Episode 1: The Canines 5

              "I can't wait for this party to start." This little sentence is what went through everyone's mind. Particularly the hosts, Charlie and Sasha. Back in Charlie's apartment, the Germen shepherd is fixing up his place, for although he doesn't clean up very often, he's doing this for his friends (or so he says). A few seconds later, Itchy and Zero entered the place. "What's up, Charlie", Itchy asked, entering the place, "Wow, this is the first time you ever cleaned up, without having me or anyone else tell you." Zero added, "Yeah, you usually leave the apartment looking like a tornado hit in here". "Oh, what's up, fellas?", Charlie replied, not turning to them. "So you ready for the party?", Zero asked. "You know it! I know, this may seem odd to you; But I'm in such a good mood right now, I'll even do the most boring jobs known to caninekind," Charlie exclaimed.

Even as he spoke, the two dogs noticed that familiar grin spreading over Charlie's face. "Oh, I know that face, Charlie: you're planning on pulling off some hair-brained scheme to pull in more bones, and you want us to help you?", Itchy said. Charlie nodded, much to Itchy's dismay, laughing at the words "hair-brained". "Well, not these mutts. We won't do it."

"Aw, come on, little buddy. You haven't even heard about my idea and you bail me out!", Charlie said.

"Itchy does have a point, Charlie, considering that your 'ideas' never work", Zero exclaimed, "Remember that time you tried 'helping' me out with my job by building train tracks to serve orders? They blew up! Sasha was furious! You almost had me fired!"

"That could've worked if we fixed all the bugs. And besides, Sasha needed a tune-up for her place, anyway" Charlie complains.

"And you need to get a life! No, wait, make it two, because you screwed up one too many times to last this lifetime and the next!", Zero remarked, making Itchy crawl with laughter.

"Okay, so THAT plan failed. But come on guys, hear me out; this one is simply perfect! I promise you won't regret it!"

Although they both knew that Charlie's plans never worked, they also knew that he always finds some way to fix them. Thus, reluctantly, the two mutts said, "Okay, we'll do it. Now don't you even THINK about conning US, Charlie".

"That's the dogs I know. Here's the plan...". After a few moments of conversation, all three agreed to the plan. "Okay, guys. Remember, 9:00 p.m. sharp, alright? Don't forget to let Duncan and Zak in on our plan. Tell the girls to join us in the party, too. Oh, and one more thing: whatever you do, don't let THEM or anybody else discover our plan, ca-peesh?" Charlie asked them.

"Right!" they responded.

"In that case, let's get working on the party!" Charlie barked with enthusiasm.

Here we go again, Itchy thought.

Meanwhile, over at the Fleabite cafe, Sasha has just finished the afternoon shift and hired a temporary replacement for the evening shift. "Oh my, things are going rather smooth lately", she said, "I wonder how Charlie's holding up. He must be pretty excited by now". In just that moment, Bess, Molly, and Courtney have arrived. "Hey there, Sasha", they said simutaneously. "Hello, girls", she said.

"What's up with you? You don't sound too good", Courtney asked.

"Oh, I'm just tired, it's all. What can I get ya?", Sasha asked. "Oh, get us the usual", they responded. As they ate and drank, they discussed the current events that were happening. "So, how's it going with Charlie?", Bess asked, intending to hit a nerve. "It's coming along rather nicely", the Irish Setter replied, "Honey, that mutt knows how to treat a lady. He makes me so mad by not paying his tab, the cheap mutt, I could just bite him! but, the romance he spends with me - (sigh), he practically found my sweet spot, you know what I mean? He's one hunk of dog". Failing her mission, Bess just whimpered and drooped her ears in defeat. "Nice try, Bess", Sasha said, catching that look, "You'll have to do better than that to get me to talk. Anyway, it looks like he and I will be treating special guests tonight. Anabelle will be coming, I hear, as well as a few other dogs".

"You got that right", Molly replied, " And what a coincidence! Zak's been treating me the same way. He makes me wanna fall right into his paws."

 Courtney added, "Speaking of love, I heard the boys have planned som-"

She had no sooner stopped talking than noticed Mishka running through the cafe doors, with a look of elatedness on her face. As soon as she reached the other girls, she fell to the ground, panting hard. Picking her up, Sasha exclaimed, in much surprise, "Sweet mother of bones! What's with you, Mish? You ran as if your tail was on fire!"

"Sorry, Sash. I had to take the long way here. Anyway, I ran over here because I have some great news to tell you, so great in fact, you girls would fall, just as I have".

"Oh yeah?", they said, " Try us."

"Okay, fleabags, you asked for it", Mishka mused, "Charlie and the other boys have just told me that they want to ask us all out to the party on a date!"

The words have scarcely left her mouth when they all fainted and fell off their stools, much to Mishka's delight. "Told ya", she said, giggling. They quickly regained consciousness and hopped on their hind legs, yelling with joy. "Oh my gosh! I mean, It's one thing for them to say 'I love you', but to personally ask us out on a date is more than five girls can handle, am I right ladies?", Bess asked. All five agreed, they will accept the offer.

