Houespets! Home Stories

[D3ath_0ps]

Hey guys! Here's an Update since I've been practically inactive for the last month...

To start off, I would like to apologize. I’ve been quite busy with schoolwork and other personal stuff and as a result, I’ve had to put the fan fiction down to get my focus up. However, I’ve been doing good so far school-wise and I’ve resolved some of the personal issues that I’ve had over the last few weeks, so in theory I should be starting it up again soon. It depends on if I can fit it in with my college life. I barely even got the little interlude up because of everything. I can’t wait to finish this part of the story! It’s been stuck in my head for too long! x3

I hope that you guys have enjoyed the story so far! And don’t be afraid to comment if you have any, any amount of criticism is appreciated so I can get better at writing. Questions or comments about the story are also welcomed too. Again, I can’t wait to start up again, and thanks for following the story so far! ^w^

[Amazee Dayzee]

Its OK. We understand how that can be. Just take your time and update whenever you have some time at your own pace.

[dryideabat]

No need to apologize. Academics/work come first. We eagerly await to see more adventures of Sparkles- er I mean Sparks... Dog-dang it Bino.

[Amazee Dayzee]

I have to admit that I love Bino's nickname for Sparks.

[D3ath_0ps]

-Housepets! Home Stories: Sparks' Beginning-
=Chapter Nine - Carry On=


Sparks’ eyes open to a blurry room, the feeling of something in his eye making both of his eyelids shut immediately. He rubs the affected eye with a yawn, being careful not to awake the body laying right next to him. I guess I fell asleep to the movie… Sparks looks at the Calico laying right beside him with a smile. And it looks like I got to spend another night with you, my little kitten. The Shepsky gently sits up in a comfy position as his paw lands softly on the Calico’s hip.

The multicolored cat tenses up for a second, giving a slight jump. Sparks tries to set her at ease as he pets her, a series of purrs to follow as she relaxes into her spot. He looks up to scan the room, letting out a chuckle as he spots the Tabby and a Pyrenees laying on the floor and the recliner next to the couch. Looks like Nyx and Hemera didn’t fare much better. His eyes gravitate towards the DVR next to the TV, looking at the time in bright green letters, 10:45 AM. Wow, I really slept for that long?

Unexpectedly, the sound of a yawn fills the room, the body next to the Shepsky moving about on the couch. He stops petting the cat and allows her to face him, giving off a smile. “Good morning Sparky.” She speaks in a grumbly tone.

“Good morning my little kitten.” He plants a kiss on her muzzle as she lets out a tiny giggle. “Sleep well?”

She shrugs. “Well, Other than my aching back, I’d say it was a pretty nice one.” They both exchange a few chuckles, almost awaking the dog on the floor as she moves about. Tera continues in a hushed tone, “How was yours?”

“I definitely got my share of sleep. I didn’t even get to see the end of ‘Atlantis’”

“Yeah, you didn’t even last 40 minutes through the movie and you were out like a light.” Tera flashes a smile at Sparks, the Shepsky doing the same as his smile grows.

Sparks pets the top of Tera’s head, causing a few rumbles from the Calico. “I know… but I couldn’t help it. Your fur is the softest thing ever and I can barely keep my eyes open when we cuddle.”

The calico’s face seemed to turn red as she lets out an ‘aww’. Her paw gently comes to his chest rests right in the middle. “Thanks Sparky…”

“Anytime my little kitten.”

Both the cat and dog almost immediately lock lips, embracing the small moment they had before anyone could interrupt or wake up. As soon as they start to break away, Nyx moves about on the recliner, the two lovers looking over towards the sound. It’s just Nyx… Sparks smiles and looks back down Tera. Her eyes then meet his as her purs continue to quietly rumble against Sparks. “I love you Sparky.”

“I love you t--”

Suddenly, the telephone blasts the entire house with sound causing both Sparks and Tera to jump. The Shepsky lets out a chuckle. The phone actually scared me… He then hears a sigh escape the calico as both the Tabby and the Pyrenees start to awaken. “Don’t worry,” he says as he moves off of the couch, “I’ll be right back.” He kisses the tip of Tera’s nose, a red hue now starting to show through her fur.

“Ok…” She replies in a flustery tone.

Sparks looks away from her and moves towards the phone, wondering who could be on the other end of the line. Who would be calling now? I mean, it’s 10:49, but still. It must be for Mom or Dad. He stops at the end table in the corner of the room and grabs the phone. I wonder who it is… The dog presses down on the green button and holds the phone up to his ear. “Carlson residents, Sparks speaking.” He says in a monotone voice.

“Sparks? ‘That you?” A familiar voice questions, almost in a panic.

“Joey?” Why does he sound so worried? “Is everything alright?”

“Well… no… Sparks, W-we need you to get down to the GODC right away!”

“What? What’s going on at the GODC Joey? Is everything ok? Did something happen?” There were a couple of seconds of silence between the two, the Shepsky getting more and more worried. He looks over at Tera, her eyes staring at him with the same sense of concern. “Joey?”

“Sparks…” The phone sounds, “Someone broke into the GODC last night. Noone saw anybody go in or--” All of a sudden, Sparks’ brain was thrown for a loop as the sound of a phone hitting the floor fills the room.

“Sparky?” Tera asks, stepping off of the couch.

With that, Sparks flew out the door and down the street, the fear of what might come filling every crevice in his mind.

~~

Nyx sits up from her position on the recliner, a frown apparent on her face as she sees Tera run towards the doorway.

“SPARKS?!” The calico calls out to the neighborhood. She turns around and faces both her and her sister. “I’m gonna go get Mr. Carlson. Something doesn’t seem right…” With that, the multicolored cat was up the stairs, searching for Sparks’ parents.

Nyx’s expression turns dark as she pulls her legs up to her chest, hiding her face as she lets out a cry. I knew I should have said something… I saw this… I saw this exact moment…

“Nyx?” A familiar voice calls out, a paw resting on her shoulder “Are you ok?”

The tabby looks up from her position, then frowns as her eyes are cast towards the floor. She shakes her head and puts her head back into the spot before.

“Aww… I’m sorry sis…” The Pyrenees hugs the tabby, the cat retuning the hug as tears start to flow down from her face. “Did… did you see--”

The stairs then start to squeak with two sets of feet descending down to the main hall. Nyx quickly wipes away the tears from her fur and sits back up in the recliner. Tera and Isaac then appear in front of the front door as the Calico exits the house. “I’ll be right back you two, just sit tight. Um… is everything ok here?” Isaac asks the sisters.

Nyx clears her throat, forcing a genuine smile. “Everything is fine Mr. Carlson. Go find Sparks.”

“Ok… if you say so. If you need to talk at all, Isabelle is right up the stairs. I’ll be right back.” He repeats as he goes out the front door, closing it behind him.

The Tabby’s face switches back into her depressed state, the thought of her visions still fresh in her mind. I hope that what I saw wasn’t as bad as I feared… for Sparks’ sake…

-

Please don’t be bad… please don’t be bad… The Shepsky repeats in his mind, keeping a small hope that his stuff would still be there as he flies down the street. His panting and the wind blowing into his floppy ears the only thing he could hear. I’ve worked so hard! I’ve poured a month into this!

He stops at the last crosswalk before the GODC with his hands on his knees as he attempts to catch his breath before continuing. The Shepsky’s legs then go into overdrive as he continues to run towards the clubhouse. Please… PLEASE! His thoughts continue as a tear starts to form in his eye.

He rounds the fence before him and heads straight for the doors of the clubhouse, finding Joey pacing back and forth across the length of the building. His friend finally notices him running towards him and then past him as he yells something in his direction. Sparks filters this out as he runs through the doorway of the building, his fears faced before him as he slows to a halt. No… He thinks as his body collapses, his knees and hands resting on the cold floor as his tears start to flow from his eyes.

His eyes turn away from the stage, unable to look anymore at the sight before him. Why… why would someone do this…

“Sparks…” Joey lets out, the Shepsky too saddened to move a muscle.

Sobs escape the dog on the floor as he friend comes up to him. Joey places a paw on Sparks’ shoulder and tries to speak to him, but the Shepsky could barely make out anything in his cries. I don’t understand… Did… did I do something wrong? Why… His thought was cut off by another paw resting on his opposite shoulder, slowly moving into a hug as the pet pulls Sparks close, his face buried in the other pets chest fur. The dog looks up from the pet’s chest, noticing a familiar face.

“Hey, Sparky…” The Calico says as she pets his back, trying to calm him down, “Don’t worry, I’m here for you.”

Sparks closes his eyes and buries his face in her chest, sobs coming out of the dog as she continues to comfort him. The thoughts of him and Tera together in the room slipped to the back of his mind. All at once the world started to cave in around him, and the one person that could make it better was right there to help him. Thank you…

<It isn’t the end of the world you know.> A familiar voice echoes.

Time itself seemed to stand still as his surroundings start to turn into a familiar sight; the dream above the clouds. The same cool breeze that he felt before was blowing through his fur while a nice sunset appears just over the horizon. Sparks stands up from his position, taking a look around. Why am I back here? Where’s Tera? And Joey? He starts to frantically search the area to try to look for his friends, but falters as a poof rises from the clouds beneath it.

<Don’t worry, they’re fine. To them, you just passed out. Asleep, if you will.>

The Orange and white fox walks from the cloud of smoke, his arms crossed as he steps towards Sparks. “Huh?” Asleep? How in the world could I be asleep?

<Your mind started to go into a panic, so I decided to step in and flick the… well, ‘snooze’ button.> The fox lets out a chuckle. <You should be awake in no time at all in the real world.>

In the real world? Sparks’ paw goes up to his forehead with a *smack* , the Shepsky letting out a sigh. Oh yeah, right… this is all inside my mind. Then, his head shoots up. “Wait, if this is all in my mind… how are you here? I’ve never seen you before in my life. How would you know what going on in my mind? And who are you?”

The fox lets out another series of chuckles. <You know, for a youngling, you seem to ask a lot of questions… but all will be answered in due time.>

The dog lets out a growl, his fists now clenched. “Why do you keep avoiding my questions?!”

<Because it simply isn’t the time or place. And besides, who doesn’t love a bit of suspense?>

“What?”

The apparition lets out a sigh. <I assure you Sparks, all of your questions will be answered in time, but for right now, I think that it would be best just to just let it go for right now. You’ve got decisions to make and some thinking to do before we meet again. We wouldn’t want to mess with your fate, now would we? For now, what I need you to do is wake up.>

--

Sparks’ eyes slowly open, his vision blurry from the tears shed before. He lets out a sniffle as his body moves away from his girlfriend, sitting up on the ground. Tera places her paws onto the dog’s shoulders while his own wipe away the excess tears from his fur.

“You ok, Sparky?”

The Shepsky nods. “Yeah. I’ll be fine.” Tera pulls Sparks into a short hug.

“I’m sorry that we weren’t able to catch whoever did this.” Joey speaks up as Sparks moves back from his hug, facing his friend. “We’ll find him, don’t worry. We even have Fido and some of his K-9 squad to back us up.”

Sparks look over to the other side of the room, finding Fido talking with two other dogs. He lets out a sigh as he looks back over towards his friend. “I guess. Thanks Joey.”

“No problem.”

The Shepsky turns towards the Calico before him, their paws entwined while a weak smile starts to form on his muzzle. “You alright?”

“Yeah… I’ll be fine.” Sparks lets out a chuckle. “At least I didn’t leave my computer, am I right? Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to DJ at all.” He slowly stands back up, stretching out his back. “It could be worse.”

Hey, Sparks!” A voice booms from behind him. Sparks turns around, noticing Fido waving to him. “Could you come here for a second?”

“Sure!” He yells out to the group of K-9 officers. Sparks turns towards Joey and Tera, his paws back within his girlfriend’s. “I’ll be back at the house once I’m done here. If you want, you can stay there until I get back.” He smiles, trying his best to make the most out of this situation.

“I will.”

“Cool.” Sparks plants a kiss on her cheek and slowly walks towards the other group. “I’ll be back soon.” He looks over to Joey. “Make sure she gets home safe for me, ok?”

“Sure thing Sparks.”

He waves to Tera and Joey, the feline doing the same with a smile as she and Joey leave the building. Sparks lets out a sigh as he faces the group of dogs before him. Alright, be calm. They’re here to help. If… if they ask about me seeing Tera I’ll just tell them straight up. I mean, the news will happen tomorrow anyways, so there’s really no point in trying to hide it anymore.

One of the K-9s nudged Fido’s arm, pointing in Sparks’ direction, causing the whole group to turn around to face him. Sparks tensed up slightly as his breathing starts to speed up, feeling small in comparison to the police dogs. “Sparks,” Fido smiles, his paw on Sparks’ back as he begins to introduce the group to him. “I’d like you to meet my fellow Sergeant, Ralph…”

“Nice to meet you” The German Shepard greeted with his paw extended.

“H-hi…” The black and white pup falters as he shakes the dog’s paw, his cheeks feeling like they were on fire. He looks so tough…

“… and Officer Kevin.”

Fido whispers something into the Doberman’s ear, his shoulders slumping down a little bit as he looks back at Sparks. “Hiya.” The officer says also extending his paw.

The Shepsky shakes the smiling K-9’s paw, still hesitant as his cheeks continue to burn. Just don’t act stupid in front of them. Their paws disconnect as the Shepsky’s paw comes up to his arm.

“Now that we’ve got introductions out of the way, let’s get down to questioning.” Ralph pulls out a notepad from his collar. “Now then…”

“Um… Officer Ralph?”

“Yes Sparks?”

“Could we, um… survey the damage really quick? I need to know exactly what’s been tampered with so I can fix it for the party.”

Ralph sighs and closes his notebook. He then turns around, whispering something to Fido as he stuffs the miniature notebook back into his collar. “Sure. Follow us.”

The group moves along the side of the building, Fido and Ralph conversing in front of him while the Doberman follows behind. Sparks’ eyes stay on the Shepard walking in the lead of the group, his cheeks starting to burn again. Being a K-9 dog… they look so strong and stunning with their vests… Sparks closes his eyes and lets out a silent breath. Save the fantasies for later. You’ve got a party to worry about.

He opens his eyes to see Ralph looking right at him as they near the stage. Sparks’ eyes grow wide and his face turns a slight shade of red. Uh… do something! The Shepsky smiles at the K-9 before him, the dog letting out a few chuckles.

“Ok…” Ralph lets out, stopping in front of the downed speaker as he faces the pup. “Fido will give you the rundown of the extent of damage.”

“Right…” Fido clears his throat, all ears on him as he takes out his own notebook. “What we’ve got is that one out of the two speakers that were placed on the stage fell over and caught one of the wooden benches, causing the thin screen to tear and destroy the innards of the device. Next is the knocked down table. All that seemed to be on it was the soundboard and nothing else, the board seems to be intact though just by looking at it, but we are unsure is the parts inside are damaged. The lights that were apart of that frame look like they haven't been touched either, so we left that be.

Fido closes the notebook as he stuffs it back inside his collar. “Other than that, that’s all we’ve assessed. Would you like to see for yourself to see if we missed anything?”

“S-sure.” Sparks replies, leaving the group as he heads to the stairs on the side of the stage. Alright, let’s see if there’s anything stolen from my equipment… He makes his way to the stage, observing every detail, trying to find anything out of place. Sigh… just as I thought… “Looks like whoever did this stole my speaker cords as well… not to mention that the speaker still standing is crooked. It most likely fell over with the rest of the stuff and in an attempt to make it seem like it didn’t fall over, he or she stood it back up. Whoever did this does not want me to DJ…”

Why would someone try and mess with my stuff? Who hates me this much… Sparks’ mind takes a pause, his mind making a stunning connection. His eyes go to Fido. Wait a minute… could… could Bino have done this? Fido’s eyes grow wide and his ears drop slightly. The Shepsky’s paw comes to his chin as he breaks eye contact with Fido, rubbing it back and forth as he ponders the idea. Does he really hate me that much… would he really do this?

His mind then clicks, coming to a conclusion. I need Fido to know… “Fido,” He calls out, “Can you come here for a second?”

