A moan escaped Riki's lips as Iason's stray hand moved into his shirt. He trailed his fingertips against the skin on Riki's back, feeling every dent of scar that marked the tanned skin of the mongrel.

"What happened in Dana-Bahn?" His voice was barely audible "These scars….were they from then?"
As soon as the blondie paused, Riki grab hold of his arm and yanked away, flinching out of his embrace.
"Did Katze not explain everything to you already?" Riki answered with reluctance, glancing away "Quit touching me!"

Iason straightened himself, although still making sure there was no space for Riki to run.
"Katze had made it clear that he was not present, not until the end when everything had happened, besides would it not be better if I hear it from your own mouth?"
Riki recalled back the events of Dana Bahn, a nightmare he had relieved a couple of times in the previous months and the pain of losing Iason flooded through him once again as he relieved that moment when he watch him die.

"Don't act so high and mighty," Riki spat, shaking the memory away "You ripped me off everything and even denied me death when I sincerely welcomed it!"
"…..during that moment, if I had just…just follow you in death, none of this shit would happen."

"Were you not happy to be alive then?" Iason folded his arms in questioning "To be with me?"
"If you asked that to me before you forced yourself on me I would spit on your face, Iason! There is no way I will want you, never!" Riki bellowed, hurling his arms up in the air in frustration "But now…now…I just...don't know. I watch you die, Iason. I spent weeks fumbling about, trying to find a reason to still be alive!"
Riki's shoulders slumped as he thought about the past few months, when he had to deal with even living through each day. The thought of reuniting with Iason had propelled him forward though this was something he would never tell anyone or admit willingly, not even at the cost of his own life.

Iason Mink had turned his very being upside down, changing his perspective and ways of thinking. Riki would gladly take on the opportunity to escape from Iason years ago but now, being with the blondy again felt like a deadly wish that had been granted with huge consequences. How he wanted to hold on to Iason but alas, his own ego would never allow that to happen.
The mongrel slump back into his chair as he slowly explained what had happened in Dana-Bahn, from when Riki was kidnapped in Apatia by Guy, to when the pet ring was removed and finally, how he had ended up in the building, even when he had been given the chance to escape. How finally...he had choose to die with Iason.

This is our last deep kiss.

Iason had been listening intently, not once interrupting Riki's story. He had manage to suppress the rising anger in the pits of his stomach when he heard about Riki's ex-pairing partner's involvement in this and was confused as to why he had even tried to save that trash, even if Riki had begged him.
But now, as he looked back into the mongrel's eyes, a memory resurfaced within him and he felt the pain when Riki had begged him to save Guy, even with the horrible things that the trash had inflicted upon his precious pet. Iason at that time knew that if he had abandoned Guy there, Riki would probably felt guilt, hurt and would probably never forgive himself nor the blondy.
More fragments of memories restored itself and Iason vaguely recalled back what had happened, even before the incidents of Dana-Bahn. Why he had to sent Riki off to Apatia, the reason why the mongrel had attracted him so….and even that moment when he realize he had fallen for that wild beast from the slums.

Iason remained silent for a moment when Riki finally opened his mouth.
"I hate you, Iason," Riki muttered "You, who had waltz in my life and destroy everything that was important to me,"
This snapped Iason out of his own thoughts and even with the throbbing pain in his forehead, he reached out for Riki, who seemed to jump in surprise when the blondy pinned him down, pulling him into a kiss. Lips trailing about, Iason teased and demanded entry into Riki, which the mongrel had no choice but to give in, even when he writhed about to escape from the uncomfortable position.

Iason however, had no intention to let Riki go. With one hand, he pushed the mongrel down, and the other would find Riki's pleasure spots, forcing the mongrel to heave and moan in reluctant pleasure. Riki would rather die than admit it, but Iason was suddenly being gentle, and Riki remembered the times when Iason had held him in Apatia, firm and strict as always but a hint of gentleness that Riki could not deny.
"Stop—Iason!" He pleaded, turning away. Anymore of this and he feared that he would really crumble, the once proud leader of Bison finally succumbed to an elite like Iason. He had always sworn that it would never happen and would probably think it as a sick joke but now knew that he was in danger of the exact same threat.

