Housepets! three’s a pair

[Vitor The Dog]

Chapter 6 Graffiti Illusion (part 3)

Fox remained quiet for at least one to two minutes.

Mungo: So?
Fox: Well… I mean… I’ve been doing fine.
Mungo: Are you sure? Like… didn’t you feel angry at Steward and a tad bit of frustration against yourself cause you felt like you failed at your task?

Fox fell silent once more, but only for a few seconds.

Fox: … Yes to some extent.
Mungo: To what extent exactly?
Fox: I didn't think of any of these things at the time it happened; it was only after the pain subsided that I could think of something.
Mungo: And which was it?
Fox: It had something to do with Steward. I felt like I failed at my job when he fled. Now he's out there turning innocent folks into animals.
Mungo: I see now
Fox: I appreciate Fido for chasing him, even if he didn’t succeed at it.
Mungo: Hmm.

Mungo paused. The dogs examining them shuffled around pretending to buy donuts. Surprisingly, these donuts appeared in their hands with some logo resembling the art on the posters plastered to the wall.

Mungo: Okay, and when did you feel the latter?
Fox: Only when I was heading home for the K9s to let me recover until they called me back into my shift. It was rather hard for me.
Mungo: Mhmm.

Mungo was writing Fox's feelings in his notebook, exactly like human therapists do.

Fox: Okay, so uhh… where did you get that?
Mungo: Hm?
Fox: The notebook I mean.
Mungo: Oh, I have two little notebooks that I carry: one for police work, and one for my therapy dog work.
Fox: I mean I know you do. But like, why can’t you carry just one?
Mungo: In case someone needs some therapeutic advice during my shift, I carry two just in case. Gotta be prepared, you know?
A few seconds of silence.

Mungo: Anyway, back to what you were saying?
Fox: Right. When I arrived back home, dad was very worried about me when he saw the patch on my eye. I said I was fine, but he pressured me into explaining what happened. My thoughts were less concerned with the injury and more the guilt that I just let a criminal get away. He comforted me at the very least.
Mungo: Okay then.

After Fox told Mungo about what happened, Mungo closed his notebook.

Mungo: Right then. Fox! Advice from me to you: tell Vitor and Mimi about this. They might be able to comfort you. And also stop blaming yourself for letting him get away, you know that was out of your control.

Fox closed himself off, silently deliberating.
*BEEP BEEP*
Fox abruptly snapped his focus to his vest.

Fox: Huh? I wonder who it could be.

Taking out his phone and seeing his dad’s name, Fox was surprised and confused about his dad calling at a time like this.

Fox: Dad?
Mungo: Hm? Your owner is calling for you?
Fox: He doesn’t ever call me at this time. Could it be an emergency?

Fox slide the phone icon to the right and put his phone in the ear.

Fox: Hello dad?
Vitor: Um… hello?
Fox: Vitor?!
Mungo: Vitor?
Vitor: Yeah it’s me, I figured that you may not have put my name and number on your contacts, so I used your dad’s phone to contact you.
Fox: But, how do you know my number? Did dad tell you?
Vitor: I asked for Mimi’s help to find a number in Mr Lindberg’s phone. Luckily he sort of forgot and left his phone on his bed… I found your number and I called it right away.
Fox: Guess he must be extremely worried about it.
Vitor: Yeah. Anyway, I called you to ask if you’re doing okay.
Fox: Yes, I'm doing well. I'm currently investigating some recent graffiti in the city with Mungo's assistance, and we're currently taking a break and getting some advice from Mungo about my problems.
Vitor: Problems?
Fox: It’s a bit of a long story, but I’ll tell you once I get home.
Vitor: Okay… also vandalism?

Vitor said vandalism in a suspiciously concerned tone.

Fox: Yeah, what about it?
Vitor: Nothing just didn’t know that you’ll… uh… be… investigating it.
Fox: Weird, didn’t I see you watching it in the news?
Vitor: Yeah of course!
Fox: Cause… you sort of act like you just heard about it.
Vitor: Um… don’t mind it too much. But anyway, I was also gonna ask when you are coming home.
Fox: Few hours, probably by like 7:30 PM.
Vitor: Okay then, just wanted to make sure.
Fox: What’s wrong? You sound like you’re a bit disappointed.
Vitor: Nothing it’s just… I’ll be waiting for you okay?
Fox: Okay.
Vitor: Bye…

The phone interrupts Vitor’s dejected tone with a loud beep.

Mungo: Vitor’s really must want to see you, huh?
Fox: Yup, but still, we only have a couple of hours of work left.
Mungo: Well, we just have to wait then. After all, time flies right?
Fox: I mean of course!
Mungo: So, do we continue our session?
Fox: Yeah sure.

For a long time, Fox and Mungo remained in the shop, discussing the aftermath of the Marion case from last summer until the sun began to set.

Mungo: So, are we settled then?
Fox: Yeah, well…

Fox blushed but very quickly so that Mungo wouldn’t notice.

Mungo: Well?
Fox: Nevermind, I was thinking about something but I think it’s not too important.
Mungo: Okay then, we should get going now, it’s probably the end of the duty for today.

The ghostly dogs slowly faded away with large smiles as Fox and Mungo both left the shop. Both officers hopped onto the bike - Mungo holding Fox a bit too firmly.

Fox: Mungo, don’t forget about controlling your strength.
Mungo: Ah! Sorry…

Mungo loosened his grip slightly as to not accidentally break Fox’s bones, again. Fox started the bike’s engine
For a few minutes, Fox and Mungo didn’t exchange much conversation until something flicked across Fox’s face.

Fox: Mungo?
Mungo: Yeah?
Fox: You know… it just occurred to me. During our talk, I didn't mention a thing to you.
Mungo: A thing?
Fox: Yeah.

The oncoming stoplights changed to red, and Fox quickly composed his thoughts as he was coming to a stop.

Fox: Yesterday, I felt something while I was asleep.
Mungo: Something?
Fox: Yeah!

Mungo raised his ears. He was very curious to know what Fox felt but also a tad bit nervous as it could also be something health-related.

Fox: Yesterday I felt like I was being watched and–
Mungo: Was it someone trying to hurt you or scare you?
Fox: No. In fact, I didn’t feel scared. I somehow just knew they didn’t intend to hurt me.
Mungo: Well… that’s strange.
Fox: A bit later, they cushioned their, I think paw, against my cheek. They patted me like I was a good boy or that I did something right, or that I just look cute.

Mungo chuckled when Fox said the last sentence, much to the slight embarrassment to Fox whose cheeks turned pink.

Mungo: Heh really?
Fox: I don’t know which one it was, dog! *sigh* Wanna know the interesting part?
Mungo: Yeah?
Fox: I felt like I was reliving one of my old memories!
Mungo: Oh!

Mungo was sort of caught off guard by Fox’s description of being able to relive his memories.

Mungo: Do you know which memory it was?
Fox: It was the day when I was born! Well, only a few hours that is.
Mungo: So like… you were a puppy?
Fox: Yes, I guess it’s one of those dreams where Tarot and Sabrina mentioned to Peanut about recollection dreams, minus the feeling of something in your body part.
Mungo: Well, hopefully it isn’t some sort of spell that they put on you hehe.
Fox: Eh… I don’t think they’ll do that, they're not the prankster type as far as I know.

The light flipped to green.

Mungo: Did you feel another memory in your head?
Fox: Actually, yeah I did. It was the one where I was first dognapped.
Mungo: Oh… that likely wasn’t good to remember, right?
Fox: Yes, but again it felt like someone was watching me. Actually, there were two dogs. The other one was different.
Mungo: Different how?
Fox: I don’t know, I can’t exactly put it right, he was more ominous if that made sense, but again no intention of hurting me.
Mungo: How strange…
Fox: I know right? And who knows? Maybe I may have another dream involving my memories or something.

They arrive at the K9 HQ and enter into the building filed with other K9s.

Fox: Wonder how long they were here?
Mungo: I think the others haven’t arrived yet. We should sit around and wait a bit.
Fox: Good idea.

And so Fox and Mungo found two seats that were conveniently right next to each other. Mungo rested his hands behind him crossing one of his legs.

Mungo: That was a bummer.
Fox: Mhmm
Mungo: I don’t like it when we don’t get to solve anything. I just hope the others had better luck
Fox: I agree with ya.

Fox, disappointed in the outcome of things, held his face with his left hand.

Fox: At least there’s two things worth noting: one, I get to spend more time with Mimi and Vitor now, and two, it’s not like this mystery would go unsolved hopefully.

Every officer in the room hears the door in the front open with Ralph appearing out of it.

Ralph: Alright everyone you can all come in!
Officer #1: But, not every officer is here yet.
Ralph: Oh, really?
Everyone: Yes.
Ralph: Well, uh. Then we’ll… wait two hours for the rest.

For a while now every K9 waited exactly two hours for the rest to arrive, lucky for them they did! Fido, Terrance, Kevin and a few others, once everyone gathered Ralph called everyone into the room to insure how the investigation went. They told them how it was impossible to find any sort of clue of the crime. Fox and Mungo tried sharing their discoveries even if at first seemed ridiculous.

Ralph: So, you're both saying that the recent vandalisms are being caused by transparent ghosts?
Mungo: Yes.
Fox: Yeah no, that’s pretty much it.

Ralph's expression shifted rapidly, transitioning from one of disappointment that seemed to indicate he wasn't taking the situation seriously, to one of neutrality and understanding.

Ralph: So, if this situation involves the supernatural, do you have any experts in magic to handle it?

Both officers begin to ponder whether celestial magic is truly at play in this case.

Mungo: Well, it could work!
Fox: Certainly, we need to ensure that it includes an element from the celestials;
Ralph: Fine then.

