What might have happened if Nana had not shown up in time to help them in the battle with Tobey-Nian?

As usual, I do not own any part of Three Delivery, their stories or characters although I wish I did. I only borrowed them a little for this fan fiction.

Tobey-Dog licked the edge of the pot of dog food cooling on the stove. The enchantment took effect and he turned into a beautiful big gray Nian. He had multiple shades of gray and black all over his body, including a long fluffy black mane. Through the transfer, he maintained his white forelock that now fell forward down his face from between his lion-like ears. His whole body shape was roughly that of a lion with glowing red eyes.

Tobey-Nian stepped back and felt how strong he was now. He felt so powerful. But 'he' was not Tobey anymore. He couldn't understand the concerned voices that took turns blaring from the phone that hung around his neck. Sue had tied Tobey's phone loosely around his neck when he turned into a dog to go on a mission. His assigned task was to find the prepared recipe so they could find the antidote and save the neighborhood dogs that were turned in to Nian.

Now, blindly driven by instinct Tobey-Nian's only concerns were his own survival and finding his next meal. Not so far from the real Tobey, accept with no conscious, or memory of his friends who were sure to try to help him.

Tobey-Nian methodically placed his huge front paws out evenly out front, and rocked back ruffling the fur in his mane and along his back. That stretch felt so good, he yawned and did it again. Then he wandered out of the building and into the alley, looking for his next meal. Transforming into creatures always made Tobey so hungry, even when he couldn't remember being Tobey anymore.

Sid and Sue were pedaling down the alley. As they went, both of them were calling to Tobey through their phones.

"Sue! You don't think he ate some of the dog food do you?"

"I hope not, but what else could have happened? You know Tobey."

They turned the corner and came face to face with three of the red-orange Nian. They had been pacing around and clawing in the garbage from a large dumpster that one of them turned over. They were not satisfied with their dumpster meal, but were extremely interested in the fine cuts of meat that had just pedaled up to them on bikes.

Sid and Sue pulled their bikes into the air and flipped them around before landing again, ready to pedal back the way they came, but just as quickly slammed on the brakes to stop again. There were three more Nian behind them too.

"Sue! Get ready for battle." Sid encouraged as they both jumped off their bikes. The Nian didn't attack them right away. They were distracted and looking away from Sue and Sid.

Standing in an opening in the side of the building where the magic dog food was cooking stood a majestic black Nian. Framed in moonlight from the collapsed roof from within, he had a white forelock and he looked to be the largest and strongest Nian among them. The others in fact, snarled and spit at the newcomer, but also stayed well back from the black Nian.

The majestic beast opened its mouth wide and roared loudly. After he roared, three of the smallest red Nian, ran off in search of easier pray. The other three stayed and paced in circles around Sid and Sue.

Sue cried out, "What have you done with Tobey!"

"Look Sue! That's Tobey's phone! That is Tobey! He did eat some of the dog food!"

"He never listens!" Sue readied herself by getting into her defensive pose.

The black Tobey-Nian roared again and jumped at the Sue and Sid. Sue dodged completely and Sid used his leverage as Tobey-Nian leapt towards him, to propel the beast head first into the wall across the alley.

"Tobey!" Sue cried out. "Don't hurt him Sid!"

"I don't think I could hurt him if I wanted to. Don't worry about Tobey-worry about us right now." Sid turned to fend off an attack by a red Nian.

With the Tobey-Nian down for a moment, the red Nian took their opportunities to attack. Another of the red Nian charged Sue. When it got to her, she dropped to her back and kicked it under the belly, throwing it over her head to the wall. It landed against the crumbling brick wall next to the hole where the black Nian had first appeared. Several bricks fell from the top edge of the hole and broke as they landed on the asphalt.

Tobey-Nian got to his feet and shook his head. He charged Sid again as another red one jumped at Sue. As Sid turned to face Tobey-Nian's attack, he shouted a warning at Sue. "Look out!"

Sid tried to dodge Tobey-Nian again, but his concern for Sue as he saw the other one jump at her, threw his timing off. Tobey-Nian's claws swiped across the front of Sid's thigh as he went by. Sid gasped and fell to his knees with both hands covering the stinging wound.

Tobey-Nian paused to lick Sid's blood off his claws. Sid gritted his teeth and stayed still for a moment as he willed the pain away. He stood up and resumed his defensive stance, the discomfort still showing on his face.

