Chapter 12: Charade Antics – Part 2


"I don't want a frog card! I want the ballewina card!" Muffin exclaimed as she revealed the card, the image being a frog.

We were all at a loss for words. All Chris could do was stammer with uncertainty. I know Muffin's only three years old but she must at least know that wanting to do a specific card is against the rules since we already know what it is she's trying to pantomime.

"Muffin! You have to do the one on the card!" Bluey explained a little exasperatedly, face palming with both her hands.

"But I wanna do the BALLERINA!" Muffin suddenly yelled in protest, stamping her feet in ire.

"O-O-Okay!" Chris held her hands up to try and ease Muffin before looking over at Bluey. "Bluey, why don't you look through the box for the ballerina card?"

"Okay, Nana!" Bluey obliged as she slipped off the couch and started to sift through the many cards still in the box. Bingo meanwhile had gotten of the couch as well and started twirling around, doing more ballerina poses shimmying up to Muffin in the process.

"Thanks, Bluey!" Muffin said as she put the frog card on the coffee table. 'At least she has some manners.' I thought as I brought my attention back to Bluey.

"Hang on… Won't we know that Muffin is a ballerina?" Bluey paused her search for Muffin's desired charade card to ask this question. I was about to back up Bluey with the question and explain that it's against the rules only for Chris to quickly answer for her.

"Oh, yeah but..." She leaned a little over to Bluey and asked in a hushed tone: "We'll play along for the littlies, okay?"

"Oh, okay Nana!" Bluey replied in understanding before going back to searching through the many cards. To be honest, I couldn't really argue with Chris' reason to make the game beneficial for younger dogs who had yet to fully understand the game.

"I can't find it!" Bluey exclaimed. There must be more charade cards in that box than I thought. "Keep looking!" Muffin demanded with her arms crossed, her face making it evident that she was starting to get impatient.

"What about a car?" Bluey suggested instead as she pulled out the corresponding card, the image being a bright red car.

"Ooh, would you like to be a car, Muffin? You can do this!" Bingo explained before for whatever reason, got down on the floor on her back, curling up slightly and rocking back and forth a little before remaining still in place.

"That's a squirrel!" Muffin commented. What is with Muffin and her supposed obsession with squirrels? Chris meanwhile took the card box and decided to search for the ballerina card herself.

"That's not a car!" Bluey was quick to point out, only to get a rebuttal of "Yeah, it is!" from Bingo.

"You kinda look more like a pill bug on it's back." I said, admittedly confused on what Bingo was doing to somehow represent a car.

"A car's like this!" Bluey then explained before miming herself driving a car for emphasis only for Bingo to remark that it was a steering wheel. At this point, Muffin had finally had enough and started stamping her feet again and jumping up and down in a fit.

"I don't want to be a car! I want to be a…!"

"Ballerina!" Chris finished Muffin's sentence as she held the card up, having found it.

"Hooray!" Bluey, Bingo, Muffin and even I cheered before Nana handed the card over to the three year old heeler as she looked at it with a smile whilst Bluey and Bingo joined us back on the couch.

"Okay, off you go!" Chris encouraged as we waited in anticipation for Muffin to begin her charade.

...Only for her annoyed look to appear again.

"I NEED A TUTU!" Muffin yelled in a very demanding tone, showing us the image on the card and pointing at it.

Bingo, Bluey and I sighed whilst Chris stammered briefly again before turning to Bluey again.

"Bluey! Go and check Nana's dress up box for a tutu!" The elderly dog instructed to which the blue heeler she was addressing agreed to do so before getting off the couch with Bingo. I decided to join the two to help them as we heard Chris urge us in a hushed voice.

"Quickly! She's gonna blow her top!"

Oh jeez. If Muffin is like how she is right now when throwing a fit then I'd hate to imagine what'd happen if she just lost her crap.