"You say that, but your face is red and your body seemed to beg for more," Iason smirked, his blonde hair cascading gently on Riki.
"I am no longer a man," He reasoned, still struggling against the blondy's grip
"That does not mean you are not capable of doing it," Came Iason's crisp reply "Unlike the furnitures you are not completely useless, Riki. Your body feels it and it longs for my touch. Have I not trained you for this in those years, even if I don't remember?" Iason's free hand moved instead, snaking into his pants and his skin grazed upon a huge scar, what was left of Riki's manhood.
Riki struggled even harder, feeling the anger blossoming in him instead, a midst all the pleasure.
"I am not your pet, Iason!" He shouted, but Iason however hovered his fingers beyond there, caressing the entrance and drawing a surprised moan from the mongrel. "No—"

"This place is still reserved for me, is it not?" Iason bend over, whispering into Riki's ears "I wonder, if I take you in again, would everything come back? All the missing pieces of the puzzle, would it restore itself again?" The blondie asked, prodding his entrance, playing.
Riki drew in a sharp breath. He knew there was no use if he fought back, it would only anger the blondy more, but just then, he caught someone in the corner of his eyes. Turning towards the direction, he caught Vaine standing from a distance, watching them in disbelief.

"Vaine—" He started but Iason had removed his trousers, wanting more contact to Riki. Forcing more pleasurable moans from the ex-pet, he finally took the mongrel, despite Riki's sudden reluctance.

All Riki could remember was the sharp pain that had cut through him as he clawed on Iason, from the corner of his eyes, he could still see Vaine watching, the expression of the pet was nothing more than shock and disbelief. After that it was merely nothing but waves of pain and pleasure, vague moments that he could not recall. What he remembered of the past and what he was faced with now was all in shambles. Past and presence mixed itself up and suddenly all he could see and feel was nothing but Iason.

It was not until after an hour that Iason finally collected himself again. He had not noticed Vaine who had came down to see what the commotion was about and had also not noticed the boy running away just as soon as he took Riki. All he knew was that wild mongrel under him, his dark eyes that glared back so intensely at him and his scent that filled his nostrils, making Iason lust for more. Iason was filled with a wanting that even he could not suppress.

Memories flooded back into him as he drowned in the pleasure and he felt the strong emotion that had once tied him so crazily to this mongrel. He wanted Riki. Yes. He thirst for him. The conversation from years ago that he had with Raoul brought before him again, powering that strong emotion that he had now hold towards Riki.

Raoul, what would you do if I said that I have fallen in love with Riki?

It was impossible that a blondy would love someone, let alone a lowly mongrel from the slums. But what he felt for Riki was genuine. Those years that he had watched Riki grew, the jealousy and pain he felt when Riki went to Mimea instead, that small thrill when he once again met Riki at Mistral Park and that moment when Riki had willingly returned to him in Dana Bahn.

Riki.

Iason sat beside Riki and stroked the mongrel's dark hair. He had of course passed out moments ago and Iason studied his sleeping face, recalling back those times when he had him in his arms, within his silken sheets, his, and his alone.
Even now, he felt that he will never let him go.

His memories had not all returned but it was enough to let Iason make his decision. He will never again permit himself to be separated from this mongrel.

Live on.

Yes. He recalled saying that in Dana Bahn, using his last ounce of energy to protect his lover. No matter what, Iason knew that he could not lose his precious pet to the fire and that he needed to protect Riki, at all cost.
He was a blondy and he could be revived, but what would his world be if Riki were to disappear from the picture?
He simply will not allow that to happen. In that split of the moment, he had plotted, planned. Riki was his and he intends to not let anything get between them both, not even death.

Gently, he picked up the sleeping mongrel and walked towards not the guest room, but his own chambers.

You are my pet. You belong to me.

Meanwhile, David had a hard time trying to calm Vaine down. The pet had returned to his room in a fit of rage, tears streaming down his face as he stormed into his room, toppling over anything he could reach. David had been idle in his room after his master had dismissed him for the day but now found himself trying to calm the pet down.