After wrapping up the final meeting of the day, Ralph dismissed all the officers to start heading home.
Fox and Mungo boarded on the bike, with Mungo being on the front seat. For most of the journey, the officers did not exchange any words with each other until they both got closer to Babylon Gardens.

Fox: Mungo?
Mungo: Yes Fox?

The husky gazed to his right and then to his left.

Fox: You know, today was kind of unusual, but in a subtle and surprisingly good way.
Mungo: How so?
Fox: I dunno, I think it had to do with the case and that therapy segment back then. I kinda needed that.
Mungo: Oh, thanks for that, it’s my second job after all!

Mungo spoke cheerfully with his usual demeanor, and Fox responded with a small smirk – a departure from how things used to be on their first day as partners.
.
Mungo: By the way, how do you think Vitor is doing?
Fox: Hmm… I bet he is missing me right now. Hopefully Mimi and the others kept him company for a while.
Mungo: He’ll sure be excited to see you again!
Fox: Yeah.

The officers arrive at Lindberg's residence, lights brightly lit. As Fox gets off the bike, the husky bids farewell to the Great Dane.

Fox: Guess that’s that, see you tomorrow Mungo!
Mungo: See you tomorrow Fox!

Though Fox noticed something was strange.

Fox: Um… Mungo?
Mungo: Yes?
Fox: You’re on my dad’s bike.

Mungo noticed just now he was driving Fox’s owner’s bike and blushed out of embarrassment.

Mungo: Oh haha you’re right here take this!

Mungo escorted out of the bike which drove Fox to a minor confusion.

Fox: shouldn’t I be driving you home?
Mungo: Nah, I don't need to, my residence isn’t that far ahead.
Fox: Well, if you say so.

Fox took the bike and moved it on the left side of the house.

Fox: Bye then!
Mungo: See you later!

Mungo began walking when Fox noticed him and stopped reading to greet Vitor and Mimi once again. As he opened the door, he saw Mimi sitting alone and watching TV.

Fox: Hey Mimi!
Mimi: Hi Fox.
Fox: Uh, Where’s Vitor?
Mimi: In your room, he is sleeping in your bed for quite some time now.
Fox: How long exactly?
Mimi: Since 4 o’clock. Want me to call him?
Fox: I’m not sure, like I guess so?
Mimi: It’s either yes or no.
Fox: Oh, okay then yes.
Mimi: Vitor!

Vitor, wrapped in blankets and clutching a pillow, responded with reluctance:

Vitor: Hmmm wha?
Mimi: Fox is home now just so you kn-

Vitor leapt out of bed and dashed out the room – all before Mimi could complete her sentence – to find Fox standing at the doorstep.

Vitor: Fox!
Fox: Yeah how are you-

Vitor hurried and embraced Fox suddenly, taking both him and Mimi by surprise.

Fox: H-Hey!
Mimi: Oh geez!
Vitor: I missed you so much, I was waiting for you to show up!
Fox: Hey easy there!
Vitor: Ah! S-s-sorry…

Vitor released him as the cheeks of both dogs turned red.

Mimi: Hmm, this is unusual for you. You usually aren't a fan of hugs.
Vitor: I’m sorry it’s just that I’m happy to see my friend y’know?
Fox: It’s fine really, I’m glad you’re happy to see me.

At first, Fox was confused, but he quickly relaxed and was okay with it as his cheeks returned to normal, while Vitor was still feeling pretty ashamed of himself.

Vitor: Thanks *in a quiet voice*
Fox: So, what have you two been up to now?
Mimi: Nothing much besides meeting new friends here in there.
Fox: Right then.

The three pets eagerly waited for Bill to arrive, it was only a couple of hours later, maybe one or two. Once he arrived, everyone went out to dinner to enjoy their favorite meals!

[Amazee Dayzee]

This was a really cute chapter and was very much worth the wait! I liked everything about how it came out!

[Vitor The Dog]

This was a really cute chapter and was very much worth the wait! I liked everything about how it came out!

thanks! a bit late on my response but i've been meaning to get this chapter out for so long but i didn't had the motivation to or something unfortunate happened i've been writing it since december of 2023 so like almost a year but nonetheless i'm glad you liked it and i hope so the others too!

[Amazee Dayzee]

I am sure that the others who read the story really liked it as well! You don't have to worry about upsetting people by falling behind on updating this story as it is your story and you have no schedule yourself!

[Vitor The Dog]

Hello everyone! the writing for chapter 7 part 1 is done now it's editing phase has begun i think i might be ready to post the chapter by either the end of this month or the start of the next one most likely betting on the former than the latter but hey once sooner the better so stay tuned!

[Amazee Dayzee]

I think it is incredible that you continue work on this and just don't drop the story like so many other people on other sites tend to do! You have a really strong worth ethnic and I know we won't be let down by the next upload!

[Vitor The Dog]

Hello everyone chapter 7 may be delayed for a bit due to the fact that my editor is busy with university as well as dealing with a person who raided their server but otherwise there still will be more to the story to come so see you all there when it gets released

[Amazee Dayzee]

I just know that whatever you have for us when you upload the next chapter will be superior to anything that takes less time to whip up! You just don't worry about anything because we will be here seeing what comes next in this journey you are taking us on!

[Vitor The Dog]

Hey everyone! I’ve decided to do something a bit different by sharing some bonus chapters that might pop up in the middle of the story or even before or after some key moments. These chapters will feature Vitor as he explores some of Fox's more lighthearted memories. For instance, the first two memories are set during the game and Cat Tail, along with Fox's history throughout Housepets. I thought this would be a fun way to sharpen my writing skills while keeping you all entertained as I work on real stories of the K9 PD and Heavendropper. Those will stay under wraps until I’m ready to dive into Vitor's journey with these memories, so stay tuned!

[Vitor The Dog]

Bonus Chapter: The Game
Vitor stood in the same row of white dots that led to the mirror that held Fox's memories as he meandered through the empty black emptiness. He spots one in the lower left corner as he gets closer, and when he touches it, a portal opens, and he enters.
Vitor is now standing in the center of the neighborhood road when he witnesses Grape scolding three dogs, one of whom is obviously Fox.

Vitor: *Gasp* Fox!
Grape: Alright, stupids, I want to know why you got Peanut into playing the game.
Joey: Aw man!
Fox: What?

Vitor stood still but quickly ran towards the cat as he said.

Vitor: Hmm, this must be the game things they were talking about at the wolf’s house. What’s with that anyway?

Grape was discussing with Bino that she was not playing the game and that she had caused them to lose. Behind her, a vengeful pit bull emerged and uttered,

Rex: WHO SAID THEY’RE NOT PLAYING THE GAME?!
Grape: Good going, Grape; you knew they were all crazy, yet you tried to reason anyway.

Bino orders everyone to pursue Grape as she flees. In a condition of astonishment, Vitor also pursued her, but simply to see how these things transpired.

Vitor: What the heck’s going on? I mean, I guess this was meant to happen, but how do things escalate so quickly!

Bino yells to one of the dogs to fetch Rex a chainsaw as Grape starts to climb a tree, and the other three start yelling that it is blasphemy to not play the game. Vitor watched in disbelief as Grape leaped to the rooftop safely just in time to see the tree being chopped down from below.

Vitor: Ooohh! She’s agile!
Grape: You guys do know I could have jumped to the garage roof at any time?

As Vitor talks over Grape's line about not standing directly beneath the tree after chopping it, Bino responds in mild anger.

Bino: We figured that out; thank you.

Grape proceeds to maneuver herself to escape from the good ol’ dog members.

Bino: Chase her down!
Grape: Eeek!
Vitor: Oh no, this is not great!

As more chasing hijinks happen, Grape manages to make it home safely as the good ol’ dog members stand in front of the doorstep.

Bino: Doggone it, she got away!
Joey: So now what?
Bino: Hmph, let her go.
Fox, Joey, and Rex: What?
Bino: Let her go, as she will undoubtedly face consequences for not adhering to the game's rules, which will inevitably ruin her life!

Bino exclaimed loudly and dramatically as his younger brother inquired about this.

Joey: How?
Bino: Because, uhh…
Fox: Let me guess, karma?
Bino: Totally, that’s precisely what I had in mind. She will undoubtedly face pressure when the consequences of not playing the game catch up with her. Ya hear me? It will ruin your life, cat!
Grape: Yes, I get that; thank you!

Bino and Grape yelled at each other as Bino walked away from the house, while the other dogs indicated their displeasure with Bino's behavior.

Fox: Why am I friends with him?
Joey: Why is he my brother?
Rex: …

Fox and Joey turned around expecting an answer from Rex.

Rex: Oh, uhh, why do I follow his orders?

Vitor just remained there as he watched the dogs follow Bino back to the good ol' dogs' clubhouse, thinking about this game thing.

Vitor: Why is everyone up in arms about this thing? Is this some kind of social experiment? Well, at last it seems this moment is done for now; now let’s see.

Vitor summons what appears to be magical holograms of play, pause, progress, regress, and stop buttons. He hits the advance button and holds his paw for a few seconds while three weeks pass; when he sees Fox approaching Bino, he releases the button, allowing the memory to play at normal speed.

Fox: Hey Bino, what were we not supposed to do in the game?
Bino: The what?
Vitor: Oh well, that's disappointing. I guess that's one of those trends that comes and goes, but it appears that this memory is over for now.

Vitor clicked the pause button as a portal appeared in front of him, and by the time he entered the room of memories, Vitor began thinking how different the Fox Lindberg from back then is from the Fox Lindberg of today, but alas, it appears to be a minor, trivial recall of his.

Vitor: It seems that this memory was short. Let’s see if I find one that’s longer.

The brown dog looked at one of the mirrors and pressed the one on the preceding one's right side. As another portal opened, he sighed and entered it immediately.

