Ayy chapter 2, here's where events from season 2 appear and things get angsy quickly. Sorry if some parts look weird here, this is where I rewrote a lot certain scenes and it kinda shows fdsaf
But that aside, hope you enjoy this chapter and stay tuned for chapter 3 next week! :
The pool thing from weeks ago has confirmed it: pranking the sheep is as funny as everyone claims it is.
Pidsley gets bored in the farm sometimes, and they are out there looking being so peaceful...it just so easy. Pidsley has to.
A loud noise that makes them suddenly run off here, a plate with cookies filled with toothpaste left in the field there...all simple stuff at the start, with the occasional more elaborated prank when he's really feeling inspired. No need to say Pidsley has a good laugh with the good results of each one.
Bitzer discovers eventually, scolds him foolishly thinking that's going to do something. The obvious things that happens is that Pidsley doesn't pay attention, like always—he has made Bitzer victim of a prank a couple times when he was with the flock actually. Bitzer is always on the sheep side even when Pidsley is the victim of the problem, the cat doesn't need to think of reasons to ignore the unfair dog by now.
His pranks are just once in a while anyways, and he has all the right to do them after getting laughed at for falling to calculate a jump or any other thing they for some reason find funny on him. Pidsley is stubborn and likes to have the last word, even if it means starting to get glares from the sheep and dog more as the weeks go by.
oOo
One night what was supposed to be a nice nightly walk goes wrong. Details aside, Pidsley still insists he won the fight with that cat even when the pain of recent scratches on his body and that bleeding wound behind his ear say otherwise.
This particular look doesn't go unnoticed when he arrives at the house. What reaction is to expect from the man that spoils him to no end at seeing his poor cat like that? A resigned sigh and a quick look at the wound ending in him waving it off before going upstairs to sleep...definitely wasn't.
Pidsley is disappointed, to say the least, but not that surprised. He isn't the only animal there. Other fights may have happened in all those years and so the cat arriving with a few scratches it's nothing new, doesn't provoke the pitiful need to make the cat a dinner for having to go through such a bad thing.
Nope, none of that. It is Bitzer who seems way more worried than his own human and Pidsley can't say that's who he wanted the attention from. He barely gets on the sofa before the dog is already sitting at his side, first aid kit on his paws ready to tend the wounds. Pidsley only allows it because he's tired(and in pain).
It would've been for the best it Bitzer did like his human and minded his business. But no, the dog doesn't stay quiet as he puts on the bandages. He goes on and on about this being the reason why Pidsley shouldn't just leave like that, that it's dangerous, that these are the consequences; and yada, yada, yada.
Someone who knew the dog long enough, or at least paid attention, would identify the worry in the scolding tone, one used through years of dealing with reckless animals that he actually cares about. But Pidsley doesn't know him enough neither listen. It's just another irritating speech for him.
The attempts to ignore and rolls of his eyes don't take long to evolve to an exasperated groan. Pidsley lifts a paw, opening and closing it repeatedly as he babbles to cheaply imitate Bitzer's so irritant talking. He finishes by yowling at the dog with no care of being too harsh by now— It's not Bitzer place to talk! Pidsley isn't a sheep, pig or chicken. He is above all that, always has been, and the guy has no right to call him off like that. Never had.
The silence that falls, the following frown of the dog, Pidsley cares about none of it. Nothing is said during or after that. Bitzer simply finishes with the bandage, closes the box a little to abruptly with a huff and then leaves. Once the light goes out Pidsley huffs as well.
The odd atmosphere in the dark room following that, the cat can't explain it. It's just there, making his fur stand to end as if sensing something bad coming up even when he's curled up all ready to sleep.
But nothing happens, and so he commits the mistake of ignoring his instincts in exchange for one quiet night of sleep.
oOo
His methods to shoo the sheep away from his home become more aggressive after one particular night. Making it short, various plates got broken in the house during an argument for the invasion, and it was Pidsley the one accused and forced to clean the mess up. A so claimed 'accident' that Pidsley considers was the last straw.
From then he doesn't hold back from arguing, trying and trying in vain to make them understand he's not joking any more, until it goes out of hand one night.
