Dog Days of Summer
Disclaimer: Don't own Victorious
A/N:
Chapter 3 (Gone to the Dogs)
"Clarence named me Rover," Beck muttered while walking with the girls. It was dinner-time at the house, so Trina and Clarence were eating. "Apparently I remind him of a dog he had as a boy. How did I get 'Rover', but you two got Cleopatra and Artemis?" Tori tore her gaze back with a huff.
"I'm not that fond of 'Cleo'." She was still agitated over how taken Trina had been with Jade, or rather, with cocker spaniels. It was great that she liked animals, and even better that Grandpa Clarence was an animal rescuer willing to take then in. "You should have seen it, how taken my sister was with your girlfriend." Jade rolled her eyes and Beck looked down to the girl.
"Are you saying you're wanting Trina to give you the affection?" Both of them teased her with a smirk and nudged her with their paws. "Not surprised."
"I'm not saying anything." She walked faster to get ahead of the couple. They were going to walk around the ranch and see what other animals there were. As for domesticated animals, surely there were other dogs and cats. "I wonder how long it'll be before the others realize we're missing?"
"Well Andre went on the field trip, so he won't be looking for us even if he thinks we're missing. Which, he shouldn't. Cat's been spending her time with Sam, and Robbie? Well, who knows what that guy's going to be thinking." Robbie ought to figure something out when they wouldn't show up with any items from the shop. "He might just assume we ditched him. Again."
She took a moment to pause and slowly looked over her shoulder, staring back at her friends. "So then, no one's going to be looking for us? Hard to believe. I mean, I understand our parents-with them thinking we're on that field trip, but our friends?" Once their friends realized they were gone, surely they'd come find them.
"I'm sure they will," Jade remarked, "Just give it time. Still, we're dogs whether or not someone does come looking for us." Jade walked ahead of the group, then stopped, looking from side to side. "You guys hear that?"
"We hear a lot of things," Beck laughed. Tori perked her ear up and scanned the park with her eyes. She heard pigs splashing about, sheep and goats calling out, and cows mooing. There was also the distinct sound of chickens clucking and ducks quacking along with the geese. "Is there anything in particular you're hearing?"
"Horses. I hear horses!" Jade's voice peaked with excitement and she took off in a run. Tori and Beck followed after, deciding not to ask about the girl's sudden interest in a horse. "I've always wanted to ride a horse!"
"You do realize that as a dog-"
"I know that! Shut up!"
It brought Tori back to her childhood, she and Trina would often come to their grandpa's ranch and spend all day riding around the farm on horseback. "You've never ridden?" She ran up beside Jade, somehow managing to keep her pace. "Trina and I could ride all day when we were kids."
"I never got the opportunity. Mom and Dad were always too paranoid to give that chance. When I was young, they thought I'd fall off and crack my skull." They slowed to a walk and moved around a barn till they found a pen with about five horses. Two Clydesdales, one Arabian, a Paint Horse, and a small colt.
Jade's eyes grew as she stood up and placed her paws on the lower horizontal fence. "Look at them. So majestic!" The larger Clydesdale turned his head and marched to the dogs, causing Jade to jump back and sit on the grass. "Wow, seeing them from this perspective is like…"
Tori was a tad concerned for her friend, but she wasn't going to say anything. It was better to let Jade work out this new and strange excitement of hers. "May I help you pups?" The horse studied Jade closely and turned his head to the side. "Try and keep the volume a little quieter, my colt is sleeping."
"Sorry," Tori stepped up beside Jade and motioned her head to the girl. "My friend here's just excited. She's never seen or ridden a horse before."
"I see." The Clydesdale leaned his head forward, gaining a closer look on the group. "I've not seen you three here before. Are you new recues?"
"In a way. We're cursed, so we're staying here with Trina for a while. Until we can find a way back to normal." It hadn't dawned on her what they were going to do when they did finally get back to human form. At least, she wasn't sure what to tell Trina or their friends. Their reactions were sure to be full of skepticism.
"Well, I would be glad to help out in any way. Would you like a layout of the ranch? I am, somewhat, the one in charge here." He motioned to the Arabian, who was eyeing him carefully. "She'd probably tell you otherwise. That's Miss Trina's horse right there."
"Really?" Tori wasn't surprised, Trina always picked the prettiest horse to ride. The Arabian was golden brown and had a long brown mane that had been freshly brushed. "Trina seems really happy here." It was said without thought, though she could feel her own words carving a hole in her chest and she didn't know why.
"We hear her say it all the time, she loves it on the ranch. Evidently it's the one place she can be herself-what that means, I'm not sure."
"What? She couldn't be happy at home?"
