The Poodle - part 1

Dear reader, by the green comet did things pick up after that last meeting. We had been given further information that we were heading to Venice for our heist. But before we could go to Venice, we needed to get a dog (yes, really). As we were given further instructions on our whereabouts that night. The church bells rang loud and clear, signalling that we had to work fast the following day, as it appeared a certain institution had gotten alarmed. To jump into the story. The following day started off early in the morning, around eight. Me and Liam had started the day, near the Adige River that ran through the city.

The sun had not yet risen above the city buildings. But far off in the distance, you could see the sun's rays reflect on the river. "Are we really going to adopt a dog, Louane!?" Liam burst out. The tiredness seemed to have vaporised as Louane just explained why they were on the banks of the river waiting for Aldo and Beatrice to arrive.

"What kind of dog is it?! Can I pick which dog we are having?! PLEASE!" Louane chuckled as Liam jumped up and down in excitement.

"The dog isn't ours, and we are going to adopt a poodle."

"A poodle? What kind of dog is that? Does it have big teeth and look like a wolf?!"

She looked down at the floor of the bank and sat down on a comfortable pile of rocks a meter or two away from the water.

"Uhm… it kinda looks like… Imagine Moretti as a dog."

"Oh… well, I'm sure it's still gonna be more fun than her." Liam said, keeping up the excitement.

"Don't let her hear that!" Louane responded with a laugh, grabbing Liam's arm.

"She will otherwise toss you into a pot and cook you!" she said, pulling Liam into her lap as she tickled him. The boy's laughter that followed was contagious as he begged her to stop.

"Someone has to punish you! You can't insult the witch like that!" She said in an evil tone whilst tickling him.

"Ahaha, but you're the witch!"

"No! I'm a sorcerer!" she responded, letting the boy go.

"A sorcerer, don't cook children; we tickle them!" She let Liam get a two-second heads up before she got up herself and ran after him. The sun showed its tip on their side of the river, showing an orange light reflecting upon them. After some running around, they finally both became tired and sat down again along the river. Heaving in the air. For a couple of minutes, they just sat there, taking in the scenery. A loud, yet damp, growl reached their ears. Liam instinctively placed his hand on his belly.

"Louane?"

"Yes?"

"I'm hungry. Do you have anything on you?"

She glanced at her brother as he pleadingly looked towards Louane.

"Didn't Moretti give you anything to eat before bed?"

Liam broke eye contact for a second and looked down at the ground as he tried to figure out something to say.

"I'm sorry, Liam, you're gonna have to wait until later."

The boy scratched something in his eyes before he muttered.

"Okay."

The sight didn't sit right as Louane tried to glance back to the water that reflected beautifully the sun's rays. They sat there for a couple of minutes in silence. Until. Yet another growl could be heard. This time, Louane touched her belly.

"I guess I'm hungry too." She said, smiling at her brother. But the smile wasn't returned as Liam had dwelled in deep thoughts. "Liam?"

"Yes?"

"Do you wanna see a magic trick?" The all-familiar smile returned to the brother's lips. "But on one condition!" Louane proclaimed, raising a finger. Liam sat up, eager to hear what the sister would say.

"You have to behave and listen to anything we say! No tantrums as soon as you don't get what you want! Okay?"

"Okay!" Liam responded quickly.

"I'm serious! It's very important that you behave today. Promise!" Louane said, holding up her little finger in the air. Liam observed the finger with squinted eyes and a smirk as if he could bypass the holy contract. After a few seconds, he obliged and took his own pinky in a returning shake to seal the deal.

"Good! Now think of an animal!" Liam's smile widened as he was thinking long and hard about all the different types of animals.

"Hmmm…a….Poodle!"

Louane looked to the river and began painting a picture of such a creature in her head. "Your wish is my command!" She said in her best genie impression whilst pointing towards the river. The bowl cut flew as Liam spun his head towards the river. Louane took some deep breaths as she focused on the water. The familiar tingle sparked in the fingertips as she held out both her hands. Imagining that the water was clay, she could mold. After a few seconds, a sphere of water began to rise from the streaming river. Hovering above the river. She continued to breathe in and out, although the sphere felt heavy. Stretching out her arms, trying to hold it in place, she tried to reshape it.

She began widening her arms, seeing as the sphere caught a cylinder shape. Her arms began to shake as she, with her fingers, formed legs on the cylinder-shaped water form. She could hear Liam giggle whilst she tried to shift focus on the creature.

Deep breaths, she tried to pull on the four-legged cylinder's front to create a head.

"Louane, is that really what a poodle looks like?"

"sshhh, I'm not done, don't interrupt me." She answered back. She now took on the other end of the dog and began pulling a tail. Her breath increased in pace as she now had the blueprint of a dog. She glanced for a second towards Liam to find his green eyes reflecting in awe at the water. She suddenly felt how the entire creation felt too heavy and had to return quickly to focus before she dropped it. The reflexes caused her breathing to become uneven.

"Louane, your face is red. You can let go, if you want." And with the suggestion, she dropped the entire thing into the river; with the splash that followed, small drops of water hit the siblings.

"Thank God." Louane burst out as she heaved for air. Liam laughed at the splashed water that hit them. The water dissolved into the Aldige seamlessly as if nothing had ever happened. The sudden sound of a man humming could be heard in the distance.

"Guarda che luna, guarda che mare"

"Da questa notte senza te dovrò restare"

Louane hurried up on her feet whilst giving Liam a look to be prepared.

"I think Aldo and Beatrice have arrived." Louane muttered to Liam.

"Folle d'amore vorrei morire"

"Mentre la luna di lassù mi sta a guardare."

"Resta soltanto tutto il rimpianto"

"Perché ho peccato nel desiderarti tanto"

"Ora son solo a ricordare e vorrei poterti dire"

"Guarda che luna, guarda che mare!"

And from here, we got busy that day.