An impromptu rescue sparks an encounter and a friendship between a local bull and a rough collie icon.

Bull Rescue

Taurus the Bull is usually minding his own business in keeping to himself. It is just a casual stroll he is taking through the city, just exploring around. Normally, not much activity is spotted during walking but for some days, there is no exception.

The downtown part is normally bustling with activity, as Taurus knew all too well. He's traveled to this part plenty of times before. And while sweeping his eyes around, the huge buildings, skyscrapers, and megastores provide a wonderful sight to the eyes.

While Taurus is just wandering along, there is a flicker of white light ahead of him, leading him to pause in his tracks. When it happens again and again, this is when the bull becomes suspicious. But when he marches up to investigate does he run smack dab into a situation that he may have unknowingly wandered into.

*CLICK!*

"EEH!" Covering his face, Taurus staggers from a bright flash directly in his face that leaves him temporarily disoriented. After taking a moment to recover, he begins picking up mixed voices of excitement and begging, all from a single name.

"Mr. Schmidt, come out!"

"Jason, come on out buddy!"

"No use in hiding forever, Mr. Schmidt! You can't run and hide forever!"

Hearing these, and other voices within the crowd of paparazzi, Taurus becomes even more inquisitive and suspicious. After peering down an alleyway, Taurus observes a red sports car parked beside an adjacent wall, so the bull discreetly retreats and ducks into a storefront.

'Whoever that is must be in a lot of trouble, or he must be very popular to attract crowds like that. Someone like that needs help. I hope I can reach him.' Taurus mused to himself in thought.

The store that the bull wandered into is a small clothing store, with what appears to be a hidden back door, camouflaged against the black painted walls. A golden chandelier hangs above the ceiling as decoration along with numerous studio lights as further decor.

Upon sighting the back door, Taurus plays it cool by browsing and looking around the store, until one of the workers, a gray wolf, spots him. "Is everything okay, sir? Need anything?"

Taurus blinks at the worker, taking a brief hesitation to deliberate. The bull beseeches, "Is there any way I can go out through the back over there, that back door?"

Pointing to the door across the store, Taurus directs the wolf to the camouflaged door, to which the worker explains, "You'll need a key to exit through there. I'll go grab it for you."

Once the worker leaves to retrieve said item, Taurus makes his way to the back door. When the wolf worker returns a few minutes later with the key, he unlocks the door for Taurus and bids him farewell, "Have a nice day, sir!"

"You too!" Taurus waves him off and leaves through the back door, finally meeting his goal of reaching the target of the paparazzi. But no sooner does Taurus enter the alleyway does he hear someone calling out, "Can someone help me out here!?"

Taurus notices the target of the paparazzi - a muscular male rough collie with tri-colored fur, and a fluffy-looking dog as well. When the dog's peridot green eyes fall on the bull, the rough collie pleads, "Please help me!!"

In a desperate move, the rough collie tosses a set of keys to Taurus, barely giving the bull any time to react. The begging expression from the dog himself further cements his desperation and growing desire to jet. Taurus barely has time to register what's going on in his mind but when seeing the key up close, Taurus takes a moment to peek down the alleyway, only to see halfway down due to the dumpster blocking it.

"Take my car and give me a lift! Quickly!!" The rough collie directs the bull to a Salsa colored Jaguar F-Type R AWD Coupe that happens to be sitting in the alleyway. Only when Taurus turns around does he see the sleek British sports car and the badging with the paint glistening from the sunlight. Not wanting to hold the dog up, Taurus briskly runs to the F-Type and climbs inside, and only after slamming the door and securing himself does he activate the car through a START / STOP button below the steering wheel; once the 5.0L Supercharged V8 roars to life is does Taurus put the car into gear to roll down the alleyway, maneuvering the roadster away from the wall to allow the dog to get in.

After Taurus pulls up, the dog dashes to the passenger side to hop into the sports car. And after securing himself does the rough collie question the bull, "You know how to drive a stick shift, right?"

With a bold, calm smile, Taurus assures the collie, "Relax, I got this. I can bring you to your home."

"I hope so. I don't want any cameras following or shadowing us. No one needs to know every aspect of my private life." The rough collie whispered in a whine. Whispering in further complaint, the 5.0L Supercharged AJ133 V8 changes notes when Taurus rips into reverse and backs out of the alleyway into an adjacent corridor. Then the bull rips the car back into gear and begins to slowly roll away from the spot, on the quest of leaving the paparazzi behind.

Once they come out of the alleyway, Taurus maneuvers the F-Type onto a different road away from the paparazzi, and this leaves the collie relaxing in the passenger seat, letting out a melting sigh of relief. The collie begins to come forward, introducing himself in the process. "Thank you for saving me back there. My name is Jason Schmidt. This is the second time this week that this has happened! You probably may have heard of me, but that's not really important. I'm just doing my job as a model."

