HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

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

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Amazee Dayzee
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Congrats on making your milestone valerio! I hope that you will be able to write for many more milestones.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Cataloochee »

almost 2 weeks since last episode, food getting scarce, water low, send help
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by dtlux1 »

Cataloochee wrote:almost 2 weeks since last episode, food getting scarce, water low, send help
Good thing I estimate it will take me 6 to 8 months to read the entire thing, and I have been reading for 2 months. So 4 to 6 months to go before I get here. :P

BUT I AM HERE TO HELP!

Read my bad story about Housepets the Series here!

Yeah, I don't think that is much help. It might make your brain hurt and starve you more than you are now. You won't get any water either, unless you count the tears you will cry from how bad it is...
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Whatever you do, do not drink your tears. That will make your more dehydrated.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Cataloochee »

dtlux1 wrote:
Cataloochee wrote:almost 2 weeks since last episode, food getting scarce, water low, send help
Good thing I estimate it will take me 6 to 8 months to read the entire thing, and I have been reading for 2 months. So 4 to 6 months to go before I get here. :P

BUT I AM HERE TO HELP!

Read my bad story about Housepets the Series here!

Yeah, I don't think that is much help. It might make your brain hurt and starve you more than you are now. You won't get any water either, unless you count the tears you will cry from how bad it is...
at least ur original, mate. keep it up. this forum needs more excitement, even if it's your type of crazyness 8-)
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by dtlux1 »

Cataloochee wrote:
dtlux1 wrote:
Cataloochee wrote:almost 2 weeks since last episode, food getting scarce, water low, send help
Good thing I estimate it will take me 6 to 8 months to read the entire thing, and I have been reading for 2 months. So 4 to 6 months to go before I get here. :P

BUT I AM HERE TO HELP!

Read my bad story about Housepets the Series here!

Yeah, I don't think that is much help. It might make your brain hurt and starve you more than you are now. You won't get any water either, unless you count the tears you will cry from how bad it is...
at least ur original, mate. keep it up. this forum needs more excitement, even if it's your type of crazyness 8-)
Why thank you. Have another one I wrote about Fox and King. I am glad being crazy works good sometimes. :D

Also have a list of stories I wrote that I will keep updating.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Cataloochee »

i'll just wait for my Follegra if that's alright with you :roll:
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by dtlux1 »

Cataloochee wrote:i'll just wait for my Follegra if that's alright with you :roll:
Ah, dang it, did that still not happen? There goes my hopes from page 18 onward... :(

Ok then, but you don't know what you're missing. :D

At least I still have 4 to 6 months of reading ahead of me to look forward to before I am missing food or water. :P
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

RL is a killer, guys. But i'll be back within a month.
Thank you all for your patience
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I'll be sitting here waiting for my Kevin to show up in the story somewhere.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by dtlux1 »

valerio wrote:RL is a killer, guys. But i'll be back within a month.
Thank you all for your patience
Don't worry. They have my stories to read. :D

And I am sure it will have been worth the wait.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

If I am gonna read your stories, I'm gonna need some heavy-duty brain bleach.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

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Amazee Dayzee wrote:If I am gonna read your stories, I'm gonna need some heavy-duty brain bleach.
Yes, but it will be worth it. ;)

They are almost as good as my art. :D
I needed a lot to write them...

Also...
valerio wrote:Now, for those unfamiliar with this scenario, what you read on Kevin's diary is an authorized prelude to the events in THESE ficcies by a great author, Dean, who, alas, stopped writing them. Here are the links, enjoy them
Dayshaun, memory of the mother: https://www.housepetscomic.com/forums/v ... f=13&t=190
Seattle Runaways: https://www.housepetscomic.com/forums/v ... f=13&t=760
Dynamics: https://www.housepetscomic.com/forums/v ... =13&t=1010

Also, to the newbies' benefit, here it is, Hopper's ficcie featuring Streak
Changing Time: https://www.housepetscomic.com/forums/v ... f=13&t=851
From page 19.


CURSE YOU VALERIO! WHY MUST YOU BASE SOME OF THE STORIES OFF OF OTHER GREAT STORIES!

You know you are going to add around a month to my reading time. :D

I can't go back to reading Housepets the Series until I read all of those. ALL OF THEM!

I hope you're happy now. Making me read other great stories...
THANK YOU!
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Just as long as I can have more single Kevin in these stories, I will be fine. xP
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by dtlux1 »

Amazee Dayzee wrote:Just as long as I can have more single Kevin in these stories, I will be fine. xP
I would post something about Kevin being mine, but I try not to be weird outside of the comic discussions. :P
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

You don't have to post anything at all. Kevin may be crazy but I doubt he is at your level.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Obbl »

Please remember that this is the thread about Valerio's fanfic. There's a chat thread in the Not the Comic section if you need to talk about random stuff. ;)
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

