Life in the Cage

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. It's as simple as that.

D/N: HEYHEYHEY!! I'm back, everyone! And for those wondering about Diplomacy... uhm... I actually tried to post it on the internet. I got 'Page Cannot Be Displayed' a THOUSAND times. Then I tried to email it to you guys. I got 'File Too Large.' THEN I tried to break it up. AND THEN I LOST THE FILE ITSELF SO I HAD TO RE-WRITE THE CHPATER!! (Eriso: That things a jinx, huh?) -.-;; Yeah. So, I'll update when I can. ANYWAYS, on with the StOrY!! Gravyness... I hate people that write like that! LEARN HOW TO WRITE GOSH DARNIT!! (Eriso: And get out of the 'LOL' club! It's HAHAHAAH!! When's the last time you heard someone say 'LOL' when they were laughing?) ... ehehehe... Accidentally. (Eriso: -.-;; Typical you would.) Meh.

OOOOOOOO

Joey grabbed the cage that Kaiba was still firmly locked inside, and threw it under the table, as most people would with a box of book or some 'dirty magazines.' Kaiba, of course, not being a box or a magazine, squealed with shock and pain when his cage hit the wall.

Diane (Was that what I said we'd call her?) walked in, and saw her son sitting at the table reading a magazine. (Eriso: Ooh! Was it a DIRTY magazine? / Qk: Eriso, not everyone reads your type of books. / Eriso: -.-;;)

Joey looked up and forced a smile. "Hi... uh... mom." Joey grinned sheepishly.

Diane looked at him curiously. "What... are you doing in here?" She asked slowly and cautiously.

"Nothing at all! Honest! Now, I think you deserve a nice relaxing bath after such a hard day at work!" Joey said, pushing her towards the stairs. (Eriso: O.o / Qk: The ones that lead UP, stupid! / Eriso: Oh.)

"Uh... okay?" Diane blinked in confusion, going upstairs. "Are you sure nothing's-"

"Wrong?" Joey finished for her. "No, no, nothings wrong at all! Everything's perfectly fine!"

"I don't know... I think something's up..." Diane accused. "I think you're hiding something. You didn't bring in another stray, did you? Because that one will have to go."

"No, no! No more strays! The next pet you see will be a sophisticated one!" Joey replied, and imagined Kaiba fuming at being referred to as a 'pet.' "Go on upstairs!"

"I have to make dinner anyway," Diane told Joey, trying to go back downstairs. Joey blocked her path.

"Tell ya what! How about I make dinner tonight?" Joey suggested. Diane stared at him in disbelief. "Don't worry, mom! Everything will be fine!"

"I don't know..."

While Joey was busy trying to persuade his mother to get out of the way, Kaiba was busy trying to get out of the cage. Unfortunately, rats didn't have opposable thumbs, and thus, was having great trouble. Besides, if he couldn't even lift a strawberry - a strawberry for God's sake! - then what real hope did he have against reinforced duct tape that Joey simply insisted upon using?

"Damn cage door..." Kaiba griped. "I told that dumb mutt that this was a stupid idea!"

"Allow me to aid you in opening that cage." An all-too familiar voice said, slyly. (Eriso: Wow. I never knew that was a word. / Qk: It's spelt so stupidly. S-ly-ly? DUMB!!)

Kaiba looked away from the door, into the same, ominous eyes he had just recently encountered.

"W-What do you want from me?" Kaiba jumped back, completely freaked out that underneath the tablecloth, this creature's eyes glowed so brightly that he couldn't even see the actual creature itself. "Who are you?"

"I believe I already told you what my purpose for being here was." The voice chuckled eerily. "As for who I am... well... I suppose that the very least I can do is let you know just who is going to take your life." The eyes were approaching the cage. "My name... is Razatul."

The name sent shivers down Kaiba's spine. And knew that they for good reason.

"Now, young one." Razatul said. "Be silenced, and give your life to me..."

OOOOOOOO

Joey sighed, happy to have finally gotten rid of his mother. Walking back to the kitchen, he lifted up the tablecloth when suddenly-

Something shot out from under the table and bolted away from sight.

Joey jumped back and fell onto the floor, stunned. After a moment, he got up and looked into the cage. At any other time, he would've burst out laughing from the sight, but then he remembered that he too had a spontaneous and immense wave of fear run through him as that... thing flew by.

Poor little Kaiba was under the dish that had the food in it. He had flipped it over, and was hiding under like you would with a blanket. Joey actually felt a twinge of sympathy for the 'little guy.' It wasn't like he could defend himself against something that was probably three or four times his size when he was in the form of a rat.

"Uhm... Kaiba? It's gone now." Joey said, unsure of how Kaiba would react to that right now.

The dish slowly moved up, and Joey could see Kaiba's head slip under, looking around carefully, until finally he moved out from underneath.

Joey grinned, though he tried to smother it, as he began to remove the duct tape from the cage door. "Kaiba, you look so stupid! You have a huge hunk of strawberry on your face!"

Kaiba responded to this by grabbing the strawberry chunk and whipping it at Joey when he opened the cage door, and began squeaking angrily.

"Oh, quit your whining! You're fine!" Joey rolled his eyes. "So... what happened?"

Kaiba picked up his Palm Pilot (Eriso: No pee - er - PP? / Qk: -.-;; Idiot.) and wrote down, "Someone named 'Razatul' attacked me. Again. I threw the strawberry at him since it was split in half and I could lift it."

