DoCC RP Best Frenemies (Part 1/2)

Dogs of Celious City
Best Frenemies
Part 1

Jose played by MetalWolfGemstone
Dex played by GypsyCrest19


The snow was falling lightly as Jose stepped out of the CCPD building, his breath billowing lightly as mist around his muzzle. He had worked three days in a row in his office on the Amira Murphy kidnap case. He had many suspected gang members questioned but he felt they have his a dead end. The police department were practically chasing their tails, struggling to juggle the kidnapping along with other issues of the city. The old chief rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. He was still a few years away from retirement, but he already felt like a hundred years old with the work just piling on. He fell to all fours and began to walk down the sidewalk, a light layer of snow crunching beneath his paw pads. His car was in the shop so he'd have to hoof it back to his apartment. Jose felt horrible for leaving his poor aging mother alone for three days straight, but the landlord was friendly and took care of her when he couldn't.

Dex had his sunglasses down, and had his cane 'tapping' the ground like a blind dog would do. He had cleaned his cane free of Amira's scent and blood, and was now on the prowl for a new victim for that night. As he walked though, he spotted a familiar dog... It was Jose! Crap, Jose would notice him for sure! The Police Chief had a thing for remembering his markings.... He quickly turned away, and ducked into an alley. He hoped he had yet to be spotted, so that he would just walk by the alley's opening, and not even see him. It wouldn't due for the East Side Second in Command to be caught...

Jose's ears shifted and he looked quickly to where he heard the noise. He spotted just the hint of a tail vanishing into the alleyway. First he figured it could have been a homeless dog spooked by anyone they see on the streets, but Jose wasn't taking any chances...not with increase in gang activity. He stood quickly and removed his gun from its holster on his harness and he quickly pointed it down the alleyway- just garbage cans and some snow. He sniffed the air, the scent of dog still fresh. There was a strange....recognition to that scent but not enough to draw out any memories.

Dex was still as the Chief's flashlight flashed around. When he thought he was gone, he shifted and looked over the garbage can's he was hiding behind. He quickly ducked when a light flashed over to him. 'Shit...' Dex thought, hoping he hadn't been seen. Just in case he decided to look like a homeless dog, rubbing dirt into his fur. Thankfully his eyes were covered.

Jose blinked and turned the light off, putting away his gun. At first he did believe it was just a homeless dog, considering Dex moved too fast for the chief to see him clearly. Jose dropped back to all fours and was about to leave, but being the kind-soul he was he couldn't just leave a homeless dog like this out in the cold. "Excuse me, sir," he spoke, walking over to where Dex was hiding. "Do you need some assistance? I know a soup kitchen nearby where you can get a hot meal and a warm place to sleep tonight."

'Shit...' Dex scowled, forgetting that Jose had always been soft. "No! I'm good." He lowered his voice to sound like a different dog, turning away from Jose. He couldn't let him know...

Jose raised an eyebrow. Something was fishy here... He stood back on his hind legs to pull out his flashlight and click it on. At first he was unsure because Dex had a ratty blanket over him, but Jose caught some of the Dalmatian markings. It couldn't be...could it? That's when the scent he felt was familiar finally brought memories screeching back to the forefront of his mind. He had been best friends with this mutt through high school and college. The last he saw him was before he got married...then again some time later after he was arrested... He never heard from him again and was unaware of the assassination conspiracy. It was also a good thing Jose didn't know the Dalmatian was a gangster and involved with the kidnapping and hostage situation of Amira...his own daughter.
"Dexter...?"

Dex sighed, at least he didn't sound outraged or suspecting... "It’s Dex. Am I really that recognizable?" He asked, removing his sunglasses. It wasn't like he could hide them, since he knew. He was going to have to tread carefully now... "Jose."

Jose frowned, feeling rather awkward. Last he saw this dog he was being tried for rape...or at least the chief thought that's what it had been. He couldn't remember now. The Dalmatian used to be a nice dog, got good grades...only trouble he ever got into was the childish kind when he and Jose were younger. "So..." he tried to make the uncomfortable silence break. "It's.....been awhile....... What have you been up to after, you know....serving time.........?" Was he homeless now? Had he really sunken that low?? Jose's tail swept the snow as he stood there, a paw on his hip.

Dex shrugged, as he got to his hind paws. "Been here and there... Got an apartment around here." Dex said, being vague. It seemed he didn't know about his 'Suicide' and that was less trouble. "Been laying low, ya know? Didn't mean to get into all that... That shit that happened..."

Jose frowned, "Really?" It was hard to buy that considering Dex spat in the face of his parole officer during his court session and was now just trying to hide from Jose. "So have you heard the news then? Your daughter going missing?" Even if it didn't say so in Amira's case file it was easy to see the family resemblance...mainly in those striking, bicolored eyes.

"I'm... On medication... That was a chemical imbalance or something." Dex said, waving his little slip. "She's missing...?" Dex tried to sound concerned but, it kinda failed. It had been her fault... "I haven't seen her since I was locked up." He said stiffly.