13.
CONGRATULATIONS! Read the card that came with the ornate purple long dress. THE MASK YOU WILL BE DONNING IS PROVIDED WITH A SPECIAL SET OF SENSORS THAT, TOGETHER WITH OUR ENTERTAINMENT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, WILL ALLOW YOU TO ENJOY THE BALL EXPERIENCE TO A NEW LEVEL! TRY ME!
Grape took the mask and examined it. It was just a plastic mask, no particular smells. It was pointed, silvery in color with flowery incisions. It had lenses, though. So flimsy, that they were almost invisible. “What about yours, Peanu--“ she chuckled at the sight of the brown dog wearing only his own mask and carefully tapping at it.
“No hidden buttons,” he said.
Grape shrugged, curiosity getting the best of her. She decided to try and put the mask on—“Eeep!”
No sooner had she done that, Grape’s visual field was filled with the all-too perfect reconstruction of some ancient, simil-medieval rooms. For what she knew, every ancient room was just mediev—“Eeep!”
The first time, she had been surprised by the change of visual. This time, she was almost scared furless by the appearance of…a face. Well, part of a face. In fact, it was some part of a roboface, large black eyes over a screen as green as the old computer monitors. Grape was positive that, had that face have a mouth, it would’ve smiled.
“AEIOU! Welcome, dear time traveler! I am ADA, your host and guide in this tour to the discovery of your ultimate VR experience. How are you doing? Ready for the fun?”
Grape blinked. She looked at Peanut. “Are you seeing this…thing, too?”
Ada’s eyes frowned. “I’m not a thing, ma’m, please. I am ADA –All-purpose Domotic Assistant. I am the artificial intelligence running the Sea Dragon.”
“Huh,” Grape said, unimpressed. “I tbought that the humans controlled this ship.”
The eyes gave the equivalent of a shrug. “Huh, as if they could do it without my supervision, really.” Then back was the happy expression. “But enough with me, my dear. What can I do for you? I’m sure you’re full of questions.”
Grape went and touched the closet where the more modern one used to stand. Even the wood felt…ancient, rough. Including the smell! “Well, how do you do that? And please, don’t even mention the word ‘magic’ or I’ll come to your server room and tear you apart.”
A sweatdrop appeared at the edge of the ‘face’. “Oh, no no, nothing like that, ma’m! It’s an experimental system of sensorial input. Using the eyes and specific wavelength, the brain can be induced to think that it’s smelling and touching and tasting the illusions as if they were the real thing. If you have a couple of degrees in advanced biology and neuroscience, the explanation would be obvious.”
“Yeah,” Grape sighed. “Sorry, Ada, but I don’t think we want to be hypnotized or something. Right, Nutty?”
“Aw,” the dog said, removing his mask. Grape did the same. “I don’t think I’ll be needing special sensors to enjoy this party.” She ran her paw along the silk-like fabric. It felt light enough to be comfortable for a fur-bearing creature. “Too bad this is not our anniversary, love,” she said to her husband. “This is, like, the second time I had clothes on since our wedding.”
“Then we could marry again!” Peanut proposed, while putting on his costume. “You really looked pretty in that white dress.”
“Aw, that’s cute of you. But wedding is not supposed to be done more than once.”
“Why not?” came his muffled voice from under the fabric, as he struggled to stuff his snout through the neck. He wagged his tail, the headless gentleman of Sleepy Hollow.
“Raise your snout, lug.”
“Oh. Thanks.” Then *pop* went his head, “And yes, it’s a ceremony. And it’s romantic. There’s no reason we can’t do it more than once.”
Grape just shook her head and hugged her dog. “Love, no one ever said something so romantic and so un-romantic at the same time. What should I do with you?”
“I’d have an idea…” he answered, softly, as his lips moved to hers—and then both jumped as someone knocked at the door! “I’ll get it!” Peanut barked and ran to the door, letting the cat fall to the ground.
“I swear, this ship is cursed,” Grape growled in frustration, tapping her claws against the wooden parquet. It was as if the thing had decided she was to be denied her romance... Perhaps ADA was a byproduct of Skynet!
Peanut opened the door. “Hey, guys! Coming right—“ He tilted his head. “You’re not our friends.”
It was the River Ridge K9U –the Doberman sisters Galena and Ming, Merlin the Dalmatian, the GSD Kaiju, and Essex the Greyhound. They, too, wore their costumes, minus the masks. “Uh, Peanut, right?” Kaiju asked. “Peanut Butter Sandwich?”
“Yup. That’s me!”
“And you must be the guys our kittens beat up at Lazertag today, right?” Grape said, coming from behind her husband. “We’ve let ‘em win,” Merlin muttered, blushing slightly.
Kaiju cleared his throat. “Anyway. Uh, we came to…” He produced an autograph book and pen. “Uh, care for an autograph? I mean, you’re the pup of Budweiser, and you took on a Whiteman dog by yourself. We don’t get to meet a celebrity every day.”
Peanut took the GSD’s book and pen. “Sure. Your names?” After signing the page with a heartfelt dedication, he handed the book to Grape. “Come on, you too did your part that day.” He winked at her cat.
Grape shook her head and scribbled her signature. She really didn’t want to be reminded of that terrible day when she nearly lost Peanut, and had spent weeks waiting for him to wake up from his coma… And yet, if he could be laid back about that experience, it wasn’t in her right to spoil his mood. Especially, she wouldn’t start a debate in front of a pack of strangers!
Grape handed the book back to Kaiju. “Here. Anything else?”
The Greyhound looked at her with scorn, mutely telling her to drop her crest. Then Peanut said, as if describing the most natural thing in the world, “She took the eye of that bad dog that hurt me, you know?”
“A honor to meet you, then, ma’m. Sir,” Kaiju gave a salute and then the Unit left. “They seem in a hurry,” Peanut said.
“Wonder why,” she said, knowing her irony would be lost onto him. But she did wonder why that Rottweiler guy wasn’t with them…
But, as often happened with him, his thoughts suddenly took another direction. “Say! Ada?” he asked to the thin air…before remembering. He went and put the mask back onto his snout.
“AEIOU! Welcome back, kind Sir. What can I do for you?”
“I was thinking…this ancient room thing, can you do it even outside the cabins?”
The poor artificial intelligence’s expression went all sad. “The ‘ancient room thing’…Next time I will not complain about that Mr. Cooper… Anyway, Sir, the answer is yes: I can replicate a fit environment coherent with the theme of the party as long as you wear your masks. In order for you to avoid any obstacle or dangerous predicament, pat of your simulation will be marked in red and a warning will be issued in case of imminent danger. You are perfectly safe as long as you respect the boundaries.”
“Like having a virtual leash, cool!” Peanut wagged his tail. He then turned to Grape. “I have an idea.”
---
“Masks are stupid,” King said, examining his own. It matched his ears fur pattern: brown and white. “I mean, humans are nose-blind, and they all look like each other. Who could mistake us for someone else?”
“It’s tradition, hon,” Bailey said, examining her reflection in the mirror. She wore a silvery/blue long dress that somehow made her chest stand out. “Humans were supposed to choose a partner for the dance, without knowing who was behind the mask.”
“Sounds like plausible deniability. Didn’t know you were an expert on this matter.”
Her wagging tail made her dress undulate behind her. “Fox would always send me a book whenever he could. I could lend some to you. What did you read?”
“Err…” By now, even those memories were becoming fuzzy. “I think I forgot, but not many books, really, before coming to the Gardens. It was with Fox that I really found some time to read. I like a bit of it all, from sci-fi to horror, essays, humor…your pick.”
They knocked at the door. King sighed. “It’s open.”
He had expected the black behemoths to barge in. Instead, to his and Bailey’s surprise, it was that Rottweiler, Josiph. Together with his boss, Gregor.
“Anything we can do for you?” King asked dryly. “We’re sort of busy.”
“Ghoffy,” the Tamaskan muttered, his jaw still locked in the aluminum contraption.
“Ah, we wanted to tell you that we’re…sorry,” Josiph translated. “We’re police dogs and we’re supposed to act better with civilians. In fact, if there is anything we could do for you, just ask.”
“Well,” Bailey said, “since you apologized, maybe there is something *I* could do for you.” She looked at Gregor.
“Ghaaf?”
“Just hold still, ok?” She reached out and gently removed the contraption, then handed it to Josiph. “I read a chiropractor’s handbook for beginners,” she muttered, her tongue sticking out.
Gregor’s eyes filled with terror, but it was too late for him to back off. KLUNK! went his jaw, so loud that even King and Josiph winced. Gregor whined.
“Feeling better?” Bailey asked.
The Tamaskan massaged his mouth, not really looking grateful. “It almost hurt like when that—“ he started to say, then his eyes widened, first with amazement, then joy. “It worked!” he looked at the malamute with pure adoration.
“Watch it, pup,” King warned him.
Gregor lifted his paws in mock self-defense. “Oh, don’t you worry, shorty. Now I must catch up with the time you made me lose, so it’s a truce. Come on, Joe: Got costumes to wear and ladies to hunt!” And off he ran.
“Coming right, boss!” Josiph barked after him. He quickly gave the couple an apologetic look. “He is a good guy, y’know.” And then he ran away.
---
“Black on white, white on black,” Alcor said, while putting on his costume. “Humans surely have a funny sense of humor.”
“Well, it’s a nice choice,” Sabrina said, while helping Tulip getting in her Colombina costume. The traditional Venetian character, who dressed in white and red satin made the exposed parts of her body stand out just nicely. “Plus, male humans weren’t supposed to dress white. Unless you are like Peanut and occasionally dress like a girl.”
Alcor’s head popped out of the costume’s opening. He looked surprised. “Say wut?”
“Didn’t you know? I thought you were sort of siblings now that Martin is the Sandwich pets’ co-owner.”
“Admittedly, it’s not something that ever came out. And in our play pretend sessions, he never played a girl part.” The white cat rubbed his temple. “Great, now I’ll be having mental images for the rest of the night.”
Sabrina smoothed Tulip’s costume. “When will I meet Pixel again, mama?” the kitten asked.
“When we’re home, at Babylon Gardens. You’ll see, it’s a really wonderful place. There is a lot of puppies and kittens your age.”
They knocked at the door –well, it was almost as if someone was trying to bash the door.
“Speaking of which,” Alcor said, going to the door. He opened it on the big toothy smiles of Lucky and Felix…and of the Sandwich kittens. “Ah, right on time, you guys. Tulip, come meet your new friends!”
The kitten came out. The malamute and the red tabby went all doe-eyes on her. “Daww, but she’s absolutely adorable!” Felix commented with an almost girlish voice. “Can we adopt her?” Lucky asked, half whining at the black cat.
Tulip ran back and behind Sabrina’s legs.
“Relax, no one’s going to take you away.” Sabrina gently pushed Tulip in front of herself and motioned for the kittens to come forward. “Guys, this is Miss Tulip Byron. Tulip, these are Dayshaun, Tarot, Parnok, Louise and Nutella Sandwich. They are the litter of my best friends, and a lot of fun to play with.”
“Uhm, hi?” Tulips said, timidly waving her paw.
“Hi you! Can I sniff you?” Dayshaun asked, causing Tulip to blink with puzzlement [AT: And you don’t want to see what happened when he surprise-sniffed Bino. During a club meeting]. Parnok facepawlmed. The twins giggled. Tarot just rolled her eyes. “You’ll get used to that. But he knows how to play a good tug-o’-war, at least.”
“With a yarn ball?” Tulip asked.
“Never tried that!” Dayshaun said, actually swishing his tail as if he was a puppy wagging it. “Sounds cool!”
“Great,” Parnok muttered. “Now he’s getting ideas too.”
Tulip walked to the purple-tailed male. “What?” he said, when she pouted at him.
“You’re mean.”
Parnok blushed. “I’m not! I’m a leader of this pride, and must make sure he respects his own superior nature! Instead, he’s always so…indiscplined, energetic like a—“ His face, which until that moment had looked like he had eaten an unripe lemon, assumed a comical surprise when she interrupted him with, “Like his Papa. Yes, Mama told me your secret. Can we be friends now—Eep!” This time, it was her who got surprised by Parnok’s vise-like hug.
“Ohthankyoucatyoucan’timaginehowhardistokeepthisfromeveryonewemeet!”
Tulip turned a questioning look to Sabrina. “Just don’t ask him to say it out loud that he loves his brother. He’ll never admit it.”
Parnok let go of Tulip. “Leaders don’t…don’t get emotional! I just...exaggerated with diplomacy, that’s all!”
The female giggled. “Sure, o mighty leader. What do we do now? I await your command, parón.” She even added a curtsy in character with the Venetian maidservant.
Dayshaun lit up at that. “You know the Italian Venetian dialect too?”
Tulip nodded. “I traveled a lot with Dad for his…” she started to say, then bit her lip. “He made me learn a lot of things. Can I see him now, Mama?”
Sabrina nodded. She couldn’t just expect the poor little one just to give up the person she had loved all her short life. “Okay, but you will behave. Hm?” She turned to Alcor. “Dear, you and the others go ahead. I’ll be a minute.”
Alcor nodded, adding nothing to that. He had a nagging suspicion he’d have to find another dancing partner for the night…
---
“Ok. Fine. Let’s just pretend you do have an actual relationship with a real celestial entity…” the raccoon said, before his mate interrupted him, touching his leg.
“Hon, please…” she tried, before being interrupted by the male, herself.
“No, Packard! You know I don’t like being teased—“
“Packard?!” came from Maxwell’s cell. “Stylus and Canon? I mean, were you abandoned by a hardware retailer?” The black cat chuckled.
“Exactly,” Canon said, coldly. “BestInk Buy franchise, Los Angeles. We were the mascots. Our shop closed and we were sent to the local shelter. Any problem with that?”
Max’s ears lowered with shame. “…no.” Despite him not enjoying organized forms of socialization such as the clubs, he sincerely admired the Good Old Dogs Club’s and the Schroedinger’s Circle’s efforts to send food and money from their allowance to pet charity organizations. He would never admit it, even under torture, but he had added his own secret santas for a shelter or two…
“So,” Canon got back to the initial argument. “Why imagine a dragon, of all creatures? You some D&D diehard or what?”
Maxwell rolled his eyes. “Aside from the fact that, yes, I am involved in a cosmic version of D&D, just with live pawns instead of action figures…First, some cat friends o’mine are mated with dogs, and if you can’t see anything funny with that, you have a problem. Second, Spirit Dragon is not ‘just a creature’: She is a goddess, ok? Heck, humans’ tales are filled with their divine lovers, of such species that it doesn’t surprise me they find a cat/dog pairing cute. It must be their minimum standard for normality.
“Anyway, Dragon is a…a dream! I am more than a babe magnet, dude, I can claim a goal that transcends even human myths. I can die knowing that no one will do better than ol’ Maxie!” He flashed his wide grin. “Not to mention that there are many sweet perks in such a relationship.”
Canon’s paws immediately went and covered his daughter’s ears. “I think I can imagine them, thank you.” More than once he had felt sincerely embarrassed for certain proof prints of classical paintings, to impress potential customers. So that strange cat had a point there…
Canon shook his head; he was actually falling for it, that crazy dude was good. “Say, since you’re so sure you’re living your dream, why not show her to us? I mean, she’s a goddess, it can’t be so hard for her to pay a visit to her mortal boyfriend, right?”
Max waved a paw in dismissal, sticking out his tongue. “Pff! She decided I should be left to my own devices for some while. Girls, you know.”
Canon facepawlmed. “Of course.”