"How dare he!" Vaine bellowed angrily, prancing around the room "Coming out of nowhere and seducing master Iason like that! He is a son of a bitch, a junk, trash of slums!"
"Master Vaine, please calm yourself down-" David started, dodging the pillow that Vaine had hurled in his face
"Those rumors were true weren't they?" Vaine grinded his teeth, wiping away the tears that had streamed uncontrollably down his cheek "Master…master who had not even looked at me once…how could he fall for a trash like him! This is unfair!"

David picked the pillow up, depositing it back to where it belonged. Of course he knew what the pet was talking about but knew it was not in his place to intervene with his lord's business.

"Master Vaine…" David had no idea what he should say to comfort his master but Vaine simply slapped him away, demanding him to be left alone.
Reluctantly, David could only bow in apology, before retreating back into his quarters with a worried glance.

When the furniture finally left, Vaine dropped on his feet and wept.
All he wanted was to be acknowledged by his master. From the start until the end, he would've been showered by love from Iason, just like all the other pets if it weren't for that meddling mongrel.

Why?

He was so much more qualified than Riki. So why?
His days as a pet were numbered. He trembled at the thought of being abandoned by Iason. No, there was no way he would allow that. There was absolutely no way for that to happen.

He curled up as he muttered that name that he loathed so much.
"Riki—"

In a secluded bar in the corner of Ceres, where it's entrance weren't even marked except for that run down signboard or at least what was left of it, Katze, Luke and Guy sat in a corner far from the crowd. This was a bar that Bison had frequented long ago, even during Riki's golden times.

"Man, Max looked like he would snap my neck off my shoulders," Cid huffed, resting his chin on the table. They had came here after seeing to that Norris was taken care of by his pairing partner, Max. Katze was about to leave but Guy had forced him here instead, convinced that he would not sit helplessly aside and watch Luke get dragged away.

"Luke was careless, it is nothing more than what he deserved," Katze said, putting a cigarette between his lips, inhaling the crisp smoke. "Didn't Riki always say that you have to watch your own backs? That reminds me, weren't you going to get him back?"

Guy winced at this, retreating ever so slightly. Yes, he intended to retrieve back his ex-pairing partner but he knew that if he meddled more, he could only bring the situation even worse, like how he had manage to done so many times in the past.
He dropped into silence.

"Is Riki still…with that blondy we met that day in Apatia right?" Cid suddenly asked, breaking the awkward atmosphere between them "Why was he taken by the police that day…is he alright?"
Katze sighed, seeing that it won't hurt to tell the truth to the them, well, at least bits of it. "Riki had been taken out of those police's custody and is now in the care of Iason Mink,"
Guy frowned at this but said nothing, turning his eyes away.

Katze, however grew tired of their behavior. He smothered his nearly finished cigarette bud in the ashtray before pulling his coat collars up, facing the other two.
"Listen here, I would advise you all to not do anything stupid in hopes to get Luke back," He started "That man is a lost cause, and so is Skullz,"
"Anyone caught by Orphe Zavi would not face a good end, what's more they had even seen that,"

"That?" Cid raised an eyebrow, but Katze ignored him.
"I can't just sit back and watch Luke die," Guy stood up himself, glaring daggers at Katze

"Luke will face the same tragedy that Kirie faced years ago, and so is the rest of Skullz, besides, what can you do?" The redhead was unfazed by him "I advice you all to give up,"
"Kirie….you took him away—we never heard of him anymore after that!" Guy accused, ignoring his taunt but Katze merely rolled his eyes.
"That is exactly what will happen ," He frowned "So unless you plan to disappear from the face of Amoi itself I strongly suggest you all to not be smart asses,"
"No matter, however since whatever happens to you all should be none of my business," He turned away "but then again, haven't you all meddled enough, though? Isn't an arm enough already?"

Katze walked away, leaving the duo alone. Guy flapped into his chair, suddenly feeling tired.
Cid studied him, staring at the empty sleeves by his side.
"Guy...you know, you haven't tell me yet," He started "What happened a year ago when you disappeared...and that arm. I know I shouldn't butt in but do I not deserve to know?"
Guy fixed his gaze upon him, finally sighing in surrender.

