Post by Flowgli on Aug 1, 2013 14:07:49 GMT -5
This is an rp I did with Lupus through pm's.
***
One bright, warm, slightly windy, partly cloudy June day, on the property known as Dearly Farm, was a male, adult Northern Cardinal, with his feathers, except those surrounding his eyes and beak, red as rubies. However, his eyes seemed to bear a green gleam in them. He was perched just above the entrance of the barn, looking around, as if searching for someone, with a look as if smirking, despite the beak. Though he chirped like a regular bird, inside he was thinking, "I wonder if I'll be able to fool any one of the pups like I used to, when we were younger." His name, though odd for his current species, was Lupus.
Inside the barn are two Dalmatians. One of them is Flo, a chubby adult female with a goldfish-shaped spot on her left ear, a pink collar with a yellow circle tag, and the inside of her ears lighter in color than those of a regular dog. The other is Checkers, a fat male pup with eight square spots forming a checkerboard pattern on each ear, a gray collar, a belly button, and the inside of his ears lighter in color than those of a regular dog. Flo is watching Checkers finish eating a small bowl of kibble.
"Good boy, Checkers," Flo said as Checkers ate his last bite of his morning kibble.
"Mommy, can I go outside and play," Checkers asked Flo.
"Sure, honey. Remember to stay within farm boundaries where I can keep an eye on you."
"Okay."
Just as Checkers was stepping outside the barn, he looked up and saw Lupus in his Northern Cardinal form right above the entrance.
"Mommy, look at that bird!" Checkers called out.
Flo rushed over to the spot where exactly Checkers is standing at and looked up into the direction that Checkers is looking in.
"Nice to see you here again, Lupus," she said, smirking at Lupus's presence. "It's been a while since I've last seen you transformed into another animal."
Lupus blushed, seeing his 'disguise' revealed so easily, he then began to chirp, but this time, he actually spoke, "It's good to see you again too, Flo. Eh-heh I guess even though it has been a while, it isn't easy to fool you, like I used to. ^^; "Mind if I ask, who's the cute, little puppy?" He was thinking of flying down and perching upon Flo's shoulder or back, but wasn't sure if she'd mind.
"This is Checkers," said Flo, placing a front paw on one of Checkers's shoulders. "He's my son and the first of my two pups."
Lupus then flew down and landed upon the ground, in front of the two Dalmatians, at which he smiled at Checkers and chirped, "Hello, Checkers. My name is Lupus."
Checkers watched Lupus fly down to the ground where he and Flo are and raised a front paw to wave at him.
"Hi, Lupus," he said.
"I wish that you would also meet my other pup," Flo said to Lupus. "But she's not here, right now. Her name is Chess, and she's at home with Flint."
Lupus quickly waved a wing, after briefly preening or cleaning it, meaning to wave hi in return. He looked up at Flo and replied, "Oh, I assume Flint is your mate?"
"He is," said Flo. "He's my mate and Checkers and Chess's father."
"Ah. I see. Were you and little Checkers here doing anything just now? If you were, I'm sorry for interrupting the activity." Lupus apologized, blushing a bit, which was difficult to notice, considering the red and black feathers he had.
"We both woke up about twenty minutes ago," said Flo, "and Checkers just finished eating his breakfast. Then, he was about to go out and play until he saw you."
"Oh, eh-heh...I see." Lupus chirped as he looked up at Checkers. "Sorry about delaying your fun, Checkers.^^;"
"So, what have you been doing before you saw us today?" Flo asked Lupus.
Lupus put a wing up to his beak, as if meaning to cough or clear his throat, after which he set it back at his side, in its proper position, and replied, "Well, while in this form, I was kind of hoping to see if I could fool you or one of the others like I used to when I first met some of them, like when I was an owl when I met Shadow, or a lion cub with Clayton. But clearly, that didn't work. Hehe^^;"
"It sure didn't," said Flo, shaking her head. "It used to fool me a few times when you and I were younger. So, I have planned to spend an entire couple of days on this farm with my son with me. You can join us if you're not seeing anyone else at the moment."
"Oh......no.....I'm single...*sighs*.....Which explains my free time." Lupus replied, in a bit of a melancholy tone. "However, I was kind of planning to go jogging about the farm like I used to, to see if my muscles and bones still work. Although, I'd be willing to join you and your son shortly after. You two okay with that?"
"We're fine with it," said Flo. "Checkers and I don't exactly have any activities planned for today yet. Maybe we can all think about it while we go jogging with you. Is that okay?"
Lupus then seemed to smile a bit, but due to his beak, he rather decided to show the 'smile' by singing like a bird rather than chirping, "I'd be very fine with that."
"Okay," said Flo. "After all of us step out of this barn, Checkers and I will watch you transform into something else, and we'll all be ready for the jog."
"Hehe And maybe after, or before I transform, you or I could explain it to Checkers, as to why I transformed." Lupus assumed. He, however, was thinking, Although, I don't know if I should explain it as being magic or explain it like I usually do.^^;
"I'll tell him right now," said Flo, and she turned to Checkers. "Checkers, Lupus has something that he uses to transform into other animals."
Checkers had a look in his face that showed interest after he heard what Flo just said.
"You can do that?" he asked Lupus.
Lupus nodded, "Yes, it's...in short a watch I designed myself. But, I set it to leave out certain animals, such as insects and fish."
"Let's watch what Lupus will now transform to with that watch," Flo said to Checkers.
"Okay," said Checkers, and he and Flo looked back at Lupus to watch him transform into another animal.
"Well, actually, I can't use it while not in my regular form, unless, in this case, I were to pluck a few feathers, about four that, rather indistinctly, look improper in comparison of, say, color, to the surrounding feathers." Lupus explained. "So, I suppose that, the four feathers would either have a hint of yellow/orange, or brown, on them, but it can be a bit painful for me to do that."
"Well, do what you have to do, then," said Flo.
Lupus then extended his wings out, as if preparing to take flight, but instead kept his wings in that position, meaning to allow Flo and Checkers to view them, as he asked, "Do you notice any irregularly colored feathers? If you do, you may either pluck them, carefully, or simply point them out."
Flo and Checkers took a careful look at the feathers on Lupus's wings. After a moment, Flo found a feather that is burnt orange and carefully plucked it.
"That's one," said Flo, and she turned around to check on how Checkers is doing. "Checkers, have you found a feather in an irregular color?"
"Yes," said Checkers, pointing a front paw at a feather that is in salmon.
"Good. Let me pluck it."
Flo carefully plucked the salmon feather.
Lupus cringed slightly when the feathers were plucked, but kept his body and wings still as he chirped, "There might be irregularly-colored feathers on my main body as well, maybe near the talons or rear." He then carefully turned around, so that Flo and Checkers could see his downy feathers as well as his wing feathers.
Flo and Checkers looked carefully at the feathers on the other parts of Lupus's body. After a few seconds of careful searching, Flo found a tan feather on Lupus's back, while Checkers found a yellow-orange one on Lupus's tail.
"I found another one," Checkers said to Flo.
"Good, Checkers," Flo said as she carefully plucked the tan feather. "I'll pluck that."
She moved a front paw to the yellow-orange feather that Checkers found and carefully plucked it.
"Okay, now the transformation should start soon. Put the four feathers into a pile, please." Lupus chirped, after cringing another two times, as he put his wings back at his sides and turned around.
Flo and Checkers took the feathers they plucked and put them all into a pile.
Lupus then closed his eyes, as his body color started to change. The red feathers and his orange beak darkened, while his facial feathers brightened. However, they both seemed to be transforming to the same color, a lumber brown. Also, they slowly seemed to shorten, but the number of them increased, while their form changed from feathers, which can be plucked, to fur, which is rather pulled, or better yet, trimmed/groomed. His two legs and talons also began to thicken and grow fur, as his body began to grow, with the skeletal structure as well as the formation and position of his organs changed.
After about 1 minute, standing in front of Checkers and Flo was an adult German Shepard, with green eyes, about Flo's height.
Checkers was amazed at the transformation in which Lupus went from a Northern Cardinal to German Shepherd.
"Wow!" he said in surprise.
"Amazing, isn't it?" Flo asked Checkers.
"Yeah!"
"Now look to your paw, dear. But, you might want to keep your other paw ready to cover your eyes." Lupus told Flo, referring to the feathers in her paw.
Flo looked down at one of her front paws, which has all the plucked feathers under it.
"What will I have to do with these feathers?" she asked Lupus.
"Just watch, dear. You too, Checkers." Lupus smiled, at which a slightly dim flash of light consumed the feather pile.
Checkers's amazement continues as he and Flo watched the dim flash of light consume the pile of feathers. They kept their eyes on Flo's paw, waiting for more to happen.
Suddenly, the light brightened swiftly for about 5 seconds to a light close to that of a fire/match, and then went out like a fire, at which Lupus smiled. In Flo's paw, was not the feather pile, but Lupus's watch-shaped device, with the image of a Northern Cardinal on the screen as well as the time, in digital format.
Lupus then stuck his paws out towards Flo's paw without touching it, as if displaying something as he said, "Ta-da. "
Flo and Checkers were both very fascinated by how Lupus's device came to be. Flo lifted her paw and moved it from the device for Checkers to see.
"There it is, Checkers," said Flo. "This is the watch that Lupus just talked about."
"Of course, it does need to cool down. That's a function I can't get rid of. And if I tried, there's a chance it might overheat and explode or go on the fritz and never work again." Lupus spoke, as he decided to stand on all fours, rather than two.
"Right," Flo said to Lupus, nodding her head, and she turned to Checkers. "It's best to leave this watch alone for a while."
"Okay," said Checkers.
"May I take it, dear?" Lupus politely asked, as he extended his fore right leg out to Flo, as if asking her to wrap it around his leg, since he was on all fours.
"Of course," said Flo.
She picked up the watch and put it around the ankle on Lupus's front right leg.
"Thank you, dear." Lupus smiled. He looked down at Checkers and smiled kindly, assuming Checkers wanted to see more, "Don't worry, Checkers. You'll soon see me in another form. Perhaps a wolf or fox."
"Okay," Checkers said to Lupus.
"Now, we can all go out on that jog," said Flo.
"Yeah. That's a good idea." Lupus agreed. "Of course, ladies first." He then slowly moved his fore left paw to where it pointed to the open field, but in a gesture that meant to say, "After you" or "go ahead".
"Thank you, Lupus," said Flo, and she looked down at Checkers. "Let's go, Checkers."
Flo and Checkers then walked out of the barn together.
Lupus then followed them closely, walking, rather than jogging, since he didn't want to pass Flo and Checkers, finding such an action impolite. He then told Flo, blushing a bit, "To be honest, Flo. While I was still a Cardinal and talking to you, I was thinking of asking if I could perch upon your shoulder or back for a moment.^^;"
"You were?" Flo asked as she and Checkers started walking together with Lupus. "I really wouldn't have minded that."
Lupus nodded, as he walked with Flo and Checkers, "Yes, I was. And...eh-heh good to know. Do you think Checkers would've minded if I perched upon his back or shoulder?"
"I think he wouldn't have minded that," said Flo. "If there's anything he does mind having on him at all, it's bugs, with the exception of butterflies."
"Honestly, you two. I don't like any bugs at all. There's just too many, in my opinion, that are venomous, harmful, blood-sucking, disease carrying, or deadly, for me to change my mind about the other ones." Lupus kindly admitted. He then put a paw up to his muzzle, realizing he said that in front of Checkers and was nervous that Flo didn't approve of Lupus stating that.
Checkers gasped in shock at what Lupus just said about bugs.
"Those are the same reasons why Checkers and I don't like most bugs," said Flo. "Everytime he sees a bug that's not a butterfly, he would point to it and call it yucky."
She then gently placed a front paw on one of Checkers's shoulders as a sign of comforting him.
"Don't worry, Checkers," she said. "There aren't any bugs around here. But if any come around, I'll rush us out and find another bug free place."
"I'm....so...sorry, Flo. Honest. I didn't mean to hurt/scare Checkers." Lupus apologized, frowning in guilt.
"Don't worry about it, Lupus," said Flo. "I was sure that Checkers would soon know that about bugs real soon."
Checkers then saw a cockroach passing by.
"Yucky!" he complained, pointing a front paw at the cockroach. "Yucky!"
Lupus saw the cockroach and kindly looked at Flo, as if to ask, "May I step, or rather stomp, on it?"
"Whatever it takes to get rid of that cockroach," said Flo, and she reached out a front leg to pull Checkers to her, where he will be further away from the cockroach.
Lupus then suddenly pounced high and landed on the ground, hard, with his two fore paws on the cockroach, flattening its body thinner than paper, killing it. "That's..." Lupus started as he rotated his fore paws a bit, causing a faint crunching sound. "...Better."
Checkers was disgusted at the crunching sound of the cockroach's body, but he was also glad that the cockroach is dead.
"Thank you, Lupus," he said.
"You're welcome, Checkers." Lupus kindly smiled, as he removed his fore paws from what was the cockroach.
"Now, we can keep going," said Flo. "While we're at it, we probably should keep an eye out for more bugs."
"Heh If any more show up, I'll squish'em with ease.>" Lupus smirked.
"That will be a great help," said Flo. "And we're off again."
Flo and Checkers continued walking.
Lupus followed after Flo and Checkers, shortly after wiping his fore paws on the bark of a nearby tree, removing the cockroach's remains from them.
"Just point out any insects you see nearby and I'll take care of them." Lupus smiled.
Checkers stayed close right next to Flo during the walk. While walking with Flo and Lupus, he looked to his right to check if there were any insects flying around nearby.
As he walked with Flo and Checkers, Lupus looked down at his watch occasionally to see if it was time to use it again.
The walk around the farm lasted for another ten minutes.
"Well, I feel good after that walk," said Flo, "and we haven't seen another single bug."
"Hehe Indeed. Why don't you and Checkers go relax in the barn. There should be no insects in there." Lupus smiled.
"Okay, we'll do that," said Flo, and she looked down at Checkers. "Come on, Checkers, let's get back inside the barn."
The two Dalmatians went back in the barn together.
Lupus then began to stretch as he began to jog around the barn, but meaning to run, like he used to, performing his daily exercise routine.
"While Lupus is jogging out there," Flo said to Checkers, "you and I will lay down here and wait for a few minutes."
The two Dalmatians lied down together, keeping their eyes open.
After about 7 minutes of running however, just as he finished a lap around the barn, Lupus cringed as one of his muscles tightened painfully, causing him to trip, fall, and end up rolling towards a tree. He ended up hitting it partly with his chest, but his fore right leg also ended up hitting it, especially the wrist area. As he was dazed for a moment he gasped, or rather wheezed, since the air was knocked out of him for a brief moment, "I guess my muscles aren't really what they used to be."
Flo's eyes widened when she saw from inside the barn what just happened to Lupus. So, she got up and ran out of the barn and towards the tree where Lupus had rolled into.
"Lupus!" she gasped. "Lupus, are you all right? What happened?"
"Oh, it's simple dear. Just an effect of time on my body. Hehe It seems I can't run as easily. Eh-heh...urgh..." Lupus kindly replied, as he tried to stand on two, but could only stand on four, since standing on two caused more resistance/weight upon merely two legs. However, despite the slight pain, he tried to be optimistic, for Flo's sake, since she had Checkers to take care of.
"I think you should stay on all fours," Flo said in a concerned tone after she saw Lupus attempt to stand on two legs. "Would you like to come back into the barn and rest with me and Checkers?"
"Sure, let me just check a few things, maybe go dip my feet in the pond to relax, and trust me. I won't run, dear." Lupus spoke. "But...thank you, for the concern."
"All right," said Flo. "I'll wait for you in the barn."
Flo walked back inside the barn, where Checkers is laying on his back next to a hay bale.
"Mommy, what happened to Lupus?" Checkers asked Flo.
"Lupus just had a little accident," said Flo. "He'll be all right."
After a few minutes, Lupus walked towards Hiccup Hole, with a minor limp, and once there, sat upon the shore, with his hind legs in the water, at which he relaxed and began to wiggle his toes, enjoying the water.
While he was there, Lupus decided to check his watch to see if it was busted. He gasped as he saw the screen was scratched and parts of the watch were either forced towards the center of it or chipped open. "*gulp* I hope it stills works good enough." he said to himself.
A moment later, Checkers slowly closed his eyes, going from taking a little rest to taking a nap. Flo stroked him on the back and laid down next to him.
Lupus, after several seconds, removed his hind legs from the pond, and took several steps away, should anything go wrong and he ends up in the water, as an animal/being that can't swim. He then stood up on all fours, and began to breathe deeply, as he brought up his watch. Rather than search for a being that might work, Lupus went to his favorites list and selected the Grey Wolf, which was hard enough to do, considering the damaged screen. "*gulp* Here goes nothin'" Lupus spoke as he hit the final select button, unable to select a time limit, since the watch was pretty banged up to use that for the moment. A brown, dense smoke, rather than a flash of light since it wouldn't make sense with the darkness of the color, consumed his whole body.
While laying down next to the napping Checkers, Flo kept an eye on Lupus through the opened barn doors. After she saw what happened near the pond, she gasped in shock and waited for the brown smoke to disappear.
"Lupus!" she called out with a tone of voice showing more concern. "What's going on out there?!"
Lupus coughed for a moment, due to the smoke, and perked his ears as he distinctly heard Flo's voice. He tried to call out as the smoke slowly began to disappear from his sight, "I don't know. I think something's wrong with......" Lupus stopped and gaped as he saw before him, not the barn and pond, but the grass, tall as least half-grown trees. The watch had shrunk him to the size of an insect, specifically between an ant and a cockroach. He gulped as he down at himself. Thankfully, he did not transform species-wise into a bug, but the wolf part still worked, however he was brown all over, except for his eyes, like a cockroach. He began to sweat in fear, as he began to imagine bugs appearing in front of him and thinking of eating or harming him.
After the smoke had cleared, Flo stared at the exact spot where she last saw Lupus, wondering what just happened.
"Where are you?!" she called out to Lupus, who is completely out of her sight due to the tall grass he is in.
Flo turned around to a different direction and started her search from there to look all over the farm for Lupus. Meanwhile, inside the tall grass, something was moving around behind Lupus. It was a bug that was well-hidden behind some of the tall blades of grass.
Lupus turned around and looked behind him, as he asked, "Wh-Who's there? *whimpers*"
The bug raised one of its legs to move a blade aside to get a good view of Lupus. That bug was a cockroach. It smirked at the sight of Lupus and let out a soft giggle.
Lupus saw the cockroach and his fur went on end. Not in a territorial way, but in a fearful way, because he was afraid of the bug, at this size. Normally, he'd stick out his tongue and stomp on it, but at this size, he was smaller than the cockroach. He began to whimper distinctly.
