Chapter 9
"Joey! Joey!"
"Get down!"
The remaining people standing ducked under the table as the light above the table was shot, extinguishing all source of light but for the small nightlight next to the toaster. Nadine whimpered softly, staring at the blond's motionless body, before turning and hiding her face in Mokuba's chest, shaking with silent sobs. Mokuba himself couldn't take his eyes off of the motionless blond.
Kai took the safety off his gun—everyone vaguely wondered where he'd gotten it—and seemingly slithered from underneath the table and to the blond. He rolled him onto his back, frowning, and checked for a pulse, then growled. Everyone considered it safe to assume that there was none.
"What do we do now?" Ryou asked softly, quickly covering Mokuba's eyes when he realized that he couldn't look away.
"Can't see 'im from here," Kai mumbled, glaring in the direction of the broken window. "I'd suggest sneaking outside, but he's probably got all of the windows covered."
Seto frowned as his cell phone began vibrating and answered it quickly. "Hello?"
"Would ya'll do me a faver? Stay down!"
"…Alisa?"
"The one an' only. Tell that damn tomcat to stay down, will ya? I don't want Sniper shootin' anyone else."
"…Alisa, Joey is—"
"I'm busy; tell me later!"
Seto blinked as the other line went dead, frowning at the cell phone in his hand, before wincing as a few more gunshots were heard. The sound of a dog barking was also heard before one last shot, and then there was silence.
Kai stood slowly, bracing himself for a bullet. When none came, he began toward the door leading outside. "Stay here."
"…Alisa said for you to stay down," the brunet stated, only to receive an aggravated hiss.
"Shut up! I don't care what she says!"
"…She's gonna beat him up," Ryou sighed, then frowned when he thought he saw Joey's tail twitch. He crawled over to him and reached to feel for a pulse. When there was none, he sighed, figuring it to be the result of wishful thinking.
Until the blond's hand came up and grabbed his wrist, in which case all of them (except Seto, but he looked just as shocked and terrified as they all felt) screamed like girls.
"OhmyGod!"
Joey growled and sat up, glaring toward the window through the blood flowing into his eyes. "Fucking kill you!" he snarled, before springing through the window.
"…Okay, so he just got shot in the head, and he's still alive," Seto stated, more for confirmation that the others had seen it too than a real question.
"…Yes, I think that's what just happened," Ryou replied, staring after him in confusion.
Then there was frantic barking and a few loud curses before the kitchen door slammed open. A red flash was seen darting up the stairs, cursing and spitting, before a golden flash came after, slamming the door shut and diving underneath the couch in the living room. After a few minutes of silence, there was a knock on the front door.
Seto sighed loudly and stood. "My life used to be normal. I never realized how much I'd miss it until this happened." He glanced down at the blond's tail that was still sticking out from under the couch, then kicked it lightly. "She's going to find you regardless of where you're hiding."
The only response he got was a whimper, but then Joey slunk out from under the furniture and steeled himself for a meeting with his cousin.
-x-x-x-
"…Sooo… Now what?"
Alisa paused in brushing Nadine's hair, then shrugged slightly, as if not caring. "Tch, like I know. I just shot a man; you figure out what to do."
"Can we stay here, or are more people going to be sent after us?" Seto asked, frowning. "If we're not safe here—"
"Yer not safe anywhere ya go." The blonde girl raised an eyebrow but didn't look up from making a French braid. "They know where ya are. They'll know where yer goin'. Yer safer just stayin' here and waitin' for 'em to come to ya." She frowned in thought, then turned to Ryou. "Does this look straight to you?"
"Hmm? Yes, it does."
"Ah."
Joey scowled, rubbing the scar he'd received once his cells had regenerated and healed him. The bullet that had hit him was currently sitting on the table. "Seriously? I think we're screwed either way."
"Well, not necessarily," his cousin answered, grimacing, as she tied off the wolf-girl's hair with a rubber band. "We could always go after 'em. …I wouldn't wanna put ya in that danger, though."
"Uh, hello!" the blond exclaimed, waving at the bullet on the table. "They shot through my brain and I'm still alive! …I believe there's something you're hiding, Alisa."
Kai snorted. "She's a bitch. Bitches hide things."
Alisa raised an eyebrow. "…Yer disdain fer me is dully noted. Couldja please get over yerself for a minute an' just work with me?"
"Over my dead body."
"…Whatever." She sighed and stood up, giving Nadine a pat on the head (to which the tiny girl gave a blinding smile), before walking toward the door. "I'm not fightin' with ya. Ya obviously don't want my help. I'll be goin' now."