“Uh… sure.” The Mutt hesitates, adjusting his collar. Sparks goes down the opposite side of the stage as Fido meets him right at the start of them. “So what do you think… do you think that… that…”

Sparks shake his head. “I’m not entirely sure, but in my own opinion… I don’t think that he would intentionally do this.” He pauses, recollecting his thoughts. “From what I know, Bino can be mean… but to me, I just don’t think that he would do something like this.”

“Well… you seem to have a lot more faith in him than every single pet he’s come in contact with. Combined.”

“Yeah…”

The two sit in silence. The thoughts and memories of Sparks’ encounters with Bino starting to surface again.

“So…” The Shepsky’s head snaps towards his friend’s direction, “What do you think? What are you going to do?”

Sparks rubs his chin. What should I do… if I say to question Bino for what he’s done he’ll surely deny the whole thing and if this is his fault, it’ll make it harder on him… hmm… *Snap* Got it.

“Because of the fact that this’ll end badly on both sides if Bino were to get in trouble, I’ve decided that I’m not going to do a thing.”

Fido did a double take, his head tilted. “What? Why?”

“Think about it, if sharks were circling your boat and you couldn’t move, would you stick your own paw in to see if the water’s fine?” The dog clears his throat. “I know that Bino’s a bully, and if I give him a reason for him to bully me he’ll continue to keep going at it. So if this truly is his work… I’m not going to do a thing. I’d rather go about my day than give him the pleasure. And as for extra insurance I need your word that you won’t say a thing to him.”

“Ehh… I… I’m not--”

“Please Fido, hear me out. I even have an idea; I already know that the cords for me speakers are missing and if he’s the one who took them… what if… what if he were to bring them back?”

“Knowing my brother, I know that he wouldn’t be the one to go back on his actions.”

“Everyone has to feel some sort of guilt. Maybe… maybe he didn’t mean for this much damage to happen. For all we know, he could be sitting up his room right now feeling guilty that he caused so much to happen.”

“You seem to be betting a whole lot on a maybe.”

“Yeah…”

“Sparks, chances of all of that are slim to none at best. How do you even know it’ll work?”

Sparks’ head lowers to the floor, his arms crossed as he lets out a sigh. “I don’t.”

It was Fido’s turn to let out a sigh as his shoulders slump. “You know… you’re the craziest pup I’ve ever known.”

“Eh, probably.” The Shepsky’s head turns towards the two K-9’s near the front of the stage. “I think we should go back over. I bet they’re wondering why we’re taking so long.”

“Yeah.”

The two walk back over to the Doberman and the German Shepard, breaking their conversation as they get nearer. “Well you two took your time.” Ralph snickered. “Now that you two are done, we can discuss who might have done this.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Fido speaks up. “Sparks said that he would like to keep this on the down low for the time being.”

“Really?”

Sparks opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out as the pup’s cheeks starts to burn. His paw rubs the back of his neck. Why am I so… so… nervous around him… He clears his throat. “Y-yes…”

“We won’t be able to do anything if we leave here today, are you sure?”

“I’m… I’m sure.”

“Well… alright then. I’ll respect your decision. Fido, Kev, we’re done here.” Ralph’s paw extends towards Sparks. “It was nice to meet you. I hope to see you around the neighborhood.” The Shepard flashes a smile at Sparks, the pups cheeks starting to turn red as he shakes the K-9’s paw.

“N-nice to meet you too.”

The group leaves the Shepsky heading for the door, the pup left to ponder about Bino and his theory. Sparks lets out an elongated sigh. I hope I’ll get to see them again… He clears his throat once more as he shakes his head. Stop it Sparks. You can fantasize over them later, right now let’s focus on the problem.

Suddenly, something pats his shoulder causing Sparks to give a slight jump. Who would… He turns around to spot the Doberman standing in front of him, the K-9’s paw rubbing the back of his neck.

“Hey, um… Sparks… I was meaning to ask…”

“Yeah Kevin?” He seems so nervous…

“I saw you hanging out with that cat… are… um, you two together?”

All at once, Sparks’ stomach dropped. I knew that someone would have noticed…

“Kevin!” Ralph comes over, pulling his fellow officer to the door. “I’m sorry Sparks, excuse my fellow officer here. We’ll be leaving--

“No… its fine.” Sparks lets out a sigh. “To answer your question, yes. Me and ‘that cat’, Tera, are together, but could you keep that between you and me until Halloween? I was going to do something nice for her at the party and I was keeping us on the down low until then. Okay?”

Kevin’s face at first showed astonishment, but surprisingly seemed to calm down back into a smile. “Sure. For the record, You two look… cool together. Just lettin’ you know. ‘Bout time we have something weird happen here.” The Doberman’s eyes grow wide. “I mean, not that you’re weird or anything, I didn’t wanna--”

Sparks blushes a little, a smile growing from ear to ear. He lets out a few chuckles “You’re fine Kevin, I know what you meant, and thanks.”

“Well, I’ll see you around, Sparks.”

“I’ll see you soon!”

The two wave goodbye, smiles replacing the anxious feeling inside of the pup. Something interesting? Well… at least some pets are open to it… Once the group leaves the room, the Shepsky lets out a blissful sigh. It feels good not to hide anything for once… I can’t wait until tomorrow.

“Hey Sparks.” A voice booms from behind. Sparks turns around to see his father walking up to him. “So how’s the equipment? Anything lost?”

“Well… We lost a speaker and the cables for the pair, the soundboard took a beating from falling off of the table, but I think it’ll be ok. I’m just glad I brought my laptop home with me. Who knows how I could’ve DJ’ed then.”

“Yeah. Well… at least it’s not the end of the world, right?” Isaac lets out a chuckle, Sparks recalling his dream with the fox.

“Yeah… *Chuckle* You’re right…”

“Come on. Let’s go see if we can find a pair of new speakers for the party.”

“Really?”

“Well, sure. You’ve gotta show to put on, right? You can’t do that without any functioning equipment, can you?

“Nope.”

“Well then, let’s go find some new speakers.”

“Ok, sure!” Sparks says with a smile. I’m not gonna let Bino get to me. This is mine and Peanut’s night. He can’t and won’t stop us now. Sparks and Isaac leave the GODC, the pup’s mood a lot more cheerful than ever before.

~~

Why did all that happen? I only wanted to get the wires… The floppy eared dog thinks, staring at the bundle of cords in front of him. How am I gonna get out of this? Fido’s probably going to kick me out for sure. Bino lays down on his dog bed, his paws clasped together on his stomach. Even if I try to tell them it wasn’t me… my paws are all over it. It’s only a matter of time before I’m found out too…

One of his paws comes over his eyes as his vision begins to turn cloudy. No matter what this looks bad for me. I should’ve thought this through. He lets out a sigh. If only I had listened to Fox… maybe he could’ve talked me out of it. The brown dog lets out a growl. “What am I saying?! That… cat-lover deserves this! He just decides to come in and just… just take over my job?! I have every right! He’s not the one in charge! This is MY job! Sparkles deserves this…”

Bino sits with his thoughts. Why doesn’t it feel right… this is MY club. I should be the one calling the shots. He sits back up on his bed, staring back at the wires once more. The wires seeming to mock his very being. Why do I feel so bad?

-=LAST NIGHT=-

It’s time that I show Sparkles here that he’s not the only one who can take over. The sound of maniacal laughing fills the air while the floppy eared dog make his way to the stage, his own plan starting to unravel. He takes his first step onto the stairs to the stage, his goal almost within his reach.

“Bino?” Someone asks from behind.

He jumps a little, not expecting the sudden presence behind him. The brown colored dog lets out a growl. Who would even be here at this time?! He takes a look towards the door of the GODC, finding the source of the voice. Bino clutches his fists, recognizing the dog before him. Why would he be here… He looks away from the Husky in front of him, his head lowered as his anger increases. “Fox.” He mutters in a low tone.

“What are you doing here? I thought that you’d be at home by now.”

“I should ask you the same thing. cat-lover…

“What was that Bino?”

Bino lets out another growl. “Nothing.” He says with a hint of irritation.

Fox crosses his arms. “Well, if you were wondering, I was looking for Sparks. I guess I missed him again.” He moves closer to the floppy eared dog. “What are you doing here?” He repeats.

Bino clutches his paws once more. Why is it that I can’t seem to win… Fox was now right in front of him, the brown dog unable to even look at his ‘friend’. “Looks like Sparkles stole my friend too…”

The Husky puts his paw on Bino’s shoulder. “Bino--” The floppy eared dog shakes the paw off of him, causing Fox to show a bit of irritation. “He didn’t ‘steal our friendship’, I just simply want to hang out with him, that’s all. I mean, think about it. Besides this DJ gig, have you ever seen him get out at all? And with his girlfriend, do you think that he’ll be able to get out much without having the whole neighborhood on his tail? Sparks needs this Bino.”

Bino sits in silence, his face sporting a frown. What’s his point?

“I guess what I’m trying to say is before you do anything drastic, think about what you’ll do to the pets around you, not to mention yourself.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?! I know what I’m doing!”

The Husky lets out a sigh. “I hope so, for your sake anyways.” He walks away, moving toward the doorway.

Bino lets out a couple of puffs of air, his fists tight with rage. He doesn’t know anything. He has no idea how I feel or what I’m going to do.

“Oh, and Bino.” The floppy eared dog looks back over to the husky, his back facing Bino as he continues. “I’m still your friend. Just so you know.”

“Are you though?”

Fox let out a sigh. “That’s up to you. I’ll see you around.”

~~

The Husky walks through the doorway of the GODC, his heart heavy with the thought of his friendship with Bino hanging by a thread. What happened between us? We were so close, like brothers. It’s been years. I’d hate to lose Bino as a friend, despite him being the way that he is. I know that he can be a bit big-headed, but I know that deep down he’ll realize that he’s making a mistake… Fox catches a loud noise coming from behind him, causing his body to turn around to investigate. He lets out a sigh. I hope he’ll see sooner or later…

Fox continues on his journey back home, whistling the tune ‘Carry On’ by .Fun, still hoping that his friend will make the right decision.


TO BE CONTINUED

[Amazee Dayzee]

Looks like Bino does have a conscious after all.

[FoxRocks]

Very nice!

[D3ath_0ps]

Hey guys!

I'm gonna need some time for the next update for the story! I'm working on several different things for it at the same time so I can push out a mega update within the month (probably)! ^^'

(Hint: The update may or may not change somethings around. o3o)

[Amazee Dayzee]

Its OK! You can take all the time you need! We won't rush you!

[dryideabat]

Finally caught-up.

Looks like Bino does have a conscious after all.

Yeah, though the little nimrod actually went through with wrecking everything, he at least feels genuine remorse. And it must feel really good for Sparks to be able to divulge his secret to a dog as daunting in appearance as Kevin without being persecuted. The truth really does set you free. Great update!

[D3ath_0ps]

Hey guys!

So I might as well bring you guys a progress report on what I've got done so far so that it seems like I'm actually doing SOMETHING for this darn fic. (I love this fic to d3ath brik'd and I wouldn't wanna see it unfinished, would I?)

So I've got almost 1/3 chapters done for the mega-update, and I've started the newest chapter for the fic. I will give a slight spoiler for the update so that y'all are preped for the drop when it come out. ^^

Two of the three Chapters of the mega update are going to be revamped versions of the First, second and possibly Third chapters of the fic. These revamped version will replace the current versions that are currently up. These redone version will include new information that was never included in the chapters at the time, so I highly suggest you read them over when they drop! The newest chapter of the fic will also come along with the newest update. If I do actually consider adding in the 3rd chapter into the mix, it will be a little while longer for the update to come up, but I want it to be consistent. If I just do the first and newest chap., I feel that I would be half-buttin' it. So give me a little while longer! I swear I'll get it done! I'll keep you guys posted! <3

[Amazee Dayzee]

That sounds like it really is good! I can't wait to see those implemented!

[D3ath_0ps]

Hey guys! Thought I might make a little update while I had the chance, and coincidentally, this update happens to be on my birthday! WOO~ With this, I decided to make a one-off in regards to my birthday (or Sparks' in this case). This also coincides with what I have planned with the major update that I have in the works still (yes I'm still working on it!) Sorry guys, I just got a new job to help pay for college tuition next year, so I'm trying my best to balance everything out, and surprisingly it's been working so far. I'm getting about 1-2.5 hours of writing done and with each session I'm getting at least 1.5-2 pages done, so I'm definitely making progress.

Again, sorry for the wait and I hope to be done by at least the end of the month, tops. With that, I hope that you enjoy this little one-off! It's kinda important to Sparks. ^^
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Housepets! Home Stories - A Day to Remember (One-Off)


Sparks smiles as he walks out into the loft's foyer, the collective number of family and friends filling the space as they converse with one another. Woah... I didn't know mom and dad knew so many people... The dog thinks to himself as he peers over the edge of the stairway's platform, his paws pressed up against the glass wall.

He glances at the many faces, Isabelle’s and Isaacs faces sticking out in the crowd. Isabelle then looks up at him, her arm signaling him down towards her. The Shepsky quickly runs down the stairway towards her, his smile prominently shown on his muzzle. She places her hand on his shoulder and smiles back, her other hand gesturing towards the woman in front of her. "Sparks, this is my Aunt Maryanne."

The Shepsky looks at the woman before him, her dark red flower dress catching his eye first while her brown and grey hair flows in curls making her pale green eyes pop. "So you must be the birthday boy this evening!" Mary says in a high pitched, British tone. "I’m glad to finally meet the new addition to the family, dear." She looks towards the man next to her. "This is Robbert, my husband."

He looks over at the human next to him. The man had his arm behind Mary and his leg over the other as he sits down, relaxed. The man looked built with his fitted dress shirt and khakis despite his apparent age, his short blonde hair slicked back and his blue eyes now trained on the Shepsky. He then leans towards Sparks. "Nice to meet you bud." He greets in an American accent, his arm extended towards the dog.

Sparks' paw meets his mother's Uncle's hand as the dogs arm becomes noodle like with the human shaking his paw. "Nice to meet you too, Rob." He smiles.

"So, Sparks," Maryanne asks, "How do you like it here in New York? Isn't it wonderful?"

He nods his head. "Mhmm!"

"That's great to hear!"

"What's your favorite part so far?" Rob questions as well.

The Shepsky thinks for a second, his chin resting on his paw. "I think... the Empire State building! I like the view a lot." He answers with a slight chuckle, the rest of the group following suit.

"Funny, that's actually my favorite spot too! Not to mention your mom and dad's if I'm not mistaken." Robbert smirks, looking at Isabelle. She crosses her arms and stares at him. "What," he laughs, "Am I wrong?"

Isabelle lets out a sigh, "It's enough that I have to deal with Isaac's hilarity, but yours will almost be too much to handle."

"Hold on dear," her Aunt intervenes, "Isn't that one of the reasons you said yes to Isaac?"

Sparks' mom lets out a sigh. "Yes." She mumbles after a small moment of silence within the group.

Suddenly Isaac wraps his arms around Isabelle from behind, causing her to jump. "I heard you were talking about me! Were you by chance talking about how totally awesome I am again?" He smirks.

"Sure hon, you keep thinking that." She smiles back.

Sparks looks away of to another group as both Isaac and Isabelle exchange a kiss, his mind sporadic with the crowd of people before him. The Shepsky then keys in on the new conversation before him at the mention of him. "You think we should let Sparks open his presents now that he's right here? I mean he is the birthday boy after all."

Sparks' eyes grow wide as his tail swings wildly back and forth. "Ooooh!! Can we? Canwecanwecanwecanwe?! Pleeeeeeease!" He begs.

Rob laughs. "Aw come on Iz, Look at 'em! You gotta let him."

Isabelle lets out a sigh. "Alright, fine. Looks like I'm outnumbered here. You can open your gifts." Sparks looks behind him at the small pile of gifts before him. He takes a step forward towards them, but pauses when he hears Isabelle's next few words. "But, you have to open the gift that mine and Isaac's gift to you. Deal?"

Sparks sporadically nods. "Deal."

