Rock Dog: The Final Call

Chapter 12 - Ringo Starr

Mengcheng Indoor Stadium

8.20pm

20 Minutes into MMGP 2025

Immediately after their performance, Rock Dog proceeded down to the Green Room from the stage catwalk, reuniting with Angus and Ian on their sofa. Everyone was in high spirits after completing their performance, with Grem and Trey drinking their glasses of prosecco (that was served by Ian) immediately while Johnny and Ash excused themselves from the Green Room for a moment alone. Angus, while unable to drink alcohol due to doctor's orders, raved over the genius switch in the usual Rock Dog performance, hiding his pain from the liver cancer as much as possible.

That is, everyone except Bodi.

"Bodi?" Darma noticed the mastiff in deep thought. "What's wrong?"

Bodi stays silent. He was not the type of mammal to celebrate too early, but even so, he was unusually quiet. Darma simply did not get the response and relaxed with a glass of orange juice and chatted with Angus and Ian.

The mastiff had started to feel doubt for the first time in a long time, and he was unsure of what to do. In fact, besides Swifty (his main rival/best friend), this year's MMGP has not one, but two rock bands and for Bodi, he was very familiar with the other rock band. Very familiar, in fact.

It was the band formerly known as Musica.

8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8

September 2024

4 Months Ago

Rock Dog Mansion

Bodi and Darma had woken up in Bodi's room. They had slept on the same bed together for the very first time (Darma wanted to experience the prospect of sleeping together in case they agree to marry with each other) and, of course, they did not tell Angus or anyone else about it. That would cause a freak out.

Rather than realising they slept together, Bodi and Darma woke up as if they were accustomed to this arrangement. Darma was already taking a shower inside the room's ensuite as Bodi made the bed. Today was another day to look forward to.

Knowing that Darma enjoyed longer shower times, he turned on his phone and switched to the radio app where, by sheer coincidence, not only had they slept until very late in the morning (10am to be precise), but it was also the start of the MMGP Wildcard final. This was a radio show competition to determine the first and only wildcard slot for the competition and among the 12 competitors...

"9to5's in it?" Bodi was excited about them trying to get to the final.

9to5 is, of course, the new name of the all-beaver Italian Canadian band formerly known as Musica, who had been great supporters of Rock Dog themselves. More often than not, the beaver band had performed with Rock Dog in the past at Rock-and-Roll Park many touted them as the new Rock Dog. They specialised in Italian funk rock, a rarity in Mengguo, which was what made them a unique rock band.

"Let's hear it from the first entry, to their song 'Una Vita in Vacanza', please welcome... 9to5!" Darma came out of the bathroom just in time to join Bodi at the bedroom table.