Angelo lay flat on his pillow when Rinoa came to collect him. He opened one eye as the door opened, but only the tip of his tail moved to show he saw his beloved mistress.
Rinoa stopped, speechless. After a long moment she turned on the blond boy who had let her in. "Zell! What did you do to my dog?"
Zell winced and rubbed the back of his neck, his proud crest seeming to wilt at the girl's anger. "Nothing. We went for a little run, played some ball, had a couple of hotdogs then came back here."
The girl raised her finger then stopped, closing her eyes. A 'couple' of hotdogs? Zell was incapable of eating so few if they were available. She opened her eyes, lowered her finger and asked sweetly, "A 'little run?' How far is a 'little run,' Zell?"
The blond looked away as he thought. "I don't know. We didn't go all the way to Balamb, so not more than maybe ten or so?"
She nodded. "So you took Angelo on a ten mile run?"
"Yeah," Zell said brightening up. "Ten there, ten back, not that far!"
"And then you played ball?"
"Nah, first we ate, to build up our strength," Zell told her.
"Hotdogs," she said.
Zell nodded, his spiky hair bobbing. "Don't worry, I made sure like you said not to let him over eat. He had five hotdogs, but no buns or condiments!"
"What..." She paused. "What happened to the food I gave you?"
"It's over there." He waved at the bag, still full. "But he wasn't hungry after the hotdogs."
Rinoa breathed heavily through her nose. "Of course not. Why...why is he laying on his pillow?"
"He's...tired?" Zell offered. "You said he likes to play ball; we played ball."
"For how long?" she asked.
"Don't know...couple of hours. Why?" Zell shook his head at her. "You said to keep him occupied and to wear him out a little while you were gone! I did!"
"Angelo," Rinoa called.
The dog opened his eye again and the tip of his tail wagged for a brief moment.
She turned back to Zell. "That is not 'a little,' Zell!"
Zell threw his hands up. "He had fun! And he's not covered in tiny yellow bows that you have to cut out of his fur. What is the problem?"
Rinoa stopped. He had a point. She would never let Selphie babysit her dog again. She shook her finger at Zell anyway. "Next time don't feed Angelo hotdogs! Now help me carry him back to my room."
Zell draped the limp dog over his shoulders and followed Rinoa, shaking his head. Girls were just so hard to please.