On a bench in a park, a small boy tossed bread crumbs to a flock of pigeons that ate greedily fighting amongst themselves.
Unfortunately for them though their feast was cut short when a puppy escaped its owner and began to chase them like they owed it rent or something .
The pigeons scattered into the air in a panicked frenzy, feathers flying everywhere.
Chelsea skidded to a stop beneath them and barked furiously at the sky.
"Cowards! Have you no honor?! Come down here and face me!"
One pigeon circled overhead before shouting back.
"If you want us so badly, then fly after us oh wait you can't."
Behind them the boy watched with fascination but soon he was distracted by a panting Mike.
" Hey kid, have you seen a little pup pass by, she's got brown fur?" Mike asked.
The boy simply giggled and pointed the direction Chelsea went. With a groan Mike chased after Chelsea.
Meanwhile Chelsea ran as fast as her short legs could carry her and she instinctively stuck out her tongue as wind blew in her face.
To taunt her one pigeon flew close to the ground, to its shock this was the opportunity Chelsea was waiting for, with a burst of speed she lunged at it and closed the distance between them and she caught it, she rolled over grass still hold the pigeon, when they stopped rolling the pigeon had been pinned to the ground.
" Look what I just caught." She said with a smirk.
One pigeon perched on a bench and watched from a distance not daring to come any closer to Chelsea.
" Let me go, trust me I'm not tasty at all, here I've got an idea look at her. " The pigeon pointed another pigeon. " Doesn't she look tasty, look she got more meet on her bones."
"Hey, you traitor I stayed back to try and save you and that's how you treat me." The pigeon responded.
" Sometimes sacrifices have to be made."
"Why should I be the sacrifice, why can't you be the sacrifice." She responded.
"I just can't !"
Chelsea watched this exchange in silence then it suddenly clicked and she realized, she could understand what they were saying and she continued to watch them.
" See this is exactly why you'll never be popular." The female pigeon said.
" What nonsense I am the most popular." The male replied.
" But wait only the most delicious pigeon can be the most popular so are you the most delicious." The female asked with a smirk.
" Of course I'm the most delicious an most popular pigeon in our flock ."
Chelsea finally interrupted " if that's the case then it means you were lying earlier, so now I can eat you."
" What ! No no no listen to me like I said there are tastier pigeons." He desperately pleaded.
Chelsea eventually let him go but the moment she did the pigeon returned to his former self.
" You idiot, it was a mistake letting me go, all that was an act and you fell for it now you'll never catch me ag-"
before the pigeon could finish it's sentence it was caught again.
" So what was that about me never being able to catch you again?" Chelsea asked.
"Let me go I'm begging you, I'll never do it again I promise."
" Is that so?"
" Yeah yeah you have my word." He replied.
" So tell me what will you do when I let you go?" Chelsea asked.
" Oh that's easy I'll fly higher and taunt you again, you'll never catch me." He replied.
" Oh really, them I won't let you go."
Before the pigeon could respond Chelsea heard someone call her name, when she looked back she saw Mike.
" Oh that my cue time to go." Chelsea bolted ahead leaving the pigeon in shock.
" Hey where are you going, weren't you going to eat me, get back here."
The pigeon tried to fly after Chelsea but the female one knocked it out of the air and began to scold him.
Meanwhile Mike saw Chelsea run away and an irritated smile spread across his face. He said to himself.
" that little gremlin is avoiding me on purpose, I'll show her."
Mike unbuttoned the top two buttons on his shirt and began to sprint after Chelsea.
The wind whipped through Chelsea's fur as excitement bubbled inside her chest.
This was fun.
She looked back just long enough to see Mike sprinting after her.
"You'll never catch me alive!" she barked before running even faster.
Mike sprinted even faster.
Meanwhile back at Veronica's, Nike was enjoying flexing her new found authority as she lay on a pillow.
" Now this is the treatment I deserve, hey you Siamese, I'm getting hungry bring me something good."
The Siamese cat went into the kitchen and minutes later Veronica came out holding a strange package, she then poured the contents on a tray and all the cat's gathered to eat, Nike was skeptical so she just looked at the cat food in disdain, The sphinx approached her.
