Hi everyone, please enjoy this new addition to this short story!

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Chapter 7: Dad Talk

About ten minutes later, we arrived at the park, and we got off: heading to where I first woke up. On foot, it was another ten-minute walk to the small forest where I first woke up (and where I first met Bluey and Bingo.)

"So…you were right there!" Bandit exclaimed while the Red Heeler walked forward toward the entrance to the woods, "well, I'm not having the girls step in here again!" She wittily said. Either way, once we walk through, I point to the site where I first woke up (my scent helped in finding exactly where the spot is.)

I sighed, shaking my head slightly. I looked down toward the very place I was not too long ago and was soon overwhelmed with emotion.

The parents saw the despair on my face, and they knew: nothing was here to take me back home. Both Bandit and Chili looked at each other before rushing over to me. I started sobbing a bit as the parents tried to comfort me. I sighed, wiping the tears off my face with my paws, "so then…what now…"

"Only thing 'ya can do is think positive, mate" the Blue Heeler reassured me.

"Yeah…but there's nothing to guide me in the right direction!" I suddenly exclaimed, hiding my small face between my paws for a moment.

"Dustin, listen" Chili Heeler intervened, bringing my face toward hers with a paw, gently doing so, "I know you're scared" she began. Her motherly instincts seem to be kicking in, "but if something brought you here, then more than likely there's something that will take you back. Don't think of this as a one-way journey, honey."

I sighed, wiping away the last of my wet tears with my fur, and nodded before she continued with a soft smile, "remember what we discussed…maybe all you have to do is learn how to be a dad."

"Right…I guess I'm just wondering how I'm going to explain all this to Julie back home."

"I don't know, but like my husband said you've got to be confident things'll be alright."

The other canine, Bandit, stepped forward and kneeled to be the same height level as me…putting a light-blue paw on my shoulder, "yeh! Look sport, I've read bits here and there about many universes and stuff in my own time. Maybe when you get back, it'll be right where you left off, you never know!"

I sighed, standing up before looking at them both again, "when you put it that way…I guess anything can make sense, maybe you two are right. Thank you."

They nodded, smiling innocently, "I guess we could leave now" I looked away, but they agreed. There wasn't anything and well…our time could be spent elsewhere. Then, a thought crossed me, "are we close to a library?"

Chili nodded soon followed by her mate, "we could. Heaps of stuff there to read to help you." The latter said.

"Your world is pretty much the same as mine, but I'd like to see if there's stuff that I know that exists here too."

They felt obliged to and so, Chili stepped forward excitedly and it isn't long before the two adults agree to the plan, "righto."

…

Not too long after, we were in a public library not too far from the park. I spent time trying to find out more about their realm. Bluey's parents decided to take this time to collect some books to read alongside me as I continued my research into the late morning. I guess even after everything they were still surprised to see such a young child reading books intended for adults, they knew I understood every line…every sentence. Some dogs passed by us and gave odd looks, which warranted a sheepish grin from Bandit, who tried to make things less awkward.

I had so many questions, but most were answered when I glanced over a handful of books. Some things are similar to our world, but they have different names and such and celebrities have similar music to the ones in my world. Media-wise, nothing is precisely the same, which explains why no one here knows what UNO is…etc. I just had to ask the couple about more complicated things younger kids really don't know about. I asked them about crime, war (which their history lines up with ours as aforementioned), discrimination, and heavy stuff like that. As to be expected, they said yes to all of these things…they had them all.

"Jeez…I guess things are the same in that department. I mean, I don't recognize any of these books, any movies…nothing. We don't have any of these in my universe, they're all unique!" I glanced over an encyclopedia for the animal kingdom, and what surprised me a bit is that once I got to canines…dogs were displayed as if there were people (humans.) I mean, there were pictures of dogs driving cars, doing construction, working in office buildings, and farming…from all over the world. It felt surreal, to say the least. The Blue Heeler across from me leaned over, and a thought crossed his mind at that moment.

"Kiddo" I heard Bandit ask, leaning forward…making sure no one else was nearby but the three of us, "so it's true what you said…dogs…don't walk on two legs and talk?"

"Correct" I nodded with a hint of regret in my tone, "but…something you got to know…where I come from: dogs and humans…we get along pretty well. We look after one another, we're practically best friends in the animal kingdom."

"Really?" Bandit smiled.

"That's comforting" Chili stated, leaning back on her wooden chair, "if that's true, at least we're treated with some dignity."

I push the books away, sighing softly, "I've got to admit…it's cool…" I murmured, almost quietly.

"What is?" she tilted her head in curiosity.

