Well I thought I was going to graduate college but apparently not. You see back in 2011, I misunderstood the course catalogue that I was assigned and when I asked for help, it turns out that I took some classes that I didn't need so they upgraded me to a later year. So instead of 2010-2011 it was now 2011-2012. Well 3 years later, and 1 day after I did the ceremony of graduating, I get an e-mail saying that I never completed my courses and I was 1 point short. Turns out that I needed to do a science class with a lab, making it 4 point. Kind of stupid but this is Texas. Anyway, they never told me for over 3 years and when I'm finally free of being a student for 20 years, I get a 'oops you're one point short, gives us money so you can graduate'. So I'm sorry to disappoint but there's going to be even slower publishing off stories until I can ACTUALLY GET MY DEGREE I WORKED FOR, FOR 6 YEARS! Until then enjoy summer.

Chapter 21

Well after the trip, things started to settle down. Kuri continued her speech lessons, though she prefers telepathy when it comes to talking with D until she won't stuttered her words, Grandpa D has taken over the shop about 50% of the time though since he's no longer a bat, he prefers to travel here and there, Chris is as adventures as ever, and Leon is annoying as ever. But not all is well in the city of China town.

One day in the shop, Kuri was reading one of her Dark Parables books, now that she has 9, when 2 people walked in. One was a gentleman and another was a young lady, but the thing is, she's blind. D noticed them and said, "Well, if it isn't Miss Karen. It's so good to see you again."

"Count! You remember me?"

"But of course! I never forget a customer. I believe you purchased a pair of conaries a that time."

Karen said, "Oh, I feel to terrible…our ouse burned down, and so the birds—"

D had to interrupted so Karen didn't have to repeat it. "I am very sorry about the loss of your parents. Kuri and me read about it in the papers. Burglary, murder, and as if that wasn't bas enough, a fire."

Karen removed her sunglasses showing them her eyes. "Yes, and the fire stole something else-my sight…"

Then the man next to her said, "I thought a pet might be just the ting to take Karen's mind off all this. It's not healthy for you to be home alone all the time."

D grew suspicious. Thought people grieve in different ways, for man to simply brush it off was a red flag. "And you are?"

He shook D's hand. "He's my late mother's cousin. He works—worked with my father."

"I am Edward. Nice to meet you."

Karen grew a bit sad. "Ever since the tragedy, Edward has care of me…"

Edward put his hands on her shoulders. "Oh come on Karen! We're family! We have to watch out for our own!"

Then it got Kuri's attention and D looked at her. Kuri stood up. D said, "I see. Well, if miss Karen has lost her vision…are you looking for a seeing-eye dog? My assistant, Kuri can take you to one."

Edward said, "A seeing-eye dog? At a pet shop?!"

Kuri said, "Th-is is Chi-na-to-wn. We ha-ve all man-ner of cre-at-ur-es for sa-le." Karen noticed that Kuri has a disability like herself.

D aisd, "Now, if you will, Karen, please follow Kuri to the back room."

Edward grew worried. "Wait—I'll go too."

D said, "Don't worry. The animal will better reconize its master if they met alone initially."

Then the 2 ladies left leaving the men along. Karen said, "You're speech. What happened if I may ask?"

Kuri said, "Mu-ch li-ke you, I al-so we-nt thr-ou-gh a trau-ma-tic ex-per-ie-nce. But when I fin-ally got out, I had to m-ake my-self spe-ak a-ga-in. But I di-dn't do it al-one. I ha-ve pe-opl-e who love me. May-be this an-i-mal can he-lp you see."

Karen said, "I see. I'm sorry about Edward. He's just worried aobut me. The police still haven't caught the man who attacked my parents. He says the criminal might still be after me, so—"

Kuri put her hand her shoulder. "It's al-ri-gh-t. My step-bro-ther, Le-on, is in the case and he's rea-lly go-od at my-ste-ry ca-ses."

Then the 2 arrived at a room. When Kuri opened the door there was no sound. "It's quiet. Where's the dog?"

"He's close by." said Kuri.

"What?"

"Seeing-eye dogs are ex-tre-me-ly well tra-ined. They will not ap-pro-ach you until they get per-mis-si-on."

Karen smiled. "Well, it's kind of weird to say this but…" She held out her hand. "Shake."

Then she felt a glove covered hand on hers. Instead of a dog, it was a young man in germen solder clothing that dates back to early 90s boot camp. Karen shrieked and took a step back. Kuri stopped her before she could trip. "Kuri? This isn't a dog—It's human."

Kuri said, "I know it's a bit wei-rd but I as-sure you, he is a dog. He used to be a mi-lit-ary dog in Ger-man-y. He's a Do-ber-ma-n. I trai-ned him my-self."

Karen yelled, "You're lying. Playing tricks on a blind woman! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

Kuri said, "No trick. He will be-co-me your eyes and ser-ve you fa-ith-ful-ly as your bo-dy-gua-rd. Hav-en't you he-a-rd a say-ing 'Dog of the Mi-li-ta-ry' from an anime Full-me-tal Al-che-mis-t?"

Karen said, "I HAVE heard it before but…"

"You said that the cri-m-inal who kil-led your par-en-ts is still on the lo-ose. Al-tho-ugh your eyes fai-l you now, you are a wit-ness to the cr-ime. The cri-min-al may be af-ter your life as well. Thi-s dog will ke-ep you safe." said Kuri.