Eos tower, Apex level where only the blondies, the elites of the elites were permitted to take up residence.

Orphe Zavi returned after a day's work, walking slowly towards his penthouse. The 'terrorist' of the bombings had finally been apprehended and confined. But what's bad however, was that they had manage to slide their way into the basement of Guardian and discovered the secrets that Midas had kept hidden for years.
From among those they had extracted from that basement, there were some that had lost their mind over what they had seen there. His man had to hurl some unconscious slumdogs into the Midas station. Only a few had their sanity intact, expressing interest for the subjects hidden beneath the basement.

One of them, a notorious teenager no more than fifteen who calls himself Carlos. He seemed brave enough to put up a front when being interrogated. Carlos was reported to be visibly trembling, yet would dared to even taunt the officer and throw them with threats.

"You can do whatever you want with us," Carlos had announced in the video report delivered to Orphe "Skullz would live as long as our leader exist, you can't erase us, our legacy will continue, we who build our names among your empire,"

Orphe frowned, Carlos's taunt replaying back in his mind. If so, the leader of the perpetrator has not been caught and was still freely roaming around Ceres. This simply cannot be allowed. The leader needed to be found and one of the most efficient way would be a method that Raoul Am favors.
He turned away, heading towards Raoul's quarters instead, hoping the blondy would not be too moody to receive him.

Raoul Am however was too preoccupied by his own irritation when Iason Mink had refused his visit or invitation to a drink that day, implying greatly that he wishes not to see his face. Not only that, his previous conversation with Jupiter was still fresh in his head and he wondered why Jupiter had suddenly seemed so lenient on the matter.

Due to this, he had been immersing himself in his work all day, even to the point of neglecting time. He jumped and almost dropped the test tube of assorted colours within his fingers when the entrance suddenly slid open, announcing Orphe's arrival.

"What is it this time?!" Raoul huffed, putting down the experiment he had
"My men had finished interrogating the mongrels we had taken in suspect of the bombing activities," Orphe announced, approaching the work table. Raoul raised a brow in question.
"I would like your help in extracting the truth out of them," Orphe continued. This however brought a bemused expression on Raoul, his irritation only slightly evaporating.

"Memory extraction?" He offered "You know full well this would harm the subject and render them useless?"
Orphe was unfazed. "Do what you must, they are pretty much useless anyway….if we cannot find the leader of that pathetic group then our efforts would be for naught,"

Raoul nodded, pulling off the gloves that he had on. "Very well, have them delivered to my lab and I will have a look tomorrow," he said, suddenly noticing the time.

Orphe watch as Raoul tidied up his table, getting ready to leave. "Have Iason not contact you about his mongrel, though?" He suddenly asked, causing Raoul to pause in his tracks.
Anger once again boiled within the blondy in charge of bio sciences.
"If I know anything I would not be in here, irritated!"

Just then, the door slid open and admitted Aisha Rozen who waved a dataslate in greeting. "Oh, I'm glad I caught you before you leave and Orphe too! How is the interrogation going, eh?"
Raoul frowned, even more annoyed. And Orphe merely kept his face blank.

"Relax, these are the documents you told me about during the meeting, I am only here to pass it to you," Aisha shrugged, dropping the slate on Raoul's table.
"Fine," Raoul snapped "Now get out,"

"Stiff as ever," Aisha replied with a smirk "Not even a word of thanks. What's gotten into your mind, have Iason ignored you too much that it caused you to be in shambles, Raoul?"

This of course hit a nerve.
"Aisha, hold your tongue," Orphe warned, but Aisha simply shrugged.
"I can't help feeling like the whole thing is a game, planned out by Iason, see. He is the player and we are merely his pawns, heck, maybe even Jupiter,"
"Aisha!" Raoul snapped but Aisha continued
"Fine, I will stop talking," He giggled "Well, give it a thought would ya? It is very interesting indeed to see where this is going,"

I would like to thank you all for the reviews last chapter! It lifted my spirits greatly! I can't really write much in *that* scene so sorry about that but I really do hope you guys enjoy this chapter too~~ XDD I will try to update as soon as possible, see ya next chapt!