My Brother's Dog, Finale

As I studied the painting of Faith, I was thinking. Why would she target me? It couldn't be random; chances we're about 1 in a million. I must have done something in the past to--oh, no.

It was a sunny day.

''Caleb and I were playing with our dog out on the yard. "Catch!" He said, throwing a baseball. I caught it, and threw it back. We continued this back and forth; until the dog ran out and caught the ball in mid-air. We stopped what we were doing to wrestle out the ball from the dog's mouth. My hands got caught in her red collar, the one we got for her today''.

''Suddenly, Mom calls one of us in, and Caleb went to see what she wanted. I was left alone with the dog.''

The dog, with "Faith" on its name tag.

As the realization dawned on me, I shivered. I have no idea how this is connected, but if it is... she's back, and she's back for me. I took down the painting.

Finally figured it out, did you? A voice said. I looked around, and I saw a dog sitting in my window. For a second, its eyes flashed blue. ''It's about time, too. Any longer and she probably would've gotten a hold of you, and you wouldn't even know what happened''.

"You knew?" I was confused. Discord knew, and he didn't tell me?

''Of course I knew. It gets a little boring around here, so I thought I'd give you just enough to get you going'', He said.

"Tell me. All of it," I demanded. I was done with all the questions.

''You couldn't even ask, could you? ''I ignored him. He tilted his head.'' Faith came to us about seven years ago. ''She, somehow, was stronger than our boss, so he ordered us to "take her down", as you call it. You can guess what happened. In the resulting mess, we exiled the old leader, and we're all split up now. You can say I'm the second boss, but I only lead a small part of us.

Seven years. That's when...

"Why are you telling me this?"

Because I wanted to wa-

"That's a lie," I said, interrupting him. He had to have some sort of stake in this.

You caught me, he paused. Faith is the only one keeping me from leading the entire shebang.

As I studied the painting of Faith, I was thinking. Why would she target me? It couldn't be random; chances we're about 1 in a million. I must have done something in the past to--oh, no.

It was a sunny day.

Caleb and I were playing with our dog out on the yard. "Catch!" He said, throwing a baseball. I caught it, and threw it back. We continued this back and forth; until the dog ran out and caught the ball in mid-air. We stopped what we were doing to wrestle out the ball from the dog's mouth.

Suddenly, Mom calls one of us in, and Caleb went to see what she wanted. I was left alone with the dog.

The dog named Faith.

As the realization dawned on me, I shivered. I have no idea how this is connected, but if it is... she's back, and she's back for me. I took down the painting.

Finally figured it out, did you? A voice said. I looked around, and I saw a dog sitting in my window. For a second, its eyes flashed blue. It's about time, too. Any longer and she probably would've gotten a hold of you and you wouldn't even know what happened.

"You knew?" I was confused. Discord knew, and he didn't tell me?

Of course I knew. It gets a little boring around here, so I thought I'd give you just enough to get you going, He said.

"Tell me. All of it," I demanded. I was done with all the questions.

You couldn't even ask, could you? I ignored him. He tilted his head. Faith came to us about seven years ago. Immensely powerful, she was even stronger than our then-leader. We don't talk about him anymore, either. He ordered us to kill her. So we tried, and you can guess what happened.

Four years. That's when it happened.

"Why are you telling me this?"

Because I wanted to wa-

"That's a lie," I said, interrupting him. He had to have some sort of stake in this.

Well, you caught me. Faith is the only one holding me back from leading the whole kingdom.

"You aren't happy with-"

No more with that. You're running out of time, and you're going to need our help.

"What? Why?"

He looked over behind me. Faith was there, standing in the dark. Her eyes were glowing red. She took a step towards me.

Suddenly, we were outside.

Sorry about that, Discord said. He looked at the forest. Go, now! Out of nowhere, the entire pack charged out of the forest, and an entire army of wolves were attacking Faith. Faith held her ground, taking the wolves out tens at a time.

Discord started to chant something that I didn't understand.

Keep her busy! he yelled out, probably to the other wolves.

Bracing myself, I charged in with the stone sword that I had in my inventory. I waded through the swarm of dogs until I got about 10 feet away from Faith, her back facing me.

Her head snapped backwards to face me, and she snarled.

I was watching Faith while she watched me. The sun was slowly setting, casting shadows onto the ground. We didn't like each other very much, and I didn't even want a dog. It was almost always Caleb's choice.

I was in the middle of thought when I saw that Faith wasn't there. I scrambled to get up, frantically looking for her; we just got her today, and I would be in massive trouble if I lost Faith.

I never found her.

I snapped out of it, readying my sword. The moon seemed to be watching. Faith dispatched the last of the wolves with ease, never breaking eye contact.

Then she started walking, and impossible effects were surrounding her. A thin, red glow surrounded her as she gained ground; she sat down, almost daring me to attack.