[Vitor The Dog]

Bonus Chapter: Cat Tail
Vitor reappears on the neighborhood streets, perplexed, as if nothing had changed, and wonders if he has transported into the same recollection as previously. That was until he noticed Peanut standing in front of Bino, Fox, and Rex, staring at a piece of paper Peanut had given them.

Bino: Sorry, Peanut, we’re going to have to revoke your good ol’ dogs club membership.
Peanut: What?
Bino: Sorry, it’s in our bylaws: no cat lovers also it’s really weird
Peanut: I’m not a cat lover! I just happen to like… certain features of theirs.
Bino: Rex, what do you think?
Rex: Sounds like a cat lover to me
Bino: Fox?
Fox: Total felinophile.
Bino: I’m going to pretend I know what that means.
Vitor: He just made that one up, didn’t he? *Sigh* Guess Fox really didn’t like cats back then, huh?

Vitor continues to watch the catphobic dog remove Peanut from the good ol' dogs club, while Peanut tries but fails to defend himself as he gradually but certainly regrets joining the club. Bino then orders his fellows to leave Peanut because he is a cat lover as they walk away. Fox turned for a few seconds to watch Joey approach Peanut and ask him to hand over the paper, as the nerdy dog was embarrassed.
Peanut, shocked that Joey is a cat lover, hands him the paper while he turns aside, perplexed by the debate surrounding cat lovers.

Joey: She looks beautiful, Peanut This is great!
Peanut: Really? It’s nice to actually have a compliment on-
Joey: I want to wear her skin.

Both Peanut and Vitor looked in complete, baffled shock from hearing what Joey just said about the cat in Peanut’s drawing as Fox then proceeded to turn back in disgust from Joey’s sentence. The memory proceeds to black out as Vitor snaps back from Joey’s unnerving choice of words as he observes around the black void he sighted, as he said.

Vitor: Another memory done. This seems more like a Peanut memory than a Fox one, but alas, another one is done. Let’s see what the next one is.

Vitor opened the magical menu buttons as he pressed an X button in the right corner of the menu, and a portal opened as he walked away from the memory. He was back to the room of memories. He looked over and pressed his hand in one to the upper right corner, and another portal sent him away to the next memory.

[Vitor The Dog]

Chapter 7 Good ol' Ribbon (Part 1)
As everyone was eating their meals, Vitor was thinking about Fox’s day at the K9 Police Force when his train of thought was interrupted by Mimi.

Mimi: Hmm, your food tastes really good!
Fox: Yup, I did it all by myself.

A soft grin emblazed Fox’s face.

Vitor: I didn’t know you cooked this great, Fox.
Fox: Yeah, Dad and Bailey taught me.
Vitor: Hmm, it reminds me of our mom’s food...

The three pets heard the door open, and Bill Lindberg entered.

Fox: Hi, Dad!
Bill: Hey, Fox. Greetings to you too, Vitor and Mimi.
Vitor and Mimi: Hello, Mr. Lindberg!
Fox: How was work, Dad?
Bill: Today was surprisingly good; I had forgotten to bring my phone with me and expected a call about a vandalism case.
Fox: Vandalism?
Bill: Yep, I heard on the news that some rogue dogs were wandering about, putting graffiti in the most unexpected places. Yet despite all these sightings, no one I talked to managed to capture footage of these events.
Fox: We tried investigating it too. No success.
Bill: Gonna be a long case then, huh?

With Fox and Bill chatting, Mimi’s attention drifted from the conversation to her brother, now sunk into his seat after the topic change.

Mimi: Hey, Vitor? You look nervous; what’s the matter?
Vitor: Nothing, sis.
Mimi: Come on, you can tell me what it is. As your big sister, I can help you out with anything!
Vitor: I’m literally older than you.
Mimi: *ahem* What’s the matter?
Fox: What are you two talking about?
Vitor: Nothing!
Mimi: This is a conversation reserved between siblings.

Mimi started speaking quietly in Vitor’s ear.

Mimi: So, are you going to tell me what’s bothering you?
Vitor: I would like to, but you wouldn’t believe me.
Mimi: And why is that?
Vitor: I'm... well...
Mimi: Hmm?

Vitor whispered very quietly so that neither Fox nor Bill could hear it.

Vitor: I’m sort of responsible for the vandalism incident.

Mimi audibly gasped. Both of the Lindbergs’ eyes dart towards the siblings.

Fox: Mimi?
Bill: Is there an issue?

Mimi's gasp takes Vitor into astonishment. Mimi attempts to cover it up by telling a lie.

Mimi: Vitor just mentioned that our, uhhh... belongings, which we left at the plane station, are… returning unscathed! He would rather not bore you two with logistics!

Fox tilted his head, ears half confused. A few moments pass as he processes Mimi’s response.

Fox: Oookay then.

Both the cat and the dog exhaled with a sense of relief. Mimi turned back to whisper, this time more rapidly and demandingly.

Mimi: What do you mean you were responsible?
Vitor: Well, technically. There are these invisible dogs who chase after me; sometimes they run off to do something else; their actions are random and unpredictable.
Mimi: You have to explain this to me more clearly by tomorrow.
Vitor: I would, but I don’t understand them properly just yet.
Mimi: Let’s get back to eating before they start suspecting us, okay?
Vitor: Okay.

Both siblings turn to find Fox and Bill still with some befuddlement. Mimi tries to conceal the conversation.

Mimi: So Fox, anything else beyond this vandal stuff that happened at work?
Fox: Well, before this case, I stopped a shady drug dealer for selling catnip to young kittens.
Mimi: Tell me more about this.

—

Fox and Vitor were now in the bedroom, staring at the ceiling.

Fox: Vitor?


A slight pause.

Fox: What did you two do to pass the time while I was away?
Vitor: Well, today I met new pets.
Fox: Like?
Vitor: Tarot, Maxwell, Sasha… who else? The Alburns and-
Fox: Sasha?
Vitor: Um… yeah, why?
Fox: It’s just... she didn’t attempt to flirt with you, did she? You don’t have like a crush on her or anything, right?
Vitor: What? No! Well, admittedly, she is cute and pretty. Her attitude is enough to make every male dog fall in love with her, but I am not one of those guys.
Fox: Okay.
Vitor: Why do you ask?

A small bit of embarrassment fills Fox’s face.

Fox: It’s just... she has a boyfriend who works at the K9 It’s just... I used to have a crush on her
Vitor: Really?
Fox: Well, long story. I won’t bore you with the details. All I have to say is that I regret ever falling in love with her.
Vitor: How so? Was she mean?
Fox: Oh, come on, she totally wasn't. I really liked her. Honestly, I still think about her sometimes. Having a crush on her can be a bit stressful and makes me feel insecure about myself, and I still deal with that sometimes. These days, we're just friends.
Vitor: I see.

Vitor looked to the ceiling, the window’s breeze channelling through his ears. A slow, soft inhale.

Vitor: Hey, Fox?
Fox: Yeah?
Vitor: I will say that, well, even though I never had a crush on another dog before, in my mind, I think every good boy and good girl deserves a partner, no matter if it’s the same gender or if it’s an interspecies relationship. I hope you find love and happiness on your way.

A soft grin emblazed Fox’s face.

Fox: Thanks. I’ve never met someone that optimistic about life before. Well, maybe Peanut and Mungo.
Vitor: No need to thank me after all. I'm your friend, and friends should support each other, right?
Fox: Yeah. Well, you are being pretty helpful right now.
Vitor: Thanks, Fox! It’s my duty to be helpful and supportive of you because friends should always be there for each other until the end.

The breeze seemed so distant now.

Fox: I’m starting to feel like you have a thing for me.

Vitor’s gaze shattered. The wind briefly howls.

Vitor: What?! N-n-no! I don’t have anything for you.
Fox: Yeah, with that whole “support each other” talk, it almost seems like you were trying to flirt with me.
Vitor: It’s what I do, okay?
Fox: So… you admit you’re flirting with me
Vitor: No! Stop getting things twisted!
Fox: Hehe, calm down; I'm just joking with you. *chuckle* You’re sometimes funny, Vit.
Vitor: Well, it’s what my mom thought about me and a few other family members, but at least they are my family and i don’t feel as embarrassed then. Man, I didn't know you could be such a tease sometimes!
Fox: Hey, I don’t like to tease people! Well, maybe King when we first met, but that was indirect.
Vitor: Uh, huh?
Fox: *Sigh.* So, if you like me, that’s cool. I’m totally okay with that! I just thought a little teasing could be a fun way to lighten the mood for both of us, but I get that it’s not really your style.
Vitor: No! I mean, it’s just that—look, you’re a good friend, and that’s that, okay?
Fox: There it is again.
Vitor: *grumble*

Fox's teasing of Vitor caused him to chuckle, and Vitor covered his face in embarrassment from the conversation at hand. Fox later toned down his small laugh, and he glanced at Vitor with a pleasant smile.

Fox: Good night, Vitor.
Vitor: *Sigh.* Good night, Fox.

A bit later, Fox checked his phone to see how long he had been failing to sleep. The wind outside sure wasn’t helping, and much of the day and case kept him active.

Fox: ...Vitor?

Vitor had no trouble falling asleep. Fox repeated Vitor’s name an inch louder, though not too loud.

Vitor: Mhmm, yeah?

Vitor turned towards Fox’s voice, eyes not yet fully open.