"Okay, but before we lose our cool, what are we gonna do now?", Molly asked. "Yeah, we can't just simply show up looking like a group of cats eagerly waiting for fish dinner", Courtney added, "We need to get ready and fast!"

"Don't worry about a thing, girls, I can handle that", Sasha assured them, "My boy David has prepared a special room in his attic for canines like us. We can prepare for them once we're in".

"Wait, how can he even understand you? Oh, right, the miracle Charlie gave you. Sorry, please continue", Courtney said, blushing in embarassment. "Say, can't Anabelle give us the ability to talk? We always wanted to talk to a human. And besides, who knows? It could be fun, or maybe even useful".

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to give you and a few others the ability to talk to humans. She does owe me one favor, after all. Let's ask. Anabelle, show yourself right quick".

"You called?", Anabelle said, showing up on the mirror. "I have one favor to ask of you. I hope it's not too much", Sasha pleaded her.

"Well, I suppose I do owe you some reward for helping Charlie out with defeating Red", the head angel replied, "What can I do for you?"

"Can you give my family and friends the ability to talk to humans?"

"Um, I have no idea what you're doing with this favor, but I trust you will use it wisely. Very well, I will do it... (poof) your family and friends now have the ability to talk to humans. Just don't get into trouble, alright?", Anabelle warned. "You have my word on it", Sasha promised, "See you at the party!". Then Anabelle disappeared.

"Wow, this is so cool. I feel as giddy as a drunken dog", Molly said. "Don't push your luck too far, you guys. We may have this great skill, but we have to use this wisely. Anyway, all we have to do is ask and we're in. Unless we have something else on our minds, I say we go now".

"Nothing whatsoever, Sasha", the others responded, "Let's go. To David's!"

Once they arrived at Sasha's home, the group spotted David on the doorsteps, back fom school. "That's your David?", Molly asked Sasha. "Mm-hm", she answered. "Oh my, he's cute! You're lucky, Sasha", Bess said. " Thanks. He's pretty nice, too, for a human. Come on, I'll introduce you to him."

"Good afternoon, David", Sasha said. "Oh, hi, Sasha", David said, smiling and petting her head, "It's so good to see you. What can I do for you today? I see that you brought a few of your friends along". "It's so good to see you too, David", she replied eagerly, " These are my friends. This is Molly, Mishka, Courtney, and Bess". "Hello. Hi. Nice to meet you. Hey there", each dog said as Sasha called out her name. "Nice to meet you all. A pleasure indeed. Any friend of Sasha's is a friend of mine. And, let me guess, Charlie and his pals asked you ladies out on a date, eh?". "Wow! Sweet, smart, and charming, too, eh Sasha?", Molly said. "Indeed. And why yes, but how on earth did you know?", Sasha asked in astonishent.

"Charlie came by. He and his boys just came over here and inquired of you ladies. I figured they asked you girls out by the look on their faces. They kept yapping on and on about you the whole time. Honestly, it's annoying." Shasha and her friends giggle at his opinion. "Anyway, I knew you girls were gonna use the special room, so I left it open for you, with plenty of food and drink, and more importantly, dresses for you and your pals. Just come and go as you please".

A mixture of joy and surprise swept through Sasha and the others as they pounced on him, licked/kissed his face, and hugged him. "You're the best, David. We owe you big time", Sasha spoke.

"No worries, Sasha. Anything for a friend. Just give me a bark if you ladies need anything, alright?"

"You got it", she said.

"Oh, and um, you mind if I ask you a quick question, David?", Courtney asked .

"Fire away, my furry friend", David said. "Okay. You seem to know things long before many others do. Are you a magician?"

"Funny you should ask that, Courtney. It turns out that I am indeed a magician", the boy answered. "It's true, he is", Sasha defended. "Ooooh", they said. "Well then, how about you join us in for the celebration over at Sasha's cafe? It could always use a good magician", Bess pleaded.

"You own a cafe, Sasha?", David asked, now curious. "Wait, so you mean to tell me that you didn't tell him about the cafe, Sash?", Mishka inquired of her, also curious. "Regrettably, yes", Sasha admitted, blushing. "Cool! Oh, and about that offer, Bess, I don't know. Isn't the party and the cafe for dogs only, Sasha?", David asked. "Aw, don't be silly, David. Those dogs would love to have you on board. Besides, who wouldn't? Trust me, you'll do fine", Sasha spoke. David, knowing he could sure use the experience and the fame, gave in and said, "All right. If you guys want me to go with you, then okay, I will go. Oh, and I almost forgot. Lucky for me, I have a special device that translates speech spoken by any animal into words humans like me can understand, so I can do this show free of hassle. Just give me some time to ask for my mom's consent and my magician's clothes, okay?"

"You got it. Okay girls, let's go in!", she barked. "Thanks again, David. I love you".

"I love you, too, Sasha", David replied.

