Sara wasn't exactly sure how this little competition came to be. One minute her and Shin were having a nice conversation, the next they were talking about the dogs that they had each received from Sam.

So here was Sara, with Roxy by her left side sitting next to her left leg and they were waiting for Shin to meet them in the back court yard of the mansion. close to the basket ball courts. Sara hadn't really had a lot of chances to talk to Shin before. She met him at the opening of the book store, and then ran into him on the mansion grounds, like when Sam had decided four dogs were too much for him to take care of.

And then, there was another matter. Sara wasn't sure she could actually take care of a dog. Let alone a German Shepard like Roxy. Roxy resembled a lot of the dogs from Sara's past. taking care of Roxy, had forced her to deal with many of her own social issues, and her fears. The first few nights with Roxy had been very hard on both of them. Now, The situation where Sara had felt so awkward and inept, felt comfortable. Even when Roxy chose, like a child, to be disobedient. Actually that's what Sara thought she liked the dog for the most, though hopefully for this little competition, Roxy would be on her best behavior.

Sara heard foot steps on the grass behind her, and Roxy's head swiveled around and her tail thumped rhythmically against the ground. And away went the good obediance as Roxy got up, with her tail wagging like crazy, and ran to greet Thor and then Shin leaving Sara standing there in the grass.

Oh no. Dogs don't play favorite's at all.

"Good tidings to you, for all your joy. To cast me off discourteously~ For I have loved you well and long, And laid within a manger~"

Shin thought that was how the lyrics to the Christmas carol he was thinking of went. How was he to know he was blending it with Greensleeves. Part of the melody was right, right?

Maybe... He'd been doing that a lot lately. Blending thoughts. He had a lot on his mind. Recent letters from Japan had tugged at his heartstrings. His grandparents weren't doing so well. Shin was starting to think they were long overdue for a visit. So his mind turned to melodies and dreaming of a white Christmas as a way out. A back door. And they all knew Santa was coming, right?!

Eventually.

So where was the harm? And where was the harm in being proud of his Siberian Husky, and thinking it was the best dog on four legs? Highly absent, Shin considered. So when a conversation started up between Shin and one of the resident catgirls about who had the bestest furred friend, Shin was all-too-happy to point straight ahead at Were... and then turn his finger swiftly to Thor because he knew Thor better.

Yes, Thor. Sam's ex-pooch, the one Shin walked nearly every day. The dog and Shin had become fast friends, what with all the walking, and the petting, and the prompt food delivery service Shin was running in the back of his closet (where he kept both plastic container of food, and scoop.

At one point, he'd considered investing in one of those automatic feeders he'd seen on television. You know? The kind with the press pad the dog sat their paw on to dispense foodstuffs? The good kind of automatic feeder that didn't occasionally sleep in, or get up at 2AM dreaming of wings. In the end, he'd decided it was far too much money and work installing an automatic feeder. He did the reticent thing here, and held back. His money was better-spent footing the bills for motorcycle insurance, gasoline, and food.

And so, yes. All those conflicting and confused thoughts led invariably to a doggy competition that fine Sunday morning (because 'Why not?').

"Hi, Miss Sara~!"

Roxy's head swiveled around and the tail did thump something fierce. The German Shepard beat a quick path towards greeting them before Shin had made it within 6 feet of the feline female. Thor nuzzled Roxy's head, then circled her happily (as dogs were wont to do). They hadn't seen each other in quite a while. Shin supposed all the sniffing and nuzzling was long overdue. The fingers on his right hand unfurled in a loose wave. The distance between the two of them closed.

"Hi, Miss Sara." He repeated again. This time, at a distance where she'd be able to hear him. Hazel eyes surveyed over Shin's left shoulder. Dogs were gallumphing gallantly around the wabe. "Some energy those two have. It's a wonder I can keep up. So." His head snapped back to regard her competitively. "Are we gonna do this or not?"

Miss Sara. Sara couldn’t quite get used to the idea of being called Miss. She liked the respect, but it made her feel awkward. Had she really heard Shin annunciate the words right? As if to answer her question in her mind he had repeated himself. A few other individuals called her Miss Sara too, and she just never managed to get used to it. “Hey Shin.” Sara waved back then clasped her hands elegantly, in front of her that hinted more at the laid back side of her disposition. Not the playful competitive side that made the corners of her mouth twitch up into a quiet smile, and the small crease at the outer side of her eyes when Shin turned around.

“Do you really have to ask?” Sara teased a little. “I was here first waiting for you, after all.” Sara said as if that was a technicality that really related to the competition. To be honest, Sara enjoyed being early to everything.