"N-N-...Nice r-roach. P-Please d-don't hurt me. " Lupus whimpered in fear as he shook all over, staring at the cockroach.
The cockroach made a huge grin, giggled again, and flied towards Lupus. Meanwhile, Flo continued her search for Lupus, shouting his name a few times in the process.
Lupus couldn't handle the cockroach flying towards him, even though it was giggling. He just tried his best and began running away from it, which he assumed was hopefully towards the barn. Unfortunately, he ran with a slight limp, causing him to rather jog.
The cockroach flew fast enough to catch up with Lupus. Moments later, the cockroach flew right into Lupus and pinned him down to the ground.
"It's now payback time after what you did to most of my roach buddies!" the cockroach said to Lupus after turning his body around so that they are facing each other.
Lupus whimpered, "I-I-....I-....I'm Sorry. PLEASE DON'T Kill me!" He was actually starting to whimper like a little puppy, despite his adult age.
"Why should I let you live after all those times you and others have squished most of us roaches, huh?" asked the cockroach, and it saw the way Lupus just reacted to it. "So, are you scared? Are you finally realizing how it feels when someone or something messes with us the way you do, now that you're this size? Are you a baby??"
"Lupus!" Flo called out again, still on the search for Lupus. "Lupus, where are you?!"
She checked more parts of the farm, but Lupus was still nowhere in sight.
"I just don't like insects at all. None of them. There's too many venomous and deadly, or otherwise dangerous bugs for me to think twice about the others I'm SORRY!" Lupus cried.
He then heard Flo's voice and yelled at the top of his lungs, "FLO! DOWN HERE! HEEEEELLLLP!"
He then remembered he practically yelled into the cockroach's 'ears' and apologized nervously, still afraid, "Eh-heh...S-S-....Sorry."
The cockroach winced at Lupus shouting at it.
"You're sorry, eh?" said the cockroach. "You'll be even more sorry after I squish you!"
Flo then heard the sound of Lupus's voice calling for help. This caused her to raise her ears in shock. Lupus's voice was loud enough for Flo to hear him and follow said voice to exactly where he is.
"I'm coming, Lupus!" Flo called out, and she ran towards the spot where Lupus and the cockroach are.
The cockroach raised one of its front legs, ready to hit Lupus.
"Your bug-squishing days are over, you--" the cockroach started to say, but stopped as soon as he saw a shadow above him and Lupus.
The cockroach looked up to see that the shadow was caused by Flo's head. She let out a growl, causing the cockroach to fly away from Lupus.
"I ain't afraid of you, dog!" the cockroach said to Flo, flying around in front of her face.
Lupus closed his eyes and tightened up, ready for death to come, though he was whimpering.
He then noticed the pause, and saw, after the cockroach flew off of him, called up in a relieved, and rather lovingly way, "Flo!"
"You want a fight?" the cockroach said to Flo as it continued flying around in front of her face. "Huh? Is that what you want? A fight with me?"
"Oh, quit bugging me and my friend!" said Flo, annoyed, and she used the back of a front paw to swat the cockroach away.
As soon as the cockroach got hit, it fell on its back on the ground, about three feet away from Lupus. Flo then picked up a rock with a front paw and held it up over the cockroach.
"You're not gonna do what I think you're gonna do, are you?"
"Oh, you bet I am," said Flo. "You cockroaches are disgusting!"
And without giving a second thought, Flo used the rock to squish the cockroach.
"That'll teach you to mess with us dogs!" she said angrily, and she lifted the rock to see the cockroach's body smushed into pieces.
Once he saw that the roach was disposed of, Lupus sat up and looked up at Flo, smiling and wagging his tail, as he called up, "Thank goodness you came, Flo. Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, dear."
"No problem," Flo said to Lupus. "A bug like that cockroach should realize that it's no match for a dog who can squish it to death."
She went back over to the exact spot where Lupus is.
"I also noticed that something strange has happened to you when I saw the brown smoke appear where you were," she said, looking down at Lupus.
Lupus blushed, "Eh-heh Is it that obvious?^^;" He then looked up at Flo and extended his fore legs up to herm wanting to be picked up, as soon as possible.
"Well, now, I know," said Flo, and she lowered herself enough for Lupus to climb up on her back.
Lupus then gulped, as he looked up at Flo's side, and began trying to climb up it, onto her back. "J-...Just so you know, dear, I was kind of hoping you'd pick me up rather than make me climb onto your back.^^;" Lupus admitted, trying to speak loudly, so Flo could hear him.
"Well, whether I pick you up or make you climb up on my back," said Flo, "it wouldn't matter. What's important now is that we must get you away from any more bugs that might try to attack you."
Lupus nodded swiftly, as he gulped, thinking of spiders, bees, red ants, or scorpions showing up to harm him, "Agreed." He tried his best not to whimper in fear at the thought of it, as he scrambled up Flo as fast as he could, ignorant of his limp.
As soon as Lupus got on Flo's back, Flo got herself back up and turned her head to check on Lupus.
"I hope you're all right and all set over there," she said. "We're going back to the barn. I'll get you away from any more bugs as quick as possible before they can get to you. Hold on tight to my collar, and if I am going too fast for you, let me know."
"Ummm....Okay." Lupus spoke, gulping for a second as he jogged over to Flo's collar, and gripped it as good as he could like it was a harness for a horse. "Ummmm....I have a feeling Checkers will mistake me for a cockroach."
"Don't worry about it, Lupus," said Flo. "When Checkers sees you like this, we'll explain everything to him."
With Lupus on her back and holding on to her collar, Flo then started running as fast as she can, trying to avoid any insects while making their way back to the barn.
As he kept a firm grip on Flo's Large collar, Lupus looked left, right, and behind him, to make sure no insects that could fly, were following him.
Lupus then blushed as he tried whispering to Flo, "You know.....if you didn't already have a mate and a family, I'd actually ask you if you would be my girlfriend, for doing that.^^; "
And without a single flying insect approaching them, Flo and Lupus made it back into the barn. While inside, Flo saw Checkers awake from his nap.
"Mommy, I heard noises outside," Checkers said to Flo. "What happened?"
Wondering how Checkers will react when she tells him what happened during his nap, Flo took a deep breath and got a hold of herself.
"Well, Checkers," Flo began, and she turned around to reveal to Checkers a tiny Lupus on her back, "this is what happened."
Checkers gasped in shock at what he just saw.
"Mommy, you got a yucky cockroach on your back!" said Checkers.
"Wait, Checkers!" said Flo quickly. "This is not a cockroach. This is Lupus."
Lupus frowned, and went tense, expecting Checkers to try swatting at him, mistaking him for a bug. But then he heard what Flo said, and looked at Checkers, waving one of his tiny paws, ignoring the possibility that Checkers can't see his singular, waving paw, as he spoke, "H-...Hi Checkers.^^; "
Checkers stared at Lupus, still believeng that he is a cockroach. Even though he has a hatred for bugs other than butterflies, he went closer to Flo, who lowered herself down to his height so he can get a better look at Lupus.
"Hi, Lupus," he said after about fifteen seconds of looking carefully at Lupus, slowly raising a front paw to wave back.
Lupus then relaxed as he heard Checkers reply, with a wave of his paw, rather than a swatting/slapping motion. "I bet you want to know why I'm small as, or actually smaller than, a roach, huh?" he asked nervously.
Checkers nodded.
"Yes," he said to Lupus.
"Well, you see, as I was running about the farm, after you and your mother came in here, one of my leg muscles tightened, most likely due to the effects of aging, and I ended up rolling into a tree. Thankfully, I didn't get a concussion, but my watch slammed into the bark and got damaged. The screen was scratched immensely and the rest was practically chipped in some areas. After relaxing at Hiccup Hole, I just sat upon the shore, I decided to try the watch, to see if it would still work for the most part. I went for wolf, but this is what I got. I'm still a wolf, though, just brown-furred and between the sizes of ant and a cockroach." Lupus explained.
After Lupus was finished explaining to Checkers what happened, Flo turned her head and looked down at him.
"So, do you now understand why Lupus is small?" Flo asked Checkers.
"Yes," said Checkers, and he reached out a front paw at Lupus and stroked his back with one of his toes.
Lupus then relaxed, as he started to enjoy the massage from Checkers. "P-....Please be careful." he spoke, as he laid down on his belly, while on Flo's back.
"Don't worry, Lupus," Flo said as Checkers continued stroking Lupus. "Checkers will be careful with you. He wouldn't hurt a fly, even after finding it yucky."
"Oh...eh-heh I thought you might try to swat me, in case you'd mistake me for a roach......*gulp* which I was nearly killed by after I shrunk." Lupus spoke, whimpering.
"Well, at least he now knows you're not a cockroach or any kind of bug," Flo said to Lupus. "You're gonna be fine."
"Yeah. Long as you two are here." Lupus smiled, as he looked at Flo and nuzzled her fur. "Especially you, Flo, since you saved me from the roach."
"I'm glad to be of help," Flo said to Lupus, "and I'm glad there's not a bug in sight in this barn. But I'll keep an eye out for any just in case, while Checkers keeps stroking you."
"Do you think your little boy, Checkers, could hold me?" Lupus asked.
"I believe he could," said Flo. "I've showed and told Checkers how to handle things the right way some time ago."
"I'm sure he could. He might be a puppy, but clearly, he isn't a baby." Lupus smiled at Checkers in a friendly way.
"Well, to be honest, he was a baby not too long ago," said Flo. "He has been learning and growing a lot at home, so he's old enough to carefully hold you."
"May I, Mommy?" asked Checkers.
"Yes, you may."
Using his front paws, Checkers picked Lupus up from Flo's back and gently held him in his front legs.
"Hehe Good boy, Checkers." Lupus smiled as he noticed Checkers was very careful with him. He decided to begin stroking Checkers' fur as a bit of a reward, unsure as to whether or not Checkers was okay being treated in such a way.
While holding Lupus in his front legs, Checkers felt Lupus stroking his fur; he held Lupus close to his face and licked him as a sign of showing that he like that.
Lupus smiled, and blushed, as he replied, "Hehe Don't try to swallow me.^^;"
"Oh, he knows better than to put things in his mouth that don't belong there," Flo said as she watched Checkers licking Lupus. "He really does."
"Hehe I'm just saying. At this size, if he licks me, there might be a possibility that I might stick to his tongue." Lupus kindly replied. "But it's okay, Checkers. You may do so if you like." He continued to stroke Checkers' fur as much as he could, though he was really just stroking his wrist and the pad of his paw.
"Well, he'll get you out immediately if that happens," Flo said to Lupus.
Checkers then continues licking Lupus as he gets more strokes on his fur from him.
"Hehe You really seem to be enjoying this, huh big boy?" Lupus asked, wagging his tail and stroking Checkers.
Checkers giggled a bit as he gave Lupus a gentle hug.
"Yes," he said.
"I wonder how your sister would react to me at this size." Lupus smiled, enjoying the heat of Checkers' large body.
"Maybe if Chess sees you at that size, she'll let you ride her," said Flo.
Lupus blushed as he asked, "How tall, or old, is she?"
"She is younger and shorter than Checkers," said Flo. "She's just as tall as Lucky was when he was a pup, but she has a lot of physical strength."
"Oh. So, just asking, but is she a puppy/baby?^^;" Lupus asked, nervously, as he tried to hug Checkers as well, but it was impossible.
"Yes, she is," said Flo. "She is close to Checkers's age, and they're both babies. And just like her brother, she has learned a lot at home."
"Heehee It would be nice to see her then, and maybe ride her....b-b-...but not in a naughty way.^^;" Lupus spoke, nervously at the end. He then looked at Checkers and tried whispering to him, "Does she just call you and Chess babies because you're her pups?"
"No," said Checkers, shaking his head.
"I called Checkers and Chess babies because they really are," said Flo. "It really wasn't far too long ago when they were born."
"How long ago was it?" Lupus asked, blushing from embarrassment.
"Not that it matters, but it was about three months ago," said Flo.
"Huh. Okay." Lupus replied. He then thought to himself, I wonder if she wishes she could put Checkers and Chess in diapers, since she calls them babies. They would look cute.
After another minute of licking Lupus and getting stroked on his fur by him, Checkers placed him on his left shoulder like a bird or a rodent.
Lupus then thought between two animals and decided to go on all fours, get down low to Checkers' fur/skin, and bring his tail up to his right side, like a rodent.
Checkers let out a giggle as he felt Lupus on his body.
"If I had a camera with me right now, I would take a picture of that going on," Flo said as she watched Checkers play with Lupus like a pet.
Lupus blushed but smiled anyway, "You should have enough time to go look for one." Lupus insisted.
"There should be one somewhere in the house," said Flo. "I'll go find one there. I'll be right back."
Flo exited the barn and entered the house through the dog door in the kitchen. Her search for a camera in the house now begins.
"Don't worry, she'll be back soon, Checkers." Lupus smiled as he stroked Checkers' left shoulder.
Just then, an adult female Grey Wolf, who was an orphan, was coming towards the barn, after spending some time in the woods. Her name was Jocelyn. She sniffed the air and smiled, as she could locate Lupus's scent, but just barely. She giggled, "Has that Shepard been cleaning himself in the pond again?" She then began to walk towards the barn.
Checkers then heard someone coming from outside the barn. He placed Lupus on his back, got on all fours, and went over to the opened doors to see that it was Jocelyn approaching the barn.
Jocelyn then saw a young Dalmatian puppy at the barn doors inside, at which she smiled, and squealed as she ran up to the him and giggled, smiling sweetly, stroking Checkers' fur, nuzzling him gently, etc, "Awwww.....You're SO cute! <3 Such an adorable puppy. Yes, you are. Yes, you are.<3 What's your name, cutie?<3"
Checkers liked Jocelyn's reaction to the sight of him, despite that he doesn't even know her.
"My name is checkers," he said, "and I'm spending the day here with Lupus and my mommy."
"Oh, so you know Lupus?" Jocelyn asked, as she nicely scratched underneath Checker's chin, finding him irresistibly adorable. "Where is he?"
"Umm..." said Checkers, wondering how Jocelyn would respond when he tells her what happened to Lupus, "he shrunk. I put him on my back."
"Heehee So young and such an adorable imagination.<3" Jocelyn giggled, as she stroked the fur on his head. She then began to look around and asked, "Lupus, where are you? I can smell you, dear."
Lupus then began trying to climb up onto Checkers' head so he might be visible next time she looks at Checkers.
Back in the house, Flo was up in the attic, where she looked around for a few minutes until she spotted a camera attached to a lanyard. The camera was on a desk, sitting next to a computer. She took the the camera, put the lanyard around her neck, and made her way back out of the house.
"Lupus, I got a ca--"
But she stopped herself from finishing her sentence and getting back into the barn as she saw Jocelyn there with Checkers.
"Oh..." she said, and she carefully walked up to her, using a polite tone of voice to talk to her. "Hello, there."
Jocelyn heard a voice, looked behind her and saw an adult, female, somewhat fat, but not distinctly thick, Dalmatian. Jocelyn smiled at her and politely greeted, "Hello, dear. Just asking, but are you the mother of this adorable, cute, little, imaginative baby?<3?"
Meanwhile, Lupus had just about made it above Checkers' collar, with his hind paws on the collar and him trying to climb up the back of the puppy's head on his own.
"Yes, I am," said Flo. "I have another pup, but she's at home, right now. Were you here just now?"
"Well, actually dear, I just came from the forest, simply taking a walk. Even though I am a wolf, I don't hunt as much as one who lives in the forest." Jocelyn smiled. "What's your name, dear?" As she did that, she couldn't resist stroking Checkers' fur again.
Meanwhile, Lupus had just about removed his hind paws from Checkers' collar, as he began to climb up his head.
"My name is Flo," Flo said to Jocelyn, "and I just came back here to the barn from the house with this camera so I can take a picture of Checkers and Lupus playing together."
While Checkers continued getting his fur stroked by Jocelyn, he is hoping that she won't end up accidentally knocking Lupus off his back with her paw.
"Oh, so you know Lupus." Jocelyn smiled. "Mind telling me where he is?"
Meanwhile, Lupus had just about made it above Checkers' neck and was on the back of his head like a fly, except one that couldn't fly.
"Yes, I do," said Flo, and she took the time to think about what to say about Lupus without being called crazy or anything by Jocelyn. "Right before I went inside the house, I last saw him in the barn, keeping an eye on my son."
"But I don't see him anywhere. Your cute, adorable, little baby said he shrank and was on his back, or least the back of his head. Heehee Such imagination.<3" Jocelyn giggled as she decided to stroke Checkers' back gently. Thankfully, however, Lupus was on the back of Checkers' head, and considering his pose as he climbed, he looked like a small cockroach.
At this time, Flo couldn't hold the truth back any longer. She wanted Jocelyn to know what really happened to Lupus.
"Oh...maybe he went out to get something for himself and Checkers," said Flo, struggling to get the right words out, "like bug repellant. Yeah, that's right. There have been some cockroaches bothering them. In fact, I think there's one on my son, right now."
Checkers's eyes widen in horror after hearing what Flo just said, but Flo held up a front paw and shook her head, which was a way for her to tell him to keep calm and not panic.
"Could you do me a favor and check my son carefully for any bugs?" Flo asked Jocelyn. "And if you've found one, let me know, but don't kill it."
"Ah...Very well, dear." Jocelyn smiled, at which she began to examine Checkers' fur, softly and slowly dragging her paw through it. After about 2 minutes, her paw softly touched a small brown, mobile figure that, to her looked like a cockroach. "I found a roach deary. It seems to be climbing up the back of your little baby's head. The nasty vermin."
Lupus, meanwhile gulped when he felt someone touch him, afraid they'd try to squish him. He began to whimper softly.
"A cockroach?" said Flo, pretending to sound shocked, and she went closer to Checkers to see Lupus climbing up the back of Checkers's head. "Let me see."
She lowered herself to act as if taking a good, careful look at the "cockroach" on Checkers. She then reached out her front paws, used one paw to scoop Lupus into the other, and held him close to her eyes.
"Hmmm, it doesn't look like any cockroach I've ever seen," she said, and she moved her paws close to Jocelyn. "Look. For a cockroach, it's really furry, and it doesn't have any wings."
Lupus then looked at Flo, as she held him in her paws, and smiled as if to say, "Thank you, Flo.<3"
After hearing what Flo said, Jocelyn tilted her head and looked at Lupus, without taking an explicit examination of him and assumed, "Maybe it's just some small caterpillar or something. Some caterpillars do tend to seem fuzzy or furry."
