The terrier mix in turn looked at his buddy, Grimm. Grimm was a bit confused but soon got that he was supposed to finish for Dodger. “Uh… we don’t know where Method is,” he said a bit awkwardly. Castor nodded silently. It was a signal to keep going, so Grimm hesitantly continued. “It was her turn to get food and she headed out almost a full day ago. We’re afraid something may have happened to her.”

Dodger cut in after this. “Remember last time?” Castor’s expression changed as he remembered Method’s incident before. A about a month and a half before Grimm had joined the gang, Method had just left him and Hera and had gotten caught by dog catchers. No one had seen or heard from her for that full month and week until she came back and announced her story. “… but are you sure, Dodger?” He asked doubtfully. Somehow, Castor had a hard time believing Method would be reckless enough to get caught again so easy.

He shrugged in response. “No, but something had to have happened.” Grimm was taking this all in slowly. He had thought he was getting paranoid for no reason; after all, he thought he’d been the only one worrying. Now that he saw that Dodger, the gang leader, was concerned for Method’s whereabouts as well, it eased Grimm more.

Castor looked troubled, as if he were between two places and had no room to move. “I really want to help, but I don’t think I can.” A frown was pasted on his lips. “I’m so sorry guys. It’s just… Hera will be back soon and I don’t want her to come to shop and see I’m not here. She might think something happened to me, ya know?” Grimm responded, “Don’t worry, Castor. Sorry we brought this on you.” Castor shook his head. “It’s fine. Although… I did see Alphonse not too long ago.” Grimm’s ears perked up as his head shot to look directly at Castor. “You did??” Castor replied, “Yeah, I saw him two hours ago. He walked by here with that ‘I’m on a mission’ face again. I didn’t know what was up with him but from the looks of it, he was in police mode again.”

Recognition dawned on Grimm’s face as reality came crashing – hard – into his own skull. Alphonse only got that way when there was serious trouble somewhere in the city. Like messed up gangs or serious and bloody fights. Or… his brother Adrian. “Dodger, I know where she is.” Dodger turned with a raised eyebrow. Castor looked uninformed, as if a private joke had just been spoken and he was clueless as to the meaning. “C’mon! We have to go. NOW!” He tugged Dodger’s bandana, pulling him out of the shop and beginning to sprint effortlessly.

Dodger wiggled out of his grip and matched his speed after a few seconds. “What was that all about?” He said through the wind whipping his face. Grimm shook his head furiously. “It’s my brother.”

“Alphonse?” Dodger clarified.

“No, both.”

“You have two brothers?”

“Yes,” Grimm said regretfully.

“How come you never told us?” Dodger asked calmly.

Grimm honestly didn’t know, and he didn’t care much to answer, but for the sake of not being rude, he did anyways. “I’m not sure. I just… forgot I guess.”

~

“Don’t be mistaken about my side. I am on no one’s side but my own. Grimm is a thief, always running around with his gang. And so is that female you have there with you.” Alphonse was referring to Method. “And you… you’ve been trying to get back at your brother for months because of abandonment issues? C’mon!”

Alphonse finally seemed to be cutting a few wires now. They had been brawling it out with words ever since the former cop canine got there, and Alphonse’s way with sentences had somehow gotten Adrian to calm down just enough to pay attention and listen; although that didn’t mean he liked hearing it. “Abandonment issues? Is that all you think it is? He left me behind to die!”

“No, he didn’t, Adrian.” Alphonse’s voice was somehow quieter now. He had lowered it purposely. It seemed to enforce its effect upon Adrian; it showed Alphonse’s intelligence and ability to understand higher than Method had ever known it could for anyone. She stared in awe as the meaner brother calmed down. Well… more of broke down. He collapsed onto his stomach and growled inwardly, obviously trying to keep from shedding a tear.