"SID!" Sue screamed! She looked over just in time to see Tobey-Nian wound Sid. She grabbed the Nian charging her by the mane around its neck and flipped it away from her.

Sue ran about two steps towards where Sid was, but another red Nian landed in front of her, blocking her way to him. She watched Sid avoid another attack from Tobey-Nian as she defended against the one that stepped in her way.

"Tobey! Please Stop!" Sid pleaded, getting out of breath, "I'm your best friend!" Tobey-Nian gathered himself and pounced toward Sid like a cat on a mouse. Sid spun around and kicked Tobey-Nian while he was in mid-air, launching his transformed friend over a railing and down into a loading dock.

At the same time, a red Nian lowered its head and took several stalking steps towards Sue. She backed away and found herself very close to the large opening in the brick wall that lead back to where the magic dog food was cooking. She knew that was where she had to go to put the ginger in the recipe. If she could just get to it, maybe this would all be over and Tobey and the dogs would change back. She stumbled and almost fell on the bricks that had already fallen as she started inside. The Nian watched her and gathered himself up to pounce.

Another red Nian jumped at Sid and he did the same move, throwing the Nian over the railing and down to the loading dock where the trucks back in to be unloaded at the market. He watched it go over the railing and land on the concrete below. When he looked down after the red one, the black Tobey-Nian was nowhere to be seen.

"Sue!" Sid started limping towards Sue. He was favoring his injured leg more now and moved much more slowly than usual.

The red Nian, still stalking Sue, gathered up all its weight on its haunches and leapt at Sue. She ducked and it went over her going through the hole in the brick wall. It landed inside and without missing a beat, the red Nian rolled back on its haunches and turned to leap back towards her.

Sue grabbed mane on each side of its powerful mouth and rolled back throwing it in the air again. This time though, Sue landed on her back in the hole under the loose bricks. She cried out as she landed on her back in the rubble from the bricks that had already fallen. She kicked the red Nian up into the air, its body hit the loose bricks in the top of the hole. It yelped as it hit with the great force of its own heavy body, thrown powerfully into the air by Sue's martial arts skill.

Sue rolled over on her stomach and scrambled to get out from under the falling bricks and Nian. Before she could get up the red Nian fell across the backs of her legs, holding her down. The Nian roared in pain and anger as a shower of bricks and mortar some still in large chunks fell on both of them.

She cried out, "Sid!" as the weight of the Nian landed on her legs. Some of the bricks bounced off the Nian's body and landed on her, striking her shoulders and the back of her helmet. If she had not had her helmet on, she would have been badly hurt.

The Nian lay motionless from its injuries. Its unconscious body remained draped across her legs, above the back of her knees. Sue was effectively pinned to the ground and she pulled, struggled and pushed on the Nian's body trying to free herself, but couldn't budge it or the large chunks of brick wall stacked on and around her. Sue could see Sid running toward her.

"SUE!" Sid had seen it all as he made his way towards her. Blocking attacks from the remaining Nian as he went. Sid was starting to feel very weak. The blood from the wound in his thigh had soaked down his pant leg and into his sock and shoe.

Sid had almost made it to Sue, when Tobey-Nian landed in front of him again. The smell of Sid's blood was both driving it crazy as it wanted more, but also on some level, way down deep, the creature felt terrible, and worried about Sid. The conflict caused Tobey-Nian to hesitate for a moment. He and just stood in front of Sid and looked at him.

"Tobey, please… stop! Don't you recognize us?" Sid pleaded. "We are very close, please remember us – Sue needs our help!"

Instinct took over again and Tobey-Nian growled fiercely and lunged at Sid. Sid gathered all his energy and jumped high in the air to plant a kick from above, connecting with Tobey-Nian's head, right over the white forelock.

Tobey-Nian fell forward, striking his chin on the ground and breaking off one of his fangs. He roared in pain. Sid landed only a few feet from Sue on his injured leg, which made him gasp as he almost fell.

"Sue, are you hurt badly?" Sid asked her as he recovered and took another step toward her.

"I don't think I am hurt, but I am trapped." She gasped as she looked up, "Sid WATCH OUT!"

Sid couldn't react in time, his leg slowed him down and he was exhausted. Sid only managed to turn to face Tobey-Nian before he jumped on him with claws extended.