"But-!" Ryou began, wincing as she slammed the door shut, then turned a glare on the feline man, eyes beginning to glow acid green in agitation. "This is your fault."
Kai waved it away carelessly. "We don't need her. She's just annoying."
"The sooner we get these scientists off our backs, the sooner we get to go home, and the sooner I get to see my yami," the albino stated, wings spreading out to make him seem more intimidating. "I'm tired and I want to go home. Just because I'm quiet and easygoing doesn't mean I will not kill you for making me stay here longer than absolutely necessary."
The feline man was obviously unsure of whether or not to believe him. Seeing this, Ryou let out a furious snarl and tackled him. The others could only watch in a mixture of horror and amusement as the albino absolutely tore at him.
"…This is a horrible, horrible scene, but I can't tear my eyes away," Mokuba stated, before wincing as he heard a snap. "Ew! Did you just break a bone?!"
"I'm going, I'm going!" Kai exclaimed, sprinting for the door. "I'll go get her, jeez!"
Ryou shook a fist after him. "Run fast!"
"…I have found a new respect for you, Ryou," Joey stated, smiling at him.
The albino blushed a little but didn't remove the scowl from his face. "I want to go home!"
"Don't we all?" Seto sighed, standing up. "I'm going to go work on some contracts. Call me when you've figured something out."
"Okay, Seto," Mokuba answered, waving after him. "Don't work too hard, or we'll sick Nadie on you!"
"…Okay."
Nadine smiled and hugged Freddy tightly. "I like this family. I don't see why you'd ever want to leave."
At this, everyone seemed to share a wince. Ryou coughed and rubbed the back of his head. "Yes, I'll admit it's a nice family, but I want to get back to my own family. This is just temporary, Nadie."
"Yeah," Joey agreed, trying to smile, but the pain in his eyes still shone through. "After all, when this is all over, we're going back to where we were before."
"Oh. …So where will Kai and I go?"
"You'll come an' live with me." Everyone turned sharply to find Alisa standing in front of the door, Kai standing behind her with a look of incredulous anger. She didn't even turn to face him. "Ya live by yer rules, do whatever ya want. Ya don't even hafta speak to me if ya don't want. The only rule you'll hafta abide by is leave the dogs to me. In fact, if we time it right, ya won't even hafta see me." She turned toward the redhead, frowning. "Is that okay? Ya get a house fer yer sister an' I don't hafta worry about my house durin' daylight?"
"What about me?" Joey asked, frowning.
She rolled her eyes. "Joey, I got three extra rooms. I'll find room fer all of ya."
"…Okay. So, seriously, now what?"
-x-x-x-
"So you just let him go?" Joey asked, closing his eyes as he leaned back in a rocking chair on the porch. "Guy shoots me and you let him live?"
Alisa shrugged slightly, watching Freddy and Nadine play under the watchful eyes of Kai and Loop. "He's just a gun fer hire, Joey. Works fer the police as a sniper durin' hostage standoffs. I shot at him, he shot at me, an' we're even. He promised to spread the word that you've got enough weapons to smart a small war an' the skills to use 'em. Paid killers shouldn't be a problem anymore. It's just the scientists ya gotta watch out fer now." She turned her gaze on him and smiled sadly. "I wish I could protect ya better, Joey. I really do."
The canine boy smiled and shrugged. "Nothing you can do about it, Alisa. I'm grateful for everything you've done for us already."
"Hmm." She turned her gaze back on the red-haired feline man sitting on the fence on the other side of the yard. "…That man does not like me."
"Who? Kai?"
"That's the only man out here."
"I wouldn't say that. You just got off on the wrong foot and he holds grudges. Give it a few weeks and he'll warm up to you. …Besides, Nadine says he fights with the people he cares about."
Alisa let out a bark of laughter that startled Nadine and Loop, her body shaking with silent, bitter laughter that made Joey's heart break. "Why should he? I insulted him an' beat him up. I like him, Joey; that's the kind of man I've been lookin' for." She lifted a watery gaze toward her cousin but refused to let any tears fall. "Now that I've found him, I've chased him away, an' I know he won't give me a second chance." She sniffed, then jumped off the railing of the porch abruptly and forced a smile. "Ya want some cocoa? I'll make a big pot of it right now!"
"…Alisa…" He sighed, then nodded slightly. "Yeah, okay. Sounds good."
"Okay! I'll make enough for ev'ryone!" And with that, she disappeared into the kitchen.