Back at the cafe, Charlie, Itchy and the rest of the crew have just finished with setting up the party. Now everything is ready. "Phew, that was hard", Charlie spoke, exhausted from the labor. "You're telling me, Charlie", Itchy remarked, panting from sending invitations to any mutt interested. Duncan added, "Man, I'm starved. We ain't had anything but garbage for three whole hours. Let's chow down on some dog food right quick, yes? On me".

"Oh, you're on", they agreed. As they snacked on some well-deserved food, they talked about their plan. "Okay guys, listen up. First, we ask Anabelle for a miracle dog tag", Charlie told them, "then we use its power to convert ourselves into the greatest rock stars in the city. Next, we perform and collect the bones from the dogs that show up to see our concerts. Heh heh, those suckers won't know what hit them. Finally, we spend the rest of our lives living in paradise. Ingenious, huh?" Charlie marveled at what he said, unlike the other dogs.

"And how does transforming ourselves into rock dogs gonna help us rack up the bones exactly, Charlie?" Duncan asked, doubting him.

"If we do well with putting up a good show, we have a good chance of bringing in more dogs to the cafe, and so increase profits. And besides, our babes would simply fall for us if we performed for them and it's our gift to them, especially to my Sasha. Love, wealth, charm, and fame, all combined into one. And besides, we all want to live the good life and have a good time at the party, especially with THEM, right?", Charlie said. All nodded, especially Itchy, who loved Bess more than anything in the world.

"Okay, so maybe this plan is a good idea, Charlie", Itchy spoke, reluctantly. "But how do you know if Anabelle will give you the tag, huh?"

"Leave that part to me, Itch", Charlie said, "Speaking of leaving, where's Zak? He's been gone for over an hour and he should've been here with the tuxedoes by now! Anyone know where is?"

At that very moment, Zak came in with the garments, fresh and unscathed. The canine himself, however, was in seriously bad health. He was bleeding moderately from a small incision on one of his hind legs, as well as bruised from the chest down. He let out a groan and fell to the ground unconscious the moment the other dogs caught sight of him.

"Uncle!", Duncan cried, whimpering. The four dogs scrambled to his side, gently picked him up, and placed him on top of the couch in Charlie's apartment, with Duncan bandaging his leg and Zero feeling his neck. "His pulse is weak! Itch, quick, some smelling salts", Zero commanded. "Here", Itchy replied. "Thanks. Come on, Zak, wake up... finally". Not even dogs as unconscious as Zak was can withstand the potent odor of smelling salts. Returning to his senses, he woke. "Uhhh... wha- what happened? where am I?"

"Relax, uncle, it's us", Duncan reassured him, "We saw you fall with our clothes in your paws. You were out cold for a moment, and pretty 'chewed up'. For a second, we thought we lost you for good. We were so worried. What happened?"

"Let me think... ah, yes, I remember now. I went to get the tuxedoes from the apartment, as planned. I was a bit hungry, so I ate a medium t-bone steak from the fridge. Sorry if it was precious to you, Charlie, heh heh."

"Aw, man. That was my last one, too", Charlie grumbled, his stomach growling for that steak, “You owe me, big time, Zak."

"Hey, I said I was sorry. Anyway, I then went to meet you guys and was almost here when some masked lady, Irish Setter I think, jumped off a balcony and attacked me. I fought her for as long as I could and I've almost beaten her, but she stabbed me in the leg with a shard of glass before I could deal the final blow. She said, ' Tell Charlie that if he haves this party, I will make him suffer ', and left. And I think you guys know the rest". When he finished the tale, Zak placed his head back down.

"You brave dog! I'm so proud of you, uncle. Come on, let's get you patched up", said Duncan. "That won't be necessary, son. I've taken worse punishments.  Besides, your old uncle heals fast, and I don't want to waste any time trying to speed it up. Just give me a few minutes and a cup of joe, and I'll be as good as new, alright?".

"But uncle,-". "Duncan?", Zak barked. He then shot a stare at his nephew that said "that's an order, pup!" "Yes, uncle. A- As you wish." Duncan knew that whenever Zak gave him that stare, he meant business and that it's pointless trying to argue. "You heard him. Let's get moving", Charlie said. "And how about that limousine we rented, Itch?" "I had to pull a few strings, but I got it. It'll be here as soon as we have the girls with us. But what about the warning, Charlie?", Itchy told him. "I'll hire some watchdogs to guard this place. Let's see that mutt try to bust in here with those guys around. Now let's try on those tuxedoes... ah, I feel like a million bones. Any of you guys agree with me?'

"Sure. You said it. Yep. Without a doubt", each dog said as they looked at themselves in a puddle of water. "Well, now that we're all dressed and ready to roll, let's go. Our ladies are waiting for us, and I for one, wouldn't want to hold them up! You guys with me?"

"Yeah. Let's roll!" they said. I have a baaad feeling about this, Charlie thought.

Back at David's place, Sasha and her friends were having a rather good time. " You're the dog, Sash", exclaimed Mishka, chewing on a leftover rib roast, "You've hit the motherlode when you found Charlie and David. Just sweeet". "You know it; but next time, don't say anything with the term 'mother' in it, please? Having puppies is very painful, you know, especially when Charlie got me pregnant with Andrew".