"I can't say I've heard of you or seen you in person, or in the magazines before. I did see a photo of some sort of someone like you in a half-portrait lying on a bed, something like that." Before Taurus can even maneuver onto the upcoming freeway, Jason suddenly freaks out after stealing a glance at his rearview mirror, "Huah! They're– they're coming! Step on it, man!"

Two Harley-Davidson Fatboy motorcycles are accompanied by a trio of Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk SUVs, all closing in on the accelerating F-Type. The motorcycles are the ones that manage to eat up the gap thanks to fast acceleration, leaving the panicked rough collie in a frenzy. Taurus, on the other hand, is a cool cucumber; he is hiding a dangerous, devious smirk on his face.

The bull suddenly goes on the offensive to ward off the incoming mafia, giving a nudge to the white motorcycle to their left while crossing the freeway in the process. Jason advises in a heated warning, "No!! Don't kill them!! I don't need any backlash or any charges slapped on me and my reputation!"

Taurus chuckles calmly, "Relax, Jason. I got this. Any more panicking and you'll pee on yourself."

After some hard braking, Taurus swings the F-Type into a hard clockwise maneuver, breaking a short drift onto a side road that is adjacent to the freeway. Then he takes a series of hard turns along different side roads, trying to lose the motorcycles. One of them actually ends up crashing in the process after taking a curve too sharp and losing control, leaving just one pursuing motorcycle on their tails.

"Come on…!! Lose them already!! I'm sick of being followed!" Jason urged impatiently. This earns the dog a glare from the bull in return, leaving the dog to shrink mildly in his seat. During the high-speed escape along the winding roads, Taurus breaks into another hard fishtail after being overtaken by the motorbike, leaving him and Jason a good window in hopes of escaping. And after a few more quick turns along with an alleyway, Taurus manages to lose the paparazzi completely.

Hesitantly, Jason peels into his side mirror while whispering, "Are they gone??" Seeing Taurus nod, the rough collie draws a breath of relief. He then requests, "Can you take me home, please? I want to be with my wife."

Raising an eyebrow at the mention of said status, Taurus whips the F-Type along a sharp bend while tracking their location on the GPS of the built-in center console. Piqued with interest, Taurus acknowledges the rough collie, "You're a married celebrity? I never knew you were married! Who's the pretty girl that's yours?"

"She's a rough collie like me, except more beautiful. And if you see our fur pattern, it's easy to mistake us for siblings." To emphasize his point, Jason holds up his white-furred hand to reveal a peridot-studded wedding ring on his ring finger.

Whistling in astonishment, Taurus declares, "You're a happy man, for sure! I'm Taurus, by the way, in case you didn't catch my name."

"Okay… nice to meet you, Taurus." Jason had to take a moment to keep himself from getting overly excited, considering his recent predicament. His fluffy tail begins to wag behind him while he gazes at Taurus, a grateful smile on his face. During the rest of the drive to the freeway, Taurus hums, "Tell me more about yourself. Can you explain that one modeling session more clearly?"

Jason stretches in his seat, relaxing during the ride onto the freeway. During the ridealong, Jason casually admits, "My wife and I are sex symbols, believe it or not. But since we're married to each other, we get to have all the fun we want with each other. And as for that session you described with me lying half-covered on a bed… yeah, that was me. I had also posed nude for some adult content, such as magazines. I'm no saint, but I'm not exactly a clean worker either."

His breath hitching in his throat, Taurus's eyes widen in bewilderment and he catches himself, nearly swerving and losing control of the Jaguar. In disbelief, the bull bellows out in surprise, "Sex symbols?? Both of you?? I don't believe this!!"

Laughing in astonishment, Taurus can hardly believe his ears. The bull shakes his head in complete astonishment, continuing to chuckle, "I must be losing my mind here. Did you just say what I think you said? No wonder you and your wife must be so popular!"

A hint of pink comes across Jason's muzzle when the dog rubs his neck, admitting in embarrassment, "I never realized how far that would go. I was just doing my job for fun and finances."

"Well, it certainly landed you a long way, didn't it?" Taurus mused. "I can see it in you more, now that we're up close."

In response, Jason flexes his arms, exposing the muscle underneath his dark blue short-sleeve T-shirt. This leaves Taurus whistling in admiration at the muscular collie which leaves him to comment, "Quite an astonishing work of art you made for yourself, Jason. I'm quite impressed!"

Jason giggles and relaxes again, resting his hands on his lap. He casually mentions, "I work out a lot with and without my wife; it helps build my profile. And quite frankly, I still can't believe how handsome I turned out. Working out a lot has definitely paid off."

"I can see that and it is a remarkable feat of yours; even more for your wife who's stunned by your natural beauty. Any female would kill for a guy with charming looks like you." The compliment and acknowledging praise from Taurus ends up making the rough collie blush - he clears his throat and waves off the praise, claiming, "Not only that but also the sleeping and banging too. It's all they want to do instead of actually getting to know them."

