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HousePets! Universe FanStory: The Way the Stars Shine Tonight: Chapter 3

by ClockWork Breezy

ClockWork Breezy
Chapter 4

*Knock Knock*

Jolty felt the tension in his very soul as he saw the door open, and a familiar face, with 6 scars running down the right cheek look at him. He was speechless. "I gave you scars. Oh my stars....Leo....I...I.." Jolty looked at the ground. "Leo I am so sorry for everything. I never shoud have hit you, I should of remembered I kept my important-"

Jolty was cut off by an arm and a half being wrapped around him. "Dude. I am sorry too....I am sorry I burned the stuff I did, I never should have. Can we please, please, PLEASE, never fight again?! Do you have any idea how much I've missed you?!" Leo was shouting, tears streaming from both their faces. Jolty smiled. "Please....let's never fight again.

*Flashback*


"Mommy? Daddy?"

"Yes Leo?" His owners looked down at him, smiling

"Can we go say hi to that kitty? He was here last time, we should say hello!" A young pup, named Leo, gestured to a cage full of different cats. He dragged his owners over to the cage, where a young cat sat in the corner...reading? The shreds of newspaper that covered the floor for the cats to play with where pieced together, and he was reading it. He looked up, squinting. "Uh....hello."

"Hi kitty! My owners are looking for another pet, and I think I want you as my brother!!!" Leo smiling, his tongue hanging from his mouth.

The cat smiled somberly. "Uh...thanks. But I don't think you want a freak like me."

Leo tilted his head. "Freak? How are you a freak, kitty?"

His father glanced at the card with the kitten's picture on it. "Leo, the cat's name is Jolty. Apparently your from Alaska? That's a ways away, how'd you get here?"

Jolty grimaced. "My owner was a wicked old guy. He lived as like....a hermit? I guess. He came down to visit his family, and died. I got moved here. And uh....." Jolty held up his paws. Most cats had five fingers, but he instead had 6. "I'm...p-polydactl...a freak."

Leo frowned. "Just because your different doesn't make you a freak..."

Jolty looked at the ground, embarrassed. "How would you know that...?"

Leo put his arms out, touching the cage. His fingers touched it, and the other arm was missing at the elbow, and had wrappings on it. "Your not the only one born different, kitty..."

*Flashback end*

After a heart warming reunion with his old family, Leo pulled Jolty aside, and handed him a metal safe. "I made sure to keep what was left safe. I haven't broken in, it's all here..."

Jolty gingerly touched it, picking it up. It was heavier than he remembered. "Thanks...."

Leo grinned, and rubbed his brothers head with his stump. "No problem, nerd."

They laughed for a moment, then Jolty opens the case, pulling out books, files and photos, with mounting excitement. "Leo, everything we need is here!"

Leo looked at Jolty, puzzled. "We?"

"Yes we! We are going to finally get some answers of everything I wanted to know! All this old research we found, buried in the woods, it's all here! Nothing of major importance was destroyed, so I think we can go over to the library tomorrow! You want to know why?" "Why?" "Well, when I was at collage, sounds funny saying it, but anyways. When I was there, I found a book. Talking about ciphers. It wasn't using Atbash Cipher, Leo. It was using Caesar Cipher! It we go to the library, and find the book, we can finally translate it!"

Leo grinned. "Then it's settled. Tomorrow, we gather the others, and go over to the library, and finally continue the hunt."

Jolty nodded eagerly. "Just imagine. We can finally get some answers, or at least a lead! Perhaps it will explain all the weird stuff we have seen, yet the humans cannot seem to see."

Leo got up, and walked Jolty to the door. "I stick by my belief that it's just that the humans are stupid." He pushed Jolty out the door. "Have fun with your girlfriend, poindexter. Oh, yeah, by the way, can I see is Annabelle want's to come?"

Jolty looked back. "She's not my girlfriend. But, uh, yeah. You two still a thing?" Leo nodded. "Okies. She can come along. Oh, by the way, have you seen Saria? She was with us for dinner, but she disappeared after that..." Leo grinned. "Dunno. See you tomorrow, dork!

"That grin makes it look like you do-" "SURPRISE!!!" "AHHHH SARIA WHAT THE HECK?! NO NO NOPE, TO CLOSE!" "Snuggles time!"

*The next day....*

Jolty, Dom, Saria, Leo, and Leo's girlfriend, a Australian Shepard named Annabelle walked along the street. It was like it used to be, as Dom pointed out. "Leo and Annie are making out, Saria is staring at Jolty, who has his face in a book, and I am making jokes about you all!" Moments later, Dom had been pelted with freshly made snowballs, courtesy of the other pets. They arrived at the library a few minutes later. The lady at the desk greeted them with a warm smile, and hot apple cider.

They all slid over to a table, and Jolty rushed off to find the book. A few minutes later, he came back, holding it, and singing the Dewey Decimal System Rap, which was rewarded but a head rub from Leo and being called a nerd. Jolty opened book, and looked for the little marks, pinpricks on the page. Writing them out, it spelled "Zkdw sodfh exlow rxu krphv, rxu krxvhv, zkdw sodfh lv srzhuhg eb wkh qdphvdnh ri wklv wrzq? Wkhuh, wkh dqvzhuv zloo eh wr wkh txhvwlrqv brx vhhn. Brx kdyh frph idu, brxqj shw, dqg nqrzohgjh lv brxu sulch."

Annabelle breathed. "Wow, that's a lot...." Leo shook his head. "Not for poindexter. He's a master of this, he has spent years doing it, he could do it in a few minutes.

"Uh, Leo...." Leo looked over to see Jolty using a library computer to translate it.

"...Oh.."

A few seconds later, Jolty printed out the deciphered message. Everyone crowded around the read. "What place built our homes, our houses, what place is powered by the namesake of this town? There, the answers will be to the questions you seek. You have come far, young pet, and knowledge is your prize."

"I guess we're going to the sawmill...." "Didn't they shut that place down years ago? It's on tyhe verge of collapsing, from what I've seen." "It's over by the old train tracks, we can walk there." Jolty stuck the message in his rucksack. "Right. Let's go, and finally get the answers we've been looking for."

They walked out of the library (after taking a thermos of cider from the kind lady at the front desk) and started walking over to the tracks. The old line hadn't been used in almost 30 years, after an accident at the sawmill badly damaged the old bridge. It was to dangerous for humans the try and fix it, or even go near it. But not for pets. They stepped onto the tracks, and started walking. It would be about a 40 minute walk.

Jolty pulled out the pocket watch of Ivan's grandfather, and stared at it. He had been given the watch, not Ivan. But why? He did have a close bond with the old man, but....wouldn't he give it to his grandson, instead of his grandson's pet?

Leo looked back, and saw Jolty standing there, lost in thought. "Oi! Your running this show, poindexter! You coming?"

Jolty's gaze snapped up to meet Leo's. "Oh, sorry! I was just...thinking. We'd better get going, if we want to make it there before sundown." Tucking the watch back into his scarf, they started walking.

Ehzduh ehzduh, wkh fuhdwxuh ri ohjhqg pdb qrw eh mxvw d ohjhqg.