" tell me does this food not appeal to your senses, boss." The sphinx asked.
" That's exactly right, I need food fit for a queen."
A grey cat walked up to Nike.
" If you seek a meal for for a queen then I have the perfect idea."
The sphinx's eyes widened. " You're not talking about... that."
The sphinx asked in shock.
" What else's would I be referring to."
All the other cats stopped and turned to face the gray cat with shocked expressions. Nike had enough and she lashes out.
" Enough we the suspense, what are you talking about?"
The gray cat meet he gaze and two words escapes its lips.
" Cat-nip."
"Cat nip?" Nike asked tilting her head in confusion.
" It's the food our master gives when one of us have been really good kitties." The Siamese explained.
" It's the best thing ever." A random cat said.
suddenly all the cats began to talk excitedly about cat nip and Nike began to get interested.
" You said she gives good kitties right?" Nike asked.
" Yes." The grey cat responded.
" Ok time for operation good kitty. So what kind of things make you a good kitty?" Nike asked.
" It's usually random so it's hard to tell you exactly what makes you a good kitty but there is one way to get cat nip without going through so much trouble." The grey cat responded.
" What would that be?" Nike asked in curiosity.
The grey cat moved closer and whispered a plan,at first Nike looked shocked but that face was replaced by a mischievous smirk.
" It's a gamble but we'll try it, I'm calling operation cat burglar. Ok so here's how things will go, Siamese you distract Veronica, sphinx you're our lookout the rest of you come with me, including you ... Grey?"
" My name is silver." The grey cat replied.
Nike thought to herself. " Where have I heard that name... Anyway that doesn't matter right now ."
The cats took were on standby as Nike made a plan. Silver advised her .
" Veronica will go to take a shower anytime now so that'll be the time to strike." Silver said.
" Good idea." Nike agreed.
The Sphinx looked gave a Nike a strange look but just turned away, she didn't know that Nike had noticed and after discussing the plan she called the sphinx in private.
" Hey you kept looking like you wanted to say something. And don't you dare say no you weren't."
At first the Sphinx looked uneasy but eventually gave in and whispered to Nike.
" Don't trust silver too much, he's a bit of a trouble maker and he's never tasted cat nip."
" I see, don't worry as long as I offer him some of the cat nip he'll play nice."
The sphinx looked doubtful but agreed nonetheless, soon the time came when Veronica entered her bathroom, quickly the cats snuck into her kitchen and formed a sort of ladder to a cupboard, after fiddling with the handle Nike found that she couldn't open it, just as she was about to give up silver appeared and handed her some keys and she began to try to put them in the keyhole.
meanwhile Veronica began to prepare to bath, she tied up her hair and filled the tub but realized her shampoo was finished, she took a towel and covered herself then began came out of the bathroom the sphinx who was the look out panicked and began to warn the others by whispering to one cat.
" Mission abort, I repeat mission abort."
The cat went and whispered to another who went to whisper to another and eventually the message reached Nike who'd just opened the cupboard the cat whispered to her.
" Chicken spicy hot, I repeat chicken spicy hot."
Somewhere along the exchange the message was misinterpreted and came out wrong but Nike wasn't aware of this and she took the can with the label spicy hot.
Meanwhile Veronica was suspicious of the sudden quiet and tried to look in the play pen but there wasn't a single cat. A shadow cast across her face as realisation dawned she quietly made her way to the kitchen but all the cats heard her slow approaching footsteps, silver became desperate.
" Quick pass the cat nip and we can make a break for it."
Nike did as he said but to her horror he, with a smug grin knocked over a cup and it made a loud sound as he bolted, he betrayed them and hoped to use them as scape goats and his plan worked, Veronica caught the cats red handed.
Meanwhile in the dog park Chelsea was still dashing at top speed with Mike behind in hot pursuit, she rounded a corner while looking behind and bumped into something sturdy enough to send her rolling back, when she looked up a black German shepherd looked down at her.
It brought it's face closer to hers and she concluded the worst but all it did was curiously sniff her then gave a low growl.
" You're new here, aren't you?" The big dog asked.