"Hmmm, it may be a small, furry caterpillar, all right," Flo said to Jocelyn, moving her face close to Lupus to pretend to check for anything else that a bug might never have. "Now, hold on a second. There's something really strange about this bug. Bugs have many legs. Six of them, at least. This one only has four, and it doesn't look like any legs are missing from this bug's body."
As Flo continued speaking to Jocelyn the way she is, she waited for Lupus to say something to Jocelyn to prove that he has shrunk and is not a bug.
"Wait....what?" Jocelyn asked, as she examined the small 'insect'. "I also notice a tail jutting out from the body, which most bugs don't have." She then began to closely scrutinize the bug and then remembered the device and frowned, with some tears, "L-.....L-.....Lupus?" Lupus frowned and nodded to Jocelyn, "Yes, dear. It's me."
"B-....But.....how?" Jocelyn asked, whimpering, QUITE concerned for her long-time friend. Lupus looked up at Flo and suggested, "Why don't you explain it to her, dear?"
Flo was happy at first when Jocelyn finally found out that the "bug" is really Lupus, but then became uncomfortable when Lupus suggested that she should explain to Jocelyn what happened. However, as she did before with Checkers, she took a deep breath and got a hold of herself.
"Okay, here's what happened," Flo began explaining to Jocelyn. "Lupus rolled into a tree while he was running outside, and that caused his watch to slam into the bark of that tree and get damaged. While he was trying the watch out to see if it would still work for the most part, he chose wolf. That's when I saw brown smoke on the exact same spot Lupus was before he shrunk. I didn't find out that Lupus shrunk until a cockroach caught him after the smoke cleared from the air."
Lupus then nuzzled Flo's paw affectionately and replied, "And I'm VERY thankful you saved me in time, dear.<3"
Jocelyn then looked down at Lupus, frowning, then back up at Flo and asked, "M-.....Mind if I hold him, Flo? By the way, if I haven't told you yet, my name's Jocelyn."
"I'm very happy to be of help, Lupus," said Flo, stroking Lupus on the back with one of the toes on one of her front paws.
Flo then looked up at Jocelyn after hearing her ask if she minds her holding Lupus.
"I don't mind at all," she said, and she handed Lupus over to Jocelyn. "And it's nice to meet you, Jocelyn."
Jocelyn then kindly and gently took Lupus in her paws and began to very softly stroke his fur as she held him in her paw, which was flat, close to her heart, and frowned as she looked down at him, rather enjoying the stroking. "Your watch just never seems to work, does it?" she asked. Lupus shook his head, stretching as he relaxed, "mmmmm....Alas, no. Even after a year or so, it still has problems, and this time, it's rrreally damaged. Once I'm back to my normal size, I'll need someone to fix it, because, heh, I'm not the technician type.^^; "
"If you revert to normal. " Jocelyn whimpered.
"If only I knew how to fix something like that," said Flo, "but I don't. Fixing things is not my expertise."
"Well....maybe I could go visit Olwe, or maybe Clayton." Lupus shrugged.
Jocelyn then whimpered, "What are we to do, while you're this small and...vulnerable?"
"That would be a good idea," said Flo. "But what would be the next thing to do if we can't find Clayton or Olwe when we need them?"
"I said after, or if I revert to normal, dear." Lupus replied. "But, if we can't find them, we will just have to wait, and not use my watch....Unless...I can use an animal whose size shrinking would set me up either small as Checkers, or small Asa doll or action figure he and Chess could play. A playmate, if you will."
"Well, we've got to find someone who can fix that watch," said Flo. "Until then, I got this camera with me so I can take a picture of Checkers playing with you while you're at that size."
With her front paws, Flo held up the camera that is attached to the lanyard she has around her neck.
Jocelyn then bent down and have Lupus to Checkers. However, she was still frowning, concerned about Lupus.
Checkers carefully took Lupus in his front paws. As this happened, Flo looked down at the camera, getting a ridiculous thought that it would make Lupus grow back to his regular size when she takes a picture of him with it.
Lupus then looked up at Checkers and smiled, "Put me on your shoulder, like last time."
"Okay," said Checkers, and he carefully placed Lupus on his left shoulder again.
Lupus then got down on all fours, wrapped his tail around his right side as best he could and positioned his forepaws like he was holding a little piece of cheese or a nut, like half a peanut.
"Now, to get this camera ready," said Flo, and she did just that.
Flo pointed the camera directly at Lupus and Checkers and looked at them through the camera lens.
"Perfect," she said, with one of her toes right above the shutter-release button.
While having the camera held in position to take a picture of Lupus and Checkers, Flo kept both front paws and all front toes as far away from the lens, and after a moment, she took the picture.
Jocelyn decided to stand next to Flo, so the picture wouldn't be ruined as she smiled sweetly at Checkers and Lupus, after wiping away her tears, seeing how Lupus was still okay even though he was tiny. Meanwhile, Lupus then looked up at camera, as if he was a curious little mouse, new to the device and wondering what it was. He still had his fore paws in the position.
Flo looked at the picture with Jocelyn after it was taken and came out of the camera. After a moment, she took the picture over to Lupus and Checkers.
"Take a look at this picture," she said as she held it in front of them so they can get a good look at it.
Lupus then lost the curious look in his eye and examined the picture as good as he could and chuckled, "Hehe That actually looks a bit funny."
Jocelyn then giggled, "You two look cute in it.<3" Lupus blushed.
"I like it," said Checkers, moving his head a little closer to get a better look at it.
Lupus heard Jocelyn giggle and then looked at her and asked, "Now where have you been hiding that smile, dear?"
Jocelyn blushed and giggled, feeling embarrassed.
"If I can make a copy of this picture," said Flo, lowering the picture she just took, "I'll take it home and show it to Flint and Chess. Won't they like it?"
"Hehee I think they'll like it. But you'll have to explain to them why there's a 'cockroach', or brown mouse, which they might mistake for a rat, on Checkers' shoulder." Lupus chuckled. Jocelyn nodded in agreement.
"I will if they ask about that," said Flo. "But they might take the time to look carefully at Lupus on Checkers's shoulder before they can even ask."
"Eh-heh....Good to know. By the way, are there any toys here that maybe Checkers and I could play with, while I'm this small? Like marbles, or small blocks?" Lupus asked. Jocelyn giggled at the thought of Checkers making towers with blocks, and Lupus ascending them.
"Sorry, Lupus," said Flo, looking in each direction of the barn. "No toys here."
"Awww.....Okay. I was hoping to ACTUALLY play with your son, while I'm this small." Lupus sighed. "You sure there isn't a ball or blocks in the house. I think I recall there being blocks up in the attic when we were pups."
"I'm sure there isn't a single toy around here," said Flo. "But you still can actually play with Checkers while you're that small without the use of toys."
Flo then took a moment to think about the attic after Lupus just mentioned that place.
"Well, if there really are any toys up in the attic, I'd be happy to go and get them from there," she said. "But that should've been discussed before I went up there to get this camera."
"Eh-heh.....Sorry about not mentioning that, dear.^^; " Lupus apologized, blushing, as he lowered his head. Jocelyn then extended a claw and began to VERY carefully stroke Lupus's chin which made him raise his head smile, as he wagged his tail.
"Well, no matter," said Flo. "I'll still go back up there and check for toys."
Flo left the barn again and went back inside the house. After making her way back to the attic, she began searching the place for any toys.
Jocelyn meanwhile decided to just look at Checkers and stroke his fur, since it made her smile due to how cute he was.
Lupus then looked at Checkers and asked, "Would you like to know how Jocelyn and I met?"
"Yes," said Checkers, nodding his head.
Meanwhile, back in the attic, Flo found a box filled with toys. It was the same toy-filled box that she found and took to the club house in the forest when she was a pup.
"Okay, good," said Flo, looking at all the toys in the box after she opened it. "They're all still here."
She started moving the box out of the attic and down the stairs, which is much easier for her to do now than it was before, now that she is an adult.
"Well, you see, Lupus here used to be a domestic show dog, but he rather disliked that life, especially since he seemed to prefer the wild....and.....*blushes* wolves...over being domestic. Anyway, one night he ran away from home, and on his route from home, he came across me in the woods, near nightfall, and we played together. This was when we were pups.<3" Jocelyn smiled.
"Anyway, after playing, Jocelyn here asked her parents if I could stay the night, and thankfully, they were kind enough to do so. They were quite friendly. After that night, I said goodbye on the morn and resumed my journey, which within the day or two, lead me here."
Jocelyn then frowned as she explained the last bit, "However, sometime shortly after he left, maybe a few days to two weeks, hunters showed up in the morning and....though I escaped.....*sniff*....m-m.....my-....my parents....didn't." Jocelyn whimpered, about to cry, missing her parents, despite her age.
Checkers smiled through the first two parts of the story of how Lupus and Jocelyn met, but then frowned at the last part of it.
Finally, Flo got the box full of toys to the open doors of the barn.
"Here they are," she said. "All the toys that were up in the attic."
"Yeah, it's a sad story. Losing your parents." Jocelyn whimpered, wiping away her tears with a paw.
Lupus then looked up at Flo, and replied, "Hehe Good......Although, I'm sorry for not telling you that the first time."
"Well, all that matters now is that all the toys from the attic are right here," said Flo. "Now, we can take a look at the toys that are in this box."
She opened up the box so that everyone can get a good look at all the toys in there.
Jocelyn then began to examine the toys inside. Lupus tried his best to take a peek without falling in.
Checkers looked into the box to see what toys are in there. One particular toy that caught his eye is a yellow pole with five stacked rings, each one in a different size and a different color.
Lupus looked into the box and chuckled as he saw an roofless, black car that was small enough for him to sit in, that Checkers could lightly push to make it 'drive'.
Jocelyn smiled as she saw a chew toy shaped like a bone that made her think of meat, of when she used to watch her parents hunt.
After Checkers pulled out the pole with the stacked rings from the box, he spotted the car that Lupus saw and took it out of the box for him.
"Hehe Thanks, Checkers." Lupus smiled, wagging his tail, anxious to take a drive.
As for Jocelyn, she took out the bone chew toy, and looked at Flo as she squeaked it softly, "Anything catch your eye, dear?"
"Nothing yet," said Flo. "I'll keep looking."
As Flo looked through the toys that are still in the box, Checkers grabbed hold of the toy car, ready to play with it.
"Are you ready, Lupus?" he asked, looking down at the seats in the car.
"Hehheh Yeah, I'm ready, Checkers. Let's ride." Lupus chuckled.
Meanwhile, Jocelyn decided to try the chew toy and stuck it in her mouth and bit down on it, causing a squeak. Even though she was an adult, it pleased her, since it made her think of when her parents used to hunt, and, least with her father, sometimes describe the difficulties of acquiring certain catches.
"Okay!" said Checkers, and he started moving the car around as he makes car noises, making it look like Lupus is really driving.
Meanwhile, Flo finally found something in the box that caught her eye. It was a colorful plastic slinky. She took it out of the box and started playing with it.
As Checkers moved the car around, Lupus kept his forepaws on the wheel and couldn't help giggling at the sounds Checkers was making.
Meanwhile, Jocelyn continued to Play with the chew toy, squeaking it often.
Lupus then looked up at Checkers and kindly spoke, "If there's another toy you want to play with, you can play with that, Checkers."
"Okay," said Checkers, still moving the toy car around.
As Checkers continues playing with the car with Lupus still in the car, he took the stacked rings from the yellow pole they belong to and set them on the ground as obstacles on a road.
As he "drove" the toy car, Lupus tried his best to rotate the wheel to make it seem like he was turning the car.
Meanwhile, Jocelyn was still squeaking her chew toy, thinking, Oh, what fun it would be to be young again.
As the others continued to play with the toys, Flo placed the slinky down and looked back in the box to tale a look at what other toys are in there. The next few things she came across were Hot Wheels cars, which are obviously all much smaller than the one Lupus and Checkers are playing with.
After being satisfied with the chew toy, Jocelyn decided to drop it on the floor, but her saliva was streaming down its sides. She then heard Checkers making car noises and decided to lay down and watch with a sweet smile on her muzzle as Checkers and Lupus had fun.
Flo took the Hot Wheels cars out of the box and placed them in front of Checkers.
"I've found some more, but smaller, toy cars for you to play with if you like, Checkers," she said.
"Okay, Mommy," said Checkers, still playing with the car that Lupus is in.
"Hehe You may decide when to stop playing with this toy car if you want Checkers. I'll be fine." Lupus smiled.
"Hehe Such a sweet, gentledog." Jocelyn giggled.
"Okay, Lupus," said Checkers.
Checkers played with the car with Lupus in it for one more minute. After that, he put the car down and looked at the Hot Wheels cars that Flo took out of the box.
"Did you enjoy your 'drive'?" Flo asked Lupus.
"Heheh You bet I did dear." Lupus smiled. "If we had Clayton's remote, and it was possible for me to drive this, you, me and Jocelyn could take turns driving or riding in this." Jocelyn giggled at the thought.
Checkers then started playing with the Hot Wheels cars. As this happens, a moth flew into the barn behind everyone's backs.
"You know, Lupus. You look both cute and cool in that little toy car of yours.<3" Jocelyn giggled. Lupus blushed, "Hehe thanks, dear."
Flo smiled as she saw Lupus still in the toy car and Checkers playing with the Hot Wheels cars. However, things started to go bad again when the moth flew right in front of the box filled with toys.
"Get away, moth," she said, trying to swat the moth, but the moth flew further away from her before it can even get hit.
"M-Moth?" Lupus asked as he laid on the front seats of the car, covering his head with his fore paws, whimpering softly.
Seeing her friend cower made Jocelyn growl as she caught sight of the moth and began to try swatting at it, or at least catch it between her paws...or jaws.
"A moth?" said Checkers, turning his head to see the moth in the barn.
The moth dodged Jocelyn's actions to it and flew towards the ceiling.
"That moth had better stay away from us," said Flo. "As Hesso said when he was a pup, moths are completely loser butterflies."
"*gulp* Y-...You don't think the moth might try to harm me, do ya?*whimpers*" Lupus asked.
Jocelyn just growled at the moth.
"It better not," said Flo, looking up at the barn ceiling where the moth is. "But Jocelyn and I will still be here to get that moth if it comes down from the ceiling."
"Th-....Thanks, you two." Lupus whimpered, cowering in the front seat of his toy car.
"You're welcome, Lupus," said Flo, and she looked back up at the ceiling, scowling at the moth.
Jocelyn then lowered herself down to the ground, but, instead of jumping up straight to the moth, pounced towards the hayloft, or 2nd floor, of the barn, and jumped up to the ceiling from there, hoping to catch the moth, either in her paws or mouth.
Unaware of Jocelyn being near it, the moth looked down at Flo, angry at what Flo said about moths.
"Someone said that moths are completely loser butterflies, eh?" said the moth. "Well, I'll show you who's really a loser."
Jocelyn was still soaring through the air, towards the moth, as she extended her fore claws, and opened her mouth, ready to catch it in her paws or jaws.
Lupus was still cowering in the toy car's front seat.
The moth then flew from the ceiling and went right towards Flo.
"This is for calling me a loser butterfly, dog!" said the moth angrily.
As soon as the moth is within range of getting swatted by one of Flo's front paws, Flo raised a front paw and quickly moved it around to get the moth. The moth, however, dodged Flo's swatting paw again.
"They'll never learn, will they?" Flo said to herself as she watched the moth fly back up to the ceiling.
Unfortunately, due to it flying from the ceiling, Jocelyn ended up missing and landed on the ground, on all fours, by mere luck and growled at the moth.
Lupus was still cowering in his toy car.
Flo and Checkers watched what just happened to Jocelyn during her attempt to catch the moth.
"Jocelyn, are you all right?" asked Flo.
"Is the moth still here?" asked Checkers.
"Urrgh.....I'm fine, dear. I just shouldn't try that again, for a while." Jocelyn kindly responded. "And yes, I think the moth is still up there on the ceiling after having left that very spot, the blasted coward."
"Maybe that moth will stay on that same spot and fly right out of the barn after a while," said Flo. "With us in here ready to get the moth, it wouldn't dare bother us again. Who knows when another bug would come in here and ruin our day?"
Checkers looked away from the moth and went back to playing with the Hot Wheels cars.
"It better leave eventually, otherwise I'll be more than willing to eat it, just not in sight of your little boy Checkers." Jocelyn replied, keeping her eyes on the moth.
"Well, let's ignore it for a while," said Flo. "How about we give it fifteen minutes? If that moth is still here by then, we'll try getting it again."
"Very well dear. Maybe biting that chew toy some more will calm my nerves." Jocelyn spoke kindly. Lupus began to reluctantly sit up in his toy car.
Flo looked back inside to see what other old toys in there would interest her or anyone else. She used a front paw to dig through the toys in the box until she saw some blocks.
I think I recall Lupus mention blocks earlier today, she thought, and she took the blocks out of the box one at a time.
Jocelyn walked back over to her chew toy and resumed biting down on it, making it squeak.
Just as Flo picked up the last block from the bottom of the box, she found a pail that human children usually use for playing in the sand. While looking at the pail, she smirked for a bit, thinking about using it to trap the moth.
As he sat up in his toy car, Lupus kept a fearful/afraid look at the moth.
Five minutes have passed. The moth is still on the barn ceiling. While still waiting for the moth to leave the barn, Flo did some stacking with the blocks she found.
Lupus peeked over the edge of the driver's side door and looked at Flo, who he noticed was stacking blocks as he shyly asked, "Ummm.....F-...Flo....c-could I maybe.....climb those blocks?"
Flo looked down at Lupus when she heard him ask if he could climb the stacked blocks.
"Sure, you could," she said, and she looked back up at the moth, which is still on the ceiling. "Let's just hope that the moth won't come flying right towards you after you've reached the top of the stack."
Lupus nodded as he looked up and climbed out of the driver's seat of his toy car and began to make his way over to the stack of blocks, while often looking up at the moth, with a soft, faint whimper.
Flo placed her front paws on the pail. Keeping her eyes away from the moth, she wondered if there is anything at all that can get Lupus back to his regular size.
After a few seconds, Lupus made it to the pile of blocks and approached the bottom one that he could ascend.
Flo kept her front paws on the pail, waiting a few more minutes for the moth to leave the barn or fly down close enough for her to catch it at least. While waiting, she watched the others in the barn continue playing with some of the toys that were out of the box.
Lupus then stood on his hind legs, as he reached for the top edge of the block so he could grip the ledge and begin climbing.
Flo watched Lupus start climbing the blocks as she waited another minute for the moth to leave the barn. After about fifteen more seconds have passed, the moth flew off the ceiling, yet staying close to it to avoid getting attacked by Flo or Jocelyn.
Lupus continued to climb the tower of blocks, not keeping an eye on the moth so as to prevent becoming nervous and therefore lose balance.