Alphonse padded over to him, sitting next to his side and brushing the fur of his neckline with his paw. It seemed that it had just occurred to him that the red on his brothers’ neck had been dry blood, and he looked up at Method, who had it caked all over her side. “Adrian?” Adrian looked up defiantly. He knew he was beaten. If he kept fighting with his brother, he would be reduced to nothing. Being the independent dog that he had been since his first and only pound incident, he refused to let that happen even as a last resort.

Alphonse figured this may be his only chance to ask, so he took it. “Why were you bleeding?” He was looking away from Adrian’s face. “And why is she?” He pointed with a single paw to Method. Adrian turned back to see where he was facing and didn’t answer for a few minutes. Dog catchers were a sensitive subject, as much as he would hate to and never would admit. Alphonse sensed a tense aura coming from him and dropped the question, knowing deep down what had happened.

“You escaped? Why didn’t you go to the-” He stopped himself, seeing Adrian visibly cringe before he had even gotten out the word ‘vet’. His brother had tried to hide it by pretending to shiver from a gust of wind, but Alphonse knew his brother; heck they had grown up together. He wasn’t affected by the cold; or at least… not easily. This was a much touchier subject. “Adrian… you two need help.”

Adrian scoffed. “Maybe she does, but I’m on my own.” He hopped up immediately, becoming defensive once more. Although Alphonse had only been trying to help, his intentions had backfired. Alphonse frowned, not sure how to approach his brother in a way where he wouldn’t feel threatened. “Why don’t I try and-” Adrian didn’t let him finish. He snapped at his brother’s muzzle, not intending to bite him, but definitely attempting to scare him. It worked only to a certain extent.

Alphonse recoiled, shocked that his brother would try to hurt him like that. “Adrian…” Adrian snarled, “Take her and go.” Alphonse didn’t say another word. He had a bunch of questions he would like to ask his crazed brother, but he knew that not even half could be answered correctly, never mind right at this moment. He nodded solemnly, swearing to himself that he wouldn’t give up on Adrian. For now, his mission was to find Grimm. Then he could deal with Adrian.

~

Method had gone hesitantly with Alphonse, not sure if she should trust another stranger, but deciding that Alphonse was more stable than Adrian. They were trotting side by side now. Alphonse had attempted to make side talk and chit chat, trying to make the walk less awkward. Method had happily answered and kept up the conversation, but the nerves in the air were too thick to allow breathing room. The scuffle with Adrian had been too intense for one day, and Method would have loved nothing more than to get back to the boat and plop down on her makeshift towels, fit for her bed.

It didn’t take long for Alphonse to completely bump into Grimm – whom had been running at top speed. Method managed to steer clear of Dodger, who skidded to a stop a few inches away from her, coming to a clean brake. “Well, well. Lookie who we got here, Grimm. Just who we’ve been looking for.” Method tilted her head. “You’ve been looking for us?” Grimm puffed out a breath, rubbing his head with a paw and giving a playful death glare to Alphonse. Alphonse smirked, almost forgetting his challenge with Adrian earlier. The two may not have gotten along spectacularly well all the time, but Method could tell that they still loved each other dearly, like brothers should. It made her wonder why Adrian was so different.

Something obviously was bothering him, and although Method knew a lot, she didn’t know everything. At the same time, she was conflicting herself. She wanted to get information and know the whole story, but she didn’t want to invade Grimm’s privacy either so, she left it… for now. “Of course we have! You’ve been gone too long.” Grimm smiled lopsidedly, making Method smile warmly in response. Everything he did seemed to have an effect on her.

“So, did you ever get anything to eat?” Dodger mused. Method nearly whacked him on the head; in fact, she made the motion as a playful gesture, and Dodger playfully moved his head out of the way, laughing hysterically. “I was just kidding! Relax, Method!” “I know you were,” Method replied, crossing her paws over her chest. “Seriously, though. What are we going to eat?” Although she had eaten earlier, she decided it wasn’t a good idea to announce it out loud. Who knew how Grimm would react – his brother had helped her when he didn’t have the chance. Besides, it wasn’t a