"Yes, yes I am." Chelsea replied timidly,
Suddenly a lady that was holding the black dog's leash squatted and petted Chelsea.
" Come on ,Bruce Be nice, you little thing are you lost?"
Suddenly a running man made a turn and was shocked to find someone and just before impact he turned, narrowly avoiding her but lost balance and fell on a field of grass.
The lady quickly rushed to his side.
" Are you ok, sir ?!" She asked worried.
Mike sat up, " Yeah I'm goo..." His voice trailed off as he saw the lady in front of him.
He squinted his eyes as he examined her, this made her feel a little self conscious and she broke their eye contact until Mike spoke.
" Lucy ? Yeah it is you Lucy, right." The lady looked at him again then her a smile spread across her face.
" Mike? It's been ages how have you been?"
" It's been ok for the most part, although I must admit I never thought I'd run into you here of all places."
" I bring always bring Bruce here for his walks so I'm shocked this is the first time we are meeting." She answered.
" Is that so?"
"Yeah."
"..."
Suddenly it was silent. An awkward kind of silence, they just looked at each other but Lucy shyly looked away, failing to hide a soft blush that was spreading across her face. Chelsea gave her a suspicious look before placing a paw on Mike's hand, stealing his attention, she flashed a smug smile Lucy but was disappointed to see that Lucy was only paying attention to Mike.
"So what's her name?" Lucy asked breaking the silence.
" Oh her, I named her Chelsea." Mike answered.
" Oh really? Hey wait ain't that the name of that waifu from that game, oh wait they were two Chelsea and... Nia? No wait it Nike."
" You too how do you remember that ?"
" Well they were the main obstacles between me and your heart." Lucy answered in a low voice.
" What?" Mike asked.
" Nothing ! Anyway what did you mean by me too?"
" Veronica, she had the exact same reaction."
" Veronica?"
" You do remember her right?" Mike asked.
" Of course I do, you two were obsessed with cats." She replied.
" We still are , we should go by her cat cafe some time."
" Sure."
Suddenly a woman came running to Lucy and Mike, her ruined make up indicated that she had been crying, I'm fact she still was, through sobs she asked. " Have either of you... seen my baby boy, he's this short...and ... and he was wearing a cap, I... left him on a bench for a quick phone call ...but when I looked back he was gone... Please he's only nine I need... help finding him."
Mike quickly got up.
" Ok please relax we'll help. Could you tell me where you left him."
" I... Left him on a bench back there.... I think he was ... Playing with pigeons."
Mike gasped as he remembered the boy who pointed him in Chelsea's direction.
" Have you tried calling out to him?" He asked the lady.
" Yes but that's exactly why I'm worried, he has a disability, he can't speak so even if he heard he can't answer nor can he call for help, who knows where he is." The woman began to sob again.
Lucy came over to comfort the lady, suddenly Chelsea bolted and disappeared through nearby bushes, mike shouted after her
" No Chelsea now's not the time to play!"
Mike sighed because she was already gone. Lucy suddenly put Bruce's leash in his hands.
"here take him, he'll help. "
" Thanks Lucy."
Meanwhile back at the cat cafe, Having found all the the cats guilty Veronica rounded them up and began to scold them but then she realized, silver, the number one trouble maker wasn't here, she let out a frustrated sigh.
" Ok all of you go find silver and I'll consider forgiving you."
Once she said this the cats dispersed and looked around the cat cafe, they searched every nook and cranny but he was no where to be found, Nike then walked into Veronica's room, there was a strong smell of shampoo, but this was suspicious, Veronica hadn't yet bathed so why could she smell shampoo, Nike walked into the bathroom and sure enough there was silver, he'd just spelt shampoo all over the floor to mask his scent and was just finishing opening the can and was about to lick the catnip.
" you're smarter than I gave you credit for, you hid in the one place none of us would suspect."
Nike said smugly.
" How did you find me?"
" I did say I am quite smart, ok the jig is up just come clean." Nike said.
" Never, oh wait I've got an idea why don't you join me, either way we'll be punished so we might as well eat some before then." Silver suggested.
" I'm not falling for another one of your tricks, Veronica will be here soon."