The moth then looked down at the pail that Flo has her front paws on. After seeing that pail, it knew right away that Flo was going to use it to catch it. It then turned to see Lupus climb the tower of blocks, but it did not even bother to fly towards him.
"Oh, no, ma'am!" the moth said as it started flying out of the barn while still high up enough to avoid getting attacked or trapped in the pail. "You'll never get meeeeeeeee!!!"
Lupus relaxed, as he saw the moth fly out of the barn, and resumed climbing, with ease and somewhat faster.
"Good riddance," Flo said quietly to the moth as she watched it fly out of the barn, and she removed her front paws from the pail and turned around to watch Lupus climb the blocks some more.
After a few seconds, Lupus was about 50% up the stack.
Checkers stopped playing with the Hot Wheels cars and watched Lupus climb the blocks.
"Look at Lupus climbing the blocks," he said, pointing at Lupus.
"Yes, he's on his way to making it to the top," said Flo. "And with the camera still here in the barn, I can take a picture of him standing at the top of the stack when he makes it up there."
Several seconds afterwards, Lupus was about 60% up the pile, but was starting to sweat.
"You can make it, Lupus," said Flo as she and Checkers continued watching Lupus climb the blocks.
Jocelyn resumed gnawing on her chew you, relieved that the moth left. She smiled at Lupus, as the tiny brown canine climbed the tower of blocks.
Flo and Checkers took a couple of steps back from the stack of blocks, making sure that Lupus doesn't fall off and the stack of blocks doesn't collapse. Meanwhile, just outside the barn, there is a swarm of flies flying around like crazy.
Seconds later, Lupus was 80% up the pile, but was starting to get exhausted, but he climbed nonetheless as he spoke, "Almost......there."
"That's it," Flo said quietly, nodding her head as she and Checkers continued watching Lupus climb the blocks.
As the block climbing continued, one of the flies just outside the barn flew right inside and landed right on one of the opened doors.
85% and sweating profusely, Lupus continued to ascend the tower of blocks, oblivious to the fly at the door.
"You can do it, dear." Jocelyn cheered as she chewed on her chew toy, smiling, and practically wagging her tail.
"You're near the top," Flo said to Lupus.
During the block climbing, the fly crawled around on the door, waiting for the right moment for it and all the other flies outside the barn to annoy all the dogs inside.
95% up the stack and about only 2-3 blocks away, but Lupus's hind legs were starting to wiggle due to fatigue. "Al....most.......on....top." he spoke.
"Yes, there you go," Flo said to Lupus.
Checkers clapped his front paws several times as he watched Lupus continue making his way to the top of the stack of blocks.
Meanwhile, another fly flew into the barn and landed on the other opened door.
Lupus smiled, feeling QUITE encouraged about climbing, at which he climbed up to the top and stood on the top block on two legs, smiling widely, "There...we...go."
Jocelyn clapped her paws in applause at Lupus climbing the stack.
"Yay, way to go, Lupus!" Flo said after seeing Lupus finally making it to the top of the stack of blocks, and she applauded him for his achievement.
"Yay!" Checkers exclaimed happily.
As all this was going on, three more flies flew into the barn. However, instead of landing on one of the opened barn doors like the other two flies did, they all flew right into the four canines' eyesights.
"What?!" said Flo, annoyed as she used a front paw to swat away one of the flies. "First, there were cockroaches. Then, there was a moth. And now, there are flies. What's next?"
"More yucky!" said Checkers, laying down on the ground and burying his head in his front legs, shaking.
Jocelyn spat out the chew toy, gripped it and began trying to swat at the fly with it.
As for Lupus, he lowered himself onto his belly, and closed his eyes while covering them with his forepaws, practically whimpering due to ANOTHER insect being near him.
Two of the flies got hit by Flo and Jocelyn's swatting. The two flies that were on the barn doors flew off and joined the other flies.
"Get away!" Flo said to the flies as she continued swatting them. "We've got enough bugs bugging us today without you flies doing the same thing. Now, go!"
The flies flew a few feet higher in the barn, making sure that none of them get hit by Flo and Jocelyn's swatting again.
"Those flies are now being as cowardly as that moth," said Flo, looking up at the flies.
Lupus continued to whimper, feeling unsafe. Jocelyn heard this, and growled as she looked up and jumped up towards the flies and swatted one while trying to catch another in her mouth.
The flies saw how Jocelyn is trying to get them. Because of this, they started to actually become cowards.
"Fly away!" the flies said together, and they all flew out of the barn.
"AND DON'T COME BACK!!!!" Jocelyn commanded. She then looked down at Lupus and frowned, feeling sorry for him, as she got down on four legs, walked up to the pattern, and sat down.
After the flies were all gone, Flo looked down at where Lupus is.
"Are you all right, Lupus?" she asked.
Lupus was still whimpering, "N-...N-....Not exactly."
Jocelyn decided to sit on her rear, and gently picked up Lupus in her paw and began to stroke him gently, while holding him close, "There there, Lupus. It's okay. They're gone."
Flo went over to the opened barn doors and looked outside to see a large swarm of flies about five feet away from the barn.
"There are a lot more flies out there than what we just saw in here," Flo said to Lupus and Jocelyn as she turned around to face them and Checkers. "I don't know what it is with all these bugs bothering us today. I'm just glad that none of those flies have knocked down Lupus or that tower of blocks he's on."
Lupus actually clung to Jocelyn's paw for comfort, as he tried to calm down.
"Easy, Lupus. It's okay, they won't bother you again. I'll make sure of it." Jocelyn assured him as she stroked his fur gently.
"And we'll see that they don't," said Flo, and she turned back at the barn doors and pushed them shut. "There. Now, no more bugs can get in. We'll have to wait until about an hour before we open these doors again. By that time, all those bugs out there should be gone."
Jocelyn looked up at Flo and asked, "Is there anything in here you think might help Lupus calm down?"
Lupus was VERY slowly starting to relax, but nonetheless whimpered.
"I don't know, Jocelyn," said Flo. "All these toys we have in here should get Lupus to get his mind off all those bugs."
As Flo went back to the box full of toys, Checkers moved his front legs from his head and sat back up.
"No more yucky, Mommy?" he asked Flo.
"No more for now, Checkers," said Flo.
"Hopefully they will." Jocelyn replied to Flo as she continued to stroke Lupus's head and back gently.
"They should," said Flo, and she went over to Checkers and stroked his head. "It's okay, Checkers. It's okay. Why don't you keep playing with these toys?"
"Okay, Mommy," said Checkers, shaking, and he went over to the five colored rings and started stacking them back on the yellow pole.
"What other toys were in the box, by the way, dear?" Jocelyn asked, as Lupus began to calm down while Jocelyn stroked him.
Flo went back to the box full of toys and looked in it again.
"Well, there are different kinds of balls," she said as she dug around the toys in the box, "there are marbles, there are dolls, action figures, playing cards, dice, yo-yos, a Rubik's cube, a couple of boxes of jigsaw puzzles--lots of toys still here."
Jocelyn looked down at Lupus and asked, "Anything you'd like, dear?"
Lupus replied, "M-.....Maybe a doll or something, if Checkers is okay playing with a doll and me?"
"It's okay," said Checkers, nodding his head.
"All right, then," said Flo and she took a plush doll of a human girl that has blonde hair made of yarn, wears a white dress and a pair of mary janes, and looks taller than the stack of blocks Lupus is on by a head of that doll's when correctly held in a standing position.
Lupus looked at the doll and blushed deeply, "She's VERY taller than I expected."
"That's something you have to expect from a doll like that," Flo said to Lupus, looking directly at the doll as Checkers took it for the next game to play with Lupus.
"Heehee I think he was planning on dancing with it." Jocelyn giggled as she handed Lupus to Checkers, gently.
Checkers carefully took Lupus in his front left paw and moved him close to the doll he is holding in his other front paw.
"Really?" said Flo. "Well, in that case, there should be in this box a plastic figure of a woman that is a lot smaller than that doll."
"Hopefully there is. Otherwise, if this doll was real, and I was human, she'd probably act as if I was a baby." Lupus replied, blushing as he looked up at the doll which towered over him.
Flo looked through the toys in the box once again and found a plastic figure of a woman in the Victorian era.
"Here's one," she said, taking the plastic figure out of the box and over to Lupus and Checkers. "This figure looks a lot more your size than that doll does."
Lupus looked up at the doll, without trying to look up the lower half of its dress, and then at the Victorian era doll and, blushing deeply nodded, "I think I'll go for that doll rather than the big one.^^;"
Jocelyn thought for a moment, looking at the tall doll and asked Flo, "Say Flo, are there any dress-up outfits in there for the dolls?"
"None that I could find," Flo said to Jocelyn. "All the dolls in the box each have on an unchangeable outfit."
"Okay, dear." Jocelyn replied.
Lupus looked up at Checkers and asked, "Are you okay playing with me and that Victorian era doll rather than me and this tall one?"
"Yes," Checkers said to Lupus as he set the big doll aside and took the Victorian era figure out of Flo's paws.
"You guys keep playing," Flo said to Checkers, Lupus, and Jocelyn as she headed towards the closed barn doors. "I think it's almost noon, so I'm going to get all four of us some lunch."
And as quick as she can, she opened one of the barn just wide enough for her to get through, went right outside the barn, and closed the door.
Jocelyn nodded at Flo's statement, understanding why she was leaving temporarily. She then looked at Checkers and just smiled at him.
Lupus looked at the Victorian era doll and chuckled, "The other one just wasn't my.....height. Hehe"
Checkers posed the figure's arms into embracing position and moved that figure closer to Lupus, making it look as if it's a real human about to hug him. Meanwhile, Flo made it into the farm's house through the dog door in the kitchen door, dodging any flying insects along the way. While in the kitchen, she started gathering things to use to make lunch for herself and the other three canines in the barn.
Lupus smiled and blushed slightly as he hugged the doll, but gently, so as not to break it.
Jocelyn giggled, "I think Flo won't have a hard time making lunch for you, Lupus." This caused Lupus to blush more.
In the kitchen, Flo made toasted ham and cheese sandwiches, cut each one in four squares, and chopped up a couple of apples and bananas after peeling the latter fruit. Once all the food have been prepared and sealed in a tupperware container, she took it all out of the house through the dog door and to the barn. Again, she opened one of the barn doors just wide enough for her to get through. She quickly went right in and closed the door.
"Lunch is served," said Flo, and she placed down the tupperware container on the ground and opened the lid. "Hopefully, I've cut the food small enough for Lupus to eat it."
Lupus looked up at Flo and noticed the sandwiches as he blushed and nervously chuckled, "I think for protein, you probably would've just had to feed me peanuts or something.^^;"
Jocelyn giggled at this a bit, but looked at Flo and smiled, "Thank you, dear. And even if you gave Lupus a BIG apple slice, the inside would be soft enough for him to chew through." Lupus blushed and nodded.
"I think these sandwiches and chopped apple and bananas are a lot better for you than just peanuts," Flo said to Lupus. "But no matter. I might go back to the kitchen to get you a lot more to eat. That could help you get big...again."
Lupus shrugged, "Perhaps." He wasn't entirely sure whether or not it would help him recover lost height.
"Anyway, time to eat, dearies." Jocelyn smiled. She perked her ears as she heard Lupus's tiny stomach growl, but due to his size, it was a light growl.
Flo and Checkers each took one piece of a cut sandwich and started eating. After swallowing her first bite, Flo took another piece of a sandwich and gave it to Lupus.
"Here you go, Lupus," said Flo, hoping that food would be enough to get Lupus back to his regular size.
Lupus looked at the piece of the sandwich next to him and smiled, "Thank you, Flo."
Jocelyn then decided to set a piece of the apple next to the piece of the sandwich and smiled sweetly at Lupus.
Lupus began to decide whether to eat the apple or the sandwich first. Either way, it would take him a while to finish either of them.
Checkers then took a piece of banana and placed it right next to Lupus's piece of sandwich and piece of apple.
"Is that enough food for you, right now?" Flo asked Lupus.
Lupus blushed at these many 'offerings' and nodded, "It'll do, dear, very much. ^^;"
Jocelyn giggled as she began to eat her sandwich, wagging her tail at the taste of it.
After Flo finished her piece of sandwich, she got herself a couple pieces of apple and banana, and Checkers did the same after a minute.
Hopefully, getting Lupus back to his regular size the natural way will work, Flo thought as she watched Lupus about to eat.
Lupus looked at the apple and began to eat it, wagging his tail due to the delicious taste of it.
Flo and Checkers ate a few more pieces of sandwich, apple, and banana. Afterwards, they've decided that they have had enough to eat right then and there.
"That sure was a good lunch," said Flo.
Lupus had just about finished the apple slice and began to eat the sandwich as he nodded in agreement.
Flo and Checkers then together watched Lupus eating, with the former Dalmatian hoping that Lupus would get back to his regular size by simply just eating. Just then, in only a few seconds, Flo saw that Lupus is getting big from the food he's eating; not in terms of getting fat, but in terms of getting back to his regular height and weight.
"Lupus, you're getting big," gasped Checkers.
"He is, Checkers," said Flo. "Eating is getting Lupus back to his regular size."
Lupus blinked and looked down at himself and saw that he was getting bigger. He sighed in relief, "Thank goodness. I was afraid I'd be at that size long enough to be attacked by a spider or wasp." He continued to eat the sandwich, QUITE eager to grow back to normal height.
Jocelyn smiled as she watched.
"Well, you won't have to worry about that, now," Flo said to Lupus. "When any bugs see you back at your regular size, they wouldn't even dare to do much harm to you."
"Aside from mosquitoes or blood-sucking pests, you're right." Lupus nodded, as he continued to eat his sandwich.
"Yes, of course," said Flo.
After watching Lupus grow back a few more inches higher, Flo went to the barn doors and opened one of them by just an inch to take a peek outside for any bugs that might fly or crawl toward the barn.
Lupus wagged his tail, seeing himself grow taller but he was still merely between the height of the victorian doll and the other doll.
Flo looked through the gap between the barn doors for a few seconds. She then slowly backed up a bit and push the opened door closed.
"Okay," she said, rejoining Checkers, Luupus, and Jocelyn. "There are no bugs out there that will be coming here."
Lupus continued to eat the sandwich as he looked up at Checkers, Flo, and Jocelyn, and asked, "Are there any bugs in here?" He wagged his tail with delight at the fact that he was growing, and the delicious taste of the sandwich.
"None that I can see inside this barn," said Flo, moving her head from one direction to another to check for any bugs in the barn. "I'll have to do some very careful checking around here to make sure."
Flo went around the inside of the barn, carefully checking for bugs, one spot at a time.
"It seems I'm big enough for you to play with me and the two dolls." Lupus smiled at Checkers.
"Uh-huh," said Checkers, nodding his head at Lupus.
After about five minutes of careful checking for bugs in the barn, Flo rejoined the others.
"I've just finished checking everywhere in here," she said. "There are no bugs."
Lupus sighed with relief as he was starting to finish up the sandwich, "Phew. Good to know."
Jocelyn nodded in agreement, smiling at Lupus, but also examining his size.
"Now, we can get our minds off bugs and on you getting big again," said Flo.
Lupus nodded, as he finished the sandwich and let out a burp, "Excuse me. ^^;"
Jocelyn giggled, as she stroked Lupus's fur VERY gently.
Flo smiled a bit, and she took a good look at how much bigger Lupus grew back.
"I'm glad that eating is helping you get back to your regular size," she said to Lupus, "but I don't know if either your body will stop growing after you reached your regular height or keep growing past that when you keep eating."
"Either way, I'll be glad to not be small enough to be even ant's dinner." Lupus sighed.
"Well, exactly how tall were you before you shrunk?" Flo asked Lupus.
"Oh, that's not going to help," said Flo, disappointed. "I was going to get a measuring tape to check if you either reach your regular height or went over."
"I don't know, I think I was around a inch or so taller than Jocelyn." Lupus shrugged.
"That still won't help," Flo said to Lupus, shaking her head. "Maybe you really will stop growing once you've reached back to your regular height. You'll just have to keep eating, and we all will just hope for the best."
Jocelyn nodded in agreement with Flo.
Lupus then replied, "Very well, dear." He then looked at the banana, which was peeled and began to eat it, bit by bit.
Flo and Checkers watched Lupus continue to gradually grow back to his regular size as he ate the banana.
"He's getting there," said Flo quietly.
Jocelyn nodded, as she looked at Checkers, and smiled at how cute he was. She then looked at Flo as if asking if she could stroke his fur again.
Looking up at Jocelyn, Flo gets the idea that she would like to stroke Checkers again, so she nodded as a way of giving her the go-ahead to do so.
Jocelyn then smiled and began to pet Checkers in a kind and somewhat affectionate way, while Lupus ate his banana.
Checkers smiled when he felt Jocelyn's stroking paw, showing that he likes it. Meanwhile, Flo saw that Lupus was just inches away from his regular height.
Lupus wagged his tail as he was nearing his regular height, as he finished up the banana, "Almost there."
Jocelyn continued to stroke Checkers's fur, giggling, "Who's a cute puppy? Who's a cute puppy?"
Checkers giggled as he enjoyed the stroking he is receiving from Jocelyn. A moment later, the growing stopped as soon as Lupus made it back to his regular height.
"Lupus," said Flo, amazed as she saw Lupus in his regular size again. "You're back to your size. And you stopped growing right when you've reached back to your size."
Lupus looked at his body and sighed with relief, "Thank goodness." He then hugged Flo, and smiled, "Thanks for protecting me Flo and taking care of me."
Jocelyn looked at Lupus being back to his normal size and species and just smiled and wagged her tail.
"No problem," said Flo. "I was very happy to be around to help you out. Now, you're back to attacking bugs when they get near instead of them attacking you."
Checkers then saw ants formed in a line, carrying the remaining pieces of food.
"Look!" he said, pointing at the ants while taking steps away from them. "More yucky bugs!"
Lupus blushed, "Indeed.^^; " He then saw the bugs and smirked, as he walked over to the bugs, and picked up the pieces of food, while crushing the ones not carrying anything. However, after he picked up the food from the ants, he began to crush all of them.
Flo and Checkers watched Lupus take back all the pieces of food and crush all the ants.
"Yay!" Checkers cheered after seeing all the ants crushed to death.
Lupus then smiled and brought the food back to Flo, Checkers, and Jocelyn.
"Thank you, Lupus," said Flo, and she took back the remaining pieces of food and put them back in the tupperware container. "We're glad that you're back to the way you were. Now, we'll be less bothered again by any bugs for the rest of the day."
"You're welcome, dear." Lupus smiled.
"But what of your watch?" Jocelyn asked.
Lupus looked down at his wrist, to see it not there anymore, and sighed, "Perhaps some things, one really has to let go and grow out of. Oh well."