"Aw, come on Sasha, having puppies is the best thing a woman can ask for", Molly commented, lapping up some water, " They're just adorable. And besides, they make you look even better". "You girls never had pups before, so you can't judge me. But on the other hand, you're right; Puppies ARE the best thing a lady can ask for. And besides, through them, me and Charlie live on. (Sigh), Maybe I should have more; I always was a sucker for puppies!".

"Aw, I'm touched, Sasha", Bess remarked, "maybe me and Itchy should have some puppies, too. Their cute faces are worth the hardships." "Count us in, too", said Mishka and Courtney, giggling, "We also just love playing the role of midwives". "Okay, then it's settled. We're all going to be proud moms. Let's just hope the boys love it. Anyway, we should get ready soon. It's only a matter of time before the party starts, and I can't imagine what the guys would say if they see us like this. Where's the dresses?"

"Here they are, Sasha", Molly exclaimed, pulling them out of a closet, "and just look at these. They're of high quality; the finest cotton and silk blend, smooth to the touch, and bright, elaborate colors: all in four ensembles. And look at this, girls: he even got us matching gloves and fans! Whooee, David sure knows how to make a lady happy!"

"Wonderful. Let's try them on", Courtney asked. "Crikey, look at you Bess, you look stunning". "Right back at ya, sister", Bess remarked. "Hey, you lot, look at Sasha. She's one hot dog in hers. David must've made that one especially for you, Sash. You are the hostess, after all", Mishka mused. Looking at herself in the mirrors, Sasha spoke, "Shucks girls, I'm speechless. In these outfit, Charlie will practically drool all over me".

"Not if he sees you looking like a chicken, bawk bawk!", Bess said playfully, throwing a pillow at Sasha, with feathers sticking out of it. It fell apart on contact, sticking feathers onto Sasha's dress and causing her to let out an "Ahh!". The other canines fell to the floor, howling with laughter. "Oh, so you want to be pussycats now, do ya? Okay girls, you asked for it. Pillow fight!" Sasha, knowing they were just playing around, then threw a pillow at Bess, who threw one at Molly, who then threw one at both Mishka and Courtney. They were soon having fun throwing pillows at each other, one after another. In the middle of the fight, David overhears the battle raging on upstairs and decides to investigate. " What's going on in - ow!", he said, taking a pillow to the face and then falling backwards off the stairs. "Woooah, oof!" Landing on his back, he took off the pillow, saw birds spinning around his head, and went unconscious.

"David!", Sasha cried, " He's knocked out cold! Come on, you guys, bring him upstairs and quick!" "David?", his stepmother yelled, "Is everything okay back there, honey?" Sasha, fearful that she will come back here and discover him, cleverly mimicked David's voice and said, "Everything's okay, mom. Just dropped some boxes, that's all". She turned around to see her friends hauling David into the room. "Just give us a few more seconds, Sasha, and we're clear. Man, for a lttle guy, David sure is heavy", Bess said, dragging David by his sleeve. "You sure you don't need a hand with those, David?", his stepmom asked once more. "Positive", Sasha replied, "You have your paws-err, I mean hands-full already. I'll be fine". " Okay then. Don't get into trouble now, because I'll be out getting groceries. Later". "You got it", Sasha answered, letting out a sigh of relief as she saw the others dragging the boy in just in time. "Wait, did David say he was moving boxes?", his stepmom asked herself outside. "Ah, well, I'm sure he can handle it".

Bess suddenly felt sorry she started this pillow fight and immediately began licking him until he was conscious once more. "Oh, you're awake. You took a good smack to the face there, David. Are you all right?" "Yeah Bess. I'll do fine. My homework got me used to headaches. Anyway, if this is your idea of a-". David then noticed the room all in shambles and the dogs covered in feathers. "WHAT HAPPENED HERE?!!!", he asked. The girls' cheeks blushed a deep red at his question. Bess, unable to make up a good lie, then told him everything. "We're sorry. We didn't mean to trash the place up. But we just couldn't help ourselves", Mishka admitted, "We dogs just love to have fun". "Aw, no worries, Mishka. I used to mess this place up, too", David shared with them, " and believe me, this was nothing compared to what I did to it. (giggle), you guys look like you've just raided a chicked coop with those feathers on, hah hah". "Ha ha, very funny, David", Sasha said. "Anyway, this room can take on more than this. Besides, mom hardly uses this place, so I doubt she'll notice. But I'll clean up, just in case she does."

"No need, David, We'll do it for you", Courtney said, "This is our mess and so we must clean it up". But they were too late. The crew heard a knock on the door. Although David's mom was still at the market, Charlie and his pals have arrived, eager to bring their dates out to the party. "Aw, come on, there's only 30 minutes left 'til the party starts, and they're still not done", Charlie whispered to the others, "Hey David, you in there, buddy?" "I hear you, Charlie. Just give me a moment and I'll get back to you", David yelled. "Oh, crap! We're so dead if they see us like this", Molly barked. "Have any ideas, David?" "Let me see...(Snap) Bingo! I can let you girls use my room. You can take off the feathers once you're in. But hurry, or they'll get suspicious!", David pleaded. "Got it", they said, moving towards his room. "Go, go, go, " Sasha whisered to them. "And lock the door! Okay Charlie, you guys can come in now", the boy told them.