And in the meantime, no one of course noticed the presences standing in the middle of the room.
“And now you know what I find in him, Petey,” Dragon, in her ‘teenager’ attire, said. “No boyfriend of mine made me feel so special, unique.”
Pete rolled his eyes. His shirt read SINE COMMENTARIA. “Considering that to any mortal you are special and unique, that…thing is also your first boyfriend since your pathetic attempts to stalk that dog, Peanut.”
“I wasn’t stalking Peanut!” And despite the veil they had raised upon themselves, the air trembled with her roar.

“Wow, what was that?” Stylus said as the crystal, bulletproof door vibrated. At the same time, the lights shimmered.
“Draggie,” Max said. “Probably your daddy is offending her. Heh.”

Dragon clasped her snout and with her eyes threw daggers at the gryphon.
Pete chuckled. “Not that your love life was really happy, right? First there was my current partner in business. Funny, he broke with you because he thought you were being a hypocrite. And he loves mortals quite more so than you.
“Then there was that brief relation with Homer, right? And finally, your attempt to steal – pardon, to win the heart – of that mortal dog after telling your former avatar to fall in love with him.” He gave her a sly smile and ogled at her. “Face it, dear: You are desperate.” On Pete’s shirt, there was now a cupid with molting wings, and a desperate expression as he was trying to impale himself with an arrow.
Dragon barely refrained from destroying that reality. “Why are you so mean?!”
“Because it’s fun. Mortals shouldn’t dictate the rules for us, babe. You’re abdicating your own immortality, your power, just to stay with a guy who will not find you so interesting once you’re done.” Pete’s shirt just read, D’OH!
Dragon was about to retort…when she realized that “You are right.” Without her divinity, she wasn’t Max’s ideal of mate, just…another mortal. But if she remained a goddess, he would be only the blink of an insect’s life in her existence…
Pete patted her shoulder. “I suggest you start an intensive training course, dear. Should I win, you’re in for another broken heart.”
“I hate you.”
---
“Is it really necessary?” Martin said while his dogs helped him adjusting the last of his costume, the Bautta. It was the most common type of costume in the Venice carnival since even before that country was a ‘Maritime Republic’. A large, white unisex dress that would hide every feature of its wearer. A short black cape covered the shoulders, and a black, unisex cocked hat and a white mask completed the features under which anyone could hide. No one was supposed to know who hid under the costume, so that during that festivity everyone could feel free to express without fears of being recognized. Hiding in plain sight as the ultimate form of freedom…
“What do you mean?” came Maud’s voice from the other room.
“These costumes. Will I not be dancing with you, tonight?”
“Perhaps, or perhaps not. Consider it a test. If your feelings for me are true, it shouldn’t be too hard to tell me in the crowd.”
“You know, I still must decide if you really love me or are just playing around.”
“Be patient, and you’ll know. Soon.”
Martin blushed. “She’ll be the death of me,” he muttered to his dogs. He put on the mask and then the hat, then examined the result in front of the mirror. “You know, guys, I wish I had your keen sense of smell.”
“We could smell her out for you,” Antares proposed.
“No you won’t,” came her voice. “And you couldn’t anyway: I will be using a scent-mask perfume. What with all those people in the salon, you’ll be lucky to find each other’s butt, if you’re lucky. Now, Martin, please go. No cheating.”
The man chuckled. “What? And leave a bella dama walk all alone in the streets?”
“There was this guy who thought that. A robber. Funny guy. He’s still walking with a wheelchair.” It was impossible of course tell if she was joking or not, but Antares and Aldebaran exchanged an impressed expression before saying to Martin, “We like her.”

“That will teach me to read more the gossip tabloids,” Martin said while they walked along the bridge.
The night was cool, the sky was shining in its starry glory, and what was left of the Moon was just the thinnest slice. The ships’ light were designed to minimize the impact of luminous pollution, and it showed. Instead of the ship being a luminous festoon, every light was redirected downward and inward. You could walk along the bridge in all safety by following the glowing strips in the floor.
“You really didn’t know that she once defeated single-handedly a gang outside a discoteque?” Antares asked. Aldebaran nodded vigorously.
Martin shook his head. “Okay, okay, so I knew but I thought it was some…embellishing of the truth.”
Aldebaran shook his head, mimicking his Dad’s gesture. “Oh, no, it’s all true. She studied in the best martial art schools. Mr. Gottschalk wanted her to be the best.”
“And she didn’t disappoint him, yup.”
Martin rolled his eyes. “Great. I am a financial dwarf in front of her, and now I can’t even compare as defender of her virtues. I really wonder what she ever found in me.”
“Who cares?” Antares said. “It’s what you find in her that counts.”
Martin ruffled his head fur. Aldebaran whined and the man did the same to him. “Sound as always. Now let’s just—“ he stopped at the sight of two particular pets tenderly dancing in each other arms, in their costumes.
“Why are Peanut and Grape dancing all alone?” Antares whispered to his human, just a moment before husband and wife kissed tenderly.
Martin blushed and gently pushed his dogs away. “I think that they just need to enjoy their time together. Come on, pups.”

Grape broke the kiss and leaned her head over Peanut’s shoulder, purring. “I knew I could count on you. I can’t wait to see what you will do on the island.”
“Oh, I have a couple ideas for that, too.” Provided she would not kill him. More than once.

HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES
Season IV – Episode 13
FIN
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Cataloochee »

grapenut returns with a mighty vengeance. thank you for your effort Val. can't wait for more
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Great chapter that you wrote valero! I think it came out very nice! It definitely is a good read when you read it! Here is to many more!
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

Oh, and By the way:
ADA is (c) STU, and features in the awesome webcomic THE HIGHEST BET
Shamelessly used with permission 8-)
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by dtlux1 »

Amazee Dayzee wrote:Great chapter that you wrote valero! I think it came out very nice! It definitely is a good read when you read it! Here is to many more!
Great, you make me want to read it, but I have 4 to 7 more months before I get to this point at the current rate I am reading.
valerio wrote:Oh, and By the way:
ADA is (c) STU, and features in the awesome webcomic THE HIGHEST BET
Shamelessly used with permission 8-)
I need to give that a read sometime.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Looks like you have fallen really behind on your reading huh?
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Amazee Dayzee wrote:Looks like you have fallen really behind on your reading huh?
3 years behind, as I started in the middle of August. I have a lot to read before I have to go through the pain of waiting for update, and if this story has other stories that inspire it, I have to read those too, adding time onto my reading. :D
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Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Good luck with that. You are gonna be here for eternity.
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Amazee Dayzee wrote:Good luck with that. You are gonna be here for eternity.
I was well aware of that after a week of reading. :D

After you start, you can't stop. 8-)
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Obbl »

Just a friendly reminder to not let the conversation drift. If you want to discuss how amazing this fanfic is, that's great. If things start descending into banter and cracking jokes, kindly move the conversation to PMs or the Chat Thread.
Thank you :D

How'd Ada get here :? Interdemensional time warp or something :lol:
And go Peanut! He's got a brilliant mind when he puts his mind to it... or something like that :D
There're so many subplots going on... I love all the stories, but my mind is about bursting at the seams here :P (Please do/don't add anything more) :lol:
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

Obbl wrote:Just a friendly reminder to not let the conversation drift. If you want to discuss how amazing this fanfic is, that's great. If things start descending into banter and cracking jokes, kindly move the conversation to PMs or the Chat Thread.
Thank you :D

How'd Ada get here :? Interdemensional time warp or something :lol:
And go Peanut! He's got a brilliant mind when he puts his mind to it... or something like that :D
There're so many subplots going on... I love all the stories, but my mind is about bursting at the seams here :P (Please do/don't add anything more) :lol:
Well, for all we know ADA could have been just created in this time. Behold, ADA R1! 8-) :lol:
Oh, wait until you see the next surprise! And no, no more subplots. Not to mention there will be enough to work with once they arrive at Meriweather! :lol: :lol:
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Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Well then we wait for the next installment to be posted with great anticipation.
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HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES
Season IV – Episode 14
MEANWHILE AT HOME (AGAIN)
By VALERIO

1.
Lindberg House, Babylon Gardens

A feline silhouette carrying a backpack knocked at the entrance door. “Fo-ox? It’s me, may I in?”
Not hearing an answer from inside the house, the blue-furred female cat looked at the door’s handle, pondering if going all the way…
Eventually, the door opened. The cat’s head peeked in, ears flicking attentively. “Foxie? It’s me, Allegra. You said you wanted to see me, remember?”
Still, not a sound from the ground floor’s room.
Allegra entered and closed the door behind her. Her whiskers twitched nervously. What if it was some prank? Fox used to be part of Bino’s gang after all, and they had never been nice with that poor Peanut dog, and only because Peanut liked cats—
Then she heard it. Her ears moved like radar dishes.
Upstairs. So stifled, even another cat could’ve missed it. And all of Allegra’s doubts melted into a pool of worry. “Fox?” She run upstairs, her steps almost inaudible.
She had just reached the upstairs floor, when she heard it again. A stifled sob, first door to the left. This time, she didn’t hesitate.

