The street was packed with animals of different sizes, shapes and colors. Ken saw cats, dogs, all kind of poultry, three pigs, a flock of sheep and even a horse grazing on a street corner. The trees above his head were occupied with canaries and budgerigars and he heard hamsters, guinea pigs and mice squeak in every corner. There were rabbits and other small animals he could not name with grey fur, round ears and a tail like a plumed tassel.
"The fat mouse is a chinchilla." Schuldig stared and liked his lips "I wonder what they taste like."
"Keep your mouth...er...muzzle shut," Ken growled and sped up a little This was more difficult than he had thought. He had forgotten that he could not just hop on the bus. (The bus driver had turned into a goat and started chewing away at the seats.) Hence, the way to his favorite food spot was a little more time-consuming than usual. On the way he had to keep an eye or both on the Schwarz fellows who deemed anything that moved edible. Even the horse.
"Horse meat is a delicacy in Japan, no?" Schuldig looked innocent but Ken was not going to let his guard down.
"Yes. But the horse is much bigger than you are. A lot of it would go to waste. It's not worth it."
The ferret, Farfarello, snickered. "I doubt that. You see the pack of dogs over there? I can sense their blood lust getting stronger with every minute. The moment we attacked the horse they would join in. Wanting their share of the warm, reeky meat. Sinking their fangs into flesh and bones and..."
"Stop!" Ken barked and bared his teeth. The were wet as he was drooling. The images of food conjured up by the alluring words of the ferret had been everything it needed to nearly push him over the edge. He shook his head in disgust.
"You are mad."
The ferret grinned, its one eye glittering in the sunlight. "Maybe yes, maybe not."
Suddenly the wind changed. Ken could tell by the turn of smells he sensed and the way his fur was ruffled from tail to neck. It was an odd feeling. But before he could shake off the sensation, the fox next to him hissed a curse.
"The took up my scent. Let's move."
Ken looked around and saw that the dogs on the other side of the street were staring in their direction. In Schuldig's direction to be precise. He knew what they were experiencing. The fox had a strong smell. At least it was stronger than most of the other animals they met so far. Ken had noticed that and gotten used to it by now. Yet to the other dogs the smell was like a red light arrow pointing directly at him and the two members of Schwarz.
"Want me to take care of them?" the ferret asked. Ken was sure he heard hope swinging between the words.
"Tempting," the fox answered. "You think you can take them down?"
Farfarello sat on his hind legs and tilted his head. He really seemed to be thinking about it.
The dogs – five as Ken counted – started to cross the street. They fanned out in order to circle them. He was not quite sure about the races of all of them, but the spearhead certainly was a Rottweiler. The huge black and brown dog lowered its thick head and Ken could hear him growl. A low rumbling noise that made Ken's hackles rise. He felt a resembling growl emerge in his own throat. He swallowed and turned away by sheer willpower.
"Schuldig's right. Let's move before they can corner us."
"Too late," the fox stated and nodded into the direction they had been heading before. Two of the foreign dogs had closed up on them and were blocking their way. Ken cursed under his breath. This was not good. He had to get them out of here.
"Hey, you there!" The Rottweiler had come close enough so Ken could see the vicious expression in his eyes. He bared his teeth a little while talking. "We want the fox."
"Well, you can't have him. He's mine." Ken decided to get straight to the point. "Now move it and let us pass."
"And if we don't?" Another dog rose to speak. He was shorter than the Rottweiler but almost as sturdy. His short white fur bulged over his muscled body and his large muzzle, that reminded Ken a little of a pig snout, was loaded with a bunch of pointy teeth. Ken got the impression that he would not let got if he once had something between them. A fox for example. He did look a bit stupid, though.
"You can't have him," Ken insisted. He felt the last two dogs creep up to his back. They were successfully surrounded now and it looked as if they would have to fight their way out. He gritted his teeth and tried to steady his stand. This would not be easy. While he still tried to decide, if it would be wiser to attack first, he heard a smooth, slightly nasal voice say:
"Why don't you take the shepherd dog instead? He's much beefier than I am. Tastier too, I suppose. I heard that foxes are quite sinew on the inside."