Fox: Can you tell me exactly how today went while I was away?
Vitor: Uhh *yawn* sure… When you left, I was sad since it’s the first time I ever had a real friend, and I kind of have trouble being lonely. So I quietly walked back into your room and slept in my bed until Mimi walked in and asked me what was wrong.
Fox: And what did you say to her?
Vitor: That you were gone.
Fox: Huh, you must’ve really missed me."
Vitor: Yeah…
Fox: Yeah? I thought you were going to deny that.
Vitor: Well, no, because I sometimes like being clingy toward someone.
Fox: I like your honesty.
Vitor: Thanks.
Fox: Did she say anything afterwards?
Vitor: That I should go out and make more friends, or at the very least talk to the ones I made a few days ago.
Fox: And you said yes, right?
Vitor: Yeah, though I agreed to it reluctantly.
Fox: I mean, she is right: you need to make more friends and focus on them. It’s not going to just be about me all the time.
Vitor: I understand; it is just that I am still new to having friends. I have never had friends before, and I may forget how many I have and who they are.
Fox: Hey there, you could ask me or Mimi—or hey, even do it yourself—to compile a list to keep track of whoever your friends are if it feels overwhelming.
Vitor: Really?
Fox: Yeah, really.
Vitor: Hmm, okay, I guess I will give it a shot then.
Fox: *Sigh* So anyway, any more details? I’m still awake.
Vitor: Hmm…

Vitor rubs his head, trying to remember more from today’s trip.

Vitor: Oh, I remember I got up and took the keys with us and locked the door as we both explored the neighborhood and met new friends!
Fox: Mhmm?
Vitor: And we went into the sandwich house together, and we both met Tarot and Maxwell! Who was cuddling Peanut and Grape while watching TV together?
Fox: I mean, they’re all in a relationship together.
Vitor: Oh, I got that part; they filled me in later. So, Mimi was curious about who they were, and the sandwiches kind of introduced us. Peanut just came out and said they’re all in a romantic relationship. Mimi was a bit puzzled because Peanut mentioned that they were all in a relationship, which made her wonder if that meant Grape and he were into each other too, basically suggesting they were polyamorous.
Fox: Yep. You know of polyamory?
Vitor: Yeah, an open relationship with more than two people, like a woman who is seeing two of her boyfriends at the same time without really cheating on them.
Fox: Or a guy and his two angelic girlfriends, amirite?
Vitor: Yeah, that too, I guess.

Fox grumbled as he looked up at the ceiling again, thinking about Spring and Summer.

Vitor: Is there something wrong?
Fox: Nothing; it’s just—do you ever think of someone special?
Vitor: Oh well, recently I did, but I can’t tell who it is.

Fox looked to his right, glancing at Vitor.

Fox: I do too, but it’s someone who is far away from here.
Vitor: Really? Where are they from?
Fox: It’s well more than one dog, and they live in—uhh...

Fox tries to come up with an answer to not let Vitor be aware of his relationship in heaven.

Fox: Canada!
Vitor: Canada?
Fox: Yes, Canada.
Vitor: Uh-huh?

Fox blushed slightly and looked away from embarrassment from telling Vitor a lie.

Vitor: You don’t need to lie to me there; I know of the whole school kid who’s got a girlfriend, but we can’t see her because she lives far away. We’re friends, buddies, Fox.
Fox: But I don’t think you’ll believe in me; it’s kind of...
Vitor: What? Unbelievable? Ridiculous? Unrealistic? Nonsense! I’ll believe in what you say, okay?

Fox began to hesitate in telling the truth to Vitor, but considering their friendship and how Vitor would react if he learned of Heaven's existence, Fox must not lie to him completely.

Fox: They’re in Heaven…

It comes out as a whimper. Vitor exhibited a confused demeanor: a head tilt, twitching ears, and elevated eyebrow.

Vitor: Heaven? As in literal heaven?

Fox panics and tries to come up with an elaborate answer.

Fox: As in, they’re so unbelievably wonderful that they feel like they’re from heaven!
Vitor: Hmmm…

Vitor looked at Fox intently, as if he were trying to decipher the veracity of what Fox was saying, while clutching his palm to his snout.

Vitor: Okay then.

Fox is relieved that Vitor accepted his half-truth, however Vitor still feels like he isn't being completely honest with him.

Fox: So, anything about the Sandwiches and their partners?
Vitor: They introduced us to them, and Peanut said something very strange.
Fox: Strange?
Vitor: About Tarot, a psychic dog who could, or at least could’ve, read minds before. Would originally turn into a big giant green magical dragon or something.

Fox tenses for a moment.

Fox: Aaand you said what?
Vitor: Well, Grape shut it in his mouth, but it was kind of late. Sis and I were just like, “What?”
Fox: And then?
Vitor: So, she mentioned this magical stuff, like how they play some D&D games where she’s this awesome dragon-dog character who can read minds. I have to say, I was a bit let down because I kind of feel like they might be pulling my leg. But hey, a dog can dream, right?
Fox: Yeah, totally!

Fox wonders how Vitor and Mimi would respond if they ever discovered that magic truly exists in this world, unaware that they are already in the loop about these matters.

Vitor: So we start talking about them and our lives for approximately 20 minutes, and...
Fox: And?

Vitor tries to refresh his memory about the subsequent events. Occasionally, he struggles to recall specific details of events that occurred just hours ago.

Vitor: Uhh, oh, I remember! They all began to cuddle up together! Mimi and I felt a little awkward watching because it seemed like we were intruding on their private space.
Fox: Huh, I can’t imagine.
Vitor: Then Maxwell asked Mimi if she wanted catnip.
Fox: Oh, did she accept it?
Vitor: Not really. She declined because she assumed it was drugs for cats. He tried to convince her that it wasn’t harmful, but Mimi was assertive.
Fox: Fair enough.

As the night wore on, Vitor began to feel his eyelids drooping, and his words became quieter as sleep tried to overtake him

Vitor: And that’s pretty much it...

Vitor’s sentences became increasingly interspersed with yawns. Fox started to feel drowsy from hearing his stories; it was clear that Vitor had done a good job.
Both huskies fell asleep.
Vitor, a real peacemaker when it comes to getting enough shut-eye, slept soundly while Fox snorted softly.

—

Fox: *Yawn.* Hmm?

Vitor was still breathing softly in and out like a puppy that had overindulged in sugar and playtime. Fox found Vitor’s sleeping position to be utterly charming, witnessing Vitor in such a calm, relaxed state. Fox extended his paw and gently stroked Vitor's head.

Vitor cautiously awoke. Fox noticed that Vitor’s ears rose, but kept poking. After Vitor managed to upright himself, he pivoted towards Fox, who was now drawing his paw back.

Vitor: Fox?

Vitor, rubbing his eyes, not yet fully awake.

Fox: Good morning, sleepyhead.
Vitor: …
Fox: Did you have a good night's sleep?
Vitor: I…

Vitor rested his hand on his head, attempting to recall the dream.

Fox: Is there something wrong?
Vitor: Nothing; it’s just that I'm trying to remember something.
Fox: And what might that be?
Vitor: So, I had this dream right before I woke up. It was like I experienced some kind of brain shock that knocked me out, and I could feel your hand gently petting my head.

Vitor's cheeks flushed. Fox acknowledged this and chose to engage in the conversation.

Fox: So I guess you did have a good night's sleep then. Still, what was the dream about?
Vitor: Hmm, oh, I remember I wandered around the neighborhood, but it looked different.
Fox: Different?
Vitor: Yes, it felt like I was in the past.
Fox: Hmm… Interesting.

Fox placed his paw on his snout, contemplating Vitor's description of the dream.

Fox: Fine, and what else did you see?
Vitor: The next thing I saw was a dog park where a lot of their owners were playing with their dogs and...
Fox: And?

Vitor paused as he prepared for how Fox was going to react next.

Vitor: I saw you reading a book under a tree.

While confronted with the shocking news, Fox attempts to collect himself by making the following inquiry.

Fox: Did you see Fido and Rex playing with their owners?
Vitor: Well, yeah, I did.

After hearing what Vitor stated, Fox's ears perked up in surprise at the possibility they might be sharing dreams. Was the figure that emerged in his and Vitor’s dreams truly the same individual? Though a part of Fox's mind remained unconvinced.
Fox wondered how Vitor would respond if he knew everything about him. Will this have any significant consequences for their relationship? Positive or negative?
Vitor intended to speak to Fox, but he decided it was wiser to remain silent.
Fox got out of bed and began getting ready for the police shift, while Vitor stood motionless on his bed, watching his friend dress.
Seeing Fox get ready for work, Vitor got out of bed.

Vitor: Hey, Fox?
Fox: Yes, Vitor, what is it?

Vitor pointed a digit to the right side of Fox's bed.

Vitor: What’s inside that drawer?
Fox: Oh… Well, it’s a collection of collars and things I don’t wear anymore. I’ve either outgrown them or just simply forgotten about them. It’s totally fine if you want to look through what’s inside.
Vitor: Hmm…

Vitor strolled across to the other side of Fox's bed, where he was tempted to open the drawer but hesitated.

Fox: Hey, what’s wrong?
Vitor: Oh, it’s nothing; I'd rather wait till you’re gone

Upon noticing Vitor's hesitation, Fox found it odd that he only wanted to open it once he had left. Nevertheless, he continued to prepare for the K9 shift.

Vitor: Fox?
Fox: Yes, Vit?

Vitor's tail wagged at the sound of Fox calling him Vit, but he quickly shook his head.

Vitor: Aren’t you forgetting something?

Vitor lifted his hand, and Fox noticed his dog tag necklace resting on the tip of his finger. Fox came to this realization and returned to his room.

Fox: Oh, thank dog, you reminded me I can’t go without these.
Vitor: Why not?
Fox: If I happen to get lost on the way back home, at least someone can show me the way. I know these streets like the back of my hand, but hey, you never know.

Fox picked it up, took off his collar, affixed his tags, and then put the collar back on the collar.
Fox let out a sigh of relief,

Fox: Vitor, do you want to watch a little bit of TV with me before work?
Vitor: Yes!