"Aw man, you look a bit beat up, little buddy. What happened?", Charlie asked him. "Long story. You guys look good in those tuxedoes. Anyway, please, help yourselves to some leftover dog food while I get Sasha and the others". "No thanks. We'll just wait", Itchy told him respectfully. After a quick moment, David announced, "Gentlemen, your ladies are done, and here they are!" Then the girls just walked in, one by one. "Hellooooo gorgeous. (Howl). Where have you been all my life? (Whistle). Hey beautiful", each mutt said as his date appeared before him. The girls just giggled. "Very well, now that we're all here, let's get out of here", Duncan said, wagging his tail swiftly. "And how are we gonna do that, Mr. Fancypaws?", Sasha asked him, waving her fan. 

" No sweat , love", Charlie assured her, "I got you covered". Just at that moment, the limousine driver arrived at the front of the house, honking his horn. "He's here. Let's roll! You first, girls", the boys told them. They and David went in last, the driver speeding off to the cafe as soon as they got in.

"Oh boy! This party will be a blast! Oh, and by the way, we have prepared something special for you babes", Charlie advised them."Oh yeah, Charlie? What is it?", Courtney asked. "We fellows are about to- ow!". Charlie gave Zak a jab to his already injured ribs, causing him to yelp in pain. "What was THAT for?", Zak whispered to his aggressor. " You forgot already? We can't tell them just yet, remember?", Charlie replied. "Oh right. Sorry", Zak apologized. " Well, what?", Mishka asked. "Sorry. We can't tell you. It's a surprise. You girls have to wait until we're there". They let out a sigh at this statement.

"Okay. We'll wait. Don't disappoint us now, boys", Sasha implored them. "Anyway, look at who we brought along. Meet the cafe's newest magician, David!" "Awesome!", the boys said. "So, you're good at this gig, kid?", Zak asked him. " Let's just say I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve", David joked. "Catchy", Duncan remarked, "and let me guess, you'll be performing at the party, eh?" "Or so the girls tell me", the boy said, the girls blushing hard at his words. "Well then. Let's hope you don't make everyone disappear, okay?", Zak mused, making the other dogs laugh. "Now there's an idea, but I won't", the boy countered. " We don't have much time left, everyone, so let's crank it up a notch. Hey, Johnson!", Itchy called the driver. " Yep?", he said. "Step on it, will ya?", Itchy asked. "You got it", Johnson answered, "Hold on tight, folks. We're in for a rough ride". He presses a button, and soon he drove through the streets like a hot knife through a stick of butter, with everyone saying "Yahoo!".

Just a few seconds later, the gang arrive at the cafe. "We're here, ladies", Charlie annouced. "Let's get this party started! Man, that's quite a crowd". The group just had a hard time getting into the crowd, let alone get to their seats. "Hello, everybody. I hope I'm not late", Anabelle told them, arriving in a style of her own. "No, Anabelle, you're just in time. Please, take a seat. Now if you will excuse me, Sasha and I have to go up on stage", Charlie said. "Wait, where are you guys going?", David inquired. "We're the hosts, remember? We'll be greeting the guests from up there. Now sit tight". "Oh, this'll be quick", Bess retorted.

Just then, the announcer dog showed up on stage, grabbing the mic and fixing his bowtie. "Hello, ladies and gentlemen. I hope you're happy to be here, because we're about to throw the biggest party in the history of caninekind! Now put your paws together for your host and hostess for this evening: everyone, I give you Ms. Sasha LaFluer and Mr. Charlie B. Barkin!" A round of applause came from the guests as Sasha and Charlie came up on stage. "Good evening, guys. I just wanna say that I want to thank you all for coming to celebrate our anniversary. This lovely dog has made me the happiest mutt on Earth!", exclaimed Charlie. They kissed a moment later. Another round of applause and a lot of "aws" followed soon after. "Aw, that's beautiful. Thank you, Charlie. And you heard my husband, ladies and gentlemen, go on ahead and enjoy yourselves. In about an hour, me and Charlie will provide some special entertainment for you. I hope you like it, because it is one of the best acts in the city! So dig in, and have a great time!" "Well, there we have it, people. These dogs are not only hostsg of this party, but they're also doing everything they can just to make their fellow canines happy. Let's give them a big paw", the announcer dog said, another round of applause right behind him, " And you heard them. Let's make like shovels and dig in".