***
The end.
***
One bright, warm, slightly windy, partly cloudy June day, on the property known as Dearly Farm, was a male, adult Northern Cardinal, with his feathers, except those surrounding his eyes and beak, red as rubies. However, his eyes seemed to bear a green gleam in them. He was perched just above the entrance of the barn, looking around, as if searching for someone, with a look as if smirking, despite the beak. Though he chirped like a regular bird, inside he was thinking, "I wonder if I'll be able to fool any one of the pups like I used to, when we were younger." His name, though odd for his current species, was Lupus.
Inside the barn are two Dalmatians. One of them is Flo, a chubby adult female with a goldfish-shaped spot on her left ear, a pink collar with a yellow circle tag, and the inside of her ears lighter in color than those of a regular dog. The other is Checkers, a fat male pup with eight square spots forming a checkerboard pattern on each ear, a gray collar, a belly button, and the inside of his ears lighter in color than those of a regular dog. Flo is watching Checkers finish eating a small bowl of kibble.
"Good boy, Checkers," Flo said as Checkers ate his last bite of his morning kibble.
"Mommy, can I go outside and play," Checkers asked Flo.
"Sure, honey. Remember to stay within farm boundaries where I can keep an eye on you."
"Okay."
Just as Checkers was stepping outside the barn, he looked up and saw Lupus in his Northern Cardinal form right above the entrance.
"Mommy, look at that bird!" Checkers called out.
Flo rushed over to the spot where exactly Checkers is standing at and looked up into the direction that Checkers is looking in.
"Nice to see you here again, Lupus," she said, smirking at Lupus's presence. "It's been a while since I've last seen you transformed into another animal."
Lupus blushed, seeing his 'disguise' revealed so easily, he then began to chirp, but this time, he actually spoke, "It's good to see you again too, Flo. Eh-heh I guess even though it has been a while, it isn't easy to fool you, like I used to. ^^; "Mind if I ask, who's the cute, little puppy?" He was thinking of flying down and perching upon Flo's shoulder or back, but wasn't sure if she'd mind.
"This is Checkers," said Flo, placing a front paw on one of Checkers's shoulders. "He's my son and the first of my two pups."
Lupus then flew down and landed upon the ground, in front of the two Dalmatians, at which he smiled at Checkers and chirped, "Hello, Checkers. My name is Lupus."
Checkers watched Lupus fly down to the ground where he and Flo are and raised a front paw to wave at him.
"Hi, Lupus," he said.
"I wish that you would also meet my other pup," Flo said to Lupus. "But she's not here, right now. Her name is Chess, and she's at home with Flint."
Lupus quickly waved a wing, after briefly preening or cleaning it, meaning to wave hi in return. He looked up at Flo and replied, "Oh, I assume Flint is your mate?"
"He is," said Flo. "He's my mate and Checkers and Chess's father."
"Ah. I see. Were you and little Checkers here doing anything just now? If you were, I'm sorry for interrupting the activity." Lupus apologized, blushing a bit, which was difficult to notice, considering the red and black feathers he had.
"We both woke up about twenty minutes ago," said Flo, "and Checkers just finished eating his breakfast. Then, he was about to go out and play until he saw you."
"Oh, eh-heh...I see." Lupus chirped as he looked up at Checkers. "Sorry about delaying your fun, Checkers.^^;"
"So, what have you been doing before you saw us today?" Flo asked Lupus.
Lupus put a wing up to his beak, as if meaning to cough or clear his throat, after which he set it back at his side, in its proper position, and replied, "Well, while in this form, I was kind of hoping to see if I could fool you or one of the others like I used to when I first met some of them, like when I was an owl when I met Shadow, or a lion cub with Clayton. But clearly, that didn't work. Hehe^^;"
"It sure didn't," said Flo, shaking her head. "It used to fool me a few times when you and I were younger. So, I have planned to spend an entire couple of days on this farm with my son with me. You can join us if you're not seeing anyone else at the moment."
"Oh......no.....I'm single...*sighs*.....Which explains my free time." Lupus replied, in a bit of a melancholy tone. "However, I was kind of planning to go jogging about the farm like I used to, to see if my muscles and bones still work. Although, I'd be willing to join you and your son shortly after. You two okay with that?"
"We're fine with it," said Flo. "Checkers and I don't exactly have any activities planned for today yet. Maybe we can all think about it while we go jogging with you. Is that okay?"
Lupus then seemed to smile a bit, but due to his beak, he rather decided to show the 'smile' by singing like a bird rather than chirping, "I'd be very fine with that."
"Okay," said Flo. "After all of us step out of this barn, Checkers and I will watch you transform into something else, and we'll all be ready for the jog."
"Hehe And maybe after, or before I transform, you or I could explain it to Checkers, as to why I transformed." Lupus assumed. He, however, was thinking, Although, I don't know if I should explain it as being magic or explain it like I usually do.^^;
"I'll tell him right now," said Flo, and she turned to Checkers. "Checkers, Lupus has something that he uses to transform into other animals."
Checkers had a look in his face that showed interest after he heard what Flo just said.
"You can do that?" he asked Lupus.
Lupus nodded, "Yes, it's...in short a watch I designed myself. But, I set it to leave out certain animals, such as insects and fish."
"Let's watch what Lupus will now transform to with that watch," Flo said to Checkers.
"Okay," said Checkers, and he and Flo looked back at Lupus to watch him transform into another animal.
"Well, actually, I can't use it while not in my regular form, unless, in this case, I were to pluck a few feathers, about four that, rather indistinctly, look improper in comparison of, say, color, to the surrounding feathers." Lupus explained. "So, I suppose that, the four feathers would either have a hint of yellow/orange, or brown, on them, but it can be a bit painful for me to do that."
"Well, do what you have to do, then," said Flo.
Lupus then extended his wings out, as if preparing to take flight, but instead kept his wings in that position, meaning to allow Flo and Checkers to view them, as he asked, "Do you notice any irregularly colored feathers? If you do, you may either pluck them, carefully, or simply point them out."
Flo and Checkers took a careful look at the feathers on Lupus's wings. After a moment, Flo found a feather that is burnt orange and carefully plucked it.
"That's one," said Flo, and she turned around to check on how Checkers is doing. "Checkers, have you found a feather in an irregular color?"
"Yes," said Checkers, pointing a front paw at a feather that is in salmon.
"Good. Let me pluck it."
Flo carefully plucked the salmon feather.
Lupus cringed slightly when the feathers were plucked, but kept his body and wings still as he chirped, "There might be irregularly-colored feathers on my main body as well, maybe near the talons or rear." He then carefully turned around, so that Flo and Checkers could see his downy feathers as well as his wing feathers.
Flo and Checkers looked carefully at the feathers on the other parts of Lupus's body. After a few seconds of careful searching, Flo found a tan feather on Lupus's back, while Checkers found a yellow-orange one on Lupus's tail.
"I found another one," Checkers said to Flo.
"Good, Checkers," Flo said as she carefully plucked the tan feather. "I'll pluck that."
She moved a front paw to the yellow-orange feather that Checkers found and carefully plucked it.
"Okay, now the transformation should start soon. Put the four feathers into a pile, please." Lupus chirped, after cringing another two times, as he put his wings back at his sides and turned around.
Flo and Checkers took the feathers they plucked and put them all into a pile.
Lupus then closed his eyes, as his body color started to change. The red feathers and his orange beak darkened, while his facial feathers brightened. However, they both seemed to be transforming to the same color, a lumber brown. Also, they slowly seemed to shorten, but the number of them increased, while their form changed from feathers, which can be plucked, to fur, which is rather pulled, or better yet, trimmed/groomed. His two legs and talons also began to thicken and grow fur, as his body began to grow, with the skeletal structure as well as the formation and position of his organs changed.
After about 1 minute, standing in front of Checkers and Flo was an adult German Shepard, with green eyes, about Flo's height.
Checkers was amazed at the transformation in which Lupus went from a Northern Cardinal to German Shepherd.
"Wow!" he said in surprise.
"Amazing, isn't it?" Flo asked Checkers.
"Yeah!"
"Now look to your paw, dear. But, you might want to keep your other paw ready to cover your eyes." Lupus told Flo, referring to the feathers in her paw.
Flo looked down at one of her front paws, which has all the plucked feathers under it.
"What will I have to do with these feathers?" she asked Lupus.
"Just watch, dear. You too, Checkers." Lupus smiled, at which a slightly dim flash of light consumed the feather pile.
Checkers's amazement continues as he and Flo watched the dim flash of light consume the pile of feathers. They kept their eyes on Flo's paw, waiting for more to happen.
Suddenly, the light brightened swiftly for about 5 seconds to a light close to that of a fire/match, and then went out like a fire, at which Lupus smiled. In Flo's paw, was not the feather pile, but Lupus's watch-shaped device, with the image of a Northern Cardinal on the screen as well as the time, in digital format.
Lupus then stuck his paws out towards Flo's paw without touching it, as if displaying something as he said, "Ta-da. "
Flo and Checkers were both very fascinated by how Lupus's device came to be. Flo lifted her paw and moved it from the device for Checkers to see.
"There it is, Checkers," said Flo. "This is the watch that Lupus just talked about."
"Of course, it does need to cool down. That's a function I can't get rid of. And if I tried, there's a chance it might overheat and explode or go on the fritz and never work again." Lupus spoke, as he decided to stand on all fours, rather than two.
"Right," Flo said to Lupus, nodding her head, and she turned to Checkers. "It's best to leave this watch alone for a while."
"Okay," said Checkers.
"May I take it, dear?" Lupus politely asked, as he extended his fore right leg out to Flo, as if asking her to wrap it around his leg, since he was on all fours.
"Of course," said Flo.
She picked up the watch and put it around the ankle on Lupus's front right leg.
"Thank you, dear." Lupus smiled. He looked down at Checkers and smiled kindly, assuming Checkers wanted to see more, "Don't worry, Checkers. You'll soon see me in another form. Perhaps a wolf or fox."
"Okay," Checkers said to Lupus.
"Now, we can all go out on that jog," said Flo.
"Yeah. That's a good idea." Lupus agreed. "Of course, ladies first." He then slowly moved his fore left paw to where it pointed to the open field, but in a gesture that meant to say, "After you" or "go ahead".
"Thank you, Lupus," said Flo, and she looked down at Checkers. "Let's go, Checkers."
Flo and Checkers then walked out of the barn together.
Lupus then followed them closely, walking, rather than jogging, since he didn't want to pass Flo and Checkers, finding such an action impolite. He then told Flo, blushing a bit, "To be honest, Flo. While I was still a Cardinal and talking to you, I was thinking of asking if I could perch upon your shoulder or back for a moment.^^;"
"You were?" Flo asked as she and Checkers started walking together with Lupus. "I really wouldn't have minded that."
Lupus nodded, as he walked with Flo and Checkers, "Yes, I was. And...eh-heh good to know. Do you think Checkers would've minded if I perched upon his back or shoulder?"
"I think he wouldn't have minded that," said Flo. "If there's anything he does mind having on him at all, it's bugs, with the exception of butterflies."
"Honestly, you two. I don't like any bugs at all. There's just too many, in my opinion, that are venomous, harmful, blood-sucking, disease carrying, or deadly, for me to change my mind about the other ones." Lupus kindly admitted. He then put a paw up to his muzzle, realizing he said that in front of Checkers and was nervous that Flo didn't approve of Lupus stating that.
Checkers gasped in shock at what Lupus just said about bugs.
"Those are the same reasons why Checkers and I don't like most bugs," said Flo. "Everytime he sees a bug that's not a butterfly, he would point to it and call it yucky."
She then gently placed a front paw on one of Checkers's shoulders as a sign of comforting him.
"Don't worry, Checkers," she said. "There aren't any bugs around here. But if any come around, I'll rush us out and find another bug free place."
"I'm....so...sorry, Flo. Honest. I didn't mean to hurt/scare Checkers." Lupus apologized, frowning in guilt.
"Don't worry about it, Lupus," said Flo. "I was sure that Checkers would soon know that about bugs real soon."
Checkers then saw a cockroach passing by.
"Yucky!" he complained, pointing a front paw at the cockroach. "Yucky!"
Lupus saw the cockroach and kindly looked at Flo, as if to ask, "May I step, or rather stomp, on it?"
"Whatever it takes to get rid of that cockroach," said Flo, and she reached out a front leg to pull Checkers to her, where he will be further away from the cockroach.
Lupus then suddenly pounced high and landed on the ground, hard, with his two fore paws on the cockroach, flattening its body thinner than paper, killing it. "That's..." Lupus started as he rotated his fore paws a bit, causing a faint crunching sound. "...Better."
Checkers was disgusted at the crunching sound of the cockroach's body, but he was also glad that the cockroach is dead.
"Thank you, Lupus," he said.
"You're welcome, Checkers." Lupus kindly smiled, as he removed his fore paws from what was the cockroach.
"Now, we can keep going," said Flo. "While we're at it, we probably should keep an eye out for more bugs."
"Heh If any more show up, I'll squish'em with ease.>" Lupus smirked.
"That will be a great help," said Flo. "And we're off again."
Flo and Checkers continued walking.
Lupus followed after Flo and Checkers, shortly after wiping his fore paws on the bark of a nearby tree, removing the cockroach's remains from them.
"Just point out any insects you see nearby and I'll take care of them." Lupus smiled.
Checkers stayed close right next to Flo during the walk. While walking with Flo and Lupus, he looked to his right to check if there were any insects flying around nearby.
As he walked with Flo and Checkers, Lupus looked down at his watch occasionally to see if it was time to use it again.
The walk around the farm lasted for another ten minutes.
"Well, I feel good after that walk," said Flo, "and we haven't seen another single bug."
"Hehe Indeed. Why don't you and Checkers go relax in the barn. There should be no insects in there." Lupus smiled.
"Okay, we'll do that," said Flo, and she looked down at Checkers. "Come on, Checkers, let's get back inside the barn."
The two Dalmatians went back in the barn together.
Lupus then began to stretch as he began to jog around the barn, but meaning to run, like he used to, performing his daily exercise routine.
"While Lupus is jogging out there," Flo said to Checkers, "you and I will lay down here and wait for a few minutes."
The two Dalmatians lied down together, keeping their eyes open.
After about 7 minutes of running however, just as he finished a lap around the barn, Lupus cringed as one of his muscles tightened painfully, causing him to trip, fall, and end up rolling towards a tree. He ended up hitting it partly with his chest, but his fore right leg also ended up hitting it, especially the wrist area. As he was dazed for a moment he gasped, or rather wheezed, since the air was knocked out of him for a brief moment, "I guess my muscles aren't really what they used to be."
Flo's eyes widened when she saw from inside the barn what just happened to Lupus. So, she got up and ran out of the barn and towards the tree where Lupus had rolled into.
"Lupus!" she gasped. "Lupus, are you all right? What happened?"
"Oh, it's simple dear. Just an effect of time on my body. Hehe It seems I can't run as easily. Eh-heh...urgh..." Lupus kindly replied, as he tried to stand on two, but could only stand on four, since standing on two caused more resistance/weight upon merely two legs. However, despite the slight pain, he tried to be optimistic, for Flo's sake, since she had Checkers to take care of.
"I think you should stay on all fours," Flo said in a concerned tone after she saw Lupus attempt to stand on two legs. "Would you like to come back into the barn and rest with me and Checkers?"
"Sure, let me just check a few things, maybe go dip my feet in the pond to relax, and trust me. I won't run, dear." Lupus spoke. "But...thank you, for the concern."
"All right," said Flo. "I'll wait for you in the barn."
Flo walked back inside the barn, where Checkers is laying on his back next to a hay bale.
"Mommy, what happened to Lupus?" Checkers asked Flo.
"Lupus just had a little accident," said Flo. "He'll be all right."
After a few minutes, Lupus walked towards Hiccup Hole, with a minor limp, and once there, sat upon the shore, with his hind legs in the water, at which he relaxed and began to wiggle his toes, enjoying the water.
While he was there, Lupus decided to check his watch to see if it was busted. He gasped as he saw the screen was scratched and parts of the watch were either forced towards the center of it or chipped open. "*gulp* I hope it stills works good enough." he said to himself.
A moment later, Checkers slowly closed his eyes, going from taking a little rest to taking a nap. Flo stroked him on the back and laid down next to him.
Lupus, after several seconds, removed his hind legs from the pond, and took several steps away, should anything go wrong and he ends up in the water, as an animal/being that can't swim. He then stood up on all fours, and began to breathe deeply, as he brought up his watch. Rather than search for a being that might work, Lupus went to his favorites list and selected the Grey Wolf, which was hard enough to do, considering the damaged screen. "*gulp* Here goes nothin'" Lupus spoke as he hit the final select button, unable to select a time limit, since the watch was pretty banged up to use that for the moment. A brown, dense smoke, rather than a flash of light since it wouldn't make sense with the darkness of the color, consumed his whole body.
While laying down next to the napping Checkers, Flo kept an eye on Lupus through the opened barn doors. After she saw what happened near the pond, she gasped in shock and waited for the brown smoke to disappear.
"Lupus!" she called out with a tone of voice showing more concern. "What's going on out there?!"
Lupus coughed for a moment, due to the smoke, and perked his ears as he distinctly heard Flo's voice. He tried to call out as the smoke slowly began to disappear from his sight, "I don't know. I think something's wrong with......" Lupus stopped and gaped as he saw before him, not the barn and pond, but the grass, tall as least half-grown trees. The watch had shrunk him to the size of an insect, specifically between an ant and a cockroach. He gulped as he down at himself. Thankfully, he did not transform species-wise into a bug, but the wolf part still worked, however he was brown all over, except for his eyes, like a cockroach. He began to sweat in fear, as he began to imagine bugs appearing in front of him and thinking of eating or harming him.
After the smoke had cleared, Flo stared at the exact spot where she last saw Lupus, wondering what just happened.
"Where are you?!" she called out to Lupus, who is completely out of her sight due to the tall grass he is in.
Flo turned around to a different direction and started her search from there to look all over the farm for Lupus. Meanwhile, inside the tall grass, something was moving around behind Lupus. It was a bug that was well-hidden behind some of the tall blades of grass.
Lupus turned around and looked behind him, as he asked, "Wh-Who's there? *whimpers*"
The bug raised one of its legs to move a blade aside to get a good view of Lupus. That bug was a cockroach. It smirked at the sight of Lupus and let out a soft giggle.
Lupus saw the cockroach and his fur went on end. Not in a territorial way, but in a fearful way, because he was afraid of the bug, at this size. Normally, he'd stick out his tongue and stomp on it, but at this size, he was smaller than the cockroach. He began to whimper distinctly.