It's only wool what remains on his claws. No blood or anything that indicates actual damage, yet the invading sheep are staring at him now as he had just committed the most horrible of crimes. It's Shaun the one who steps up to bleat(nearly yell) the shocked claim.
Regret, an apology maybe is probably what the wooly-animals are expecting. But Pidsley doesn't feel any of that in the slightest. They are in his territory, one stepped on his tail, and no real damage was done out of a scare so he doesn't owe them anything. Pidsley only hisses and point at the door— Out!
While the other two sheep seem nervous, Shaun shows clear anger. After a moment of mutual glares the intruders finally leave, that one teddy bear they always have to retrieve from there on their hooves, and finally Pidsley gets the much-needed feeling of success after so long.
The method may be too aggressive, but Pidsley takes notes it's the only one that works at last.
oOo
The sheep don't show up in the house that much after that. The few times one had tried, the sight of Pidsley glaring and taking out his claws had easily made them change their mind. A problem less, but now there's another.
There's always noise in the house: the TV, the farmer going here and there, the animals outside...just now that there's absolute silence in the living room, Pidsley notices the dog sitting on the armchair across the sofa hasn't spoken a word to him all day.
That's not what Pidsley would call a problem really, odd maybe, but better than the scolding or repeated anecdotes of sheep. The silence of the dog has been a common thing since the pranks started actually, the argument from weeks ago setting it. It's easy to guess Bitzer finally got the message that Pidsley isn't going to listen to a thing he says.
He didn't take it well of course, but that's not the problem either.
No, the problem is the staring, and the way the dog has his paws intertwined over his lap in a way that screamed a serious issue was about to come up. Pidsley does his best to pretend he doesn't see it, but long ago it became obvious that Pidsley caught up with the basics of dog language. He can't escape from a talk this time.
It quickly grows away from the word 'talk' once it starts, both in volume and attitude as the want to defend their postures goes more aggressive. Bitzer dares to take the side of the sheep, claim him over Pidsley mistreating them; as if Pidsley just defending the territory the dog won't bother to was the problem in the first place.
The 'It's not my fault you can't do your own job right!' is what strikes a nerve apparently. Bitzer clenches his fists and growls, making Pidsley lower his ears for a moment. By instinct he arches his back in alert, but the even more aggressive yowl he sends indicates he's not backing up.
It's the farmer arriving on his pink stripped-pajamas who stops what could've ended in a psychical fight. Pidsley lowers his ears in expectation of yelling at seeing him, but is surprised to find Bitzer is the one being scolded instead. Any nervous attempts to explain from the dog are ignored as the farmer points at the door, ordering him to leave.
With his tail between his legs the dog complies, but not without directing a last soft growl at Pidsley from the door. Pidsley shots him an smug grin as he leans on the human palm that goes to pet him.
After the farmer leaves to sleep, Pidsley's return to the sofa is interrupted by bleating coming from outside. Arching a brow, he goes to the window to peck through what the slightly moved curtains allow. He sees Shaun and two sheep out there, all receiving Bitzer with questioning gestures. The dog just passes a tired paw through his neck before shaking his head and whoffing his answer. At seeing the sheep all having disappointed looks, Pidsley guesses it may all be about the complaints against him. Sure, blame everything on the cat.
When they leave with lowered heads Pidsley takes that as another success. Two on a row, a winning streak. At this rate they may learn to not bother him any more.
He goes to sleep feeling he's at the top of the world that night, but to his ignorance, things just start going downhill from there.
oOo
A lot happens as the weeks and months go by in the farm, as always. Though Pidsley could say some things changed in all that time, they really...didn't, in a way.
There had been the mutual glare at the breakfast table the next day after the fight(which the farmer was oblivious to), but out of that Bitzer and him don't fight neither talk now. They simply notice each other presence whenever it's necessary. Pidsley does, however, love to presume to the dog the fact that the farmer's soft spot belongs mostly to the cat of the house.
