The Pet Store

[Zen Cedar]

It was afternoon on Saturday and Zen had nothing better to do than go to the mall. Since she was there, she visited her favorite store first, the Pet Store.

Seeing the animals in small rooms was a little troublesome for her, but she supposed that if it led to them getting homes then everything would be fine. Anyway, atleast in there they had good food, a warm place to sleep, and plenty of attention.

"Hey little dude, hows things?" She whispered to one of the dogs that came up to the window. She listened for a moment, and then nodded.

"Oh I get it dude, but remember not to do that when someone comes looking to buy you." She replied.

A woman looked at Zen as if she had two heads, Zen looked up at her and smiled and raised her hand in a greeting gesture.

[Jak Chase]

That was when Jak walked in. He had come to look at the birds. He walked in and noticed a girl talking to a dog. He shrugged his shoulders, him never seeing her before. He walked passed the woman staring funny and spoke to Zen. He might as well break the ice with her. "Hey. What's up? That's a wicked shirt."

[Zen Cedar]

Zen looked up from the puppy and smiled at Jak, "Hey thanks dude! You've got rad taste man," She answered.

The puppy barked and Zen tilted her head as if listening to what the puppy was saying. "Alright little dude, I'll tell him." She said, clearly speaking to the pupy again.

"He agrees and says that he likes your hair dude." Zen translated to Jak, smiling at him like its not a big deal talking to a puppy.

[Jak Chase]

Jak smiled widely at the girl's choice of slang. He could instantly tell that she was very different from the typical girls who lived here. He was suprised that he had never met her before. She seemed a little like a flower child. Jak's original plan had been to hit on her, but now she seemed like she would be a better friend. "You got some groovy taste to wear it." Jak furrowed his brows when Zen interpreted the puppy's words, but still kept his smile. It was an expression that said he was interested. "How'd you do that?" Jak knew better than to think it was impossible.

[Zen Cedar]

Zen ran her fingers through her red pixie styled hair, and her smile brightened even more when Jak used the word 'groovy'. When he asked how she translated what the puppy had said, she shrugged as if it weren't a big deal.

"Its just something that I've always been able to do, its like how other people learn different languages and are able to translate for those who can't. I just.. speak animal, Man." She said.

The puppy barked again and Zen chuckled and looked at the puppy, her eyebrows raised slightly. "No way little dude, I'm not telling him that, its just mean." She said, then looked back at Jak, the bright grin still in place.

"He's a playful lil' dude." She said and shook her head.

[Jak Chase]

Jak's smile had opened into his classic, toothy grin, only without the overflowing cocky attitude. "Speak animal... That's gotta be the raddest thing I've ever heard. You're a pretty down dude, ya know?" Jak chuckled at what Zen wouldn't tell him. He half chuckled on the first word. "Why, what'd he say?"

[Zen Cedar]

"You're a pretty nifty guy yourself Man," Zen said, complimenting Jak. She then looked back at the puppy and moved her eyes back to Jak.

"Well dude, if you really want to know, He said that your hair kind of reminded him up a tug of war toy." she said and shrugged her shoulder lightly. "But I wouldn't take it to heart man, puppies are all about playing games and everything looks like a toy to them."

[Jak Chase]

Jak laughed this time. He threw his head slightly back as he did so. He repostured himself and leaned down to get right up to the puppy. "Sorry little buddy, but my hair ain't a toy." Jak rubbed the puppy on the head in a petting motion. Then the puppy barked. Without picking himself back up, Jak looked at Zen and asked, "What'd he say?"

[Zen Cedar]

"That was just a bark dude, he didn't say anything." Zen answered, laughter mixing with her words. She leaned down and petted the puppy on the head.

Her stomach growled loudly and she chuckled again, "Woah, now my stomach is talking to me! I guess its time to go grab something to eat. It was nice talking to you dude!" She said and stood back up.

[Jak Chase]

Jak looked back at Zen when she said she had to go eat. "Hey, why don't I come too?" Before Jak could say why, the puppy nibbled his hair. Jak felt the tug and tried to pull away, but this made the puppy pull, too. Jak let out a grunt as the puppy did this. Jak kept pulling for about 10 seconds until he finally got free. He started rubbing the lock of hair the puppy had and looked at the puppy with a smile, but he had one eyebrow raised like he was calling the puppy a troublemaker. Jak chuckled when the puppy barked again, then he patted the little guy's head affectionately. "Little rascal. You behave, now, ya hear?" Then Jak turned to Zen.

[Zen Cedar]

Zen bursted out laughing and shook her head.

"He said that he would adopt you anytime man, he said that you were one wicked dude." She translated for Jak.

She patted her stomach for a second and then smiled at Jak, "Yeah dude, you can join me.. but I have to warn you, I have one mean appetite." She said and grinned widely. "So whats your name, dude?" She asked as they walked out of the petstore.

[Jak Chase]

Jak smiled. "That makes us both!" He said when she mentioned her appetite. Jak turned and smiled at the puppy. "When I get soem money, little dude, I'll come back for you, but hey. An awsoem dude like you will get adopted in no time." Jak had felt a sort of kinship with the puppy now that it had tried to eat his hair, for some reason. He turned to Zen and said. "Jak. My name's Jak."