Jose didn't expect Dex to really care. He had cursed his daughter when he was convicted. It didn't surprise him if Dex still held a grudge. "I've been trying to find her and bring her home safely... We have a few leads we're following...." He would have asked if he heard anything but then again if he had than he wouldn't have asked that she were missing. "Anyway I should get home...." he looked Dex over, a small glint of sadness in his brown eyes, "You're looking good...hope life's been treating you well...."
'And I hope you've changed for the better.....I would love to have my old friend back.....'

"Good luck, I guess... And she ain't family... Don't matter what her eyes say..." Dex grumbled, as if reassuring himself of something. He looked at his dirty fur and gave a small laugh. "I didn't know it had been you, I had only smudged myself to protect myself... Lots of dogs with grudges, you know?" Dex said, wiping the dirt away. "Gotta use Sunglass too..." He placed them back over his eyes. "Stay safe, Jose..." He grinned, cane in paw, leaning against it. "You never know what those gangs will do to a snoopy Chief."

Jose started to walk away, but stopped midstep. Still on his hind legs he glanced back over his shoulder before looking back to the road. "Hey......do you.......do you want to come to my place for some coffee? You can also use my shower if you like...." Perhaps Dex still had a bit of good in him...somewhere. Maybe if Jose could bring it out he could have his old friend back. It took a long time to get over the loss of Dex as a lover, but it took even longer to get over the loss of his friendship.

Dex was hesitated, before shrugging. "Sure..." He said, his new nature making him suspicious. But again, this was Jose. Who always had a soft spot, which had attracted him in the first place when they were young. He placed his sunglasses back on, and smiled. "I don't stink that bad, do I?" He chuckled, walking over to him on his hind-legs.

“No not really, only at about the second stage of a decaying body," Jose teased, a playful glint coming to his eyes. He dropped to all fours and began his walk down the snow covered path. "My apartment isn't far from here. Just a block or two." Jose had seen many horrendous things in his line of work and many times he had been worn thin, almost giving up on the fact hope existed. However he always pushed through and his hope was still strong....hope that Dex was an okay dog now.

Dex sniffed at the mud he had smudged on him, and blanched. Next time he should be more careful on what he used... "Ugh, okay I do..." He muttered, normally always cleaned. "I hope I don't mess up your apartment with this... Stuff..."

"No big deal," Jose said as he found himself walking beside the Dalmatian. "My apartment needs to be clean anyway." The walk was mostly done in silence but once they stepped into the building, the warmth greeted their frostbitten fur. Jose headed past the lobby and to the elevator, standing on two legs to press the button. It was a rather nice building- not too fancy but not as bad as some of the others.

Dex welcomed the warmth. He had an apartment, but it was pretty run down. And he liked to stay in his Gang's headquarters for the most part anyways. "Nice place so far." He commented with a cheeky smile. Before being found out, and when he was with his family, he had lived in better accommodations.

"It keeps me warm," Jose said simply as they rode the elevator up a few floors. Stepping out he lead Dex down the hall and into a nice medium-sized apartment. The place was pretty messy- files stacked on the coffee table, dishes in the sink, clothes and towels strewn about. "The bathroom in to your right," Jose commented. "You clean up and I'll get a pot of coffee going.

Dex smiled, and headed into the bathroom. He grimaced at how he looked, as he started the shower. He cleaned up, and sighed softly. He couldn't stay long... He remembered Jose had been a great friend, before they started drifting apart... He left the bathroom minutes later, freshly cleaned and he followed the scent of just brewed coffee.

Jose sat at the table, a coffee mug in paw and another set at an empty chair for Dex. He was reading over a note from his mother that had been left on the fridge. She had gone out to stay wish some friends and he couldn't help but worry. She was very old now and needed to be watched after. However he could barely do much considering all the shifts he had to work. Sighing he removed a small flask he had tucked in his tie and uncorked it, pouring some of the alcohol in his coffee. He looked up, noticing Dex watching. ".....It's a pick-me up."

"I didn't say anything." Dex chuckled as he poured himself a mug. "But you mind adding a bit to mine?" He asked, tilting his head. He looked around, and sighed. "You've done well, Jose." He didn't understand, normally he would have declined this kind of invitation. But he had missed his old Friend.

Jose smiled and pours what was left of the flask into Dex's mug. "It pays the bills," Jose said. He had always wanted to be a police officer when younger, having no idea he'd climb the ladder to the top. "I remember.... I wanted to be a cop because the dog that saved me was a cop.....but after the horrors I've seen....the things we are capable of doing to each other....it became less about me and more about the dogs....the ones who were a victim of crime....the ones who needed a voice because they no longer had one...to tell who killed them.... I just do it now because...no one else will."