Ken spun around and looked at Schuldig in disbelieve. The traitor! How could he sell Ken's hide in order to save his own? And he would even have fought to defend this bastard.
The fox winked at him and his lips curled into a smirk. Ken fought the urge to go for his throat.
"Perhaps he's right." One of the dogs who stood behind them – a middle-sized mongrel with brown, curly fur – wrinkled his nose. "I don't like chewy meat."
"Oh, shut up, Yuuto. We don't want to eat them." The Rottweiler growled at his comrade, who did not back up, though.
"But I'm hungry", the mongrel whined. "You promised us food, Manabu."
The other dogs agreed to that. Before the Rottweiler could respond, Schuldig spoke up again.
"I see," he said his voice still smooth and gentle. "You poor creatures were lured here by false promises. All these possibilities of getting your rumbling bellies full of the finest food, but your leader put his ego before your well-being. If I were you, I would not follow someone like that."
"You...," The Rottweiler growled. "I will take you down personally. I..."
Before he could continue, a small white shadow flung itself at him. The next thing the huge dog noticed were spiky teeth sinking into his neck. He jumped up and tried to snap at the thing on his back, but he could not reach it. He growled and yelped and whined while jumping around like a humming-top. However, the only thing he managed to achieve was his left ear being bitten to pieces. Blood ran down his face and got into his eyes. He finally threw himself onto his back to crush the biting menace, but the ferret easily dodged the move and sprang down before it was pressed flat. Farfarello licked his lips, blood staining his white fur. He turned towards the next dog and grinned.
"You see, I got a ferret and I know how to use it," Schuldig informed the dog's leader who was still trying to stop the bleeding. "You were saying?"
"You will regret that," the Rottweiler growled. "Go get them, guys!"
The other dogs did not move. Their eyes strayed between their beaten leader, the threatening ferret and the fox who had even set down and was smiling at them. Ken could literally feel the turn of the tides.
"Go!" he barked at the smallest of the group. "Before you are next. Leave and don't come back here!"
The white and brown dog whimpered and stuck his tail between his legs. He began creeping backwards the other dogs following his example. The sturdy pig-dog was the last to shoot a nasty look at Ken, but when Farfarello jumped in his direction he was sent packing as well. Ken let out a gasp of relief.
"That was close." He looked at Schuldig, who did not seem to be impressed.
"Was not," the fox disagreed. "It could have been, if I let you handle the situation, though. They were ready to tear you apart."
"And whose fault was that?" Ken had not forgotten about the suggestion Schuldig had made to the pack. "You would have sacrificed me."
The fox managed a shrug. "You might have won. You are not a bad fighter after all. A little slow and head-over-heels, yes, but not bad."
Ken could just gape at the fox who rose and walked past him as if nothing had happened. He could not even muster the desire to snap at the red furred jerk. He just shook his head and followed the fox and the ferret hopping happily at his side. The fight seemed to have left Farfarello in a good mood. Perhaps this, at least, was a relief.
Ken did not wonder about their walking succession until they reached the exact restaurant he had been heading for. Who did those two know about it? He decided to put the question aside. His hungriness was becoming overwhelming and coherent thoughts had to be saved for later. Now was the time for food.
There was a sign at the front door that proclaimed the restaurant closed. Thus, Ken took the small alley next to the building to reach the back entrance. A concrete stairway led to a metal door with a knob. Ken looked up at it and barked in frustration. He had not thought about how to get into the restaurant. Maybe the owner would hear him.
"Yuma! I know you are in there. Open the door. It's me, Ken." He scratched the door in order to draw attention. Then he fell silent and listened. There was a very faint noise he could not quite classify. He scratched again.
"Come on, let me in! Yuma!"
"We're closed. Come back tomorrow", a small voice told him. It was quite high-pitched and did not at all fit the picture he had in mind. A stout man in his 50s with a slightly stained apron, hairy arms and a wide smile. This sounded more like a...rodent.