"Ooh, confetti!" Bluey said in wonderment as the three of us found ourselves in a walk-in closet. The typical clothes that elderly people would wear were seen on hangers against the closet's walls. The main focus however was the cardboard box sitting in the middle of the floor. Bluey pulling out and tossing away a pirate's hat and a princess dress confirmed it to be Chris' dress-up box as Bingo pulled out the very thing we were looking for; a tutu.

"Here's the tutu, Muffin!" Bluey called out to the younger heeler in question as we ran back to the living room. Bluey had also taken the small bag of confetti with her, carrying it in the other hand.

"Thanks, Bluey!" Muffin replied whilst Bluey knelt down and held the tutu open in place.

"Oh, good one, you three!" Chris praised us.

"Put your leg through, Muffin!" Bluey urged as Muffin instead had one of her arms inside the tutu where her legs should be going.

"I'm trying!" Muffin retorted, but she didn't take her arm out of the tutu.

"That's your arm!" I pointed out before kneeling down and taking a firm but gentle hold of Muffin and lifting her up slightly and then lowering her back downwards right above the tutu's open hole as she tried to shove her legs into the attached leggings. Chris encouraged us to keep pushing, with Bluey and Bingo both holding the tutu open and me trying to fit Muffin's legs through before the two other girls then pulled the skirt part upwards to further fit her into the tutu, despite it being a bit of a struggle, the tutu fit right onto Muffin.

"Got it!" Muffin exclaimed as we all cheered once again before me, Bluey and Bingo joined Chris and Socks back onto the couch.

"Okay! Off you go!" Chris encouraged once more as we all eagerly waited for Muffin to begin her charade.

"I need ballerina music!" Muffin commanded, stomping a foot for emphasis.

"Ugh! Muffin!" Bluey, Bingo and even me groaned with chagrin with how unreasonable Muffin was being with her turn with charades. I took a quick glance to Socks and saw that even she was getting tired of Muffin's behaviour.

"How about I sing you a song?" Chris offered before beginning to sing a few notes whilst holding her arm out like a choir singer with Bluey and Bingo doing the same gesture.

"NOOOOOO!" My eyes widened a little with surprise as Muffin suddenly screamed, drumming her feet against the floor in another tantrum. "It needs to be PROPER BALLERINA MUSIC!" Muffin specified, practically screeching the last word. I'd be lying if I said that didn't make my ears ring a little. I already know Muffin was loud but I didn't know she was THAT loud.

"You don't need music, Muffin! You just need-" Bluey tried to explain, only to get cut off by Muffin.

"I! WANT! MUSIC!" Muffin yelled even louder which caught us all off-guard as Bluey's only response was to give a quick "Okay!" before giggling nervously.

"O-U-U-Ummmm…" Bluey's grandma stammered with uncertainty for probably the third time today before her eyes lit up. "Ooh! I know! Bluey, Bingo, come with me!" She then got off the couch and gestured the two oldest girls to follow her as they did so, leaving me and Socks alone with Muffin.

With Chris gone, I saw this as an opportunity to try and talk straight with Muffin with her admittedly unnecessary behaviour as I too got off the couch but instead walked over to the grey heeler in question and kneeled down to her.

"Muffin? Do you often do this?" I asked the tutu wearing dog as the angry look she had was replaced with a confused one.

"What do you mean?" She asked, very clearly not understanding what I was talking about.

"I mean, do you often throw tantrums when you get upset or want things your own way?" I reiterated my question in a little more detail. Muffin's only response being to scratch her head in a way that told me that she wasn't sure how to answer the question, only coming out with a "...Maybe?" I managed to catch a glimpse of Socks nodding her head to me from the corner of my eye, which better answered my question.

"Muffin, listen…" I began softly before placing a hand gently on her shoulder. "You shouldn't be stomping around and screaming just to get your own way or if things don't go right for you. That's not the right way to respond if you ever get upset or angry. And if you've done that in public, did anyone nearby watch you and not look happy?" Muffin just blinked at me, but her expression told me that she was at least processing what I was telling her and she even nodded at my question.