"SID! – Tobey! STOP!" Sue yelled from her trapped position. She was only a few feet away from them and could do nothing to help! "SID! FIGHT!"

Tobey-Nian's weight knocked Sid flat on his back. He stood with both front feet on Sid's chest and shoulders. His back legs were standing on the asphalt on either side of Sid's legs. Tobey-Nian's claws flexed and dug into Sid's skin making eight puncture wounds in his chest and shoulders. Sid screamed in pain and blood rapidly soaked through his shirt around each claw. With Tobey-Nian's weight crushing down on him he could hardly breathe and with the blood loss, he was too weak to fight back.

The other two Nians who were still hanging around became more excited with the smell of all that blood in the air and moved in closer. They snarled and fought amongst each other. Tobey-Nian let out a loud roar, daring any of them to come near his dinner. With Sue trapped nearby as well, he expected to dine very well. The other Nian backed off but waited nearby in case of the chance to steal any leftovers.

Sue's heart jumped into her throat as she watched what happened next. Sid kicked feebly at Tobey-Nian's stomach. Tobey-Nian didn't even feel Sid's attempt to fight back. The great black beast was in no hurry now, and slowly, methodically and firmly wrapped his huge jaws around Sid's throat like a lion taking down an antelope. Sid trembled, put his head back and closed his eyes. He could feel and smell Tobey-Nian's hot breath on his neck and strangely, for once his breath was not that bad! He laughed inside at what he thought would be his final thought. Sid felt Tobey-Nian's teeth and jaws closing tightly on his neck.

Sue struggled harder and harder to get free but couldn't get her legs out from under the fallen Nian. She became hysterical and tears rolled down her face as she started picking up the bricks closest to her and throwing them one at a time at Tobey-Nian.

One of the bricks hit the great black Nian in the forelock – landing in the same place where he had been hit before, the pain made Tobey-Nian freeze and close his red, glowing eyes. With Sid's neck still in his mouth, Tobey-Nian became aware of his prey's fear. He was aware of Sid's whole body shaking with fear and pain and he felt aversion to it. The great Nian felt something that made him hesitate like human compassion for his friend. It was not a normal feeling for a Nian!

Sid's eyes were shut tight and there were tears running down into his hair at his temples as the great black Nian struggled with his reluctance to finish off his prey.

Sue continued to yell "Tobey! Stop, Please don't kill Sid! PLEEEEAse!" she hurled two more bricks at Tobey-Nian.

Now there were tears welling up in the great, black Tobey-Nian's eyes. As his tears spilled from the corners of his eyes they fell to the ground by Sid's head. Tobey-Nian, just as slowly as he placed his mouth around Sid's neck, he began to pull his lips back and slowly opened his teeth releasing him as gently as he could.

Sue watched silently, fighting back her own tears, afraid to move anymore or make a sound and spook Tobey-Nian.

When Sid felt Tobey-Nian let go, he opened his eyes and looked at him. Tobey-Nian retracted his claws and took his huge paws off Sid's chest. Sid winced as the huge claws withdrew from his skin. Tobey-Nian's tears rolled down his face and were falling on Sid's chest now.

"Tobey? Is that you? Are you b-back with us?" Sid questioned hopefully.
Tobey-Nian made small rumbling sounds, and verbalized like a cat who wanted to be petted. He was purring! Sid was sure he heard it.

The other Nian were getting restless, as this strong newcomer had not even started his meal yet. The two left hanging around circled in closer and the bravest one took a swipe in Sid's direction.

Tobey-Nian, still standing over Sid, lowered his head and shoulders. He roared a warning at the others to stay back. Tobey-Nian looked down at Sid and over at Sue and they knew he really was back with them.

Tobey-Nian roared again and jumped from his position over Sid. Sid managed to put one arm up thinking Tobey-Nian was going to step on him. Tobey-Nian charged at the two other Nian and they took off. Tobey-Nian only had to lope after them for a couple of strides before stopping. The last two Nian ran back down the alley turned at the end, running completely out of sight.

Tobey-Nian carefully stepped over to Sue and nuzzled her neck. She was not afraid; she could tell this was their Tobey. He put his nose under the shoulder of the Nian's fallen body that had pinned Sue's legs and rolled it off of her.