Dex remembered that, Jose wanting to always be a cop. It was... Sad to see his spirit so low about his job now. "I'm... I'm sure it'll work out, Jose." Dex said softly, taking a sip of his coffee. He felt weird, getting all sentimental like this. He blamed it on Jose... But it was also welcoming in some ways.

"I don't know...." Jose sighed, rubbing his paw between his eyes, "Things are getting worse with the gangs. They think they can split the city apart...terrorize the citizens....and for what? Power? It's not power they get....if they had real power they'd use it to help the citizens but they don't....they scare them, kill them...." his paw grip on the mug tightened, "...kidnap them...... Sure our council can't keep every dog happy but by god they and the mayor do their best......" He leaned back in the chair before chugging his coffee. "Sorry.....you probably have your own problems. You don't deserve to hear about mine. Anyway, how about a subject change? What are you up to these days?"

Though he was Jose's friend, he saw the East Side gang as more of a.. Dysfunctional family, of sorts. He had been with them for years, after all. "Me? Nothing... No one really wants to hire a convicted rapist." He chuckled, taking another sip. "I, huh... Create things. Made my cane." He said, motioning to the cane at his side. He had always been good in shop class.

"You have some talent," Jose said with a smile. His paws tapped against the empty mug and he stood to get some more. He paused, paw on the coffee machine. Sighing he decided to go for something stronger. He went over to the fridge and removed a champagne bottle. He popped open the cork and just poured it into his used coffee cup. He could really go for some rum but at the moment he was out. He needed to stop by the store later. After placing the champagne bottle down on the counter he took a swig from his cup and ran a paw over his head and through the long fur on top of his head, pulling it back before it flopped back into place. "I'm sorry about May....." he spoke quietly. He knew May from school, a friend of his. It was a few years ago maybe that he saw her name in the obituaries.

Dex finished his coffee, and looked down into the empty cup. In reality, he blamed Amira for her death. But he knew it was caused of him, that she died. "Me too..." He said softly, his mismatched eyes showing the hurt he still felt over losing her. If she hadn't died... Maybe he could have stopped being what he had become... But with her gone, what was the point in stopping now?

Jose looked over to Dex before going back to the table to sit beside him. He placed a hesitant paw on the Dalmatian's shoulder, hoping it wasn't too awkward that he made physical contact. "She's not gone, Dex....she'll always be with you.... My father and grandfather are with me and my mother. The ones we love never truly leave us." Jose felt bad for bringing up May's death, but he wanted Dex to know that he was there for him if he needed a dog to talk to about it.

"She still shouldn't have died, Jose..." Dex said, lowering his head. He hadn't talk about May in so long. And with being with his once good friend again, brought up these feelings. "If only I hadn't.. Hadn't done what I did... She could still be alive! Amira would have her original last name, and not... Not kidnapped..."

"Dex, it wasn't your fault May died," Jose said gently, scooting a little closer and keeping his comforting paw on the Dalmatian's shoulder. "It was heart failure, it happens to many dogs unfortunately....." He wished there were a way to make his old friend feel better. He knew Dex loved May dearly and to lose someone you love was never an easy thing to go through. In his line of work Jose had seen many loved ones lost, leaving behind their grieving friends and family. Sometimes they never even get the closure they need if the one they lost was murdered and the murderer gets away.

"The stress of me going to jail, and learning what I did, is what killed her. I knew her heart was already weak enough." Dex ran his paw over his head fur, slicking it back like it normally was. He didn't know why he had started raping, honestly. It was... It was something he had needed to do. What he still did. But he couldn't let Jose know... Or know that he was responsible for some of the bodies found in the river or forest at times.

Jose sighed, "You don't know that. You can't be a hundred percent positive it were those events that lead to it...." He decided not to push it. Dex was hurting and sometimes the best form was to let them sit in silence until they were ready to talk. "It's late..... Why don't you stay here for the night? You can crash on the couch if you wish."

"I don't want to intrude, Jose... I doubt your boyfriend or something would like that I'm sleeping on your couch... Wait, do you have a boyfriend?" Dex asked, looking at his old friend questionably. Surely Jose had a significant other, or something. Jose was just too sweet not to have a boyfriend.

Jose shook his head and took a drink of the champagne in his coffee mug. "Nah, been too busy for that...." Truthfully he hadn't had a boyfriend since Dex. "Just me and my mom. I've been trying to take care of her in her age. However she left a note saying she was staying at a friend's place for a few days so my couch is still open if ya want that offer," he flashed the Dalmatian a crooked smile, his laid-back attitude very clear in his half-lidded chocolate eyes.

"Too busy my ass. You were always shy in school." Dex chuckled, getting to his paws, stretching. "She's still alive?" Dex couldn't help but ask. After all, he was only a year older than Jose, and no doubt his mother was flipping old. "Huh, nice to know the one who kept hitting me over the head with a broom is still around." He said, not sounding amused, but his mismatched eyes showed his amusement clearly.

