Disclaimer: Koroku leaped upon the computer desk ecstatically as he noticed the fan fiction writer had finally turned her attention to him once again.

"Hey, Koroku! I certainly haven't seen you in awhile, but I bet you're here just because you want me to say your favorite line again, right?" The little canine arooed once in agreement. "Okay then. Koroku, Suikoden, and all of its characters belong to Konami, not me. Good enough for you, Koroku?

"Aroo," Koroku replied in satisfaction, and as quickly as he had appeared, Koroku leaped from the table and bolted out the door and off to another Budehuc Castle adventure.

Vegetable Run

Koroku, Mamie, and Barts

Koroku sat on his haunches happily as Mamie placed a gentle hand on his neck and smiled. "Aren't you the smartest dog ever, Koroku?"

"Aroo!" Koroku barked, wagging his shaggy tail ecstatically in agreement.

"You're so smart that I'm going to send you on errands today!" With that, Mamie straightened her hat and smiled. The words brought Koroku's tail to an abrupt halt, however.

In many cases, Koroku's intelligence was rewarded with treats and pats on the head, but he found no pleasure in working because his fellow canines were not quite as talented. The poor fellow could never find a break in such a busy castle anymore, especially because Cecile had taken quite a liking to boasting about Koroku's intelligence to all of her friends.

He watched the youthful chef carefully remove a package from behind her well kept counter and remove an odd saddle-like device from within. Koroku tilted his head inquisitively to the side as she slung the equipment over his back. And, despite the whimpering and fidgeting he gave in protest, Mamie strapped a series of buckles under Koroku's furry belly. She had no doubt been saving this item for just the occasion she found Koroku running about during her preparations for the day's lunch, another reminder to why Koroku had always tried to avoid early morning trips to the restaurant. Although Mamie reassured the struggling animal that no harm would come to him from this little job, Koroku knew better. No member of Budehuc's population had ever put him to work without a resulting disaster.

"There! I think that's going to hold. I didn't even hurt your cute little bundle!" Mamie stated as she slightly tugged on each of the three leather straps with a nod of approval. Koroku only gave a feeble aroo to her mention of the bundle. "Oh, it's not so bad, fella," Mamie scratched behind his ears comfortingly. "You could be standing guard with Cecile instead." Koroku's ears perked up at the name, he really did enjoy Cecile's company more than any one else's, although guarding the castle wasn't exactly his forte. The female chef turned her back to Koroku and put a hand to her mouth in thought as she studied the white menu board, which was entirely covered in her own neat handwriting. "Hmm…Let's send you over to get fresh vegetables from Barts first."

Koroku, instead of being the attentive creature he was usually regarded as, was watching a calico cat scramble across the far wall. The many packages around his back were the only thing keeping him from leaping at the cat in pursuit. "Koroku!" Mamie shouted as she turned and noticed her new employee's lack of cooperation. The startled animal snapped to attention, a talent learned from excessive time with Cecile.

"You're not listening are you?" Mamie asked already knowing the answer. Koroku sunk to his belly and put his paws over his eyes in an attempt to hide from what he perceived to be a forthcoming lecture. Giving up any hopes of making the canine listen intently, Mamie instead shook her head and proceeded to take pen and paper from beneath the counter. Moving her eye's from the dog, she sighed to herself. "We can do this, I'll write a message to Barts right here and you deliver it while I keep the rest of the food on the stove." She began to scribble the short message with the same neat letters adorning the menu. After signing her name, she folded the paper in a neat rectangle and held it out to Koroku.

"Ar-," he began to question before Mamie placed the paper horizontally in his mouth.

"Go on, Barts shouldn't even be too far away. I still need to finish the lunchboxes I promised the knights." Mamie gave Koroku's pouches one last tug to make sure they were still secure and gave him a slight push towards the fields.

Koroku gave another muffled aroo as the momentum sent him from the counter to the ground without losing the note from between his canine jaws. He looked about the outdoor dining area for the cat once Mamie was preoccupied with her cooking but, thinking better of the notion, he instead ran towards the vegetable fields in compliance with the chef's wishes.

Barts, admiring his work as always, sat in the middle of two perfect rows of corn smiling to himself in satisfaction. His attention was most unfortunately drawn away, however, as a little caramel dog trotted up to him with a single slip of paper sagging with saliva in its teeth. "Pig Dog! I thought I told you to not come near the crops," with a single hand Barts picked Koroku up by the stomach and sat the dog in his lap to ensure no harm would come to the all important vegetables. "So, what have you got there?" Barts asked as he removed the damp parchment from Koroku's slobbering mouth. "Someone finally putting something in that mouth of yours other than my crops?" He cautiously put Koroku off to the side and unfolded the paper with a chuckle. "It's even addressed to me, eh?"

Of course no longer interested in the job at paw, Koroku's tongue licked his chops happily as he pondered over the various vegetables surrounding him. Knowing he was not being supervised as Barts was reading the letter, Koroku began to drift towards a corn stalk like a predator to his helpless prey.

"So, Mamie wants me to send mini tomatoes and carrots with you? What is she think-" Barts looked up right as Koroku began pawing an ear of corn. "NO, NO, NO, Pig Dog! Those aren't for you!" Barts harshly pulled the dog back by a leather strap and told him to sit with a commanding tone, one that reminded the dog of his commander in her most angry moments. "Now, stay there and I'm going to get these vegetables for Mamie." Still keeping an eye on the mischievous canine, Barts stood up and began to acquire the requested ingredients from the many varying rows of vegetables.

"Arf! Arf! AROOOO!" Koroku barked in Barts' direction rebelliously, but the small canine still lacked the never to move from the spot he was assigned. Regardless, the developing dislike for this young, Iksay farmer was more than apparent.

Ignoring the dog's hostilities, Barts continued his task and soon came back to the animal with a variety of vegetables. Kneeling beside the dog turned pack animal, Barts carefully placed the produce evenly within Koroku's pouches, and was certain to keep all of the precious goods out of Koroku's reach knowing the dog would chomp at them regardless of the responsibilities placed on him from Mamie. The farmer took Mamie's letter out of his pant's pocket and double checked what she needed.

"Okay, Pig Dog, that's all she needs. You can head back over to Mamie, and I mean RIGHT back. I know you're bound to wander elsewhere if I don't tell you straight." Barts picked up a shovel which rested against the castle wall and tapped it against his shoulder impatiently at the dog's lack of action. "Come on, Pig Dog! What are you waiting for? I have more work to do, and I bet you do too, although I don't think pig dogs like you are capable of any real work."

Koroku wrinkled his nose at Bart's tone of voice and replied with an angry "aroo" as he turned tail to the east.

Barts held back a laugh as he watched the dog bound off with the carrot tops hanging from out of the many pouches strapped awkwardly to its back, but he could not help but laugh aloud as he noticed the dog's lack of direction sense...or rather, lack of work ethic. "That's the wrong way, Pig Dog!" Barts exclaimed in the dog's direction. "That mangy mutt is never going to bring those vegetables to Mamie," Barts mumbled to himself, but what else could he expect from that vagabond dog?

Author's Note: It's been awhile since I have written much of anything, and it's been even longer since I've played Suikoden III, so I hope it all turned out okay. This isn't the end of Koroku's little vegetable run yet, so continue on for the second half if you wish!