"Now, say like if your mom or dad were upset and having a bad day and they were out in public and started doing what you do. How would you feel if you saw your parents acting like that?" I then asked Muffin, having remembered a long time ago when I used to read books about a family of anthropomorphic bears known as 'The Berenstain Bears' when I was little. One of those books being where the family's children threw a huge screaming fit in a shopping mall, or as the book called it, "The Screamies", which the mother of the family quickly resolved by copying them and throwing a screamie fit of her own, her kids stopping and feeling embarrassed as a result. Muffin looked down at the floor in thought before looking back up at me with her answer.

"I guess I'd feel embawassed." Muffin said, honesty lacing her tone as I nodded in a way like I was saying "Exactly." before continuing.

"Now, don't you reckon that your parents or your cousins and even your sister, Socks feel embarrassed or annoyed when you explode into one of those temper tantrums?" I interrogated gently as Muffin glanced aside before looking down at the floor again with a face that told me that the realisation had hit her like wall of bricks.

"Yeah… Sowwy, Nathan. I just wanted to do the ballewina..." Muffin said sadly, making me respond by stroking her on the head.

"I know. What matters however is that you at least know that it's wrong to be unreasonable and that you should play fairly by the rules." I told her reassuringly before pulling her into a hug which she gladly accepted.

"In fact… I think the reason you wanted a tutu and real ballerina music was so you could feel like a real ballerina and give us a real good show." I theorised as Muffin looked up at me with an eager grin on her face, exclaiming with an ecstatic "Yeah!" with her tail wagging.

"Well then… I look forward to seeing you show us what you got!" I said with a smile before returning back to the couch, Socks looking up at me with an impressed grin on her face whilst I had noticed that the sky had turned orange and the sun was about to set.

"We got the music!" That was when Bluey, Bingo and Chris returned to the couch, with the latter carrying a wooden box in her hands.

"Okay, you ready, Muffin?" Chris asked as Muffin smiled eagerly.

"Ready!" Muffin replied as Chris sat back down on the couch.

"Ready, Socks?" Chris then asked the four legged pup in question who barked excitedly.

"Ready, girls?" Bluey's grandmother then repeated the question to Bluey and Bingo, their response being a "Ready!" just like Muffin.

"Ready, Nathan?" Chris reiterated the question once more to me as I nodded and replied with "Ready when you are, Chris!"

"Okay, let's go!" Chris then announced when Bluey held a hand to her wrist to get her attention.

"Nana? Was your nana a nice nana?" The young blue heeler asked. Whatever it was that Chris had talked to Bluey and Bingo about in the other room whilst I talked it out with Muffin must've involved Chris' own grandmother. Chris slowly blinked and looked down with a sad smile on her face.

"She was about the nicest nana you would ever want to meet, Bluey." Chris said before placing a hand on Bluey's and then opening the lid of the wooden box.

What came out of the box was a slow but gentle tune which told me that what Chris was holding was a music box. I smiled rather warmly as I took in the melodic notes whilst Muffin slowly strode and slide across the room with such grace that she was practically dancing in sync with the music. I could see why she needed the tutu and music when she dances so well.

But as I continued to listen to the music box's chimes, my smile fell as the music started to remind me of when my mom used to play a music box every night so I could fall asleep. It took nearly all of my emotional strength to not tear up and sniffle as I remembered from my talk with Wendy that I had to stay strong for my parents as I knew they'd always be watching me from above.

'I'll always love you, mom and dad...' I thought solemnly as I noticed that the music had slowed down to a stop.

Everyone cheered as did I as Bluey threw some confetti from the bag she had found in the closet, making it slowly rain down around Muffin. I even applauded with an amazed smile on my face.

"Can you guess what I was?" Muffin then finally laid the ultimate question on us that we'd been waiting to hear. Bluey, Bingo and Chris let out "Uhhhh"s and "Ummmm"s in thought. I decided to play along by scratching my head in deep thought.

And then, all of a sudden…

"Ballerina!" Socks suddenly said very clearly, Muffin confirming her answer. I was just absolutely taken aback that Socks had finally managed to guess and win a round of charades as we all cheered and praised Socks for what she no doubt considers her biggest achievement of the day and possibly her life so far.

