"Don't look at me like that, Minotaur." Penelope paused from buttering her toasted bagel, unable to handle her bulldog's mournful expression any longer. She knelt down to scratch his head and ears, but although his stub of a tail began to wriggle half-heartedly, he still gave a gruff, discontented huff. He nudged her hand when she stood up again, and when that didn't work to command more attention, he deftly grabbed hold of the hem of her skirt between his teeth.

Minotaur hated the Crystal Academy uniform. It wasn't the color or the cut or anything aesthetic that bothered him. It wasn't that he suddenly couldn't recognize his owner when she put it on. But he knew that when that particular set of clothes went on that she would leave for a long time. Every day. Until she hung up the outfit for a few weeks or a few months again. She'd leave smelling like him and like food, which were good smells, but then when she finally came back she'd smell like all sorts of other things--people he didn't know, stuff he couldn't see, other food that he hadn't gotten a chance to beg for--and the list went on! Well, not this time. This time he was holding onto her and refusing to let he go, and that was that!

Penelope made a small sound of dismay and pulled carefully on her skirt , trying to get it away from her day without ripping the fabric. Crystal Academy uniforms were really expensive! "Oh, come on Minotaur... don't do this. You know I don't want to leave you behind, but I can't take you to school! No dogs allowed, buddy, I'm sorry."

Minotaur stood his ground, and the black-haired teen sighed. There was no way she could pry those jaws open if he didn't want to let go. Her only change to get shirt out, and therefore get out to catch the bus in time, was to put something else in them instead. She resignedly tore off a piece of her breakfast and dangled it over his nose. "Treat? Come on, boy, take the treat."

She had never seen his little white face look more suspicous than it did now. He begged for food all the time, sure, but she rarely actually gave him anything. Now, she was giving him a rather large, delicious smelling treat? It had to be a trick! Minotaur growled lightly and tugged threateningly at the skirt. If he let it go, she had better give it to him. Penelope frowned and placed the piece of bagel on the floor to show that he could, indeed, have it. "Look, here you go. All for you, no take backs! I promise! Take the bagel, boy."

It was there! It was right there! Minotaur had never been the most self-controlled of dogs, and he released his hold on the skirt to gobble up the piece of bagel. Penelope, in turn, grabbed the remainder and ran out the door, only pausing long enough to get her backpack. By the time the bulldog had managed to finish chewing she was already gone. So, he did what he always did when she left for a long time like this--walked over to his favorite pillow and flopped down to take a nap to wait for her to get back.

[[OOC Note:
Participant: Penelope Seneca / Minotaur the bulldog
Player: Quicksilver the Archangel
Word Count: 560 ]