The door opened. “Fox, are you alri—oh.” She felt stupid for asking before she even finished the question.
Of course her husky friend was not alright. He was lying down on his bed, all cuddled up against his pillow, his face wet by his own tears. He really looked like a mess. “Oh, hey…Allegra,” he said with a trembling voice, almost not recognizing her.
She watched him unfurling, feeling for a moment totally out of place, as if intruding his life.
But it lasted that moment only. The cat took off the backpack and sat down by his side. “Hey, h-pup, what happened? Uhm…” Allegra tried to think of something witty to say to lighten him up. And failed. I don’t even really know him, we’re just hanging out for such a short time, there should be a *real* friend with him!
Fox sat up and took a tissue from the box over the nightstand. He blew his nose with the strength of a sax. “Thanks,” he said when Allegra, making a face, passed him the trash bin. “Ah, sorry for the mess. I mean—“ Whatever he wanted to say, he stopped when her paw went to his shoulder.
“You have nothing to be sorry, h-pup. But again, what happened? I never saw you like this.” In fact, come to think of it, no one had ever seen him like that, far as she knew. Fox hadn’t just the reputation of being a crypup.
For the first time, Fox smiled. “’H-pup’. I think I like it.”
Allegra blushed slightly. “Thanks.”
The husky sighed. “Fact is… I had just this fight with Duchess. She wanted me to perform with her in this video for the charity context. Big thing, but…”
“But you like her, too, right?” Allegra winked at him. Although that Saluki had the reputation of a killer, literally, she was also a very sought female—
“What?! No, no, no!” Fox, his pupils shrunk, underlined that concept waving his paws as if the very name was a physical presence to keep at bay. “I mean…” another sigh. “I realized I didn’t want to be a gregarious once again.
“King and Bailey are on that cruise, and dog knows they deserve it… But where does this leave me? I am here, alone, with a bunch of ‘friends’ whose main purpose is still making fun of cat-lovers and orbiting around Bino –who, now that Fido is going to leave the K9U, will become the new superstar and thus even more insufferable. And I’d like to…to have a life of my own, someone to relate to for who I am, but I just can’t seem to find—“ He was starting to burst again, but then her arms encircled his shoulder in a tender hug.
“If you want, I can purr for you. It helps,” Allegra said.
Fox shook his head, not really knowing what else to do. “Eh, nah, really. Actually, you’re doing enough already. I’m already feeling better, thank you.”
She let him go. “Good. So,” she asked, tail tip swishing with curiosity, “want to do something for fun? To cheer you up?”
Fox blinked. “Err, I got this squeaky bone—“ He stopped when he saw her frowning.
“Something that a cat too could enjoy, h-pup. Come on, I would like to get to know you better. There must be more to you than books and pack-instinct.”
“Well, I didn’t exactly do much to get out of my comfort zone, I admit it…but…” the first, true smile came to his lips. “There is one thing I’d love to do when I was a pup! Come!” He got off the bed. Allegra did the same and took her backpack.

The light bulb turned on, and the darkness was filled with a pale light.
Allegra looked around the attic. Every box there was neatly piled and aligned, no wasted spaces. And no unpleasant smells from mice or rats. Every corner was clean, except for a fine coating of du--*Etzì!*!”
“Gesundheit,” Fox said. “Sorry, my wagging must be moving the dust.”
Allegra sniffled. “Stop saying ‘sorry’, OK?”
“Ok. Sor—“ Fox chuckled, and went to a pile of boxes. “You know, there was something special with being King’s friend,” he said, putting away the boxes from the top. “For the first time since I was a pup, I didn’t feel like I had to follow someone. King needed someone to rely on, to become a better dog, and I did my best to help him. I also went as far as asking Dad to let Bailey come live at the Gardens, hoping that would bring King out of his shell once and for all…” When he found the right box, Fox pulled it over and tore into the tape with his claw.
“But the plan backfired, well, sort of,” Allegra said. “Now King won’t need you like before.”
Fox paused, then threw a hard look at the cat. “Now, please, don’t twist my words. I helped out my best friend and I would do it again, and I didn’t do it out of some shadowy interest. It’s just that…” He started cutting the tape again. “It’s just that I don’t want to go back following the pack…Ah!” he opened the lids and his head and almost half of his upper body disappeared into the box, his tail wagging hard. A moment later, he reemerged holding in his paws a neatly folded black piece of clothing, a small yellow bandanna and a wooden staff. “This was my idea of fun, back then.” He unfolded the clothing, revealing a tiny, puppy-sized trench coat and gave it to Allegra.
The cat just sniffed at the items and touched them, trying to make a sense out of them. “Was this your Halloween costume?”
“No. Hold it there a second…” This time, from the box he produced…a picture. A nice, framed picture of a certain husky puppy, all dressed up and posing in ‘Matrix’ style with the staff ready to strike and the bandanna draped over his muzzle. The pose and his expression spoke out ‘Fierce warrior!’.
Image
Allegra went all “Squeeeee!!!” instead, as she hugged the empty trench coat. “Oh by Cheshire and Poe! But you were one cute puppy!”
Fox looked at the picture. “Yes, I had this effect. Purely unintentional, I can assure you. I was the ‘toughest of toughies’, the terror of all cats—Ack!” that came when he saw her doing a total ‘doe face’, with big teary eyes and a trembling lip.
“Y-you would’ve hit me with da bad staff then?” Allegra said with a trembling, kitten’s voice.
Fox had to turn his head from that spectacle. “Please stop it! I just can’t stand them doe eyes, no!”
Allegra went back to normal and caressed the small trench coat. “Nah, relax. Not to mention that I could’ve beaten the fur off you, had you tried to be meanie on me.”
Fox flashed her a wide, confident grin. “Oh, really, feline? You didn’t know me back then.”
She did the same. “No, you didn’t know me back then, housepet. Lived on the road, literally, remember?”
“Dognapped. Twice. Plus, self-defense lessons.”
Allegra nodded, snorting like a bull, staring in his eyes. “Good for you.”
He did the same. “Good for you.”
“There’s only a way we can decide who could best who.”
Without altering his serious, challenging tone, Fox said, “I don’t have a trench coat of the proper size. Or a staff.”
Allegra’s tailtip swished with mirth again. “I can provide the stuff. For both of us. Any old clothes in there?” Her head aimed at the boxes.
Fox followed her gaze. “Uhm, yes?”
“Good!” She went and took her backpack. “Which ones?”
---
Babylon Gardens Police Station

The plastic wrapping contained a neatly folded blue jacket with the golden K9-U logo emblazoned on it. A whistle. A radio for collar. A can of pepper spray. Protective Goggles. The locker’s keys. A towel and a bag with assorted personal hygiene items.
Ralph looked at the bag one more time, before taking it from the paws dog standing smartly in front of him. “Are you sure you want to go through this, Officer?”
Fido looked the bag that, in a plastic nutshell, contained his years as cop dog. “The question is rhetorical, Sergeant, as I already signed up all the papers.”
“No second thoughts? At all?” Kevin, standing beside the German Shepherd, asked.
Fido smiled, but his eyes didn’t. “There are many new fine police dogs around, now. If nothing else, Bino will try to out-career me just to prove he’s better. And he may even surprise you, one day.”
Ralph and Kevin exchanged a long stare, Ralph then said, “If that was a joke, I don’t get it.”
Fido wagged his tail. “Trust me. Anyway, I’ll keep being part of the community events, so don’t write me off. And I will be busy teaching the ferals to read and write. But I need more time to dedicate to my family. Please, don’t take it hard on me for this.”
Kevin shrugged. “I only remember when you said that by doing the cop you’re following your instincts. And you were quite adamant about that. You didn’t even want us to celebrate you.”
Fido put a paw on his old friend’s shoulder. “That I did, and I don’t regret one single day of my job. But one other wise fur said ‘We’re not all instincts and appetites’. Much as I will miss all of this, now it’s time to move on and take care of my family. Sabrina adopted this new kitten on her cruise to Meriweather Island, and that’s my cue. At least, she’s stopped thinking of having one with Alcor—“ He stopped when Ralph discreetly cleared his throat.
“This is not an interrogation, Fido. Whatever the reason for leaving the K9U, as long as it’s not based on illegal premises, we shall not judge.”
Fido nodded. “Yes, Sergeant. Ralph. Thank you.” He extended his paw…and found himself held in a strong one-arm hug, Ralph’s other paw still holding the bag. It was so sudden and unexpected that both Fido and Kevin were at loss for words and reaction.
Eventually, the former cop dog hugged back his old friend. “Uhh, thanks, Ralph?”
Ralph broke the hug. “You say anything to anyone about this, I’ll deny.”
“Cub’s word. Tell the others hi, please.” Fido had carefully chosen the time, so as not to meet the others. He still felt like he was betraying their trust and comradeship and didn’t want to run the risk of turning this goodbye into some confrontation.
“We will.” Kevin nodded and almost squeezed the life out of Fido. “Good luck with your new life, tomboy.”
Fido sighed. “I will never be free from your cat jokes, will I?”
Kevin winked. “Hey, I’m not judging, but you must admit you’re one weird pup.”