Things with the sheep are also the same. They keep getting into the house, because they just don't learn, and Pidsley keeps trying to accuse them with the farmer with the occasional claw appearing if necessary. Pranks are present once in a while too when he's bored.
But the thing is, now the sheep don't escape like expected any more; they attack back, prank back, and Pidsley is shocked to see they still don't respect him like they should after so long.
Bitzer is apart from that despite being a sheepdog, either stops their arguments or remains unaware of them(laughs along the sheep in some occasions). Overall, the cat's conflict with him keeps coming over the farmer's attention.
Bitzer only did it once, as revenge from last time probably; but since the dog shoot him that same winning grin after the farmer pet him in front of the cat, Pidsley just stuck to the idea that Bitzer is hogging the human on purpose. It makes sense, dumb dogs always want to have everything.
It all keeps going like that until Pidsley suddenly finds himself at the losing end most of the time. Pidsley just wants to live a normal cat life, he doesn't get why the sheep always need to interfere in that. Interrupting the nice dance with the farmer, attaching him to walls when defending the house, making the farmer scold him for things he didn't do...
They don't talk it out neither negotiate if something bothers them. The little room they had for that is long gone by now, and the not normal life in the farm now has to add a cat vs sheep/dog to the list of occasional conflicts.
oOo
Even with how unfair the situation may feel sometimes, Pidsley can't say he isn't happy.
The house keeps being all his, he still has fun doing pranks even if they don't always end well, and most importantly: the farmer still adores him. That's good on its own, but Pidsley doesn't realize what a huge advantage that is until in the middle of spring cleaning, he sees that picture of a young(with an afro)farmer playing golf with a blonde pup at his side.
The human is sitting on the sofa watching TV when Pidsley decides to put his plan in place. The farmer seems to take the surprise of Pidsley jumping on his lap well and soon the cat has, besides of a nice petting in his back, the satisfactory feeling of having someone glaring at him through the window.
It's not the first time Pidsley has rested in that lap, but now he has chosen the perfect timing of doing it after Bitzer was scolded for a thing the sheep did. The dog can't come inside to ask for attention too now neither can he get it the same way any more. Contrary to Bitzer, Pidsley's still small and light and can still be in a lap without being shoved out for being too heavy.
Why suddenly Shaun is there glaring too is a wonder, but Pidsley can't complain about his plan rubbing salt into more than one wound.
So unfair they can't rest on the farmer's lap any more. Such a sad, sad thing. But it's okay— Sending a a Cheshire grin at them, Pidsley accommodates further into the lap before closing his eyes to sleep— He's more than happy to take that place for them.
It all looks good for a moment until the phone rings. The farmer wants to get up to pick it of course, but Pidsley is already comfy and feeling like he's winning, so he pretends to sleep. The humans back in the flat were unable to disturb him when he did that, so obviously the farmer won't even think of getting up now that-
He does, and Pidsley can only scream before falling flat on his face against the floor. The man leaves as if nothing happened and the sound of loud laughter coming from outside just indicate that, once again, karma is just never on his side.
oOo
The farmer has a girlfriend, or so Pidsley—the entire farm by now— suspects.
The good mood, the romance tips books, the phone calls answered with a tooth-rotting sweet tone that get anyone to wrinkle their nose...it's obvious, yet Pidsley doesn't get a confirmation of it until the day of the failed first date.
As the(kind of violent)saying goes, curiosity kills the cat and Pidsley is forced to ask Bitzer when the smell of food and a decorated table in the living room get his attention. The dog's answer is kept short and simple, nothing like the detailed stories he would've given to vent on Pidsley on his first months there.
It doesn't mean anything, but Pidsley realizes then how long it has been since both pets shared a laugh over something dumb their human did.
oOo
He doesn't actually meet the woman in person until weeks later, when Pidsley smells a different perfume in the house. The living room receives him with the unexpected sight of cotton-candy like hair and a bright blue dress sitting on his armchair, probably waiting for the other human upstairs.
She sees him, and Pidsley's first reaction at the happy 'oh! Pspspsps' she does to call him is to arch a brow. That was dumb, he still didn't understand why humans did it. But just because it relates to getting pet he gets close. Jumping to elegantly sit on the armrest rewards him with a nice scratch under his chin.