(Insert if Caleb isn't in the room

Caleb walked into the room, holding a glass full of lemonade. "Is that Faith? ERMIGERD!"

He started to log into his account. I stopped him, shaking my head at him. Understanding, he left the room without his lemonade.

(END

Faith was still sitting when a voice came up behind me.

Forget abut me? It was Discord.

He uttered a single syllable, and a bright light surrounded Faith. She started to float into the sky, towards the light; it was a lot like when you kill the Ender Dragon.

Faith blinked out of existence.

"What was that?" I asked, even more confused. I was expecting a giant battle of epic proportions.

Oh, just a little spell I cooked up, he replied. She's out of the game now.

I took that as a "She's gone now" and left the game without saying a word. I gave the remote to Caleb, and he took it as his que to play now.

It was done, now. It was over.

_________________

Discord sighed, and he surveyed his reviving pack. He could lead everyone-- no, everything now, without Faith getting in the way again. He cracked a smile as his advisor approached him.

What is it? He said.

Oh, nothing. It's just that the boy should take my words more literally next time. If

o

you caught me. Faith is the only on  e holding me back from leading the whole kingdom.

"You aren't happy with-"

''No more with that. He interrupted.You're running out of time, and you're going to need our help.''

"What? Why?"

He looked over behind me. Faith was there, standing in the dark. Her eyes were glowing red. She took a step towards me.

Suddenly, we were outside.

Sorry about that, Discord said. He looked at the forest. Go. Out of nowhere, the wolves charged out of the forest. I saw them fight Faith one by one as they grouped up, until an entire army of wolves were attacking Faith. Faith held her ground, taking the wolves out tens at a time.

Discord started to chant something that I didn't understand.

Keep her busy, now, he said, probably to the other wolves.

Bracing myself, I charged in with the stone sword that I had in my inventory. I waded through the swarm of dogs until I got about 10 feet away from Faith, her back facing me.

Her head snapped backwards to face me, and she snarled.

''I was watching Faith while she glared at me. The sun was slowly setting, casting shadows onto the ground. We didn't like each other very much, and I didn't even want a dog. It was almost always Caleb's choice. I looked up from Faith, and I saw a cool looking cloud.''

''I was in the middle of thought when I saw that Faith wasn't there. I scrambled to get up, frantically looking for her; we just got her today, and I would be in massive trouble if I lost Faith.''

I never found her.

I snapped out of it, readying my sword. The moon seemed to be watching. Faith dispatched the last of the wolves with ease, never breaking eye contact.

Then she started walking, and impossible effects were surrounding her. A thin, red glow surrounded her as she gained ground; when she reached me, she sat down, like she was daring me to attack. The glow around her grew brighter.

Faith was still sitting when a voice came up behind me.

Forget about me? It was Discord. He tackled her down to the ground.

Faith exploded, blasting me and Discord back. When I looked back, I saw that her glow was now gone.

Avacran, Discord said.

Faith was showered in a bright, blue light. She started to float into the air, towards the source of the spotlight.

She blinked out of existence.

"What happened?" I said, confused. I didn't expect Discord to answer; not clearly, at least.

Oh, just a spell I know. He sighed. One-time use.

"Why couldn't you do that earlier?"

I couldn't, not with that pesky shield protecting her.

"What happened to her?" I said, finally.

You could say she left the game.

 out of the game now.

I took that as a "she's gone now" and left the game. I tossed the remote at Caleb, who was in the kitchen eating.

ht

cord uttered a single word.

light surrounded Faith. She started to float into the sky, towards the light; it was a lot like when you kill the Ender Dragon.

I asked, even more confused. I was expecting a giant battle of epic proportionsat was that?" I asked, even more confused. I was expecting a giant battle of epic proportions.

Oh, just a little spell I cooked up, he replied. She's out of the game now.

took that as a "She's gone now" and left the game without saying a word. I gave the remote to Caleb, and he took it as his que to play now.

It was done, now. It was over.

_________________

Discord sighed, and he surveyed the land and his reviving pack of wolves. He could lead everyone-- no, everything now, without Faith getting in the way again. He cracked a smile as his advisor approached him.

What is it? He said.

''Oh, nothing. I can rule all of this, now that Faith's out of the way. ''He stood up.

Anything else?

The boy should take my words more literally next time.

The advisor stayed stayed quiet, obviously used to Discord's cryptic lines.

_________________

The next day, there was scratching at our front door. There was a dog, and a big one at that.

I kneeled down to pet it, and to get a good look at its collar.

Faith.

Damnit.

Author's Note
''Finally, right? Two months without a continuation. But I'm done now! No worries! This should work...shouldn't it?''- CubeDueler

I might go edit this to account for plot inconsistencies.