"N-N-...Nice r-roach. P-Please d-don't hurt me. " Lupus whimpered in fear as he shook all over, staring at the cockroach.
The cockroach made a huge grin, giggled again, and flied towards Lupus. Meanwhile, Flo continued her search for Lupus, shouting his name a few times in the process.
Lupus couldn't handle the cockroach flying towards him, even though it was giggling. He just tried his best and began running away from it, which he assumed was hopefully towards the barn. Unfortunately, he ran with a slight limp, causing him to rather jog.
The cockroach flew fast enough to catch up with Lupus. Moments later, the cockroach flew right into Lupus and pinned him down to the ground.
"It's now payback time after what you did to most of my roach buddies!" the cockroach said to Lupus after turning his body around so that they are facing each other.
Lupus whimpered, "I-I-....I-....I'm Sorry. PLEASE DON'T Kill me!" He was actually starting to whimper like a little puppy, despite his adult age.
"Why should I let you live after all those times you and others have squished most of us roaches, huh?" asked the cockroach, and it saw the way Lupus just reacted to it. "So, are you scared? Are you finally realizing how it feels when someone or something messes with us the way you do, now that you're this size? Are you a baby??"
"Lupus!" Flo called out again, still on the search for Lupus. "Lupus, where are you?!"
She checked more parts of the farm, but Lupus was still nowhere in sight.
"I just don't like insects at all. None of them. There's too many venomous and deadly, or otherwise dangerous bugs for me to think twice about the others I'm SORRY!" Lupus cried.
He then heard Flo's voice and yelled at the top of his lungs, "FLO! DOWN HERE! HEEEEELLLLP!"
He then remembered he practically yelled into the cockroach's 'ears' and apologized nervously, still afraid, "Eh-heh...S-S-....Sorry."
The cockroach winced at Lupus shouting at it.
"You're sorry, eh?" said the cockroach. "You'll be even more sorry after I squish you!"
Flo then heard the sound of Lupus's voice calling for help. This caused her to raise her ears in shock. Lupus's voice was loud enough for Flo to hear him and follow said voice to exactly where he is.
"I'm coming, Lupus!" Flo called out, and she ran towards the spot where Lupus and the cockroach are.
The cockroach raised one of its front legs, ready to hit Lupus.
"Your bug-squishing days are over, you--" the cockroach started to say, but stopped as soon as he saw a shadow above him and Lupus.
The cockroach looked up to see that the shadow was caused by Flo's head. She let out a growl, causing the cockroach to fly away from Lupus.
"I ain't afraid of you, dog!" the cockroach said to Flo, flying around in front of her face.
Lupus closed his eyes and tightened up, ready for death to come, though he was whimpering.
He then noticed the pause, and saw, after the cockroach flew off of him, called up in a relieved, and rather lovingly way, "Flo!"
"You want a fight?" the cockroach said to Flo as it continued flying around in front of her face. "Huh? Is that what you want? A fight with me?"
"Oh, quit bugging me and my friend!" said Flo, annoyed, and she used the back of a front paw to swat the cockroach away.
As soon as the cockroach got hit, it fell on its back on the ground, about three feet away from Lupus. Flo then picked up a rock with a front paw and held it up over the cockroach.
"You're not gonna do what I think you're gonna do, are you?"
"Oh, you bet I am," said Flo. "You cockroaches are disgusting!"
And without giving a second thought, Flo used the rock to squish the cockroach.
"That'll teach you to mess with us dogs!" she said angrily, and she lifted the rock to see the cockroach's body smushed into pieces.
Once he saw that the roach was disposed of, Lupus sat up and looked up at Flo, smiling and wagging his tail, as he called up, "Thank goodness you came, Flo. Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, dear."
"No problem," Flo said to Lupus. "A bug like that cockroach should realize that it's no match for a dog who can squish it to death."
She went back over to the exact spot where Lupus is.
"I also noticed that something strange has happened to you when I saw the brown smoke appear where you were," she said, looking down at Lupus.
Lupus blushed, "Eh-heh Is it that obvious?^^;" He then looked up at Flo and extended his fore legs up to herm wanting to be picked up, as soon as possible.
"Well, now, I know," said Flo, and she lowered herself enough for Lupus to climb up on her back.
Lupus then gulped, as he looked up at Flo's side, and began trying to climb up it, onto her back. "J-...Just so you know, dear, I was kind of hoping you'd pick me up rather than make me climb onto your back.^^;" Lupus admitted, trying to speak loudly, so Flo could hear him.
"Well, whether I pick you up or make you climb up on my back," said Flo, "it wouldn't matter. What's important now is that we must get you away from any more bugs that might try to attack you."
Lupus nodded swiftly, as he gulped, thinking of spiders, bees, red ants, or scorpions showing up to harm him, "Agreed." He tried his best not to whimper in fear at the thought of it, as he scrambled up Flo as fast as he could, ignorant of his limp.
As soon as Lupus got on Flo's back, Flo got herself back up and turned her head to check on Lupus.
"I hope you're all right and all set over there," she said. "We're going back to the barn. I'll get you away from any more bugs as quick as possible before they can get to you. Hold on tight to my collar, and if I am going too fast for you, let me know."
"Ummm....Okay." Lupus spoke, gulping for a second as he jogged over to Flo's collar, and gripped it as good as he could like it was a harness for a horse. "Ummmm....I have a feeling Checkers will mistake me for a cockroach."
"Don't worry about it, Lupus," said Flo. "When Checkers sees you like this, we'll explain everything to him."
With Lupus on her back and holding on to her collar, Flo then started running as fast as she can, trying to avoid any insects while making their way back to the barn.
As he kept a firm grip on Flo's Large collar, Lupus looked left, right, and behind him, to make sure no insects that could fly, were following him.
Lupus then blushed as he tried whispering to Flo, "You know.....if you didn't already have a mate and a family, I'd actually ask you if you would be my girlfriend, for doing that.^^; "
And without a single flying insect approaching them, Flo and Lupus made it back into the barn. While inside, Flo saw Checkers awake from his nap.
"Mommy, I heard noises outside," Checkers said to Flo. "What happened?"
Wondering how Checkers will react when she tells him what happened during his nap, Flo took a deep breath and got a hold of herself.
"Well, Checkers," Flo began, and she turned around to reveal to Checkers a tiny Lupus on her back, "this is what happened."
Checkers gasped in shock at what he just saw.
"Mommy, you got a yucky cockroach on your back!" said Checkers.
"Wait, Checkers!" said Flo quickly. "This is not a cockroach. This is Lupus."
Lupus frowned, and went tense, expecting Checkers to try swatting at him, mistaking him for a bug. But then he heard what Flo said, and looked at Checkers, waving one of his tiny paws, ignoring the possibility that Checkers can't see his singular, waving paw, as he spoke, "H-...Hi Checkers.^^; "
Checkers stared at Lupus, still believeng that he is a cockroach. Even though he has a hatred for bugs other than butterflies, he went closer to Flo, who lowered herself down to his height so he can get a better look at Lupus.
"Hi, Lupus," he said after about fifteen seconds of looking carefully at Lupus, slowly raising a front paw to wave back.
Lupus then relaxed as he heard Checkers reply, with a wave of his paw, rather than a swatting/slapping motion. "I bet you want to know why I'm small as, or actually smaller than, a roach, huh?" he asked nervously.
Checkers nodded.
"Yes," he said to Lupus.
"Well, you see, as I was running about the farm, after you and your mother came in here, one of my leg muscles tightened, most likely due to the effects of aging, and I ended up rolling into a tree. Thankfully, I didn't get a concussion, but my watch slammed into the bark and got damaged. The screen was scratched immensely and the rest was practically chipped in some areas. After relaxing at Hiccup Hole, I just sat upon the shore, I decided to try the watch, to see if it would still work for the most part. I went for wolf, but this is what I got. I'm still a wolf, though, just brown-furred and between the sizes of ant and a cockroach." Lupus explained.
After Lupus was finished explaining to Checkers what happened, Flo turned her head and looked down at him.
"So, do you now understand why Lupus is small?" Flo asked Checkers.
"Yes," said Checkers, and he reached out a front paw at Lupus and stroked his back with one of his toes.
Lupus then relaxed, as he started to enjoy the massage from Checkers. "P-....Please be careful." he spoke, as he laid down on his belly, while on Flo's back.
"Don't worry, Lupus," Flo said as Checkers continued stroking Lupus. "Checkers will be careful with you. He wouldn't hurt a fly, even after finding it yucky."
"Oh...eh-heh I thought you might try to swat me, in case you'd mistake me for a roach......*gulp* which I was nearly killed by after I shrunk." Lupus spoke, whimpering.
"Well, at least he now knows you're not a cockroach or any kind of bug," Flo said to Lupus. "You're gonna be fine."
"Yeah. Long as you two are here." Lupus smiled, as he looked at Flo and nuzzled her fur. "Especially you, Flo, since you saved me from the roach."
"I'm glad to be of help," Flo said to Lupus, "and I'm glad there's not a bug in sight in this barn. But I'll keep an eye out for any just in case, while Checkers keeps stroking you."
"Do you think your little boy, Checkers, could hold me?" Lupus asked.
"I believe he could," said Flo. "I've showed and told Checkers how to handle things the right way some time ago."
"I'm sure he could. He might be a puppy, but clearly, he isn't a baby." Lupus smiled at Checkers in a friendly way.
"Well, to be honest, he was a baby not too long ago," said Flo. "He has been learning and growing a lot at home, so he's old enough to carefully hold you."
"May I, Mommy?" asked Checkers.
"Yes, you may."
Using his front paws, Checkers picked Lupus up from Flo's back and gently held him in his front legs.
"Hehe Good boy, Checkers." Lupus smiled as he noticed Checkers was very careful with him. He decided to begin stroking Checkers' fur as a bit of a reward, unsure as to whether or not Checkers was okay being treated in such a way.
While holding Lupus in his front legs, Checkers felt Lupus stroking his fur; he held Lupus close to his face and licked him as a sign of showing that he like that.
Lupus smiled, and blushed, as he replied, "Hehe Don't try to swallow me.^^;"
"Oh, he knows better than to put things in his mouth that don't belong there," Flo said as she watched Checkers licking Lupus. "He really does."
"Hehe I'm just saying. At this size, if he licks me, there might be a possibility that I might stick to his tongue." Lupus kindly replied. "But it's okay, Checkers. You may do so if you like." He continued to stroke Checkers' fur as much as he could, though he was really just stroking his wrist and the pad of his paw.
"Well, he'll get you out immediately if that happens," Flo said to Lupus.
Checkers then continues licking Lupus as he gets more strokes on his fur from him.
"Hehe You really seem to be enjoying this, huh big boy?" Lupus asked, wagging his tail and stroking Checkers.
Checkers giggled a bit as he gave Lupus a gentle hug.
"Yes," he said.
"I wonder how your sister would react to me at this size." Lupus smiled, enjoying the heat of Checkers' large body.
"Maybe if Chess sees you at that size, she'll let you ride her," said Flo.
Lupus blushed as he asked, "How tall, or old, is she?"
"She is younger and shorter than Checkers," said Flo. "She's just as tall as Lucky was when he was a pup, but she has a lot of physical strength."
"Oh. So, just asking, but is she a puppy/baby?^^;" Lupus asked, nervously, as he tried to hug Checkers as well, but it was impossible.
"Yes, she is," said Flo. "She is close to Checkers's age, and they're both babies. And just like her brother, she has learned a lot at home."
"Heehee It would be nice to see her then, and maybe ride her....b-b-...but not in a naughty way.^^;" Lupus spoke, nervously at the end. He then looked at Checkers and tried whispering to him, "Does she just call you and Chess babies because you're her pups?"
"No," said Checkers, shaking his head.
"I called Checkers and Chess babies because they really are," said Flo. "It really wasn't far too long ago when they were born."
"How long ago was it?" Lupus asked, blushing from embarrassment.
"Not that it matters, but it was about three months ago," said Flo.
"Huh. Okay." Lupus replied. He then thought to himself, I wonder if she wishes she could put Checkers and Chess in diapers, since she calls them babies. They would look cute.
After another minute of licking Lupus and getting stroked on his fur by him, Checkers placed him on his left shoulder like a bird or a rodent.
Lupus then thought between two animals and decided to go on all fours, get down low to Checkers' fur/skin, and bring his tail up to his right side, like a rodent.
Checkers let out a giggle as he felt Lupus on his body.
"If I had a camera with me right now, I would take a picture of that going on," Flo said as she watched Checkers play with Lupus like a pet.
Lupus blushed but smiled anyway, "You should have enough time to go look for one." Lupus insisted.
"There should be one somewhere in the house," said Flo. "I'll go find one there. I'll be right back."
Flo exited the barn and entered the house through the dog door in the kitchen. Her search for a camera in the house now begins.
"Don't worry, she'll be back soon, Checkers." Lupus smiled as he stroked Checkers' left shoulder.
Just then, an adult female Grey Wolf, who was an orphan, was coming towards the barn, after spending some time in the woods. Her name was Jocelyn. She sniffed the air and smiled, as she could locate Lupus's scent, but just barely. She giggled, "Has that Shepard been cleaning himself in the pond again?" She then began to walk towards the barn.
Checkers then heard someone coming from outside the barn. He placed Lupus on his back, got on all fours, and went over to the opened doors to see that it was Jocelyn approaching the barn.
Jocelyn then saw a young Dalmatian puppy at the barn doors inside, at which she smiled, and squealed as she ran up to the him and giggled, smiling sweetly, stroking Checkers' fur, nuzzling him gently, etc, "Awwww.....You're SO cute! <3 Such an adorable puppy. Yes, you are. Yes, you are.<3 What's your name, cutie?<3"
Checkers liked Jocelyn's reaction to the sight of him, despite that he doesn't even know her.
"My name is checkers," he said, "and I'm spending the day here with Lupus and my mommy."
"Oh, so you know Lupus?" Jocelyn asked, as she nicely scratched underneath Checker's chin, finding him irresistibly adorable. "Where is he?"
"Umm..." said Checkers, wondering how Jocelyn would respond when he tells her what happened to Lupus, "he shrunk. I put him on my back."
"Heehee So young and such an adorable imagination.<3" Jocelyn giggled, as she stroked the fur on his head. She then began to look around and asked, "Lupus, where are you? I can smell you, dear."
Lupus then began trying to climb up onto Checkers' head so he might be visible next time she looks at Checkers.
Back in the house, Flo was up in the attic, where she looked around for a few minutes until she spotted a camera attached to a lanyard. The camera was on a desk, sitting next to a computer. She took the the camera, put the lanyard around her neck, and made her way back out of the house.
"Lupus, I got a ca--"
But she stopped herself from finishing her sentence and getting back into the barn as she saw Jocelyn there with Checkers.
"Oh..." she said, and she carefully walked up to her, using a polite tone of voice to talk to her. "Hello, there."
Jocelyn heard a voice, looked behind her and saw an adult, female, somewhat fat, but not distinctly thick, Dalmatian. Jocelyn smiled at her and politely greeted, "Hello, dear. Just asking, but are you the mother of this adorable, cute, little, imaginative baby?<3?"
Meanwhile, Lupus had just about made it above Checkers' collar, with his hind paws on the collar and him trying to climb up the back of the puppy's head on his own.
"Yes, I am," said Flo. "I have another pup, but she's at home, right now. Were you here just now?"
"Well, actually dear, I just came from the forest, simply taking a walk. Even though I am a wolf, I don't hunt as much as one who lives in the forest." Jocelyn smiled. "What's your name, dear?" As she did that, she couldn't resist stroking Checkers' fur again.
Meanwhile, Lupus had just about removed his hind paws from Checkers' collar, as he began to climb up his head.
"My name is Flo," Flo said to Jocelyn, "and I just came back here to the barn from the house with this camera so I can take a picture of Checkers and Lupus playing together."
While Checkers continued getting his fur stroked by Jocelyn, he is hoping that she won't end up accidentally knocking Lupus off his back with her paw.
"Oh, so you know Lupus." Jocelyn smiled. "Mind telling me where he is?"
Meanwhile, Lupus had just about made it above Checkers' neck and was on the back of his head like a fly, except one that couldn't fly.
"Yes, I do," said Flo, and she took the time to think about what to say about Lupus without being called crazy or anything by Jocelyn. "Right before I went inside the house, I last saw him in the barn, keeping an eye on my son."
"But I don't see him anywhere. Your cute, adorable, little baby said he shrank and was on his back, or least the back of his head. Heehee Such imagination.<3" Jocelyn giggled as she decided to stroke Checkers' back gently. Thankfully, however, Lupus was on the back of Checkers' head, and considering his pose as he climbed, he looked like a small cockroach.
At this time, Flo couldn't hold the truth back any longer. She wanted Jocelyn to know what really happened to Lupus.
"Oh...maybe he went out to get something for himself and Checkers," said Flo, struggling to get the right words out, "like bug repellant. Yeah, that's right. There have been some cockroaches bothering them. In fact, I think there's one on my son, right now."
Checkers's eyes widen in horror after hearing what Flo just said, but Flo held up a front paw and shook her head, which was a way for her to tell him to keep calm and not panic.
"Could you do me a favor and check my son carefully for any bugs?" Flo asked Jocelyn. "And if you've found one, let me know, but don't kill it."
"Ah...Very well, dear." Jocelyn smiled, at which she began to examine Checkers' fur, softly and slowly dragging her paw through it. After about 2 minutes, her paw softly touched a small brown, mobile figure that, to her looked like a cockroach. "I found a roach deary. It seems to be climbing up the back of your little baby's head. The nasty vermin."
Lupus, meanwhile gulped when he felt someone touch him, afraid they'd try to squish him. He began to whimper softly.
"A cockroach?" said Flo, pretending to sound shocked, and she went closer to Checkers to see Lupus climbing up the back of Checkers's head. "Let me see."
She lowered herself to act as if taking a good, careful look at the "cockroach" on Checkers. She then reached out her front paws, used one paw to scoop Lupus into the other, and held him close to her eyes.
"Hmmm, it doesn't look like any cockroach I've ever seen," she said, and she moved her paws close to Jocelyn. "Look. For a cockroach, it's really furry, and it doesn't have any wings."
Lupus then looked at Flo, as she held him in her paws, and smiled as if to say, "Thank you, Flo.<3"
After hearing what Flo said, Jocelyn tilted her head and looked at Lupus, without taking an explicit examination of him and assumed, "Maybe it's just some small caterpillar or something. Some caterpillars do tend to seem fuzzy or furry."
"Hmmm, it may be a small, furry caterpillar, all right," Flo said to Jocelyn, moving her face close to Lupus to pretend to check for anything else that a bug might never have. "Now, hold on a second. There's something really strange about this bug. Bugs have many legs. Six of them, at least. This one only has four, and it doesn't look like any legs are missing from this bug's body."
