A particularly bad performer was onstage at the Kings School of Impersonation. The new Kings recruit belted out "Hound Dog", so off key that Rex folded his ears back in displeasure. The King had even had his fill. "Aw right son, that's enough," King said as he raised his hand to stop the abysmal performance. The recruit choked off mid chorus, looking startled and worried. "Nice try, just work on your harmony a little better for next time," King said. "Yes sir," squeaked the recruit, as he hurried off stage.
"Not the best show ever, huh boy," King said as he scratched behind Rex's ear. Rex didn't budge. He didn't know what was a good show or a bad show, all humans sounded the same to him. Glasses clinked and smoked curled from cigarettes, filling the stage room with a thick haze. Several groups of Kings lounged about. Boisterous laughter occasionally broke out and humans shouted across the room to each other. Rex didn't care. Ever since returning to the school Rex had become a shell of his former self.
His time in the Mojave had changed Rex forever. He had never felt so alive. Grand adventures across the wasteland with Courier and Veronica made life in Freeside so bland in comparison. Rex remembered the time before with King. His mind had been so clouded before his surgery though that it all seemed a haze. Courier had granted Rex a new lease on life and earned a follower for life. Not that Rex was ungrateful to King, far from it. He was an excellent master and led his pack well. With Courier and Veronica though, Rex felt like he was home.
The change in Rex was not lost on King. When Courier had returned to Freeside with Rex, King could tell it was difficult for him to leave Rex behind. King had never met another man like Courier. He was a leader that made other leaders take notice and fall behind him. King owed him a debt he could never repay, but he knew one thing that would even the score a bit.
"Everybody Out!" King shouted, ending all conversations abruptly. Even Rex raised his head at the sudden outburst. Everyone looked about nervously, not sure what to do. "Don't just stare all slack jawed. Git!" King punctuated his point by slamming his hand down, nearly spilling his drink. Chairs scraped and the Kings hurried to file out of the stage room.
Rex stared up and King, ears perked forward and head cocked quizzically. King gave a pained sigh as he looked down at Rex. "You miss him, don't you boy?" Rex only exaggerated the angle of his head. King wasn't a one trick pony. He had a good ear and could do other impersonations besides a long dead entertainer. "I know you miss him. You haven't been the same since he left," King said in a spot on impersonation of Courier.
Rex sprang up immediately and began wagging his mechanical tail. He began circling in place, looking around the room. Rex was very confused right now. "That's what I thought," said King, slipping back into his drawl. King's heart was breaking, but he knew what he had to do. "Go on boy. Go find him." King sighed again. "Come find me Rex," said Courier's voice. Rex looked at the door, to King, back to the door and whined. King gave him a small and a scratch behind the ear. "It's okay boy. Go." Rex jumped up and licked King all over his face before bolting through the swinging door, startling several gang members as he raced past.
King slumped down in his chair, suddenly very tired. He reached for his glass and held it up high. "To you Courier. Be good to ole Rex." King downed the drink in one gulp, drowning his sorrows over his lost dog.