"I could do with a fine cut of meat right about now." Bull spoke up thoughtfully, trying to spark up a conversation in the drab, dull atmosphere of the pound.

Pedro shook his head, amusingly. "What's wrong amigo? Dry pellets and bones not doing the job for you?"

"They're fine, but nothing's wrong with a beautiful steak, or some pork belly, or even a-"

"Bull," Peg complained, "you're making me hungry."

Bull turned away sheepishly, "Sorry."

"So amiga," Pedro ended the silence that had settled between them, "you must know a thing, or two about fancy food."

Peg turned to him, shaking her head to get the flappy piece of fur out of the way from her eyes, "What led ya to that conclusion, Pedro?"

"Well, I've seen showdogs before and by the way they eat," He smacked his lips together, tongue lolling from his mouth, "life must be pretty pleasant."

Peg laughed softly, "Life wasn't really pleasant. It was more... extravagant. I wasn't really in it for the food, I just liked all the free traveling. Seeing the countryside from the window of a train did always get my spirits soaring and my voice a-singing."

"Blimey, I can't wait for the two of us to get out of here, soon as Daschie finishes that hole of his up," Bull said, while shooting a questioning look towards the Daschund, "say, once we're outta here, maybe we could hitch a train, head out to Brooklyn, that's where you're from ain't it?"

"Sure is," She looked momentarily homesick, "heck, I still remember how the old place looked and don't even get me started on the rehearsals."

"Ah, Amiga, must have been glorious, having so much attention, people wanting to see you. All the attention we get nowadays is from the one with the net, the basura." Pedro stuck his tongue out in mock disgust. "Speaking of which...how's about a song?"

Bull was the first to quickly nod in agreement.

"Yes of course, it's like old saying goes, 'Music is life itself' end quote." Boris paused and appeared thoughtful for a moment. "Then again, that one has not yet been said, I don't think."

"Alright then, you boys go ahead, I need some beauty sleep." Peg began to walk off, heading towards her corner of the cramped cell.

"Aww, come on. We can't be the only one's ever getting a spot of fun around here. Join in. Don't you want to relieve those performing days of yours?"

"I didn't perform cause I wanted to," She turned her nose up indignantly, "I performed cause I was forced to. Barely had much of a puphood, I still remember being up there, all the noise..."

Peg peered through the enclosed curtain, she saw a large crowd of children sitting in the stands, they held bags of popcorn in their hands, some even had cotton candy.

She saw the ringmaster to the left, collecting money from the ever-growing crowd. More and more people seemed to be entering the relatively small tent.

She found herself shuffling on her paws, out of honest anxiety. Taking a deep gulp, she tried calming herself, to no effect. She would have stayed standing there, half paralyzed with fear, had it not been for the gentle footsteps coming from behind her.

"Nervous?"

"Just a few jitters," Peg turned towards her father, "I'll be fine Da-" She caught herself just in time, "-Mr. Fusco."

"You know something? I was pretty nervous first time I ever had to do this too. Every time I messed up during rehearsals, I got beat pretty bad. If that's how rehearsals were, how bad would an actual performance be?" He had stepped closer to his daughter, while he spoke.

Peg swallowed nervously as he spoke, turning away in discomfort. She still felt the scars hidden beneath her fur, the bruises which occasionally ached unconsciously through out her. Her father's words to her did nothing to soothe her wounds.

"So," He spoke again after a long time, "are you going to mess up today?"

She shook her head meekly, "No sir."

"Good girl. Remember to smile, can't have you making the children unhappy with those ugly freckles."

He left her there with a sappy taste in her mouth. Her head hung low, eyes stuck staring at her paws. She stood still for a moment, taking slow and unsteady breaths, eventually a calm drip of tears slid down her face, silently plopping on the ground.

Peg looked up, sucking in her tears and forcing a smile onto her face. She recited lyrics in her head, silently walking out the steps of her song, heart thudding quickly as she heard the ringmaster preparing to introduce her onto the stage.

"Don't let him scare you honey."

She almost jumped from the voice that had suddenly spoken behind her, but quickly settled down when she realized it was just Ma Fitz'.

"No offensive, but your Daddy's always been a bit of an ass. But I suppose that's what growing up in the show business will do to you."

The older, white and puffy Samoyed took a seat next to her, glancing out into what laid beyond the curtains as well.