The Arabian walked over and set her head on the top of the fence. "I think she had to exaggerate herself a lot or something, she's very calm and happy here. Gets up and does the chores early in the morning, we help her study too." Tori raised an eyebrow as the horse whinnied. "By that I mean, she likes to study in the horse pen. Sometimes she'll ride us around the ranch while going over her notes, and she'll read aloud to us."
"Trina?"
"Yes. Who else?"
"I…" Tori looked away and furrowed her brow at the small ranch house in the distance. Her heart sank and her tail dropped while her voice grew quiet. "I never knew that about her. She's always acted like a crazy, deranged lunatic, and-" She stopped herself and closed her eyes. "Was that all for attention?" It wasn't like Trina needed anybody's attention out here on the ranch-there wasn't anyone she was trying to impress out here.
Only a bunch of animals that couldn't talk back or yell.
"No. I refuse to think that she's any different. She's got to be the same odd…" Tori ran off, muttering to herself while eyeing the house. There was no way Trina was happier on some ranch and away from their mom and dad. "Trina!" She bolted through the doggie door and lost her footing on the slick hardwood floor.
Trina looked up from the couch and watched as Tori slid into the nearby wall. "Cleo!" Tori shook off the pain with a moan and looked up in time for Trina to lift her off the ground and hold her against her chest. Tori set her front paws on Trina's shoulder and gazed at her grandfather sitting in the recliner beside the couch.
"She alright?" Clarence asked.
Trina rubbed Tori's back with a gentle motion and carried her over to the couch. "I think so. We really need to put a rug down there, Grandpa." Tori agreed with a small bark and let her head fall onto her paws.
Clarence scratched his stubbly chin and reached over the arm of the chair and rubbed Tori's head. "I suppose you're right." He pulled his hand back with a sigh and motioned to the laptop on Trina's right. "Make sure you finish your report for school so you can work the rides tomorrow."
Tori's ears perked up and she pulled her head back, staring at her sister with confusion. Trina looked at her and laughed. "It's almost like she understands what you're saying." Clarence chuckled and Trina scratched Tori on the top of her head. "Actually, I do think animals understand humans. I think I'll let Cleo help out tomorrow, I could use an extra pair of eyes."
"Wouldn't want anyone getting lost out on the ranch. Especially if those agents show up tomorrow." Trina laughed at Clarence, instructing him not to use the pitchfork to scare anyone away like he did the last time. The man brought his hand up to his lips and coughed violently into his hand. He set it down on his knee with a heavy sigh. "Maybe you're right in that I should stop smoking before it kills me..."
Tori looked over her shoulder and saw Beck and Jade sitting by the door. She hadn't heard them come in, but that was due to the fact that she was still recovering from her collision with the wall. "Do you know what they're talking about? What rides? The horses?"
"Yeah," Beck laid down and kept his head up while continuing, "The horses said every Monday they open the ranch to the public so people can ride the horses. It's about twenty bucks to ride."
Jade trotted over to the couch and looked up suspiciously, "Why is she babying you? Again?" Tori motioned her paw towards the door.
"I lost my footing, slipped across the apparently recently clean floor, and smacked into the wall." Jade ripped out with laughter and moved back towards Beck, who was shaking his head. Tori held a glare on the girl and turned her head away.
"You ever wonder what animals talk about?" Trina asked her grandfather. "It looks like the pups are all chatting, it makes me wonder what they talk about from time to time." Clarence removed his pipe and exhaled the smoke in his mouth.
"I think there's a reason God made us unable to understand animals. I imagine the things they have to say would be very wise."
Tori stifled a laugh and turned her head to her friends. "Wise? Jade? That's like saying Niagara Falls is made of gasoline." Jade rolled her eyes and snapped her head away from the group.
Trina leaned over with a grunt and set Tori on the ground. "Alright Cleo, I've got to finish my assignment. Go play with your friends."
"Play?" Tori cocked her head to the right and her lips slowly curled into a smirk. "Play like dogs do?" She faced Jade and wagged her eyebrows. The girl slowly turned her head back and frowned.
"No Tori. Don't you even think about it. Beck, make sure-"
Beck stepped over Jade and walked to the couch, laying down at Clarence's feet and watching the girls with a smile. "Sorry Jade, you're on your own on this one." Tori dashed towards Jade and jumped into the air, causing the girl to yip and fall to the ground.
"No!" Tori landed on top of Jade and laughed once with triumph. This was not just play, but for every witty remark and retort Jade had. "Why couldn't you have turned into an old dog! Why a hyperactive mutt?" Jade shot a glare at Beck and scowled. "If we get out of this and ever get a dog, we are not getting a poodle!"
Hope you enjoyed this chapter. So Clarence is David's father. We'll be seeing David in a few chapters, bear in mind that he's a law enforcement officer and that due to a lot of laws, sometimes the enforcers are made to look like the bad guy. The businessmen getting subtle mentions thus far will be appearing soon as well. Cat and Robbie will be showing up next chapter.