Jose chuckled, "Yeah, she's a stubborn one. However she feels her end is close. I've made my peace with it. At least she'll get to see dad and grandpa soon." He stood and went to the couch, pulling off shirts and an empty pizza box before placing a pillow and blanket on it. "I think I'll hit the hay early. You can watch some TV if you like. Only got a few channels but sometimes there's an interesting show on."

"Sorry to hear that, I'll miss her... And thanks, but I'll sleep... No to big in watching TV you know?" Dex said, smiling to Jose. Maybe, if he and Jose had reconnected after he got out... Maybe he wouldn't be such a bad dog anymore. But after years of doing what he did... He doubted he could stop now, anyways.

Jose nodded and went to his bedroom. "Need anything just knock, alright?" When Dex gave him a nod the shepherd entered his bedroom and crawled onto the mattress, nuzzling beneath the covers. His head barely hit the pillow before he was asleep....
It was a warm summer's night when a lanky pup scrambled up the fire escape. "Dex..! Psst! Dexter!" He grunted, wiggling open the window. It was a bit high from the fire escape, causing Jose to lean over before nearly slipping off, his paws scrambling against the brick before he pulled himself into the Dalmatian's bedroom. The young pre-teen panted and fixed his red bandanna around his neck before tip-toeing over to Dex's bed, the Dalmatian just snoozing away. "Psst! ....Deeeeex.....Dexter!" he hissed through a whisper, shaking the stubborn sleeper. He frowned when that did nothing. He went over to the other side of the bed and stood on his back legs before flipping the mattress. The Dalmatian landed harder that he though, a loud 'THWUMP' filling the air. Jose winced, hoping the noise didn't wake Mr. and Mrs. Caul in the other room.

Dex settled onto the couch, and let out a sigh before falling asleep....
The young Dalmatian had been sleeping peacefully, dreaming of chasing something. But just as he was about to catch it, the ground rumbled and he let out a yelp as he woke up, his mattress on top of him. He wiggled out, and glared at his best friend. "Jose! Why did you do that?" The young teenaged Dalmatian whispered to him, as he went to make sure that no pawsteps were heading to his room. Once he made sure there wasn't, he let out a sigh. "What's up?"

Jose grinned, "Ya'know the old abandoned shack on the beach!?" As pups they heard tales that it had been haunted. "I heard Dusty and some of his friends are gonna go and check it out tonight! On a full moon!" It was hard to keep his excite voice down to a quiet level. Dusty was a bully, teasing every dog for any flaw he could find. Jose was an obvious target for his homosexuality and lanky body. Dex had been teased for his eye color. Dusty was a hated bully of the school. Now Jose didn't believe in ghosts and superstitions. However, "We should grab your Halloween masks go down there and totally scare the fur right off of 'em! C'mon! It'll be out chance to get back at that butthead!"

Dex grinned, his tail wagging. "What are we waiting for?" He growled playfully. He went to his closest, his back end sticking out as he dug around his closet. He had many masks, and every year they got scarier. Except a few years ago, he had gotten a couple of masks that scared even his father. And his father wasn't easily scared.

"You still got that bottle of fake blood too?" Jose asked, his tail wagging as well. "I was thinking if we get there first we can drip some on the door!" Just the idea of hearing Dusty squeal like a girl in fear made Jose giggle in vengeful delight.

"Darn right I do." Dex said, tossing the masks he was looking for to Jose. He closed his closet and went to his dresser. He dug around, and got the fake blood. "This is going to be awesome!" Dex chuckled, smirking at Jose. "Let's go, grab your mask." He said, picking up his own mask, and heading towards the window.

Jose snatched the mask in his paw and watched as De crawled out the window, swinging himself to land perfectly on the fire escape nest to the window. Jose followed, scrambling out the window. However his thin legs missed the rail and he fell the three stories and landed with a thud in a pile of garbage bags. He reached up with a paw to make a 'thumbs-up'. "I'm okay!" he called in a loud whisper.

Dex flinched and bounded down the fire escape, a bit worried for his friend. "You sure you can even walk?" Dex asked, as he helped him out of the garbage cans. That had been a bit of a fall.

"The bags broke my fall," Jose chuckled, dusting off his shoulders. He picked up the mask he dropped and placed it on top of his head before dropping to all fours and dashing off a few feet before stopping to look at Dex, "Come on man! We need to get there before Dusty's crew!"

Dex chuckled darkly as he placed his own mask over his own head.. "I ain't the one failing Gym, Jose." He bounded over and past Jose. The fake blood bottle he had placed into his mouth. With the full moon's light, it was easy to head to the 'Haunted' Shack. Dex had never believed in the supernatural... But he knew Dusty would after tonight.

"Hey! That's the thanks I get for helping ya pass your math test!?" Jose laughed, racing through the streets with his friend. As the city line ended and the two pups romped over the grass and onto the sandy beach, they skirted towards the abandoned shack isolated on an area of the sandy shore where no dog ever went. A lot of long weeds and brush were encroaching on the area, the ocean stretching on one side and many yards away the city stood lit like a Christmas tree.
Giggling, Jose jumped up onto the porch, tail wagging. "Should we put the blood on the outside of the door or inside? Oh! Or should we make drag marks like a body was dragged up onto the porch and then inside the house!?"

