The Pug Life Chose Me

But I wanna wear my princess crown too! I wanna wear both!

-Barks and waits for both crowns-

I will pee on your shoes. Give me both crowns.

“No!” Persephone was quick to react, setting the tray on the table and scooping Female up in her arms. “It looks lovely, but it’ll hurt you. It’s called fire.” She sat down on the armchair, still holding on to the pup. “Promise me you won’t go near anything like it, hm?”

She took some of the cut meat and the cheese and placed both into her cupped palm, which would serve as a makeshift bowl for the little dog. When she fed Cerberus, she always set the food down on the ground below each of his heads. This was a nice feeling, to actually hold and feed a dog at the same time. 

If Female hadn’t mentioned that she had an owner, she would have been tempted to bring her home to the Underworld. Of course, there was the River Styx to consider, but she could hold on to Female the entire ride there. 

She continued to hold the food she’d prepared for Female, waiting to hear that tell-tale burp that indicated she had had enough. No sense in overfeeding her: she didn’t want to risk Female having a stomachache. 

“Where do you live, Female? Is it close to where you found me? I could bring you home if you want.” In fact, with night coming soon, she might insist on it.

Female’s ears flopped down and her tail stopped wagging. Had she done something wrong? She wiggled in Perse Flower Lady’s arms to look at her. 

I’m sorry! 

Female wiggled some more in her lap, finding a comfortable place. Her paws stretched out over the lady’s legs and she flopped back against Perse Flower Lady. She wanted to watch the dancing orange water. Female wouldn’t touch it again, but it looked sooooo pretty.

Her mouth opened wide as she saw the snackies in Perse Flower Lady’s hand. 

Mmmmohhhmomomomonoomnom

Slurp and slurp and more slurp came from Female as she gobbled and ate up her snacks. She really liked this new friend. Would Perse Flower Lady give her more snacks now that she ate hers? 

May I have some more please? More cheeeeeese. I love cheeeese.

Female tilted her head back up to look at the lady, her head tilting to the side. Oh, it was time to go home? She was having soooo much fun that she forgot Owner would be waiting for her. 

Uuuuummmm, I can show you, Perse Flower Lady. I show you on my walkies!

Hard to explain because Female always went down a lot of streets and through shops that gave her night time snackies. Whenever she came home, Owner would take the snackie packs off of her.

The pug’s reaction to being taken near the water was noticed immediately, but she stayed by its side long enough for Female to see her reflection. Persephone stood up straight, her hold on Female as firm but gentle as ever, and she turned away from the river. 

“Cheese and treats, as promised,” she agreed, still scratching Female’s side in an effort to calm her down. Her mother’s home was a large cottage that either she or Persephone could summon anywhere. So, even though she left the cottage on the other side of the large field of flowers, all she had to do was snap her fingers, and the structure appeared a few feet ahead of them. 

Once inside and the door shut behind them, she set the dog down on the floor before heading into the pantry. A basket of herbs was on the table, and a fire crackled merrily in the fireplace. Stairs to the left led to the second floor, and a smaller set of stairs close to the second floor landing led to the smaller third floor, which was where the solarium was. 

“Feel free to explore,” Persephone told Female, shutting the door to the first-floor bathroom. “But not in there. Water.”

Then she stepped into the kitchen, finding a block of cheese and smoked meat, which she cut into strips and then cut those in half for Female to easily chew. She then took one of the red apples for herself and brought the food out into the living room.

Female did not like the water. She hated it. Owner said she needed it cause she was out and about all day. She thought she smelled nice and it was a better smell than the perfumes he had every night. The smell was different like the ladies, but she smelled and looked better!

I look pretty oh so pretty and pretty like you!

Female sings this over and over as she watched a house appear. Her eyes grew wider to see a house appear like magic. Was Perse Flower Lady a witch? She must be a good witch, because she looked nice.

Oooooh, this smells nice in here.

Quickly, Female went to work on sniffing around the floor. She stopped and looked at the closed door. Female barked at it once, before she went on exploring and stared at the open flames.

So Female had an owner. It was a little disappointing because she was already thinking of adopting the adorable pug, but she was glad that Female had someone to go home to. And…escape from?

With the dog’s permission, she lifted Female into her arms, careful not to knock the flower crown off. The river was close by the field, and on the walk there, she lightly scratched Female’s side. “Thank you, Female. You’re a very nice dog too. Worthy of being given all the cheese and treats that I can find.”

Persephone stopped close to the edge of the river, noting the occasional appearance of the water nymphs beneath the surface. But none of them bothered her or Female, and she carefully crouched down so that Female could clearly see her reflection.

“There. Don’t you look lovely? I’m certain your owner would agree.” She was a little curious to see who this mysterious ‘Owner’was, but for now, she held on to Female, careful to not drop her in the water.

Wheeeeee! I’m flying! Super Flower Female!

Female couldn’t get over how much she enjoyed flying in the air. She wished she could be like Wonder Pug or Bat Pug, they were the really superpugs saving people from bad cats and crime. 

Wait....no....no...no...

Female didn’t like the water. Water meant baths. No. No, she didn’t like baths. Owner made her take baths cause she was stinky but it wasn’t her. 

No no no

Female struggled in Perse Flower Lady’s arms, hoping the lady would stop and keep her from the water.

Nooooooo.....oooooh I look cute!

Stopping in mid-howl, Female looked down at herself in the water. She touched a paw to the water and barked when she saw something in the water.

