end of the world, I mean.”
Errol frowned with puzzlement at the smaller dog. “Doesn’t it bother you?”
Linus shrugged. “It’s bigger than me, it’s bigger than any of us, it’s bigger than life, man: what am I supposed to do? Convert to some old religion of sacrifices and buy my passage into some unknown paradise of fine-brand chow? Sorry, but I prefer to think alive. And, considering how the rest of the world is faring, we are so effing privileged (pardon my French) that we should sacrifice a cow to Gottschalk.”
Now there was sincere admiration in the otter’s gaze. “You know, I almost regret not hanging out more with you, mate.”
“You can, now.” Linus winked at him. “Give me a month, and I’ll start bringing some style into these masses’ lives. So, why the long face?”
Again that sad sigh. “I was thinking: you know, what with this post-apocalyptic drama, all males will start looking for females in a long chain of same-species het relationships. Save the species and the stuff. Which means, being I the only otter around, that I will die alone and sad. Yeppy.” Then he threw a glance at the pug. “Unless, of course…”
Linus hackles went up. “Uhh, thank you, flattered and the rest but no thank you. Looking to save the species, myself too.”
Errol snorted. “Bunch of genetic manics.”
---
Gottschalk walked through the door of his apartment. He had given precise instructions not to disturb him for the next 10 minutes, and he could count on the total obedience of his staff. Or terror, right now it didn’t matter.
The Emergency Chief Coordinator sat down at his desk. He put on an auricular, then pressed keys on a glass keyboard integrated in the desk top. Each key, otherwise invisible, flashed as he used the keyboard by memory. He then waited for a full minute, before saying, “We have a problem.” Pause, as he listened, then, “I do not care, Sir. One of my residents is missing. We are fully mobilized to find her, but I will not give it more than two hours, estimated time to determine if she’s just wandering around the shelter or if she was left outside. Be that the case, I will not be able to control the situation anymore.” Pause. “I do not remember mentioning a negotiation here. Two hours, and good luck.” He killed the line.
Last edited by valerio on Mon Jun 04, 2012 11:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

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*swallows dryly as I read this chapter.*
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by RandomGeekNamedBrent »

Denial:
RandomGeekNamedBrent wrote:...
Okay, I don't believe you're actually going to have things change this drastically. There's going to be some twist, be it that nothing actually happened and people outside Terrace High are going along with the ruse, or weird time junk. some Deus Ex Machina will save them. They won't be stuck down there for years. This is my prediction. and everyone's alive.
Anger:
RandomGeekNamedBrent wrote:or else. :evil:
Bargaining:
skipped that one.

Depression:
heck yeah, I'm sad.

Acceptance:
not until I'm sure you aren't gonna use magic to solve everything.

Val, only you can make me go through the stages of grief with a fan fiction. bravo.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

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5
Security Ward, the Kingpin Nuclear Shelter/Strategic Node Area