The first thing he did when he walked out the station was to take the phone and call Sabrina…but just when he fished the phone from his collar, he thought better. It was of no use to give her other thoughts right now, she deserved to enjoy her cruise.
“One’s sense of mortality can work miracles when it comes to principles, eh?” said a gruffy voice. One Fido recognized immediately.
The voice of a dog who looked like Peanut Butter Sandwich from the future. “Oh, hi Bud,” Fido said, resisting the urge to salute smartly. “If you don’t mind me asking,” he went on, putting the phone back into his collar, “what did you just mean?”
The two dogs started walking across the parking lot. “I was content with my job as instructor at the Academy, but when I heard about my own son’s near-death experience, I almost dropped everything just to stay at his side. I started relaxing when he came to from his coma and moved on with his life… But when he decided to just join the Academy and become a K9U, I knew I had to save him from his decision. And watch over him after that.”
Fido nodded. “After my own NDE…I knew that something had changed. And learning about certain aspects of Sabrina’s past was also…sort of revealing.
“At first I blamed her for never telling me about her days as kitten, her travels, her…friends.” Fido drew a deep breath, and almost bent in two when he let it go. “But it was my fault for never asking. I took her for granted in that, and it wasn’t her fault. If I want to change everything for the better, for us and our kittens, I must make a choice. And my job is not more important than my family.”
Budweiser nodded. “I don’t know about your girlfriend, pup, but I know you. And I know you took the right decision.”
Fido smiled weakly as he put his paw behind his head. “So, you’re not disappointed?”
Budweiser patted his back and actually wagged his tail –though Fido wasn’t sure he had actually seen that, it had happened so fast. “Just as I wasn’t when Peanut left before he regretted it. So, what will you be doing now? Aside from social work, that is.”
“Oh, Bud, come on, I’m not that foreseeable! I will, err, uhm…” he put a finger under his chin. “As I said, I will just, ah…”
“Let me guess: No hobbies.”
“N-not true! It’s just that I’d rather….serve the community. It’s a duty, nothing to be ashamed of! Sir!”
Bud bent forward, paws behind his back, grinning like a fox. “No hob-beee…”
Fido hung his head down. “Any suggestion, Sir?”
“Don’t you have any special interest? Sabrina and being a cop aside, I mean.”
“Ah, I guess I could’ve played with Pixel…but she’s aboard the ship. Teleportation. She’ll be back tonight.” It was one good thing to share secrets with one of the few dogs who could understand magic: No awkward excuses. “And this leaves me with nothing to do and a growing separation anxiety problem.”
Bud’s pupils shrunk at those words. “SAP?! You?” [AT – Wanted to use ‘syndrome’ instead of ‘problem’. Don’t you think it’d sound MUCH cooler for a psych problem?]
“Yup. Never realized I had it this bad: I mean, I could control it during the shifts. She’d do her quests when I was away, too, so that we could be together in our free time. But now…”
“I see. So you need a friend to keep you focused. Go to the Club, you should find plenty of them.”
Fido shook his head with an emphasis. “No! Last thing I want is to be treated with sympathy by my supporters as if I had disappointed them, and…like the king of losers by Bino’s supporters. But you’re right, I need to spend some time with someone. I hope Fox is home.”
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Post by D3ath_0ps »

Welp, I can't wait to see what happens next! I wonder if Fido will stumble into Fox and Allegra? That would be fun to see! :P
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Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I'm loving how this story arc is playing out. It is very good. Nice job on writing this!
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Cataloochee »

no words on a computer screen can express the happiness that I have. by far my favorite chapter so far, thank you based valerio
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by valerio »

2.
Lindberg House. The attic.

“Wow, this stuff is really good,” Fox said, while browsing through the pages of the thickly, neatly handwritten bloc notes. “This adaptation of Hitoshi Kon’s novel is…really well-rendered.”
“Hm-m,” the blue-furred, striped cat mumbled through a mouthful of pins, a green visor shielding her sight from the naked bulb’s light, while her paws rummaged with an old, white trench coat.
Fox flashed her a smile, his tail lightly thumping against the wooden floor. “And you were just waiting for the right occasion, hm?”
“Hm-m.”
“I didn’t know you were into sewing,” Fox said. For what he knew about the matter, she was doing a good job. “And I didn’t know you had a sewing kit in your backpack.” The husky tilted his head. “Exactly, what else do you have in that backpack?” She had handed him the bloc notes, so he really didn’t know.
Allegra quickly finished paw-sewing the hemlines and inserted the pins. She then took a pair of scissors from the kit laying by her. “Everything useful, h-pup,” she answered, before cutting the sleeve in correspondence of the helmlines. “First rule of a stray: Always ready. The human scouts took inspiration from us, but they would never admit it… Oh, you’re turning pale, are you alright?”
Fox cringed at the progressing, unannounced destruction of one of his Dad’s old clothes. “Uh, I hope you’re sure about…that. Because Dad—“
“Agent Bill never even cared to check his own stuff,” she interrupted him with a shrug. Then ‘snip snip snip’ went the scissors on the other sleeve, making Fox cringe as if was hearing nails on a chalkboard. “And I’m sure he’d like to see that his old stuff was put to use. I mean, he definitely grew out of these clothes anyway.”
“And how would you know that?”
Allegra examined her handiwork, her tongue sticking out one side of her mouth. “From time to time, I pay a visit to Ms. Levander. She has a small laboratory at home. She participated to Project Runway, and she loves everything cat. She taught me something about nip&tuck, so here we are. I know human size and these clothes are no longer good for Dad. But you could always stop me, right?”
Fox didn’t. He kept sitting there, looking at her working with expertise, undecided if it was again his gregarious streak to guide him or just the curiosity to see what would she do. Or if it was the fear of driving her away. “And what would be the rest of ‘everything useful’ in there? If I’m not being too nosy, that is.”
“You can check it out, if you want. Just put everything back in.”
Fox nodded and took the thing. “Wow, it’s…heavy.” Small, but heavy like a watermelon.
“Oh, you get used to it. You can’t imagine the number of times it came useful as a weapon.”
Fox kneeled in front of the backpack and zipped it open. “I can imagine it.” That also said something about the real strength of that apparently delicate kitty. “Don’t you wish you had an owner?”
“Nah. I like my freedom more than a collar, even though I have to carry one when I’m around. Which reminds me…may I?” And before waiting for an answer, she unlatched her own collar and put it down on the floor. “Hmm, much better.” She massaged her now exposed neck. “Seriously, how can you guys keep those things on all day long—Fox? What’s up?” she added when she saw the husky staring with his hardest blush so far. And she actually posed in a seductive way, caressing her throat, eyes half-closed and her voice lowered to a tone that could have melt concrete. “First time all alone with…a naked lady, pup?”
Fox shook his head so hard that one could almost hear is brain banging against his skull. “Ah, eh…Just took me by surprise, that’s…all! Yes!” He decided he could just examine the backpack’s content, though his cheeks were still burning.
Allegra chuckled. “You doggies are so fun. Human customs really rubbed off on you.”
“And you cats are shady. Always known that.”
“We prefer ‘free agents’, thank you. So, like what you see there?”
‘Interested’ was the word Fox would’ve used. He took out and put on the floor:

- A can opener
- Two cans of spam
- A bottle of water
- A First aid kit
- Antivenin shot kit
- A flashlight
- An…original-looking clockwork mouse
- A tiny ‘His Master’s Voice’ carillon box
- Two decks of cards
- A cellophane bag with seven nip rolls
- A small flask. Full.

Fox opened the flask and prudently sniffed at the content inside. He blinked and frowned. “Anise?” He quickly recapped the flask.
Without stopping her work, Allegra said. “Liquid diplomacy. It helped me strike some good deals with…weaker watchdogs. And pay attention to Ms. Quirk. She doesn’t like being winded up by other people.
Fox looked at the stuff, and of course Allegra must be talking about the clockwork mouse. “Did you give a name to it? It’s…cute.”
This time, the cat interrupted to smile at the dog. “Why, thank you, really. Ms. Quirk is of good company when she wants to.” Then she rolled her eyes before going back to work. “But she can be such a looousy player. I mean, she takes forever to play her hand during our card games. She always tries to get on my nerves, but she should’ve learned that it won’t work anymore”
Fox blinked, definitely confused now. “Are you serious?”
“Yup. At least, since promising her I wouldn’t play the carillon anymore. Luckily, she’s not one to put up a grudge. And why are you smiling like a dopey now?” She asked when she noticed him looking at her with a dreamy look.
“Oh, it’s just that you suddenly remind me of…another dog I know.”
“One that must have made a good impression, h-pup. Who would that be?”
“Oh, an engaged one: Sasha.”
“Bino’s wife? Funny girl, she still believes in unicorns: I mean, a Pegasus is so much more awesome. And what do you believe in?”
“Uh…” Funny thing, no one outside King and Bailey hadn’t even cared to ask –OK, also because he didn’t want to sound silly. “A-Anubis. I guess. I mean, he’s awesome.”
Allegra made a face. “The god that takes care of judging the dead and embalming them? Ew. I thought something…happier.”
“Well, it is a recurring problem with fantastic canines. Given their long-time bonds of duty to the human households, and the scorn given to the feral ones, in culture we are perceived either as loyal servants with a knack to self-sacrifice or as scavengers for the netherworld. Wild canines get more often a better rap because humans for some reason perceive undomesticated animals as ‘superior’, even ‘noble’. And most of them will openly deny that animals too aim to a better life—“ A blue-furred finger on his lips made him shut up and blush (again).
“Teasing, h-pup. Relax, will you? I actually like your choice, and don’t forget that, in the realm of fantastic, cats are way more often seen as evildoers. It took modern Sci-Fi and humans such as Robert Heinlein to give us a better image. But today is not a time for cultural exchanges, though I like that a lot. Do you still have the list?” She tapped his brow.
Fox nodded. At that, Allegra patted his cheek. “Good boy. Now go and prepare the rest of the stuff while I finish here.”