The woman gives him a cookie from her purse then, and Pidsley instantly decides he approves her for his human.
oOo
Her presence in the farm becomes more common after that. The farmer is always in a good mood around her and the woman always has attention to give to the house cat so, Pidsley has no complaints.
The only one would be this particular encounter that is playing pretty awkwardly right now. Again the pink-haired is sitting on the armchair, checking her watch now and then looking impatient. Pidsley is curled up on one side of the sofa, arching a brow at the dog sitting so stiff at the other side of it. The forced grin shows in the stupidest way that the dog is struggling to find a good way to keep her entertained like the farmer asked him to and Pidsley can only roll his eyes.
The TV serves as a good distraction. The woman smiles as she releases a soft 'aww' at the pet snacks' ad in screen. A cat and a dog appear there, cuddling all nice and cute and Bitzer and Pidsley seem to share the same though when they look at each other up and down, then look away with an offended 'hmph!'. They may support each other's presence but something like that is never going to happen. Not now, not ever.
If it was another cat maybe, considering how the dog doesn't seem to hate cats, but not Pidsley. They have stopped liking each other a long time ago now, and even if the farmer or anyone considers that a shame, Pidsley doesn't have reasons to thinks things as such. Bitzer is as arrogant and overrated as any dog is, is always siding with the dumb sheep who never allow a minimal moment of peace in the farm. With that being always present, the mutual hate was a matter of time which had no way to be avoided.
Despite not having done anything Bitzer receives pats on the head when the farmer arrives. The sheep are already gathered outside ready to break mayhem the moment the human couple leaves. And by watching all those things he hates happening once again, Pidsley can't help but think on keeping his word: he doesn't regret how things are at all.
oOo
Festivities in Mossy Bottom are as chaotic as one may expect, Pidsley has lived enough of them there to know that well.
Pidsley's Christmas this year, for example, consisted on him running away from a red-haired brat trying to dress him in a huge pink tutu. Not the best, but the nice fish wrapped in gift paper the famous man in red brought him made him forget about any of that the rest of the night.
The new year celebration that follows days after is more calm luckily, with no people coming over and only consisting in the man and his pets. There's a dinner, a toast, and the mutual, unspoken agreement of Pidsley and Bitzer to not ruin the date for the human with some dumb fight—as angry as both are for the fireside incident from weeks ago.
To the relief of everyone the dinner is a success with not a single problem. After that the phone doesn't stop ringing with calls from different relatives and friends that keep the farmer talking lively for a while until the big moment of the night comes.
By now Pidsley knows it's not something to worry about. Even though he himself had jumped and hidden the first time it happened so long ago, the cat can't help but roll his eyes at seeing Bitzer curled up in a corner of the room, those earmuffs being pressed against his ears the most they can be. The farmer and Pidsley are able to enjoy the fireworks in the sky just fine, contrary to him.
'Changes come with a new year' humans tend to say. With his tail moving around as the cat remains sitting on the window's edge, he observes the exploding lights with interest and wonders what kind of changes this year could bring to the farm. He hasn't bothered to make a resolution list, but even if he made it...
Far away he sees the sheep, pigs and the rest of the animals peeking from their own houses to see the show. The farmer of course, doesn't notice any of that despite being right in front of him.
He has his complaints, but considering how good his life has been so far, Pidsley doesn't think he wants to change that much.
oOo
The so-called 'changes of new year' don't seem to be going in a good direction at all.
Things seemed the usual way at first. Calmness here, another prank there and the typical fight with the sheep as always. Maybe there's a little more destruction, more vases had been broken this month, but no big deal! Things get broken all the time in the farm because of the sheep anyways so it's nothing important.
His paw though, that's something Pidsley definitely has all the right to make a big deal of.
