As Theo tapped his finger on the arm of his chair while waiting, he looked to the bookshelf illuminated by the light from the fire crackling merrily in the fireplace.

"So much travel, so much to do.", he thought.

He looked out into Subspace and as peaceful as it was, he was still on edge. Something had tried breaking into his pocket realm, but who and why? He scanned the book covers and even took out a few to admire his past adventures.
"Cursing an emperor, helping a flock of humanoid ducks from outer space, making a spy dog's life more edgy, training up a monster wrestler, reuniting a mutant dad with his mutated sons, and two more realities like these to go.", he reminded himself looking to the one tome on a stand near his chair and clearly seeing that two more spaces on the gem were dim while the rest were illuminated, "I must hurry though. Whatever tried coming in here is bound to try again and next time I might not be ready to repel it or for that matter, be at my full strength when it comes to it."

He took a breath as the books he took out replaced themselves. Not long after he did, Theo felt a presence and a musical tune that played along with it.

"We'll meet again. Don't know when, don't know where. But we'll meet again some sunny day."

Theo tensed for he knew too well who that belonged to and a patch of Subspace cleared to show Bill Cipher playing a piano clearly into it. As scared as Theo was, the patch opened up to reveal it was only just a flashback before it closed again. Still, the show made Theo more than a bit tense especially since Subspace could do things like this.

"I have to be more cautious about how I travel through this place.", he told himself, "I just need to get those last two pieces of the gem back and I'll be finally home in my realm of origin."

He sat up straight in his chair and helped himself to the tuna fish sandwich he had conjured and polished it off with a glass of lemonade which came with it. No sooner had he finished them, they disappeared like they usually did and he tensed as a book floated off the shelf and Theo could see that it didn't have a title which ment that this was another part of the gem he would get if he went through what the book sent his way in the universe built within its pages.

"Okay, so which universe am I visiting this time?"

As if to answer him, Theo noticed the "Warner Bros." logo which made him pause a moment to think. He hadn't visited that universe yet, but which world was it? A flash went off temporarily blinding him, but when his vision cleared, he found himself in a grassy field alongside a road though he didn't feel much different.

"Okay, so far so good.", Theo said before thinking about his mirror and taking it out, "I wonder what I look like? It might give a clue."

What Theo saw in the mirror was a black lab's face though some human characteristics were still visible. He then checked the rest of himself and sure enough, he was a black Labrador retriever with the same glowing white runes across his flesh like he was before, though in this universe, he was more along the height of the average American male and the runes vanished giving him relief as a thought came to mind.
"If I'm where I think I am, then I have a feeling that my answer will come up to me right about-"

He was cut off when a newspaper that was flying by in the slight breeze caught his leg and he picked it up to a sight he had no trouble recognizing.
"Yep, this is Road Rover-verse alright."

/

Theo sighed as he recalled hearing about this particular world.

"If I recall, there's a rover in the ranks who is not as pure as he probably should be, but even he doesn't deserve the treatment his team has been giving him.", he pondered to himself.
Then as if by sheer coincidence, he looked down the road to see Blitz in his usual "cano-sapian" form and clearly looking stressed and worn down even if he was running down the road. Theo waved his finger and instantly he was invisible as Blitz paused to take a few deep breaths, but didn't look any better.

"Can't believe they treat me like this.", he grumbled to himself bitterly, "Especially Colleen. Why does she make fun of me like the way she does? Oh, if I could only get a break from it all."

He took a moment to get a drink of water only to have Theo explode out of his invisible state taking the Doberman by surprise.

"Did I just hear someone ask for a break?"

Blitz was literally on his rear and sitting down looking up at the new rover who was standing casually, but his expression only flinched slightly.

"Who… who are you?", he asked a bit nervous.

"Me?", Theo asked, "A misunderstood rover like yourself. I guess you could say we're two of a kind you and I."

Blitz still looked confused.

"Misunderstood? Me?", he answered trying not to look interrogated, "I'm not misunderstood."

Theo raised an eyebrow.

"Are you?", he asked, "I guess I could take your word, but why is it I feel your distressed?"

Blitz was a bit taken aback, but didn't stay silent as he felt this rover might be someone to confide in about his issues.

"It's my team.", he muttered bracing for the teasing that might come, "I feel like my teammate Colleen makes fun of me too often and I'm doing most of the dirty work."

