Disclaimer: I don’t own anything in this story.
Chapter One- The Trip
“Ouch!”
Bakura stuck his finger in his mouth, sucked for a moment, and then pulled it out to examine it. His brown eyes glared at the puffball who had done the damage. “Stupid cat,” he muttered before sucking on his finger again.
Ryou looked up from where he was sitting cross-legged, petting a cat who was purring on his lap. “That’s what you get for scaring him.”
“I didn’t intend to scare him.” Bakura retorted as he took his finger out. “I just reached out like this.” He demonstrated with his hand palm down.
“Well, there’s a couple of things wrong with your approach. One is you need to crouch down or sit. The second is offer your hand palm up.” Ryou demonstrated the motion.
Bakura sighed as he crouched down by a kitten this time and imitated Ryou’s hand motion. The kitten stared up at him and then at the hand before swiping at it, Bakura barely getting his hand out of the way in time. He glared at it and it scampered away. “Here’s a thought, baka. Cats just hate me and I hate them.”
“Well, that’s surprising considering cats are worshipped in Egypt.”
“Cats are unpredictable, not reliable like dogs and horses. Plus, they’re stupid.”
“Actually, cats can be predictable if you watch their body language and they are smart in their own way, just like any living creature.”
“Easy for you to say. You love cats.”
“Yeah,” Ryou said softly as he stroked the cat still in his lap. “Uh, Bakura? You know why I’m here in this cat room at the shelter, right?”
“Of course. Your biology report on cats.”
“Well, I have time to do extra credit on it and plan to fly out to Egypt. Thing is I shouldn’t go alone…”
Bakura gave a grunt. “Fine. I’ll go with you.”
Ryou beamed a bright smile. “Thanks, Bakura.” He cradled the cat as he stood and put it back in its cage. He carefully moved around the room, gathering up the felines while his other half leaned against the room’s door. He sighed softly. He couldn’t understand Bakura’s dislike of cats, for he believed hate was too strong a word. Who wouldn’t love these furry little guys? he thought as he poked a finger in a cage and the cat rubbed her cheek across it. Ryou smiled at the affectionate reaction. Maybe our trip to Egypt will change his mind.
Bakura watched Ryou with a sour look on his face. His hikari didn’t understand. He had had bad experiences with cats his whole life. There was an especially bad one. He had tried to rob a shrine dedicated to the cat goddess, Bastet. He ended up setting off a well-concealed trap and ended up with a crisscrossed scar for his trouble. Granted, the scar was no longer there, but the memory remained. That botched rob led him to believe that all cats hated him; after all, if he couldn’t rob a shrine of Bastet’s that had to indicate that he keep his distance from felines and all things to do with them. He inwardly grimaced as he and Ryou left the cat room. This trip to Egypt is going to be torture.
&&&&
Ryou sighed in relief as he and Bakura entered the Cairo airport terminal. The flight over had not been fun for Bakura had been moody and his facial expression made it clear that he would have preferred to stay in domino city. Maybe he’ll cheer up a little now that we’re not on the plane.
“So, where to?” Bakura grunted.
“Ishizu offered to take us to Bubastis where the main center of worship to Bastet resides,” Ryou said, consulting a piece of paper as they headed to luggage claim.
“The main center? We can’t just go to an abandoned shrine?”
“Nope. I want to do this extra credit right.” Ryou grabbed a suitcase and led the way outside to see Ishizu waiting beside a jeep.
&&&&
The trip to Bubastis was both long and short to Bakura; long as Ishizu and Ryou chatted about cats and their reverence to the Egyptians. It was short as Bakura didn’t want to arrive at Bubastis. He slowly exhaled. Well, the sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can go home and put this behind us. He trailed behind the others as they entered the worship center. Ryou listened avidly to Ishizu as she talked, taking notes all the while and asking questions.
“What can you tell me about Bastet?” Ryou asked. “I mean, she is the cat goddess, right?”
