35 Side Stories. (I)

The Princess of the Cosmo.

For one such as myself—a hound of the stars—life has had more twists and turns than for the average canine. I started as a young pup, full of drive and stars in my eyes. During my impressionable age, I volunteered to be a part of something more. To go to the places my human friends could not go, to risk my life so they didn't have to. For such was the love I shared for the motherland and my comrades.

Now, with my years of experience and knowledge about the art of spacefaring, I understand that it was a miracle that I made it out of the planet's gravity well while riding that rocket. It makes sense that I was irradiated through the useless shielding of the ship, but I don't think I will complain about that last bit, after all, from the shower of the energy of the stars I—Cosmo The Spacedog—awoke.

The Stars blessed me and now I could hear, understand, and communicate through thoughts.

As I saw my motherland, through the circular window, getting away from me further and further, I unwillingly embarked on my life journey. I took the first steps into the longest walk of my life. At least it was me and not one of my comrades.

The sorry excuse of a ship took me right to the doorstep of Knowhere, or as I like to call it: Bone Planet. As my possible new friends broke into my vessel and help into freedom, I could only imagine what grand life filled with walksis and open spaces for habitual runs awaited me.

Expectations met Reality. After I was delivered to a man that smelled like old bone, I was put in a fish tank, one more among the other collectibles. 

Life didn't have much meaning after that. No walksis, no running, no friends, no more treats nor goodies. I was bored... and sad. 

I could do more, be more! I was sure of it, the blessing of the stars didn't make me this way just to end up a collectible!

But no matter how much I tried to convince the girl or the old bone, with masterful puppy eyes or some wiggles, I was not given a chance. Later I learned that the girl was in the same situation, she was just outside but a prisoner all the same, a prisoner without a cage.

My chance to shine came when a lot of stress wafted around the air. The caretakers were scared, worried, and angry, and with good reason. They waltzed in like they owned the place and this horned man told them who was the bad dog and who was the alpha!

After I met my new friend things started to look up, he promised vast prairies and he delivered, he promised a family and now I have lots of furred human friends, the food is the best and everyone was like me—furred and blessed by the stars.

One of my favorite activities became flying around the collar-like world, second only to racing against the girls riding the scaled bipedal horses.

Of course, it wasn't much of a race if I just ran, but using the blessing from the stars I could fly myself and compete without being left biting the dust.

I also liked very much swimming in the lakes, though I almost got chomped by a many-limbed water friend. Nothing a bubble around my body couldn't fix.

One day as I walked—or more like hoped—through the grasslands I met her, Princess. She was not very good at conversation but she had the smell, the body, and the maw of a warrior!

~Just how I liked them.

The only problem was the conversation part, luckily my new friend came to the rescue and now I just have to be a patient dog! 

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The Flame of my Soul.

"Ok, Johnny! Let's do this!"- Susan Storm enthusiastically exclaimed. 

"~Hehehe! Don't worry Sis, we've got this covered!"- Johnny exclaimed as he stood up and walked to the front.

"I don't see how this is fair."- Ben Grimm complained from his reinforced seat.

"I don't see how we didn't see this coming."- Victor von Doom pointed out the obvious.

"~Heh~ No complaining now. That coupon for a month in the learning room will be ours, the Storm siblings, the rules were clear from the beginning and now you losers can't go cry to momma."- Johnny cockily sneered.

"Shut up, Matchstick! No one said anything about powers!"- Ben Grimm retorted.

"No one said you couldn't! Now, shut up and take a look at how we win this round."- Johnny said as he used his flames to depict a flaming person walking down the flaming street entering several flaming buildings, and coming out with several flaming bags.

"Shopping! It's shopping!"- Susan Storm shouted the correct answer. 

"That's correct, one more point the Storm siblings. They are in the lead by 3 points!"- Spark projected the scoreboard from Doom's P-Link which was set on the coffee table.