Isaac then clears his throat and stands up, moving towards the stairs. Once at the middle of the stairway, he stops. "Attention everyone!" He announces, the many faces now looking up at Sparks' father. "Thank you so much for coming to Sparks' first birthday party, I'm glad that you all could make it and be a part of this wonderful occasion. At this time, Sparks will be opening his gifts. After that, we'll move onto cake and ice cream. Sound good?" The crowd shows agreement all around as Isaac searches the crowd. "Awesome. Now, without further delay, I want to start with our present to Sparks." The Shepsky watches as Isabelle moves over to the small pile of cards and presents resting on the table. She picks up a white package off to the side and walks back over to the group.

The Shepsky's excitement grows as his mother sits back down in her spot, the gift now resting on her lap. "You ready sweetie?"

"I am!" He says quickly.

Isabelle chuckles and looks down at the gift. "Well in that case," she starts as the gift is handed over to Sparks, "Here you go hon. Happy Birthday."

Sparks then quickly opens the pure white wrapping paper around the small box-like present to reveal a black wooden box. The dog tilts his head. A box? His eyes then catch the seam in the middle of the box, the Shepsky catching on as he lets out an "Oohh."

The black wooden box slowly opens to reveal something wonderful for the dog, something from the bottom of his parents’ hearts, a new collar. "Wooaah..." He lets out in awe. The logo in the center of the top portion of the box read 'Collars Delux - Premium Custom Collars' making the white of his brand new collar stand out beautifully. The Shepsky then takes the collar carefully out of the box as he observes it. The collar was mainly white with five black lines encircling the entire collar, occasionally being divided by lines. In between the lines were dots with stems branching off almost evenly across the think fabric.

His eyes then catch the insignia dangling from the collar, his paw delicately holding it against his paw pad. The mark had a single thick curvy line with two dots branching out from the right. The black and white of the collar matched the color of his fur perfectly continuing the black and white pattern. The inside of the collar also had a few pockets for several items making the article have use. His eyes then travel to his mother, looking at him lovingly. "So hon," she starts, "What do you think?"

The Shepsky sets the collar and the box on the table and then proceeds to hug his mother tight. "Thank you so much mom. I'm so happy that you and dad chose me."

"And I'm happy that we picked you sweetie. Happy birthday Sparks." She kisses the top of his head and hugs him back, the small crowd of people letting out a very small d'aww. The two release from their hug as Isabelle grabs the collar from the black box. "May I?" Sparks nods and turns his back towards his mother. He hears the click of his old collar, the red cloth moving behind him as his neck remains bare. The dog then feels the new collar move around his neck, the sound of a snap filling the air as the new present twists to have the insignia rest on his chest. He turns back towards Isabelle. "The collar was specifically made to tailor you hon, the musical theme carrying on onto your collar. The collar itself is made of high grade cloth, the pattern being staff paper with a few musical notes mixed in between the lines, the tag following suit with it being a bass clef. We know you love music and like to sing so we made the collar based on that."

Sparks smiles. "I love it. Thanks so much mom, and you too dad," he announces, "This is the best birthday I've ever had."

"No problem Sparks. So, do you wanna open your other gifts?"

"Yep!" He says joyously as another gift is handed to him. I'm so happy they chose me... out of all the dogs... they found me. I can't wait to live the rest of my life with them.

--

Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Sparks,
Happy Birthday to you.

"Make a wish bud." Isaac tells him. The Shepsky pauses to think, his eyes staring at the single candle sitting on his cake before him. Something then clicks in his brain. "I wish... I wish to have a happy life. To forget about whats happened and live happy with mom and dad. I love you two so much." The dog blows out the candle on his cake, his wish now up and in the air. This was his day.


TO BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT CHAPTER

[Saturn381]

Great job, D3ath_0ps!

[killerbee102494]

I love it.
However, i cringed when i read Spark's wish. How life can be crule to make us better. To shape innocence into something diffrent.
BTW, while reading i thought of a drawing of spark's coller.

[Amazee Dayzee]

Really nice job on this story so far! I can't wait until it picks up!

[FoxRocks]

This was very touching.

[D3ath_0ps]

I love it.
However, i cringed when i read Spark's wish. How life can be crule to make us better. To shape innocence into something diffrent.
BTW, while reading i thought of a drawing of spark's coller.

You should go for it! I think it'll turn out great! ^^

Great job, D3ath_0ps!

This was very touching.

Thanks guys! It did indeed give meh teh warm fuzzies. :3

Really nice job on this story so far! I can't wait until it picks up!

Thanks! In regards to an update, I'm planing to release one by tomorrow. I've got the redone chapters finished, now all that's left is to finish the latest one and I'll be golden! The reason for the release tomorrow is to celebrate one year of the fan fic! I didn't think I would actually still be writing at this point to be honest. Thanks you guys for tuning into the fic. I'll make sure that I'll finish this asap. <3

[Amazee Dayzee]

We will give you all of the time you need! We just wanna see what ideas you have next!

[D3ath_0ps]

Chapters One through Three are now out and have replaced the old versions. Hope you like the edited versions guys! ^^

[Saturn381]

Great job, D3ath_0ps!

[Amazee Dayzee]

Very great job on the revised versions! I find that they are far more superior than the original versions!

[D3ath_0ps]

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming!
(Also, whenever you come across a link in the story, you should totally click it. It makes the story even better. ^^)
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-Housepets! Home Stories - Sparks’ Beginning-
=Chapter 10 - The Envy of an Enemy=


The eyes of the Shepsky open to his alarm clock blaring it's usual high pitch sound. He lets out an exasperated grunt as his eyes close again. Do I have to get up? His body lies flat on the bed, his arm covering his eyes so that the light emanating from the window doesn't shine on him. The dog lets out a sigh. Yeah… I gotta get up. His paw slams down on the alarm clock, the beeping sound ceasing as the room fills with silence. Sparks sits back up on his bed and stretches out. Well, today’s the day. Might as well start it off right.

Sparks throws his legs over the side of his bed, his eyes opening slightly to see the wall in front of him. He stands up and lets out a yawn. I wonder what mom and dad are cooking for breakfast? Probably waffles. The Shepsky scratches his stomach, a sigh escaping his muzzle. He makes his way down the hall and to the stairs as his shoulders stay slumped. Why did I have to think of literally EVERY single thing that could actually go wrong last night… I couldn't even sleep. I hate my mind sometimes. Sparks looks down at his feet instinctively as he stumbles down the stairs.

His thoughts move towards the dream, which seems to be more real every second. The Shepsky stops at the foot of the stairs as his eyes still cast towards the ground. Will this even work? What if everyone antagonizes us… what if I mess up and become the laughing stock of the neighborhood? Sparks’ body collapses and sits down on the first steps of the stairs. Why should I even try? I probably don’t even deserve this… or… maybe even her... The fact that I met Tera was absolute chance at best BOTH times and I almost forgot about her over those two years. She’d kill me if she found out.

He lets his mind process the weary thoughts, his mind still focused on Tera. Then again… almost everyone I’ve come in contact with so far has completely supported us. Not to mention the fact that my friends are willing to help me out with this. Spark lets out a sigh. I shouldn't be worrying. With all the support we have, even if I do mess up or fail, what matters is that I still have Tera. Nothing will change that. Plus with all the practice and time I’ve had with the mix, there shouldn't be a problem with me messing up at all. I just have to be positive.

The Shepsky stands back up with a stumble, regaining his balance as he deeply breathes in and out. Just put a smile on and think happy thoughts. He giggles as Sparks thinks to himself. You’re about to do the craziest thing you've ever done in your life and you’re sitting here moping? Brighten up! Mom would be so proud of you if she were here! Don’t you forget it… Sparks looks up to the ceiling, his mind looking past it as he imagines his mother looking down on him, smiling bright as she looks down lovingly at her son. Thanks mom… for everything. I’ll make you proud.

Sparks steps off of the stairs and walks down the hall, noticing Nyx and Hemera sleeping in the living room. A smile stretches from ear to ear on his muzzle. They seem peaceful. His nose sniffs the air as he attempts to trace any source of food in the house. Is mom cooking anything? He walks into the kitchen finding not a soul in sight, the dark room feeling strangely empty. With a flick of the switch, Sparks turns the lights on, trying to get a better view of the room. There’s… no one here… He looks around once more, observing the table and counter trying to find any trace of Isaac or Isabelle. “Ah-ha! There’s something.” The Shepsky whispers to himself, spotting a piece of paper on the kitchen counter.

He walks over to the counter and grabs the folded up note as he carefully opens it back to its original state. The note unfolds to reveal a message inside, left by both his mother and father. “Sparks…” He quietly reads out loud, “we’ll be out for a bit getting the last few pieces for your costume and getting some groceries for lunch. We left a mug on the table for you if you wanted any coffee. We’ll see you back at about lunch time! Signed Isaac and Isabelle… So they’ll be out for a bit. I’m totally going to take that offer on the coffee. Nothing like a little bit of caffeine to start the day off.”

The Shepsky’s paw grabs the coffee mug sitting on the table and walks over to the single cup brewer behind him. After making a cup of coffee, he walks back up the stairs and into his miniature studio. One last practice for the set and then I can probably do something else. Sparks sits down in his leather chair and boots up his computer. The screen in front of him lights up and his cup of coffee is put down, resting on a coaster. Let’s give it a shot.

--

The footsteps of a Mutt creek along the wooden floor, his head looking around the room. He really made this place pop. That crazy dog. The dog lets out a chuckle, standing in the middle of the empty dance floor. He looks around at all of the Halloween decor littered throughout the clubhouse. I didn’t even know we had all of this stuff… Is this the club’s stuff?

He walks over to the back wall towards a long table, covered with a black and orange table cloth. He sets his paw down on the table. Yeah, I don’t remember the club having this sort of cloth for Halloween. The dog’s paw moves back and forth as he feels the softness of the cloth, mesmerized by it. Did Sparks--

“Joey?” A familiar voice calls out from behind as he turns around.

The mutt smiles as he recognizes the dog in the blue vest. “Kon'nichiwa, ani.”

“What are you doing here?”

Joey looks away from his older brother, talking another glance at the room as he leans against the table. “I just wanted to take a look around before tonight. It looks nice.” He looks back at Fido, a confused look now apparent on his face. “Is this all ours?”

Fido walks over to him, his radio on his collar making a fuzzy noise. He leans with Joey against the table as his head looks around the room. “No, actually. Most of this is Sparks' family. The Carlson’s really outdid themselves with the decor. I’ve never seen the club look so good. It even looks cleaner in here.”

The two sit in silence. The wind from the outdoors blows into the open doors of the clubhouse creating a peaceful setting while Fido breathes in the fresh air. Joey lets out a sigh, breaking the silence. “So are you going to be helping with Sparks’ little plan? Seems like you’re probably going to be busy tonight considering the uniform.”

“Yeah… Me, Ralph, and Kevin got called in for tonight and tomorrow so I can’t help out with Sparks’ little plan. I know that you, Grape, and whoever else that helps you guys will do a great job tonight. Could you tell Sparks that I wish him the best of luck for me?”

Joey nods. “Sure. I… don’t know if I said this to you, but thanks again for doing this for him. I’ve noticed that Sparks seems a lot happier now that his little secret is coming out. It’s been a long month for him. I remember when he was so insecure… Fox told me how awkward he was when he first came here. The fact that he’s so… open now… it’s kinda cool.”

“Seems like it.”

The mini radio on Fido’s collar sounds again, this time able to make out words emanating from it. “Officer Bill to Officer Fido, do you copy?”

Fido brings his paw to the device. “Loud and clear, sir.”

“Could you get to the car? We’re going to be late!”

“Yes sir. On my way.” His paw comes off of the talkie, his body moving away from the table. “I gotta go Joey. Goo-- wait… I think I know this one if I remember correctly… Ganbarou!”

Joey smiles crossing his arms. “Correct. Looks like you’re taking after me now, huh Fido?”

“Probably.” He chuckles.

The younger brother sighs. “Thanks. Have a great patrol Fido.”

With that, Fido leaves the clubhouse with a sprint, the sound of a car door slamming outside echoing through the thin walls of the building.

Joey lets out a sigh. I wonder how Sparks’ doing? I wonder if he’s busy with the party… The dog starts to slowly walk towards the exit, his mind lost in a sea of old memories. Suddenly, Joey starts to get a forgetful feeling. He stops to think. What could I have forgotten... His eyes grow wide. Bino.

-FOUR HOURS REMAIN-

The Shepsky watches as Peanut and Angel sing in beautiful harmony, the end of their set, the strums of 'If My Heart Was a House' emanating from Angel's guitar. With a click of the mouse-pad, Sparks' end the recording as he stands back. These two could actually rock the clubhouse down. They're really good!

Both Peanut and the Siberian Husky turn towards him. "So," Angel starts, "How was that?"

Sparks gives a thumbs up. "It was really good. Not a single mistake from my angle. I think you two are ready for tonight!"

The cinnamon colored dog breathes a sigh of relief. "Awesome."

"Sparks, thanks again for the help. Thanks to you, Peanut has a chance."

The Shepsky chuckles. "It's no problem Angel. Really, I'm glad to help out." The dog looks down at his computer, the clock now striking 3:00. Looks like I've only got four more hours. Better head home to get my costume together. "Alright, I've got to head out to get my costume together and make sure everything is set-up and ready to go for tonight, is there anything you two need before we leave?"

Both the Husky and Pointer look at each other. "I don't think we need anything else. Looks like we're ready." Peanut nods in agreement.

"Great." Sparks smiles, disconnecting his laptop from the cables attached. All three of the dogs step off of the stage and head towards to door.

"Hey, Peanut?" Angel asks.

"Yeah?" He responds with a grin.

"Can I talk with Sparks for a bit? I'll catch up to you and we can work out a few more things before it's time."

"Sure! I'll see you later guys!"

The trio all wave goodbye, Peanut leaving Sparks and Angel to talk. "So, how did the song sound? Is it saved onto the computer?"

"Yep, it's all there. I'll have to listen to it again to make sure that everything sounds ok though. After that it should be ready to put onto the CD."

"Great! I can't wait to see Grape's reaction. She's gonna love it, I just know it." Angel starts to walk off, her body still facing the Shepsky. "I'll see you tonight I guess?"

"Sure. I'll see you tonight." Sparks smiles, waving to his friend.

--

A sigh escapes a brown colored dog, his back against his dog bed as his eyes lock onto the ceiling. The anger in his heart grows as he turns to his side. There has to be something I can do. I refuse to let that cat-lover get the better of me. I won't let him. He thinks to himself as he contemplates plans of attack. If I'm going to take action... I've got to hit hard. What would do the most damage?

Just as an idea starts to form in his head, a loud knock could be heard making the walls slightly vibrate with each knock. The mutt lets out a frustrated grunt, heading angrily towards the front door. Looking through the window of the front door made him irritated. He recognized the figure. The canine twists the doorknob and opens the front door, revealing none other than his brother, Joey. Bino crosses his arms and leans against the doorway.

"Hey Bino." Joey in an unenthusiastic tone utters, his barely audible tone setting the grim mood.

"What do you want?" Bino fumes, looking furiously at his brother.

Joey flashes him a stern look. "Look, I just came over to tell you this, if you are planning something tonight to mess with Sparks, you can forget about it. I'll tell Fido straight away if you do, so don't try anything."

Bino's expression turns livid, his paw now against the frame of the door. "Why do you think that I would try and mess with that stupid cat-lover? You and 'Mr. High and Mighty' already have me by the collar, so how would I even do anything?"

"Oh geeze, I don't know? Maybe it's because you kinda do this often? Especially to the pets you don't like."

The mutt growls in frustration, refusing to give in. "So what? You have no proof if I'm planning anything anyways, and why would I even tell you in the first place? Sparkles can go play with a ball of yarn, or do... whatever cats do for all I care."

Joey turns away. "His name is Sparks you jerk."