"Yuma?" Ken tilted his head and cocked his ears. He sniffed at the crack at the bottom of the door and was sure he smelled something. It made him want to go through the door and bite it. Before he knew, he was digging frantically at the door to get in. His whining filled the air.
"What is it with dogs and rats?" Schuldig wondered at Farfarello who looked interested as well.
"Perhaps it's the squeaking", the ferret said and watched the dog who was still trying to get through the door no matter what. "Dogs have a different hearing range than humans. The frequency might be appealing to them."
Schuldig huffed. "We will not get in like this, though. A much as I'd like to cause some more havoc, I do not want Crawford to give me one of his lectures for being late. So, I guess it's time to take matters into my own hands...or paws as it is."
He cleared his throat and barked: "SIT!"
Ken felt something like a mental smack and suddenly his behind hit the floor by reflex. He blinked in confusion. What happened? He looked at Farfarello and Schuldig. The latter was wearing a rather smug grin.
"No need to thank me. Just go on with your business."
Ken blinked some more and turned to the door again. "Ah...um...Yuma? It's Ken. Still. Will you please open the door?"
"I can't," the voice from the inside answered. "What will the patrons think, if they see a rat in my restaurant? I would be ruined."
"Everyone has been turned into animals. No-one will spare a second glance at you. Please, Yuma, we need your help."
There was a long silence on the other side of the door. Then suddenly, when Ken already thought Yuma had abandoned them, he heard small feet scamper up the door. A moment later it swung open, a fat rat clinging to the door handle.
"Come in," it said with Yuma's voice. "But help me close the door behind you."
They somehow managed to close the door, which presented some difficulties, given the fact that it opened to the outside. When it clicked shut, the rat fell down from its lofty seat, set on its hind legs and looked up at the three bigger animals. The whiskers on its nose vibrated as it scanned the furry faces.
"So, what can I do for you? I'm afraid the kitchen is to remain cold today. Although I imagine that you go for raw meet rather than cooked one."
Schuldig looked a little confused. "How do you know, what we want."
The rat smiled at him. "Ken's always here for food. I doubt that changed just because he runs on all fours now. Plus, I saw what's going on outside. I even..."
The rat's voice trailed off.
"You thought about letting the hungry animals in?" Schuldig sounded baffled. Ken supposed this was a rare sound.
The rat, Yuma, wrung its front paws. Ken knew that, if he had been still human, he would have blushed. "Well...yes. Many of them looked hungry. I guess it's a little hard to find food in a city like this. And with so many of them around, it won't be long until they start eating each other. I just...I was not sure, if it was wise. Me being a rat and everything."
"You are the wisest rat I have ever met," Ken said in a friendly tone. "And the most generous. I know why I come here that often."
"Because you would be broke if you had to pay your seconds and thirds somewhere else." The rat laughed. "Now let me show you around. You will find anything you need. I suppose we can go straight to the meat locker?" He looked at Farfarello. "Or are you vegetarian?"
The ferret just shook its head.
Yuma scurried past them and led them to a room Ken thought was heaven. At least in terms of food. He looked up at pork halves and sausages, hams of different sizes, loins, steaks and a whole bucket full of soup bones. He felt his drool hit the floor before he could swallow it back. At least Schuldig and Farfarello looked almost as fixated as he did. Yuma waved at them to take whatever they wanted.
"I will get you a bag so you can carry some home for the other ones. You all eat meat?"
Ken shook his head, while gnawing on a chunk of deep red meat. "Omi's a rabbit," he answered between two bites. He was not sure about their other two guests, but there was no need to give Yuma more trouble than they already did.
"I'll add some vegetables then," Yuma said and whizzed away to get the required items.
While his own belly got fuller, Ken could not help to think about what Yuma had said earlier. About the people eating each other. He had thought, at first, that this was only a problem with the two unscrupulous members of Schwarz. However, judging his own actions, this behavior was perhaps more widespread. And if it was, they had to do something about this transformation thing very, very quickly.
Music: "Midnight" - Swingrowers