Alright, so short chapter today, im sorry. but this is all you'll get for another three weeks, so, savour it. Lol. xP

"So, did anything happen in the rose garden with Haruhi yesterday?" Honey asked.

Honey, Mori and Marley were on their afternoon walk. It was a nice day, warm with a cool breeze, and there was a feeling of optimism in the air. Marley stopped to sniff a fire hydrant.

"How did you know we went there?" Mori asked.

"Oh, I had a hunch." Honey giggled, winking at Marley. Marley wagged his tail.

"Well, nothing." Came Mori's short reply.

Honey sighed. "Nothing?"

"Nothing."

They continued on in amiable silence.

'Mori-sama seems really agitated for some reason today.' Marley thought. 'Does it have something to do with Haruhi?'

"What's wrong?" Honey asked, obviously sensing Mori was unsettled.

He made no answer except to shake his head.

"Takashi!" Mitsukuni whined cutely.

"It's just..." He spoke quietly, so quiet Marley had to strain his ears and Honey leaned in. "It's just, when we were together in the garden it was the first time I've ever learned something about her, coming from her own mouth. And that was really nice."

Honey's smile grew, and he clutched onto Mori's arm and skipped happily. "I keep saying you two are so cute together!"

Marley yipped. He agreed.

Mori and Honey laughed, unaware that a stranger skulking in the doorway of a nearby building recognized that bark.

Hearing footsteps, the trio turned. Unfortunately, the two humans didn't notice Marley's face fall, his ears and whiskers droop, and his tail go between his legs.

'God help me...' He thought.

The stranger that was advancing towards them was tall and heavily built, muscles protruding from his arms, and calves like tree-trunks. His skin was a sallow orangey colour and his thick black eyebrows were knitted together in a scowl, his steely grey eyes narrowed into slits. His greasy black hair was piled on his head like an onion, and his clothes, which appeared to be dark shades of yellow and blue, were caked with dirt.

"Excuse me, er, gentlemen." He said, sarcastically emphasizing the 'gentlemen'. "Shou Wakahisa." He held out a hand, which Honey eagerly accepted and shook. "I'm so sorry to trouble you, but where did you find that dog? I've been missing one like that for about a week now."

Mori and Honey looked at each other, then down at Marley, who was shaking.

"I'm very sorry, sir." Mori said. "We actually found him around here a couple days ago. We didn't know he had a home already."

"Well, he does." Mr. Wakahisa said matter-of-factly. "I'm going to be needing him back now please."

Marley was frozen in fear. 'No! No!' He thought. 'Don't send me back there, don't make me go back to that hell-hole!' He felt a tug on the leash. He didn't move. He kept his eyes glued to the sidewalk and his bottom firmly planted on the ground.

"C'mon, you..." Mr. Wakahisa trailed off, muttering curses under his breath. Honey, suddenly feeling very scared, gripped onto Mori's hand hard. Mori squeezed back.

Eventually, Mr. Wakahisa just picked Marley up and walked away, not even saying goodbye to Honey and Mori. The cousins could hear Marley's whines a block away.

"Takashi, is he gonna be okay?" Honey whimpered.

Mori sighed, a knot in his stomach. "I don't know, Mitsukuni."

If dogs could cry, Marley would. Instead, he just sat, helpless, in Mr. Wakahisa's filthy arms. He was going back to the place where he was raised, and usually that's a happy occurrence for dogs. But not if that place is filled with bad memories.

They reached a tiny apartment building, run-down and sketchy. A drunk was sitting on the steps, someone offered Mr. Wakahisa heroine in the staircase. Luckily he declined and descended the stairs rather quickly to his own apartment.

Entering, the foul stench hit Marley's nostrils and he whimpered, the scent bringing back thousands of unpleasant memories, beatings and hunger and loneliness and despair.

Mr. Wakahisa plopped Marley in his cage, the cage he had hoped never to see again when he escaped. He whined.

"Eh, shaddap." Mr. Wakahisa said. He left the room, and soon the only thing left in the darkness with Marley was the dying clang of the metal door.

HAHAHA CLIFFHANGER im evil xP

SSSoOOoooOoOOOo

What do you think will happen to Marley? Where is he? And what will Honey and Mori do?

Next time... Marley's back story and origins are revealed. the club is worried for Marley's safety. And a certain dog belonging to a certain blonde is even more worried.

See you then!