Steam flies from Taurus' nostrils upon hearing this, causing him to tighten his grip on the steering wheel. In a low whisper, the bull snorts, "So you're saying you've taken it slow? That you're a chick magnet without even realizing it?"

"That sums it up quite nicely, yes." Jason nodded in return. His peridot green eyes catch sight of a familiar road sign that is coming up and he directs Taurus, "Bolingbrook Road is coming up. Take the exit going south and after a few turns, we should be at my house - you should see a classic Audi in the driveway."

"Okay. You're a suburbian guy, aren't you?" Taurus acknowledges, impressed.

"City life is too much of a hassle." Jason explained, lightly shrugging his shoulders. "Suburban life is more quiet and peaceful. More enjoyable than the red carpet."

Taurus chuckles, "I can't even imagine what that must be like, living in the city and being a celebrity of sorts." Applying the turn signal, Taurus takes the exit to the designated road and ends up right behind a public transit '40 Eldorado National Axess BRT, which happens to be painted in a golden color to signify its CNG powertrain.

"Consider yourself fortunate, Taurus. That's why I moved away from the city." The rough collie stares at the bus in front of them, lost in thought. The green light signals the traffic to start moving, so after Taurus makes his way onto the main road, Jason observes, "At least I don't live too far away from a Park-n-Ride station. It's just a short walk or jog from my apartment to there." (The route on the Axess BRT reads: 726 Bolingbrook TC)

"Wow, you and your wife are pretty fortunate to live close by a bus shed! You guys don't have to drive downtown or anything! Just a bus ride there and back!" Taurus noted, laughing again.

"Well, sometimes Cary and I take the 726 Bolingbrook Express. But there is another route that we take sometimes - 855 Burr Oak Express. They both go downtown and back, which is very convenient. Don't get me wrong on that. Only problem is the timing." The rough collie noticeably deflates upon saying the last part about the timing, so he mentions, "We still have to drive downtown sometimes."

"So let me get this straight, Jason. You guys alternate between bus and car?" A nod from Jason confirms Taurus' suspicion, to which the bull beams, "You two have your work cut out for you." This only leaves Jason to giggle, "You have no idea, honestly! The ride is pretty comfortable since coach buses are used."

"Really? That's an interesting thought." Taurus noted. He grins and winks at Jason in a friendly manner, snickering at the collie's flabbergasted reaction. After Jason calms down, the rest of the short ride is spent in silence with a mutual understanding of each other.

Following the remainder of the ride, Taurus pulls into a driveway where a red Audi 100 Coupe S is parked on the right side of the driveway. Upon coming closer to the garage door, the hydraulic door raises up to reveal a third car that is inside - a dark blue Jaguar XJR-15. Upon noticing this, Jason mutters, "Cary must have stayed home today. I hope she's alright."

"Hmm? Oh, your wife? Can I meet her?" Noticing the inquisitive expression on the bull's face, Jason nods in acceptance. "Sure, you can meet her! In fact, she should be inside since her car is here, unless she either took the bus or one of her friends picked her up. But we'll see."

After unbuckling himself and exiting from his car, Jason waves for Taurus to join him, "Come on! I'll bring you to meet her!"

Following the parking and retirement from the car, Jason leads Taurus inside the house, which happens to be a normal suburban-type home with a basement downstairs. Upon coming inside, Jason calls out, "Cary, I'm home!!! We have a guest over!!"

"Just a minute, dear! I'll be over in a hot second!" A loud shout from across the house confirms Jason's suspicion that his wife is home. And when she emerges from the kitchen area, Taurus can hardly believe his eyes. Coming to meet them, Cary is also a rough collie with nearly the same fur pattern as Jason. And like Jason, Cary is also a muscular female.

"No wonder you two look like twins! Both of you are almost identical!" Taurus exclaimed in wonder. He steps forward in taking the initiative, introducing himself to Cary. "It's a pleasure to meet a beautiful lady such as yourself. My name is Taurus;" gesturing to the male rough collie to his right, the bull elaborates, "I just rescued your man from some hungry paparazzi freaks."

Cary shakes Taurus' hand and places her hands on her hips while giving a knowing expression to her husband. Her tail wagging softly, the female rough collie acknowledges the predicament, "I had a feeling that would happen. This has been going on for a while. Usually, it's the women celebrities that people just drool over to get a shot of or to bang in bed. But males are no exception." A seductive glare towards her husband and she saunters towards him, leaving an amused Taurus to observe.

The two rough collies embrace and begin kissing each other with Cary sneaking a hand up Jason's shirt to rub his abs. The soft belly rubs make Jason melt at her touch while he moans into the kissing. To make some room for the two, Taurus retreats to give them some privacy, heading towards the kitchen area while musing to himself, "Don't want to break their moment. Might as well retreat somewhere safe."

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Taurus belongs to  Alnair Yorim, Jason and Cary belong to me!