Dog Soldiers of the Suburbs

Chapter 1: The Dog Who Knew Too Much

by LDEJRuff

Brian and Stewie were both ready for their street hockey game. Brian was carrying the net while Stewie carried the hockey sticks. The two made their way to the street.

"Okay, Brian," Stewie began, "I'm just putting this out there, but I'm a baby, and only dicks don't let babies win."

Finally, the two were on the road.

"God," Brian said, "look at this day, huh? You know, usually, I'd be sitting inside writing, you'd be working on one of your machines, but here we are enjoying it."

"Yes, it is a nice change of pace," Stewie agreed. Then, he realized, "Oh, wait. I got to go grab my knee pads. I was using them for...for...for this other thing. Anyway, I'll be right back."

Stewie went inside the house while Brian put the net together. However, before he could go any further, Stewie heard the sound of screeching tires. A car was coming, and Brian was in the way. This shocked Stewie.

"Brian," Stewie called, "look out!"

This got Brian's attention. As soon as Brian turned his head in confusion, before the car could hit him, a missile from behind sent the car flying over his head, and when the car landed in front of him, it burst into flames.

"What the hell?" said both Brian and Stewie, even more shocked.

The rest of the family got out of the house, and were shocked to see that a car was in flames in front of Brian.

"Oh, my God!" cried Lois.

"Holy crap," said Peter. "What the hell happened?"

Brian ran back to the front lawn, panting that he almost got hurt or worse.

"Stewie, were you trying to warn me about that car?" Brian asked his baby friend.

"Yes," Stewie answered. "But I'm so glad you're all right. Anyway, what's going on here?"

As soon as Stewie asked the question, he saw an autonomous armored machine roll down the road.

"Oh, my God," said Brian. "Did that thing destroy the car?"

"We should all get back inside the house," Peter requested. "We don't want to be witnesses in this scandal."

The Griffin family got back inside the house when the machine stopped in front of the hockey net and burning car. Out of the machine descended an armored soldier.

"This is Viletta Nu," the soldier said in a female voice. "Target destroyed, as requested. But I have yet to confirm if the suspect driving it is dead or still alive."

Inside the living room, the Griffin family was watching the news.

"According to officials," news anchor Tom Tucker reported, "today marks the start of the war between the holy Britannian Empire and the city of Quahog, Rhode Island. We can only hope that there will be some survivors."

"War?" Brian repeated. "If I were still out there, I'd teach those Britannian dicks a lesson."

"But Brian," Stewie began, "they'll kill you, like that car tried to do earlier."

"It would've been an accident, still," Brian replied. "I can't help but feel sorry for the family or friends of the person driving the car."

"I guess you're right, Brian," Stewie agreed. "I'll be going upstairs for some weaponry. Can't stop those Britannians without a few weapons."

With that, Stewie went upstairs to his room. As soon as he did, he heard an Italian-American accented voice whisper "Hey, bambino," and stopped short.

"Who said that?" Stewie asked. "Rupert, is that you?"

"No, in the closet," the voice whispered.

Stewie looked at the closet door.

"Are you talking to me?" Stewie replied.

"Shhh!" the voice answered. "You want them Britannians to hear? Quick, get in."

Stewie did so, and saw a shadowy figure about Brian's size. The figure looked like a dog silhouette.

"Who are you?" Stewie whispered.

"That's for me to know and you to find out," the figure answered. "You'll see once my name tag is revealed. What's your name, kid?"

"Stewie Griffin," he answered. "Anyway, what are you doing in my closet? Are you a stray?"

"No," the figure replied. "I was once owned by an old man named Leo. We lived in a tiny apartment and were close friends, that is, until recently when those Britannians came in and shot him dead."

"Really?" Stewie said.

"Yeah," the figure responded. "Anyway, I stowed into your room so they wouldn't find me."

"Well, we have a dog in this house named Brian," Stewie said. "He's downstairs watching TV with my family."

"Okay," the figure replied. "I can befriend him as soon as you tell me it's safe to come out."

"All right," Stewie responded. And with that, Stewie opened the closet door to make sure nobody was looking. "It's all clear. Let's go."

Both the baby and figure came out. It was a male dog who looked like either a Pit Bull or a cross between an Italian Greyhound and a German Shepherd. His fur was a grayish brown with some cream from his nose all the way to his belly, and he was wearing a black collar with a tag. The dog was relieved to know that there were no Britannians in the house.

"Thanks, kid," the dog congratulated.

"You're quite welcome, uh..." Stewie replied before looking at the dog's name tag, then he continued, "...Vinny. I say, is it short for "Vincenzo", since you're part Italian?"

"Yes," Vinny answered, "yes it is."

"By the way, Vinny," Stewie began, "I'm curious about your dog breed."

"Actually," Vinny began, "I'm a pussyhound. That just means I'm one sixteenth cat."

"Oh, you're a hybrid," Stewie said. "I like a good animal hybrid."

Brian then came into the bedroom.

"Hey," Brian began, "who are you talking to in here?"

"I'm Vinny," Vinny introduced. "I say you must be Brian."

"I say that Stewie told you about me," Brian responded.

"Anyways," Vinny began, "I'm hiding from them Britannians. They killed my owner, Leo."

"Oh," Brian responded sadly. "I'm sorry about that. Anyway, I'm glad you found shelter here."

"Thanks," Vinny said. "Let me tell you a story of what's been going on."