"Come on, Victor! It's time you whoop out some of that magic of yours and help us get the win. I always wanted to be a pizza baker, now's the time! I can't let this opportunity go!"- Ben tried to get Doom going!

"For the umpteenth time! I don't do illusion magic, I specialize in attack and antidemonic magic. Illusion wouldn't work on a demon that could perceive souls so I never studied it."- Doom said in regret.

"Victor, Can't you use magic to bend light? Like Aragorn."- Susan asked.

"No, I can't. It's possible, but Aragorn doesn't bend light with the assistance of magic."- Doom shook his head.

"What does he do, then? I've seen the illusions he makes."- Ben asked.

"I don't know, but it's not magic, not that I doubt he could, but when I've seen him do it it has never been magic."- Doom.

"Sparky dude! Can you tell us how he does it?"- Johnny asked the P-Link.

"The Master Chief takes advantage of the duality of light by manipulating it into a state of particle using his innate ability for energy manipulation, he then uses his telekinesis to make a zone of high probability for the photons to move into the needed positions."- Spark gave them an abridged version of the answer.

"You know what that means, Sis?"- Johnny asked with a knowing smirk.

"What does it mean, Johnny?"- Susan asked with a smirk of her own.

"It means they will remain losers and we will triumph as the rightful winners!"- The pair smiled at the brooding duo.

Twenty minutes later the obvious outcome happened. Johnny did have to escape from Ben after he took it too far with the mocking, leaving Susan and Doom alone in the living room.

"One would think that Reed would want to participate if the game included a trip to the learning room as a reward, right?"- Susan dejectedly asked Doom.

"If I had to say it in magical terms, Reed has been cursed with the understanding of his mortal limitations after meeting a being such as Aragorn. I understand where his recently acquired passion for prowess comes from, I experienced something similar when my mother's soul was taken from me by 'Him'. I did everything I could to get my hands on a chance to get her back... You know how that ended for me."- Victor replied with a non-committal answer.

"And in normal terms?"- Susan dejectedly asked.

"He's an idiot that doesn't know how to cope with what he can't control or understand... I talk from experience."- He said with some self-mockery.

"Yeah, I could tell. You and Reed were always similar in some aspects. I just thought we could—all of us together—share some quality time like we used to. We have finally escaped the stalking and siege from the military and our company has a new direction and backer to work with. I thought our team needed a little bit of celebration and fun."- Susan said.

"So you were the one that got the coupon from Spark."- Doom said while arching his eyebrows in surprise. 

"Technically, Emma gave it to Spark to prove to me a point, Spark was in charge of delivering it to us in the form of a charades game."- Susan said in a self-effacing mood.

"To prove a point?"

"Yeah... Let's call it a girl's secret."

Doom eventually left and a few minutes later a portal opened in the room and Emma walked through with all of her royal fluff behind her.

"So?"- She said as she sat next to Susan and enveloped her in a side hug with her tails.

"He didn't join even with the prize being what it was."- Susan tried to look away from Emma.

"Mmhmm."- Emma said with a knowing sass in her voice.

"He said that he was working on something important and that he couldn't participate in a game at a time like this."- Susan rested her head on Emma's shoulder.

"Well... He's an idiot, I won't tell you what you should and should not be doing, that's not my style, but you should definitely stop seeking his unimportant and unneeded attention."- Emma said while sagely nodding.

"Maybe you're right."- Susan said while rolling her eyes at her friend's act.

"By the way... Your brother is chasing Yelena's skirt."- Emma smiled at that.

"Is it a problem?"- Susan asked with some concern.

"Mmmmm, not really. Yet, he should know that our species doesn't get physically tired..."

"That's... Poor Johnny."- Susan shook her head.

"In the words of Aragorn: Death by Snu Snu."

"Snu Snu?"

"Means you die because of too much sex with Amazonian women."

"Huh..."

"~Heh~"- Emma smiled sadistically.

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{A/N:

This was part of my work that was halfway there before I got sick. I thought I should Add it here!

}