" Suit yourself." Silver hunched over and took lick of the catnip, his tongue was coated in the red catnip and he dramatically swallowes he then took another lick.
Nike remembered her hunger and gulped but resisted the temptation but suddenly Silver's eyes bulges, he let out Yelp and dashed straight past her, he went to the food tray and took a sip of water but it only made things worse and his mouth burned, silver ran around the house knocking stuff over in the process and eventually tired himself out and went to Veronica still whimpering from the sizzling sensation on his tongue. Veronica just gave him a smug smile.
" Ahh you got the spicy hot one, serves you right."
" I'm sorry ok, please help it burns, my tongue is on fire ." Silver pleaded.
Despite not understanding hom Veronica knew what he wanted and sighed.
" Count yourself lucky you're one of Mike's favourites so he might get mad if I let you suffer too much. Come here."
Veronica let silver drink some medicine the slowly reduced the pain and eventually it was gone, afterwards she offered Nike some catnip but to Veronica's surprised Nike did something shocking.
" Here guys it isn't much but I hope you enjoy, I dragged you onto this, I haven't exactly been a good kitty so I don't deserve it."
Nike said the other cats. The sphinx objected.
" But boss, the mistress gave it to you-"
Nike interrupted " I insist, you especially, you tried to warn me but I didn't listen I consider this my apology."
Suddenly Veronica put catnip in the feeding tray, and she called the cat's over. She then looked at Nike.
" You're too kind, Nike, just like Mike. Ah even your names rhyme. You're a good kitty here's some extra."
Veronica placed a second bowl next to the first bowl she offered once again Nike shocked her by taking it to a grey cat sulking in the corner.
" Hey silver, you wanted to get a taste of some catnip so here. And don't worry this one is not spicy. "
" Why are you doing this, don't you hate me." Silver asked.
" Well not exactly, you made me have fun, it's been a while since I've pulled a heist."
" You're a wierd one... Boss lady"
silver began to eat and his eyes sparkled as he tasted it, as expected it was unlike anything he'd ever eaten, Nike turned to eat her own catnip but so Veronica smiling at her.
" You are a good kitty." She said.
" It's not what it looks like, I'm the demon lord, you'll regret thinking I'm good, besides offering him the extra catnip will make him easier to manipulate in the future, that's all..."
The only thing Veronica heard were meows mixed with some snarls here and there, but she simply petted Nike who's meows turned into purrs then she left Nike to eat her catnip then went to take her bath.
Meanwhile chaos unfolded at the dog park.
Chelsea made her way through bushes chasing a familiar scent which led her to a stream. At the edge was the boy from before, she tried to walk up to him but to her horror he tried to stand up but slipped on the muddy bank and fell onto the stream, the current dragged him, he opened his mouth but all that left it random sounds, Chelsea's heart sank but before despair could take over she jumped in after him, barking frantically, he thought to himself.
" It's a shame I never got the chance to apologize to Diana after our fight, mom brought me here to cheer up, I hope she won't be too heartbroken," tears welled up in his eyes. " Help someone, anyone please help!"
Suddenly Chelsea appeared in front of him and bit this shirt and tried to pull him but it was obvious she wasn't strong enough.
She swam with all her might but her small stature couldn't help her.
" I'm not strong enough, I can't do it! Wait why is he smiling..."
Seeing his rescuer the boy couldn't help smiling, somehow this felt better than suffering all alone and the boy mimed the words 'thank you' this gave Chelsea an idea.
" I may not be strong enough to pull you out…" Chelsea cried desperately, paddling against the current, "but I can still be your voice!"
Then she barked with everything she had. Not to far away Bruce was sniffing around for Chelsea but he couldn't go through the same bushes she went through and her being in water made it hard for him to pick up her scent, but suddenly his ears perked as they picked up something, her looked back at Mike who understood immediately and removed the leash from his collar, without wasting a second Bruce dashed and Mike chased after him, the black dog ran across the trail the diverted at one point, as he and leaped the world around turned into a blur as he ran through a few bushes, he dodged a few tree branches and a few more bushes before emerging and finding himself in a clearing with a stream in the middle.