"He'll hurt me ya know," Peg spoke suddenly, "if I mess up out there."

"And why would you mess up, haven't you been practicing?"

"Everyday," Peg admitted, "but never in front of so many people."

"Honey," She gave the younger dog a funny look, "those are kids out there. They'll laugh and clap at anything."

"But-"

"You've got the looks and you've got the skill, so, I'm not seeing the problem here."

Peg opened her mouth to speak, but before she could the ringmaster bowed out from behind the curtain, "You're up girl," He used one hand to open up part of the curtain, "give 'em a good show."

She took one more deep breath, before stepping up the stairs and looking back one more time at Ma Fitz', who only winked at her, as if to say, "Good luck" .

Her tongue felt like it was glued to the back of her throat, but nevertheless she chose to follow the vague advice she had been given.

"Wow," Bull suddenly felt the need to cut her off, "you're father sounds like a bit of a cu-"

"Language amigo!"

"Yeah, that's what growing up with a really harsh ringmaster will do to a dog. But I guess I would have never really done much if it wasn't for him."

"So you forgiving him?" Boris asked curiously.

Peg seemed to think for a moment, "Not officially, I don't think. He showed me a little respect after I aced that performance and I guess we got along a little better, but...he still never let me call him 'dad'."

"Well, that's all well and dandy, but how is it exactly that you ended up here?"

"I was getting there." She rolled her eyes irritability.

Peg layed down, sinking into the hay of the barn and allowing sleep to try and envelope her. Her heart was racing with adrenaline, the aftereffects from the show she had put on still laying a heavy burden on her.

She swallowed and cleared her throat, humming out a tune which she had learnt earlier that day. With her head on her paws and a tune to numb her mind, Peg closed her eyes.

It took only a few moments for her to realize that sleep was pointless and so she instead opted to stay up, keeping herself company.

"Missed a couple of notes today," She thought aloud to herself, "good thing the old man's getting old. He couldn't tell the difference between a soprano and a tenor." Peg chuckled to herself, thinking of the way that the kids looked at her in awe when she sang, or when they joyfully clapped when she did a small trick.

"Pssst...Peg, hey Peg!" A hushed shouting made Peg look up suddenly, almost jumping in surprise.

"Lance? What are ya doing up so late?"

The pigeon sat above her, flapping his wings gently in anxiousness. He twisted his head to the side, much like an owl would. "Ma Fitzgerald, she says she wants to talk to you. Out by the gate."

"Really? Why?"

"I don't know," He hopped around skittishly, "but I'm not supposed to be out this late so could you please go see her?"

"Sure thing," She said, amused by his nervousness, "you head off to bed now, alright? Good night Lance."

"'Night Peg." Lance looked around once more before picking himself up and ascending into the air.

"Wonder why she wants to see me..." Peg wondered while standing up and leaving her sleeping spot. She yawned as she left the barn, suddenly regretting having not getting any sleep. Though even as her paws dragged across the ground, she found herself determined to see Ma Fitz'.

She walked past the elephants, making sure to greet them as she passed. When she reached the carrier containing the monkeys, she made sure to keep her strut quiet, not wanting to wake up what she considered to be 'more annoying humans'.

Once she was past them, she let out a comforting hum, steadily reaching the place where she was set to meet Ma Fitz'.

"That's a nice tune, is it the one from Della?"

Peg stood still, sheepishly turning around, not having noticed the older dog right in front of her. "Yeah, can't get it out of my head. You wanted to see me?"

"I did, come on, sit," She gestured for her to approach and sit down, "you look just like your mother, you know that?"

"Really?" Peg seemed taken aback by the sudden statement.

Ma Fitzgerald nodded her head in confirmation, "You've got the fur, her eyes and you've got a nick for the showbiz."

"Well gee, thanks I guess."

"Your daddy's never talked about her much has he?"

Peg shook her head, "Learnt my lesson when he got pretty mad and I got plenty of scars the one time that I asked."

"He loved her, that's probably why, it's probably why he's so hard on you too," She sighed, brow creasing into a frown, "I just wish he could treat you as well as he treated her." Her eyes drifted through the gate and at the trees, being illuminated by the moonlight.

"Ma Fitz' what exactly are ya saying?"

