Mamoru (Protect)

A Yu-Gi-Oh fanfic.

Summary: Anubis notices a young man who is a friend of the Pharaoh's vessel and feels a kinship with the abandoned and abused Joey Wheeler. When Joey's life is cut shorter than Anubis was prepared, he gives the boy a second chance. Joey's life is spared, but his form is changed to his canine refection, a golden wolf! Seto Kaiba is shocked when a huge stray dog leaps to his defense when hired assassins attack him. Will the young CEO take in the beast as a guard dog and could he find a faithful companion in him amongst the dishonest power-seekers he surrounds himself with? Can Joey accept the care from one he called his enemy long enough to get to know the real Kaiba behind the masks?

A/N: My first Yu-gi-oh fanfic and I'm trying a different plot style than I'm used to. I would love comments and reviews about where you'd like to story to go. Constructive criticism is welcomed (please no flames). I've been wanting to try a Puppyshipping story for ages but I could never settle on a plotline. Well, here goes! Oh and I own nothing and make no profit off this story.

Normal speaking

'Thoughts'

Chapter 1

Joey sat stunned in the dark alley starring down at the pile of clothes that just moments ago he was wearing, his duel monsters deck pouch slightly peeking out from the pocket of his jeans. He couldn't quite say he was naked since his entire body was covered in fur and if that wasn't enough, the dog ears, tail, muzzle, and enormous clawed paws of his new quadrupedal form were enough to official freak him out! How the hell did all of this happen?

Flashback

'Man, work was brutal tonight,' thought Joey as he stumbled down the street towards his father's apartment. The restaurant he worked at in the evening was packed and he had been running nonstop for seven hours straight. He was ready for a shower and a few hours of sleep before he had to be up early for his paper run before his third job as a janitor in a publishing building. The hours were rough, but the amount of money he was putting away for when he turned eighteen was growing, slowly but surely. He even got a lot of tips tonight for his charm and friendliness. He was saving up for when he was legally an adult and could leave his father's 'tender' care. The man spent practically any money he earned from his job at the factory on rent and booze, and the rest went to call girls Joey's age whenever he got lonely, the sick bastard! 'But soon, I can just wash my hands of the jerk. I'll be an adult and can leave and he'll have to take care of himself from then on' Joey told himself. Just a few more months, he'll be eighteen, graduate from high school with his buddies, maybe even take some college classes to get a better paying job!

Joey started whistling with a new bounce in his step from contemplating his bright future, when a large, unpleasantly familiar shadow staggered into his path. Memories of the Battle City Tournament came forward, particularly those of a creepy nameless Rare Hunter who took his Red Eyes Black Dragon which was only retrieved after Yugi beat him. The last he saw of the creep, he was laying on the pavement after his double-creepy boss, Marik had messed up his head. Now here he was, and he looked pissed.

"Oh, little Jo~ey? Where are you? Oh there you are! I have a little surprise for you!" rasped the creepy hunter reaching into his dirty, torn coat and pulling out a gun. Joey took one look at the weapon and his flight instincts kicked in as he dashed down a side alley. First, get out of the line of fire from that deadly gun and second, get to a populated area where hopeful there will be a police officer with a side arm to stop the psycho. Behind him, Joey could hear the hunter chasing him. His heart skipped a beat when he ducked around a corner as he heard the gun fire, missing him by mere inches and embedding in the opposite wall. Fear gave wings to Joey's feet as he fled down the tiny avenues between buildings, looking for a way to safety. Hearing the insane laughter behind him, Joey turned another corner only to come to a dead end. There was nowhere left the run or hide. Joey felt his heart go cold in terror as he turned in time to see the hunter lift the gun with a sadistic, twisted grin. He closed his eyes, his sister Serenity's face appeared and he prayed, please someone, anyone, I don't want to die, not like this, after everything I've been through, he heard the gun fire once again, felt a terrible burning in his chest, and knew no more.

The hunter stood over the boy and began laughing in glee, before a bright light shown behind him. A pack of glowing jackals emerged and tackled him across the alley and began ripping the screaming man apart until it was impossible to recognize the corpse and his blood puddled in the filth. Done with their task, the jackals trotted back to the enormous feet of their giant, jackal headed master.

Anubis stood shining in the darkness of the alley and surveyed the sight before him. The young man whom he had taken notice of in his observation of the Pharaoh's vessel lay dead far before his time. Joey Wheeler had a past similar to his own, abandoned by his mother and mistreated by his father, he still rose from the darkness in his life, clawing his way to success and the fulfilment of his dreams. Now he lay broken, robbed of his future by the hands of a servant of darkness. Anubis himself had been lucky enough to have been found by Isis who had raised him with love as her own son and he had become a powerful being. Fate had dealt him a second chance, now as the god of the lost, he would give Joey Wheeler a second chance.

Kneeling down next to the young man and placing a hand over his brow, a golden glow emanated from the boy's body and his skin became transparent, his clothing falling through him to the ground. The boy's luminous form began to change, morphing and growing. Because the boys first body had died from damage sustained, a new body must be created with his essence and memories. This new form would not be the same as before, but perhaps Joey may find greater happiness if the one Anubis had chosen would take up his role as Joey's new future.

As the glow dissipated, Anubis looked down and smiled at the sight before him, pleased with his work. In place of the blonde haired youth lay a massive wolf dog with golden fur. With a broad chest, strong legs, vicious fangs and claws, and a truly gorgeous soft golden fur coat, he was a fine specimen of the canine breeds. On his brow gleamed an ankh for a moment more before fading away, but Anubis' mark was still there for all spirits to see. The jackal headed god stood and faded away as if he had never been.

Only a few moments passed before the wolf dog began stirring. Joey lay still trying to remember what had happened. He was on his way home and he was tired, then that creep from Battle City had shown up, chased him, and…

Joey yelped and shot to his four feet and looked around for that wacko with a gun and… wait. Four feet? He looked down at himself and yelped again. He was a dog! His clothes were laid out beneath him and his socks were still inside his laced shoes as if he had simply turned to dust. Joey sat on his hind quarters beside his clothes trying to understand. He had been shot, he had felt the pain of the bullet entering his chest, but now there was no hole, no bullet, but he was a dog! He huffed in frustration.

'Life sucks. All my plans: gone. My future: gone. Serenity: she won't recognize me, and when I don't come to see her anymore, she'll think I abandoned her!' With a flood of despair, Joey lifted his muzzle and let out a forlorn howl, mourning the end of his life and fearing his new future. A shinning tear fell from his amber eyes, but with a shake of his shaggy head, Joey got to (all four of) his feet, and looked around. The dead end alleyway hadn't changed much except a bloody mess in a corner that Joey had a funny feeling may be the creep who shot him, though the mangled corpse looked like it had been ravaged by wild dogs. Guess fate was a bitch for him too. Joey looked sadly at the pouch protecting his beloved duel monsters deck and didn't want to just leave it lying around like trash, but dogs can't play duel monsters. Opposable thumbs are kinda a requirement it seemed. Joey wished he could get the cards to Yugi if for no other reason than to return the Time Wizard his pal had given him.

Deciding that he would take the deck to the Mouto Game shop and leave it in the mailbox slot, Joey delicately picked up the pouches strings in his teeth and started off towards Yugi's side of town.

To Be Continued…