Crystal stopped in front of Remy's door. She listened closely for any movement, but then remembered he was basically silent because he was a thief. So she sighed quietly and reached for the handle. As she turned the cool metal knob, she heard the small click of the door. She cracked the door open and held in a gasp. Gambit was definitely up, but he was sitting in his wheelchair typing on a laptop. Actually, it looked a lot like Scott's laptop. Crystal watched in wonder as he exited the web browser, and went to Microsoft paint. What?

Just as the mouse started moving, creating a streak across the screen, Crystal was pulled backward by a hand. She flinched and felt the electricity flow to her fingers. "Hey, are you, like, ready to go yet?" Relief spread across Crystal's face. It was Kitty, and she was ready. "Y-Yeah, I was just making sure Gambit wasn't paying attention," she whispered very quietly, glancing through the crack again, seeing the abandoned laptop lying on the floor. "Well, he's not," Kitty whispered hurriedly, "so, like, let's go before he starts paying attention!" She yanked Crystal's arm and ran down the hall dragging her, leaving the door open, and not noticing Gambit had been standing in the doorframe.

"Whoa, Kitty, slow down!"

"Like, no way, Krys! We've, like, only got two hours before everyone eats breakfast! We can't let them see it!"

"But you're pulling my arm off!"

Kitty looked at Crystal's arm where she was holding it. "Oh, heh-heh, sorry." She let go just as they got to the garage. Kitty grabbed a set of keys off of the wall and ran to Scott's convertible. Crystal stared. "Uh, Kat, I really don't think that's a good idea…" Kitty started the car, and said over the engine, "Like, why not? I, like, know how to drive!" Crystal slapped her forehead. "Oh-my-gosh, why?" she muttered, getting in the red and white sports car. "Cool, let's go!" Kitty yanked the car into reverse and Crystal's stomach lurched like the car. Oh great, she thought bitterly to herself as they pulled out of the driveway.

…

The two teens stood outside of Sam's Pet Shop looking in the display window. There were three adorable kittens playing and chasing each other. A sign on their crib said "SALE! 2 Cats for Price of 1". Kitty turned to Crystal, who was looking past the kittens at a crib of puppies. "Are you, like, totally sure Gambit's not a cat person?" Crystal rolled her eyes and pulled her easily distracted friend inside. "Yes, I'm 'totally sure', Kitty. We're here for a dog, not a cat." Suddenly a man's voice broke through the conversation. "So, yer lookin' for a dog, eh? Bet ya we can 'elp ya there, missy." It was an Irish accent and sounded awfully cocky, which reminded her of Gambit.

Crystal turned to see a tall man with fiery red hair and bright green eyes in a thick coat that seemed to be made of animal pelt. He gave her a cocky smile and said, "What? You 'onestly think I'm that much like the ol' Cajun? Eh, pity, that is, Krys." Crystal stared in awe at the man who somehow knew her. Kitty sort of cocked her head. "Uh, do we, like, know you?"

"Well, I sure'd 'ope so, seein' ya know m' dear Emma." Something must have clicked in Kitty's head, because she ran up and hugged the stranger. "Banshee! Emma told me about you!" Crystal was still really confused, but she didn't let it on. "The one an' only, Shadowcat. So," Banshee turned to Crystal. "You're Crystal, right? M' name's Sean Cassidy, call meh Banshee. Abilities: superhuman hearing, sonic screams, flight, concussive blasts, sonic energy lances, the ability ta cause nausea, disorientation, or unconsciousness, and immunity ta any powers of Black Tom Cassidy. Nice ta meet ya, Shocky!" Sean winked and turned to Kitty again.

"So, yer lookin' for a dog?"

"Yep, it's for Crystal's boyfriend—"

"—Gambit, Ah'm aware uh 'im. Apparently, I resemble 'im?"

"Yeah, like, apparently."

Banshee smiled at Crystal. "So, what type a dog you two lov'ly lassies searchin' for?" Crystal found herself blushing for some reason, but she shrugged. "Uh, we're not really sure. Do you have any idea what type of dog is good for a smoking, poker-loving, cocky Cajun in a wheelchair?" Sean raised his eyebrow. "Wheelchair? Krissy, dear, what'd ya doo to 'im?" He emphasized "do" so strangely. She guessed that his thick Irish accent made him hard to understand sometimes. "Me, well, I didn't do anything. The Danger Room, on the other hand…" Sean just rolled his eyes and the bright green glinted in the light. "Charles really needs ta lighten up on 'is trainin', does 'e not?" Kitty and Crystal both nodded their heads as they followed Banshee to the back of the store.

"Well, these li-ul [little without pronouncing the two t's, but keep both syllables. Can you do it? :D] things might do the trick. You can pick one out, if ya'd like too." Crystal and Kitty struggled, but managed not to laugh at his funny accent. The Irish man sauntered off, whistling, leaving the two girls to look at puppies. Kitty stared at the spot where Banshee had been standing while Crystal turned her attention to the rolling balls of fur.