Well done, Socks.


Night soon fell as I stood outside on the balcony where Bluey and the others had been eating their ice blocks. I leaned on the balcony's fence as I watched the clear skies illuminated by the many clusters of stars. It just felt so peaceful watching the stars slowly glint in the blanket of darkness until a voice got my attention.

"What are you doing, Nathan?" I recognised the voice to be Muffin's as she walked up to me and looked up at the sky like I was just doing.

"Oh hey, Muffin. I just wanted to look at the sky for a bit before bed." Muffin responded to my answer with an understanding "Ohh!" as I positioned one of the nearby seats to face the fence and sat down on it so Muffin could climb up and sit on my legs and watch the stars with me.

"You know… My nana once told me a funny story about why there are stars in the sky." I recalled, having already grown accustomed to using the term "Nana" instead of "Grandma/Grandmother".

"Ooh, weally?" Muffin asked with intrigued, making me nod before continuing.

"She told me that the stars are actually the children of Lucia, the king of fireflies who was saved from a bug catcher's trap by a young human boy. When Lucia and the boy became old and passed on, the baby fireflies grew up and flew into the night to light up the sky to forever honour the boy's kindness to their father." I explained, hearing Muffin let out a gasp of amazed delight at such a story.

"I hope you get to see your nana again one day, Nate." Muffin said as I smiled down at her.

"Me too, Muffin. Me too." was all I replied with before an audible yawn came out of Muffin's mouth, signalling me that it was time for bed. I slowly stood up and went back inside Nana's apartment, carrying the sleepy heeler in my arms whom was having trouble keeping her eyelids open but she did look up at me for the final time tonight with an adorable smile on her muzzle.


The sound of running wheels below stirred me awake as I blinked and saw myself sitting at an open doorway of a moving train carriage that was running along a seemingly never-ending forest. Nowhere in sight was the sleeping bag that Bluey's nana had provided me with let alone Bluey, Bingo, Muffin or Socks. Where was I?

"Hey, sonny." I suddenly heard an elderly masculine voice speak out just next to me.

That voice… It feels like forever since I last heard it, but I knew who it was as I turned my head to meet the source of the voice.

"G-Grandpa…?" I managed to stammer out in disbelief as who I saw sit down next to me confirmed my answer. Balding head with fine silver hairs around the back, the cream coloured tweed shirt and light brown pants. It was none other than my late grandfather, Alfred as he looked at me with that warm smile he always gave me when he was alive.

That's when I realised that what I was seeing was all a dream.

"I still remember when I first met yer grandma on this very train so many years ago. How time flies, eh?" Grandpa Alfred reminisced as he looked around, taking in the scenery. There was so many things I wanted to say to him but all I could say was…

"...Do you know what happened to…?" I tried to ask, luckily, he knew what I was asking as he frowned sadly.

"...Your mother and father deserved so much better. Even I'm still trying to get the fact that they're gone so soon." He said as all I could do was nod in agreement. We both looked over at the ongoing lane of trees passing by us when my grandpa spoke up again.

"...Saw the whole thing you did with little Muffin back there. You may be fourteen right now, but I already feel like you'd be a great dad." Alfred gave me a very proud smile as he said this. I couldn't help but smile back at him for that.

"Well it all comes down to being raised by a great mom and dad." I replied, earning a chuckle from grandpa Alfred.

"I bet Bandit and Chilli would be a great mom and dad for you too." He said. That comment made me frown a little though.

"Yeah… Truth is… I kinda do want them to adopt me. But I just don't want to push them and make them feel uncomfortable." I explained to him. When they had been so nice to me and were the only ones willing to help me in a desperate time of need, I really had seen them as family. And Alfred knew that as well judging by his expression.

"That's a good thing. It's hard living alone without anyone you know or trust at a young age." Alfred commented before continuing. "And just remember that no matter what happens, you've got Bluey and Bingo to support you all the way through." My smile returned from that reassuring remark when I remembered something from my conversation with Chris.