She glanced from Shin, back to the dogs that were clearly having their fair play at whatever games two dogs play. Bowing to each other inviting play and acting like they didn’t really care that the two, two legged, mutants were standing in the court yard as well. With all the joy that might as well of been dripping from Roxy, Sara’s head tilted, and she felt a twinge of guilt. Her tail twitched. “We should have done something like this before now.”

“So, Obedience, fetch, agility.. .. .. What did you want choose first?” Sara crossed her arms leaned back, rocking on her heals.

>>“We should have done something like this before now.”

"It's good for them," Shin assented. "Thor could use a few more play buddies in his life." Of course, there were all the kids in the mansion, Kasumi, him, Jewel. Occasionally, Shin and Sam would go dog walking with Thor and Bruno. He even let the dog visit Cammie and Katrina's dog, but definitely. More play buddies would brighten up anyone's day.

Thor circled Roxy again, then his nose shot into the air. He smelled a squirrel!! And saw it, too! Over there! In the tree! Oh boy. A squirrel in the tree was worth two not in the tree. And there just so happened to be two... not in the tree! He rushed after the first of the pair with all the obedience in the world. Shin had ordered him to catch squirrels, right? Right!?

Shin's eyes followed the Siberian Husky, blinking. He turned to Sara. "Agility, then? We see which of them trees a squirrel first. Wow. I couldn't have set it up better myself. Good show."

The husky and the squirrel zigged back and forth across the mansion's front lawn. The squirrel chattered, rushed, hopped, eyes bugging out! It was nuts!!

"Thor could use a few more play buddies in his life."

Ok so it was Sara who should have done this before. It was easy for her to forget, that even though she wasn't always the most social thing around the mansion that Roxy would enjoy the play and attention from someone other than her. When Sara took Roxy out on walks, it was true she'd let the dog greet and play with everyone who wanted to let her. Just Sara also struggled with the social interaction. There was always a question of whether someone was trust worthy or not trust worthy floating around in the back of her mind.

Thor seemed to have the answer to Sara's question. Squirrels. OK Sara could deal with that. Roxy was already showing interest in the squirrels but she had hesitated. Sara had told her no before on the inanely chasing of squirrels. In fact the two of them had a lesson about that shortly after Sara had first received the German Shepard.

Roxy had taken chase with Thor till she reached the twenty foot limit Sara had worked so hard on setting with her. She dropped back in the chase kicking her gear from full speed to a trot as she looked over her shoulder to see exactly what Sara was going to do for her going past, what Sara had trained her before, to understand was too far. When she realized Sara wasn't actually doing anything about this yet, she started looking a little sassy for a dog. Thor was left to tree both squirrels. Point for him, and Shin. No point for Roxy and Sara. "How about best two out of three on that one." Sara said to Shin as she shrugged off the minor defeat.

"Oh look. No more squirrels on the ground. I'll have to get one from the tree." Sara said with a small smirk as she moved to follow the dogs. Shortly after Sara started taking steps towards the tree and it's treed squirrels, Roxy had circled back around trotting behind her at the feline's left heal. dog and cat tails both swished out a rhythm in unison.

Sara had an idea to get around the rules she'd set for Roxy. Roxy was allowed to break the boundary rules when she played fetch. If Sara were to treat the squirrel like a stick in fetch, only letting the squirrel run instead of her throwing the squirrel, then maybe they'd have a chance at this part.

Sara's knees bent low, Roxy received a quick scritch behind the ears, then Sara pushed off very suddenly against the ground. One big hop brought her up into the tree where she alighted on a branch making it shiver as her clawed feet planted them selves on the thicker trunk. Squirrel one, was caught completely off guard. Sara scruffed it, then to keep it from panicking too much, pulled the sleeve of her coat over it's eyes before hopping back down and giving Shin a bit of a triumphant smile of her own. And least in the contest of Were vs. Squirrel, Sara felt like she was up a point.

>>"How about best two out of three on that one." Sara said to Shin as she shrugged off the minor defeat.

"Sure," Shin nodded in understanding. From where he stood, it looked like Roxy had been trained too well in obedience. Obedience to the point of obsolescence. There was some form of irony in that, Shin smirked. Thor came trotting back, amused with himself towards the point of bragging. He he he had squirreled a tree... er, tree'd a squirrel. Schooled a Roxy? Squirreled away the competition. He was squirrelly. He left it at that.

Shin was pleased, regardless of the results. "Good boy. Yes, you are." He scratched the Siberian Husky under the chin and behind the ears. Thor enjoyed the attention. Yes, he was. Yes... he was. With a pat on the hind quarters, Thor turned his attention back to the Roxy and the game.

>>"Oh look. No more squirrels on the ground. I'll have to get one from the tree."

Shin glanced back at Sara, just as she ventured to go above and beyond. Shin blinked.

"Er... well, that was unexpected." Sara had taken to the trees, like a cat... being a werecat. Impressive. Shin was amused.