Whistling a tune, wagging his tail, the husky had just made it to the ground floor, when he heard a knock at the door.
For a moment, his good humor seemed to evaporate from his face as he considered locking the door… But he was way past those actions. Instead, sighing, he went for the door, hoping it wasn’t one of Bino’s lackeys. He hadn’t lied to Allegra or himself: He didn’t want to ‘just hang around’ with the gang anymore… “Oh, hey Fido,” he said to the dog standing at door.
“Hi there, stranger. Thought I’d check on you, if you don’t mind.”
Fox let Fido in and closed the door. “Absolutely not, but…I mean, weren’t you supposed to be on patrol?”
Fido nodded. “Ah, I resigned,” he said, trying to sound casual about it.
The husky looked as if Ivan Drago had punched him. Hard. “Wut?”
Fido went to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and took out the necessary to fix a ham&mayo sandwich. “No big deal, really. I was tired of dividing my loyalty between the Force and my family. And I chose my family. Other dogs can do my work, but none can do the husband and father. Oh, and yes, we are stalling because now Sabrina think it would be neat to get married in Feraga, at the presence of King Jata, now that his country opened his borders again. She is waiting for Jata’s diplomatic visit here, and then we’ll go to Feraga. I mean, ‘we’ as in Pixel and Tulip as well. Oh, hadn’t I told you about Tulip, right? New kitten Sabby has just adopted aboard the Sea Dragon—“ It wasn’t clear if he stopped to take a breath, but Fido surely started sniffing the air in the direction of fox. “You smell like cat.”
Fox’s ears splayed down as he considered a number of excuses…but then he realized he really hadn’t to justify himself. “Ah, I have a guest. Allegra, the waitress at ‘Heathcliff’s’. Upstairs. Attic.”
Fido’s eyes brightened. “Of course, I remember her. Excellent waitress and…a fine-looking girl as well.” The hound shamelessly ogled at his friend and gave him the widest sly grin. “So puppy discovered the dangerous love at last, eh?”
Fox felt like collapsing under the table in shame. “No,” he whined. “We were just preparing to… You know, doing things, I mean… Having fun. No…”
“We are preparing to play pretend an adaption of ‘Shadows of our Masters’, you sick sick pup,” Allegra said from behind Fido. The cat was carrying two folded clothes, one white and one black, and the bloc notes on top. “I don’t see you working, h-pup. Come on, it’s not fun without weapons.”
Fox frowned at her. “I can imagine that, since you will be armed. I can rely only on my martial arts skills.”
She stuck out her tongue. “Hey, who said he had taken self-defense courses against dognapping?”
“All right, all right, going.” Fox lifted his paws in surrender, turned and went to the broom closet. “And not a word on my pet name, Fido, or I’ll tell her the one Sabrina gave you,” he added while rummaging in the closet.
Fido finished preparing his sandwich and took a bite out of it. “Ain’t it a little…elaborate?” He asked while munching, then swallowed the mouthful. “For a game of play pretend, I mean. I played some good ones with Peanut’s family with paper bags only.”
Fox came back with a couple of broomsticks. Allegra put the clothes on the table. “I saw Fox’s picture when he was a pup, with that adorable trench and bandanna. I want to play with him all dressed up, it will be epic!” She handed Fido the bloc notes. “I wrote up an adaption of that novel. Japanese stuff. Feel free to get bored.”
Fido took the bloc, though his attention was drawn to a specific part of her anatomy. Starting to blush heavily, the hound touched his neck. “Ah, collar? Forgot it?”
She shrugged. “Oh. Left it in my backpack, upstairs. Can’t put it on with the ninja costume. What, afraid that your lady might get jelly?”
Fido didn’t answer but decided that he could dedicate all his attention to the script, ears well-splayed down. Fox decided not to say anything smart concerning turnabout and fair play.
“Okay, h-pup. Now we need only some adhesive tape, and before you ask it, we’ll have to play in the garden. I don’t think your Dad would appreciate anything broken.”
Fox nodded. “Yup. Hey, Fido, since we’re at it, why not join? There is room for another character. Right, Allegra?”
Before the cat could answer, Fido said, in his most pensive voice, keeping his eyes glued to the pages, “Even more than one. Actually…” he finally lifted his eyes and looked at her, “Do you think you could work on more costumes?”
Allegra blinked. “Uh, I guess so. But it would take time. Why?”
Fido smiled. He took what was left of the sandwich, and gobbled it. “The charity context: I have in mind the best pets for the cast, and one of them could easily gather the workforce to sew up the costumes. With you two as the main stars and the right pet at the direction, we could pull this stunt in time for tonight’s performance. We can sign up as independent team, even at the last moment since the rules allow it.” His boredom well forgotten, Fido was already running on familiar grounds. He and his brothers had this in common: The instinct to organize things, perhaps there was some Border Collie in their gene pools...
Fox looked at the wall clock. “Well, we’re really on a tight schedule, even without having money issues…” But he must admit it: He was feeling excited at the idea of…starring in a public performance. He felt as if a lid had been lifted, bit by bit. “But you know what? I’m in. Allegra?” He looked at the cat with his best puppy eyes. “Please, I can’t do this without you. You know the play better than anyone we could recruit.”
The cat hesitated for a moment, then shook her head, visibly thinking it again and again, then... “What the Friskies! I can do this, and teach a lesson to the Good Ol’ Dogs club, too.”
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

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I love were this is going! It sounds really nice so far.
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

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3.
(unspeakable Japanese name) House, Babylon Gardens [AT – Yes, I decided to make fun of this habit of mine, so there!]

“This is the first name on the neighborhood’s list,” Fido said, ready to ring the bell. “If we can get him in the cast on such a short notice, it will be piece of cake with the others. Ready?”
Fox and Allegra nodded. Both were carrying a backpack.
Fido pushed the bell button…and was rewarded with the tinkling, soothing sound of wind chimes, but the pets hadn’t the time to comment on that, before the door opened, revealing a Tanuki in the flesh and bones. “Konnichiwa, my most honored neighbors,” the animal said, in a good English tinted with a cute Japanese accent, bowing slightly, paws clasped in front of his blue fudoshi. “Welcome to my humble abode. What can I do for you?”
Fido struggled for words, for a moment, but then said, “Ah, Itsuki, we wanted to ask you a favor—“ but he was interrupted by another formal bow, and then Itsuki moved aside, indicating them to enter. “Please! I won’t have my much honored guests to talk to me in such…inconvenient predicament. Plese, do come in.”
The three pets shrugged and walked in. Itsuki closed the door and pointed at the couch. “Please sit. I’d offer tea, but I perceive you’re in a hurry. So, again, what can I do for you?”
“A recital,” Fox said. “We need a cast of Japanese culture-smart animals. For tonight’s charity context: An adaptation of ‘Shadows of Our Masters’ by Kon Hitoshi.” Luckily, the husky had remembered to refer to an author by the surname first. “And we all agree that you will make a perfect Shogun Wakamatsu. Are you in?”
The first thing Itsuki did was to produce a Blackberry smartphone and went all *ditditditditdit* over the keyboard with lightning speed-thumbs. A few seconds later, the phone let out an electronic whine of lamentation. Itsuki said, as his eyes scanned the screen, “I should postpone today’s study program and training program, accumulate recordings on my Tivo, ask for a leave to Sandwich-sama, do an extra hour of yoga in order to make the best of the few sleep left and not wake up with a tummyache…” Then his eyes met Fido’s. “Any reason I should deconstruct today’s existence? Your intentions are noble and I feel honored, but I already donated for the charity event.”
Fox handed Itsuki his own phone. “She said you would’ve probably asked it.”
A puzzled tanuki took the phone and prudently leaned it against his ear. “Moshi moshi?”
“The shogun of that story has a consort,” said a familiar, feminine voice that almost caused him a nosebleed. “I will be there soon for the rehearsal. And ‘Shadows of our Masters’ is my favorite story from the Japanese tradition. Can we count on you?”
To his honor, Itsuki kept his wits as he just said “Hai, Tsuki-San.” And gave back the phone to Fox. Then *Toss* went the phone over the tanuki’s shoulder. “I guess I can find a free slot for you. And worry not about the schedule. I am used to 25 hours shifts to meet my goals.”
“But a day has only—“ Allegra said.
“Exactly. Now, who is next? And I hope you have chosen animals with discipline, respect for my culture and true dedication to a noble cause.”
Fox and Fido exchanged a worried look, but chose to say nothing. After all, they could be sure of one of those qualities, at least…
---
Parker House (or BIGGLESWORTH RANGE, as the crudely painted sign at the beginning of the pathway would read)

“…But you just can’t roll for both the sword and a fireball!” Joey rolled his eyes from behind the Game Master screen.
“I just obtained a Flaming Ice Sword of Kathar, the brown dachshund said, as if stating the most elementary fact in the world to an exasperating child. “Sword. Fire. What’s to think about?!”
“The sword can’t throw fireballs! That is just a spell, not an artifact--*sigh* Look, Lester, you have a class II Elemental Fire Wizard companion, ask him to roast a bunch of zombie crows.” His finger pointed at the Dalmatian sitting at Lester’s side.
Dallas just grinned hopefully and wagged his tail, ready to roll.
Lester wasn’t definitely sharing that enthusiasm. “You can’t even outfire a drake,” he said with a flat voice.
Dallas just crossed his arms and ‘hmph’ed. “I can! Not my fault if they keep evading my fireballs!”
Lester turned back to Joel. “See?!”
Joey considered, again, the ‘nuclear option’: A sudden mana burst, gift of the divinities, that would grant Lester that one and only overpowered attack to get rid of all enemies in a 4-sector radius.
Despite the warning to use such gift with wisdom, last time Lester had got rid of a ghoul attack to an Elvish village he had also got rid of the whole Kingdom of Ahl-Azun. The rest of the mission had consisted of surviving the rightful wrath of the newly created wraiths…
They knocked at the door. Grateful for the interruption, Joey got down the chair and went to the door. “I’ll get it. And Lester, don’t write ‘rules suck!’ on the screen again, please.”
Lester, who was just ready with an indelible pink marker, huffed and recapped it. “Killjoy.”