"Whatever." Bino slams the door shut, leaving his younger brother to his own devices. The creeks of the wooden stairs fill the now silent room, Bino's grip of the rail pushing him upward. I don't need a lecture from him. That... weirdo has no power over me. Bino stops at the top of the stairs, a sudden thought entering his mind. His intentions becoming clearer. "Power..." A paw covers his chin as his body leans against the wall of the stairs. It all comes together while Bino flashes a sinister smirk. "I think I'll get my costume ready. Wouldn't wanna be late for the party, would I?" Bino's evil chuckles fill the eerie air, his scheme now in motion.

-THREE HOURS REMAIN-

"So what costume did you pick?" Nyx asks her sister, sitting at the table directly behind her.

"A Pirate. I think they look cool. You?"

The black tabby lowers the single serve lever on the coffee machine and presses the button. "I chose a simpler one, The Green Lantern."

"Oooooh! That's gonna look cool with your whole purple thing! But... wouldn't that make you the Purple Lantern?"

The cat and dog share a collective chuckle. "I guess it would wouldn't it?" The cat grabs her cup of coffee and sits down next to her sister. "So..." Nyx starts to ask, "How are things with Dawn? I haven't seen you talking with her for a while. Did something happen?"

Hemera stares off, her smile starting to fade into a frown. She looks down. "We're... not so good. We kinda got into a fight before we left."

"Oh no... what happened?"

A sigh escapes the Pyrenees. "She started talking about how I'm not spending anytime with her, how I'm not committed enough... even though I spend all the time I can with her. She even told me how stupid I was... I just... lost it. I knew that she was just being mean to be mean. After our fight she told me that she didn't wanna talk to me anymore, and I haven't heard from her since. Do... do you think I made a mistake?"

Nyx takes a sip of her coffee and closes her eyes. "To be honest, I didn't know you two were in a rough patch, I actually thought that you were doing well together."

"You're not the only one. I thought we were perfect. I guess I was wrong..." She sighs.

"Well," She starts, putting her paw on her shoulder, "Don't worry about it sis. I know that you'll find someone who'll like you for who you are. I don't think that you we're wrong for calling her out, not at all. The way I see it, she was just a little--"

Both heads turn towards the door, the footsteps of their Shepsky roommate stepping through the house. Nyx whispers the last little bit of the sentence in Hemera's ear.

"Hey guys!" Sparks greets.

"Hiya Sparks." Nyx smiles, taking another sip of her coffee.

"Whatzup?" Hemera chuckles, wiping her eyes.

"Just got done with the final prep for the party, now I'm just waiting for mom and dad to get home so we can get my costume together."

"That's exciting!" the tabby grins, scooting her chair over so that Sparks could have a seat.

The three sit at the table in silence, the Pyrenees slouched over onto the table. "Hey Sparks?" the dog asks.

"What’s up Hemera?"

"Um... have you and Tera ever fought? Even over something small?"

Nyx watches her sister look at Sparks, her expression begging for an answer from the pup. You're not really the covert type Hem. She downs the rest of her coffee and tunes into the conversation again.

"I... don't think we have... Hm..." The black and white dog shakes his head. "Nope. We've never really had a fight from what I can remember. Even when we were younger we used to get along really well."

"Really...?" The dog gloomily says.

Sparks nods. "Yep. The only reason we don't fight is because we've been through so much together, our similar experiences, we just get along I guess. And rightfully so..." The Shepsky blushes, his tail wagging swiftly back and forth.

Nyx giggles looking at the young dog. "Ah, young love. Such a beautiful thing." Suddenly, a searing headache plagues the tabby's mind. Ugh... again? She rubs the front of her head, trying to ease the pain, but catches Sparks mimicking the same movement. Wait... does he...?

"You have a headache too?" He asks innocently at the tabby.

"Uh... yeah..." Nyx answers hesitantly. I've had these headaches for a while now... how long has he had his? "If you don't mind me asking, how long have you had these headaches?"

Sparks puts his paws behind him, leaning back in his chair. "I think it started ever since I had this weird dream..."

"Dream?" Wait...

"Yeah. It was with this weird Fox talking about some future mumbo-jumbo. After that I started having these small headaches. I think it's just nothing personally, so I just kinda let them happen."

"Interesting..." Nyx astonishingly replies. Fox? Could he mean Cadmean? Or Kitsune... "Did you ever catch the name of the Fox if he had one? Did you happen to catch a glimpse of it?"

Sparks looks up towards the ceiling. His paw slowly rubs his chin, his face almost angry as he thinks. Finally he lets out a breath. "Nope."

In a massive slump, the cat snaps her fingers. Drat... at least I've got a lead now. "Oh well. Worth a try."

"I... guess?" Sparks questions. "I'm gonna go lay in my bed till mom and dad get back. I'll see you guys later."

The Shepsky exits the room, leaving Nyx with more questions than answers. "I think I'll lay down too. If you see me with glowing eyes Hem, please don't wake me unless the Carlson's arrive, ok?"

"Sure." Her sister agrees, the black cat leaving the dinner table. Nyx enters the living room and lays down on the couch, her paws resting on her stomach. Alright, time to tell Tarot the good news. Nyx's eyes glow a bright shade of purple as she links her mind to the Pomeranian. <Tarot?>

<Hello Nyx. Find anything?>

<Yes. Sparks just informed me of some headaches that he's been having that might be related to our case.>

<Really? How so?>

<Well, he said that before the headaches started he had this weird dream involving a Fox. Sound interesting, doesn't it?>

<Indeed. It seems like we're onto something here. Is that all you've found so far?>

<Unfortunately yes. That's all.> Nyx's mind starts to cloud, her sadness causing the connection to become spotty.

<Don't worry Nyx, we're getting closer. You can feel it too, right?>

<I do... I just want this case to be over.>

<Trust me Nyx we do too, but for now, let’s just keep searching. At least we know that we have a lead.>

<Right.> Nyx lets out a sigh. <I'm gonna go, wouldn't wanna freak the Carlson's out, would we?>

<No we would not. I'll talk to you later Nyx. Oh, and keep an eye on Sparks. Make sure nothing out of the ordinary happens, ok?>

<Rodger that. Cya Tarot.>

Nyx's eyes open to see Hemera laying on the opposite side of the couch, staring off into space. I wish I could make her feel better. I hate when she's like this. The Tabby rolls to her side and closes her eyes. "Maybe a little nap would do us both good, huh Hem?"

"Definitely."

Nyx grows a smile. "Good."

-TWO HOURS REMAIN-

<Looks like everything is coming together quite nicely... only a matter of time now before we take the stage.>

Sparks jolts awake from his dead sleep, his eyes looking around the room quickly. "Who's there?" He asks, still feeling the presence of another being in his room. Leaping from his bed, the Shepsky checks around opening everything and anything he could see. He finally stands in the doorway, looking into his room. Nothing... there’s nothing here... not even a mouse. With a shiver Sparks leaves the sanctity of his room and strolls downstairs into the kitchen. There's gotta be a reasonable explanation for this... what am I hearing? More importantly, who am I hearing?

The Shepsky walks into the kitchen with a yawn. "Hey." He announces, both Isaac and Isabelle turning their heads.

"Hey Sparks! We've got your costume done!" She gleams in a sing-song tone.

"You finished it?"

"Yep." Isaac jumps in. "We finished it not to long ago." He grabs two articles of pure black clothing and sets it in front of the dog.

"Wow." Sparks picks up the shirt, resting it against his upper body. Almost as black as my fur! His eyes catch the off center opaque stripe running down his shirt. This must be the part that lights up. That must've taken forever to put on.

"Why don't you try it on?" Isabelle asks.

"Sure!" He quickly grabs the black jeans and top, heading into the bathroom. In a quick motion, the dog quickly slides the jeans on as the static shocks his legs. He looks downward at the black on black fur and catches the white section on his stomach now cut off. You can't even tell that I had white fur at all! Coooool. Sparks then slides the shirt over his muzzle, fitting comfortably on his body. The outfit fits really snug! After finishing a final check looking all around his body, he steps out of the room and in front of his parents. "So?" The Shepsky asks, "How does it look?"

Isabelle squees and shows a little hop in the air. "It looks fantastic! Just, let me do one thing..." She moves in front of him, kneeling down and moves her hands near his neck. A faint *click* fills the air followed by a louder version, the clear, opaque stripe on his shirt aglow in a pure white hue. His collar falls into the hands of Isabelle and then steps back. "Wow. This really does look stunning. Could you turn around a bit for us?" The Shepsky gives a slow twirl, showing off the entire outfit to both Isabelle and Isaac. "What do you think hon?"

His dad puts his hand on his chin. "I think it's missing one little detail. Izzy, could you grab the thing from your purse?"

"I think I know what you're talking about." She smirks, quickly handing her husband a pure black leather collar.

Ooooooh... leather? Sparks thinks, his giddiness reaching new heights.

Isabelle takes the items from his old collar--his wallet, flip phone, and identification--and places them inside the new collar. "Hold still for me sweetie." She attaches the collar to his neck, his new white bass-clef tag dropping down on his chest. "Kinda the opposite of what you've got. Isaac came up with the idea thinking that the white patch on your neck would probably stand out a little bit compared to the rest of your outfit. Looks like he was right."

"As always." He snickers, Isabelle shooting him a glare. "What?" He utters innocently.

She lets out a sigh, then faces towards the living room. "Hey Nyx, Hemera, could you come in here for a second?"

In a flash, both cat and dog were in front of the trio, both in their costumes as well. Both exchange a few "Oooh's" and "Ah's" as they stare at Sparks' costume. Purple Lantern and a Pirate eh? Looks pretty cool!

"You look awesome Sparks!" Hemera shouts. "I'm so jealous."

"Looking spiffy Sparks." Nyx adds.

The dog blushes and lets out a few chuckles. "Thanks guys. You two are looking pretty cool too! I love the pirate outfit Hem!"

"Really?" She questions.

"Yeah! I think pirates are pretty awesome." He smiles.

It was Hemera's turn to blush as she looks away. "Thanks Sparks."

The Shepsky turns towards Isaac. "I think I'm gonna get my computer and start heading out. It's almost time for the party and I wanna get there early." Sparks turns to Nyx. "Could you have Tera meet up with you guys when you head out? She's just across the street."

"I will, Sparks." Nyx answers with a smile.

"Great. I guess I'll see you two at the party."

The black and white dog moves towards the living room, grabbing his computer laying on the coffee table and heads out the front door with a peculiar thought on his mind. I wonder what that voice was...

~~

Nyx watches as the Husky mix walks out the front door, her mind focusing in on the dog. Another encounter... this can't be coincidence. Not at all. She looks around the room and keeps up her smile. I'll talk to Tarot later. Right now I've got a calico to meet up with.

--

"So... What are we doing again?" A Pitbull loudly asks, his friend surveying the lone generator roaring outside the GODC.

"I told you already Rex. If that cat-lover thinks that he can skate away so easily... he's got another thing coming." A brown colored dog smirks.

"Alright then... so what are you going to do?"

"Not 'you,' Rex. 'We' are going to take the generator right before the party starts. That way he can't perform at all and the title of music organizer will be mine once again!"

"But Bino, wouldn't that ruin the party for everyone in the club? Including the other pets? And wouldn't Fido find out if you've done it eventually? I mean your already in question--"

The brown colored dog shoots him a growl and a glare, his friend crossing his arms and closing his eyes. The Mutt kneels down to search for the on and off switch. It's gotta be around here somewhere...

--

I guess we should just head in now. It's almost that time anyways. The first few groups stroll into the clubhouse, ready to dance the night away. Tera looks around the room, the lights and decor catching her eye. "Wow..." The calico looks towards the stage noticing her Shepsky boyfriend moving off of the stage and into the space between the wall and the stairs. "Hey look!" Tera points, Nyx, Hemera, and Grape turning towards that direction. "There he is." She blushes and sighs, the other girls letting out a few chuckles.

"Come on you love bug," Hemera smirks, "Let's go get some food!"

Both Tera and Hemera rush towards the snack table in the back of the room, Grape and Nyx following slowly behind. I guess they'll be ok by themselves.

The Pyrenees and the Calico stop in front of the table, taking a look at all of the options available. "There's not really a lot of option here is there?"

Hemera turns towards her with a mouth full of dog treats and a confused look, the calico blurting out a laugh echoing through the building.

~~

"Looks like they're both having a great time." Nyx smiles

"It does." The purple furred cat agrees.

Nyx looks over towards the stage, her eyes glowing a dim shade of purple. Might as well check on him. To make sure nothing's going on in that little head of his. She hones in on Sparks, his mind her focus. Just as she connects with the Shepsky, her eyes suddenly return to normal. Her eyes grow wide. I... disconnected? How?! The cat looks confused at the dog as she tries to understand. Lets see... the only way that a disconnect could have happened is if... The black tabby puts her paw to her chin. Who forced the disconnect?

"Are you okay Nyx?" Grape asks putting her paw on the tabby's shoulder. "You seem a little lost."

She lets out a sigh and smiles. "I'm fine. Thanks for asking."

"You sure? I mean, you were looking at the stage and you totally spaced. Not to mention that you were doing the same thing on the way here. I outta say you’re crazy or something!" Grape snickers.

Nyx laughs. "Yeah, a lot of people probably would actually. But I can assure you, I'm okay."

"Alright. If you say so."

Nyx flashes a fake smile looking over at her sister and Tera. I have to stay calm. I don't want to draw any more attention to myself. If I'm going to keep checking, I'm going to have to be discreet. I need to find out.. I have too... I think that this may be a little larger than me and Tarot had thought. It's a shame that we can't see into the future.

~~

Sparks watches as the room fills up with the different pets from the neighborhood. Look at that... Cats, Dogs, Rabbits... this is such a great turn out! He scans the crowd, picking out a few familiar faces. Looks like the gals made it to the party. Now to find--

"Hey Sparks!" Angel waves, the Shepsky noticing the two walking right in front of him in costume.

There they are! "Hey guys!" The trio exchange a few hugs, their energy at their peaks. "So, Peanut, are you ready for your big debut?"

The Pointer nods his head. "Yep!"

"Great! Just remember that you two are set to go halfway through the set."

"Don't worry Sparks. We've got it." Angel reassures him.

"Alright. Enjoy the party guys" He looks over at the clock against the wall. Just about 7. Time to start. "I've gotta get started."

"Good luck." Angel smiles, both her and the cinnamon colored dog turning to leave.

"Thanks, Angel." The black and white dog slowly breathes in and out to calm the rest of his nerves. "Let's do this." In a quick motion, he moves onto the stage, the crowd becoming a sea of pets before him. He stops at his laptop. Look at them all... wow... The Shepsky smiles, his paw moving left and right on top of the mouse. The screen lights up to the beginning of the playlist. All set.

He moves to the mic stand next to his station and moves to the front of the stage. "Hello everyone!" The crowd roots and cheers, smiles running across the pets faces. "Thank you all for coming to the GODC Halloween Party! We've got some great music for you tonight, including a live performance by two very special guests." Another round of cheers and claps fill the space with sound. "I hope you guys and gals enjoy." Sparks strolls back behind the table, putting the mic back on the stand. A smile forms on the Shepsky’s face. Let's start. He places his paw on the mouse, ready to click.

*Juuuuurrrrrrrrrrr....*

Suddenly, darkness casts itself into the room. "What the ham?!" Sparks nearly shouts. What happened!!! Someone flicks the light switch, the main power for the building still running as the light returns into the clubhouse. Where'd the pow-- The dog gasps. THE GENERATOR. The Shepsky runs off the stage and out of the building towards the generator. Please don't be bad... He repeats to himself, rounding the corner behind the building. The footsteps of the dog slow down, stopping in his tracks. "Where's the generator?!" Sparks asks to no one as his rage starts to worsen. His body leans against the building, the dog’s stomach now upset from the surge of emotions.

"Sparks!" A familiar voice calls out as it rushes towards him. A paw comes over his shoulder and another onto his arm. "What’s happened? Are you ok?" Fox asks.

"The generator's gone. Someone stole the generator." The Shepsky slowly breathes in and out calming his mind and stomach.

"Oh no... What are you going to do?"