Her triumphant smile met a chuckling grin. "Very good! I guess you beat me at climbing."

Shin ruffled Thor's neck, and walked up to stand closer to Sara. He peered at the squirrel curiously. "Should... should we name it? ... I like Slappy."

"Slappy the squirrel it is then." Sara nodded to the clearer area of the mansion grounds. Sara let Slappy's tail flick back and forth above Roxy's nose for a second or two. Roxy responded instantly. her nose flared and her tail wagged as she was no longer right behind Sara's heals, and instead of walking just behind Sara's heals, she was in front of Sara. Bouncing slightly trying to sniff the squirrel's tail as Sara kept walking. Mean while, the squirrel was starting to settle into the grip Sara had it in. She kept it's eyes covered and held it in the crook of her arm like one would cradle a foot ball. Rodents were fairly easy to handle. They liked closed places and the head bobbing that the squirrel was doing under Sara's other hand, was only to try and push deeper into an area if felt safe. The poor things world was going to come crashing down for it in a minute. at least all it would have to do is run.

The more Sara walked with it, the curiouser and curiouser Roxy got about it and her tail was wagging as she began to not just bounce on her front legs but hop. Sara turned abruptly around and Roxy backed up, into a pose that could barely be called sitting as her tail had plenty of room to sweep up the dust from the ground. Using subtle body language that Sara knew mostly from just plane being what sh4e was, she only sacrificed a hand on the squirrel for a moment to tell Roxy to stay, as Sara backed up about 20 feet away from her. "Go a head and make sure Thor is the same distance away from me, that Roxy is." Sara said as she jiggled the squirrel to wake it up and also to keep Roxy's attention. Roxy scooted forward then halted again as she was sensing the chase that was going to happen.

Sara waited till her timing looked about right. Roxy looked like her hint quarters were about to explode with tension. "Roxy. Speak." Sara instructed Roxy to do so she would get the Squirrel's attention just As Sara held it up and uncovered it's eyes. Roxy's bark squeaked out at first then cleared afte three times into a strong loud woof.

The squirrel took off with an extra push from Sara. Then Roxy was off as well, and unlike last time, Roxy's attention was undivided as she burst after the squirrel's fuzzy intriguing tail.

It is a curious thing, the game of squirrel and dog. Where once, Shin had taken to liking the idea, and Thor had ran back and forth giddily, now Sara was standing in place. Roxy sat, and/or hopped... it was as-if the woman were training the dog. ... And holding the squirrel hostage until its release. Something struck Shin like a basketball to the head. That squirrel must have been awfully scared. Terrified, mortified, dribbled up and down in the palm of a hand. And as Shin watched the training session going on before his very eyes, he suddenly felt sympathy for the rodent. Slappy the squirrel was such a nice little nut-eater. Should they really be treating it like the ball in a game?

As Roxy hopped, Thor's eyes bounced with her. Up and down, like a basketball. Shin palmed to top of the Siberian Husky's head, petting behind the ears to calm him down, yet still. Up, down, up down, left right, CHU!

Shin sat on his haunches in front of Thor. Their eyes met. It was time they had a conversation about rodents. "Now, Thor... that squirrel is awfully scared. And I've suddenly developed a conscience, so go easy on it. She's been slapped around enough by life, as-is. Don't eat her... Mickey Mouse is OK to eat, though. Or maybe Timon. Or Jerry. But not a cool squirrel. OK?"

Thor didn't follow Shin with his eyes. He really didn't follow...

Sara spoke.

>>"Go a head and make sure Thor is the same distance away from me, that Roxy is."

Shin complied, hesitantly. Thor got into position, paws in-place. Fangs, at-the-ready!

>>"Roxy, speak."

"Hey! That's cheating!!"

And the squirrel was off!!

Thor hobbled after, a bit slow at the start. He glanced back at Shin. Then... if dogs could shrug. He launched like a shrugging rocket!! After the squirrel.

Perhaps, Thor's divided attention at the start was all Roxy would need?

The sympathy towards the squirrel wasn't something that Sara's mind first realized. Only when she heard Shin's small conversation with Thor. To her, they had been food for the first years of her life, that she had been on her own. That was before she had the guts to sneak around cities in Michigan and steal things that tasted much better and way before she started pick pocketing for the cash to buy her own food.

"Hey! That's cheating!!"

Sara tilted her head, blinking once. She was trying to be as fair to the squirrel as possible. Cheating wasn't something that she was aware she was doing.

Mean while, while Sara was in thought on this, Roxy had been the one to tree the squirrel first. Thor's hesitation having cost him. "My apologize then, but you cheated as well. You called the competition when Thor was already running."

"............. let's call it a tie, then?" Shin coughed into his fist.

Thor looked up at him, as if questioning 'did i done good?' The Asian patted the Siberian Husky. He done good. He done very good.