Broken is a strong word, it's just a sprain, but it still hurts a lot and this time Pidsley isn't being dramatic to get the sheep he had been wrestling with over that dumb mouse off
The constant cries seem to do the trick when the rolls of eye of disbelief slowly turn into concern around him. He hisses when one tries to reach for him and the idea doesn't completely settle until the farmer, gasping at realizing what was all the fuss outside his house was, goes to lift him and see his paw. He rudely shoos the sheep away imagining the worst, and if Pidsley doesn't feel better for finally not being at the bad end of the problem, it's just because the pain is blocking any other thoughts.
Because of that Pisley doesn't notice the lost gaze of the farmer as they wait on the vet, neither how the man's thumb barely touches the hurt paw in a deep, complicated thought...
Nowadays, the cat would say the big problem to come started there.
oOo
When they return from the vet hours later, Pidsley finds the oh-so-lovely(not) view of the sheep peeking their heads over the wall. The concern in their eyes is completely unexpected.
After leaving the truck, careful to not make his bandage-covered paw hurt, he instantly sends a well deserved blaming glare at them(even knowing he was the one to start the fight in the first place). Some look away in guilt, others have a confused face as if not knowing how to feel. Pidsley just hopes they all learn to leave him alone after this.
That evening the cat is showered in attention by a worried farmer. In the comfiness of his sofa, Pidsley receives food and any favour he wants whenever he calls. The task doesn't take long to be passed to Bitzer after a while, who's annoyment quickly turns into pity when Pidsley does an exaggerated cry of pain to convince him to bring the food faster.
It all gets better when Shaun and other sheep join into that at feeling guilt. Pidsley feels, is in paradise.
But taking the chance make them treat him like a king(massages and asking to be feed grapes is an excess, apparently) makes them draw the line after a while, and they all leave once they discover that Pidsley's isn't really in as much pain as he pretended to be.
Once more, even when it were the sheep who did the worse thing, it's Pidsley on whom the blame falls on when the farmer sees the disaster of the room. While cleaning as he can Pidsley swears revenge, and so begins another year of dumb fights in the farm.
Only good thing is that they have absolutely no way of getting worse at this point.
oOo
Another bad signal of bad changes of this year, is the situation Pidsley lives this one particular night.
Pidsley has found lots of odd things when returning home from his outside hangouts: broken fences, messy living rooms, that the pigs have invaded his home even!—He would've claimed them about that already, but the cat recognized a definitely lost battle when he saw it and three enormous pigs who had already beat him in an unwanted wrestling match was one of them.
Complete silence, however, is uncommon.
A dim light from the living room is the only guide he can follow—in all four and with no pain now that his paw has healed. There he finds that despite the silence, someone is there. The farmer, sitting on the sofa, looking the saddest Pidsley has ever seen him. He remains unaware of the cat that has just entered the room.
Bitzer is lying dog-like at his side, leaning his chin on the man's leg and looking at his human with equally sad eyes. The farmer pets him softly, but that doesn't seem to erase the dog's worry as he turns his head to lean it on the soft cushion.
The answer to what was going on appear right in front of Pidsley when he looks down. On the floor he sees a photo, which he picks up to see it's from the farmer and his girlfriend.
The two have had problems, as every couple does, but it was the first time Pidsley has seen his human this sad over that. It's not difficult to reach the conclusion that they may have broken up for good.
Pidsley arches a brow at his mopping human, who just sighs heavily, then at Bitzer glaring at his unsympathetic reaction. Pidsley glares back.
Emotions aren't he strong point, Pidsley won't lie. He could just leave and allow Bitzer to do that part since Mr-I-know-everything seems so confident on that. But he's the farmer's pet too after all, he won't do that no matter what other animals think.
What to do is a mystery no matter how determined he is, so Pidsley just...meows and rubs his head against the leg to make the human notice his presence.
A soft questioning sound receives the action, followed by a nearly unnoticeable smile. Pidsley is gestured by a couple pats on the fabric to go jump on the sofa. The cat instantly does so to lie down on the free spot beside the man. He receives a light caress of his own accompanied by a sad smile.
At not seeing further threat, Bitzer glare calms down as goes back to be of support for his human.
At the damp orange light of the living room's lamp, and with the human softly petting both animals, Pidsley will soon recall that quiet night as the last one where things seemed to be okay.