Soon, every table in the cafe was filled, the guests eating, talking, and playing to their heart's desire. In one of the special tables, the 12-person group has just finished filling up their plates and soon followed the crowd. "I have to admit, Charles, you guys know how to please a crowd", Anabelle told Charlie and Sasha. "This is just the tip of the iceberg, Anabelle. What happens next is the bulk of the fun! And what about you guys? You enjoying the party?" Charlie asked the others. " You know it!" was their answer. "And how about that surprise you promised me and the girls, darling?", Sasha asked Charlie, "What is it?". "Okay, my love, you asked for it. We fellows have, with the help of a special, shall we say, 'heavenly' contact, came up with even more entertainment that will accompany the fun you and I have originally planned!" "Oh, yeah?", she asked, much delighted, "What is it?" "You'll see... soon enough. You girls will love it!", Zak added. "Aw, come on, boys, it's not nice to keep secrets from us", Molly countered, putting a paw on Zak face and getting ready to kiss him. "Nice try, ladies, but we won't tell, no matter how hard you try". The girls just sighed. "Oh, very well. You win", Courtney said, ruefully, "We'll wait until later on. Anyway, we have something special for you guys, too", Bess explained, smiling at them, especially at Itchy, who wagged his tail even more at her gaze. " Oooh, what is it?", Itchy asked her, holding her paw up and kissing it. "Uh uh uh, Can't tell", Bess said, blushing 'til her fur turned almost scarlet, " Just like we're waiting for you boys to show us your surprise, you have to wait for us girls to show you ours". The gentlemen whimpered at her words, logical as they were.

30 minutes later, the hour was up. "It looks like that's your cue to get on stage, David", Charlie told him. "Right. Wish me luck,you guys", David talked back. "Well, don't just stand there! Take your seats". Soon, the gang sat in their original seats. The announcer dog once more appeared on stage. " Okay, ladies and gentleman, here stands the moment you've all been waiting for. The promised entertainment is about to begin". a series of yells and howls have ensued the mutt. "Let's begin, shall we? Our first show will be a magical one. Now let's give a big round of applause for the human who has powers meant only for heaven: the one, the only, David!". The crowd, stunned and excited, roared with excitement as David appeared in a cloud of smoke.

" Good evening, everybody. Thanks for your attention. For my first trick, I will need a volunteer. How about you, sir?", David asked a 8-year-old German Shepherd. "Sure", he replied with excitement as he joined the boy at the stage. "Oh boy, this oughtta be good", Courtney said with enthusiasm.  "Do you see this bone?", David said. "You bet", the dog answered. "Okay. Now watch it carefully, for I will now make it vanish right before your eyes. Abracadabra, one, two, three!" Just then, the bone faded away, the audience amazed. David then flipped/shaked his hand. "No bone, see? Observe, nothing up my sleeve". David meant it seriously, for as he rolled up his sleeve, nothing, not even his own arm, was there. Only his hand was visible. The audience let out a gasp. His volunteer felt all around the area where David's arm should've been, but found nothing. "Well, I'll be! You're not kidding!", his volunteer exclaimed, "Where'd the bone go?" "Right here, my canine friend", David said as he blew in the dog's paw. The bone then suddenly materialized into it, unchanged. And fortunately, so did David's arm. The audience yelled with joy at this stupendous act. "Well, I see that you all liked that trick. You want more?" the boy asked. "Yeah!" was the obvious answer. "Okay then. Let's have some fun! For my next trick..." Only 30 minutes elapsed, and the magic show was over. Although the audience was disappointed that it was so short, David assured them that on weekends, he will be at the cafe to show more of his tricks. "Just come on over and you'll find me. Thanks again for your attention. You've been a great audience. Now goodbye and have a lovely evening. ha ha ha ha ha!". David disappeared in a cloud of smoke when he laughed, only to be cheered by the crowd of dogs.

        "Whooee, David is one smooth human, eh people?", the announcer dog told them. All nodded. "And now we will-" He was cut short by the sound of yelps and grunts made by the watchdogs guarding the front of the cafe. One of them flew from the front and landed on the pavement, unconscious and crippled in one front leg. The other was thrown next to him, bleeding from the nose. He just lied there like a 'possum, unable to move. "Pathetic", said a masked female dog fitting Zak's description as she approached the now intimidated crowd. "That's her, Charlie. The one who attacked me". Just looking at her come closer made him cringe. "You might want to sit this one out, old buddy", Charlie told him, "I'll take care of this". "Let me join you, Charlie", Sasha told her husband. " Okay. Stay close". "I see that you have not heeded my warning, Mr. Barkin. Why?", the intruder asked him. "I don't take orders from some mutt, fleabag. Nobody hurts my friends and gets away with it!", Charlie told her boldly. "Empty words from a dead dog", the intruder retorted, bringing out a double-bladed sword. "You're the dead dog, you creep!", Sasha yelled as she grabbed two sabres from the bag of a nearby war dog and tossed one to Charlie. "We'll see about that!" the intruder lunged at Charlie but barely missed his tux. "Hey, I paid big for this suit! You're sooo gonna pay for that!" And so the dogs began a swordfight. The dogs clashed metal with metal, with neither side gaining an edge. It seemed as if this was an endless battle. Then, Sasha and the masked 'phantom' had parried each others' attack and held it there for a long time. "I see that you're fearful of me, Lafluer. You have hate, and you have anger, and yet you're hardly using them. Perhaps this'll help", the masked lady said as she kicked Sasha, sending her into a telephone booth and then locking the door. The audience watched in horror as the battle raged on between Charlie and the 'phantom' lady. Charlie, enraged that this villian pushed his wife like that,  fought harder and extremely well, taking more ground and forcing his opponent closer to a wall. But then a tragic thing happened. Before Charlie could deal the punishing blow, the masked intruder parried his final attack, kicked his paws upwards, and stabbed him in the chest, barely missing his heart and making Charlie yelp with pain. "Charliiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeee!", Sasha cried as she saw her husband fall backwards, panting and clutching his chest. "One mutt down, one more to go", the intruder exclaimed, pulling out her blade from Charlie.

