Lucky snuffled along the ground, following an interesting scent trail. When he finally reached the source of the delightful smell, he ran his cheek along the grass before flopping over onto his back and rolling in it. His paws were kicking up in the air as he happily rolled in eau de jardin.

“That you, Lucky?” Vinny barked from next door.

Lucky rolled to his feet with all the grace of a bull in a china shop and bounded over to the fence, standing on his hind legs to sniff over it. “Yeah, it’s me. How’re ya doin?”

“Alright.” Vinny called over. “Did you figure out your grass-words?”

“I’m working on it. Girl is going to help me.”

“Girl? How does she know?”

Lucky sat back on his haunches and puffed out his chest, striking a positively majestic pose. “I can talk to Girl now.”

“No way! Can you talk to Lady?”

“Probably.” Lucky’s brows wriggled uncertainly.

“I’m jealous.” Vinny admitted.

“It is pretty amazing.” He shifted from one front leg to the other. “Do you think I’m maybe dreaming, Vinny? Like maybe this is all in my head?”

Vinny didn’t answer for long enough that Lucky got to his feet and thought about going under the fence to check on his friend. “I don’ know if you’re dreaming, but if you are? If you are, it’s a good dream.”

“Is it? The grass-words said the world was ending. That doesn’t sound like a good dream.”

“Yeah, but you can talk to your Girl. I’d give just about anything to talk to my Lady. She gets so sad sometimes, Lucky. Ever since the Man went away, she’s so sad.”

Lucky whined. “She knows you love her though, right?”

“I tell her in all the ways we can, but I don’t think she knows.”

Lucky just whined in response, his ears drooping. If only humans could learn to live and love like a dog. Fall all the way into your sadness, wallow in it, feel it. And then? And then you let go. Lucky threw back his head and poured his heart and his sadness into a mournful howl that rolled through the yard and rose, filling the air.

He closed his mouth and closed his eyes, he could feel the air trembling around him for a moment before the sound died away. He could hear Vinny whine softly before the old dog padded stiffly away from the fence. Lucky stayed where he was, taking a moment to settle himself. The day was beautiful, warm but not too warm, with a gentle breeze that wafted through the yard.

“You sound sad, Lucky.” Quick said as he scurried over. “Are you okay?”

The dog’s mouth opened in a panting smile. “I’ll be just fine.” He said. “I talked to Girl this morning.”

“You can talk to humans?” The squirrel sounded flabbergasted.

“Yeah, want me to introduce you?”

“I’ve never met a human before.”

Lucky lowered his front legs to the ground and wagged his tail. “Climb up. She’ll be out soon.”

The squirrel hesitated. “What are you going to do?”

The dog’s merrily wagging tail wagged faster. “I’m going to run!”

Quick hesitated for just a moment longer, before he bounded onto the dog’s back. He laid out mostly flat on Lucky’s head and held on for dear life.

Lucky ran around the yard as fast as he could, jumping up and bounding off the trees, leaping over the bush near the back door. He could feel the squirrel’s little claws digging into his head, but it didn’t hurt at all.

**DA-DING!! You have gained +1 Dexterity!**

**DA-DING!! You have gained +1 Reaction!**

Each time the bell rang and the voice spoke, Lucky’s tail wagged harder and harder. The voice was so happy with his progress. He skidded to a stop when the back door opened, the squirrel hanging onto his head for dear life.

“What are you doing, Lucky?”

“Running?” He ventured, tail wagging.

Girl frowned down at him. “Is that a squirrel on your head?”

Lucky and Quick tilted their heads in the same direction at the same time and Girl burst into giggles. The animals tilted their heads in the other direction, clearly curious. “This is Quick, my squirrel friend.”

Girl’s leaf-colored eyes were watering and her cheeks had deep dimples. “Nice to meet ya, Quick.”

“What did she say, what did she say?” The squirrel asked, leaning over to peer into Lucky’s right eye.

“She said it’s nice to meet you.” He translated.

“That’s so weird.” Girl said. “You sound almost just like a squirrel.”

She sat down on the bottom step and Lucky squirmed up next to her and laid his head in her lap. She scratched at his ears with one hand. The squirrel sniffed at her fingers and she held her other hand out to him while she talked to Lucky.

“I have some good ideas about training we can do. If you think this isn’t going to be an easy End, we should prepare for combat and survival.”

“What do you think we’ll be fighting?” Lucky asked, leaning into her hand.

“In the movies, it’s almost always zombies.” She said. “So you and I should practice fighting each other. So you’re used to attacking people.”

“I can’t attack you.” Lucky said, more than a little whine in his voice.

“I’m going to put on a pair of dad’s sweats and put pillows and towels and stuff in it, so you can’t actually bite me.”

“Do I have to?”

“Yes, you do. Until I get back, see if you can jump and run up the wall as high as you can.”

Lucky looked at the wall. “I’m not a cat.” He huffed.

“I’ve seen dogs do it on the internet.”

Girl went back into the house, leaving Lucky staring up at the wall of the house. Rugged cream colored stucco and dark shades of brick. “She wants me to climb the wall.”