Dex just laughed as they ran. He enjoyed hanging out with Jose, he was so fun! And didn't make fun of his eyes like Dusty and his crew did. As he looked at the shack, his folded ears raised to show he was listening to Jose. "The second.... You gotta deal with the blood though. It'll stain my fur, and my parents will kill me if they find out I was out... Again." Dex handed the fake blood to his friend. "I'll scope out the inside, and find us a good hiding place." He chuckled, opening the creaking door and heading inside. He nearly sneezed from all the dust, but managed to keep it in. He looked around, finding the living room and kitchen. Spotting some stairs, he bounded up them, the creaking of the boards a little ominous. But they held his weight, so they were fine. Yes. One of them can be upstairs, and can start off the scare... Then the one down stairs could make it seem like the door slammed shut... Oh this was going to be fun!

Jose giggled evilly as he smeared the fake blood on the porch, almost using half the bottle. He made it look as if someone had been dragged inside. He then bounded across the sand to wash his hands off in the ocean. The blood would stain the white of his toes for a few days, but not enough to cause his mother suspicion. If she asked he'd just say he was painting for a school art project.
As he was returning he saw a swinging lantern up the beach as Dusty and six of his crew members were heading their way. He raced inside and shut the door. "Dex! They're coming!" he called upstairs.

Dex heard, and bounded to the stairs. "You can hide in the fire place! It's got a drape over the entrance. I'll be up here, and if you can, find a way to slam the door behind them." Dex instructed with a dark chuckle. "This will be, the most awesome prank, ever." He bounded back up the few steps he had gone down, and hid in one of the rooms.

Jose giggled and hunkered down in the fireplace, ash smearing his fur. It could work as camouflage so he didn't mind. He heard a commotion outside and placed a paw over his mouth to keep from laughing. Already the bullies were freaking out over the fake blood. "Will you pussies stop screaming!?" Dusty sapped before sniffing the blood. "It doesn't smell fresh. It's probably been here for years."
However when one of his crew member stepped on it and felt it still wet he jumped away. "IT’S CURSED! CURSED BLOOD!" He received a slap to the face from Dusty.
"Oh shut up you idiot!" he snarled. "There's a reasonable explanation. Don't go babbling about that stupid curse! Now come on! Buried treasure is in this place and I wanna get my paws on it!" He pushed open the creaky door and walked in, his friends following more cautiously. "Now tear this place apart. I want that treasure..."
Smirking, Jose silently tip toed in the shadows, his mask pulled over his face in case he was spotted. With a paw he slammed the door shut and quickly crouched still in the shadows.
A lot of the teens screeched and jumped up like a terrified cat. "It was just the wind you cowards!" Dusty snarled.

Dex smirked, as he started scratching the floor boards. He had to keep from snickering, as he heard the whimpers. Dusty playing it off as mice. On silent paws, he headed over to a chair, which he tipped over with bang, and scraped it against the floor. He ducked out of that room, and into another.

Already two of the members bolted for the door, nearly taking it off its hinges as they slammed it open and streaked across the beach with their tails tucked between their legs. “FINE!” Dusty snapped. “They don’t get to share the loot! I’m going upstairs. It’s probably just rats!”
As some of the dogs were following hesitantly, Jose reached out and grabbed one of their legs. The teen yelped and fell back down the stairs. “SOMETHING GRABBED ME! IT GRABBED ME!” He took off as well, slipping in the fake blood on his way out. Jose was trying so hard not to laugh, however what he really wanted was to scare the main target- the bully Dusty.

Dex had wiggled in some dust and dirt, hiding his spots. He scratched at the floor boards again, loud enough to show it wasn't rats. His tail hitting the floor, as if something was repeatedly falling. He brought a paw up, to hide the chuckled that was bubbling up, when a few more dogs left in fright.

Soon it was just Dusty and his most loyal friend. “Pfft….I ain’t leaving unless a real monster jumps out to attack me!” He huffed, digging through an old dresser. His fired stood by, keeping a look-out. Dusty was nervous now, but he really wanted to find this treasure and nothing was going to scare him away from it.

Dex started a low moan, as he used his front paws, to drag half his body. The clicking of his claws causing him to sound; 'Tick' 'Tick' 'sliiiide'. Dex had heard an old story about a monster like that, as he kept out of sight. He then grew silent, slinking in their blind spots, and getting real close to the old dresser. With Dusty and his friend looking away from the dresser, he started to cause it to shake. And when they looked, he popped out with a low moaning snarl. The dust on his fur making it look like he was some kind of deformed ghost with his mask.

