The Outsiders Headcanons/Short Stories [COMPLETED]

Short Story: Don't Judge A Dog By Its Size

A/N: Dedicated to sonabardakk for helping me think of a plot. Based on Headcanon (11)

"Hey Pony! C'mere we got a surprise for you!"

Ponyboy Curtis was happily reading a book and eating a piece of chocolate cake when he heard Sodapop call him. The now fifteen year old greaser got off the bed and went to the living room.

Sodapop and Darry were standing there with a crate. When Pony saw the crate, he knew what they wanted. Ponyboy tried not to show it; he knew that his brothers wanted to see his surprised reaction.

"Well Ponyboy," Darry started, "since you've been doing amazing in school, and you've been using your head a lot lately, Soda and I scraped up some money to get you....." Darry opened the crate. "A dog!"

Out of the crate came a little, blackish-brown pug. The dog looked nervous and jumpy, but at the same time, extremely sweet. Ponyboy knew that this was a puppy rather than a dog, but he didn't care. Pony loved the dog, full grown or puppy.

"I love him!" Ponyboy said happily as he gently picked up the puppy. He didn't want to scare him. The puppy shyly licked his new owner's face.

Soda and Darry smiled at the scene. "Well, he ain't a dog, he's a puppy, but I don't think that'll make a difference. He's still tuff-lookin'." Soda said.

"Now, Pony," Darry said firmly, "taking care of a puppy is a huge responsibility. You really gotta use your head in situations with the him. You gotta remember to feed him and walk him everyday."

Ponyboy nodded, having heard this type of speech a million times when he was younger, when he had asked his parents for a dog. "I know, I know Darry." Pony said as he scratched the puppy's ears.

"What're gonna name him Pony?" Soda asked. Ponyboy studied the small puppy carefully. By his personality, the puppy was reminding Ponyboy of someone. Even physically, the puppy looked familiar. That's when it hit him: The dog reminded him of Johnny.

"I think I'll name him after Johnny." Ponyboy said happily as he picked up the newly named puppy. "He looks and acts like how Johnny used to."

The next day, Darry went to the store and got a collar for Johnny. Ponyboy wrote the puppy's name on it an put on on the dog.

"'M gonna go walk Johnny now, guys." Ponyboy told Darry that afternoon. Darry, who was watching the news, looked up from the TV. "Alright, don't forget to clean up after him." Darry said. "I won't."

---

Ponyboy walked Johnny outside and started having full-on conversation with him. "Y'know, I named you after one of my best friends." Ponyboy told the dog. "He died from trying to save some kids from a fire. I miss him a lot." Johnny barked in response.

The greaser sighed happily. "I remember a few years ago, I used to have a yellow cur dog. He was real tuff lookin'. Not that you ain't, but you get the picture. His name was Buddy, or Bud for short, and he really was by buddy. Then one day, I walked in on him eating chocolate cake out of the icebox. You probably don't know, but dogs can't eat chocolate. Sadly, Buddy ate a lot of that cake, and he ended up dying. I miss him too." This time, Johnny barked twice.

Ponyboy was so into his conversation, that he didn't notice a familiar blue Mustang following him. He turned around and saw it pull over to the curb. Four Socs came out of the car.

"Well, well, well...what do we have here?" Seeing that this greaser had an innocent little puppy with him, they didn't fear the dog at all. One of the Socs asked slyly as he pulled out a blade. Pony's face felt pale. He looked down at Johnny. Johnny was shaking, and Ponyboy felt bad.

Another Soc pushed Ponyboy down to the ground, making him drop Johnny's leash. Pony was so scared that Johnny would run away, but surprising, Johnny stayed exactly where he was.

Even though he was a puppy, Johnny saw one of the Socs try to cut his owner with the blade. That's when the unthinkable happened.

Johnny growled and then started barking like crazy. He attacked all the Socs, biting their legs and scratching them. The Socs panicked and ran off back into their Mustang and drove off.

Ponyboy got up weakily and picked up Johnny. "Johnny! You saved my life!" Pony cried out as he kissed the puppy. Johnny licked his owner's face."

The greaser put the dog back on the ground and began walking him again. Ponyboy told Johnny the whole story of how he ran away to Windrixville with Johnny. He told the dog how they hid in a church for a week, how he Johnny saved the kids, the whole story.

Ponyboy and his puppy were almost home when they passed by the lot. "That's where my friend Johnny used to sleep." Ponyboy pointed out. "His parents would hurt him a lot, so he slept here. If it was too cold, he came to sleep at our house."

As Ponyboy continued to walk with Johnny, he saw someone talking on the payphone. His dog was tied outside. Ponyboy took a long look at the dog.

This dog was a golden retriever. Its for was yellow-gold. He looked fierce and tuff, with matted fur on his head, and a slightly pointed chin. Johnny saw this dog and started barking happily, trying to get this dog's attention.

Ponyboy that this dog also looked like someone. He knew it could only be one person.

Dally.

~ TJ