Dog City was a bustling place, full of crowded buildings and busy streets. Parks were common, but small and worn down from frequent use. If a dog really wanted to get away from the rat race, there was only one place to go: Dog Beach(tm).
At least, that was the marketing line hundreds and hundreds of years ago. Back then, the little sandbar about an hour outside of Dog City was a densely packed vacation hub for city-weary dogs and their pups. After the Dog-Rainicorn Wars reached their uneasy (but enduring) peace, the beach saw fewer and fewer visitors. More and more dogs decided to combat overcrowding by moving into the Crystal Dimension, where the freshly colonized land allowed plenty of room to grow. These days, the most interesting things about Dog Beach were treasures of the past hidden under the damp sand.
It was that allure of that mystery that made it a favorite of Joshua and his steady Margaret while they were courting. That same mystery brought him there with his sons years later, holding contests and treasure hunts to hone their dungeon craft. Today, it's nostalgia and hope drives the trio of Joshua's children back to the junk strewn beach. Emphasis on hope.
An ancient metal sign was hung high on the chain link fence that surrounded the stretch of empty sand, carefully edited to read: NoDogs Allowed On TheBeach. Jake stood in front of it, stretching up a hand to slap it with a grin.
"Hey Jermaine, aren't you gonna touch the sign?" The goading remark was met with the heavy sigh of someone who had heard the same thing every single visit. "C'mon, nobody gets in until they touch the sign, it's tradition!"
"No way, that tradition died with Dad, bro."
"Booo!" Jake protested, turning to Finn. Their babiest brother was bringing up the rear, looking as unreadable as ever. Jake redoubled his own enthusiasm in response, even as Jermaine pulled an exasperated face. "Hey Finn, rule is you gotta touch the sign before you go in. Slap that sucker!"
Dog Beach | The Next Day
At least, that was the marketing line hundreds and hundreds of years ago. Back then, the little sandbar about an hour outside of Dog City was a densely packed vacation hub for city-weary dogs and their pups. After the Dog-Rainicorn Wars reached their uneasy (but enduring) peace, the beach saw fewer and fewer visitors. More and more dogs decided to combat overcrowding by moving into the Crystal Dimension, where the freshly colonized land allowed plenty of room to grow. These days, the most interesting things about Dog Beach were treasures of the past hidden under the damp sand.
It was that allure of that mystery that made it a favorite of Joshua and his steady Margaret while they were courting. That same mystery brought him there with his sons years later, holding contests and treasure hunts to hone their dungeon craft. Today, it's nostalgia and hope drives the trio of Joshua's children back to the junk strewn beach. Emphasis on hope.
An ancient metal sign was hung high on the chain link fence that surrounded the stretch of empty sand, carefully edited to read:
NoDogs Allowed On TheBeach. Jake stood in front of it, stretching up a hand to slap it with a grin."Hey Jermaine, aren't you gonna touch the sign?" The goading remark was met with the heavy sigh of someone who had heard the same thing every single visit. "C'mon, nobody gets in until they touch the sign, it's tradition!"
"No way, that tradition died with Dad, bro."
"Booo!" Jake protested, turning to Finn. Their babiest brother was bringing up the rear, looking as unreadable as ever. Jake redoubled his own enthusiasm in response, even as Jermaine pulled an exasperated face. "Hey Finn, rule is you gotta touch the sign before you go in. Slap that sucker!"