Theo looked understanding.

"Yes, that would get most people down.", he said plainly before smiling slyly, "Your team probably wouldn't think otherwise unless… you prove to them how invaluable you really are."

Blitz was surprised as curiosity gripped him and he got to his feet.

"You can do that?"

Theo's smile got bigger revealing his pearly white fang like teeth.

"My dear fellow rover, that's what I do.", he answered still keeping his sly tone, "It's what I live for. To help unfortunate people like yourself. Poor souls with nothing left to lose."

Blitz felt a little nervous. Something about this rover made him feel uneasy, but at the same time, he felt like he should hear what this rover had to say. After all, what did the other members of the team cared? They probably would laugh it off like they usually did. Still, a musical melody grabbed his attention as Theo's runes started appearing on his body making the Doberman tense.

/

Theo took a breath before starting to sing. He had done this before with a certain emperor of China and was certain it would work on this soul as well.

"I admit that way back when, I did have issues. They weren't kidding when they called me kind of strange. But you'll find that presently, I'm humbled as can be. Rethought my life, seen the errors, made a change."

He paused a moment to get his face close to Blitz's which made the Doberman uneasy.

"True? Yes.", Theo told him before stepping back and continuing, "And I fortunately know a little secret. It's a quality I always did possess. And recently, please don't laugh, but I use it on behalf of the repugnant, downtrodden, and distressed."

Theo paused a moment unable to stomach his own words as he lowered his voice to keep his comment to himself.

"Briefly.", he muttered before posing dramatically and raising his voice to sing again as illusions around him shimmered as if to illustrate for him, "Poor, unfortunate souls. In pain, in need. This one longing for attention, that one wants to be the best and do I help them? Yes indeed."

Blitz stood completely spellbound as Theo snapped his fingers and a couple illusionary rovers near him shifted into happy successful ones as Theo continued.

"Those poor unfortunate souls. So sad, so true. They come groveling to my chambers crying, "Miracles, Theo please!" and do I help them? Yes, I do."

Theo's illusions shifted again only to show the rovers looking nervous and apologetic as Theo sang the next verse.

"Now it's happened more than twice. Some just wouldn't pay the price. And I'm afraid I had to drag them down the hole."

Theo's illusions shimmered as the rovers withered painfully and became mere skeletons that crumbled to dust making Blitz's stomach churn as they disappeared making Theo grab his attention again.

"I admit without complaint, but in defense I've been a saint.", he sang before pausing a moment to let it sink in before continuing, "To those poor unfortunate souls."

Blitz's nerve was waning and his legs wanted to bolt out of there, but why couldn't he as Theo came up to him still smiling that sly, knowing smile.

"Now here's the deal if you dare. There's a plan that I'll prepare. Just agree and you'll be off the radar three whole days. Got that? Midnight to midnight. The day after the third midnight, you'll return to your life with the other rovers, but not after you take a vacation in sunny Hawaii."

Blitz suddenly felt optimism spark in his heart. He had always wanted to go there, but he paused as he remembered something.

"But my team.", he put in, "And Germany. Won't they know I'm not there?"

Theo didn't look worried.

"I got that covered.", he answered like a salesman would, "While you're away, I'll have a stand-in be in your stead. It'll be like you never left, though to be fair, the stand-in will get a point across that you're not as much as a pushover as they think. After you get back, he'll go away and life goes on for you. We got a deal?"

/

Blitz felt it was too good to be true. A vacation and a break from his team's mistreatment in one day? He had to be dreaming, but he knew he wasn't.

"So, someone will be replacing me?", he asked, "Won't my team and Germany know?"

Theo shrugged.

"Hey, I'm just providing the premium package here.", he said plainly, "Life's full of tough decisions don't you know?"

Blitz couldn't disagree with that as a flashback of his previous life came to mind. He was once a guard dog for a thief which made him have a bad reputation. Why the Master chose him, he never knew, but he always felt like he was out of place and though he had tried to show Colleen he cared for her, she repaid him with resentment and cruel jokes. Then Blitz tensed as he thought something like this didn't come without strings attached.

"Maybe, but what do you want from me in return?", he asked as his former street smarts kicked in.

