Hoomans are curious creatures.
Always on the move, even when the sun was at its height: the perfect time for napping under its rays and getting pats from passing strangers. They always got covered in sand when visiting this strange destination, where the water crashed against a wide open space, yet rudely never had the decency to clean one another off.
That said, they did lick the delightful concoctions made by Kara, so Krypto had to give them some credit.
Strange Hoomans aside, Krypto adored visiting this sandy destination with Kara. When the leaves returned to the trees and weather turned warm and sunny (perfect for napping), Kara would put her frozen ices in big tubs and drive them every morning to the third parking spot underneath the fourth tree to the right of Barry the Squirrel's home (Krypto brought him snacks every once in a while.) In return for strange smelling pieces of paper, Kara provided an incredible array of flavored ices that tasted exactly like the snacks Krypto would sneak off the dinner table. The ices were as delicious as they were forbidden: Krypto himself only getting to eat what he got as a reward (and whenever he could sneak the ones that were misshapen or melting.) Some tasted like the fruits Kara kept in bowls around her house, the long yellow ones and the green and red circles. Some were tart, like the yellow ones that were awful to eat but delicious in the pitchers Krypto had to climb on the table to reach. Krypto's favorites were the sweet ones that tasted like the frozen creams Kara would eat while sitting on the couch, watching the picture box. Others still smelled like the bottles of foul smelling liquid Kara drank with her sister.
Krypto and Kara would spend the day selling ices (Kara) and napping in the sun and getting pats (Krypto) while countless hoomans would buy those delicious ices. The Hoomans were small and tall, thin and wide, and all different colors on their bodies and in their hair. Some came again and again, spending a few minutes talking and petting before going on their way once more. Others came once and never again. This was the quiet life of Kara and Krypto for the summer, until friend Lena came, looking to buy one of those delicious ices and finding much more in return…
Even to Krypto, Lena arrived looking rather out of place compared to the other hoomans. Her dark clothes lacked any of the bright floral patterns most others were wearing, and her long-heeled shoes hung from her hands. Hoomans normally wore such clothing on their feet, Krypto concluded; if he could nod his head, he would do so intelligently at that moment. Despite her strange appearance, she still greeted Krypto with a perfect belly rub hitting all the right places, and a scratch on the head as he lay lounging on the grass. She stayed far longer than most that first visit, speaking to Kara in that strange language while her ice sat untouched, slowly dripping down her hand. If Krypto noticed Kara insisting on helping to clean off Lena's hand with far more care than necessary, well, those ices truly were delicious…
Friend Lena came by more and more after that fateful first encounter, first stopping by every few days to spend a minute here and there talking to Kara. Lena seemed to be using the excuse of buying ices in order to spend longer and longer amounts of time with Kara, and Krypto tried helping out by using Lena's distracted state to steal licks of her ice while she wasn't looking. Eventually these visits became daily, Lena visiting regularly during lunchtime, talking to Kara and giving Krypto pieces of a sandwich she seemed to purchase especially for him. Her clothes remained dark and with solid colors, and she could only spend a few minutes before it was time for her to return to wherever she spent the day. After a month or so, Lena added a visit in the evening too, looking far more casual with her hanging around her shoulders and those shoes named sneakers that didn't actually make her quiet. When Lena wore something floral and bright for the first time, exposing her stomach and legs, Kara looked like one of those Hoomans who didn't wear enough white sun lotion. It was noteworthy because she spent the entire day with them, even getting behind the counter and helping when lots of sweaty hoomans came by to buy tons of ices. It was also noteworthy that when Lena started eating one of the ices with a smile, Krypto had to give Kara a lick and a head bop to the leg to make sure she was still breathing.
As soon as Lena started arriving late in the afternoon, Kara and Lena would start to spend their nighttime's before the endless water, sitting together with Krypto in their laps and simply talking in low and affectionate tones. It was then Krypto realized something important: the only thing better than pats with one hand, were pats with two hands at the same time. Whenever friend Lena arrived with a happy smile for Kara and a snack for Krypto, Krypto knew that there would be three happy grins by the end of the night. The only time there wasn't was the first time Kara tied Krypto to the van and went out onto the sand with Lena, late in the evening. Krypto struggled fruitlessly against the leash for a few minutes, before sitting onto the ground with a huff. Far in the distance, he could see Kara and Lena… giving pats? How deceitful! Krypto knew he would have to work for these pats, no reward without effort. When he finally broke free and bounded with happy borks and a wagging tongue towards a flustered Kara and Lena, both were less than pleased. Needless to say, Kara tied the leash tighter after that.
But for all that Lena served as an excellent distraction for Krypto's sly quest for the forbidden snacks, every once in a while Kara would be pulled out of her reverie enough to catch him in the act.
"Dang nabbit Krypto, you know that's for Le- ouch!" Kara yelped, standing up too quickly and hitting her head on the low ceiling. "Shoo! Go play on the beach!"
With nary a glance and a flick of the tail, Krypto bounded towards the water, places to be and people to see. The day was hot, the wind blowing in from the wide expanse cooling his fur. Small Hoomans played in the sand, digging holes and building houses much too small even for them. With an ice in his belly and the sun overhead, life was good.
In the distance, a small pomeranian bounded about, nipping at tails while a content sea creature looked on fondly.
fin