"I... don't--" Sparks stops, getting an idea. "Wait. I think I have a plan..." The Shepsky pulls out his flip phone from his collar and quickly starts *taking* away at the buttons. With a final push he brings the phone up to his ear. "Come on... pick up..."

The voice on the other side of the line fumbles, a silence then following. "Hello?" Isaac asks.

"Dad! Thank dog you picked up!" The dog frantically says.

"Sparks? What's going on? Did something happen?"

"Dad, I need you to get another generator really fast. Our generator... its... it's gone!"

Sparks imagines the confusion that was more than likely now riddled on his father's face. "What? Why would the generator be gone?"

"I don't know. But I really need your help. Do we have another generator at the house?"

"I can check, but I'm pretty sure that we don't have another one."

"Please check Dad, I really need this right now."

"I'll try my best. In the meantime... did the party start?"

"Yes."

"Then stall for time. We're gonna need every second."

"Gotcha. I'll see you later."

"Cya."

The phone flips back and goes back into his collar, a sigh leaving his muzzle. "Well?" His friend asks, "What did he say?"

The Shepsky faces his friend. "He's gonna try and get another generator. In the meantime, I guess that performance Peanut and Angel have planned is gonna happen right now." Sparks quickly heads back towards the clubhouse, his mind becoming clearer with each step. I hope Peanut and Angel are ready... I hate to put them on the spot like this, but I've got no choice.

The dogs move into the building and head towards the stage. "I hope you know what you're doing Sparks."

"I hope so too." While his friend stays on the sidelines, the black and white furred dog climbs the stairs onto the stage, walking past the table and towards the crowd. "Hey guys," he announces. "Due to some technical difficulties, we're gonna have the live performance take the stage now. Can I ask that both pets take the stage at this time?" The Shepsky scans the crowd for both his friends. He spots two figures maneuvering through the outskirts of the large crowd. There you are... Guys and Gals, Pets of all kind, may I present two of our very own; Peanut and Angel!" Both dogs come up onto the stage and around the table, Angel with an acoustic guitar in hand. "May I please ask that you keep your voices down, you all are in for a treat!

Sparks moves towards the two, both stopping in front of him. "Sorry for the sudden turn of events guys, the generator is gone. I'm already on it, just perform as you would for now. Just keep playing until I get the power back, then you two will be done for the night. Cool?"

"Cool." Angel responds, looking less than happy. "Do... do you know if it was--"

"I don't know who did it, and I know who you're thinking of. Just forget about it and just worry about playing. I'll handle the generator."

Angel looks towards the crowd and flashes a smile. "Got it."

"Good luck." Sparks quietly wishes, patting Peanut on the back as he exits the stage. Angel's holding back her anger. This may cause more trouble if I don't get the power back on, and waiting is the only option I have now. It's up to Dad now.
Taking his place next to Fox, the Shepsky leans against the wall letting out a sigh. "I hope your dad gets here soon Sparks."

"I hope so too."

"You sure that they're ready?"

"They're ready. Trust me, they're gonna rock the house down." Peanut grabs two chairs, placing them next to each other on the stage. Looks like Peanut and Angel are gonna go for a more casual approach... nice move. He doesn't have the mic to hold anymore, so sitting would be the best bet. All he and Angel have to do is keep good posture.

The two dogs sit down and look at each other. Angel mouths something to the dog next to her, his head giving a slight nod. The Siberian Husky smiles and looks down at her paws, while Peanut faces the crowd. "This song is for someone special in the crowd tonight." The guitar suddenly sounds, the song 'The Saltwater Room' beginning. (Listen to the song here.)

"I opened my eyes last night
And saw you in the low light
Walking down by the bay, on the shore,
Staring up at the planes that aren't there anymore"

Sparks smiles. He's feeling it... that smile says it all...

"I was feeling the night grow old
And you were looking so cold
Like an introvert,
I drew my over shirt
Around my arms and began to shiver violently before..."

"... you happened to look and see
The tunnels all around me
Running into the dark underground
All the subways around create a great sound"

"To my motion fatigue farewell,
With your ear to a seashell
You can hear the waves
In underwater caves
As if you actually were inside a saltwater room"

"Time together is just never quite enough
When you and I are alone,
I've never felt so at home
What will it take to make or break this hint of love?
We need time, only time"

"When we're apart whatever are you thinking of?
If this is what I call home,
Why does it feel so alone?
So tell me, darling, do you wish we'd fall in love?
All the time, all the time"

"Wow." Fox chuckles, "They do sound great together.

The Shepsky smiles. "Indeed."

"Can you believe that the crew has gone
And wouldn't let me sign on?
All my islands have sunk in the deep,
So I can hardly relax or even oversleep"

"I feel as if I were home some nights,
When we count all the ship lights.
I guess I'll never know
Why sparrows love the snow
We'll turn off all of the lights
And set this ballroom aglow"

"So tell me darling, do you wish we'd fall in love?
All the time!"

"Time together is just never quite enough
When you and I are alone,
I've never felt so at home
What will it take to make or break this hint of love?
We need time, only time"

"When we're apart whatever are you thinking of?
If this is what I call home,
Why does it feel so alone?
So tell me, darling, do you wish we'd fall in love?
All the time, all the time"

"Time together is just never quite enough
When we're apart whatever are you thinking of?
What will it take to make or break this hint of love?
So tell me, darling, do you wish we'd fall in love?
All the time..."

The guitar slowly ends and the crowd claps and cheers. The black and white dog looks at the two on the stage, seeing Peanuts and Angels faces light up with joy. Song one down, two more to go.

--

Isaac knocks on the front door of the Sandwich household frantically, a small hope still residing within him. I really hope Earl has a generator I can borrow. The man lets out a frustrated sigh. I can't believe we didn't have another generator...

The door slowly opens to reveal Jill Sandwich standing in the doorway. "Hey Isaac."

"Hey Jill, is Earl here?"

She turns around and puts her hand to her mouth. "Hey Earl! Isaac's here!!" Jill turns back towards him. "He'll be right down. Please come on in."

The well-dressed Carlson moves into the house and closes the door behind him. "Hey Isaac!" A voice booms from the top of the stairs, the steps of the man echoing through the hall. "What can I do for you?"

"Earl, I need a generator and fast. Sparks has the party going on right now and the generator that we were using was taken."

"Taken? That's unusual..."

"It is. I was wondering if you could help us out."

"Of course. Follow me." Earl and Isaac head outside the house and moves in front of the garage. With a quick motion Earl opens the door to the space, revealing a RS-car and a clean garage, a generator sitting in the corner.

It looks like the same generator... "Is that it?" Isaac asks, hinting at the power source.

Earl nods his head. "Yep. You can use it however long you need it Iyse."

"Thanks Earl. You don't know how grateful I am right now."

"No problem. Tell Sparks I said good luck."

"Don't worry I will."

--

Another song down. One to go... The crowd gives a roar as he looks around the room. Where is he... Sparks smiles and claps for the two on stage.

Fox mimics the same movement, his face almost stone with no expression. "Are you sure your dad's on his way?"

Suddenly the phone in his collar starts vibrating, a smile and a chuckle escaping the dog. "Positive." He answers. Perfect timing. Sparks takes the phone out of his leather collar and runs outside, flipping the phone open. "Hello?" The Shepsky asks, the phone held up to his ear.

"Hey bud," Isaac starts, "I got a generator and I'm heading over there right now."

YES! "That's awesome dad, you're a life saver."

"No problem bud. I'll be there in a second."

"Alright, I'll see you then." The dog closes his phone and stays outside to wait for his father. I can't believe he found one... I still have a chance. Sparks sighs, his eyes cast towards the ground as he starts to pace. We've had a bit of a rocky start, but so far, everything has been going great. Hopefully nothing else will go wrong tonight. We can't afford another blow like that otherwise the party will be done. The tron-esqe dog puts his paw to his chin. A thought peaks the Shepsky's interest. Could this be another one of Bino's strikes on the party? He's really the only one that I can really see doing this... it's gotta be him. But... if the cards are stacked against him, why would he push it? That just makes no sense.

In his peripheral vision, the dog sees a pair of headlights zooming down the street and finally resting right in front of the GODC. Sparks smiles and heads towards the car, a tall dressy figure stepping out of the vehicle.

"Just give me a sec and I'll hook it right up."

"Sure thing." His father opens the trunk and quickly moves the generator towards the back of the clubhouse.

~~

Tera looks around the stage, finding the same old pets standing in the same spots. "Where is he..."

"He's probably busy with trying to get the lights back on. Don't worry Tera. He'll be back soon."

I hope so...

"It makes me smile because you said it best
I would clearly feel blessed if the sun rose up from the west
Flower balm perfume, all my clothes smell like you
Cause your favorite shade is navy blue"

"I walk slowly when I'm on my own
(Do you feel alive?)
Yeah, but frankly I still feel alone
(Oh, but you'll survive)
So I may as well ditch my dismay
(Bombs away... Bombs away...)"

Suddenly, the generator comes alive as a semi-loud roar fills the air once more.

"He did it! See? He was fixing the problem. Now the party's back on track, no need to worry Ter!" Grape smiles.

"Circle me and the needle moves gracefully
Back and forth, if my heart was a compass you'd be North
Risk it all cause I'll catch you if you fall
Wherever you go, if my heart was a house you'd be home"

If my heart was a house, you'd be home...

~~

A fist clenches, the ears of the dog still honing in on the sound of the generator filling the room with a loud low rumble. No... NO... HOW?! WHY IS A GENERATOR RUNNING!! IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE GONE!! The dog fumes, his mind almost ready to burst out in a rage.

"Binny?" The Mutt next to him asks, her head resting on his shoulder. "Are you ok?"

Bino looks away. "I'm fine." He lies.

"You sure?"

"I'm..." He angrily starts, but pauses as he releases a sigh to calm himself back down. "I'm fine. Trust me..."

"Ok, if you say so." She gleams.

That's it then... There's nothing else I can do now without getting found out. He.. he wins. Stupid cat-lover...

~~

The stairs creek with the Shepsky quickly stepping onto the stage. Time to start it up!

The Shepsky boots his computer back up and looks towards the end of the stage. He nods his head towards Angel and Peanut. The Pointer nods back.

"Ladies and gentledogs," the cinnamon colored dog announces, "Our DJ for the night, Sparks Carlson!"

Sparks hits the play button as the main lights of the clubhouse shut off whlie both Peanut and Angel leave the stage, the lights from the Shepsky's set-up filling the room with bright color. Let it begin! The room fills with music while the pets joyously cheer, their night about to begin.


TO BE CONTINUED

[Amazee Dayzee]

Wonderful job on this chapter! I wish Bino would win for once!

[D3ath_0ps]

-Housepets! Home Stories - Sparks' Beginning-
=Chapter 11 - Time=


The paw of the black and white Shepsky wipes his eyes, the playlist on his computer thinning out to the last few songs. A smile forms on the dog's face. Looks like everything is running smoothly... no hiccups or mistakes, and not even another appearance by Bino. Maybe he gave up or something. He scans the crowd, finding his group of friends all dancing together. Looks like Angel and Peanut found the others. Everything is set. Looks like we're ready to go! Sparks makes a few adjustments on his computer, the sound becoming clearer. His tounge then starts to hang out as his body starts to cool down. I think I could go for some water. I can't have a dry throat if I'm going to sing soon. Sparks looks at Fox, giving him a silent signal to come to him. In an instant, the Husky meets him on the steps of the stairs. "Hey Fox, could you do me a favor?"

"Sure." His friend nods.

"Could you get me some water from the snack table? We're almost ready to move into the surprise and I don't wanna have a dry throat."

"Got it." Fox smiles, leaving the Shepsky to his set as he strolls towards the back of the room.

Sparks smiles and heads back to his computer. His eyes glance over the playlist another time. Alright... looks like it's the Dark Arts Album... then it's The Woods. Two songs left. The cracks of his knuckles release the tension in his paws, his mind ready for the next selection. Let's get 'er done.

In a smooth motion the song switches into 'Dark Arts, The Shepsky adjusting the different settings on his laptop. Got it. The song begins with some percussion, Sparks tapping his foot as he feels the beat in his head.

"A wicked wind blew
and it came along our way;
like a dark star rising,
and it was the day..."

"Birds fell from the sky
and the leaves had left the trees
Yeah, you didn't seem to notice
but it washed over me!"

The sudden drop on the bass causes the crowd to go crazy, several groups of felines and canines dancing happily to the beat. Sparks grows a smile on his muzzle. Looks like everyone's enjoying Wolfgun. The Shepsky's gaze quickly turns towards the stairs, seeing the Husky standing with a clear plastic cup. The dog grabs the water from his friend and starts sipping it down. "Thanks."

"No problem bud." Fox smiles, going back against the side wall.

Sparks quickly moves back to his station, the break into the second repeat starting to play. Let's switch it up right.... now.

In a smooth transition, the song quickly moves into the next song in the album, Ghosts. The groups of pets stop dancing while the sound of thunder fills the air of the clubhouse.

"Once I asked you to fill an empty space,
to live inside the shadow of the life I had to face.
And though you took me, and made me feel alive,
I wonder just how much of me that you have helped to die."

"But now I know
that you are waiting somewhere
watching me to see what I will do..."

"So I will go
no, I won't stay to bother you,
the one thing that I counted on
that I believed was true!"

"Just like a burn will linger,
she crept between my fingers,
and to my body she has now become
a new disease!"

"A fog to cloud my vision,
more like an apparition,
she made a mess and now
abandoned me!"

"So I thought I'd burn the bridge you made for me
but when I did, all our love was left behind.
Now what we've got to show is a memory
and just like ghosts, it will keep me up at night..."

The black and white colored dog looks into the crowd, the smiles on everyone's faces. Sparks starts to feel a slight pain near his forehead, a headache starting to take shape. Ugh... my head... In an instant, Sparks' vision turns dark; the view of the crowd before him suddenly vanishing. What... what's happening? Where'd the crowd go? The Shepsky starts frantically looking around everywhere. What's going on!!

<Your new beginning. Your fate is starting to take shape and your next stage is starting to unravel.>

You again?! Alright, you need to tell me what the heck is going on! I've got no clue what you're even talking about either. You're probably talking nonsense for all I know!

<Well, in that case, I think it's about time we start to forge your destiny, shall we?> The chuckles of the voice fill his mind, the orange and white being appearing before him.

~~

Nyx watches in awe at the sight before her, time seeming to stop almost entirely. A familiar translucent figure appears behind the Shepsky. Oh... oh my gosh... It's Cadmean!! Both the fox looking apparition and the dog mimic the same stance, their arms outward in a T-formation as the taller as the blue shaded figure floats in the air. A blue aura surrounds both them on the stage. I knew this wasn't coincidence. But... I thought that Cad's hue was brown... The feline takes a closer look as she hones in on the Shepsky's eyes. In astonishment she brings her paw to her chin. His eyes... they're bright blue... could this mean...

~~

Tell me what's going on!!

<I already told you before, everything will become clearer in time. Right now, you should wake-up and keep the party going. Wouldn't want your light show to go to waste.>

Light show? Sparks' vision becomes clearer, the crowd coming back into view. Cheers and praise start to take over the song, the confused looks of the Shepsky quickly changing from confused to a fake smile, continuing to bring music to the pets. That was really weird... why did I hear him again? Light show? I don't understand...

"So I thought I'd burn the bridge you made for me!
But when I did, all our love was left behind.
Now what we've got to show is a memory
and just like ghosts, it will keep me up at night..."

Sparks looks at the laptop with confusion, his fake smile fading away. Where'd the song go? I swear that I was on the second verse... was... was I asleep? I couldn't have been...

"But now I know
that you are waiting somewhere
watching me to see what I will do..."

"So I will go
no, I won't stay to bother you,
the one thing that I counted on
that I believed was true!"

The sounds of the ominous singing of the artist fill the room, the song starting to die off in it's final minute. Sparks breathes slowly in and out as his body begins to shake. I'm gonna have to forget about it for now. I've got to address the crowd for the end. Then it's time to drop a social bombshell on the neighborhood. Sparks breathes slowly in and out as his body begins to shake, his nerves starting to take over. This isn't the time to get nervous. Just put a smile on and calm down. Relax... He grabs the mic from his table, moving over towards the stage. The music cuts off as the commotion of the pets replacing the tune. It's time.