Vitor rose from His bed as both huskies entered the living room, realizing that Bill had already left and that Mimi was absent from both the living room and the kitchen.

Vitor: Hmm, that’s strange; Sis isn’t here.
Fox: Perhaps she started sleeping in Dad’s room?
Vitor: If so, then she's must’ve overslept.
Fox: You want me to wake her up or...
Vitor: No, I'll do it myself when you’re gone.
Fox: Well, whatever then, you know what’s best for yourself.

Fox took up the remote and began flicking channels until he reached the news. He then set down the remote and sat on the couch in a relaxed stance, while Vitor sat next to him in a more educated sitting position, arms on his knees.

Kate Gelato: Good morning! I'm Kate Gelato, bringing you live with repackaged news. This morning’s topic: the graffiti paintings seen on many buildings in the area have now all mysteriously disappeared.

Fox: Huh?!

Fox breaks his relaxed posture. Vitor remains quiet, sitting still without any reaction.

Fox: But how? Wait, no, I want to hear this more clearly.

Fox increased the volume to around 25%.

Kate Gelato: With the help of a few witnesses, our reporters are actively looking into what caused this sudden disappearance.

The camera cuts to a male tabby cat who looks shocked and confused.

Unnamed cat: It was bizarre! Like, one second they were there, and now they aren’t! It’s like it was an illusion or something!
Reporter: And how exactly did they disappear?
Unnamed cat: I was walking around with a friend of mine, talking about our owners’ jobs, and as my friend was leaving, I was walking on my own to my owner’s house, and I sat on that bench over there. There I saw the graffiti in the hallways: one that said, “A new dear friend for me.” One dog appeared to be holding hands with the other; both were huskies.

Fox appears anxious as he hears the cat's description; he glances back at Vitor, who mirrors Fox's reaction upon hearing it, leaving both of them speechless.

Reporter: What did these huskies look like?
Unnamed cat: I could see it, but it was pretty far off, and it was dark as well. So there I was, on the bench, taking in the sights, and then I blinked—poof! They were gone! I had to rub my eyes just to be sure I wasn't seeing things, but nope, they really vanished!

Fox, still looking nervous, turns around and asks Vitor a question.

Fox: You don’t think these dogs could be…
Vitor: I hope not.
Fox: Yeah, hopefully not.

Both dogs stared at the television as the reporter questioned two additional people, both humans this time. They referred to the posters that were on the donut shop, all of which have also since disappeared. They showed photographs of the posters while the reporter discussed them in detail, outlining their contents.
As Fox gets up from the couch, he checks the time on the clock hanging above the TV and sees 09:20 AM. As he heads towards the door, Vitor gets up from the couch and approaches Fox.

Vitor: Fox!
Fox: Hm? What is it?

Fox releases his grip on the doorknob while Vitor clasps both of his hands together and continues to speak.

Vitor: Please, good luck out there at work. Don’t let yourself get in trouble, okay?
Fox: I’ll try my best not to!

Fox replied in a confident tone of voice, sending out a proud gaze. This caused Vitor to smile gleefully – a noticeable blush forming. Fox didn’t mind the flushing.

Fox: Bye, Vit!
Vitor: Bye, Fox!

Fox shut the door behind him. Vitor could see out the window how Fox mounted his bike and started heading towards the K9 HQ. Meanwhile, Vitor felt a bit less sorrowful than before, accepting that this was simply how he would have to cope with Fox’s schedule.
He turned around, picked up the remote, turned off the TV, and walked to Fox’s bedroom. He opened the drawer to find a yellow collar, a black collar, an eyepatch, and a bandana with black crosses on it, along with two buttons, one pink and one green. Vitor was exploring everything, examining items, and determining what suited him or not. He picked up the yellow collar, contemplating its potential uses.


A few rooms over, Mimi stretched, eyes not yet fully open.

Mimi: *yawn* Man, I slept soundly!

Mimi got herself out of bed, headed to the open door and found that no one was in the living room. She considered that Vitor might still be asleep, and Fox and Bill already gone for work.
She turned to the other door that led into Fox’s bedroom. As she approached the open door, she saw through that her brother was striking a pose reminiscent of a teenage girl chatting with their friends on the phone, adorned with Fox’s collar from two decades ago. Naturally, Mimi is unaware of the collar's history.

Mimi: Vitor? Uh, what is this?
Vitor: Oh, this?

Vitor gestures towards the collar, shifting from a lying position to a seated one as he prepares to explain it to Mimi.

Vitor: It's an old collar from Fox. It looks like he’s not using it anymore; maybe he’s moved on or it just doesn’t suit him anymore. Either way, I can totally keep it for myself!

Mimi's obvious skepticism indicates her lack of conviction.

Mimi: Did he give you permission to sniff through his stuff?
Vitor: Well, yeah… he let me. How do you think it looks on me?

Mimi began to examine the collar and its contrast with Vitor’s brown fur while also contemplating how it pairs with his blue bandanna.

Mimi: Decent.
Vitor: Oh? And that’s just it?
Mimi: Well, if you want a comment on it, I quite like how the vivid yellow clashes with your darker fur.
Vitor: Thanks! Now that’s more like it.

Vitor then proceeds to show off his blue bandanna to Mimi.

Vitor: Sis, wouldn’t you mind tying it up for me?
Mimi: *Sigh* Fine (When is he ever going to learn how to tie a knot?)

Mimi finishes tying up Vitor’s bandanna, adjusting its position as well.

Mimi: There. All done!
Vitor: *Sigh* Well, sis, what do you want to do for the day?
Mimi: I dunno. We could do the same as the other days and meet other pets.
Vitor: Hmm, but it’s getting a bit boring for me.
Mimi: Well, what else do you suggest?

Vitor got out of bed and walked all the way to the living room, where he noticed a few dogs moving in the same direction; they were all heading to the west side of the neighborhood, which inspired an idea in Vitor's mind.

Vitor: Hey, sis I have an idea!

Mimi walks towards Vitor, places her fists on her hips, and speaks.

Mimi: What is it?
Vitor: How about we go outside and see what’s the deal with these dogs?
Mimi: The what with who?

Mimi looked out the window and saw a couple more of them walking in the same direction.

Mimi: Hmm, I guess we could see what’s up. What will we gain from this though?
Vitor: Well, it could be fun!
Mimi: Hmmmm.

Mimi starts thinking about this suggestion as she places her paw on her snout.

Mimi: Perhaps we can do a little inspection then.
Vitor: Then it’s settled!

Vitor took the keys from the door. He then opens the door while making a gentle gesture toward Mimi.

Vitor: Ladies first.
Mimi: Heh, you’re funny sometimes.

Mimi walks outside as Vitor hops energetically to the other side. As he closes the door, he then locks it and places the keys underneath his bandana.

Vitor: Well, let’s go!
Mimi: Yeah!

Both pets excitedly hop on the ground as they follow the dogs. Vitor and Mimi often engage in this behavior whenever they venture out alone, leaving the other dogs watching in bewilderment. They adjust their posture to appear as if they are walking normally out of a sense of embarrassment. Vitor retrieves a dark blue and pale yellow ribbon from his bandana, gazing at it for a few moments until Mimi catches sight of it and remarks.

Mimi: Vitor?
Vitor: Yeah?
Mimi: Uh… Not that it matters, but where did you get that ribbon from?
Vitor: Oh, well, I found it underneath Fox’s bed, and I took it for myself.
Mimi: Why?
Vitor: No special reason. I placed it underneath the collar too.
Mimi: Well, okay then.

Mimi felt a sense of confusion, yet she chose to set it aside for the moment. What Vitor had told her was nothing but a fabrication. In reality, he had taken the ribbon from his blanket after putting on Fox’s old collar. The reason it ended up there could be linked to the Stone, specifically the Somnium Stone, which possesses the ability to transform dreams into tangible items.
As they walked, the same ghostly dogs responsible for the graffiti incident now mingled among the crowd of ordinary dogs, blending in. A few whispered to each other, while others held signs that read, “The Good Ol Dogs club meeting starting at 10:30 am, please meet with the leader at the designated time.” The signs featured charming, child-friendly illustrations of the two dogs they were about to meet, Bino Byron and Duchess, with Bino’s fur collar depicted in Alice Blue for the main fur and Rich Black for his ears and Duchess’s fur illustrated in Tiffany Blue for her main fur and Straw for her eyebrows.
As everyone continues to walk, Vitor is ready to experience the joy of owning someone he considers disgusting. In his opinion, anyone who opposes someone he values will face the consequences of their actions for daring to harm Fox in any way. Vitor tightens his grip on the ribbon.

[Vitor The Dog]

Hi everyone! It's been almost a year since chapter 6 part 3, so I decided to post chapter 7 part 1 earlier than planned because I know some of you have been waiting too long to see where it goes. However, I won't leave it exactly as it is because I might change it by the time my editor comes in to change some parts of it. I also wanted to get this out of the way because I didn't want you guys to think I abandoned it. In the meantime, I've been coming up with more story ideas, and those bonus chapters, as I may have mentioned, were written to keep you guys from waiting too long, so stay tuned.

[Amazee Dayzee]

You don't see to be the type of person who would abandon something and even if you had to I know you would give everybody a heads-up so I am not worried about that! However long it takes for the next parts to come up I am sure that you will blow us all away with how you wrote it!

[NHWestoN]

Agreed.

[Amazee Dayzee]

The fact that you are constantly coming up with new ideas for this story and others is a great sign! Whatever you have planned next is sure to be totally amazing and I can't wait to see what will happen next!