       At this very moment, an extraordinary thing happened. After seeing Charlie fall to this masked lady, Sasha burned with rage, letting her wolf side be unleashed. Her teeth were bared in an aggressive stance, eyes glowing like the full moon. She smashed through the door of the phone booth with deadly force and lunged straight at her foe, knocking the intruder onto the dance floor. As soon as the masked lady regained consciousness, Sasha then assaulted her with a barrage of attacks. It's almost as if all hell broke loose, for she fought with brute force, yet the gracefulness of her attacks made her seem to have full control of herself. The masked lady couldn't keep up with Sasha, so she quickly lost ground. The audience watched in utter fascination as the so-called 'fight to the death' unfolded, waiting to see who would win. Sasha, of course answered it for them as she dealt the final strike, cutting a small slit in each of the intruder's wrists with one stroke of her blade and forcing her opponent to toss her weapon in the air. The masked dog yelped in pain as Sasha caught the weapon in the air and formed an X with the two blades, the middle of the X pressed uncomfortably close against her neck. "You shall dangle fo this, woman! Bess, Itchy!", Sasha called out to them. "Right here, Sasha", the two mutts replied. "Seize her. Bind her paws, but good". "On it", Bess replied as she and Itchy tied up the defeated enemy's front paws.

              Sasha, seeing a thin trail of blood from the corner of her eye, suddenly remembered Charlie and scrambled to his side, dropping the blades. The canine's pretty strong, for he managed to plug up the wound in his chest with a nearby hankerchief before any further loss of blood occurred. Even so, the amount of blood he did lose caused him to lose consciousness; Lucky for him, it was the only effect it had on him.  Any other dog would've died in minutes from this injury. The crowd closed up on the brave dog as Sasha approached him. "Okay, you lot, back up. Give him some air. Back up!", Zero ordered the crowd, who gladly obeyed. "Oh, Charlie", Sasha whispered to him, checking his heart. "Please wake up". No response came from the fallen mutt. Grieved, Sasha and the rest of the gang wept bitterly for the 'loss' of their friend. What she didn't see, however, was that as she cried, the tears trickling from her face dropped onto Charlie's wound, healing it until it was gone. When she saw this, she and everyone else stopped weeping and gasped. Noticing that her husband was still not conscious, she kissed him softly on his lips, breathing into him (some would say she gave him the 'breath of life'). Immediately, Charlie regained consciousness, opening his eyes and coughing. When he saw Sasha on top of him, eyes glistening and wet with tears and smiling for his 'miraculous return from the dead', he smiled back at her as she gave him another tender kiss, the crowd cheering them on with thunderous applause. "No one can keep a good dog down, Sasha", he said, rising up from the ground. "You hear that, everyone? No one can keep a good dog down!" This caused an uproar in agreement from the crowd.

              "I dare you to say that again!", the now captured masked intruder yelled at him. They all turned to her, faces showing disgust at her. "You got some nerve, you mutt! First, you crash the party, you almost killed my husband, and now you say that you can keep a good dog down when you failed to defeat either of us. Surely this will teach you something!", Sasha scoffed at her enemy as she punched her in the face so hard that the mask flew right off her face, smashing into pieces on contact with the ground. 

                    The face that it shielded was now revealed, but the identity of the intruder shocked Sasha over all the others. In fact, it was none other than her younger and wicked sister Kerry, who used to work for Carface, "(gasp), Kerry?", Sasha told her sister. "Who did you expect, sis? Belladonna?", Kerry retorted. "Wait, she's your sister, Sasha?", Charlie asked his wife. "Yes, Charlie. Kerry is my younger sister. She always had a grudge towards me, but how she got it, I don't remember. What I want to know is why she wanted to turned homicidal all of a sudden. Why, Kerry?", Sasha asked. "You already know why, Sasha. I've always hated you. Mom and dad always favored you more, even when we were pups. You practically had everything, while I rotted away in the dust with nothing but myself. I couldn't take it any longer, so I came here and attacked you and your friends because I hoped to achieve revenge for what happened to me. I may have been defeated this time, but this is only the beginning. So long as you're alive, I will never stop!". The mutt then tried to break free from her bonds, but to no avail. "Do I look like I wanted everything for myself?!!", Sasha scolded her, now recalling the time of their puppyhood. Their parents did more for her than they did for Kerry, but Sasha never let that spoil her. She always watched over Kerry, even when they got separated. Seeing Kerry like this made her feel betrayed. "I wept bitterly when I realized that mom and dad neglected you all because of me. I tried many times to cheer you up the best I could since then, from giving you gifts to helping you with sticky situations, but each time you wouldn't have it, even when I told you that I did it out of love. And this is how you repay me? (sigh) Very well. I'm sorry, sis, but you're going to the pound for this. Hopefully you will realize the pain and trouble you have caused to us all there. And no worries, I'll visit you often". She then ordered the watchdogs guarding the back exits of the cafe to transport her to the pound ASAP.