"Hey everyone! I hope you're having a great time here in the GODC, I'm happy that you all stuck around till the end!" An abundance of happy eyes look up at the canine, the dog's nerves starting to calm down. "At this time, we're going to move into the final song of the night..." A few aww's sound from the pets. "I know, I don't want it to end either, but we've got some trick or treating to do tomorrow and I doubt that anyone wants to miss that!" Sparks clears his throat. "This last song is a very personal favorite of mine and instead of using my equipment to do all the work for me I'm going to sing for you guys tonight. This goes out to someone special in the crowd tonight. I'm so glad that I could see you again."

The Shepsky moves towards the table, clicking on the play button. We're past the point of no return. No turning back now. It's time to go back to The Woods. The sound of pixelated music runs through the crowd, the faces lighting up to hear the joyous tune.

"At the first I wasted all my life,
I hid in darkened rooms...
I didn't know what waited on the other side
of where I knew."

"At the first I kept my silent hopes,
I hid them in my heart...
from the people who were all afraid
to tear the world apart,
but i'm not."

The dog looks at the crowd cheering at him, the sight making Sparks grow a huge smile as a chuckle leaves his muzzle. Looks like they really like the singing.

"At the first i crossed unwritten lines
I heard unspoken dreams,
come from places that I'd never been
with long forgotten kings."

"I saw the wishes from the falling stars,
I felt them hit the sea...
while the light came from the rising sun
and scattered through the leaves,
and I saw."

Sparks' hand goes up in the air, a thumbs up signals a group next to the stage. The cats and dogs work together, the friends that the Shepsky has met over the past month hoisting the Calico onto the stage. The black and white dog quickly walks over to her, taking her paw.

"In the woods I found a faithful friend
who spent their days with me...
we laughed and cried and shared our hopes
before I had to leave."

Walking towards the other half of the stage, the dog's paw moves away from his girlfriend's and holds the microphone with both paws.

"And then the sound of crowds came rolling through
I woke up in the streets...
with the people who were all afraid
to live and seek their dreams
and I said..."

The dog turns towards Tera, his eyes locked with hers as he smiles bright. This is it.

"I can't wait until I find you again,
where have you been?
I miss you...
Carry me until I find the time to spend
in the trees again...
I can hear you calling!

The dog moves into the repeat slowly walking towards the Calico, his voice echoing throughout the space. I love you Tera... And it looks like you're getting a little teary too. Sparks takes the Calico's once more as they entwine, a tear falling down the cats face as her smile brightens the air.

"I can't wait until I find you again,
where have you been?
I miss you...
Carry me until I find the time to spend
in the trees again...
I can hear you calling!

The Shepsky brings his body close, his muzzle getting closer and closer to Tera's. This is our moment. I love you Tera Stevenson... Always...

The room suddenly disappears, the eyes of the Shepsky closed as the cat and dog's souls become one, the music becoming almost nothing to the pet. Their muzzles slowly connect as sparks fly, the moment that they both had been waiting for finally arriving. The two pets break from their kiss, their eyes locking as a tear rolls down the felines face. "You did this for me?" She asks him with a shaky smile.

"I did. I love you with all my heart my little kitten, and I'm not afraid anymore. Not when I've got someone like you." Sparks giggles, the music starting to fade into nothing. "I guess I should end the party, shouldn't I?"

"I guess so." Tera smiles.

The dog turns towards the crowd, more than half giving the two a heavy round of applause, pets of all kind cheering for the couple. I'm glad that so many people accept it... I honestly didn't think that this many people would even cheer. "Alright guys, I hope you have a great Halloween! Good night!"

The main lights for the building shine down on the crowd, the groups of pets leaving in waves. Sparks and Tera hop off of the stage and meet up with the group, Hemera and Grape jumping up and down with Tera, Joey and Fox both giving them high fives. "Congratulations Sparks! Looks like you and Tera are the first offical dog-cat couple in Babylon."

"Thanks..." A blush forms on the dog's face. "I guess we are the first, huh Ter?"

"Yep." She holds his paw, the other arm wrapping around his.

"I guess its time we head home. It's late and we have trick or treating tomorrow." Angel smirks.

"We should. I'm gonna go get my computer really quick and we'll be on our way."

"I guess I can come with you." Tera giggles.

"I forgot to get my guitar so I guess I can come on with you." Angel shrugs.

"Eh, I guess I could come too." Fox chimes in as well.

"Hemera, Nyx, I can go out side while you guys finish up." Grape says, the trio heading towards the exit.

Sparks looks around at the nearly empty space. "Al...right then. I guess we can head up." The four head up to the stage, a joyous vibe filling the air.

~~

Why did I even try. The Mutt looks down at the bundle of wires in his paw, the past events of the week flowing though his mind while he climbs up the stairs. Everything I tried just failed. Miserably. The fact that he was able to keep up was... stupid. I should have ran the music... not him. Bino places the wires next to the laptop in front of him. I don't need these anymore. I guess he can just have them back. Dumb cat--

The sound of numerous footsteps move up the stairs behind him, the voice of the Shepsky making the dog cringe. Suddenly silence fills the air. Bino's head keeps honed in the direction to the treat table on the wall in front of him, refusing to even look at the young dog.

"Bino?" Sparks asks at the brown dog. Right after, stomps filled the room with sound, the stage rattling the equipment slightly. "Angel!!" The Shepsky shouts, a strong force yanking the brown colored dog by the collar. His body hits the wall and a yelp escapes him.

You... you're a cat-lover too aren't you? I mean did you hear your name?... Bino looks downward, avoiding the eye contact of the Siberian Husky.

"Who do you think you are trying to sabotage Sparks? Do you think you're high and mighty now?" The livid Angel says.

Bino looks away, a snarl forming on his muzzle. "Angel, Stop." The Shepsky asks intensely. "Look at what you're doing. You're no better than him right now. This isn't going to solve anything."

"But, Sparks!..."

"Just put him down Angel. Please." His tone changes from anger to a kind plea, the white furred dog slowly setting the Mutt down.

Bino collapses onto the ground, his eyes looking up to see the group of four, the Calico, Shepsky, Husky, and Siberian Husky, before him. His eyes look down towards the ground once more while his mind slips into a more infuriating state.

~~

The Shepsky looks at the Mutt and lets out a sigh. "Guys?" He starts.

"Yeah Sparks?" Fox replies.

"Could you guys wait outside for me? I'll be there in just a sec."

"Sure Sparky." The Calico smiles, giving Sparks a kiss on the top of the head before the trio leave the room.

The black and white dog looks at Bino, the silence between them growing. "What do you want Sparkles?... You wanna revel in your win? Gloat?"

"No." Sparks firmly utters. "All I want is understanding. That's all." The dog crosses his legs and sits in front of the mutt. "So... why did you even do this in the first place? Why were you so keen on ruining the party?"

"Why do you care?"

Sparks shrugs. "I just don't want to leave on bad terms. I just want to understand."

A growl escapes the dog, looking at him. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me." The Shepsky smiles.

"Alright fine," he fumes, "You know why I'm so upset? You took my job and my best friend! You took one of my favorite things to do for the party. I'm supposed to be in charge of the music for the parties here! I didn't want my job to be taken by some... some cat-lover! So when I heard that you wanted to run the music I decided, 'hey this pup thinks he's so great, why don't I put him back in his place.' I didn't expect Fox to help you. Plus the fact that he keeps hanging out with you instead of me... I just feel like I've lost everything. You wouldn't even understand how I feel you stupid cat-lover."

Sparks lets out a sigh and looks at him. "Bino. I know what it's like to lose everything. You don't understand. In one day, my old owners, my real mom, and my sanity died. Not to mention I lost the most important cat in the world that day all because my owners did some shady stuff. Yes, I do know what it's like to lose absolutely everything. Now look at me, I'm still here. I'm only standing here today because of one thing, my mom. She passed so I could do the things I'm doing today. I owe her my life." Sparks scoots against the wall next to Bino. "I do know how you feel. If someone walked in and took the job that I've wanted and have been doing for a while, I would get mad too. I won't lie and say I would walk away, I would probably fight it if I were strong enough. But you know what? I'd rather go to my friends than fight some silly fight that won't get me or the other pet anywhere. Plus, the best thing about friends is that they accept you for who you are. Fox does care about you Bino. You can't deny that.

"So to say you lost everything, that's just over exaggeration. You still have your friends, Sasha, and not to mention the club Mr.Co-founder. And you might even have the music too, that is if they even ask me to come back now. Because of the little stunt I pulled, they probably won't even let me come into the club anymore. So in the end, you still win. You always have ever since the dawn of my little plan for Tera."

Bino looks straight ahead, lost in thought. "But they'll still ask you to do some DJ-ing though. We both know that it's still a possibility. I know they'll find a way."

"Then in that case, I'll have you work with me."

The mutt gives him a confused stare. "What?"

"You heard me. You'll work with me to pick out the music, and to work with me to build playlists and perform at the parties. You could say that you thought of the whole thing and they wouldn't mind one bit. So? What do you think? You get glory and the credit, and we both get a little praise. A win-win if you ask me."

The dog next to him puts his paw to his chin, looking lost in thought. "It would make me look good... plus I would get the credit..." Bino lets out a sigh. "Alright fine. On one condition."

"That's fine." I Think I know what you're going to imply...

"I'm in charge."

Sparks smiles. How did I know he would say that? "I'm okay with that."

Bino stands up and crosses his arms, looking down at the Shepsky. "Good. I'm glad you see things my way Sparkles."

"I'm just glad this is all over." Sparks stands up from his position on the floor. "I think I'm gonna head out." The dog grabs his laptop and head down the stairs. "Have a great night Bino!"

~~

The dog runs out of the building leaving Bino alone to his thoughts. Leaning against the table, Bino looks up towards the ceiling. "That... cat-lover really does know what it feels like. I guess there's more to him than meets the eye...

~~

Sparks joins back with the group of cats and dogs, the Calico's paw now in his.

"So did it all work out Sparky?" Tera asks in a bubbly tone.

"Yep. We got to actually compromise on something, so if that's not good then I don't know what is."

The group moves down the street and breaks off as they get to their different homes, saying their goodbyes until tomorrow night. The group of four, Nyx, Hemera, Tera, and Sparks walk into the Calrson house. Nyx and Hemera walk straight to their living situations, taking off the bits and pieces of their costumes before heading to bed. The Shepsky stops in front of the Calico, a smile clearly shown on the dog's face. "Follow me." Sparks tells silently to Tera, both the pets moving through the kitchen and to the sliding glass doors. Sparks opens the door for Tera, revealing the outdoors to both of the pets. In front of them, the woods that borderlines the Gardens creates a nostalgic feeling for the pair. "Doesn't it remind you of the old days? The time's we'd see each other?"

Tera nods her head. "Mhmm. How could I forget? They were some of the best days of my life, beside the abandonment. I'm so happy that we finally get to spend a lot more time together, to make more of those memories from long ago... I know it will never change. We will never change. Right?"

"Indeed." Sparks pulls her close and exchanges a kiss, causing the Calico to blush madly. The two giggle and stare lovingly into each others eyes. "I love you my little kitten."

Tera rests her head on the Shepsky's chest, "I love you too my little pup." The two lay down on the grass and look up, spotting a shooting star in the night sky among the lights in the sky, their night finally complete.

--

The clops of hooves fill the air, the confining darkness creating an ominous feeling within the Centaur. Of all places... why here? It's so dark... The horse-dog hybrid trots forward into the lair of his friend, a shiver running down his spine. "Apollo?" The room suddenly lights up as torches hanging on the walls fill the cave with a red light. Could you make it even more creepy?

"What is it Pholus." A low bass voice booms, the Hippogryph now sitting upwards in the center of the room.

The centaur takes a gulp. "I... er... I was wondering if you were successful on obtaining the asset... you know... the psychic?"

The deity remains emotionless as he looks down at him. "Unfortunately, no. My presence was sensed by my old opponent, and he took action against me by blocking my attempts to control him. Looks like that Fox still alive after all... but barely."

The Centaur looks at the Hippogryph in confusion. Maybe I shouldn't have opted for this after all... killing a deity? That's one of the biggest crimes against Heaven that you could possibly do... weird... what would happen if I deity would die... would they be reborn on the mortal world? The Centaur clears his throat. "What do you mean 'barely'?"

"It means that his spirit is trapped inside the 'soon-to-be' psychic. The dog must be powerful if he could latch onto something quick enough." The being lets out a huff. "Nonetheless, we'll get him in due time. We must have patience, for time is with us. Soon Cadmean Vixon will fall and all of Babylon with it."


END OF SPARKS' BEGINNING

Sparks will return in: Housepets! Home Stories: Curiosity

[Amazee Dayzee]

Really great job on this chapter! It came out very nice!

[Buster]

Nice work D3ath_0ps.

[FoxRocks]

Amazing! It was a great story, and I hope to see Sparks again in the next one. I suppose I'll need to think up Angel's new story too.

[Saturn381]

Great job, D3ath_0ps!

[D3ath_0ps]

-Housepets! Home Stories - A Pedal For Your Thoughts-
=Chapter 1 - The Red Garden=


A German Shepard lets out a sigh, her body slowly moving off of the slab she was sitting on and folds the blanket resting on top of her dog bed resting gently on the fabric. Gotta make my room nice and tidy. I want them to see that I like to clean up after myself. The dog's eyes travel around the space before her crosses her arms happily. A smile grows on her muzzle. Perfect. I guess all that’s left is to water my Orchid. Her body turns to the other side of the slab, a watering can and a potted red Orchid alone filling making the room all the more colorful. Funny how one little thing can brighten up an entire room.

The paw of the Shepard takes hold of the watering can and lifts it up with an unintentional yank, the little water residing inside sloshing about. She stares into the watering can. Huh. Barely enough for a full drink... A clank of the metal on the concrete slab fills the silent room. The dog walks up to the chain-link wall between her and other row of kennels. "Terrance? Are you there?" The German Shepard calls out, looking down the hallway looking for signs of human life. "Terrance?" She repeats. They're probably not here yet or something. The sound of a sigh fills the room with sound, her body resting back onto the dog bed. I guess it can wait until they get here, there's nothing really much to do anyways. The dog stares at the plant before her, the red flower catching her red eyes. You know, I still remember them... How could I forget them? And him... I can never forget him. He saved my life.

-ONE YEAR AGO-

The wind blows softly through the streets, the black and brown furred dog taking in the spring breeze, her lungs filling with the fresh air. It's such a beautiful day. Her paws pat down the dirt and secure the colorful red flower in front of her. A smile grows on her muzzle. Perfect. The dog's head turns to the human beside her. "Looks like we're finally done!"

Chuckles escape the woman, her hand ruffling the Shepard's head fur. "I guess so. I didn't think that we'd get done this early." A loving smile grows on the human's face. "Thanks again for helping me out Rose."

"No problem. I love gardening anyways, so I'm glad to help."

Both the dog and human stand up and step back, their eyes still trained on the garden. "It looks pretty, doesn't it?"

Rose nods her head. Looks like the red was a good contrast with the other plants and the house. Her paws rest on her hips as a giggle leaves her muzzle. She turns towards the street behind her, honing in on the tree that cast a wide shadow almost reaching the center of the front yard. The German Shepard spots a familiar black tabby sitting at the base. It's eyes were closed and her arms covering the back of her head as she relaxes before her. "You should have joined us Nyx," she urges the cat, "it was a lot of fun! Plus the weather is perfect."

The cat lets out a sigh and shrugs her shoulders. "Meh, not my thing really. I'll I wanna do is just lay in the shade. Besides, I'm not really much of the active type anyways."

Well, she's not really the one to get her paws dirty... so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. The Shepard chuckles. "Okay Nyx!" The Shepard's eyes grow wide thinking of a pleasant idea. "Hey, Nyx," she begins to ask, "You mind if I join you in a bit? I might do a bit of drawing."