"Again?" Joey blinked. "He's done it before?"

"Do you want me to go over the definition of 'again'?" Yes, he's done it before!" Kaiba snapped. "He attacked me in the bedroom!"

"In the bedroom..." Joey's eyes widened, as he turned to words the living, which was where this... 'Razatul' fled. "Kaiba! Come here, boy!" Joey called out. And out from the living room trotted the brown puppy, wagging his tail, his face red.

Joey picked him up and studied the red on KaibaII's face. "It's strawberry..." Joey said softly. All at once, KaibaII began squirming and struggling, and snapping his jaws. Joey jumped up, and practically threw KaibaII into the nearby closet, slamming the door shut.

"We're going to need some help!" Joey cried out, moving an armchair to block the door from opening. "Call Yami and tell him to get over here ASAP!"

Kaiba squeaked and gave him a look that clearly stated, "And just how do you expect me to talk to him?"

Rolling his eyes, Joey double-checked that his 'barrier' would suffice for a while. Then he dashed over to the phone and began dialling the turtle Game Shop's number.

After the phone rung for a few times, someone finally answered.

"Turtle Game Shop, how may I help you?" Grampa said on the other line.

"Hi, Gramps! It's Joey! Can you get Yugi for me please?" Joey said, trying to speak as slowly as possible.

After a moment or two, a small voice was heard, "Hello?"

"YUGI!! OHMIGOD-YOU-HAVE-TO-COME-DOWN-HERE-AND-BRING-YAMI-BECAUSE-I-HAVE-TO-SHOW-YOU-GUYS-SOMEHING-THAT'S-SO-CREEPY-IN-EVERY-POSSIBLE-WAY-AND-IT-ALL-STARTED-WITH-THIS-DOG-I-FOUND-AND-I-SAVED-FROM-BECOMING-COMPLETELY-SQUISHED-ON-THE-ROAD-FROM-A-TRUCK-WHEN-I-WAS-WALKING-HOME-FROM-SCHOOL-AND-THEN-"

"Joey? Joey? Stop! Slow down!" Yugi told his friend. "I can barely understand you! What's this about a dog... ?"

Joey took a deep breath and began again. "Ok, Yugi, I found this dog on the street coming home from school..."

OOOOOOO

I was so close...

I missed my chance once again.

He has interfered once again.

My own protector will be my undoing.

I should get rid of him.

But that will take too much time.

Something I am running out of.

I need to move fast.

I need my life.

What is that noise?

He is speaking to someone...

He is going to bring help.

If he does, then I shall be unable to replenish my life.

I cannot transform someone else.

I am too weak.

I must obtain this one's life!

I cannot fail again!

They will let their guard down...

My protector will slip up.

And then I shall strike.

I shall be powerful.

I will complete my work.

But I must hurry.

Time is of the essence.

I cannot run out of it.

I must try again.

And this time...

I will not fail.

OOOOOOOO

"So..." Yugi said on the phone. "Kaiba's... a... rat?"

"Yes!" Joey replied.

"And you think your dog has magical abilities?"

"Yes!"

"And you think your dog turned Kaiba into a rat?"

"YES!"

"Joey..."

"Yes?"

"Are you sure it wasn't a dream?"

Joey sighed angrily. "Just get over here!" He growled, and slammed down the phone. Joey sighed again and sat in a kitchen chair. "I think he's on his way. He better be anyway."

Kaiba raised his Palm pilot up to Joey again. "Do you think there's a way to change me back?"

"I hope so." Joey said. "Buuuuuuut... let's say I'm wrong. You can always chill in that cage!"

"I am not living in a hamster cage!!!" Kaiba snapped.

"Ok... I think there's still a giant doll-house that looks like a castle in the garage..." Joey shrugged. "It's pretty big. You want that instead?"

"... Is it pink?"

"I think it's blue, white and green."

"... I guess it'll do. For now."

Joey rolled his eyes. "Glad I could please you."

"You should be."

Joey leant forward in his chair. "Ok, so, once Yugi and Yami get here, they should be able to find a way to change you back. I mean, Yami's magic right? And that Millennium Puzzle of his gives him freaky Shadow Magic powers, right?"

"He better be able to change me back..."

"That's the spirit!" Joey grinned. "Well... I guess all we do now is wait."

OOOOOOO

What was that name?

What did he say?

Who is coming?

I am not sure of what he said...

Or perhaps I am, but are simply reluctant to admit it?

That must be it.

For I am sure I heard the name.

The name of the person who condemned me to this fate...

To walk around the earth's surface, without a purpose...

Except to seek revenge.

If he is coming, then I shall have it.

But I cannot gain my revenge if I am still in this weak state.

Sooner or later I will have to shed this form.

But to do that, I must gain life.

I will send my Protector to aid me.

My Protector will distract them.

And with that task, he cannot interfere.

And then I shall obtain life.

And then I shall have revenge.

And then I shall rule.

As soon as I destroy the one who is on his way.

Yami.

He shall be killed.

Along with the one who stopped me.

How convient.

They will both be here to kill at the same time.

OOOOOOOOO

OOOOO

OOOOO

D/N: Hehehehehehehe! I bet you're all hating me now! I also bet that I can finish this story off in less than ten chapters! Last time I did it in what... 14? I remember why I wrote this story! YAY!! I ALWAYS LOVED IT!! HURRAH!! Uhm... ok, no. UPDATE!!