It was a picture perfect moment. Dusty’s and his friend’s eyes became wider than dinner plates and they released the most girlish shrieks imaginable. The bolted down those stairs as if the devil himself set fire to their tails. Jose exploded from the fireplace with a snarl, flopping his body against the ground. Dusty relieved himself right there on the floorboards and the two bullies streaked out of that house faster than a shooting star. Their terrified screams echoing in the night air.

Dex couldn't help it much longer, as he started laughing so hard when Dusty and his friend ran out. Oh god, it had been too funny!! He bounded down the steps, still laughing, before scrunching up his nose at the smell. "Did he really just... Oh god, he did!!" Dex continued his laughter as he met up with Jose.

Jose was rolling around on the floor laughing so hard, his body covered in ash and dirt. “I don’t care if I get in trouble for this! That was sooooo worth it!!” He jumped up and playfully bumped his head together with Dex’s. “And Dusty just pissing himself in terror was the icing on the cake!” He continued to laugh until a chilly wind slowly whistled through the house. Wait, that was pretty cold! The summer nights usually didn’t have cold winds like that….

"That is was." Dex chuckled, before he shivered... What was with that wind..? "Lets go, I wanna wash this dust off of me." Dex said, as he got a chilled feeling suddenly. He didn't know why, but for once he felt a little... Nervous....

Jose felt a tad nervous too. He didn’t know why considering it was just them. “Yeah. I’d like a bath t-“ He froze, every hair on his hide standing on end. His mouth moved as if he were trying to speak, but the voice had been stolen right out of his throat. “D…D…” he eased out the letters in gasps. “D-Dex….!”
Standing in the middle of the room was a large white canine. His eyes were glowing yellow and his fur seemed to glow gently. He didn’t look like any breed of known dog. In fact he looked like a wolf as seen in the school textbooks. He seemed to have come out of nowhere and when he took a step forward, the dust didn’t even stir under his paw. Not even a floorboard creak.

Confused, Dex looked to where Jose was, and he paled further under his coat. If he didn't know that they had been alone, he would have thought this was a trick. But.... His legs shook, as he couldn't seem to move. His mismatched eyes going wider under his mask. Had they just pissed off a ghost!?

Jose shakily pushed the mask up onto his head, eyes wide. He needed to make sure he was actually seeing this. No matter how many times he repeated in his head ‘there’s no such thing as ghosts’ his brain couldn’t deny what he was looking at couldn’t be real. His suspicions confirmed when the wolf opened its massive jaws and instead of a bark or a howl, it gave an unearthly shriek like the sound of a falcon but much louder.

"Holy Shit!" Dex yelped, his paws moving before his body could, and bumped into Jose instead. Their legs got tangled, and he struggled to get back to his paws. There was no such thing as ghost! Never was! But there was one right there!

Jose yelped and scrambled to his paws before streaking out of the house, his tail tucked firmly between his legs. “DEXTER! RUN!” he called back. The wolf’s snarl grew and he lunged for the teens, teeth and claws long and sharp, the glow around his body becoming brighter.

Jose didn't have to tell him twice, as Dex followed him out quickly with his own tail between his legs. He swore he could feel the wolf's breath on his neck, his claws nicking at his hindpaws.

Jose took the courage to pause and turn around. He saw the massive wolf right on Dexter’s tail and his ears fell back in horror. “IT’S CHASING US!!!” he yelped before bolting away across the beach again, kicking up sand as he did so. They were running in the opposite direction Dusty and his gang had gone, trying to get to the fishing village before this ghost or what killed them. Unfortunately while running a hunk of driftwood caused Dex to trip…

"Oomf!" Dex grunted, as he tumbled and rolled to a stop. His paw hurting, and groaned as he looked up, and yelped as he saw the wolf practically bearing down on him. When he saw Jose stop, looking like he was ready to run back to him, Dex stopped him. "No! Keep going!" He barked to his best friend.

Jose couldn’t run, his paws refused him to. Against his flight instinct he charged back towards Dex, truing to yank the Dalmatian to his paws by gripping his scruff in his jaws. His eyes widened when the wolf lunged and he squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for death...
But death never came.
His heart was pounding in his ears and slowly he opened an eye. What he thought was his heart just happened to be the silver waves crashing on the shore. There was nothing around as far as he could see. No wolf. No ghost. Just sandy beach.

Dex had closed his eyes as well, wait for death. Or at least, pain. Whimpering, he opened his blue eye first, and his green one followed. His chest was heaving, as he looked around. "W-Where did it go!?" Dex asked, as he struggled to his paws, his left one still hurting him.

Jose looked around. The fishing village was close and already two old fishermen were heading their way after hearing the screams. “I-I don’t know….” Jose was gasping hard, his lean body still trembling. He looked to the sand but there were only two sets of paw prints. His and Dex’s. He cast his frightened eyes to the Dalmatian as if sending a silent message.
’That was a real ghost!’
“Hey kids! Are you alright!” One of the fisherman called as they approached.