Joey opened the door. “Oh, hey guys, what—Itsuki!” He wagged his tail at the sight of the Tanuki. “What a nice surprise, what can I do for you?”
“It’s D&D day, right?” Fido asked his youngest brother.
Joey nodded happily. “The others are inside. Why?” he asked with a sudden, puzzled frown.
“Well, we are forming this cast for a late night theater performance. Very late, actually, given it’s a last minute idea. And so, we’re recruiting pets with an expertise in Japanese traditional folklore. To, err, recreate ‘Shadows of our Masters’. Everything is written already, and we contacted Tsuki Miyugi at Terrace High to recruit the rest of the cast and for the logistic. But we still need a director and some workforce. We thought that perhaps you could lend us the Bigglesworth, since you’re married with one of them. And that you, Lester and Dallas could coordinate—Joey?” Finally Fido realized he was talking to thin air. He looked around. “Where’d he go? I rolled my eyes only once.”
Fox pointed behind himself with a thumb. “Ran that way together with the guys. Looked pretty excited.”
“I think we should go ask for Fino, now, hai?” Itsuki suggested.
Fido nodded. Knowing Joey, it would be a matter of minutes before he had his own staff ready to go... Not to mention that Tsuki had her own work to do…
---
Love for Life pet Club, Terrace High

“Thank you for answering on such short notice.” Tsuki bowed thankfully to her guests. “I remember you as readers and fans of this traditional novel. This should also help us learning our roles faster.” The Akita Inu looked at the assembled group of animals –well, most of them.
Clarice Hunters was the only human present. Due to her severe, chronic illness, she had to wear a protective suit with a breather/filter. A condition that would’ve easily crushed the spirit of many kids forced to live in a protected environment 24/7…but in the case of Clarice, she had never given up her cheerful mood.
It was ironic that it was her who had to play an important role in the play.
Tsuki addressed a male red fox sitting in the front row. “Rommel-san—“
“Edwin, meine lieber Freundin. Just Edwin for you, too, guys.” The fox looked at Clarice, anticipating Tsuki’s request. “I can turn our human friend into a perfect Empress Aiko, without this causing her any harm during the play. She will be beautiful just like the original. Oh, and of course, I happen to have a complete set of costumes and weapons inspired from the original work. Fan thing.”
Tsuki gave a look to the second fox present, a female of rare beauty, more the living archetype of a vixen than just a specimen. Nusku knew it and that tended to cause problems to many males.
“So…I will be sort of haunted by a true ghost?” Nusku asked, caressing her whiskers. “Flashy.”
“Oh, it will be.” Tsuki was quite laid back about the spirit world, it was part of her heritage. She was happy to see that the others were, well, accommodating as well.” We need a Kitsune, and to save on special effects Morrigan will possess you. You will be in control of your actions, but it will be Morrigan to do the magic.”
Everyone looked at the ghost cat hovering, as usual, just close to her quite living friend, the cat Elizabeth Rozen. Both living and ghost grinned and waved.
“Liz, Morrigan will do the same with you since you must represent Yōkina hikari o warau, the—“
Liz raised her paw. “I know, I know! The Laughing Cheerful Light: The Kodama in the flower that belongs to the handsome ronin.” She threw a look full of bubbling hearts to the quite handsome male snow leopard sitting in the same row. “It was a very cold night, and so he cut a tree without praying first. But he also took a flower to carry with him as sign of respect of the tree’s beauty and the kodama fell in love with him, accompanying him ever since.” Then came another romantic sigh.
“I’m sure we will work very well together,” Flash Gordon said with an amiable smile. Then, to Tsuki. “Did someone remember that I can only eat unprocessed, raw meat?”
The female canine nodded. “Hope you like fish. Your character surely did.”
“Tell you what,” a familiar Rhodesian Ridgeback dog said to the green-furred Australian Terrier sitting close to him, “I’m happy that our characters work together and are not into romance. Ew.” He grimaced, tongue sticking out.
“Just remember that violence is fictional as well, Volant,” Elpis Karahalios said, while listening to his part of the script. He and Volant were supposed to be the blind seer at the service of the Empress and her guardian angel, the mightiest of warriors, a Kage no Ken, a Shadow Sword, the most loyal of warriors. “And don’t worry, one day you’ll find your love,” he added with a casual tone that didn’t hide a snicker.
Volant was about to reply, when a Persian cat raised his paw in warning. “Don’t do or say anything that could cause legal intervention, pup,” Drake Verde said, his housemate the boxer Butch nodding wisely from his own position. Then the cat turned to Tsuki. “Are you sure I am going to be the corrupt court official? Just because my Dad’s a lawyer, I don’t think I should fall in that stereotype.”
Tsuki shrugged. “In the novel, the Shogun’s corrupt advisor was a cat, and you know it. Sorry.”
“No further questions, then, your honor.”
The Akita addressed the last member of that gathering. “Samson, you and your students will give a crash course on the stage weapons. Try not to kill them in the process. Or break anything in their bodies.”
The hulking St. Bernard saluted smartly, and so did the tiny, tiny mouse standing in his head fur.
And as if that had been a signal, the door almost collapsed as the two rabbits who were leaning on it fell to the ground.
“Jasmine!” Clarice giggled at the pure white female. “I’m fine, really.”
“Sorry, guys,” said a completely black male, getting off the female he had fallen onto. “Jasmine was leaning too hard against the door to eavesdrop.”
She fumed, but took his helping paw nonetheless. “I wasn’t leaning, and I wasn’t eavesdropping. I was just listening to the conversation and doing my job, Mr. Chocolate.”
Chocolate shook his head. He could understand Jasmine, she had taken care of Clarice not much as a pet but as a true friend, almost a second mommy. The rarest times Clarice would get out of home were cause of a great stress for the rabbit.
“We’ll take care of our empress, Jasmine-San,” Tsuki said with a bow. “No harm will come to her.” Useless to point out that Clarice’s parents had given the green light, and were actually eager to see where this would go. Clarice needed a much deserved boost.
“Oh, but first of all,” Rommel said, raising his paw, “we need some shot! I mean, prep shot. We just can’t let people come late at night and cough up dough on a ‘trust me’ basis. We must give them the impression we are at an advanced stage and ready to play.”
---
A-too-much-secret-location, Babylon Gardens

The phone chirped the refrain of Bruce & Bongo’s ‘Secret Service’, then a grey-furred paw grabbed it. “Erskine house, Zapruder speaking.” (dang) “Oh, hey Fido!” The Weimaraner’s tail started wagging happily as he talked with one of the few authority he truly respected. “I heard you left the Force, too bad, dawg. Yes, I’m that good with my info. What can I do for you? Pictures? Sure, whose?” he started scribbling down the names, tongue sticking out. “Hm-m. Oh nice idea. I’ll get in touch with Tobee and send them. We’ll work together to the graphic, but someone will have to properly advertise the event.”
---
DE2 Advertisement Agency, Terrace High

“…And this is all,” Elpis said. “We hoped we could count on your generosity and provide the necessary advertisement on the Internet. It would just take too much time, to print paper brochures and invitations.” The terrier handed out a USB key. “Here you have cast shots (computer-generated, sorry), the program and a comprehensive list of people and contributors Mom wants to invite, so it will be a grand event as well.” He wasn’t joking. The Karahalios family was still a renowned name in the pet-lovers society. At first, she had tried to talk Fido into giving Elpis the main role, whatever it was, but given that this was a charity, she would be content with seeing her name in the organization list.
Linus the Pug took the key. “Work for free, eh? Charities, tss.” He tossed it nonchalantly at his owners, who were sitting at the meeting desk. “Dad, Dad, what do you make of it?”
Daniel Elmer Carter and Daniel Eustace Cartwright both almost punched each other to grab the precious item. Unlike their dog, they didn’t mind at all such an opportunity!
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Great addition to this story. I think that it is very informative and very entertaining. Here is to the next chapter!
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by Cataloochee »

holy carp over 300,000 views. congrats Val
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

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4.
The World Theater, Pentagon Park, Terrace High