Most of the debris from the crumbling bricks fell away as he rolled the body off her. She was sore and stiff but not hurt seriously, and she struggled a little to stand up. Sue scratched Tobey-Nian's ears as she went by him to get to Sid. Tobey-Nian followed Sue to Sid's side and stretched out beside them. Tobey-Nian's body length was one and a half times that of Sid's. He made occasional small rumbling noises and nuzzled Sid as Sue looked him over for injuries quickly.

"Sid, hold on! I'm calling Nana." Sid nodded and shut his eyes. Not knowing where in the rubble her phone might be, she reached over and unhooked Tobey's phone from around Tobey-Nian's neck.

Nana saw a call from Tobey's phone and thought Tobey was calling her finally! He was only supposed to have stayed as a dog for an hour and it had been a long time since the hour was up. "Well Tobey, it's about time, your hour as a dog was up a while ago. Did you kids stop the Nian?"

"S-Sid's hurt." Sue voice cracked as she began to sob and couldn't say more.

"I will find you." Nana told her and raced from the restaurant. Sue dropped the phone.

Sue willed herself to stop sobbing. She knew she still had to get Sid's leg to stop bleeding and couldn't see what she was doing for all the tears in her eyes. Sue put both hands, palms down, next to each other over Sid's lacerated thigh. The pressure she put on his leg made him cry out and grit his teeth.

"Sorry Sid." I have too…" she apologized, but Sid didn't hear her before he passed out. "Sid?" she said. Exhausted, she let her forehead rest on the back of her hands. Tobey-Nian nuzzled her ear and licked her fingers. Sue looked back up at him. He gazed into her eyes and then looked down at Sid. He licked the side of Sid's face with his big, warm rough tongue. Sid didn't respond and Tobey-Nian made a whining noise.

"It's ok Tobey. We know you couldn't help it. You were not yourself." Tobey-Nian lay back down next to Sid, put his head back and roared sorrowfully, the pain audible in the big creatures roar. Tobey-Nian still couldn't understand her words in this form, but he knew there was great pain in his heart. He knew something terrible had happened and he hurt the ones he loved, his family.

Sue watched Tobey and wondered how much he could understand about what was going on and how much he would remember. Sue kind of hoped he wouldn't remember what happened. She could say Sid got hurt by one of the other Nians while he was protecting her. It was partly true.

Sue thought if she could only get Tobey to eat the ginger, even Nana wouldn't have to know all of what happened. Sue choked back tears as she looked at an unconscious Sid. What if he…? What if? Sue couldn't even think it and wanted to protect Tobey, whatever happened.

Sue kept one hand in place over Sid's wound and took the ginger out of her pocket. She held it out to Tobey-Nian.

Instinct told Tobey-Nian that he hated ginger, when she offered it to him he growled and jumped away. He roared and took a step back toward the siblings.

"Come on Tobey! Please eat it! We need you to be you again!" Sue pleaded with him. Tobey-Nian still had a strange feeling, like unnatural instinct. Instinct now told him she was his friend and was trying to help. He cautiously came back and lay down beside them again. This time when she held the ginger out to him, he clenched his teeth, but didn't move. Just like the human Tobey did when Nana made him taste something he didn't think he would like.

Tobey-Nian turned his head sideways and took it in his mouth from her hand. Just getting it in his mouth was enough to start the transformation! Bright green waves of energy surrounded the great Tobey-Nian and she watched as he turned smoothly into his smaller human self!

He was on his stomach looking a little dizzy. Sue reached over Sid and touched Tobey's shoulder. "Tobey! Are you ok?" she asked. His vision was blurry and he blinked as he got to his hands and knees.

"Wow – I'm not sure…" in only a few seconds Tobey regained his senses, and his vision cleared and he looked at Sid.

"Sid… No… oh no, Sue – what have I done?" he said in a small, quiet voice, that almost didn't sound like Tobey. Sue looked at him with tears in her eyes. She had really hoped he wouldn't remember but now it sounded like he remembered everything. He sat back on his heels and stared at Sid.

"Don't worry Tobey, he will be alright! Nana is on her way." As Tobey looked up at her, small movements to the side caught his eye. "It's them! The Nian have come back." Sue looked where he was looking. They were still at the corner, looking down the alley at them. They knew the large black Nian was not there anymore and had left his prey unprotected.