Dex was still in shock, his mouth open. His own body shaking from fear, it wasn't even funny. He snapped out of it, when the fisherman called to them. "S-Sorry! I, huh, was chasing my friend and I tripped over something..." Dex said, knowing that if they said they saw a ghost, no one would believe them. It would also get them sent to the Insane Asylum, and that was the last thing his parents needed...

The old dogs approached and gave them suspicious glances. The pups looked terrified. They weren’t just chasing each other. The old fishers gave each other a look before one of them spoke. “You weren’t snooping around in that old shack down the beach there, was ya?” he asked, his tongue messing with a fishhook stuck in his upper lip.
Jose gave Dex a cautious glance. If their parents found out they were dead. “N…No sir……” he squeaked unconvincingly.

"Most definitely not, sir... I think it's structurally unsound... Why would we enter that place?" Dex said hesitantly, stepping protectively in front of Jose. He looked to his best friend, and sent him a nervous glance as well. "W-Why do you ask?"

“Because the old spirit that protects that place can get pretty restless when hooligans deface his home,” the other old fisher with the scars on his body growled.
Fishhook fished nodded, “It’s just common courtesy!” He noticed the masks on the pups’ heads. “Sometimes there are some things that ain’t no ghost stories. Ain’t no fantasy.”
“W-We didn’t mean to!” Jose whimpered. “W-We just wanted to scare some bullies who were looking for treasure!”
The two fishermen gave each other quick glances. “Treasure?” They looked nervous almost.

"Y-Yeah... They kept going on about a treasure before we s-scared ‘em... I didn't know where they g-got that idea..." And Dex didn't. He had never heard anything about some kind of treasure, only that it was haunted. Dex noticed their looks, and looked at them suspiciously. "Is there a Treasure?"

The scarred dog gave a sharp bark, making the pups cringe. "NO! You stay away from that house or you'll anger the spirit more!"
Fishhook huffed, "Look kids. Best you go home and forget all of this..."
"But.....I wanna know...." Jose spoke, his natural curiosity peaking. "Please? I don't want any treasure but....I want to know what....what that thing we saw was....."
The old fisherman mumbled to each other uncertain, however they looked like good pups. Not like some of the others they seen around.
"Follow us," Scars said, nodding his head as he turned and headed back for the village.
"We can patch up yer ankle too, spotty," Fishhook added, "Looks like a small sprain."

Dex sent a look to Jose, before following the older dogs, limping on his poor paw. All he had wanted, was for Dusty to feel the fear he got when he had picked on his eyes when they started kindergarten... The fear of going to school, cause he looked different. "Um.. You ain't gonna tell our parents, are you?" Dex had to ask, since he knew his father would no doubt be very angry with him for sneaking out.

"Only if ya two don't learn yer lesson," Fishhook answered. It was the scarred dog that led them to a medium-sized shack, ushering them in. He removed a pot of water near the cook stove and took a rag from the warm water. Having Dex sit down, Scars let the rag soak on the pup's ankle. Jose sat beside his friend, gazing at him worriedly. "It doesn't hurt too much, does it...?" he asked.

"Not really..." Dex said, trying to play it off like it didn't. But it really did. He whimpered then, when he moved it a little. "Right, no moving it..." He said to himself, deciding to lay on the spot so that there wasn't weight on it.

Jose whimpered in worry but Scars didn’t seem so worried. “It ain’t too bad. Just rest and the warm rag will help loosen the strain.” He looked over to his partner, the dog rummaging through an old, ratty dresser.
Fishhook seemed to have found what he had been looking for before he went over to sit at the table. “Right,” He tossed an old black-and-white photo to the pups. It was of a human man sitting on the porch of that shack when it looked like it was first built. A white wolf sat at his side. “This here photo was taken in 1892,” Fishhook spoke.
Jose couldn’t help but feel a chill at staring at the picture, the wolf seeming to stare intensely back at the teens. Yup. No doubt it was the same wolf they had seen. After all there hadn’t been any wolves on the island in over a hundred years.

"1892...?" Dex said, looking over the photo. That wolf was creepy as hell, and he quickly looked around. "Thats a wolf, right?" Dex double checked, not wanting to be wrong. He hadn't exactly paid all that much attention in History... Maybe he should have...

“Is indeed,” Fishhook spoke. He reached over and tapped a claw on the human. “That there is Mr. Beazley. He founded Celious when the humans first found this island. The island was originally a place for humans escaping religious prosecution. They didn’t follow Christianity or Judaism or other strange human religions ya read about in them textbooks. They worshiped us, the dogs. They all prayed to Sirius, the Dog Star.”
Jose blinked and listened close. He only learned in school so far about how their version of Celious was founded after the massive earthquake. Learning about the first, human cultivated Celious was saved for college classes.
Scars had re wet the rag when it started to cool down, dipping it in the steaming water before wrapping it back around Dex’s ankle. He then handed the Dalmatian a cup of tea. “Family recipe. Helps numb the pain.”