“How long yet?” Allegra asked Fox.
“Five hours, thirty-two minutes,” the husky answered.
“Wow, a watchdog through and through, eh?”
“Ha-ha, but no. It just comes sort of natural to me,” Fox said, tapping his head.
All around them inside the soundproof cube, the Bigglesworth crew was working with the cast’s costumes and make-up, while a human crew was building the stage. The members already dressed up were doing their rehearsals. Samson was busy trying not to be chopped in two by Flash’s attempts at mastering a katana replica.
Admittedly, Joey, Lester and Dallas were doing a good job of coordinating it all.
And it was just the dachshund who shot an angry look at Fox and Allegra. “Hey, you two! More acting and less talking. You’re supposed to be mortal enemies engaged in a battle scene! And where are your costumes?!”
“Give us a minute, Les!” Fox barked back. “We’re getting tired, ok? And we don’t need them now: It will be hot on the stage, and the last thing you want now is an overheated cast.”
The brown dog grabbed his ears in frustration. “Actors! How can a talent like mine be wasted on such whimsy entities is beyond any scope!” He then threw his loudspeaker to the ground.
“More a zealot, actually,” Allegra muttered. “But you’re right, Fox: I’m getting tired, and our play pretend has grown into something suddenly so…big! I don’t know if I can make it, I never performed for humans, and nothing on such a scale, and—“ She was interrupted by a paw gently holding hers.
“You’re doing just fine. We’re doing just fine. And we’re gonna be a smash: The shadow dog without his masters, and the only cat who ever had the honor of being a shadow. And you know how it ended…” Fox wagged his tail as he looked her in her eyes. He just hoped he wouldn’t back up at the last moment, when the play was in full motion: After all, he had never—
“What a nice build-up for a disaster,” someone said behind him, making him blush and jump. He turned, recognizing the voice, all good humor abandoning him. “Hello. Duchess.”
The Saluki barely paid attention to the husky as she looked around. “So, working with me wasn’t enough, I see. Had to try and steal the scene on an entirely new scale: Well, congratulations, mutt, I concede you that: You got initiative, and guts for being a base cat-lover.”
“I’m not a cat-lover!” Fox barked immediately, angrily, then baring his teeth. “And leave Allegra out of this!”
Duchess shrugged, showing instead a knowing smile. “Oh, dear. Touched a nerve? After all, you involved your girlfriend in this, not me.”
“She’s not my girlfriend!” came an even angrier reply.
“Pft, whatever suits you guys. But you can’t possibly pull this stunt in a decent time anyway. The other performers, if you ever took care of taking a look outside this…construction site, are doing a decent job. The public is getting all ready for my grand finale, and you all are just an unannounced last-minute show. You’ll be lucky to get some residual applause.” To her credit, that tirade came in a snobbish, nonchalant tone, but without any displeased expression.
Before Fox could answer, Allegra shot a grin to her. “Oh, thank you for this precious pearl of wisdom, ma’m. I’ll make sure to spread the word and let everyone working hard here that they’re doing just the right thing.”
Duchess looked as if she had just been splashed with a glass of very cold water. “Please?”
“Why take all the trouble to come here, if you know so much better? Admit it, you wish you were organized like us. The public is waiting for our performance as well, thanks to the advertisement we got. And how many weeks did it take you for your show? We are doing this in less than a day’s work: You’re going to get your round of applauses, sure, but it will be for us that they’ll throw the flowers. Now, would you like an antacid now or save it for later?”
This time, the Saluki slightly bared her teeth at the cat, but she controlled herself and threw a grimace at Fox. “Nice to see that someone here has spine, rainbow pup. Just have fun now, stage fright has a way to get under your fur.” With that, she turned and strutted away.
“The nerve,” Allegra muttered, almost forcing her ears up. “OK, back to the rehearsal… But why did she call you ‘rainbow pup’?”
Fox looked sad again. “I… I told Duchess about my separation anxiety, and she started telling me that I had a secret crush on King. And that she could help me forget that. Then things sort of…escalated. Verbally, I mean. She ended up telling me that I was meant to be a gregarious forever, and I told her what everyone thought of her. And then she told Boris to shut me up. And I sort of hit him harder than I thought. And I went home, where you found me.”
“That would explain why Boris wasn’t playing guardian angel. Exactly, how hard did you hit him?” She could barely imagine the lean husky to overcome the muscular hound.
“Um, I don’t know. I was really upset. But he had this funny voice when I left.” He took his staff and got in position. “Ready?”
“Depends: Just one last question, h-pup.”
Fox sighed and rolled his eyes. “Look, I’m not in love or something with King, ok? That’s Bino spreading the word because he felt left aside. Because he didn’t like me being independent from him. As for King, I couldn’t hope to have a better friend, because Dog and I know how hard was his path to become a better person. No one in the GODC really cared to get to know him better, and yet here he is, accomplished and happy. Anything else?”
Allegra chuckled, and added an applause. “I approve your dedication and never questioned it. In fact, it was another thing I wanted to ask.”
Fox blinked. “Oh.”
Lester cleared his throat. “I’m sorry, I know you must get ready for the red carpet and all, but care to earn your Oscar, first?”
Fox flinched when SLISH went Allegra. Lester’s voice, a moment later, said in a much meeker tone, “I think I’ll just go get some glue for my tail, first.”
“So, Fox, do you still hate cat-lovers?”
The husky bit his lip before answering. “I don’t…I never really hated them. I mean, I spent most of my life in black and white, finding solace in certainties. It is still part of me, I guess.
“I always found cat lovers…weird. Really, really weird. And to be honest, I never suspected Fido was one, before Peanut and Grape came out like that, in public. Heh, it was such a great party at Uncle Martin’s, and then bam!, they start dancing tenderly in each other arms, and then kiss like they were lost to the world, as if nothing else mattered. And…and they weren’t being weird. That is why no one save Bino’s goons made faces at them. Peanut and Grape weren’t proving a point, they weren’t out on a political agenda. They were just made for each other and wanted to share their joy.”
“Wow,” Allegra said, speechless.
Fox blushed. “I guess you weren’t there, right?”
The cat shook her head. “Yup. The only ‘social’ activity I’d take was waiting at Heathcliff’s. Never liked…high-density crowds.”
Fox chuckled. “Me too. But about your question: As you know, after that party, things did start changing. There was that other mixed couple, Alcor and Mizar, and then I realized that Fido and Sabrina were an item as well though I’d rather wait for them to say it. And then Joey created his own club for mixed couples… And the more it went on, the more I realized that I was wrong.
“Where does that leave me now? I don’t know. I wonder how could that work. Would I give it a try? Deep inside, I find the idea scary, but I also learnt that first impressions can’t rule my life anymore.”
“In other words, a nice way around you saying that you would rather not answer. But don’t worry, h-pup. You will know what to do when the moment comes. Now let’s finish before Lester comes ba—Eeep!” That, and a puff-up of her fur, came when a hatchet fell and stuck into the ground ad an inch from her feet!
“JACK!” Fox barked angrily at the one-armed wolf walking toward them.
“What?” Jack asked as he took the hatchet. “I was doing just fine. I just slipped. Let me check if…” He pushed it against one of his own hairs…and split it in two. “Perfect! And relax, doggy: I’m gonna harness it to my wrist, hm?”
“Aren’t those things supposed to be fake, for instance?” Fox insisted. His eyes went to the red fox dressed with a black suit and a monocle.
Ach, nein,” Edward Rommel said. “I provide perfect replicas of antique weapons and costumes, the rest comes from…Herr Jack’s ‘warehouse’.” The way he pronounced the last word, it was as if he was feeling ill at the very thought of it.
“You wish you had my biz smart, foxy.”
Dankeschön, but I’d rather stay on this side of the law.”
Fox wasn’t exactly enthusiast to have the shady wolf in the cast, but Jack had basically bought the woodsman’s part with his much needed hardware, given the short advice. At least, he knew the original novel to the letter, thanks to Miles and his efforts to bring culture to his own pack…

“I think it’s grossly unfair,” said one of the 7 Siamese cats working on the make-up. “You get to play cuz you’re Joey’s wife.”
“I get to play, Bennie,” Blanche answered, “because I’m a girl! Just like Berenice, Baby and Barbie. The Shi-Biki no Bakeneko are females, remember?”
“So what?! Butch and Billy tried to date each other because they couldn’t tell each other’s gender.”
“Right. But after that accident, Mom started buying us the eyeliner--*cough* take it easy with that ghost dust! I feel like I just rolled in the stuff!”
“I should sedate you and lock you up in a closet. Or bury you until the play’s over,” Benito muttered, while insisting on the dusting—“Hey!” He was heavily coated in the snout himself by an angry Blanche.
“You didn’t even read the thing. In fact, none of you boys did, smartail!”
Benito snatched the duster back from Blanche’s paw. “Because it was boring girl stuff then! Now it is interesting girl stuff!” *Poof poof* went the duster…which was snatched again by a coughing Blanche.
“Interest this!” And she stuffed the duster into Benito’s mouth. He growled, looking like he had eaten a dusty bird. She growled back.

“You know, at first I *did* think this was a bad idea,” Fido said, looking at the two cats fighting…before the other Bigglesworths joined in, in a cloud of flying fur, dust and make-up. A cageful of hungry-frenzied tigers would’ve been quite more tranquil.
Joey was clasping his paws, grinning from ear to ear. “The Bakeneko in this story look way too ugly to make it on time with what we had. ‘Let nature do the job’, I say!”

“Cardio sensors?” The Doberman minipinscher asked, while carefully taking notes on a checklist
“On and running,” the Weimaraner at the control console said, flipping switches.
“Breathing filter?” Tobee looked at the face of the girl, covered with a nice silk scarf, which efficiently hid the mask under it.
“Fully operative,” Zapruder said at the green-colored quadrant.
Tobee nodded. He was especially proud of that piece, made to allow an asthmatic to breathe freely in the worst of a smog day in Beijing. “MNPs?”
Zap checked carefully each MicroNeedle Patch placed on the body of the girl. He gave the thumb-up to the smaller dog. “Delivering first dose.”
“Air conditioning?”
Another check at the console. A quick test to make sure that the various micro fans sewed in the elaborate costume of Empress Aiko would keep Clarice Hunters’ body at just the right humidity/temperature ratio. Clarice suffered from a severely weak immunitary system syndrome: If she was to get out of her apartment, she had to wear a full body suit. And Tobee and Zap had joined forces to suggest just the perfect variant.
“Contacts?”
*tippitytippitytappity-ENTER* Then Zap turned to Clarice. “What do you say?”
The girl’s face just went ‘wow!’ as her vision was filled with the script’s text –a Very sophisticated autocue. She would thus be spared the time and stress of learning the script in such short time.
“I guess it’s a yes,” the grey hound said.
Tobee checked the last entry. “She’s ready to go.”

Itsuki checked the contest’s progress from behind the curtain.
On the other stage, the pie contest between the puppies Naos, Rigel, Mortimer and Bosco had turned into a veritable pie-fight. Mortimer’s pound cake in fact brushed the Tanuki’s head. In spite of the not very charitable mess, the public was ecstatic, clapping and laughing. Miles, who had volunteered as judge, had turned into a pie-yeti while still trying to run after the little ones… But just as he had almost grabbed Bosco, he was hit in the butt by a meringue thrown by Mortimer. And Miles fell on his face, just into a dough left there by Naos. The strongest security dogs were at the limit of their strength, while trying to keep a hold of Daryl, who was struggling and crying to the heavens for such massacre!
“I’d say this will get a nice flow of extra cash,” Fino said from behind him.
Itsuki retreated behind the curtain and turned. “Impressive,” he said, examining the black costume Fino was wearing. “You look as if you were born in that costume. But I guess it comes from being an actor. You’ll make a great Yasushi.”
Fino nodded and put on the hood, completing his new appearance. “I can barely smell and my hearing is muffled. I still can’t believe that one of the earlier ninjas was a canine.”
“Heh, not just a canine, but one trained by the Emperor Go-Daigo himself. He might be one of the first ninjas ever, although there may be chronicles that date them back to 12th century—“ He stopped when Fino raised his paw.
Sore wa jūbun ni nari, arigatōgozaimashita. I know what I must do in the play, not take a full history lesson.” He then winked at the Tanuki. “Besides, I know you just want impress your ‘consort’, mighty shogun. Relax, Tsuki already thinks the world of you for your help and consultancy.”
The poor animal let out a deep breath. “Really?”
“Really.” Fino patted his shoulder. “Let’s just focus on the show, eh?”
Itsuki bowed slightly. “Hai.” In his heart, he had no doubt: Duchess didn’t stand a chance!
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D3ath_0ps
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Re: HOUSEPETS! THE SERIES Official Thread

Post by D3ath_0ps »

Nice update Val! Can't wait for the next one! :D
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