“That’s correct. She was a powerful deity whose revenge and vengeance can be both benevolent and malevolent. It all depends on the severity of the crime or prayer.”
“Oh, what’s that?” Ryou pointed at a statue of a cat with jade stones for eyes.
“That is the worship center’s worship statue,” Ishizu said. “It’s said it has magical properties to grant both wishes and deal temporary punishment.”
Ryou gazed at the statue before closing his eyes. “I wish to have a cat or kitten, even if only for a little while.”
Bakura snorted as he came up beside Ryou. “Gods, Ryou. Why in the world would you want to own a cat? I already told you what I think of them and this,” he pointed at the statue. “is no more magical than the so-called ‘powerful goddess.’ Bastet is not worthy of any type of worship.” The statue’s eyes gleamed a brighter green before Bakura stalked away.
“Keep an eye on him, Ryou,” Ishizu whispered as they left. “Bakura may have earned the wrath of Bastet. It’s said if the eyes of the statue gleam brighter, a wish or punishment will occur a day or two later.”
“I’ll watch him,” he promised. He believed Ishizu completely when it came to magic and Egypt. It was likely that the statue had just cast a punishment on Bakura, but it was also possible that it was granting Ryou’s wish. He kept an eye on Bakura as they flew home the next day and as he organized his notes while Bakura slept off his jet lag. At last, his notes were together and decided to leave the actually writing for later; as it was spring break he had time. Indeed, it was Saturday and had gotten permission to miss school Thursday and Friday for the extra credit.
The sound of Ryou getting up, roused Bakura. He blearily opened his eyes and yawned. “Finished with it already?”
“No. I’ll write it later. I think jet lag’s catching up with me now.”
Bakura got up and stretched. “That being the case, I’ll go nap in my bed.” He took several steps toward the bedroom door when a green light outlined his body and froze both boys in confusion. Bakura began to shrink as the light brightened. Ryou shut his eyes against the light and opened them once it had passed. He blinked when he saw he was alone until movement made him look down. He gasped when he saw a pure white kitten with green eyes. It looked up with an expression of confusion and then shock filled its eyes.
“Bakura!?” he gasped. “Is that you?”
The kitten nodded and said, “Mew?” Bakura put a paw to his mouth at hearing the sound. He lowered it. “Meow?” he asked.
“Oh!” Ryou squealed as he reached down and lifted Bakura. “You are an adorable kitten. Don’t give me that look,” he said when Bakura shot him a dirty look. “This is your fault for insulting Bastet and the statue. This is your punishment. Until you learn your lesson, you’re stuck as a kitten.”
Chapter Two- Fighting Instincts
Bakura laid in Ryou’s arms, stunned. He insulted Bastet and was punished by becoming a kitten. I have to live as a kitten until I learn to like them and somehow apologize to Bastet. This will take time or I’ll be a kitten for life!
Ryou carried him into the bathroom and put him on the counter. He stared at his reflection. A white kitten with wide green eyes looked back at him. He tilted his head. I guess Ryou’s right: I am adorable, but I’d rather be human again. I can’t do anything in this body.
Ryou stroked his back. “You know, I also got my wish. While you’re learning your lesson, I get to have a kitten.”
Bakura growled at Ryou who rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry. I won’t feed you cat food. Tuna and water sound fine?”
Bakura nodded. Ryou scratched behind an ear. “But you will use a litter box. In fact, I need to head out and buy what you and I need while you’re like this.” Ryou dashed out of the bathroom, shutting off the light.
Bakura flicked his tail and gave a loud meow of annoyance. Ryou looked back in. “Bakura, cats have good jumping power. You can get down yourself.” Ryou dashed off as Bakura looked down. That seems a long way to the floor to me. Well, here goes. He crouched his legs, leaped off the counter, and landed safely on all fours. He blinked in surprise and looked back at the counter, pleased with himself. He then heard the front door close and realized he was alone. Oh, great. I’m alone and I’m a kitten. What am I supposed to do?