“You’re welcome, Female.” Persephone scratched the dog under the chin again before she pulled back, placing both her hands on her lap. “Hm. I could show you what you look like, but only if you promise not to wriggle too much. And if it’s alright that I carry you.”

Cerberus had grown far too big for her to carry any more, and she did miss holding a dog in her arms. Hades had warned her against holding strange dogs, mainly because he knew that she would want to take them home with her.

And he was right.

“I’m here to help make the flowers bloom. Mother was supposed to do it, but she and my uncle seem to be having a little disagreement.” Her smile faltered a little as she said that. Her family was always fighting among themselves, and the constant conflict was one of the reasons why she preferred being in the Underworld instead of the surface world. 

The only person missing in her husband’s realm was her mother, but Demeter would never live in the same place as Hades ( and vice versa ).

“And while I don’t have cheese with me, I do know where we can get some.” Persephone shifted closer to Female so that it would be easier to pick the dog up and carry her over to the river’s edge. “Maybe once you’ve seen your reflection, we could go get you some cheese. Or other treats.”

Female liked being held in people's arms. She could see everyone from above and see all the cheese hiding in the flowers. There had to be cheese around here somewhere. Maybe the Perse Flower Lady would help her find it.

Yes, please! I like flying in the air! Owner said one day I'll fly away from him and visit many places, just not know.

She barked at the idea of flying more and more, her little paws trotting closer for Perse Flower Lady to pick her up.

Don't look sad Perse Flower Lady, flowers look nice cause you helped them. And you gonna give me cheese and treats. You got treats at home? I like treats. My flowers look good, Perse Flower Lady? They feel nice.

The pup was an excitable little thing, and once she was sure that it didn’t mind being touched, she turned her hand over to scratch its head. The sneezes weren’t forgotten, however, as she pulled a silk handkerchief from the pocket of her dress to wipe away any dirt or fuzz that stuck to the soft snout.

“I understand a little,” she replied, resuming the scratching of the dog’s head. “And Perse Flower Lady is as good a name as any. What’s yours?” 

Her smile only grew wider when she heard what the pup thought of her, and she began plucking a few flowers, winding their stems together to form a small crown that could fit on the small head. The blossoms were a mix of pale pink and yellow, with small white daisies in between. 

“Well we can’t have you without a flower. Here.” Persephone placed the crown on top of the dog’s head and adjusted it a little to ensure that it wouldn’t fall off. Hopefully. “Oh, it looks lovely on you!”

She wished that she had a mirror on her so that she could show what it looked like, but the only nearby reflective surface was the river. And with the pup being as excitable as it was, she was a little worried that it might fall into the fast flowing waters. She’d only met the little creature a few minutes ago, but she was already protective of it.

Female's tagged so hard she could almost lift herself off the ground. She loved scratchies. Loved them more than her treats. No! She loved her treats but she liked the scratchies.

Though she tried to move her head asay from the scarf, only to sneeze once against into the silk and rub her face to wipe herself.

OOooooh that feels better! Thank you, Perse Flower Lady!

She wiggled her cinnitail at her and even barked happily over the relief to her nose. Now, she could smell more of the wonderful smells.

I'm Female!

Female watched in open fascination at what the Flower Lady was doing with the pretty flowers. Would she make her one like hers? So pretty and beautiful, maybe Owner would like her too. Keep her like he kept Female happy and fed. 

Female held still, trying hard not to wag or move. Owner taught her to sit still when he wanted to give her treats.

Do I look like a pretty flower Perse Flower Lady? Do I look as pretty as you? 

Female wished she could see herself, oh, how she’d be pretty like the flower lady.

Visiting her mother was always nice. While she did miss Hades and Cerberus whenever she went to the surface, it was wonderful to see her mother and some of the Olympians. Most of all, she adored visiting the many gardens that she and her mother had established all over the world.

She was in one of them, tending to the newly bloomed rhododendrons and and callunas, when she heard a soft sneeze. 

Persephone looked up and saw a small dog in the middle of the flower field, and she couldn’t help but giggle at its adorable appearance.

“Hello,” she murmured, standing up and holding the back of her hand for the dog to sniff. Having been around Cerberus for years, she had begun to understand the canine language that the three-headed dog used. So, the pup’s earlier words were easily noted, and she plucked one of the flowers in her hair to carefully rest behind the dog’s ear. “I’m Persephone. And no, I’m not a flower, unfortunately.”

Female shook her head. She could feel a wiggle in her nose. She sneezed once more.

Achoooo! 

She didn’t get those wiggles. Maybe the dirt was in her nose. She’d get her Owner to clean her face. Yes, she would!

But there was a lady talking to her.

She could hear her?

You can hear me? WOW FLOWER LADY can hear me!

Loud as she could be and she only twirled in her spot to show how pleased she was to talk to a flower.

Perseflower?

Flower Perse Lady?

Perse Flower?

Female tried all the ways she could say the name. She even trotted closer to sniff the lady’s hand. It smelled delish! Enough to lick it, once, twice, three times.

The lady tasted so good! 

Female felt something at her ear and she wiggled her head. Wiggling took the flower out and when she saw it, she barked happily.

I want another one. Mine fell. Soooo pretty.

Female looked up at the lady, hoping to get another flower from hair. Wow, she was so pretty. Prettier than the ladies her Owner brought to the house. So many ladies.