Bruce ran down stream and soon he saw figures in the distance, he ran even faster before leaping and landing with a splash, Bruce grabbed the collar of the boy's shirt and swam towards shore, the current was strong making it difficult but Mike appeared and wrapped a pair of strong arms around the boy.
He then pulled him out and the boy began to choke because he drank some water, Mike then looked ahead and saw Chelsea being helplessly carried by the current and he took action, he and chased after her and dove into the stream and lifted her out, she was shivering and he wrapped her in a tight embrace to warm her.
" You had me worried, Chelsea. But good job we wouldn't have found him if not for you."
Chelsea let out a weak whine and shut her eyes, she was beyond exhausted, from running, around the park to saving a drowning, it took a lot out of her, when she came to she saw the boy wrapped in a blanket his mother holding him like she feared letting him go would cause her to lose him again, suddenly a small girl came running with tears in her eyes, she also hugged the boy.
" Don't worry Diana, he's safe now, that man saved him."
The girl got up and politely bowed to Mike,
" thank you mister, thank you for saving my friend, we had a huge fight earlier when I heard what happened I was so scared, I thought he'd go on hating me, so thank you mister."
She said while sobbing. Mike hugged her and when she was calmer he told her, " If you want to thank someone, thank Chelsea, she's the one who found him."
Suddenly the girl walked up to Chelsea who covered in layers of blankets, the girl gently pulled her out, Chelsea's fur was still damp but the girl didn't mind, she fondled Chelsea.
" You're a good girl I'll bring you treats some time." She said softly.
A black dog sat next to the girl. " Hey Chelsea, how are you feeling.?" The dog asked.
" I don't know how to describe it, but this feeling reminds me of why I decided to become a hero in my previous life. By the way I'm sorry for stealing the spotlight, you're the one who did most of the work and saved him." Chelsea said.
" That's not true, you're the only one who could have found him, I didn't know his scent so without you it'd have probably been to late by the time we found him."
Later that evening Mike went to Veronica's and found her waiting at the door with a worried face. When they entered her yard she rushed up to him.
" Where were you? How long does it take to go for a walk? Why weren't you answering my calls? What's with the new outfit?..."
" Hey hey chill those are too many questions, one at a time."
In response Veronica hugged him.
" Oh my, I'm gone for half a day and the great Veronica is getting all clingy? I must be doing something right." Mike teased.
" Ugh whatever, why weren't you answering my calls?"
" Unfortunately my phone isn't waterproof."
" So what happened."
" It's a long story, where do I even begin."
" Enough with the suspense just tell me already. " Veronica lashed out.
" Ok ok at least let me come in first."
Mike explained everything and Veronica was surprised so much happened in a single walk. Eventually Mike fell asleep on the sofa. Veronica brought him a blanket and pillow, then to Nike and Chelsea's shock she kissed him on the cheek.
" Goodnight, mike." Suddenly she heard a voice.
" Hands off his mine !"
When Veronica looked in the direction where the voice came from all she saw was Chelsea who looked as surprised as her.
" Wow I must be so tired I'm starting to hear things." Veronica said as she went to bed.
" Wait you can also speak the human tongue." Nike asked Chelsea.
" Yeah after Mike saved me he called me a good girl and this strange screen appeared, it said his affection for me had risen."
" So gaining Mike's affection will allow as to slowly regain our human qualities?" Nike asked.
" Oh yeah I heard somewhere that if someone who's and someome who isn't fall in love with each other the curse is lifted. So if we make him fall in love with us then we can become human again." Chelsea explained.
" But wait if that's the case then we have competition, Veronica, she's proving to be quite formidable."
" She's not the only one."
" Huh who else?"
" During the walk Mike met someone, he called her Lucy and there's no doubt in my mind she's head over heels for Mike."
" Looks like we've got our work cut out for us, what about a temporal truce till we are han enough to fight on the same playing field as Lucy and Veronica?" Nike proposed.
" I guess it couldn't hurt." Chelsea agreed.
That night the two of them formed a truce, something that would have been impossible a few days ago. As night fell an owl stood on a tree with its gaze never leaving Veronica's house.