                      After that, everyone continued their activities until the announcer dog came up on the stage 15 minutes later. The hosts and their friends have returned to their seats after agreeing that they will discuss the sudden turn of events after the party. "Okay, ladies. We will now tell you about the entertainment we promised you", Charlie told them."Wonderful! What is it, darling?", Sasha asked them. "We guys have formed a rock band together and we're about to perform the first of many upcoming gigs here on stage!" The girls screamed with excitement as each one hugged her mate and wagged her tail furiously. "Oh, my! This IS a surprise!", Mishka told them, "I'm sure it'll become a smashing success". "You said it, Mish! Break a leg, you guys", Sasha added. "You bet!", Zero said. "Oh, that's our cue to get up there. Okay, fellas, let's roll! See you later, ladies", Itchy yelled to them. "Bye, boys!", the girls yelled back. Finally adjusting his bowtie, the announcer dog exclaimed, "Hello, everyone. The second half of the fun is about to begin!" The crowd let a yell at his words. "Now put your paws together and give a big round of applause for the dogs that will perform for you tonight: Duncan, Zak Slumdog, Zero, Itchy Itchiford, and your host, Charlie! Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to THE CANINES 5!" The audience let out a warcry of an uproar as the dogs and the name of their band were announced and as they came up on stage. "Are you ready to rock, people?!!!", Charlie asked them through the microphone. They yelled at him in agreement. "And I'll tell you one thing, man. I know that not one of you mangy mutts is gonna go home sane tonight!", He said, respectfully. The audience only cried even louder, excited instead of offended. "This is a song called Mr. Carface (an ADGTH version of Mr. Crowley by Ozzy Osbourne, with Zak at the drums, Zero at the organ-sounding piano, Duncan at the bass guitar, Itchy at the lead guitar, and Charlie at the vocals)!". Then, the music began. "Let me see your dog-gone cigarette matches!", Charlie yelled, obeyed by the audience. When the intro was finished, Charlie put a paw up to his ear to indicate a yell to the audience. They, in turn, understood and complied. He then started singing his heart out:

Mr. Carface

What went down in your head?

Oh, Mr. Carface

Did you talk to the dead?

Your lifestyle to me seems so tragic

With the thrill of it all

You fooled all the puppies with magic

Yeah, you waited on Belladonna's call

Mr. Charming

Did you think you were pure?

Mr. Alarming

With the Red Cat's support

Uncovering bones that were sacred

Manifest on this earth

(Oh), Conceived in the eye of a secret

Yeah, they scattered the afterbirth

Yeah!

            Then, of course, Itchy followed it up with the guitar solo. As he played, Bess told to the others "That's my Itchy! Look at him go, everyone! Go, Itchy go!" Itchy, noticing the look on Bess' face and the yell of the crowd, started to move around with amazing precision for a dog wth short legs. Charlie, after the solo was over, resumed with the song:

Mr. Carface

Won't you ride my white horse?

Oh, Mr. Carface

It's symbolic, of course

Approaching a time that is classic

I hear the angels' call

Yeah, approaching a time that is drastic

Standing with their backs to the wall

Yeah!

        The girls, overjoyed seeing their men playing so beautifully, started cheering them on. " Keep it up, boys!" they yelled to them. The guys, amazed themseves at their ability to play, felt terrific about this plan they have made. Just the thrill of the show was enough for them to keep going. Charlie continued singing, his heart pounding harder than a hammer on a doornail:

Was it demonically sent?

I wanna know what you meant

I wanna know

I wanna know what you meant

Yeah!

                    "Let me see your wild cries, people, come on!", Charlie told the crowd as they yelled back to him in obedience. A minute later, the song was over with Charlie saying, "You're No.1!". The audience gave them an encore as they finished. They then played several other songs, as in every gig, until they got to the sixth and final one. "Okay everyone. This is the last song we'll be playing for you tonight. Hope you like it, because this one is dedicated out of love to our ladies. Stand up and take a bow, girls!" Obeying with great surprise and in the spotlight, Sasha and her friends stood up and gave a courtsy, their faces a deep red hue due to blushing with such an honor. " Girls, this is for you! We just love you all!" (This final song is titled "I Was Made For Loving You" by KISS). Zero switched the settings on the piano from organ to orchestra, to make up for lack of sufficient musicians.