Here we go again my lovelies, chapter four is up and running. First thing on the list is replying to comments, if any.
Dr. Whiskers: Well. That explains a lot. I find it funny around the same time when I change my name, you change yours as well (though seriously, Dr. Whiskers Guest as far as names go). Happy to see you're enjoying the story still.
The Mech: Saying everything portrayed here is something you can see happening in the comic is a huge compliment to me, so thank you. And yeah, grammar is something I knew I was going to struggle with when I started this up, mostly because the word document I use is one of the few that doesn't actually have a spell check. I usually just use 's, but I was in a rush to upload that last chapter. I'll make sure I don't forget again, and thanks for liking this so much.
Disclaimer: I put the ownership to Housepets! on my Christmas list last year. All I got was a rock, so it still belongs to Rick Griffin
When Bino awoke, he was surrounded by amber waves of grain. It took him a minuet to get his bearings and immediately he began to wonder where he was.
Then it hit him. It was the dream again.
He smirked as he began to trudge through the grain, hoping he was going the right direction. Then again, it was his dream, so if he was going the wrong way he could simply will it to be where he was going.
Soon he emerged in a clearing, with what he was looking for in the center. Sitting on a pedestal was a female black dog, with brown fur on her snout, stomach, and around her eyes.
That was his girlfriend, Duchess. The most beautiful dog in the world.
He ran to her with vigor, and she daintily dropped herself down from the pedestal, clutching something her paw. His grin grew wider at the thought of what came next.
When they were close to each other, they embraced briefly before separating, and then Duchess unfolded what she was holding and allowed it to dangle.
It was a leash. A long, red leash, that was put on Bino's collar.
Bino's grin took on Cheshire like qualities, and he sat like normal dogs did, his tail wagging fiercely. For that, he got scratched behind the ear by Duchess, and her mouth began to open. Bino's tail picked up speed as her melodious beeping voice graced his ears.
Wait...Beeping?
Bino groaned as he was brought out of his dream by the alarm clock. It read ten a.m, the usual wake up time for the Byron family, though it usually took him another thirty minuets for him to wake up. Just as well, that's around how much time it took for his parents to cook breakfast.
Soon, the middle child of the Byron family made his way to the kitchen, where he found the rest of his family at the table waiting for him. Fido and Max were leaning back in their chairs, the black cat with his feet propped up on the table, and Joey was completely zoned in on his breakfast. Bino couldn't help but notice Joey's mouse 'girlfriend' Squeak perched on his shoulder.
'Dog, even thinking about that makes me want to vomit' Bino thought as he sat down in his chair and faced his dog bowl. "Morning." he mumbled as he dug into his breakfast.
"Took you long enough to join us." Max snarked, gesturing to his empty food bowl.
"The bed was particularly warm this morning." Bino retorted, his eyes not leaving his food.
"I heard your bed springs creaking last night," Fido commented "you have a dream last night?"
"A dang good one," Bino said, a dreamy smile on his face "the love of my life, wide open spaces, and above all else, no cats."
At this point, Max cleared his throat in annoyance.
"While I don't like you in particular," Bino said, returning his focus to his breakfast "I'd like to make it clear that it was a romantic dream, and you know how I feel about a dog and a cat dating. It's just not natural." He finished, slamming his paw on the table.
It was at this point Fido began coughing. "Sorry," he stated shakily "water went down the wrong pipe. Anyway, I've got to go, K9 police business and all." With that, he grabbed his bullet proof vest, pausing briefly at the door to allow an unseen Spo to hop on his arm, and headed out.
The rest of the breakfast went by in silence, Max heading to the living room to relax. Soon after, the door bell rang. "Your turn Max." Bino called out from the kitchen. Max simply groaned before the sound of a door opening was heard. The conversation could be overheard in the kitchen.
"Sorry," Max said "you must have the wrong address."
"I think not my black cat friend," Came a familiar male voice that made Bino's eyes widen "we're looking for a Bino Byron, he showed myself and my adopted sister here this place yesterday."
"Okay," Max said with a sarcastic chuckle "clearly you have the wrong Bino. I mean no offense to your sister, but the day he that dog walks around with a cat in public is the day he-"
'It is way to early for this' Bino thought to himself as he made his way to the door. Sure enough, Max and Tina were standing there with a look of annoyance on the dog's face, and a look of nervousness on the cat's.
"Good morning," Bino said, going back into his acting mode and interrupting Max in the middle of his speech. He made his way down to his 'best friend' for the week "I wasn't expecting you so soon. Max, I'd like for you to meet our new neighbors."