"I guess." the cat utters neutrally.

"Come on Rose," The human calls out, "Let's get your paws cleaned off. Wouldn't want to get dirt on your drawings, right?"

The dog nods as her silent response brings a smile to her step-mother's face. They both stroll slowly towards the front door. Yeah, I wouldn't want to get even a little dirt-- The door suddenly flies open, cutting off Rose mid-thought. The opening reveals a male in a jacket on top of a plaid button-up and dark blue jeans, rushing towards the car with the keys in hand. The air rushed by Rose and the woman, the stench of booze prominently masked onto the male. Dad?

"Mark?" The human next to the dog pleads. "What are you doing?"

The man remains emotionless as he nears the vehicle, his door opening and quickly slamming shut, the sound echoing throughout the neighborhood. "Don't worry about it Aphrodite. I'll be back around tonight." The engine awakens with a roar, the cars transmission creating a clanking sound before sending the metal beast of a muscle car out of the driveway with a quick roll. The vehicle skids out of the street and sends it down the road in a rush without a second thought.

The Shepard looks up hesitantly at her mom, her face plastered with a confused look as her eyes become glossier by the second. Her head lowers slightly. Mom... The Shepard takes her mother’s clenched fist and puts it in her paws. "Mom?" Roses asks innocently, "Are you ok?"

Aphrodite looks at her, a sigh filling the air. "I'm... I'm fine. I'm just going to take a nap. I'm just tired that's all." She moves away from Rose and goes into the house with haste.

Are you sure? The dog releases a sigh as well, slowly making her way into the house. Her mind fills with the thoughts of her father and his questionable whereabouts. Where could dad have gone... this is so unlike him... The dog closes the door behind her and looks over at the couch to find a black tabby with a book labeled: Game of Thrones, in his paws. Rose lets out an emotionless giggle. At least he's having a good time too.

The green eyes of the feline peer over the book and stare at the German Shepard, the book quickly shutting as the paperback copy softly rests onto the arm of the couch. "Why hello there Rose!" He smiles.

"Hey Hermes." She says with a half-smile.

"So did you and mom finish the garden yet? I thought I heard something outside about it being done."

The dog nods her head, a paw grabbing her arm. "Yeah, we just finished actually."

"That's cool!" The tabby grabs his novel off of the tan colored sofa, opening it back to the bookmarked page. "Once I find a good place to stop, I'll definitely check it out. I can't wait to see what you two did."

"Okay." The dog’s fake smile slowly starts to fade, the room filling with silence. A feeling of awkwardness succumbs the dog, the quiet room feeling almost like torture in the mind of the Shepard. Rose's thoughts suddenly return to her father, his leave playing back in her mind. I wonder if he knows why daddy left... "Hey, Hermes?" She asks hesitantly.

The cat lowers his book and looks in the Shepard’s direction. "Yeah Rose?"

"Do... do you know where dad went? He looked kind of in a hurry... not to mention mom being upset too. I've never seen her like that before and I'm really confused... Is something going on between them or something? I don't think that mom's taking this to lightly right now either..."

The black tabby sets his book onto the sofa and quickly stands up. "He's... just leaving for a bit to hang out with a friend. Don't worry about it too much. He'll be back tonight. He even said it himself right?" Hermes hugs the dog and pets her back, a sigh escaping the pup. "I know you're confused Rose. Don't worry about it, I'm sure that everything's fine." The cat and dog release from their hug, a smile shown on Hermes muzzle. "Why don't you go wash your paws and draw? Maybe that'll take your mind off of things."

"Maybe." The dog leaves the room and walks into the kitchen, grabbing the stepstool from the crease in between the cabinet and the refrigerator, and places it in front of the sink. The water starts to run rapidly down the drain with the lift of the lever. The paws of the Shepard rest against the counter, her head low over the sink. A frown shows on her face. It's hard not to think about it. The dog dispenses soap into her fur, both her paws scrubbing the cleaning agent deep in her coat. With a quick swipe at the lever the water ceases it's flow and Rose reaches for the towel beside her. He's probably out with his friends again. Maybe he's just hanging out with them today... though, he does smell really bad when he comes home.

Rose places the towel back onto the glossy surface it was before, placing the stepstool back into the space in between the fridge and the cabinets and slowly wanders towards the hallway. I just don't understand why mom would be so upset... Dad's just having fun with his friends, right? The dog arrives in her shared room, her half of the room seeming brighter with the different assortment of plants on her end table, both hers and Nyx's beds laying in the opposite corners of the room. The dog grabs a satchel laying on the wall beside her bed, the strap around her shoulder while her paws grab and rest on the strap and bag itself. I should get drawing. Maybe everything will subside after dad comes home. Rose walks out of the room and then outside, her eyes catching the finished garden before her as she heads towards the tree, the tabby remaining unmoved from her spot.

A strong wind blows through the streets once more, the fur of the dog swaying in all directions, the gust relaxing the mind of the Shepard. Rose's gaze transitions upward. The spring has come into full swing, the sun and the air seeming to create the perfect weather system right in their area. The brown and black dog closes her eyes and breathes in the air. You know what. It's definitely the perfect day. And I'm wasting it by moping around. She sets down the satchel next to the tree and sits next to her tabby sister.

"Hey, Rose," The tabby calls out groggily, "no drawing me, ok?"

The German Shepard laughs and smiles, flipping to a clean sheet of art paper in her notebook. "Got it." Another soft breeze rolls through. The birds start to chirp and tweet away, the natural setting starting to take it's shape as Rose begins to observe her surroundings. No wonder Nyx like this spot so much. The dog's pencil rests against the clean sheet of paper waiting to be made into something beautiful. The soft tacks of the writing utensil land on the pad, the dog's mind attempting to spot anything that catches her eye.

In a ball of laughter, something sticks out to the Shepard from across the way. Well there's something... She looks carefully at the pair of dogs with a smile and starts to outline on her paper. The two figures start to take shape, another round of giggles starting to sound from afar. Rose looks down on her paper, the two lightly drawn pets now seen in a small shade of grey. The two were missing the basic features such as eyes and mouths and hadn't gotten any other detail. Well it's a start. She stares back up from her pad to see the two pets quickly enter their home, their owner watching them stroll in. Her pencil flips around in her paw. Well I guess this is what I have to work with. Rose starts to finalize her lines, the marks becoming darker on the paper with the strokes of her pencil paying more attention to detail.

--

Rose opens her eyes. Memories of the past start to thicken, her paw reaching for the satchel sitting next to her bed. The bag opens with a flip and the same notebook slides out of the tight space. Sounds of paper fill the air of the kennel, the art book flipping to the same finished image of the sketch, the two dogs shown looking practically on par with their real life counterparts. One of my bests. I'm glad that this made it out okay.

Pages start slowly turning as she rediscovers her old works. Different colors and figures pass the Shepard by, flowers, people, as well as pets in full display. The dog can't help but smile. These aren't that bad. A few things here and there and they'd be perfect. Another few flips reveal a familiar sight, almost unsettling to the dog. Her eyes gaze upon a drawing of the house she and her family lived in before, the dog's memory starting to piece back together her old home. This was when I first got there... this was before... before... A sudden shudder shakes the uneasy felling away from her, a sigh escaping her muzzle.

A loud clank makes Rose jump, the door at the end of the adoption center's hallway opens and creeks away, filling the room with a plethora of noise. The other pets add on to this noise as they all awaken from their slumber. One by one the kennels open as food and water are refilled, the sound of kibble and water sloshing and banging about on each of the bowls. The Shepard could smell the food from across the room. Smells good. The dog smiles. I remember when mom cooked the best food for us. Tuna for Nyx and Hermes... Beef for me... I miss her cooking so much.

--

"Dinner's ready! Come on in guys!" Hermes calls out to Nyx and Rose, still napping and drawing by the tree. The day had quickly left, leaving a colder chill in the air as the sunset paints a red hue in the sky. Rose looks down at her nearly finished pencil sketch. The two dogs, now obviously shown on her page, playing catch with a Frisbee pop out in her eyes. Not to bad. Still have a bit of detail left, but that shouldn't take that long. Her gaze transitions to where Nyx was laying, finding her just standing up to her feet.

Without a word, the dark colored tabby walks towards the door leaving Rose to pack up her things. I guess I'll be a second. Shouldn't be long. The Shepard closes her notebook and fits it back snuggly into her satchel. Soon up on her feet, she runs back into the house, meeting her feline brother still holding the door for her. "Thanks Hermes!" She beams, flashing him a kind smile.

"No problem Rose." The two re-enter the house as the door shuts slowly behind them. Both pets walk side by side down the hallway. "So it looks like you made it back into your happy place."

Rose keeps her eyes down the hall, the living room passing them by. "Yep," she answers, "after a bit I just kinda found something to draw. I definitely feel better though."

"That's great to hear."

Both pets share a small moment of silence while the scent of food gets stronger with every step. Plates and glasses clank about as both cat and dog enter the room, the smile of their mother walking over to the round dinner table with a steaming pan. "Hope you like fish and beef for dinner!" The trio sits at the table quickly while the pan of food goes around the table. Aphrodite scoops two plates of fish to both of the felines and walks back over to the stove. "Beef is on the way Rose." She insures the dog. The human walks back over to the stove and grabs the second pan sizzling on the burner and brings it quickly over to the Shepard. She moves out of the way to allow the pan to bring the warm meal onto her plate. "Here you go, nice and hot!" The spatula pushes the meaty goodness onto the white surface and gets covered in a dark brown gravy, Rose's mouth salivating at the sight.

She looks at her mother lovingly, the smile of the Shepard in turn forging a smile of her very own. "Thanks so much mom!"

Aphrodite sets the pan down on the burner, a click of the knob resetting the heat of the metal on the stove. "No problem Rose." The tall body turns towards the trio and leans against the stove. "You guys eat up. There's seconds in the pans for the three of you if you want some. I'm going to head to bed. I've got work tomorrow and I have to make sure I get some rest."

Rose turns towards her mom. "Aren't you gonna grab something to eat?"

The woman flashes a half-hearted smile to the dog and shakes her head. "I'm fine. I'm not that hungry really."

"Are you sure?" The canine asks unconvinced.

"Positive."

With a turn, the paw of the Shepard grabs her fork and takes a small bite of the beef. The taste of the beef doused in gravy makes her taste bud go wild in a flavor explosion. Mmmm... Mom sure knows how to cook. In the corner of her eye, she spots her mother fleeing the room. A quick puff of air escapes the canine and a frown replaces her bright smile. "I hope she's ok. She usually eats with us." Rose tells anxiously.

"Don't be too worried Rose." Hermes reassures the troubled Shepard. "Just eat up and you'll feel a lot better. Hey, maybe you could show me what you were drawing today!"

The Shepard stays silent, her mind having trouble with accepting the cat’s words. Finally, she reaches an answer, "Sure." A smile grows on the tabby’s face as a bite of fish enters his muzzle. The sound of forks clanking about on the glassy surfaces fill the desolately quiet room with a brash high-pitched noise. I don't think that Mom is okay... maybe I should take some food to her later on tonight. Another bite of the delectable meal enters into Rose's mouth, her stomach roaring, refusing to pass up on this great meal.


TO BE CONTINUED

[Saturn381]

Great job, D3ath_0ps!

[FoxRocks]

Great work here! Keep it up!

[Amazee Dayzee]

Good job on this chapter! I really like it!

[D3ath_0ps]

Housepets! Home Stories - A Pedal For Your Thoughts-
=Chapter 2 - Betrayal=


"Mom?" A German Shepard asks lightly, a plate of beef steaming with warmth resting in her paws. She waits for a response from beyond the door to her bedroom, silence being the only thing the dog could hear. "Mom?" she repeats. Soon a minute passes by, then another, not a sound coming from inside the closed off bedroom in front of her. A sigh escapes her muzzle. "I've got some food for you if you want it. I'll... just leave it right here." She places the meal on the ground next to the door. "Good night mom." She utters solemnly, finding no response.

Rose lazily steps down the hall. Her shoulders and back showing a slight slump, the door to her room inching closer and closer. "Maybe mom will feel better tomorrow." She says to herself. "I hope dad will talk with mom about why he left..." The door to her shared room opens with a twist of her paw. She looks at the pet bed to her left noticing an absence of her feline friend. Nyx must be in the basement again. I wonder what she does down there... Her body flumps into her bed, her head resting comfortably on a pillow. The Shepard’s eyes flutter and then close, her dreams shedding a new light on her darkened mind.

~~

<It's been a week now Nyx. You told me that you would have an answer for me. So, what will it be?>

Nyx crosses her arms, her closed eyes blocking her view of the Hippogryph. "Even if I do say yes, I could never tell mom or dad, Hermes or Rose... the fact that I would have to commit so much to this... game, as you call it, it seems a bit pointless if you ask me. The only upside that I would see is that I would have psychic abilities. That's it. I will not put them at risk." She opens her eyes and shoots a firm glance at the mythical creature. "So, no. I refuse."

The being flashes his own glare, his red colored eyes like a laser beam shooting right at the cat. Nyx stands her ground. <I already told you that your family would be unharmed! Even if you do have the ability, they will not be involved!>

She stands her ground. "Nope. Not taking that risk. I know a sour deal when I see one."

A growl escapes the creature, his claws coming dangerously close to her. <Do you not realize the powers that you have locked away inside your feeble little mind, you arrogant feline? You could have abilities that will win me the game! Do you not understand the gravity of your situation?!>

"Your situation. Not mine."

<You try my patience, Nyx.> The Hippogryph closes his paw and his eyes. The cat raises her guard. His eyes then open, a bright red light filling the room. Nyx closes her eyes and looks away. <Accept this gift, and you'll be one of the most powerful avatars in the game.> The tabby opens her eyes and looks at the open paw of the mythical being. A purple orb floats above it, the cat's eyes drawn towards it.

Heh, tempting... and it's in my color too. Nyx shakes her head and chuckles. "I don't need powers to define me. And I won't be some puppet in your 'plans.' I bet there's plenty of people to take my place. Plus, this... 'Cadmean' doesn't even seem like a threat anyways. Why are you so worried?"

The Hippogryph sneers. <That's none of your concern!> He turns away. <So I guess you refuse my offer then. Very well.> A plume of smoke fills the air, the celestial suddenly nowhere to be found. His voice then fills the tabby's mind. <Have it your way.>

The tabby smirks. "And I will. Stupid bird."

--

Rose looks at the human beside her kennel door, his hands fiddling with the lock on the chain link door. She spots a bright smile on the man's face, causing her to mimic the same expression. "Hiya Rose!" With a clank the door opens and walks over to her bed slab. Her pours some of the water in his pitcher into the metal watering can and then into her water bowl resting against the solid wall.

"Hey Terrance." The dog responds. She turns towards him, her feet dangling off of the concrete slab towards the door.

"How are you today? I see that you already cleaned up in here."

She keeps her smile. "Good. I had a nice dream last night."

"Really?" He intriguingly replies, his body leaning against the yellow cinderblock wall. "What was it about?"

The dog stares up into the ceiling as she begins to remember the vivid memory. "It was... hmm... it was about me in another place. From what I can remember it was very peaceful too. There were all kinds of pets, especially cats and dogs. I was even drawing too." Rose closes her eyes, her nose breathing a full breath into her lungs. She lets out the air in a blissful sigh. "It looked nice."

"Well I'm glad that you had a great dream, Rose." The sound of his footsteps echo around the walls, the sound of a metal door adding onto the noise in the shelter. The other pets step about in their kennels, the Shepard’s ears honing in on all the different sounds. "I'll get you your food in a sec. I kinda ran out before I got to your kennel." The lock moves back into place and with a few shakes of the door the human was off down the hallway. "I'll be right back!"

Rose stands up and looks down the hallway, catching the door further down start to slowly close behind Terrance. She leans against the chain-link. Breakfast time.