As Flo continued speaking to Jocelyn the way she is, she waited for Lupus to say something to Jocelyn to prove that he has shrunk and is not a bug.
"Wait....what?" Jocelyn asked, as she examined the small 'insect'. "I also notice a tail jutting out from the body, which most bugs don't have." She then began to closely scrutinize the bug and then remembered the device and frowned, with some tears, "L-.....L-.....Lupus?" Lupus frowned and nodded to Jocelyn, "Yes, dear. It's me."
"B-....But.....how?" Jocelyn asked, whimpering, QUITE concerned for her long-time friend. Lupus looked up at Flo and suggested, "Why don't you explain it to her, dear?"
Flo was happy at first when Jocelyn finally found out that the "bug" is really Lupus, but then became uncomfortable when Lupus suggested that she should explain to Jocelyn what happened. However, as she did before with Checkers, she took a deep breath and got a hold of herself.
"Okay, here's what happened," Flo began explaining to Jocelyn. "Lupus rolled into a tree while he was running outside, and that caused his watch to slam into the bark of that tree and get damaged. While he was trying the watch out to see if it would still work for the most part, he chose wolf. That's when I saw brown smoke on the exact same spot Lupus was before he shrunk. I didn't find out that Lupus shrunk until a cockroach caught him after the smoke cleared from the air."
Lupus then nuzzled Flo's paw affectionately and replied, "And I'm VERY thankful you saved me in time, dear.<3"
Jocelyn then looked down at Lupus, frowning, then back up at Flo and asked, "M-.....Mind if I hold him, Flo? By the way, if I haven't told you yet, my name's Jocelyn."
"I'm very happy to be of help, Lupus," said Flo, stroking Lupus on the back with one of the toes on one of her front paws.
Flo then looked up at Jocelyn after hearing her ask if she minds her holding Lupus.
"I don't mind at all," she said, and she handed Lupus over to Jocelyn. "And it's nice to meet you, Jocelyn."
Jocelyn then kindly and gently took Lupus in her paws and began to very softly stroke his fur as she held him in her paw, which was flat, close to her heart, and frowned as she looked down at him, rather enjoying the stroking. "Your watch just never seems to work, does it?" she asked. Lupus shook his head, stretching as he relaxed, "mmmmm....Alas, no. Even after a year or so, it still has problems, and this time, it's rrreally damaged. Once I'm back to my normal size, I'll need someone to fix it, because, heh, I'm not the technician type.^^; "
"If you revert to normal. " Jocelyn whimpered.
"If only I knew how to fix something like that," said Flo, "but I don't. Fixing things is not my expertise."
"Well....maybe I could go visit Olwe, or maybe Clayton." Lupus shrugged.
Jocelyn then whimpered, "What are we to do, while you're this small and...vulnerable?"
"That would be a good idea," said Flo. "But what would be the next thing to do if we can't find Clayton or Olwe when we need them?"
"I said after, or if I revert to normal, dear." Lupus replied. "But, if we can't find them, we will just have to wait, and not use my watch....Unless...I can use an animal whose size shrinking would set me up either small as Checkers, or small Asa doll or action figure he and Chess could play. A playmate, if you will."
"Well, we've got to find someone who can fix that watch," said Flo. "Until then, I got this camera with me so I can take a picture of Checkers playing with you while you're at that size."
With her front paws, Flo held up the camera that is attached to the lanyard she has around her neck.
Jocelyn then bent down and have Lupus to Checkers. However, she was still frowning, concerned about Lupus.
Checkers carefully took Lupus in his front paws. As this happened, Flo looked down at the camera, getting a ridiculous thought that it would make Lupus grow back to his regular size when she takes a picture of him with it.
Lupus then looked up at Checkers and smiled, "Put me on your shoulder, like last time."
"Okay," said Checkers, and he carefully placed Lupus on his left shoulder again.
Lupus then got down on all fours, wrapped his tail around his right side as best he could and positioned his forepaws like he was holding a little piece of cheese or a nut, like half a peanut.
"Now, to get this camera ready," said Flo, and she did just that.
Flo pointed the camera directly at Lupus and Checkers and looked at them through the camera lens.
"Perfect," she said, with one of her toes right above the shutter-release button.
While having the camera held in position to take a picture of Lupus and Checkers, Flo kept both front paws and all front toes as far away from the lens, and after a moment, she took the picture.
Jocelyn decided to stand next to Flo, so the picture wouldn't be ruined as she smiled sweetly at Checkers and Lupus, after wiping away her tears, seeing how Lupus was still okay even though he was tiny. Meanwhile, Lupus then looked up at camera, as if he was a curious little mouse, new to the device and wondering what it was. He still had his fore paws in the position.
Flo looked at the picture with Jocelyn after it was taken and came out of the camera. After a moment, she took the picture over to Lupus and Checkers.
"Take a look at this picture," she said as she held it in front of them so they can get a good look at it.
Lupus then lost the curious look in his eye and examined the picture as good as he could and chuckled, "Hehe That actually looks a bit funny."
Jocelyn then giggled, "You two look cute in it.<3" Lupus blushed.
"I like it," said Checkers, moving his head a little closer to get a better look at it.
Lupus heard Jocelyn giggle and then looked at her and asked, "Now where have you been hiding that smile, dear?"
Jocelyn blushed and giggled, feeling embarrassed.
"If I can make a copy of this picture," said Flo, lowering the picture she just took, "I'll take it home and show it to Flint and Chess. Won't they like it?"
"Hehee I think they'll like it. But you'll have to explain to them why there's a 'cockroach', or brown mouse, which they might mistake for a rat, on Checkers' shoulder." Lupus chuckled. Jocelyn nodded in agreement.
"I will if they ask about that," said Flo. "But they might take the time to look carefully at Lupus on Checkers's shoulder before they can even ask."
"Eh-heh....Good to know. By the way, are there any toys here that maybe Checkers and I could play with, while I'm this small? Like marbles, or small blocks?" Lupus asked. Jocelyn giggled at the thought of Checkers making towers with blocks, and Lupus ascending them.
"Sorry, Lupus," said Flo, looking in each direction of the barn. "No toys here."
"Awww.....Okay. I was hoping to ACTUALLY play with your son, while I'm this small." Lupus sighed. "You sure there isn't a ball or blocks in the house. I think I recall there being blocks up in the attic when we were pups."
"I'm sure there isn't a single toy around here," said Flo. "But you still can actually play with Checkers while you're that small without the use of toys."
Flo then took a moment to think about the attic after Lupus just mentioned that place.
"Well, if there really are any toys up in the attic, I'd be happy to go and get them from there," she said. "But that should've been discussed before I went up there to get this camera."
"Eh-heh.....Sorry about not mentioning that, dear.^^; " Lupus apologized, blushing, as he lowered his head. Jocelyn then extended a claw and began to VERY carefully stroke Lupus's chin which made him raise his head smile, as he wagged his tail.
"Well, no matter," said Flo. "I'll still go back up there and check for toys."
Flo left the barn again and went back inside the house. After making her way back to the attic, she began searching the place for any toys.
Jocelyn meanwhile decided to just look at Checkers and stroke his fur, since it made her smile due to how cute he was.
Lupus then looked at Checkers and asked, "Would you like to know how Jocelyn and I met?"
"Yes," said Checkers, nodding his head.
Meanwhile, back in the attic, Flo found a box filled with toys. It was the same toy-filled box that she found and took to the club house in the forest when she was a pup.
"Okay, good," said Flo, looking at all the toys in the box after she opened it. "They're all still here."
She started moving the box out of the attic and down the stairs, which is much easier for her to do now than it was before, now that she is an adult.
"Well, you see, Lupus here used to be a domestic show dog, but he rather disliked that life, especially since he seemed to prefer the wild....and.....*blushes* wolves...over being domestic. Anyway, one night he ran away from home, and on his route from home, he came across me in the woods, near nightfall, and we played together. This was when we were pups.<3" Jocelyn smiled.
"Anyway, after playing, Jocelyn here asked her parents if I could stay the night, and thankfully, they were kind enough to do so. They were quite friendly. After that night, I said goodbye on the morn and resumed my journey, which within the day or two, lead me here."
Jocelyn then frowned as she explained the last bit, "However, sometime shortly after he left, maybe a few days to two weeks, hunters showed up in the morning and....though I escaped.....*sniff*....m-m.....my-....my parents....didn't." Jocelyn whimpered, about to cry, missing her parents, despite her age.
Checkers smiled through the first two parts of the story of how Lupus and Jocelyn met, but then frowned at the last part of it.
Finally, Flo got the box full of toys to the open doors of the barn.
"Here they are," she said. "All the toys that were up in the attic."
"Yeah, it's a sad story. Losing your parents." Jocelyn whimpered, wiping away her tears with a paw.
Lupus then looked up at Flo, and replied, "Hehe Good......Although, I'm sorry for not telling you that the first time."
"Well, all that matters now is that all the toys from the attic are right here," said Flo. "Now, we can take a look at the toys that are in this box."
She opened up the box so that everyone can get a good look at all the toys in there.
Jocelyn then began to examine the toys inside. Lupus tried his best to take a peek without falling in.
Checkers looked into the box to see what toys are in there. One particular toy that caught his eye is a yellow pole with five stacked rings, each one in a different size and a different color.
Lupus looked into the box and chuckled as he saw an roofless, black car that was small enough for him to sit in, that Checkers could lightly push to make it 'drive'.
Jocelyn smiled as she saw a chew toy shaped like a bone that made her think of meat, of when she used to watch her parents hunt.
After Checkers pulled out the pole with the stacked rings from the box, he spotted the car that Lupus saw and took it out of the box for him.
"Hehe Thanks, Checkers." Lupus smiled, wagging his tail, anxious to take a drive.
As for Jocelyn, she took out the bone chew toy, and looked at Flo as she squeaked it softly, "Anything catch your eye, dear?"
"Nothing yet," said Flo. "I'll keep looking."
As Flo looked through the toys that are still in the box, Checkers grabbed hold of the toy car, ready to play with it.
"Are you ready, Lupus?" he asked, looking down at the seats in the car.
"Hehheh Yeah, I'm ready, Checkers. Let's ride." Lupus chuckled.
Meanwhile, Jocelyn decided to try the chew toy and stuck it in her mouth and bit down on it, causing a squeak. Even though she was an adult, it pleased her, since it made her think of when her parents used to hunt, and, least with her father, sometimes describe the difficulties of acquiring certain catches.
"Okay!" said Checkers, and he started moving the car around as he makes car noises, making it look like Lupus is really driving.
Meanwhile, Flo finally found something in the box that caught her eye. It was a colorful plastic slinky. She took it out of the box and started playing with it.
As Checkers moved the car around, Lupus kept his forepaws on the wheel and couldn't help giggling at the sounds Checkers was making.
Meanwhile, Jocelyn continued to Play with the chew toy, squeaking it often.
Lupus then looked up at Checkers and kindly spoke, "If there's another toy you want to play with, you can play with that, Checkers."
"Okay," said Checkers, still moving the toy car around.
As Checkers continues playing with the car with Lupus still in the car, he took the stacked rings from the yellow pole they belong to and set them on the ground as obstacles on a road.
As he "drove" the toy car, Lupus tried his best to rotate the wheel to make it seem like he was turning the car.
Meanwhile, Jocelyn was still squeaking her chew toy, thinking, Oh, what fun it would be to be young again.
As the others continued to play with the toys, Flo placed the slinky down and looked back in the box to tale a look at what other toys are in there. The next few things she came across were Hot Wheels cars, which are obviously all much smaller than the one Lupus and Checkers are playing with.
After being satisfied with the chew toy, Jocelyn decided to drop it on the floor, but her saliva was streaming down its sides. She then heard Checkers making car noises and decided to lay down and watch with a sweet smile on her muzzle as Checkers and Lupus had fun.
Flo took the Hot Wheels cars out of the box and placed them in front of Checkers.
"I've found some more, but smaller, toy cars for you to play with if you like, Checkers," she said.
"Okay, Mommy," said Checkers, still playing with the car that Lupus is in.
"Hehe You may decide when to stop playing with this toy car if you want Checkers. I'll be fine." Lupus smiled.
"Hehe Such a sweet, gentledog." Jocelyn giggled.
"Okay, Lupus," said Checkers.
Checkers played with the car with Lupus in it for one more minute. After that, he put the car down and looked at the Hot Wheels cars that Flo took out of the box.
"Did you enjoy your 'drive'?" Flo asked Lupus.
"Heheh You bet I did dear." Lupus smiled. "If we had Clayton's remote, and it was possible for me to drive this, you, me and Jocelyn could take turns driving or riding in this." Jocelyn giggled at the thought.
Checkers then started playing with the Hot Wheels cars. As this happens, a moth flew into the barn behind everyone's backs.
"You know, Lupus. You look both cute and cool in that little toy car of yours.<3" Jocelyn giggled. Lupus blushed, "Hehe thanks, dear."
Flo smiled as she saw Lupus still in the toy car and Checkers playing with the Hot Wheels cars. However, things started to go bad again when the moth flew right in front of the box filled with toys.
"Get away, moth," she said, trying to swat the moth, but the moth flew further away from her before it can even get hit.
"M-Moth?" Lupus asked as he laid on the front seats of the car, covering his head with his fore paws, whimpering softly.
Seeing her friend cower made Jocelyn growl as she caught sight of the moth and began to try swatting at it, or at least catch it between her paws...or jaws.
"A moth?" said Checkers, turning his head to see the moth in the barn.
The moth dodged Jocelyn's actions to it and flew towards the ceiling.
"That moth had better stay away from us," said Flo. "As Hesso said when he was a pup, moths are completely loser butterflies."
"*gulp* Y-...You don't think the moth might try to harm me, do ya?*whimpers*" Lupus asked.
Jocelyn just growled at the moth.
"It better not," said Flo, looking up at the barn ceiling where the moth is. "But Jocelyn and I will still be here to get that moth if it comes down from the ceiling."
"Th-....Thanks, you two." Lupus whimpered, cowering in the front seat of his toy car.
"You're welcome, Lupus," said Flo, and she looked back up at the ceiling, scowling at the moth.
Jocelyn then lowered herself down to the ground, but, instead of jumping up straight to the moth, pounced towards the hayloft, or 2nd floor, of the barn, and jumped up to the ceiling from there, hoping to catch the moth, either in her paws or mouth.
Unaware of Jocelyn being near it, the moth looked down at Flo, angry at what Flo said about moths.
"Someone said that moths are completely loser butterflies, eh?" said the moth. "Well, I'll show you who's really a loser."
Jocelyn was still soaring through the air, towards the moth, as she extended her fore claws, and opened her mouth, ready to catch it in her paws or jaws.
Lupus was still cowering in the toy car's front seat.
The moth then flew from the ceiling and went right towards Flo.
"This is for calling me a loser butterfly, dog!" said the moth angrily.
As soon as the moth is within range of getting swatted by one of Flo's front paws, Flo raised a front paw and quickly moved it around to get the moth. The moth, however, dodged Flo's swatting paw again.
"They'll never learn, will they?" Flo said to herself as she watched the moth fly back up to the ceiling.
Unfortunately, due to it flying from the ceiling, Jocelyn ended up missing and landed on the ground, on all fours, by mere luck and growled at the moth.
Lupus was still cowering in his toy car.
Flo and Checkers watched what just happened to Jocelyn during her attempt to catch the moth.
"Jocelyn, are you all right?" asked Flo.
"Is the moth still here?" asked Checkers.
"Urrgh.....I'm fine, dear. I just shouldn't try that again, for a while." Jocelyn kindly responded. "And yes, I think the moth is still up there on the ceiling after having left that very spot, the blasted coward."
"Maybe that moth will stay on that same spot and fly right out of the barn after a while," said Flo. "With us in here ready to get the moth, it wouldn't dare bother us again. Who knows when another bug would come in here and ruin our day?"
Checkers looked away from the moth and went back to playing with the Hot Wheels cars.
"It better leave eventually, otherwise I'll be more than willing to eat it, just not in sight of your little boy Checkers." Jocelyn replied, keeping her eyes on the moth.
"Well, let's ignore it for a while," said Flo. "How about we give it fifteen minutes? If that moth is still here by then, we'll try getting it again."
"Very well dear. Maybe biting that chew toy some more will calm my nerves." Jocelyn spoke kindly. Lupus began to reluctantly sit up in his toy car.
Flo looked back inside to see what other old toys in there would interest her or anyone else. She used a front paw to dig through the toys in the box until she saw some blocks.
I think I recall Lupus mention blocks earlier today, she thought, and she took the blocks out of the box one at a time.
Jocelyn walked back over to her chew toy and resumed biting down on it, making it squeak.
Just as Flo picked up the last block from the bottom of the box, she found a pail that human children usually use for playing in the sand. While looking at the pail, she smirked for a bit, thinking about using it to trap the moth.
As he sat up in his toy car, Lupus kept a fearful/afraid look at the moth.
Five minutes have passed. The moth is still on the barn ceiling. While still waiting for the moth to leave the barn, Flo did some stacking with the blocks she found.
Lupus peeked over the edge of the driver's side door and looked at Flo, who he noticed was stacking blocks as he shyly asked, "Ummm.....F-...Flo....c-could I maybe.....climb those blocks?"
Flo looked down at Lupus when she heard him ask if he could climb the stacked blocks.
"Sure, you could," she said, and she looked back up at the moth, which is still on the ceiling. "Let's just hope that the moth won't come flying right towards you after you've reached the top of the stack."
Lupus nodded as he looked up and climbed out of the driver's seat of his toy car and began to make his way over to the stack of blocks, while often looking up at the moth, with a soft, faint whimper.
Flo placed her front paws on the pail. Keeping her eyes away from the moth, she wondered if there is anything at all that can get Lupus back to his regular size.
After a few seconds, Lupus made it to the pile of blocks and approached the bottom one that he could ascend.
Flo kept her front paws on the pail, waiting a few more minutes for the moth to leave the barn or fly down close enough for her to catch it at least. While waiting, she watched the others in the barn continue playing with some of the toys that were out of the box.
Lupus then stood on his hind legs, as he reached for the top edge of the block so he could grip the ledge and begin climbing.
Flo watched Lupus start climbing the blocks as she waited another minute for the moth to leave the barn. After about fifteen more seconds have passed, the moth flew off the ceiling, yet staying close to it to avoid getting attacked by Flo or Jocelyn.
Lupus continued to climb the tower of blocks, not keeping an eye on the moth so as to prevent becoming nervous and therefore lose balance.