"This business of ours, the talent don't matter, not when there's no money coming in. We're going broke Honey and once the money gets too tight, the ol' ringmaster is gonna be selling our hides left and right. Not you, or your Daddy though, no, he's gonna drag you away with him whether you like it or not and that, that right there is when the real nightmare begins."

"W-we're going broke?"

"Get outta here Honey," Ma Fitz' ignored her question completely, "squeeze right on through that gate over there and get outta here, before the ringmaster sees you and before your Daddy wakes up."

"You're not coming with me?" Peg gasped, still taken a back by all the information she was suddenly being told, "How am I supposed to get back to Brooklyn? Back home?"

Ma Fitz' shook her head, "You're not."

"But-"

"I always like to say, 'It's not about where you come from; it's where you're going that counts. Now go on and get."

Peg stood there incredulously for only a second longer, before taking it upon herself to leap through the gate, barely squeezing through and running off as fast as her tired legs would allow her.

"That seems quite tragic actually." Bull had a sad look on his face.

Boris leaned down empethetically, "You are okay? Story sadder than the great quotes of philosophist Voltaire."

"I'm alright you guys," She attempted to reassure them, "sure I never got to really know my dad much and I was pretty much all on my own for a month or two, but that hey, I never would have met you guys if all that hadn't happened, right?"

"I guess so, but if you ever need a shoulder to cry on..." Pedro spoke from behind his bars.

"Sure thing Pedro." She rolled her eyes.

Bull sat closer to her, "So you had an arse of a father, you had to leave your home, how on Earth did you end up here, with us?"

"Again, I was getting there..."

"What are you doing in my alley?"

The threatening and growling voice from behind her made Peg flinch. She stopped eating the old, rotting sandwich in the bin and backed off slowly, preparing to face the challenging voice.

"Last time I had an intruder in my alley, they ended up leaving with two broken legs and half a tail. So go on, tell me why I shouldn't do the same to you. Tell me why I shouldn't break each of your legs ones by one, bone crunching snap by bone crunching snap. Tell me why I shouldn't nip that giant, bush of a tail right o-"

"Hiya' handsome," Peg spun around before he could finish, walking towards him with a flirtatious expression, "could ya do the world a favor and help out a poor, lost dog?"

He stood in wonder for a second, before clearing his throat, "S-sure thing miss. Where exactly are you headed?"

"Anyplace with food."

"F-food, oh! Oh! Food! That sandwich right there, it's all yours!" He stammered out nervously and with a blush on his face.

"Thanks Honey." She turned back to the sandwich, quickly scarfing it down. She allowed a look back at the other dog, who was staring at her, but quickly averted his gaze. When she was done and turned back to face him, he spoke again.

"Oh, uhm, mam...if you ever need food, I've got this friend, big guy, always knows where to look. Bull is his name."

Peg looked up to think for a moment, "I might just take ya up on that offer, where could I find him?"

"I could take you to him."

"That sounds like a plan, lead the way handsome."

He blushed again, before leading her out of the alley and down the street.

"You are the one saying that..." Even Boris seemed surprised, "Dear friend Toughy had the love eyes for you?"

"Ha!" Pedro seemed all too pleased by this, "Now we have something else to laugh at him about as soon as we get out of here."

"Oh grow up Pedro, it was really sweet," She attempted to reason, "not like it lasted really long anyway."

Bull nodded in agreement with her story, "That's right, I remember him introducing you to me. The bloke threatened to break your legs?"

Peg shrugged, "His name is Toughy, so I guess it checks out. Gee, storytelling sure gets me sleepy." She looked over to a certain cell, "Hey Daschie, how's it coming?"

"Don't worry, we'll be out in no time." His voice sounded distant and muffled, the clearest indication that he was underground.

"Well there ya have it." Peg yawned. "Why don't you boys get a chorus going? Could be useful."

They all nodded in agreement, before Peg went to lay down.

AN: Kept you waiting, huh? No, but seriously, sorry for how long this one took to get out. I really struggled with it for some reason and had to ask not one, but two! Two different authors for help, ('theoneandonly007', who was a great help with some of Boris' dialog and 'SkibidiBopmmmDada', who helped me come up with the Ma Fitz' character, even though he's insanely busy right now), so huge thanks to them both. Jaiden's been working on the next Toughy chapter and now that I'm free of writing this, I should be able to jump in and help her. And then it's off to work on the next 'past' chapter.Thanks for reading!