Joey sighed and turned his gaze back to the yard only to find Nadine, Loop, and Freddy staring in his direction in concern. He shrugged helplessly. Nadine and Freddy went back to playing. Loop got to his feet and loped over to the door. As soon as he got there, the door opened, allowing him inside, before it snapped shut again.
Kai stood and made his way over to take the spot that Alisa had been occupying. "So, what was that all about?"
"…Couldn't tell you even if I wanted to," the blond replied. "It's private."
"Okay. I'm cool with that." The redhead rested his hands behind his head and crossed his ankles. "It's a family thing, right?" He glanced at Nadine. "…I can see why Nadie likes her though."
Joey raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"
"Yeah, really," Kai answered, scowling at him, before sighing and closing his eyes momentarily. "I'm not stupid. I can see why. She's intelligent, strong, and tough. She won't take crap from anybody. Gentle, sharp when she needs to be, knows how to take care of herself, has a lot of dogs—Nadie's always wanted a puppy. And she makes good cocoa."
The blond snorted and crossed his arms, shooting him a glare. "So if you see why Nadie likes her, why do you still treat her like crap?"
"Because I'm the one Nadie's supposed to wish she was like!" he exclaimed in frustration, throwing his hands up. "She's always looked up to me! She's always wanted to be like me! Then that bitch came and took all of that away!"
Joey frowned. "Not to burst your bubble or anything, but you should have seen this coming at some point. …You're a boy."
Kai scowled at him again. "I know I'm a guy! What does that have to do with anything?!"
He nodded at the wolf-girl still playing with the wog, now in an intense game of tug-of-war. "Nadie's a girl. A growing girl, at that. She's going to grow up sometime, Kai, and she's going to want a girl to teach her girl things. She's going to want to giggle about boys with someone else, ask about girl things, and go shopping with. Admit it, Kai. You'll beat up whatever boy she's giggling about, blush and disappear when she asks what's happening to her body, and sulk all the way through shopping."
"…I guess you're right," the feline man sighed.
Joey smiled at him. "I know. Kai, she looks up to you as a brother, and she believes you're the best big brother in the world. Shouldn't that be enough now that she's growing up?"
The redhead nodded slowly. "I guess."
"Good. …Now stop hurting my cousin," he ordered sharply. "I've told you, Kai. She likes you. She's been looking for a man like you her whole life, which is saying something, considering what men have done to her in the past. You treating her like crap is just hurting her, and I don't like it."
Kai raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Are you serious? Me?" He reached up and pulled at one of his ears skeptically. "With these? You're kidding."
"Just because she owns a bunch of dogs and wolves doesn't mean she doesn't like cats," the blond replied, shrugging. He glanced back at the door, then knocked on it loudly. "Hey, Alisa!"
The door opened and the blonde stuck her head out. "What?"
"Do you like cats?"
Alisa raised an eyebrow at him, clearly displaying her confusion. "I have no reason t' dislike cats. Personally, I think they're delightful. They purr when they're happy, hiss when they're mad, an' they're very territorial. More so than even wolves, an' that's sayin' somethin'. There's this real sweetie that comes by my house for breakfast. He sleeps with the dogs on cold nights. I call him Patch."
"…Dare I ask why?" Joey asked, raising an eyebrow.
She scowled at him. "He had a big old bald patch from scratchin' fleas. I got some meds on him, though, so it's growin' in."
"Would you ever fall in love with someone like… me?" Seeing her appalled expression, the blond cringed. "Ew! That came out completely wrong! I mean someone who's genetically altered! Like Mokuba, or Kai, or—Anyone that isn't me!"
"…Hmm." Alisa tilted her head thoughtfully. "I don't suppose it really matters, does it? It's the personality that matters, not the body containing it, right? …Besides, it could make for some very kinky sex!" She grinned devilishly. "Am I right, or am I right?"
Joey jumped to his feet and growled, ears folding back as he scowled at her. "Stay outta my sex life!"
"Then I must be right!" she laughed, before ducking back into the kitchen and closing the door behind her.
Kai blinked after her silently, then smirked. "On second thought, if I have to get an older sister figure for Nadie, she'd be it."
"You just want sex," the blond accused. "Pervert."
"What? She's pretty, smart, and she's got an ass like I've never seen before."
"If you touch her—"
"What? You gonna break my face like she threatened Kaiba?"
"No, she'll break your face. But if you hurt my cousin, Kai, I swear I'll hurt you. Not throwing rocks and screaming at each other; that's for petty stuff. If you hurt my cousin, I will maim you. The only reason I won't kill you is because Nadie needs you. Alright? Are we clear?"
He sighed and nodded. "We're clear. I hurt your cousin, you hurt me. …Do you think she really believes the kinky sex thing?"