Row after row of color screens showing in turns every single room of every single apartment, be it empty or occupied. As predicted by the sociologists working, a world ago, for Gottschalk, most of the humans had decided to unite into larger groups. It had taken the end of the world to make humans rediscover their basic social nature.
“Any progress, so far?” asked the man behind the Minipinscher sitting at his portion of the console.
“No progress no Sir our quarry keeps being elusive like a shadow that is.” Tobee Gallant wasn’t physically fit to join security on the field, but he was a smart alec, tech-savvy, and apparently immune to stress. He was the only known dog who could live on caffeine as well. The rest of the staff had elected him mascot unanimously.
The chief of Security felt a dry lump in his throat, but he must yet decide if it was for the fear of Elizabeth Rozen’s fate or for his own.
Gottschalk had given him two hours, tops, after which, if it was determined the cat of the Chief Veterinarian had never been evacuated underground, his head would become a toy for Gottschalk’s dogs…
---
William was bored.
The park was okay, it was illuminated, it had trees like up at home…but the air had a metallic taste in it, and for how good a job the conditioning was doing, the smells were accumulating.
The squirrel knew he’d get used to it. At least, no one so far had lamented the quality of the atmosphere, so he’d refrain from giving a bad example.
He wished he could hibernate. He’d spend some time away from this nightmare, lost in the sweet, sleep-induced oblivion.
Laying on a thick branch, William sighed. Yeah, dream on. There was no winter down here, and the food was abundant. Perhaps he could move inside the building, make himself a nest there and hibernate far from any food –except what he would previously stock, of course… Hm?
At first, the words he was hearing were to him like a background noise, nothing to worry about.
Then he heard the two interlocutors saying strange things.
“…I say we should still stick to the plan.”
“The General would approve, yes.”
General? What General? There are no military down here.
“But what about the other team?”
“Ah, nevermind them for now. They will hop on the wagon once they see it’s moving: there are weapons down here, weapons and anything else we need to start our mission. La revoluciòn starts here.”
“When should we act?”
“Let’s just wait. Right now, we would cause panic. And security is too tight, especially now that that stupid cat is missing. One single accident and all hell breaks loose.”
Conspirators?! Here?! Oh dear what do I do what do I do?? William almost didn’t dare to breath. He was just happy, oh so happy that the artificial currents were upwards only. If they smelled him out, he would be a snack in no time!
He knew he should turn and take a good look, but he too could smell them, and as a prey species he did have an acute hearing. If asked to testify, he could tell at least one of them anytime just as he could recognize them now.
He just wondered if he wasn’t hallucinating.
“Are you finished drinking? I swear, a camel has a bottom, at least.”
“I’m done, okay? Relax, will you, sheesh!”
The couple fell silent as they walked away, leaving behind a squirrel who should decide what to do.
If he ran to Gottschalk and talked, he’d be a hero.
If he ran to Gottschalk and talked, he’d be dead. Just how many more were involved in this scheme? Aside from this mysterious ‘other team’? Of which he didn’t know zip. For what he knew, Gauss and Curie were involved in this thing!
Slowly, William crawled to a position that allowed him to see. In a horror movie, this would be the occasion for having a sudden last look at a deadly row of teeth while the spectators screamed for the not-so-intrepid hero…
But no one jumped at him. The park was dead quiet.
And he was just a poor ex-butler that now must survive two threats.
---
“Hannibal! Sigmund!”
The two dogs stopped in their tracks and turned. “¿Qué quieres?” an annoyed Alsatian asked. “In case you hadn’t noticed, we’re looking for a missing friend here.”
“I wanted to talk to you about that,” Zane Cabana said, while he and T.J. trotted after the security dogs. “We believe you’re searching in the wrong place.”
That had the effect of stopping Hannibal and the Weimaraner dead on their tracks so suddenly that they almost fell down. “Excuse me?” Sigmund said.
“I remember it well—“ Zane started to say, but the cat’s grin turned into a grimace when the black Labrador slapped him behind his head. “Watch it, you big brute!” then, massaging his head, he went on. “Okay, so it was T.J. to remember it. It’s about that chat we had while we were on The Line for the Biopark, remember?”
Hannibal frowned. T.J. took it as an encouragement to bark out happily, “Yes! When we volunteered on behalf of the Club. Psycho, you told us about this place, then!”
Hannibal felt a shiver running down his back. This was so going in the wrong direction –and even worse, they could be right…
“And T.J. told me about that chat,” Zane added, feeling they were on the right track. “And so I went and checked the condominium regulations…” his teeth flashed like a beacon, Max would’ve been proud of that sly grin. “Guess what we discovered?”
---
Astral plane