“You should try it.” Quick answered.

Lucky trotted to the center of the yard and eyed the house. He shook out his multicolored fur and huffed out a breath. “Here we go!”

The large, fluffy dog stretched out into a full run and leapt up, planting his paws on the wall and scrambling for purchase. He slid down, the rough wall catching his paws before he crashed to the ground. He tried again and again to leap up the wall, his large paws scrabbling against the stucco. The first few times he fell to the ground, then he started pushing off into a backflip when he felt himself slipping.

**DA-DING!! You have reached Parkour 2!!**

He never made it very far up the wall, but by the time Girl came back out, walking like a marshmallow man, he was bruised and winded and ready for a rest. Panting heavily he trotted over to her, sniffing at the Man scent that lingered even in the freshly laundered clothing. Quick bounded off of Lucky’s head at long last and scrambled back up his tree, chittering happily.

“Do I have to?”

Girl smiled, “Yes, you do.” She toddled to the back shed and took the shaft off of a push broom. “So, I want you to try to knock me over.”

Lucky’s brows wavered and he whined just a little bit.

It was hours later and Girl looked exhausted, by the time she called a halt. “I need a break, Luckster.”

Lucky had tried to pull his bites, but the old sweatsuit she was wearing was filled with punctures and tears. Thus far he hadn’t caused any injury, but he was afraid he would. There had been a number of chimes in his head as he sparred with Girl, and he shared them with Girl as she ate lunch, giving him rare treats from the table.

Lucky Lachlan

Primary Class:

None

Miscellaneous Canine

Secondary Class:

None

Basic Skills

Combat Skills

General Skills

Active Skills

Dig

1

Bite

3

Negotiation

1

Body Slam

3

Parkour

2

Intimidating Bark

1

Trip

2

Hamstring

1

Disarm

1

Dodge

2

Charge

1

Survival Skills

Passive Skills

Scent

2

Style: Dog Fighting

1

Foraging

1

Style: Skirmisher

1

Stealth

1

“I wonder what we have to do to get you a class?” Girl mused.

Lucky scratched at his floppy left ear, “No idea. I went and asked Lobo about the grass-words. I thought he would know, but he didn’t have any insight.”

**DA-DING!! You have gained +1 Intelligence!!**

Lucky’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t feel like my intelligence is only 4.” He muttered.

“It was three earlier. Did you just get a point?” Girl’s leaf-colored eyes danced with mirth.

The dog’s narrowed eyes zeroed in on her face. “Yes.” He grumbled. “I’m smarter than that though, aren’t I?”

Girl giggled. “You’re the smartest dog I’ve ever talked to.”

“Ha-ha.” Lucky deadpanned.

She got up and rinsed out her plate and cup. “How well do you see television and computer screens?”

“Just fine. Why?”

“I thought we could look through some things in the area we can eat and not eat. After a while, we’re going to go to the surplus store and pick some things up.”

“What kinds of things?”

“Basic survival gear. I’m going to look up what we should pick up. I’ve got some money saved up from detasseling this summer, we’re going to try and set ourselves up as good as we can. Us and Dad.” She frowned as she settled on the couch with her laptop. “I wish we knew what we were coming up against.”

Lucky climbed up on the couch and settled comfortably next to her, snuggling close. “I do too. I worry about how I’m going to protect you.” He chuffed out a breath. “You know Vinny’s Lady from next door?”

“Mrs. Henderson?”

Lucky shifted uncomfortably. “I guess? Vinny says she’s sad sometimes and he’s worried about her.”

“Her husband passed away last year, didn’t he? She’s got to be ninety. Is her health bad?”

“No, not that. He’s worried about her because she’s sad sometimes, really sad and lonely. He tries to show her that he loves her, but he’s worried it isn’t enough.”

Girl reached across and stroked his face gently. “She knows, Lucky. She loves Vinny just as much as he loves her.”

Lucky rested his chin on her shoulder and nuzzled at her ear. “I’ll tell him.”

By the time the Man got home, Girl had stowed her purchases in her bedroom and was sprawled with Lucky on the couch, exhausted by a day of hard work. They had done more work after getting back from the store, but they hadn’t been able to gain any more points or new skills. Lucky was feeling more than a little discouraged and had his head resting on Girl’s leg as she gently scratched his ears.

“Feeling better, kiddo?” Man called out as he walked in the door.

“Yeah, Pops. Thanks for letting me stay home today.”

“What did you do with your day?”

“Played with Lucky, mostly. I watched some TV. How was work?”

“Not bad, not bad. I’m glad it’s Friday. How does a nice greasy pizza sound for dinner tonight? Unless you feel like cooking, because I sure don’t.”

“Not a chance, old man. Want me to order the pizza?”

“If you don’t mind. I’ll hit the shower and be right down. Why don’t you pick a movie and we’ll eat in the living room?”

Once the Man was upstairs, Lucky stretched his way off the couch, bringing down his hind legs last. “I’m going to go outside for a while, talk to Vinny and do a round of the neighborhood.”

“Be careful, Lucky, don’t go too far.”

“I won’t, I promise. Enjoy the movie.”