"But-but he doesn't even know me."

"He will o-bey his ma-ster's ev-ery com-m-and. He will pro-tect you with his ve-ry life. Just like a po-li-ce and mil-it-ary dog." said Kuri

"He'd die…for me?"

The dog did a salute and said, "Ja."

After a couple more minutes, the 2 left the shop with the dog and just in time for Leon to come in. Hey, wasn't that Karen Schneider?"

Kuri asked, 'You knew her?'

"The blind Cinderella who inherited a fortune 3 months ago."

D asked, "Did her family have that much money?"

"From what I heard, her father was in the middle of a patent application that could make the family millions." Then he grew suspicious.

D said, "Don't even think about it. We only sold her an eye-seeing dog." Leon groans and sat down. Then D asked, "Do you know if her blindness is permanent?"

"Actually I don't know all the details…But the doctors think her blindness is just a psychosomatic response to trauma. Like Kuri with her speech. I don't blame her. She watched as her parents were murdered and barely escaped the burning house. I don't think I'd want to see any more of such an ugly world either." said Leon.

Kuri asked, 'If she never gets her eye-site back can't you do background checks on relatives that made suspicious acts prior to the murders?'

"Test came back inconclusive at the moment but we got someone more competent to go through them. We're mainly hoping it's just temporarily thing. Once she can see again, she can I.D. whoever did this." said Leon.

It wasn't until 4 days passed since Karen bought the eye-seeing dog. As Chris and Kuri were playing checkers and D minding the shop, the door opened and there was Karen with her sight again and the dog next to her, but not as a man. D said, "Aah Karen. It's been a while. Seeing as you no longer have sunglasses you can see again?"

Karen said, "Yes I can thanks to D-chan."

Kuri asked, "D-chan?" That's when the dog barcked.

Karen giggled. "I was wondering if you sell dog collars here. He doesn't like the ones at Petco."

D said, "I think we got a wonderful collection. Kuri how about you show her and I'll take over?"

Kuri said, "Sure. Sor-ry Chr-is. Have to tag in D."

Kuri stood up and the 3 went to the backroom where the items for dogs were. "So wh-at exa-ctly hap-pen-ed? Le-on to-ld me that the ca-se is clo-se tha-nks to D-chan."

Karen said, "Well at first I wasn't used to him being in the house and at the same time Edward and my maid thought he was still a dog. It wasn't until he saved when a car tried to hit me and I slowly got used to him. That night, I put my hands on his face and I felt his ears. Do all Doberman have their ears cut like that?"

Kuri said, "It's de-emed ill-egal now a days. Tho-ugh I have se-en a lot of Do-ber-man-s with full e-ars and ta-il but at the sa-me ti-me I've se-en so-me that we-re bo-rn with the cut e-ars and sho-rt ta-il. In ca-ses like that it's be-ca-me pa-rt of its DNA."

Karen said, "Well anyway. There was a commotion downstairs and when D-chan checked on the maid, she was knocked out and then I felt arms around me with a gun pointed to my head. It was my Edward me cousin. He wanted all of the money. Then D-chan saved my life but all I heard was a gunshot, fighting, and then I felt blood. That's when I made myself see again, and that's when I saw D-chan." She petted D-chan. "He was wounded but he saved my life and he's not even blamed for killing Edward. He just bit him on the shoulder but when the gun went off, it grazed him and shot himself. Now we're living with my uncle, who is very kind and had a dog himself." Then she smiled. "And here's the kicker. D-chan LOVES my uncle's dog." D-chan hid his face in his paws as the 2 laughed. "But I'm not pushing for breeding. I like to see love blossom naturally."

Then Kuri came back with 3 callers. "Well with one do-or clo-ses an-oth-er one op-ens." She presented D-chan with the 3. "Now wh-ich one do you wa-nt to ha-ve? I'll let you pi-ck D-chan." D-chan looked through all of them and picked the one with the golden spikes. "Fancy." She took it out and put it around his neck. "The-re we go."

Karen said, "Thank."

She was about to get the money but Kuri patted her hand. "Put yo-ur mo-ney a-way. This one is on me."

Karen said, "Thanks. Also I hope one day you'll have your speech back. In truth when I heard silence after the attack, I thought about what you said and I made myself see again."

Soon night came, and Chris was already asleep in bed. Kuri then got ready for bed and lay down next to D. D said, "I'm glad Karen is safe. Did you know something was suspicious with Edward?"

Kuri replied, 'I did. Especially when he wanted Karen to stop grieving over her parents death.' She laid her head on his chest. 'What was your mom like?'

D put his arm around her and put his other hand behind his head. "To tell you the truth. I barely remember my mother or grandmother. I mean with grandpa being a playboy is one thing…" He heard 3 knocks on the wall. His room was next to theirs. "But I don't exactly know about my mother. My theory is, since father is so into recreating animals that he was married into his work and she left." He turned to her. "But I promise, when we marry and have a family, I won't repeat their mistakes."

Kuri smiled. 'You better or else me and Leon will hunt you down.' She started to laugh.

D tolled his eyes. "Are you sure you're only related to Leon by adoption?"

Kuri laughed and kissed him. D gladly returned the kiss and soon he was on top of her. They proceeded the night with love making but this time D used protection.