"I talked with Bluey's nana… And she told me she was friends with a human called "Alfred"." I recalled to him as I noticed his smile get a little bigger.

"Ohh, me and Chris go a long way back. Don't even remember the last time I talked to her." My eyes widened a little as I realised that my theory was right.

"So there really were humans in Canistralia back then..." I said in half-astonishment as Alfred replied with a nod.

"But she's not the only living one in her family that's met a human before." Grandpa suddenly said, making me turn to look at him.

"Yes. There is someone else. Someone you already know… whom Chilli married to." Whatever I felt then, I just couldn't process. Grandpa was telling me that…

...Bandit met a human once before?

"But… Bandit said..." I was about to explain, having remembered how Bandit had reacted when I told him and his family that I was a human and how he acted like he had no recollection of meeting any other humans prior.

"His memories of meeting that human have been long lost in the fog of past memories. You just need something that will help him remember." Grandpa explained to me.

"But what? How do I help him remember?" I was genuinely confused. If Bandit didn't remember meeting any humans before me then how could I possibly make him remember?

"That… is something that you will one day find the answer to, but not now." He said gently yet sincerely to me.

"You have the Faulkner spirit and blood in you, Nate. The spirit and blood that makes you strong and willing to help others who trust you. Your parents couldn't possibly be any more proud of you than they already are for being such a caring big brother for Bluey and Bingo." He then said. Truthfully, he had been right. Many times I had repaid the two young girls' kindness like when I stood up for Bluey when she got in trouble or how I patched up a wound Bingo got on my first day with the Heelers.

But it was hearing it from Grandpa Alfred's mouth that told me that even if I wasn't the same species as them, Bluey and Bingo really did see me as an older brother, and even I saw them as like the little sisters I never had.

I then heard shuffling, making me look to see Alfred stand back up on the carriage's floor as he looked down at me.

"Feel free to come see me again if you ever want to, Nate. Alright?" He offered me as I nodded before standing up too.

That was when he approached me and gently pulled me into an embrace. Even if I knew this was a dream, it felt warm. Like I was actually hugging my own grandfather.

The hug lasted for a good while until we both finally let go, Alfred then turned and started to walk into the dark interior of the carriage but not before stopping to give me one last warm smile.

"See ya soon, Nate." Was all he said in a gentle tone before he continued into the carriage and vanished into the darkness as I responded by waving goodbye to him before turning my head to look at the running valley of trees once more…

Bluey… Bingo… Muffin… Socks…

No matter what happens…

I'll always be there for you.


TheAGames10 writes:

"Ok, um... I don't want to bring any universe talk with this review, but...

This makes me think this story takes place in Bluey's universe, because this is basically Charades with a human included.

And now that I say it, I realize that means there will be a chapter for the Double Babysit- OH, that's what you meant when... Ok, yea, I get it now.

I have a new question... Is this story gonna include relationships that go past the "friend" barrier when it comes to Nathan, or is it just gonna stay at "family friends" between him and the Bluey characters in the story?"

Well, yes? This story takes place during Season 2 after all.

And I'm assuming you're asking if Nathan's going to have a romantic relationship with anyone.

Well, you may be pleased to know that a later chapter (COUGH COUGH THE NEXT ONE COUGH) WILL involve some form of romance, so look forward to that.

Guest's review is too long to put here so I'm just going to answer all the questions on it as bluntly as possible. Click on this story's reviews page if you want to read it.

The reason why these updates take so long is because I have other stories to work and update on, plus I have a life outside of writing.

Nathan meeting Mia and Captain is actually a nice idea and I'll definitely consider it. Just need to figure out a way to write them in without making it feel like I'm just retconning their time in big school.

No, I have no plans on making Nathan a hobo and running away from home.

And no, I am not adding any other human characters in this story other than flashbacks or memories so there'll be no human villains. There will be a conflict and a villain however.

Now with all the current review questions answered, I'll see you all on the flipside.