[Vitor The Dog]

Hello everyone it took me a bit but the latest chapter is done with the writing now it's just on the editing phase. Want it to send this out early but the forums were having issues but just letting you all know

[Amazee Dayzee]

That's fine that you are in the editing phase for the chapter as I am sure that whatever you have will be worth it when you finally are able to post it for us! I am just happy that you haven't forgotten about this fanfiction!

[Vitor The Dog]

That's fine that you are in the editing phase for the chapter as I am sure that whatever you have will be worth it when you finally are able to post it for us! I am just happy that you haven't forgotten about this fanfiction!

Ah no worries then. Thing is editing might take long since my editor is facing university stuff, but even then no matter how long it takes I want to continue my story until I find a spot where I can finish, I want to show the world how much I appreciate Fox and his presence in the comic and therefor, I hold this story dear to my heart so stay tuned for chapter 7 part 2!

[Amazee Dayzee]

I am sure that the next chapter that you are going to share with us is going to be worth the wait so take your time! I know how life can throw curveballs at you and you have to do your best to pivot.

[Vitor The Dog]

Chapter 7 Good ol' Ribbon (Part 2)

As every dog heads towards the good ol' dogs' clubhouse, Vitor and Mimi both notice a sign that reads: "No cats or cat lovers allowed". Mimi, with an irritated expression, places her hands on her hips and turns around to ask Vitor something dubious.

Mimi: Hey, Vitor?
Vitor: Yes, sis?
Mimi: If this club doesn’t accept us cats, how about we do something to ruin their day?
Vitor: Oh! Y’know I’m not the type to try to get involved in big scenes. But... if it means ruining the day of people who discriminate, then yeah, let’s do—

Before Vitor could finish his sentence, they were met by a saluki whose arrival caught both Mimi and Vitor off guard. Duchess appears to be focusing solely on Mimi right now.

Mimi: Woah, hey there.
Duchess: Sorry, but you’re not allowed in our territory. Did you read the sign first?
Mimi: Yes, I did. It says no cats or cat lovers allowed; I’m not illiterate.
Duchess: Good then, turn around and get out of here; we don’t accept cats in here.
Mimi: *Tch* Make me.
Duchess: Oh, you’re the stubborn type, are you?
Mimi: And what if I am? Whachagonnadoboutit?
Duchess: Then I guess I have no choice but to call out the bigger threat. Boris, come in here!
Mimi: Oh, here it comes…

A large, bulky bull terrier dog approaches the door, cracking his knuckles and wearing a smug, confident expression. As Duchess walks beside the large dog, Mimi starts to sweat nervously, worried about what might happen next. Vitor stays behind her, yet surprisingly does not appear anxious at all.

Mimi: Oh, carp!
Duchess: Boris, be sure to show our guest here your “hospitality.”
Boris: Wait didn’t you jus—
Duchess: YOU STILL DON’T GET IT?! *sigh* Whatever, just rough 'em up! I’m going inside.
Mimi: Mmph… Stand back, Vitor; I can take care of this.
Boris: Vitor? There’s two of ya?
Mimi: Oh no! D-Don’t you dare hurt my brother, or else I’ll make sure you pass out from blood loss!
Vitor: Sis…
Boris: Ah, don’t you worry; I don’t intend to harm yer brother. Besides, he doesn’t look quite strong or confident enough to beat me anyway.

Boris’s comment on Vitor struck a nerve in him; even if he knew he and his sister aren’t physically capable of handling a dog twice their size, it mildly angered him enough to make him confident enough to step forward and take a blow, even if it’s fatal.

Mimi: Vitor, no.
Boris: Ah, so yer little brother got some guts to take me down, since yer slim I’ll go easy on ya.
Mimi: VITOR, PLEASE DON’T—

As Boris raised his fist to strike Vitor in the face, a dazzling light appeared around Vitor's neck. The blue and yellow ribbon quickly began to shift away from his neck, forming a circular shield that broke Boris's fist and protected Vitor from the blow. Boris kneels, whimpering in agony, and clutching his fist.

Mimi: Vitor… What is that?
Vitor: I don’t know; it just started to act on its own.

Vitor looked down at the bull terrier, who was still crying about his broken fist, as the ribbon retracted into Vitor’s neck; he briefly touched his bandana before Mimi walked up to him to inquire about the ribbon.

Mimi: No, seriously, what was that?!
Vitor: Don’t ask me; I’m just as surprised as you are!
Mimi: *Sigh.* What now?
Vitor: Guess we just go inside now.

Both look down at Boris one more time.

Vitor: I’m sorry about your wrist.

The husky and cat then swing back to face Duchess standing a bit behind

Duchess: W-what?! How did you get past Boris?!
Mimi: Oh, uhh… *ahem,* I manage to deal with that brute blockage.

Mimi showed her claws to Duchess to intimidate her; much to the Saluki’s annoyance, she growled in frustration as she crossed her arms and looked away dejectedly.

Duchess: Mmph, I knew I couldn’t trust that good-for-nothing to even harm a defenseless cat.

Duchess mumbles something under her breath about some prior incident.

Mimi: Now then, Vitor, shall we go in?
Vitor: Yes!

Suddenly, Duchess just noticed Vitor’s presence.

Duchess: Stop, where did this dog appear from?
Vitor: I was behind my sister this entire time.
Duchess: And why didn’t you show your face?
Vitor: Well, uh, I don’t like having to look at pets who seem pretty yet are ugly on the inside; discriminating against people who aren’t like you or share your worldview. That’s why.

Vitor remarked in a calm, joyful tone of voice to further enrage Duchess to the point where she was actually too angry to properly form words.

Vitor: *quiet giggling* Now we hope you don’t mind us crashing the party.

Vitor runs past to catch up to Mimi who ran in while Vitor was acting as a distraction.

Duchess: *sigh* Calm down, Duchess; you can handle this. Don’t let the comments of a dumb mutt get to you. I need to alert Bino about these intruders… ugh.

Through the decently large crowd of dogs — all of whom were standing and waiting for a certain green-eyed mutt to appear — Vitor blends in with the canines. Mimi, fully aware of the anti-cat regulations in this location, quickly splits off to hide in the nearby bathroom.

Vitor: Um… Sis?

Vitor, spotting her tail right near the bathroom door, starts heading there to further speak with Mimi. Vitor opens the door and looks around to determine which bathroom stall Mimi is hiding in. He identifies it as the furthest left door because her paws are visible on the floor. He tries to unlock the door, but can’t.

Mimi: Occupied.
Vitor: Sis, it’s me, Vitor.
Mimi: Oh.

Mimi unlocks the door and quickly closes behind Vitor.

Vitor: Sis, why’d you run away?
Mimi: Vitor, you saw how this place is very anti-feline, right? These guys would kill—no, dismantle me the moment they noticed me; you know that, right?
Vitor: Yes, I know that.
Mimi: So can you please do me a favor and maybe do something about this without me involved?
Vitor: Like what?
Mimi: I dunno think of something like spreading rumours about whoever’s in charge of this club.
Vitor: Hmm…

Vitor keeps thinking about what to do with Mimi’s situation. He begins to look around.

Mimi: What are you looking for?
Vitor: I’m trying to think of a way to dogify you.
Mimi: What?

Suddenly, they hear the bathroom door open, catching both off guard. Vitor quickly locked the stall without saying anything. Mimi wants to question the idea of “dogifying” her, but they have to speak in hushed tones while waiting for the other dog to leave.

Mimi: Okay, seriously, what do you mean by “dogify” me?
Vitor: I’ll turn you into a dog so no one will suspect you. Though the problem is whether there are some supplies for that here...

Vitor waited for the dog to come out of the bathroom for a couple of minutes. When the dog finally left, Vitor unlocked the door, placed his paw on his snout, and began thinking as he walked around.

Mimi: So any bright ideas?
Vitor: Hmm, no, unfortunately.

Suddenly, an idea came across Vitor’s mind as he turned to Mimi, smiling confidently and energetically.

Vitor: I know! I’ll just ask all of the dogs in here about what they think about cats!
Mimi: Wait, what?!
Vitor: I’ll ask all of the dogs; if they are okay with cats, we can just sneak into the crowd and either overthrow this club’s leader or publicly humiliate them.
Mimi: Really? And do you think it’ll work?
Vitor: Well… It’s worth giving it a shot. So for now, stay here until I say it’s safe to come over.
Mimi: Fine.

Vitor came out of the bathroom and approached the dog that was positioned in the middle left of the crowd. He casually approached him with his arms behind his back and, in a polite voice, asked:

Vitor: Hello, mister. Um, if it’s not too much to ask, a quick question for you.
Unnamed Mutt: Hmm?
Vitor: What is your opinion on cats?
Unnamed Mutt: Fine. I guess.
Vitor: Okay, thank you for your answer. And what about you?
Dallas: Oh, what were you saying?
Vitor: I was asking you what you feel about cats.
Dallas: Oh right, they’re cool! Joey gets too hung up on them sometimes.
Vitor: Hmm, that’s three, then.

Vitor proceeds to spend the next 4 minutes asking every dog in the crowd about their opinion on cats. He did this until eventually the spotlight hit the stand.
The crowd gets all quiet, with Vitor realising that Bino is about to make an entrance and rushing quickly to the bathroom. He approached the door where Mimi was and spoke through it.

Vitor: Hey, sis. The dogs there have a neutral stance on cats.
Mimi: Uh-huh?
Vitor: I think it’s safe to come out now.

Mimi exits the stall as she excitedly presses her fist into her palm.

Mimi: Well, let’s get this party started!
Vitor: *giggles* I always liked your spirit, Sis.

Both siblings exited the bathroom and exchanged ways to thwart Bino’s speech. However, after seeing the stage, Mimi quickly ran back inside the bathroom leaving Vitor there audibly groaning for leaving him in the dust again. Nonetheless, Vitor went to the crowd to see what the green-eyed mutt had to say to his audience.
The spotlight hit the podium where Bino should be, the audience all sat in their seats including Vitor who sat close to hear but far from the stage. The front seating crowd starts overhearing small talk from Bino behind the curtains.