"Hey, little cuties, what's up?" She petted a chocolate lab puppy and it licked her hand. Kitty was currently looking at a cocker spaniel with deep blue eyes. "Look, Krys, it's, like, just like me!" She held it up to her face and Crystal thought she saw the dog smile. They looked a lot alike, because they both had brown hair/fur, blue eyes, and they were smiling like lunatics on steroids. Crystal shook her head and laughed, "You can get it, if you want to, but ask Xavier first." Kitty was about to put the puppy back in the crib, but its cuteness overwhelmed her. "Okay! I'm, like, so getting this little guy!" Kitty kissed the spaniel's forehead and the puppy returned it with a lick on the cheek.

After the little situation, Kitty spoke. "So, have you, like, found anything ya like yet?" Crystal shook her head. She had been through almost three cribs now, but none of the cuties seemed to scream "Gambit!" in her face. "Well, Ah just might be able ta 'elp ya there, Crystal, dear," said the cocky Irish voice from behind them. She turned and almost ran into him as Kitty interacted with her new friend. "Whoa there, lassy, you got too be careful 'round these li-uh creatures," Sean teased and pushed her away from the crib she'd been looking at. "C'mon, follow me, then," he said cheerfully as he led Crystal to left wall of the store.

"This here is where we keep thuh bigger ones that don't get adopted much. Ya might find one suitable." Banshee opened a little metal door and almost instantly, loud barking echoed off the walls. As Crystal followed him inside the room, she saw many—as Sean said—"bigger ones". Each one was in a separate cage, and some weren't too happy to have visitors. "This here's a troubled one, she is," Banshee said over the barking, pointing to a German shepherd with silver eyes. "Hit by a blasted car twice I tell ya. An' it was thuh same one!" The dog looked up solemnly and seemed to bow its head in cautious welcome. Crystal, not sure what to do next, just bowed in reply, making the dog cock her head. She's a beautiful dog, she thought, but I'm not sure Gambit could handle a calm dog.

Banshee left the room shortly after their arrival, telling Crystal she could stay as long as she liked. As she roamed around the large metal room, she saw dogs of many sizes. There were little Chihuahuas and giant Great Danes; Rottweiler puppies were biting the metal bars on their cages. One cage had clearly been destroyed, because it was almost made completely out of fiber-glass. The puppy inside was massive and sleeping, thank God.

Crystal was walking down an isle of cages when she heard a low growl unlike the loud barking that filled the room. She pivoted on her heel only to see a Doberman pinscher "puppy" (it was big, okay?) laying down next to an open cage. It was adorable, and obviously not even a year old. And yet the little rascal had somehow managed to break out of its cage. Crystal wasn't sure if she should pet the dog or leave it alone, but before she made up her mind, the Doberman sat up and started to pant. As normal as that seemed, Crystal saw something different about it. As she leaned in to get a better view, something pink and wet tickled her ear. Then, slowly, Crystal knew why the sudden panting was different: that dog was smiling. And not just any doggy smile, either, it was the cockiest thing besides Gambit that she'd ever seen. Ever.

She smiled, and the Doberman smiled back, teeth and all. If Crystal moved to the right, it would nudge her back to the left, and when she leaned backward, the dog jumped on her. In less than a minute of laugher and barking, the dog had basically pinned her to the ground. Smiling and getting this curious little spark in its eye, the Doberman licked her, on the lips, for about two minutes…until Banshee came around the corner.

The Irish man was stunned. How in the world did that dog get out? He wondered as it got off Crystal, then went around to her back and pushed on her until she was sitting upright. "Ha-ha, thanks, little guy!" She patted the dog on the head and stood up, brushing some fur off of her shirt. The Doberman went over to where Banshee was standing and sat next to him, looking up at his shocked face. "Well," he started, scratching the puppy behind the ear. "Looks like ya found yer pet, Krissy."

…

"You're getting that for Gambit?" Kitty was terrified of Dobermans because all of her friends at Bayville had told her that they were mean and ill-tempered. Crystal just smiled mockingly, and Jacob (the Doberman, a.k.a Jake) did the same. "Yeah, it's just like him, and I figure Gambit's tough, so Jacob here should be tough, too." Kitty was starting to get very nervous as Sean rung up their purchases. "Well, yeah, but, like, don't you think that's a little too tough?" Crystal rolled her eyes at the same time Banshee and Jacob did, which made it look kind of creepy from Kitty's point of view. "Don't you worry, Kitty, Jacob's just a big softie on the inside. Jus' like Gambit, is he not?" Sean smirked and Jacob stared at a rubber poker chip toy.

Kitty wanted to relax, but she couldn't do it. She hugged Macy (the Cocker Spaniel) tightly and the little puppy yapped in delight. Jacob kind of said something (similar to a growl, but much more pleading) and nudged Crystal's side. Finally, she looked down at the whining dog. "What is it, Jake?" He pointed with his long muzzle at the poker chip and Crystal couldn't hold back a smile. "Sure, Jacob, your Daddy will be proud." She walked over with Jacob at her side and picked up the toy. "Here Banshee, can we get this, too? Jake wants it really bad." Banshee laughed, "No, sweetheart, you can 'ave it free of charge. You saved Jacob from being put through numerous tests,, and possibly saved his life. Take the toy, and that leash right there and be gone." She thanked the Irish man and grabbed the leash he was holding, and then walked out of the store followed by Kitty. This was a great idea, Crystal thought proudly to herself. "Now we just have to hide you until Christmas," she muttered as Kitty started the red convertible.