<CHOCOLATE!!>

The rat was shocked back into reality with such force, it felt almost painful. She reappeared straight in the lap of the one who had called her with such panic. “Shadow,” she said, rubbing her temples. “Two things: first, you know I am in constant touch with your mind—“
“Speaking of which, you really should switch off that contact when I’m with Jasmine. It’s embarrassing, you know.”
“—so you don’t need to go into a panic when I am not around. Second, please get me the tiger balm and lit the fire for my tea, and make it strong.”
The rabbit sighed with joy. “Sorry, but I wanted to ask your help. Liz has disappeared, and her Mom is going crazy. We really need you here.”
Chocolate frowned, her nose quivering nervously. “Why didn’t you try to call for Morrigan? She’s her guardian spirit, and I taught you how—“
<You rang?> said the ghostly voice behind her, making her startle.
“What’s with you? Trying to kill me?” Chocolate said, grabbing her chest.
“I called her!” Shadow said. “She didn’t answer!”
<I was busy! Important matters!> Morrigan stuck out her tongue at him.
Shadow almost growled like a carnivore. “What could be more important than Liz—“
“Silence!” Chocolate commanded, startling them into a silence.
Both Shadow and Morrigan shivered. “Chocky, you know how I hate when you go Bene Gesserit.”
The rat sighed. “Shadow, now calm down or I’ll do worse than using the Spiritual Voice. Morrigan, where is Liz?”
---
Control Room

“Found her,” said Tobee.
Things had gone downhill fast the moment Siggy and Psycho had called Gottschalk, telling him what T.J. and Zane had discovered. That alone, or rather the doubts it would’ve instilled in everyone’s mind, would’ve been enough to compromise the operation, because it was either let the genie out of the bottle or risk a mass revolt of rightfully angry people.
A few minutes later, a very, very upset Constance Rozen had barged into the control room, demanding that they searched for her daughter outside the Kingpin…
And there she was, Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Rozen, napping without a worry in the world on the couch at Barons house…exactly where she was when the ‘crisis’ had exploded.
Gottschalk told into the auricular, “Sir, call off the search. Time out.” Then, to the operators, “PSA on, and thank you for your excellent job.”
A series of nods accompanied their boss’ words. A moment later, the familiar metallic feminine voice said, “Your attention, please. The first Mandatory Drill Session covering a Class II Disaster Scenario is officially over. Terrace High will be open within 30 minutes from now. Please reach the elevators. Thank you for your cooperation.”
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by JeffCvt »

JeffCvt wrote::shock: :o

I have a theory as to what may have just happened, and I hope for my sanity that it's right.
I'm so glad that my theory turned out to be right... Eventually

*Looks at Valerio*
The next time you do that I swear, I don't know what I'm going to do. You had me sitting on the edge of my seat thinking there really was a nuclear disaster. I don't handle that kind of thing well.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

well, imagine how upset must be Terrace High's residents right now... *brick*d* :mrgreen:
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by angelusbr »

For some reason, I dogfy Hannibal from Silent of the lambs in my mind as I read this comic.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by EvanAierkan »

Well that was a bit anticlimactic.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by RandomGeekNamedBrent »

*smashes Val with a cartoony hammer*
you're lucky that I was actually only in the denial stage, or I'd be using my butcher knife.
So my first prediction was right. just a drill, and everyone outside was just acting.
valerio wrote:4.
Astral Plane

“How does it feel, teacher?” Chocolate asked, while staring at the chessboard.
“How does it feel what?” the female black cat said, her golden eyes fixed on the chessboard as well. Tarot was right, after all: this plane allowed for a smoother game.
“To be dead,” the brown rat said.
Sabrina shrugged, the only move from her otherwise absolutely immobile body. “Well, you know how the saying goes: it hurts only once, if your conscience’s clean.”
“Yours is not.”
“Depends. I did the right thing with Fido. Nothing to regret. Check.”
“You’ll have to open about it. The longer you wait—“
“You are the student, you’re not supposed to be preaching. And you are trying to distract me.”
“Sorry. Prey species thing: you chose me because my kind appreciates…subterfuges. Your move.”
“I didn’t like being killed off that way, though. Check.”
“No one likes to die, teacher.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I must agree on that. Your move. Oh, and check.”
Sabrina frowned. “I am so going to choose another precognitive game, next time.”
now this confuses me even more than before.
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