Joey shuddered. "I don't even want to think about it. …But if I were to guess, I think that yes, she believes it."
"Believes what?" Nadine asked innocently, leaning over the railing and tilting her head.
"…Uh…" Kai and Joey glanced at each other, fumbling for an answer, but were spared anything embarrassing as the door opened.
Alisa led the way out of the kitchen, followed by Mokuba, Ryou, and Seto. "Hey guys, I finished the cocoa. …Sorry, did I interrupt somethin'?" she asked, tilting her head and appearing as innocent as Nadine had only a few moments earlier. "I made enough fer ev'ryone."
"Yay!" Nadine exclaimed, darting forward to get a mug, before sitting on the railing and staring up at the moon. Mokuba joined her once acquiring his own mug, and they began to discuss some of the new videogames coming out.
Seto grabbed a mug set aside for him filled with tea and sat in the rocking chair that Joey had been occupying moments before. The blond frowned after grabbing his own mug. "Hey, that's my seat!"
"…I don't see any reason for you not to sit in it," the brunet answered, smirking. He reached out and grabbed him around the hips, pulling him into his lap. "I think we've had sex enough for you to be able to sit on my lap, puppy."
Ryou raised an eyebrow at them, then rolled his eyes and, with his own mug of cocoa, leaned against the railing to listen to Mokuba and Nadine's conversation. "I like the older games myself, like Sonic the Hedgehog, or Pacman." This in turn caused Nadine to squeal in delight and Mokuba to agree ecstatically, and he'd be delighted if they made newer versions of the old games.
Alisa turned to the feline man and tilted his head. "I didn't know if ya wanted some, so I made ya a mug anyway. Is that okay?"
Instead of answering, he took the tray from her hands and set it on the table. "Take a walk with me."
"Um… Okay," she answered, confused, but followed him as he led her away.
Joey shook a fist after them. "Don't come back with any hickeys!"
"Huh? Wait, where are we goin'?" Alisa asked in confusion, before they disappeared into the night.
After a few minutes of silence, Seto asked, "So, what are we doing? Just waiting for those scientists to come to us?"
Joey blinked, then let his mug rest on his lap, his gaze anywhere but the CEO. "…Alisa and I decided that we're going to get them before they can get us."
"…We."
"Alisa and me. You guys will stay here, and we'll go and find them and… stop them." He blushed as the brunet's arm tightened around him and closed his eyes. "Kaiba… if we don't come back—"
"Puppy, you've cheated death so many times, why should this time be any different? Especially with your regenerating," the larger teen stated, reaching up and running the back of his hand over the blond's soft cheek.
Joey blushed even more and took a sip of his cocoa to hide his face. He let out a soft squeak as the brunet pulled the mug away. He set it on the table beside his tea and pulled him into an embrace. "Ack-! Kaiba, I—"
"You'll come out of this okay, puppy, just like every other life threatening situation you've been in." Seto fondled one of the blond's ears absently. "Promise me you'll come back."
"Why would you care?" he asked softly, frowning. "I'm just a worthless mutt."
"You're my mutt. …And that makes you worth a lot. So promise me you'll come back," he ordered.
"Why?"
"Must you question everything I say?"
"Yes."
The brunet smiled slightly. "Because I know you always keep your promises."
Joey blushed again. "I promise."
"Good. Thank you."
"Are you two going to kiss now?"
The two teens blushed and turned to find Ryou, Mokuba, and Nadine staring at them in interest. Loop and Freddy were watching them as well.
Joey blushed even more and stood up, glaring at them. "Are we really that interesting?!"
"Yes."
"Ugh! You little brats!"
Nadine and Mokuba let out shrieks before running to hide behind Alisa and Kai as they walked back up. Ryou merely raised an eyebrow, daring the blond to attack him after his display earlier today with Kai.
Alisa frowned. "I'm goin' to assume that someone's moment was ruined."
Her cousin threw his hands up in annoyance. "I'm going to bed!"
"…Well, we do have an early day tomorrow," she sighed. "Do any of you have an extra blanket? Loop's a good blanket, but we can't fit on the couch together."
Nadine smiled brightly. "You can sleep with me and Kai! The bed's so big all four of us can fit on it!" Kai blushed and tried to sputter something to negate his sister's suggestion, but nothing would come out. Instead, he sighed and bowed his head in defeat.
Alisa smiled. "That'd be just great!"
Mokuba elbowed his older brother and grinned. "Someone's going to have a hard time sleeping tonight!"
Seto smirked. "Indeed."