Bino: Look. I don’t care if you were in the middle of your lunch break; you will have to make this entrance look as lovely as it is, or else you have to clean up the mess that Sten did last night, got it? Okay, now hurry and get the preparations done!

The crowd kept small talk going while Vitor tentatively waited for the mutt to appear on stage. While Mimi was still hiding in the bathroom, she carefully and slowly opened the door to listen to him yap, making sure that the other dogs could not see her.

Mimi: I wonder how this will turn out.

Bino: And now, I shall make my entrance!

Vitor, along with the audience, was waiting for Bino to show up. It took him far too long to realize that the spotlight was already on and people were just waiting for him to make his speech. He panicked and then quickly ran to the podium, sweating and trying to reform his composure.

Bino: H- Hello everyone! I came here to say that it’s been an honor to have all of you here attending. I’ve come to announce that—

As Bino continued to elaborate on his own achievements, Vitor found his thoughts drifting towards Fox and the police work he was engaged in, contemplating how he might spend time with him. He couldn’t care less about what Bino had to say, and seemingly so too for all the other dogs—even when he called attention to another dog sitting close to him, he didn’t seem to pay attention.
While he was going on with his speech, Duchess would mutter something to get the mutt’s attention. Bino went behind the curtains to speak to her.

Bino: Yeees, Duchiepoo?

Suddenly, Bino felt a slap on his face, causing him to tear up slightly from the pain. Duchess grabbed him by the chin as she stared directly at him with an angry expression.

Duchess: Do not call me that again, or I’ll staple your ears into your eyes.
Bino: Yes ma'am!
Duchess: *sigh* Anyway, a pair between a dog and a cat got in here.
Bino: What?!
Duchess: Oh, and they broke Boris’s arm too.
Bino: Wha—but how?!
Duchess: You should ask that yourself. Now do something about this!
Bino: Alright, fine! Jeez...

Bino stepped out from behind the curtains and cleared his throat to steady himself.

Bino: Sorry, I was having a conversation with my wonderful and lovely duchiepy on the other side of the curtains.

A semi-audible facepalm emanates from the curtains.

Bino: Apparently, one of you barged in here without membership and broke our guard’s wrist somehow. Raise your hand if you did that.

The crowd was dead silent as no one raised their hand, a cricket noise could be heard from the back of the stage.

Bino: Okay, that would’ve been too straightforward to figure out. New plan! I will look through the crowd to see if I can recognize you by your face. If I do not remember you, you may or may not receive a double dose of catnip to the face. Is everyone clear on that?

The crowd collectively gasped in surprise. their voices rising in concern as they exchanged worried glances about the possibility of receiving a catnip splatter. Vitor, upon hearing all of this, momentarily shifted his focus from Fox, raising his ears in confusion at the unfolding situation.

Vitor: Huh? What?
Bino: Ah, now I get a reaction out of you guys.

Bino began to sniff everyone in the crowd one by one—each dog nervous despite having clear membership status. Vitor didn't hear Bino's words but figured what was happening and what the outcome would likely be. He was not particularly worried about what would happen next.
Bino finally reaches Vitor, and he already noticed something off about his mere presence in the clubhouse.

Bino: Wait, I don’t recognize you. Did I offer you membership?
Vitor: Hmm, I dunno, did you?
Bino: Wha—why are you asking me?! You’re the one who— you—
Vitor: Hmm.

Vitor wasn’t very interested in hearing how this moment would conclude, especially since Bino was irritated by his response and had quickly reached his own conclusions.

Bino: You know that you’re the one who barged in without membership.

Vitor rolled his eyes as he gave a very monotonous response.

Vitor: Do I?

This response further annoys Bino once more, as he stops trying to keep his composure and immediately demands that some of the dogs in the crowd kick him out of the club.

Bino: Grrr, alright, I’m not going to entertain this short-lived mockery. Everyone, hand me the catnip explosive and remove this guy from here; he clearly doesn’t care about being humiliated.
Mimi: Time to make an entrance.

Mimi, hearing a commotion from the bathroom, kicked open the door with flair and shouted loudly as she made her grand entrance.

Mimi: Mimi makes her grand debut!
Bino: Wha—There was a cat in here?!
The crowd: *Gasp*
Bino: Well, Duchypoo did say there was a dog and a cat here, but A CAT?!

The crowd collectively gasped to see a cat in a dog territory. Mimi walked to where Vitor sat as she placed her hand paw on his shoulder.

Mimi: Don’t you dare do anything to my big brother here.
Bino: Tch, or what? Are you going to claw me in the face? Ha! Don’t threaten me with hollow words; I’ve grown numb to it.
Mimi: I could do much worse than just a scratch.
Bino: How much worse, cat?
Mimi: Oh I dunno…

Mimi walked slightly towards Bino, who backed away feeling intimidated by her, and then she grabbed him by the collar with full force.

Mimi: Listen, I do not tolerate whenever lousy dogs like you go on and on about how you and your kin are superior to ours because let me tell you that carp just makes me want to forcibly wipe the floor and the wall with your face, got it?

Bino’s temperament disappeared; a cold sweat enveloped his face.
Mimi, however, liked seeing him be terrified of her. Nothing was more satisfying than to terrorize those who antagonize those who are different from you.
Vitor walked to the right where Bino was.

Vitor: Very unfortunate you got yourself in this situation… I would’ve preferred that you change your ways of thinking and maybe even rebrand your own club to be more inclusive.
Bino: Tch… and let the Good Ol' Dogs club lose its identity?! No way!
Vitor: Oh, what a shame. It would’ve been nice to see not be stuck on such a hateful and dated mindset.
Bino: Huh?

Vitor seized the collar while lifting Bino’s ear with his other paw and whispered into his ear in a low, slightly angry tone.

Vitor: Like my sister said, people who judge someone because they’re different from them anger both me and her, but you know what else makes me more angry? Rotten people who dare hurt those whom I consider the most precious to me.

Vitor shut his eyes, feeling the ribbon emit a soft glow. The ribbon began to coil around Bino's neck, tightening its grip and starting to suffocate him. Mimi slightly lost her grip on Bino’s collar, confused about what was happening.
He opened his eyes, and the glow vanished, revealing a small orange dot in its place.

Vitor: Let me be a little clearer to you. I hate people like you who do nothing except spend their entire years' worth of lifespan hurting and making people who’ve done nothing to you and are only doing the right thing suffer, and so unless you decide to change yourself for the better, I would rather want you to vanish from this world, you waste of space!
Bino: *Cough* Ah! I c-can’t breathe!
Mimi: Vitor what are you—
Vitor: It’s fine; you can let go of him now.

Mimi released Bino’s collar as the ribbon disintegrated into small fabric fragments, creating a burst of vibrant circular effects in its wake. Bino, on the floor on his knees, coughed and breathed with relief after being choked by the ribbon. His face, once red, returned to its normal color as he looked up at Vitor, who crouched down and gently placed his paw on Bino's snout, beginning to taunt him.

Vitor: Now listen here dear, you don’t have to go through that again if you’re willing to change yourself. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if some dogs here realized the mistake of their ways and left to become better pets because of it. I’m sure that your own little club could be better by accepting everyone, even pets that aren’t cats or cat lovers.
Bino: *Grrr* And what do you know?! All you did was come here, break our bodyguard's fist, and then lecture me on how I should run my own club?! You don’t know anything; you’re just a class traitor, you cat apologist. Not only that, you decided to bring that—

Bino struggles to gather enough strength to lift his arm to point to Mimi.

Bino: —filth in here.
Mimi: He’s giving a suggestion, though he had to word it in an aggressive manner since dogs refuse to listen until you grab their ears and scream at them.
Vitor: Yes, and so far it doesn’t seem that my words are getting through to you. You know it’ll be a shame to be constantly reminded of your past mistakes.

Vitor extended his arm and seized Bino’s left ear, tightening his grip and causing pain as he also tugged at his right ear. He locked eyes with Bino, gaze intense, as he began to threaten him, the familiar dot returning to his eyes.

Bino: Aaarghgowowow!

Only unintelligible whines can come out of Bino now — that, and tears.

Vitor: Now listen again. People like you are only known for causing misery to others, and from what I’ve heard from Fox, you caused trouble for him in the past. If you do anything bad to him, I won’t hesitate to finish my work.
Mimi: What?!

Vitor forcefully released both of Bino’s ears, shoving him aside and causing him to collapse. Vitor stands tall, casting a gaze upon Bino; a mixture of unimpressed disappointment and righteous anger. Mimi looked on in shock at her brother's chilling words of a death threat. She cautiously approaches and rests her paw on Vitor's shoulder.

Mimi: We need to leave.
Vitor: NO! He deserves—

Vitor’s words blur into Bino’s loud gasp for air.

Mimi: Please, every dog is staring at us. We need to leave!

Vitor’s gaze shifts behind Mimi and hangs on the helpless crowd for a brief moment. Feeling a surge of anxiety, Vitor's eyes returned to their normal state as he looked back at Mimi, grasping her concerns.

Vitor: Y-You’re right we should leave.

Vitor turned back to look at Bino. His eyes communicated enough.

Vitor and Mimi started to leave the area as the crowd spread gossip about them. Mimi aimed straight with her gaze fixed on the exit. Vitor however looked around anxiously at the dogs whispering to each other.

Mimi: Let’s go; ignore them.
Vitor: Right.

As the cat and husky made their way back outside, Vitor turned around, but Bino was still coughing from the choke Vitor had given him and was recuperating backstage. The fact that a pitifully weak dog and cat had defeated him and publicly humiliated him infuriated him.