"Hi there," Came a meek voice from behind the tan dog at the door. "I'm Tina."
"Huh," the black cat said, confusion evident in his voice "sorry about before, just wasn't...nevermind." Max shook his head and extended his paw to the dog at the door. The tan dog did the same.
"Hi, I'm Max." They both said. An awkward silence filled the room.
"This is going to get very confusing very fast." Muttered the black cat.
"Well, I suppose I might as well invite you inside." Bino said, gesturing inwards. Max and Tina entered quickly, Tina joining Bino at his side and the two Maxes walking beside each other.
"Again, sorry about earlier," The black cat said, rubbing the back of his head "I just thought you had the wrong address. How do you know them anyway Bino?"
"I was their welcome wagon yesterday, and now I'm their tour guide through town." Bino explained briskly, leading them into the kitchen, causing Joey to glance up from his meal. "Max, Tina, I'd like for you to meet my younger brother Joey and Squeak, his girlfriend."
"Hello to you." Joey said, nodding to the two newcomers. Bino jumped slightly when he felt a tap on his shoulder, turning around to see Tina looking him dead in the eyes.
"Um, Bino," the orange cat began meekly "if it's not too much trouble, I'd like to speak with you in private."
"I guess that's okay," Bino said, desperately trying to disguise the annoyance in his voice "if it's okay with your brother that is.
"Go right ahead," the tan dog said, taking a seat at the table "I think I'll stay here and get acquainted with your brother, and try to figure out how I'm going to distinguish myself from your feline friend over here."
"Suits me." Said the black cat, taking the seat opposite of him. With that, Tina led Bino up the stairs, but not before Bino could mouth 'Explain everything to Max' to her older brother, to which the tan dog nodded.
Once they reached the top of the stairs, Bino began the conversation.
"Sorry about the lack of people to meet," He said, breaking the ice "my parents usually have to leave early for work, and my older brother up and left right before you came.
Tina nodded in response. "It's okay," she explained "I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to show me everything about the neighborhood."
Bino could not suppress a prideful grin. "Ah, don't worry about it," he said "I don't do it for just anybody, but lets just say you and your brother got my attention."
"Oh?" Tina said in confusion "It's not because we're a cat and dog living together, right?"
"Oh no," Bino said, raising his paws in defense "really, another pair of dog and cat siblings live right down the road and I don't treat them half as nice." Bino clamped a paw over his mouth at that, realizing what he had just said.
"Really?" Tina said, with the most excitement Bino had heard out of her since she had been here. "Bino, can we meet them, please?"
Bino sighed, knowing that it would be hard to explain himself if he just showed up at the Sandwich's door unannounced, especially with a cat. But he looked at the orange cat in front of him, and at that moment he could safely say a newborn pup didn't have anything on Tina's pleading stare.
"I suppose we could." Bino said, trying to disguise the trepidation is his voice. At that moment, Bino had to suppress a scream for the second time in two days as Tina propped herself up on her toes and pecked him on the cheek.
"Thanks Bino." She said before making her way downstairs with a slight spring in her step. As soon as he was out of her sight, he vigorously rubbed the cheek where he had just been kissed. He stayed upstairs for a few more moments to compose herself, making a mental note to confront Max about this later, and made his way downstairs.
"...So how about this," Max said at the diner table "I go by MaxC and you go by MaxD?"
"Are they silent?" The other Max said
"Of course not, it would be the only way to not get us confused when one of us is called on."
"Seriously? Maxduh? It sounds idiotic." the tan dog stated, folding his arms.
"There's no pleasing you is there?" The black cat said before he noticed Bino had rejoined them. "Hey dude, little help?"
"No time Maxcuh," Bino said in a mocking voice. "I'm going to take Maxduh and Tina to meet a few more neighbors."
"See, it does sound stupid," Max said "anyway, I'll stay behind and try to figure out something with our new feline friend, and try to squeeze in some bonding with your brother."
Bino nodded and led Tina out the door. Needless to say, the brown dog was not looking forward to this. As if it wasn't bad enough having to go see a catlover and a cat who was well-known for despising him, he had to do it with a cat of all things. Sighing to himself, he began his trek down the road towards the Sandwich residence, Tina in tow.
That's it for Chapter 4, hope you enjoyed it. Personally, I wish more had happened, but for what it's worth it did advance a plot line here and there. As always, leave a review if you see something I can improve upon tell me in a review and if you like it make sure to favorite and follow. Keep watching this page for my next one shot as well, I hope to have it out sometime next week.
-slowly but surely growing a following, Biz