"Your gratitude will be enough for me.", Theo answered calmly keeping his poise and tone, "Just consider it a gift from a friend Blitz."

Blitz's worry faded like a bundle of paper in a bonfire as he heard his real name being said. It wasn't often someone did so and for that matter, not many who would. But still, why did the guy ask only for his gratitude? And how would the stand-in compare with the team? His nerves stiffened and he backed away from Theo.

"No, this… this doesn't feel right."

He turned to leave, and got a few feet away before Theo's voice caught his ears.

"Fine, forget about the respect you crave for, go back home to those bullies, and never be taken seriously again."

That was enough for Blitz to freeze and turn as Theo started singing again only more dramatically than before.

"Come on, you poor unfortunate soul! Go ahead, make your choice. I'm a very busy rover and I haven't got all day. Just decide now and rejoice!"

Blitz buckled under the temptation Theo was providing, but Theo could see his will was wavering and wouldn't hold up long after this.

"You poor unfortunate soul! It's sad, but true.", Theo continued before slinking up to Blitz's side, "If you want to earn rewards my friend, you have to play the game. Skim the print, take a breath, and go ahead and sign your name."

Theo conjured one of his magical contracts and allowed Blitz to read the writing before conjuring up a blood-red quill:

I hereby grant unto Theo, the Rover of Subspace

One favor in return for one service ordinary or not

While fulfilling the terms Theo places until the deadline

Or otherwise for all eternity.

Blitz's mind was racing as he thought about all the resentment he had taken, all the dirty work he was forced to do, and all the cruel jokes he had to stomach just to be a member of the Road Rovers as Theo's voice rang in his ears.

"The boss is on a roll. This poor, unfortunate… soul."

Finally, Blitz's resolve broke. He grabbed the quill pen and without a second thought, scribbled his name across the doted line. The quill vanished as Theo rolled up the now signed contract.

"Done.", he said plainly.

"Now what?", Blitz asked.

Theo pointed down to his feet.

"Now, you have a plane to catch."

/

It wasn't long before Theo and Blitz were at the airport and Blitz was getting his bags checked in. His nerves were evaporating like ice in a furnace as the thought of a relaxing three-day vacation in Hawaii now flooded his mind. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and he was not going to waste it! Now that he knew Theo's name from the contract he had signed earlier, he felt more at ease.

"Thanks Theo.", he said giving his new friend a friendly smile as his passport was returned to him along with his boarding passes, "I appreciate what you did for me."

Theo said nothing as Blitz went through security, but his smile became ghoulish as Blitz was out of sight and out of earshot.

"No need to thank me Blitz.", he said calmly as he turned to leave, "Even the most arrogant dogs deserve some slack now and then. Maybe down there, you might learn a little humility yourself while your team gets the wake up call they deserve."

Theo was soon outside where he slipped into a nearby alley so he could warp without being seen.

"Now, to work.", he said slyly as he vanished away without leaving a trace.

In the time it would take to wink an eye, Theo found himself underground and not far off from a large fortress like structure. Most people would be in awe, but Theo kept his cool as he knew where he was.

"Well, got to keep up my end of the deal.", he said to himself before bracing himself, "Can't let the others know one of their own is off on vacation."

He snapped his fingers and felt the magic shift and meld his appearance while he hid behind a rockface. Patches of tan appeared on his face as his black lab appearance shifted into the Doberman look. After a bit, Theo removed his mirror and found Blitz's face staring back at him which made him lift up his spare hand to extend Blitz's indestructible claws and retract them to confirm to himself he was in fact a double of Blitz.

"Perfect.", he said to himself, "A little alteration to my voice and nobody in this place will be none the wiser."

He paused a moment and tried to imitate Blitz's voice when Blitz's communicator went off. Theo answered it as he had to keep up appearances.

"Blitz, you there?", Hunter asked as his image came on the small screen.

"Oh jah.", Theo said managing to imitate Blitz's German accent, "Just went for a sprint to calm myself down."

"Well, glad you're feeling better.", Hunter said smiling, "Can you get back here though? Parlov might be up to no good."

He hung up, but Theo closed the communicator smiling ghoulishly before heading towards the base. Blitz was off on vacation and everything was going according to plan.

(A/N: Theo sings a parody of "Poor Unfortunate Souls" from Disney's "The Little Mermaid". I claim nothing.)