Duchess, hovering behind the curtains at the back, appeared unimpressed but disappointed.

Duchess: Mmph, couldn’t even dispose of two intruders.

—

Duchess hands him some bottled water so he can stop writhing in pain.

Bino: Thanks, Duchie-poooo!

A smug grin somehow manages to force its way onto Bino’s face.

Duchess: I will tie your ears into a knot to make you stop calling me that. I stand to learn a thing from those two.

Bino does not process Duchess's threat as he is too preoccupied with the incident.

Bino: Blast that class traitor! I could’ve beaten them and thrown them back outside and humiliated them easily and maintained my status as an alpha! The only course of action is payback, else my reputation will be in ruins. Hmmm… Ah ha! I’ll trick him into thinking I’ve changed, and then when he lets his guard down, I’ll gift him a present filled with explosive catnip in front of his sister so he can smell even more like a cat in front of Fox!
Duchess: Uh huh? Still you have a mess to clean since the others did a half-baked job at it, and it doesn’t change how we have to spend a couple of hundred dollars to get Boris’s arm patched up.
Bino: Oh right, there’s that first. Anyway, that’s the perfect plan! And be sure to teach him I’m the top dog around here and to learn to respect his elders! Muahahaha! *cough* Can you bring me more water Duchie-poo?

Duchess immediately grabs Bino’s ears.

Duchess: Don’t forget what I said earlier.
Bino: Ow, okay, I’ll stop!

A black and white dog with hair covering their eyes was hiding behind the curtain, hearing everything about Bino’s vengeful plan. They vanished in an instant to alert their master.

—

On the other side of the city, Vitor and Mimi were eating popsicles together at the same table—one orange flavor and one strawberry flavor.

Mimi: Vitor. What was that.

The words snap Vitor out of his listlessness.

Vitor: Huh?
Mimi: Your eyes have changed slightly. I could see them changing, and Bino started feeling like he was being choked out even though I wasn’t strangling him. What happened to you and him back then?
Vitor: Uhhh… hmm… well…

Vitor found himself at a loss for words in response to Mimi’s question. He glanced around anxiously, struggling to articulate his feelings about the events that had transpired. After a few ums, uhs, and false starts, he gathered his bearings to explain to Mimi.

Vitor: I felt like I was so angry at Bino that it felt like something else was taking over me. It was difficult to explain; I used the exact words I would normally say, yet I felt as if I wasn’t being myself. It’s hard to explain.
Mimi: Like how you acted on instinct?
Vitor: Maybe, but instead of instinct, it was emotion, like passionate?
Mimi: Like love?

When Mimi said “love”, Vitor’s ears immediately dropped at the thought of his sister suspecting he might like Fox as more than just a friend.

Vitor: W-What?! No, not at all!
Mimi: Okay then.
Vitor: *In a quiet voice,* maybe a little..

Mimi, still biting into her orange popsicle, lowered her eyelids as she began smirking at her brother teasingly, knowing full well what he felt towards the gray husky.

Mimi: Sure, heh. Mind went to it with your passionate defence of Fox.

Vitor’s cheeks become redder as he closes his eyes and starts getting embarrassed and annoyed with Mimi trying to push him into expressing his thoughts on Fox to her.

Vitor: Ugh, it’s none of your business, okay?! Geez.
Mimi: It’s all fine and well, big bro if you view Fox as just a friend, that’s fine; just be honest with me.
Vitor: *Sigh*

Mimi, taking another bite of the popsicle, noticed someone walking on the street—or rather, two dogs walking on the street. Vitor gazed out the window and observed Fox and Mungo conversing with a civilian inside a car parked near a meter, seemingly issuing a fine for illegal parking close to the store.

Vitor: Fox! Wait.

Vitor starts munching the popsicle, concerning Mimi with the upcoming brainfreeze he might have.

Mimi: Vitor, slow down, you’re going to—
Vitor: Argh!
Mimi: —get a brainfreeze. *Sigh*
Vitor: Ah! This is nothing; I won’t miss my chance. C’mon, sis!
Mimi: Um, alright then, I didn’t know you were this determined to meet him.

Mimi ate her popsicle moderately fast to not get a brain freeze. They headed out of the store as quickly as possible, but before Vitor could recklessly run across the road without looking both ways, Mimi yanked his paw.

Vitor: Hey!
Mimi: Hello? Look both ways!
Vitor: Ah, right sorry.
Mimi: Man, when it comes to Fox, you can’t think of anything else other than to always see him face-to-face, can you? I might start to think you might actually like him.
Vitor: Well… as a friend, of course.
Mimi: *Giggle*

The light turns green for the siblings to walk between the road and for that, Fox eventually noticed the two of them coming this way, much to his surprise.

Fox: Vitor, Mimi?
Vitor and Mimi: Hi Fox!
Fox: Surprise seeing you guys here.
Vitor: Hmm?

Vitor noticed Mungo delivering a stern lecture to the driver about the illegal parking; he appeared deeply focused and serious in his role as a police dog, completely unaware of Vitor and Mimi approaching.

Vitor: What’s he doing?
Fox: Oh, we’re giving out a fine for someone parking there illegally; it’s nothing too exciting to be honest.
Vitor: I see.
Fox: Anyway, how have you guys been doing lately?
Mimi: Well, as of right now, we’re just hanging out together on our own. Can’t really do much without you especially for Vitor over there.
Fox: Really, Vitor?
Vitor Huh? Well yeah, things kinda get boring around the neighborhood without you, so we did something to liven things up there.
Fox: What things exactly?
Mimi: Oh! We will provide you with all the details when you return home. We caused a stir in that good boys club or whatever it was called.
Vitor: All of them?!

Mimi glanced back at Vitor, giving him a wink that conveyed her promise to keep the specifics of his feelings about Fox a secret from him. After finishing the lecture, Mungo quickly recognized the voices of Vitor and Mimi, and he instantly brightened up as he greeted them.

Mungo: Vitor, Mimi! Hello there!
Mimi: Hi Mungo!
Mungo: Didn’t see ya there while I was on task.
Fox: Yeah, I can tell that was the on-duty voice from him just now.
Mungo: Yeah sorry, when I’m that focused, I tend to forget what others are conversing about even when I’m brought up.
Mimi: That’s fine; work is important for all, especially police work.
Fox: Yeah though sometimes it’s okay to ease off a bit. I know because someone brought that up awhile back.
Mungo: Applying my own advice on me, huh?
Fox: I just thought that was relevant.

Both officers and Mimi laughed at the ongoing conversation, while Vitor remained silent, lost in his thoughts. He wasn't focused on their words but rather on his past feelings. As he pulled the ribbon from his bandanna, he stared at it, recalling the moment he choked Bino.

Vitor: (I just did what was right. I don’t need to feel awful about it; in fact, he was a jerk anyway. Jerks don’t deserve anything; in fact, they deserve to feel horrible for their actions I won’t let my friends get hurt.)

Suddenly, both Mimi and Fox’s calls for his name snap him back to reality as he looks at both of them with mild confusion.

Vitor: Huh, me?
Fox: Were you thinking about something?
Mimi: Were you spacing off like usual?
Mungo: If you have anything in mind, you can ask us.
Vitor: I… well.
Fox: What’s that? A ribbon?
Vitor: Oh, yeah found it underneath your bed; just thought to bring it here for no reason.
Mimi: *Phew*

Mimi breathed a sigh of relief that Vitor had not allowed any information to escape from the ribbon. She felt grateful for his ability to conceal it so calmly and effortlessly. Fox shrugged as he approached Vitor to make a promise with him.

Fox: Hey… Vitor?
Vitor: Yeah?

Vitor found himself slightly taken aback at Fox's attempt to engage him directly, causing him to sweat a little as his cheeks flushed with a hint of red.

Fox: I… look after duty. Can we talk a bit privately? There’s something about you I want to talk about.
Vitor: Oh, fine then.
Mungo: Well, shall we go on duty, rookie?
Fox: *Tch* You know I’m not a trainee anymore, right?
Mungo: Hehe, I know, I just felt nostalgic about it.
Fox: Oh Mungo, you and your enthusiasm about work.
Vitor: Rookie…

A few moments later, Fox and Mungo went back to shift as they said goodbye to the siblings as they headed back home while the sun was setting in. The siblings didn’t talk too much on their way home until they arrived with Mimi lying on the couch, tired from such a walk-filled day.

Mimi: Ah… I’m pooped. Aren’t you worn out?
Vitor: No, not at all.
Mimi: Hmm, is it because of Fox?
Vitor: Yes.

Mimi briefly got up and changed her position from lying down to sitting up upon realizing that her brother admitted to being happy to see someone he likes without denying it.

Vitor: And not just that, but I got to do something about a situation even if it meant being ineffective in the end. I’m just glad I got to stand up for myself even with you accompanying me.
Mimi: That’s great, big bro I’m glad you’re admitting your fondness for Fox and seeing how my courage is rubbing off on you.
Vitor: Yes, and I’ll be waiting for him. I’ll be waiting for Fox for our conversation. I’m curious to see what he thinks about me.
Mimi: Well, good for you though hopefully neither of you take too long.
Vitor: Yeah, hopefully. (But to be honest, Fox can spend as much time with me as he wants.)

Mimi returned to her lying position while Vitor tightly gripped his ribbon, approached the window, and touched the glass as he gazed at the sunset, hopefully speaking to himself.

Vitor: I’ll be waiting for you Fox.

[Amazee Dayzee]

Happy to see that you have gotten some time to be able to update this story because it is so nice and is a great read! Even if I also want to ship my own OCs with Fox because he is endearingly adorable I am hoping that Vitor and Fox will make it!