The moth then looked down at the pail that Flo has her front paws on. After seeing that pail, it knew right away that Flo was going to use it to catch it. It then turned to see Lupus climb the tower of blocks, but it did not even bother to fly towards him.
"Oh, no, ma'am!" the moth said as it started flying out of the barn while still high up enough to avoid getting attacked or trapped in the pail. "You'll never get meeeeeeeee!!!"
Lupus relaxed, as he saw the moth fly out of the barn, and resumed climbing, with ease and somewhat faster.
"Good riddance," Flo said quietly to the moth as she watched it fly out of the barn, and she removed her front paws from the pail and turned around to watch Lupus climb the blocks some more.
After a few seconds, Lupus was about 50% up the stack.
Checkers stopped playing with the Hot Wheels cars and watched Lupus climb the blocks.
"Look at Lupus climbing the blocks," he said, pointing at Lupus.
"Yes, he's on his way to making it to the top," said Flo. "And with the camera still here in the barn, I can take a picture of him standing at the top of the stack when he makes it up there."
Several seconds afterwards, Lupus was about 60% up the pile, but was starting to sweat.
"You can make it, Lupus," said Flo as she and Checkers continued watching Lupus climb the blocks.
Jocelyn resumed gnawing on her chew you, relieved that the moth left. She smiled at Lupus, as the tiny brown canine climbed the tower of blocks.
Flo and Checkers took a couple of steps back from the stack of blocks, making sure that Lupus doesn't fall off and the stack of blocks doesn't collapse. Meanwhile, just outside the barn, there is a swarm of flies flying around like crazy.
Seconds later, Lupus was 80% up the pile, but was starting to get exhausted, but he climbed nonetheless as he spoke, "Almost......there."
"That's it," Flo said quietly, nodding her head as she and Checkers continued watching Lupus climb the blocks.
As the block climbing continued, one of the flies just outside the barn flew right inside and landed right on one of the opened doors.
85% and sweating profusely, Lupus continued to ascend the tower of blocks, oblivious to the fly at the door.
"You can do it, dear." Jocelyn cheered as she chewed on her chew toy, smiling, and practically wagging her tail.
"You're near the top," Flo said to Lupus.
During the block climbing, the fly crawled around on the door, waiting for the right moment for it and all the other flies outside the barn to annoy all the dogs inside.
95% up the stack and about only 2-3 blocks away, but Lupus's hind legs were starting to wiggle due to fatigue. "Al....most.......on....top." he spoke.
"Yes, there you go," Flo said to Lupus.
Checkers clapped his front paws several times as he watched Lupus continue making his way to the top of the stack of blocks.
Meanwhile, another fly flew into the barn and landed on the other opened door.
Lupus smiled, feeling QUITE encouraged about climbing, at which he climbed up to the top and stood on the top block on two legs, smiling widely, "There...we...go."
Jocelyn clapped her paws in applause at Lupus climbing the stack.
"Yay, way to go, Lupus!" Flo said after seeing Lupus finally making it to the top of the stack of blocks, and she applauded him for his achievement.
"Yay!" Checkers exclaimed happily.
As all this was going on, three more flies flew into the barn. However, instead of landing on one of the opened barn doors like the other two flies did, they all flew right into the four canines' eyesights.
"What?!" said Flo, annoyed as she used a front paw to swat away one of the flies. "First, there were cockroaches. Then, there was a moth. And now, there are flies. What's next?"
"More yucky!" said Checkers, laying down on the ground and burying his head in his front legs, shaking.
Jocelyn spat out the chew toy, gripped it and began trying to swat at the fly with it.
As for Lupus, he lowered himself onto his belly, and closed his eyes while covering them with his forepaws, practically whimpering due to ANOTHER insect being near him.
Two of the flies got hit by Flo and Jocelyn's swatting. The two flies that were on the barn doors flew off and joined the other flies.
"Get away!" Flo said to the flies as she continued swatting them. "We've got enough bugs bugging us today without you flies doing the same thing. Now, go!"
The flies flew a few feet higher in the barn, making sure that none of them get hit by Flo and Jocelyn's swatting again.
"Those flies are now being as cowardly as that moth," said Flo, looking up at the flies.
Lupus continued to whimper, feeling unsafe. Jocelyn heard this, and growled as she looked up and jumped up towards the flies and swatted one while trying to catch another in her mouth.
The flies saw how Jocelyn is trying to get them. Because of this, they started to actually become cowards.
"Fly away!" the flies said together, and they all flew out of the barn.
"AND DON'T COME BACK!!!!" Jocelyn commanded. She then looked down at Lupus and frowned, feeling sorry for him, as she got down on four legs, walked up to the pattern, and sat down.
After the flies were all gone, Flo looked down at where Lupus is.
"Are you all right, Lupus?" she asked.
Lupus was still whimpering, "N-...N-....Not exactly."
Jocelyn decided to sit on her rear, and gently picked up Lupus in her paw and began to stroke him gently, while holding him close, "There there, Lupus. It's okay. They're gone."
Flo went over to the opened barn doors and looked outside to see a large swarm of flies about five feet away from the barn.
"There are a lot more flies out there than what we just saw in here," Flo said to Lupus and Jocelyn as she turned around to face them and Checkers. "I don't know what it is with all these bugs bothering us today. I'm just glad that none of those flies have knocked down Lupus or that tower of blocks he's on."
Lupus actually clung to Jocelyn's paw for comfort, as he tried to calm down.
"Easy, Lupus. It's okay, they won't bother you again. I'll make sure of it." Jocelyn assured him as she stroked his fur gently.
"And we'll see that they don't," said Flo, and she turned back at the barn doors and pushed them shut. "There. Now, no more bugs can get in. We'll have to wait until about an hour before we open these doors again. By that time, all those bugs out there should be gone."
Jocelyn looked up at Flo and asked, "Is there anything in here you think might help Lupus calm down?"
Lupus was VERY slowly starting to relax, but nonetheless whimpered.
"I don't know, Jocelyn," said Flo. "All these toys we have in here should get Lupus to get his mind off all those bugs."
As Flo went back to the box full of toys, Checkers moved his front legs from his head and sat back up.
"No more yucky, Mommy?" he asked Flo.
"No more for now, Checkers," said Flo.
"Hopefully they will." Jocelyn replied to Flo as she continued to stroke Lupus's head and back gently.
"They should," said Flo, and she went over to Checkers and stroked his head. "It's okay, Checkers. It's okay. Why don't you keep playing with these toys?"
"Okay, Mommy," said Checkers, shaking, and he went over to the five colored rings and started stacking them back on the yellow pole.
"What other toys were in the box, by the way, dear?" Jocelyn asked, as Lupus began to calm down while Jocelyn stroked him.
Flo went back to the box full of toys and looked in it again.
"Well, there are different kinds of balls," she said as she dug around the toys in the box, "there are marbles, there are dolls, action figures, playing cards, dice, yo-yos, a Rubik's cube, a couple of boxes of jigsaw puzzles--lots of toys still here."
Jocelyn looked down at Lupus and asked, "Anything you'd like, dear?"
Lupus replied, "M-.....Maybe a doll or something, if Checkers is okay playing with a doll and me?"
"It's okay," said Checkers, nodding his head.
"All right, then," said Flo and she took a plush doll of a human girl that has blonde hair made of yarn, wears a white dress and a pair of mary janes, and looks taller than the stack of blocks Lupus is on by a head of that doll's when correctly held in a standing position.
Lupus looked at the doll and blushed deeply, "She's VERY taller than I expected."
"That's something you have to expect from a doll like that," Flo said to Lupus, looking directly at the doll as Checkers took it for the next game to play with Lupus.
"Heehee I think he was planning on dancing with it." Jocelyn giggled as she handed Lupus to Checkers, gently.
Checkers carefully took Lupus in his front left paw and moved him close to the doll he is holding in his other front paw.
"Really?" said Flo. "Well, in that case, there should be in this box a plastic figure of a woman that is a lot smaller than that doll."
"Hopefully there is. Otherwise, if this doll was real, and I was human, she'd probably act as if I was a baby." Lupus replied, blushing as he looked up at the doll which towered over him.
Flo looked through the toys in the box once again and found a plastic figure of a woman in the Victorian era.
"Here's one," she said, taking the plastic figure out of the box and over to Lupus and Checkers. "This figure looks a lot more your size than that doll does."
Lupus looked up at the doll, without trying to look up the lower half of its dress, and then at the Victorian era doll and, blushing deeply nodded, "I think I'll go for that doll rather than the big one.^^;"
Jocelyn thought for a moment, looking at the tall doll and asked Flo, "Say Flo, are there any dress-up outfits in there for the dolls?"
"None that I could find," Flo said to Jocelyn. "All the dolls in the box each have on an unchangeable outfit."
"Okay, dear." Jocelyn replied.
Lupus looked up at Checkers and asked, "Are you okay playing with me and that Victorian era doll rather than me and this tall one?"
"Yes," Checkers said to Lupus as he set the big doll aside and took the Victorian era figure out of Flo's paws.
"You guys keep playing," Flo said to Checkers, Lupus, and Jocelyn as she headed towards the closed barn doors. "I think it's almost noon, so I'm going to get all four of us some lunch."
And as quick as she can, she opened one of the barn just wide enough for her to get through, went right outside the barn, and closed the door.
Jocelyn nodded at Flo's statement, understanding why she was leaving temporarily. She then looked at Checkers and just smiled at him.
Lupus looked at the Victorian era doll and chuckled, "The other one just wasn't my.....height. Hehe"
Checkers posed the figure's arms into embracing position and moved that figure closer to Lupus, making it look as if it's a real human about to hug him. Meanwhile, Flo made it into the farm's house through the dog door in the kitchen door, dodging any flying insects along the way. While in the kitchen, she started gathering things to use to make lunch for herself and the other three canines in the barn.
Lupus smiled and blushed slightly as he hugged the doll, but gently, so as not to break it.
Jocelyn giggled, "I think Flo won't have a hard time making lunch for you, Lupus." This caused Lupus to blush more.
In the kitchen, Flo made toasted ham and cheese sandwiches, cut each one in four squares, and chopped up a couple of apples and bananas after peeling the latter fruit. Once all the food have been prepared and sealed in a tupperware container, she took it all out of the house through the dog door and to the barn. Again, she opened one of the barn doors just wide enough for her to get through. She quickly went right in and closed the door.
"Lunch is served," said Flo, and she placed down the tupperware container on the ground and opened the lid. "Hopefully, I've cut the food small enough for Lupus to eat it."
Lupus looked up at Flo and noticed the sandwiches as he blushed and nervously chuckled, "I think for protein, you probably would've just had to feed me peanuts or something.^^;"
Jocelyn giggled at this a bit, but looked at Flo and smiled, "Thank you, dear. And even if you gave Lupus a BIG apple slice, the inside would be soft enough for him to chew through." Lupus blushed and nodded.
"I think these sandwiches and chopped apple and bananas are a lot better for you than just peanuts," Flo said to Lupus. "But no matter. I might go back to the kitchen to get you a lot more to eat. That could help you get big...again."
Lupus shrugged, "Perhaps." He wasn't entirely sure whether or not it would help him recover lost height.
"Anyway, time to eat, dearies." Jocelyn smiled. She perked her ears as she heard Lupus's tiny stomach growl, but due to his size, it was a light growl.
Flo and Checkers each took one piece of a cut sandwich and started eating. After swallowing her first bite, Flo took another piece of a sandwich and gave it to Lupus.
"Here you go, Lupus," said Flo, hoping that food would be enough to get Lupus back to his regular size.
Lupus looked at the piece of the sandwich next to him and smiled, "Thank you, Flo."
Jocelyn then decided to set a piece of the apple next to the piece of the sandwich and smiled sweetly at Lupus.
Lupus began to decide whether to eat the apple or the sandwich first. Either way, it would take him a while to finish either of them.
Checkers then took a piece of banana and placed it right next to Lupus's piece of sandwich and piece of apple.
"Is that enough food for you, right now?" Flo asked Lupus.
Lupus blushed at these many 'offerings' and nodded, "It'll do, dear, very much. ^^;"
Jocelyn giggled as she began to eat her sandwich, wagging her tail at the taste of it.
After Flo finished her piece of sandwich, she got herself a couple pieces of apple and banana, and Checkers did the same after a minute.
Hopefully, getting Lupus back to his regular size the natural way will work, Flo thought as she watched Lupus about to eat.
Lupus looked at the apple and began to eat it, wagging his tail due to the delicious taste of it.
Flo and Checkers ate a few more pieces of sandwich, apple, and banana. Afterwards, they've decided that they have had enough to eat right then and there.
"That sure was a good lunch," said Flo.
Lupus had just about finished the apple slice and began to eat the sandwich as he nodded in agreement.
Flo and Checkers then together watched Lupus eating, with the former Dalmatian hoping that Lupus would get back to his regular size by simply just eating. Just then, in only a few seconds, Flo saw that Lupus is getting big from the food he's eating; not in terms of getting fat, but in terms of getting back to his regular height and weight.
"Lupus, you're getting big," gasped Checkers.
"He is, Checkers," said Flo. "Eating is getting Lupus back to his regular size."
Lupus blinked and looked down at himself and saw that he was getting bigger. He sighed in relief, "Thank goodness. I was afraid I'd be at that size long enough to be attacked by a spider or wasp." He continued to eat the sandwich, QUITE eager to grow back to normal height.
Jocelyn smiled as she watched.
"Well, you won't have to worry about that, now," Flo said to Lupus. "When any bugs see you back at your regular size, they wouldn't even dare to do much harm to you."
"Aside from mosquitoes or blood-sucking pests, you're right." Lupus nodded, as he continued to eat his sandwich.
"Yes, of course," said Flo.
After watching Lupus grow back a few more inches higher, Flo went to the barn doors and opened one of them by just an inch to take a peek outside for any bugs that might fly or crawl toward the barn.
Lupus wagged his tail, seeing himself grow taller but he was still merely between the height of the victorian doll and the other doll.
Flo looked through the gap between the barn doors for a few seconds. She then slowly backed up a bit and push the opened door closed.
"Okay," she said, rejoining Checkers, Luupus, and Jocelyn. "There are no bugs out there that will be coming here."
Lupus continued to eat the sandwich as he looked up at Checkers, Flo, and Jocelyn, and asked, "Are there any bugs in here?" He wagged his tail with delight at the fact that he was growing, and the delicious taste of the sandwich.
"None that I can see inside this barn," said Flo, moving her head from one direction to another to check for any bugs in the barn. "I'll have to do some very careful checking around here to make sure."
Flo went around the inside of the barn, carefully checking for bugs, one spot at a time.
"It seems I'm big enough for you to play with me and the two dolls." Lupus smiled at Checkers.
"Uh-huh," said Checkers, nodding his head at Lupus.
After about five minutes of careful checking for bugs in the barn, Flo rejoined the others.
"I've just finished checking everywhere in here," she said. "There are no bugs."
Lupus sighed with relief as he was starting to finish up the sandwich, "Phew. Good to know."
Jocelyn nodded in agreement, smiling at Lupus, but also examining his size.
"Now, we can get our minds off bugs and on you getting big again," said Flo.
Lupus nodded, as he finished the sandwich and let out a burp, "Excuse me. ^^;"
Jocelyn giggled, as she stroked Lupus's fur VERY gently.
Flo smiled a bit, and she took a good look at how much bigger Lupus grew back.
"I'm glad that eating is helping you get back to your regular size," she said to Lupus, "but I don't know if either your body will stop growing after you reached your regular height or keep growing past that when you keep eating."
"Either way, I'll be glad to not be small enough to be even ant's dinner." Lupus sighed.
"Well, exactly how tall were you before you shrunk?" Flo asked Lupus.
"Oh, that's not going to help," said Flo, disappointed. "I was going to get a measuring tape to check if you either reach your regular height or went over."
"I don't know, I think I was around a inch or so taller than Jocelyn." Lupus shrugged.
"That still won't help," Flo said to Lupus, shaking her head. "Maybe you really will stop growing once you've reached back to your regular height. You'll just have to keep eating, and we all will just hope for the best."
Jocelyn nodded in agreement with Flo.
Lupus then replied, "Very well, dear." He then looked at the banana, which was peeled and began to eat it, bit by bit.
Flo and Checkers watched Lupus continue to gradually grow back to his regular size as he ate the banana.
"He's getting there," said Flo quietly.
Jocelyn nodded, as she looked at Checkers, and smiled at how cute he was. She then looked at Flo as if asking if she could stroke his fur again.
Looking up at Jocelyn, Flo gets the idea that she would like to stroke Checkers again, so she nodded as a way of giving her the go-ahead to do so.
Jocelyn then smiled and began to pet Checkers in a kind and somewhat affectionate way, while Lupus ate his banana.
Checkers smiled when he felt Jocelyn's stroking paw, showing that he likes it. Meanwhile, Flo saw that Lupus was just inches away from his regular height.
Lupus wagged his tail as he was nearing his regular height, as he finished up the banana, "Almost there."
Jocelyn continued to stroke Checkers's fur, giggling, "Who's a cute puppy? Who's a cute puppy?"
Checkers giggled as he enjoyed the stroking he is receiving from Jocelyn. A moment later, the growing stopped as soon as Lupus made it back to his regular height.
"Lupus," said Flo, amazed as she saw Lupus in his regular size again. "You're back to your size. And you stopped growing right when you've reached back to your size."
Lupus looked at his body and sighed with relief, "Thank goodness." He then hugged Flo, and smiled, "Thanks for protecting me Flo and taking care of me."
Jocelyn looked at Lupus being back to his normal size and species and just smiled and wagged her tail.
"No problem," said Flo. "I was very happy to be around to help you out. Now, you're back to attacking bugs when they get near instead of them attacking you."
Checkers then saw ants formed in a line, carrying the remaining pieces of food.
"Look!" he said, pointing at the ants while taking steps away from them. "More yucky bugs!"
Lupus blushed, "Indeed.^^; " He then saw the bugs and smirked, as he walked over to the bugs, and picked up the pieces of food, while crushing the ones not carrying anything. However, after he picked up the food from the ants, he began to crush all of them.
Flo and Checkers watched Lupus take back all the pieces of food and crush all the ants.
"Yay!" Checkers cheered after seeing all the ants crushed to death.
Lupus then smiled and brought the food back to Flo, Checkers, and Jocelyn.
"Thank you, Lupus," said Flo, and she took back the remaining pieces of food and put them back in the tupperware container. "We're glad that you're back to the way you were. Now, we'll be less bothered again by any bugs for the rest of the day."
"You're welcome, dear." Lupus smiled.
"But what of your watch?" Jocelyn asked.
Lupus looked down at his wrist, to see it not there anymore, and sighed, "Perhaps some things, one really has to let go and grow out of. Oh well."
***
The end.