Chapter 48: 'Red Dog Blue Dog'

With the tinniest of squeaks, the door to the storage space under the stairs opened.

Washu surveyed the living area unnecessarily as she was exiting, already knowing who was there.

The two hundred-twenty four inch Somy Quadragon, with its full stereo surround, filled the living room, both with sound and actual hardware. Displayed currently upon its screen, garish chromatic canines were impossibly addressing each other.

"I am the red dog!" The crimson quadruped was announcing as if this certainly obvious informative tidbit was of earth shattering significance.

"And you are the blue!" It continued indicating its cobalt companion. "And together we are friends so true!" Amid swellings of saccharin theme music, the opposing Azure pedigreed pooch danced in complete agreement.

"Well, I am the blue dog and you are the red!" It sang while it's tail wagged in time with the music. "And I agree with what you said!" Washu found herself wincing.

"Meaningless, mind-numbing pap!" She muttered wondering what Mayuka and Mihoshi got out of the show.

"Please god! never let me find out!" Washu prayed, peeking then over back of the sofa, to find it ... empty.

"Wha?" She griped, wondering how her sensors could have been wrong. "Where the hell are they off to ... and with the TV blaring?"

"Hey, you with the red hair!" A voice suddenly said.

"Huh?" Washu started. Turning around.

"I don't know why you are here, but maybe you can help me out?!" Washu took a moment to visibly blush, realizing it was a character on TV. A kind of animated anthropomorphised butterfly, with a shock of equally impossible red hair.

"Boy, I wish I still had all my legs!" The butterfly which Washu seemed to recall was named Beatrice, (LIKE SHE CARED!) was sighing.

"Then I could learn the secret dance!"

The self professed 'greatest scientific genius in the universe' grimaced shaking her head, glad no one had seen her little slip.

"Maybe I'm finally losing my marbles?" Washu muttered sadly.

"You lost those a long time ago little lady!" The red dog on the screen replied.

"Wha?!" Washu mouthed reflexively. Suddenly glaring at the dog on screen.

"Wait!" She snickered to herself, seeing 'the red dog' had been addressing Beatrice the butterfly.

"What the hell am I doing?" Washu sighed, then laughed. Feeling like a such silly bitch.

"You otta be happy with what ya got!" the crimson canine continued as Washu eyed the characters with some mild disdain. "Sted o' acting just plain loco!" the red dog admonished.

"If my best friend was a talking dog." Washu sighed, turning away from the set. "I just might have myself committed!"

"That's a good idea!" Another voice added, again bringing her up short, glancing back the shows direction to realize it had been the blue dog that had just spoken.

"Doing who knows what, for who knows why?" the blue dog finished.

"I'm not crazy just cause I like to experiment!" Beatrice snipped in her high pitched tones.

Washu found herself paused and listening in spite of herself as the butterfly stood on her spindly back legs and placing her two front sets on what passed for hips, began to cackle.

"Because I'm a super genius! BWAH HA HA!"

"That did it!" Washu snapped seizing the remote and shutting the TV off, with the firmest of presses. Like she needed anything else to rattle her cage right now!

Glaring mildly, wondering if the house would even be standing soon. As the sound from the tv faded. It was replaced distantly by a melodic cascade, more over a voice that Washu identified immediately.

"Ryo-ohki." She smiled, following her ears to the patio.

2

Ryo-chan sat cradling a sleeping Mayuka, singing sweetly. Emitting pure tones rather than words and why not? She was after all part crystal.

An unforeseen ability to be sure. One only recently discovered, curiously enough by Ryo-chan herself and Mayuka who loved to hear her sing.

Washu stood quietly closing her eyes listening to the hauntingly beautiful voice as Ryo-chan rocked the child gently, slowly pleasantly stroking her hair.