Dex was still learning about the Humans in his own classes. As he took a sip of the tea, he nearly spit it back out. It was... Gross! But his mother taught him manners, and he swallowed his sip. "Um... That’s... er.... Good?" He eyed the tea now, distrustful of it

“Yeah it’s like a punch to the nose. Awful as ‘ell, but it works wonders,” Scars spoke.
Jose turned his attention back to Fishhook. “What about the wolf?”
The old dog nodded, “Faithful companion to Mr. Beazley... What happened though was when Celious got bigger it started to attract tourists and stuff. Mr. Beazley wanted his island to be left in peace so he and his religious followers could just enjoy themselves. ‘Owever he was betrayed. The council he was a part of wanted the money the tourist revenues brought in. However their biggest tourist attraction was their sacred relic- the golden statue of a wolf with diamond eyes.”

"Money talks, even to humans." Dex growled, seeing where this was going. He always hated that, how dogs could get so greedy and sell their own souls practically for money. "Did they kill him, when he refused for it to be used as a tourist attraction?" Dex asked curiously. It was a plausible theory, after all.

“The humans believe he had fallen in the ocean and drowned on a fishing trip….or at least that’s what the stories said,” Fishhook answered. “But his wolf knew the real story and had passed the tale down to his children. Mr. Beazley didn’t like outsiders touching the statue, defacing it, leaving their garbage all over the alter…..so he hid it in his home. He would return it when the council realized their folly….instead they had a hired assassin kill him in his home. The wolf told his pups the evil these met had done. Later he waited for the men to return to find the Celious relic and wolf attacked them. He was killed protecting what his master died for…”
“H-How do you even know all this if it happened so long ago?” Jose asked. He needed proof, evidence. He was able to believe the ghost existed because he experienced it with Dex as plain as day.
“The wolf’s pups watched him die and they passed the story on to their children…and so on,” Scars answered gruffly. “Each descendent protects that home. Keeping people from disturbing their restless spirits and finding that relic. I am one of his decedents and I was told the story from my father….” Scars walked over to a small bookshelf. “After the earthquake, my ancestors found a lot of old documents and journals dating back to the founding of the city. When they learned to read, one of the journals turned out to belong to Mr. Beazley.” He ran his paw over an old, leather bound book. “I am the guardian of this knowledge…and I want more dogs to know the truth….to know that gold and money isn’t worth death……to know that my family guards not just the treasure but the spirits. You pups remember, life is more than seeking fame or fortune…it’s about family and the things you hold sacred to you- your faith, your beliefs, your sense of self.”

Dex growled as he listened to the story. That just wasn't right. That was wrong, on so many levels. "I hope they all died, for what they did." He grumbled, grimacing when he took another sip of the tea. He also felt guilty, for what they done. Perhaps, they should do something? Maybe clean up their mess... And Dusty's... Gross, but... They caused that.

“It’s been over a hundred years. I’m sure they’re dead already,” Fishhook laughed. He glanced up to the old clock on the wall. “Hmn, sun should be rising soon…. You two better scamper on back to yer parents now, ya hear?”
Scars nodded, “Your ankle should be fine now, pup.”
Jose looked to Dex, sharing his anger. It really wasn’t right to do such a thing and he hoped that someday the spirit of that wolf would find peace.

It was still a little sore, but it wasn't bad anymore. "Thank-you Sir's." Dex said, handing the cup back, as he got to his paws. "We'll be sure not to be pests to you or the wolf anymore..." He said as he looked to Jose.

The two old fisherman gave grateful nods. "Sometimes this world gives us things we can't explain. We just have to accept them."
Jose thanked them as well and said goodbye. He slowly left the hut, walking side-by-side with Dex, keeping close in case the Dalmatian needed a shoulder to lean on. “I’m…..still trying to wrap my brain about what happened….” He spoke, seeming almost like he was in another world.

"Yeah..." Dex said, and sent another look to Jose. "But after learning about what happened... I feel like such a jerk now." He said softly, only slightly limping now. His mismatched eyes trailing over to where the shack stood on the beach.

“We didn’t know….” Jose said. He looked off towards the shack as well. It was far away, just a small black dot in the moonlight hovering on the beach’s edge. “But we do now…. Knowledge is power.” He cast Dex a look before his lips curled into a smile, “But I don’t feel bad for scaring the fur off of Dusty and his goons! Not only did we get revenge but we stopped them from finding that relic.”

Dex couldn't help the smirk. "That’s right. We kinda helped out with that." He said chuckling, and playfully nudged his best friends shoulder. "I can't wait to gloat in front of them!" He said, standing on his hind legs to fist pump the air, before going back on all fours.

Jose giggled, his tail curling up over his back before falling down again. As they walked through the city, Jose paused and removed the mask from the top of his head and handed it to Dex. “See ya in school tomorrow!” he called before racing off for home as the sun rose in the sky...

"See ya, Jose!" Dex chuckled, as he went the other way. He had to make it back before his parents did. And hide his masks...

TO BE CONTINUED