"Okay," Stewie said as he and Brian sat down.

"On this day," Vinny began, "the Holy Britannian Empire had declared war on Quahog, Rhode Island. We Rhode Islanders held fast to our neutrality, and yet Britannia looms as a far greater superpower. They even introduced into combat the autonomous armored Knightmare Frames into battle. My owner and I tried to stop them with little effort. Leo wasn't very lucky. So I ran away before they could shoot me, too."

Both Stewie and Brian were in shock about this.

"Oh, my God," Stewie said, hands on his cheeks. "And I've destroyed my time machine."

"Even if you were to go to the farmers market," Brian said to Stewie, "it'd still be too dangerous to go out."

"I know, Brian" Stewie agreed. "I can't imagine what those Britannians would do to Yousef. I can't even bear to see a bloodbath."

"Me, neither," Vinny replied.

"Now," Brian began, "how will we let the Griffins know about you, Vinny?"

"Not to worry, Brian," Vinny answered. "I got it covered."

"Brian, Stewie," Peter called from the living room, "come to the basement quick! Those Britannian soldiers are coming!"

This brought fear on all three faces.

"Oh, crap," Vinny said. "They're gonna find me!"

"Don't worry, Vinny," Brian said. "I have an idea."

The three of them came down to the basement, with Vinny dressed up in a red vest, a brown jacket, and a pair of glasses. Peter, Lois, Chris and Meg, who were hiding by the washer and dryer, were surprised to see Vinny.

"Hey, who's the stray?" Peter asked, referring to Vinny.

"Vinny's not a stray, Peter," Brian corrected. "He's a dog who recently lost his owner to gunfire. Now he's hiding here for shelter."

"Nice to meet ya', Peter," Vinny addressed.

"Nice to meet you, too, Vinny," Peter replied, offering a handshake. He then introduced Lois, Chris and Meg to him, since he already knows Stewie.

"So, I hear that you're hiding from them Britannians, too, huh?" said Vinny.

"Yeah," Peter answered. "I'm glad you decided to find refuge from the Britannians."

Just then, both Brian and Vinny felt something touching their tails. They looked behind themselves, and saw two hands coming from a hole in the floor touching the tails.

"You both have a reason for living, don't you?" a girl's voice said in their minds.

"That voice," Brian thought.

"Where is it comin' from?" Vinny thought.

It was at that moment that they found themselves seeing strange images in their minds, including what appears to be a group of children praying, with strange bird-like symbols on their foreheads.

"If I grant you two power," the voice continued, "could you go on? I propose a deal: in exchange for this power, you must promise to make my one wish come true. Accept this contract, and you accept its conditions. You two will live unlike any other being in this world: a different providence, a different time, a different life. The power of the King will condemn you both to a life of isolation. Are you both ready for this?"

"A convergence with the Ragnarök Connection?" the dogs heard a man's voice asking, as they see an image of him inside a lighted room. "So the myth is beginning once again?"

Now both Brian and Vinny are starting to look serious.

"Yes," Brian answered.

"We hereby accept the terms of your contract," Vinny added.

Now the two found themselves back in the basement. They paid no attention to Stewie saying to them, "Hello? Stewie to dogs? Are you even listening?" Their minds were completely blank for some reason.

Brian had a terrible vision in his mind. He saw the entire Griffin family getting shot. However, he shook his head and saw his family in one piece. Could it be he saw what would happen in the future?

Just then, the Commander of the Britannian Royal Guard broke open the door, with a gun in his hand. His soldiers followed him, and have found their target, regardless of his disguise. A majority of the Griffin family had their hands behind their heads in fear, save for Brian.

"Okay," the Commander said to the Griffins. "Hand over the beige canine and nobody gets hurt."

"Say," Vinny said, with his hand on his lowered head. "How should an Italian-American dog who despises Britannia live his life, huh?"

"What are you saying, hound dog?" the Commander asked. "Are you some sort of radical?...Huh?"

"What's the matter?" Vinny asked. "Why don't you shoot me? After all, I am just a dog. Or have you finally realized that you're talking to someone who can give commands?"

It was at that moment that he uncovered his eyes and raised his head, revealing that he had activated a mysterious ability, and the same bird-like symbol from the image he saw in his mind manifested in his left eye.

Now the Commander shook his gun in fear.

"What is happening here?!" the Commander asked.

"I hereby command you," Vinny began, "all of you, to leave this place and kill no more."

The symbol went straight into the minds of the Commander and his soldiers. At that moment, they all lowered their weapons.

"Men, stand down," the Commander ordered.

"Yes, my lord," his soldiers replied.

And with that, the Commander and soldiers all left the basement, and the house, never to return. Vinny, who gasped in surprise, had just saved the Griffins from certain death.

"Wow, Vinny," Peter said. "Thank you for saving us, and yourself."

"I don't know what we could have done without you, Vinny," Lois added. "Come on upstairs, I'll fix a victory dinner."

The family, except for Brian, went upstairs. Vinny stayed behind as well. Brian's first response since the event was patting Vinny on the shoulder.

"Vinny?" Brian began. "Did you feel what I felt before you saved us? I had a terrible vision that I saw the Griffins get shot. But you came through when you told those Britannian soldiers to leave."

"Yeah," Vinny replied. "But now that I have this new power..."

"Me, too," Brian added.

"We can both change the world," said Vinny with a smile on his face.

"Well, then..." Brian began, also smiling.