"R-Rose?" A small voice softly rings, the Shepard turning to the kennel opposite of hers to see a young cat standing with it's paws around the metal of the chain-link. His fur in an instant pops out at the dog, an array of orange and yellow almost resembling the looks of fire.
With a tender smile, Rose looks down at the young feline, her paws resting comfortably on her hips. "Hello, Ember!" She starts happily. Some chuckling from the kennels beyond hers echoes through the shelter. The Shepard tunes the others out, focusing on the youngling. "How are you today? Did you have a good rest?"

The feline shrugs his shoulders, his gaze drifting off in another direction. "I guess."

She kneels down to his level and keeps up her grin. Something's troubling him. I can feel it. "What's wrong Ember? You seem a bit down today." The cat continues to look away. Rose keeps her eyes on him, a dark paw now gripping the metal in front of her. "Ember. If you need to talk to me, I'm here for you."

He looks at her for a quick second and then back towards the exit. Finally the cat speaks, his first few words getting caught in his throat as he talks in a low voice. "It's... it's just the others." Rose shoots him a confused look, her head tilted. "Every time they hear my name called they... they always laugh or make fun of me..."

"How so?"

"They keep calling me a little girl... that 'Ember' is a girl's name." His tone turns somber and his body drops to the ground with his back towards the canine. "I just... I don't know what to do. What am I supposed to say to that?" He brings his knees high, his head resting against them in a slump. "Maybe they're right. Why did I even get that name in the first place?"

"Ember." Rose sharply exclaims, her smile suddenly fading. "Your name is beautiful. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Your name matches you so well. I mean, look at your fur." She pauses, a smile growing on her muzzle. "Your fur glows and gleams like an ember, just like your personality. You always seem to bring a smile to my face, even when I'm feeling down. Don't let those pups and kits get to you. They probably have silly names themselves and they don't want to admit it." She pauses to listen to the silence of the shelter, her words giving off a slight echo. She snickers. "Chin up Ember. You have one of the best names here."

"Really?" He turns his head towards her. "You mean that?"

She catches the small grin on the cat's face. "Of course I do."

His muzzle faces the back wall of his own kennel, his head low. A sniffle fills the air while a firey paw wipes away at his eye. After a lengthy silence, a tiny voice follows. "Thanks Rose."

"No problem Ember." The canine steps slowly away from the chain-link and sits back down in her bed. Her mind drifts back towards the cat's name. Funny how a cat named 'Ember' made it here of all places. What are the odds... Rose looks towards the shelter's doorway, discarding the thought of her old life. I wonder what's taking Terrance so long? Usually it doesn't take this long for food...

--

Awoken to the sound of fighting, the German Shepard rises from her bed. Her father's voice peaks through the door of the bedroom. Confused, Rose keeps her eyes honed in on the door. Why is dad fighting with mom? The exchange continues in the room across from hers. The tabby awakens, the rustle of her bed and blankets adding to the noise.

The feline lets out a yawn. "What's with all the noise..." Rose's gaze turns towards the floor. "Are you okay Rose?" The tabby groggily questions the dog, her mind filtering out her sister's words.

Was it me? Did I do something wrong? The German Shepard brings her knees to her chest. It was the food... wasn't it... The obscure words on the other side of the door start to pierce her directly. Tears start to well in her eyes, the dreariness starting to overcome her.

An arm wraps around the dog, the sudden touch causing her to jump. She looks beside her to see Nyx. Her head rests against Rose's shoulder, the dog's head resting against her sister's. "Just listen to my voice Rose." The tabby consoles her in a soft voice. "Everything's going to be okay. Just relax and focus on me. Just breathe. With me, through your nose. In..." Both cat and dog breathe in together, holding their breaths when their lungs reach full capacity. "And out," the tabby finally says. Both pets shoot a slow puff of air through their noses. Rose's mind starts to calm down as they repeat the process a couple more times. Her eyes begin to flutter in and out of sleep, the words of her sister becoming fainter and fainter. In a slow motion, Rose falls back into her bed, her groggy eyes facing the cat. "Good night." She says lightly to her before her mind drifts off into a great rest.

~~

Nyx quickly and quietly leaves the room and shuts the door behind her. Maybe she'll feel better in the morning. She quickly moves past the cracked open door to her owner's bedroom and finds herself inside the living room. On the couch was her twin brother, by looks of it, wide awake from the fighting down the hall, the lamp illuminating a small portion of the space just enough so he could see the text in front of him.

The female tabby takes a seat on the other side of the couch. A sigh escapes the feline. "Rose was having trouble sleeping. She heard her dad and our mom fighting and she just... sat there, like she was helpless. I felt so bad..."

A page turns in the brother's paws. "She doesn't understand."

"Exactly." She agrees. "I wish I knew what was wrong..."

"I do." Hermes closes his book, his eyes locked on to Nyx. "It's her dad that's the problem. I overheard it while I was reading. Apparently he's seeing someone else, according to mom. Mark is, of course, denying the claim, but it seems that the odds are against him at this point."

Her mouth drops. "Wow. I... I had no idea."

"Neither did I." He continues, "Mom said that she's suspected this for a while, a friend telling her outright before she confronted him. He--" Another round of yelling cuts the cat off, an aggravated growl escaping him. He grips his book hard. "Let's go outside. It's quieter out there anyways."

"Agreed."

Both cats leave the room and stroll quietly out the front door and off the landing. "He keeps telling her that everything's alright and that there's nothing to be worried about, but she's not buying it. She told him if he keeps seeing her, than he's gonna be kicked out. It's a shame really, I thought that he was a pretty good guy." The two flump under the tree in front of the house. "If this does turn out to be true and he ends up moving out, the only thing I personally fear for is Rose. I don't like her with Mark. Not at all. I remember when she first got here, and you remember too, don't you?"

Nyx sneers. "Yes." She half-heartedly admits, the memories of the malnourished dog arriving on their doorstep, the matted fur all over her body. "I remember."

"I just worry about what will happen to Rose psychologically, not to mention physically. I just don't want to see her mistreated. No pet deserves that. Ever"

"Yeah. No pet should." She agrees.

Hermes' book flips back open, the spine letting out a creak as the cat finds his place. Nyx lays back against the base of the tree. Her eyes travel upward, spotting the scattered lights in the sky. The crickets and insects fill the air with chirps and cries. The noise creates a peaceful setting for the two felines. It's kinda great out here... isn't it. A flash of light appears in front of the cat, a lightning bug slowly hovering above her. The tabby smiles. "Hey, Hermes?"

"Yes Nyx?"

"Remember when we were kits? When we used to mess with Ms. May?"

A bundle of laughter escapes her brother, Nyx following suit as a couple of chuckles burst from her muzzle. "Oh yeah! I remember! Gosh, we used to get into so much trouble when we were little. But... I don't think it was just Ms. May."

"Oh yeah! What about the time we did that clear wrap prank on Mr. Wheeler? That was hilarious."

"Ha, well, how about the time we used an air horn outside the Yelder's bedroom window? Now that was awesome."

"I'm still surprised that we only got a pat on the wrist for that though. I mean, did you see the look on Gary's face? He looked like he was about to burst!" The two exchange another round of giggles, their snickers echoing through the night. "Those were some good times."

"They were indeed."

Nyx stares off down the street, a pair of headlights shining bright in their direction. Soon the car that accompanied the beam roars down the road, the wind blowing harshly on the pets fur. The limit's 25 dude. The feline puts her hands behind her head and shuts her eyes. A yawn escapes her muzzle. I didn't think that I would be this tired. Then again, it's one in the morning, so I guess it should be expected. She starts to relax against the tree and begins to drift in and out of sleep. "You think they stopped fighting yet?" Nyx waits for a response, only to hear the sound of her brother sniffing the air. She opens her eyes and turns to him. "Hermes?"

He turns to her. "You smell that too, right?"

The feline takes a deep breath in from her nose. To her confusion, she catches something strange in the air. "What's that smell? It kind of smells like burning popcorn."

"It kind of does, yeah." The male cat stands up and looks around. "But where is it coming from?..." He slowly strolls around the area, walking to the edge of the property, then back the opposite way to the other side. "It's getting stronger... I don't think this is burning popcorn Nyx."

Hermes hastily walks back towards the tree, the look of confusion plastered on his face. "Now that you say it, I think you're right. This smell isn't burning popcorn at all."

With a sudden crash, the door to their house flies open, a thick black smoke billowing out of the building. Both pets watch in horror. They remain motionless, almost like statues. Our... our home... it's-- Two bodies quickly fly out of the burning building, their arms full with bits and pieces from the home. They make it over to the tree, dropping what they were carrying and stand with both Hermes and Nyx.

"The house," Aphrodite pants, "It's... it's on fire!"

"I'm calling 911." Mark panics, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket.

The female looks around frantically, the look of shock following thereafter. "Where's Rose?"

The three look at each other with horror. Oh my gosh... Rose! "ROSE!" Nyx starts to bolt towards the building, but is stopped by her mother. She attempts to yank and pull away, the thoughts of Rose in peril running like a waterfall through her mind. "Let me go! Rose is still in there!"

"You are not going in there!!" Aphrodite shouts at her.

"YES I AM! LET ME GO!"

"STOP IT NYX!"

Suddenly, a dark body rushes past both her and Nyx, a rush of cool air running through her fur. What the... The figure runs into the smoke, the same rush of air swallowing it whole.

Mark shouts from the tree. "HERMES, GET BACK HERE! HERMES!!"

Nyx's mouth drops. "No..."

~~

The cat's head looks around, the thickness of the smoke making his lungs wail. "Rose?!" He coughs harshly, the crackle of the flames growing louder and louder with each second. It's too thick to see... where is she? The cat slowly walks around the home, first moving into the living room, the fire already spreading into the space. "Wholly Cats... it's spreading... I've gotta act fast." He says calmly to himself, another round of coughs exiting his muzzle.

Part of the structure in the kitchen creaks and rattles, the building crying out to the feline. Just last night the three pets and Aphrodite were dinning in the same room, enjoying a nice meal as a family. Now, the whole area seemed like a danger zone. Hermes stops in his tracks, the fire starting to slowly inch towards him. "Rose!" He calls out once more. "Where are you?!" He slowly moves into the back section of the house, the only area left in the house that wasn't caught yet in the path of destruction. The heat of the flames makes his whole body feel aflame itself, the searing pain almost unbearable. Please be back here... Please be ok...

His speedy search starts with his owner’s bedroom, looking inside the space for a quick second. "Rose?" He shouts, a series of hacks following after. Nothing. He quickly moves onto the bathroom, the only room left on the right side of the hall. He twists the handle and the door flies open. "Rose?!" He repeats frantically, moving inside the room to check the nooks and crannies. He steps back from the space. She isn't here... Where is she?! A sudden realization comes to his mind, remembering what Nyx told him before their trip outside. Her bedroom!!

Hermes' footsteps that would usually creak on the floor boards below him are drowned out by the roar of the inferno, the sound of a crash shaking the very foundations of the home. His lungs cry out in pain as again a set of coughs start to burn at his very core. I can't breathe... Gotta go fast. The building doesn't look to good. The cat twists the door handle of the bedroom. A yelp cries from him, his paw clutching his wrist. He looks at the pads of his paws to find a layer of skin singed off. He ignores the pain of his injruy and enters the room, determined to find his family member. "Rose!" He barely gets out.

The dog quickly rises from her bed with a jolt. She takes a look at him. "Hermes?" She looks at the smoke piling in, a small cough escaping her. "What's going on? What's with the smoke?"

He lets out a few coughs, unable to get his words out. "We... we need to get out of here. Now." He utters in a raspy tone. "The fire is spreading to your room. If we don't get out, the house will come down on top of us." He extends his unburned paw to her. Almost immediately she takes his paw, both of the pets slowly navigating through the thick smoke. The wheezes of the feline grow worse as the coughs of the canine just begin. She can't stay in this for long. I gotta get out of here.

They both move into the remaining section of the living room spared by the flames, a gasp from the Shepard filling the murky air. "The house..." She shouts.

"Just keep moving! We're almost there!"

They move towards the front door, still wide open for them. We made it. We're home free. The flames had spread into the side wall of the front door, both the pets avoiding the sea of fire. Just as they reach the opening, a loud crack and shutter shakes the entire structure. Hermes looks up. Time seemed to move in slow motion as he rushes towards Rose, his paws shoving her out of the way, sending her flying away from the falling roof above her. He looks out towards the yard, catching a glimpse of his family as bits of roof fall down from above. He smiles. "I love you all. Take care." He shuts his eyes, the force of the impact and the thought of the safety of his sister the last thing to come to the tabby's mind.

~~

Rose hits the ground with a harsh thud, her leg suddenly searing with pain. She lets out a scream. My ankle! She looks behind her, the plume of fiery dark smoke rising from where Hermes stood. The eyes of the canine gaze at the entrance with shock and horror. The absence of her brother creating a harsh reality before her eye "Hermes?..." She weakly cries. Tears start to well in her eyes as she starts to attempt to stand up. Her sob grow louder. "HERMES?!"

Her fur soaks under her eyes as she falls to the ground. Another scream escapes her body, shaking from the sudden realization of the actions of her tabby brother. Her entire body locks up. Two pairs of arms grab the dog by the shoulders, pulling her quickly away from the inferno. She starts to struggle and pull away, the thought of losing her beloved family member too much for her mind to handle. "LET ME GO! HERMES IS RIGHT THERE!! WE HAVE TO GET HIM!! LET GO!" The dog wails and cries as the smoke of the fire burns on. The neighborhood fills with the sound of sirens, the flashes of red, white, and blue illuminating the night among the glow of the flames.


TO BE CONTINUED

[Saturn381]

Great job, D3ath_0ps!

[Stormrun]

Oh man! It looks like things are... heating up...
http://www.myinstants.com/instant/yeah/

In all seriousness though, good job.

[Amazee Dayzee]

Nice job on the chapter! It has come out better than the others!

[D3ath_0ps]

Soo... No updates in months... I think I should explain the status of the next chapter:


First off, this fic isn't dead in the water. I have at least a little bit done for the next chapter for book two, I'm just devoted to the Knights of Argus fic right now and I'm eager to write for that story right now. I will come back to this eventually, but I have not given up on this story. There's still so much more I would like to tell.

Second, as I said before, I do have some progress on the next chapter and I'm going to try and make more progress soon.

Please be patient with this fic. I'll come around to it eventually. Thanks for reading guys. <3

[Amazee Dayzee]

Of course! We are just glad that you are a great writer!

[D3ath_0ps]

Update Time!!! [This post is also on Home Stories as well, so if you saw this post already, please disregard this post! <3 )


t.K.o.A: Currently I'm in the middle of spring break, so I may put this off to the side while I enjoy my limited time off, but know that I have Chapter 13 in the works! I will attempt to pick it up this week, but expect the chapter not to arrive for about two. Thanks guys for reading!

Housepets! Home Stories: After a day of thinking it over, I have come to the decision to abandon this fic outright. It's been sitting on my computer for about seven months and... to be honest, I grew tired of writing for it. When I picked up the concept for the SAO fan fic (around the same time I posted the A Pedal for Your Thoughts arc), I was absolutely thrilled. I adored even the idea of having the Housepets! Universe inside the SAO universe, and it has flourished into something that I care about and avidly write for. When I finished the first arc of Home Stories, I was completely burnt out. After multiple re-writes of the first three chapters alone, I pretty much lost all hope in terms of story. Chapter 4 just had so many plot-holes and the sheer length of it made my want to pull my hair out, I never got around to fixing and re-writing it; however, I'm not saying that I hate it or regret it in anyway. In fact, I think its one of the best stories that I attempted to write ever. I'm proud of this series and how far it went, and I'm hoping that my other project will be even better. Sparks and Tera will always hold a place in my heart and that Wolfgun song will always remind me of that very tale I crafted. Who knows, maybe I'll pick it up again and re-write it some day.

Thank you all who contributed to creating the universe and reading my first ever fan fiction. You guys and gals are the best. <3

[The story-line I had in mind will be on another post on the Home Stories thread, if you all are interested. Mods, please give me a 48 hour leeway for when Home Stories goes into the Abandoned Fic thread starting 3/14/16 at 12:00 AM. Thanks!]