I shrugged back, "being able to hang out with dogs as if they are just like us. Being in this world just makes me wonder if our species actually co-existed this way…man…imagine the possibilities…" I spaced out as I thought this. I then looked toward Bandit…this next bit is going to tug his heartstrings for sure…what with his degree and everything, "in my world, I think without dogs…we humans would have never survived…evolved the necessary traits that allowed us to thrive."

He chuckled at this in response, closing the book he was reading a few minutes ago and setting it aside, "dogs in this world didn't use to walk upright like we do now. We used to be savages, mate."

I raise an eyebrow at this, scoffing silently under my breath, "so…maybe…maybe your kind took the place of mankind! M-maybe in this universe they never existed…someone HAD to have filled the gap…right?"

"Could be onto something here, Dustin" Chili smiled, nodding in agreement.

"Did your kind ever find anything in the fossil record that could point to anything being human?" I asked the blue dog next to me, but he shook his head in response.

"We would have found something."

"I believe you" I sighed. I stood up, deciding to leave, "I guess we're done here."

The parents looked at one another before nodding, "alright."

…

We walked out of the public library and entered the family Jeep. I put on my seatbelt without assistance and chuckled to myself before Chili, sitting up front, looks back with a playful smirk on her face, "what is it?"

"I sometimes get coffee at this hour, especially for long days."

Bandit chuckled at this, figuring it was a good excuse to head over to a café. And…we did. The three of us make it to a coffee shop with a decently sized patio outside. The parents got hot beverages for themselves while I decided on a small cappuccino. The thing is, I didn't want to get one too big…since I'm very young in this body and such. It's a good thing Australia has proper-sized drinks unlike in the States (sorry Americans but it's true), a medium here is similar to back home: 473 Ml; however, I got a 354 Ml cup instead.

Chili went to get the orders as Bandit and I sat at a table. The former turns to me with a curious look in his black/blue face, "so, where are you from, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Canada…near Toronto to be more precise" I answered as he chuckled, "brr, no thanks…too cold this time of year over there I reckon."

I scoffed. A few moments go by of us sitting silently next to each other. He looks down toward me again but with a more "serious" expression; however, he has a pretty calm demeanor as if he wanted to ask something more personal than anything, "if you don't mind me asking, squirt, what are you going to name your daughter?"

I look back at him…wondering why he's asking. I guess he's trying to lighten the mood…or maybe it's what they call "dad talk?" Nevertheless, I decided to yield…seeing no harm in answering.

"Kailey" I looked right at him at that very moment, "any advice you have for a soon-to-be father, Bandit?"

It didn't take long for the dad to respond. He put a paw on my small brownish shoulder and said, "have fun with it. Lead 'em right, just obvious stuff, kiddo. Sometimes, it's…not obvious, but you just gotta do your best." Bandit lightly slapped my back with a paw and chuckled, "you got this, mate."

I smiled wholeheartedly in return, taking in his advice. Our little moment ends when Chili comes back with the drinks, "righto, here you boys go" she smiled, handing the drinks to Bandit and me.

"Thanks" we both said as she sat down with us, holding her coffee. As the couple begin to indulge in their drinks, I take a sip of my caffeinated drink and I immediately reeled back in disgust. I shook my head afterward as the two looked down at me, and I stammered in embarrassment, "I-I'm sorry…" I licked my snout with my (now) long tongue. I didn't think that would happen…I LOVE cappuccino!

"It could be because you're in a younger body now" Chili suggested before I nodded softly, ears drooping in regret, "I apologize, I should have known. I LOVE coffee…"

"It's alright" Chili rubbed my shoulder before her significant other chimed in, "yeah, no worries, mate!"

"I'll try to drink to a little bit more of it."

In the meantime, we returned to the car. They checked the time and knew it was getting close to having to pick up the daughters from school. And so, we drove off to get them. On the way I tried finishing my hot drink, but to be expected, I could not.

I set it aside and sigh but soon my cone-shaped ears rise when I heard on the radio a familiar song…

"I-is that…"

Bandit Heeler (while stopped at a red light) looks back and smiled back at me. I listened to the lyrics as the instrumentals rang in my dog ears. There's no way, I thought NOTHING from my world was here, but apparently, this was!

I've been through the desert on a horse with no name…

"Get out, you have THAT song in your world!?" My tail wagged happily. Sure enough, he and I sang in unison as Chili held her giggles with her paw.

"In the desert, you can't remember your name, for there ain't no one for to give you no pain!" We sang the chorus as Chili laughed at the ridiculous scene before her.

"Rippah!" I squealed in my seven-year-old voice as we continued singing, making our way to pick up Bluey and Bingo from school.

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Woo! I hope you all enjoyed this recent chapter. See you in the next one!