There were three of them gathered, and more coming as they turned and started stalking the kids, Tobey ran at them. Tears streamed from his eyes as he planned to die protecting Sid and Sue. He figured there was one last thing he could do for them, and that was to protect them until Nana got there.

He fought all three of them off expertly. Since he had been a Nian, he knew better how to fight them off than he did the first time he encountered them. He fought ferociously and without fear, but the Nian were determined to get to their dinner, and there were too many of them. Despite his best efforts, the fight was getting closer to his friends.

Sue watched Tobey fight as she stayed by Sid, keeping her hands over his wounds. Sue was sure she heard Tobey roaring at them. She was ready to go help him, but it didn't look like he needed it, and Sid needed her more. Sid's skin felt cold and he moaned and started trembling. She wished for a blanket.

She heard a car drive up behind her. When she looked, she saw it was Nana.

Nana stopped the car next to where Sid and Sue were and jumped out. She had a bag of ginger and a blanket. As Nana threw the blanket over both of them, Sue told her where the dog food was cooking and Nana said she would be right back, but as she left, she placed her hand on Sid's forehead.

Nana smiled at Sue and told her "Sid will be fine…" before she ran in to get the dog food. Sue pulled the edge of the blanket from around her shoulders, and covered Sid with double layers.

In just a few seconds, Nana was back with the food. She took it with her to the middle of the fracas and stood beside Tobey. She spilled most of the food out and the Nian came over to lick it up. They all turned back into dogs and they continued to clean up the spilled dog food. Tobey bent forward and put his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

Nana rejoined Sue and Sid. Sid was waking up. Tobey came over too, but kept his distance.

"Hi Nana." Sid said weakly. "I guess I missed one of them and it got me."

"It's ok Sid, and you will be fine." Nana unzipped Sid's shirt down the front and opened it up to see all 8 of the claw marks on his chest and shoulders. Nana sprinkled a pinch of some kind of powder on each wound. Then she did the same with his pants leg, tearing it from over the wounds in his thigh.

As the powder made contact with the wounds, he winced as it disappeared soaking in completely. "This will help keep the bleeding stopped and prevent infection. It is better than anything the doctor's have. It will even help with the pain, but your leg is going to need stitches."

"Sue, there is another blanket in the car, please spread it out on the back seat and we will put him on it to drive him to the hospital."

Sid tried to sit up, but Sue stopped him and told him to stay still. "You will start bleeding again if you move around." When Sid put his head back down, he turned and saw Tobey standing back with tears in his eyes.

"Tobey? It's good to have you back!" Sid told him. "Are you ok?" Tobey didn't answer, the words were caught in his throat behind tears, and he did not feel ok at all as he watched Sue and Nana tend to Sid's injuries. Injuries he caused, because he just had to taste everything.

"Sorry…" Tobey murmured and turned away. He ran down the alley and disappeared.

"Tobey!" they all three called him.

"I know it is upsetting to see Sid get hurt." Nana said, "But why is he so upset, why did he say he was sorry?"

Sue just couldn't lie to Nana. "Tobey ate some of the recipe and turned into a Nian. He was the Nian who hurt Sid."

"Oh no. That being what happened, he will be feeling pretty low. I think we need to find him quickly."

"Yes Nana." Sue answered.

"Will you go find him and get him back to Wu's? I promise to take good care of Sid and we will meet you there as soon as a Doctor stitches up his leg."

"Ok I will find Tobey. Take care." Sue said as she bent down and gave Sid a peck on his forehead. Sid smiled up at her and she went to get on her bike. Nana helped Sid get in the back seat and put his bike in the trunk. She had to leave the trunk open because it was too big. Then she went to retrieve the cooking pot that had the food in it. There was a little juice left in the bottom and she carried it over to the body of the Nian that had trapped Sue.

Nana poured what was left of the food with the ginger in it over the unmoving Nian. The green waves of energy flowed around it, and it also turned back into a dog. A happy bouncy dog named "Mops." Nana picked the tiny dog up and put her in the car next to her, promising to take her home. "Nana, I thought that one had died?"

"Are you forgetting Sid? Nian are immortal he would have woke up soon and continued his attack if not for the ginger." They drove off toward the hospital. The rest of the dogs, all happy to be dogs again, all ran home to their owners.

[Tobee continued.]