Now came the hard part of thinking up the next task. "For the next test..." Shin paused, finger to his lips. Well yes, they'd already tested agility, hadn't they? Or rather, they'd done the first two tests on it... Shin looked to Sara, and bit his lip with a 'hurm'... After a minute, realization struck in the form of a four-letter word. "Race!"

They hadn't done a third test for agility, had they? "One more test to see which dog is more agile. Since squirrel-treeing is a wash. This one could be as simple as telling them to sit, then walking the same distance away to see which dog reached their owner first. Alternatively, we could see which dog reached their non-owner first, but that would more test the dog's outgoing personality, and the most outgoing would likely win... unless they got distracted by something shiny or a new person or a flower or tree they just had to make friends with, er, i'm rambling." Shin coughed.

Slappy the squirrel was in the tree chittering quite unhappily and shooting them (Mostly Sara) the I will naw you to death in your sleep look, if a squirrel could ever give that look. Mean while Sara was pointedly ignoring the vengful rodent as Roxy trotted back to her, with her tail swishing back and forth as to say, 'Did ja' see me? did ja did ja?'

Well they were tied. It worked, and Sara went down on her knees with Roxy wiggling from her tail wagging her furry self. Sara couldn't help but smile lightly, with the corners of her mouth pulling up slightly, as Shin rambled. Oddly enough, she understood it. "I don't know. That type of race might work." Depending on how it was done. She really wasn't sure. Roxy was more outgoing than Sara was, and she did know Shin, compared to Sara knowing Thor based on the memory of when they had recieved the dogs from Sam. It was worth a try.

Shin pulled a couple stopwatches from his pocket and dangled them from their strings in front of Sara, like a string toy for cats. "In that case, we can time it with one of these. Each person times the running, then we compare. I guess you can go first. Let's stick with owners and their dogs for the tie-breaker. Keeps it simple."

Shin led Thor away a bit, then went over to stand next to Sara. He glanced at the screen on the watch. It had been good of him to think ahead and snag the watches from the gym, hadn't it? Yes, it had.

Well well well. Look who came prepared. Sara thought to herself as Shin pulled the stop watches out from his pocket and dangled them in front of Sara like he were tempting a kitten. Sara's eyes dilated for a moment as they focused on the swaying watches. her head swayed ever so slightly as well. before her pupils shrank slightly and looked into Shin's eyes. Tease

Sara nabbed one of the watches and wrapped the lanyard around her wrist, rather than dropping it around her neck. She then looked around for a way, in the simple landscape of the mansion that they could measure the race between the dogs so that would be fair as well. "How about we have the dogs start running from one end of the basketball court. When they cross the other end is when the watches will be stopped." She walked over, and Roxy began to follow at Sara's left knee. Sara told her to sit and stay, while she backed up across the basketball court. "How about we both time each dog, as well." Sara wanted to be sure that neither of them could really say the other cheated this time. Of course that is if One of them really was.

Now then. Sara was set. Roxy seemed set. "Ready?" Sara called out to shin as she raised one hand. The other still holding the watch with her thumb over the go button.

>>"How about we have the dogs start running from one end of the basketball court. When they cross the other end is when the watches will be stopped."

Shin nodded his assent. "That sounds good. Even ground, no obstacles. And nobody's currently playing, either." It all worked out well. Too well. Shin whistled for Thor to return to his side. If they were playing race on the courts, he'd need to move there, wouldn't he?

Thor looked up at Shin with confusion. "Ruff?" He seemed to ask. Shin scratched behind the dog's ears, and led him after Sara towards the courts.

>>How about we both time each dog, as well."

Again, Shin nodded. "That's exactly what I had in mind." They were in agreement on every base. That was good.

Sara raised her watch-hand, and asked if he was ready. "Yup!" Shin held up his watch. "Begin when you want."

(Totally guessing on the approximate time.)

"Yup! Begin when you want."

Sara nodded very dignitaly at Shin, before she went into call Roxy across the court mode, witch, in short was a mode that consisted of patting her knees, standing low, scooting backwards, acting all excited, saying Roxy's name over and over again, and generally doing things that if anyone ever repeated that she did, she'd want to shove a clawed foot up their back side. Sara learned that dogs had this weird effect on people. even herself, where they made them do things that they wouldn't normally do. In the case of Sara, it was acting like a complete fool.

Roxy's tail thumped twice against the ground where she sat, when Sara hit the timer on the stop watch. It cost her two seconds before she got up and started across the court and a lope. Speeding up and really digging into the ground when she hit half way across.

Sara clicked the button on the stop watch when Roxy crossed the other side. 7.8 seconds. it could have been better, but all things considered it wasn't too bad. Obediance might be playing against them slightly, yet again.