A Date and DOOM Ch. 1

Chapter 1: Setting the Stage

Note: Make sure you've read 'Avenger' before going on.

Suburban Petropolis, Puppy Residence
Dudley Puppy's Room, 5:47 PM

It was nearly a week and a half since the whole ordeal with Jack. Peg Puppy was understandably concerned when Chief Dumbrowski had described what happened to her son. But she had gained a lot more respect for Kitty after Dudley told her how she had helped him.

Since then he had been recovering quite well, the worst of his bruises were dissipating, most of the shaving cuts and abrasions had healed, and his black eye was starting to get better. Though the head doctor said that it might take up to a month for his fur to fully grow back, and until then The Chief was requiring him to wear pants for obvious reasons.

And that was something that Dudley was looking forward to as he cringed in pain after he put his bare paw under the scalding water from his shower. No fur meant that he was feeling the full force of the hot water on his skin, and it was not fun in the least, especially when he kept forgetting that it [his fur] wasn't there. Though with how special tonight was for him, he honestly could have ignored the hot water.

Tonight was his first date with his partner and crush, Kitty Katswell. This was the happiest moment in his life so far, even moreso than when he became a TUFF agent. There was very little crime going on today and The Chief was nice enough to let them both go early so they'd be able to get ready, under the condition that they stop any crimes that happen tonight.

After he'd finished drying himself off and pulling on a pair of slacks, Dudley went back to his bedroom and spent the next ten minutes searching through his dress shirts and jackets before deciding on a grey-blue dress shirt and a charcoal jacket. He almost forgot to take his blaster with him, as he tucked it inside the jacket.

He knew he wouldn't get out the door without letting his mom see him. Peg was in the kitchen making dinner when her son cleared his throat. She turned around to see him all dolled up for his night out. "Oh Dudley, well don't you look dapper. *sigh* I can't believe my little pup's going on his first date, where has the time gone?"

"I think I kind of know what you mean mom. I can still remember when I was one and Dad was...well...*" Dudley stopped, realizing that he couldn't finish that sentence.

"Your father would have been just as happy for you as I am son." Peg assured him as Dudley got down and hugged her. "Have fun dear."

"I'll try to Mom." he said as he left the house for Kitty's.

Downtown Petropolis, Cat Walk
Kitty Katswell's Apartment, 6:12 PM

Kitty couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor pup when she saw the state he was in a week and half ago. She had concluded that he deserved a chance after what he'd been through, and even had to admit that she was probably falling for him too.

She had already gotten herself together by now and was wearing a dark red top, a beige skirt and a black jacket. Unlike her partner, this wasn't her first time on a date, though given who her last dates were with, she was more than happy to start fresh. Her last outing with Jack had still left a sour taste in her mouth months later.

But Kitty had a feeling that this would go better than that. Though both her and Dudley honestly had no idea where they wanted to go to, and they were scouting out restaurants today while they were doing their patrol. At least they had managed to narrow it down to three restaurants.

Petropolis Docks, DOOM Petropolis HQ
6:26 PM

Larry, Ollie, and Francisco were watching pirated cable TV at their HQ, though they had all agreed that it was preferable to what their boss was doing at the moment. Being in a call with DOOM's Leader, Dr. Billuck.

"Snaptrap I will not keep breaking you out of prison, unless you've gotten results that I consider acceptable. You're very fortunate that you were successful a month ago."

"Boss, um... no offense sir, but if we're so successful, why not break us out sooner."

"Oh I'm sorry, and try to hack into the prison's new high security locks computer without any prior knowledge on how to do so? Yeah, no. TUFF would have been able to trace it back to my location in no time if I'd tried doing that. Be grateful that I let you out at all." Garret said to the rodent.

"*sigh* Yes, sir. And your orders." Snaptrap said begrudgingly.

"The Jewels of the Nile are arriving at the Petropolis Museum of Natural History tonight. I want you and your men to obtain them through whatever means necessary. I intend to ransom them for a ludicrous sum of money. Am I clear?"

"Yes boss I understand. But about that day off I asked you about."

"We've been through this before you twit. Stop asking." Billuck said cutting the transmission.