He walked down the hall and managed to get downstairs. He looked around; everything was much higher and bigger from his level. He wandered around the house and ended up in the kitchen where two bowls sat on the floor, one held tuna and the other held water. Ryou must have left them out for me while I was screwing up the nerve to jump down. I guess he’s going to be for a while. He sat in front of the bowls and began to eat.
&&&&
Ryou roamed through the pet store, a litter box, a scoop, and litter already in the cart. He ignored the food as he had promised Bakura no cat food. He startled slightly when he heard Tristan say, “Ryou, what are you doing here?”
The white-haired boy looked up as Tristan came up beside him and looked in the cart. “Ryou, are you getting a cat?” He grinned at his friend. “Need some help?”
“I could, but uh, Tristan? I got a kitten only he’s not really a kitten.”
“Huh?”
“Look, Bakura and I went to Egypt so I could do extra credit on my cat report for biology. We went to the main worship center to Bastet the cat goddess. We were in front of the worship statue that supposedly is magical. I wished to have a cat or kitten for a little while. Bakura scoffed at that, insulted the statue and Bastet. We came home earlier today and just now, Bakura turned into a kitten. I think when he learns his lesson, he’ll change back.”
“Bakura’s a kitten!?” Tristan snorted a laugh. “Wow, I bet he’s mad.”
“He’s not happy, no. I promised no cat food, but I said he has to use a litter box.”
“I can help you pick up what you’ll need. Now, is Bakura long-haired or short-haired?”
“Uh, short. Why are you here, Tristan?”
“Picking up food for my dog.” Tristan put a cat brush for short-hairs in the cart. He also added claw clippers. “Okay, let’s move on to toys. What?” he said as Ryou’s raised eyebrow. “He’s a kitten and if they’re like puppies, they like to play.”
&&&&
Bakura was asleep on his bed when Ryou came home. He had just experienced a cat instinct when he had finished eating: He had used his tongue to wash himself. He had started with the face and progressed to his whole body. It disgusted him as he did it and yet it felt right. After washing up, he had gone up to bed to sleep. He had found that curling up in a ball was quite comfortable.
He heard thumps that woke him from his nap. He blinked as he stretched, sat up, and began washing himself again. He sensed he was being watched and looked up, his pink tongue poking out of his mouth to see Ryou in the door. Ryou giggled. “Bakura, you look funny like that.”
The white kitten retracted his tongue before it flicked out to lick his mouth. He watched as Ryou came in and sat down. “Well, I got your litter box and other things you’ll need as a cat. Including this.” Ryou held up a blue collar with a metal fish tag hanging from it.
Bakura backed away, angry. I am not wearing that. I will not let Ryou treat me like a pet! He hissed as Ryou leaned forward with the collar. He swiped the air with a paw.
“Bakura, be reasonable,” Ryou sighed. “What if you decided to go outside? Someone might pick you up and either take you home with them or to the pound. This collar and tag will tell people that you have a home, see?” He held up the tag to show Bakura’s name, address, and phone number.
“Look, I know you’re not a pet, but no one else knows that…except for Tristan. I met him at the pet store as he was getting dog food. I told him what happened when he saw the litter box. He helped me with what to get. Now, let me put this on.”
Bakura stayed still as Ryou attached and adjusted the collar. “Oh, blue looks good with your fur and speaking of fur, I bought this.” Ryou reached into one of the bags at his feet and pulled out the brush. He held it out to Bakura, bristles up.
Bakura sniffed it and instinct prompted him to run a cheek over it. He felt soft bristles move through his fur and he liked the feeling so much he did it again.
Ryou smiled as Bakura rubbed on the brush. Clearly, he was giving in to his cat instincts such as washing and rubbing. He lifted the brush, turned it over, and ran it over Bakura’s back, sides, and head. The kitten’s eyes closed halfway as he enjoyed the brushing. A deep, rumbling sound vibrated in his body and was heard in the air. The sound startled both of them and Ryou smiled. “You’ve even got a cute purr, Bakura.”
Ryou’s comment suddenly brought Bakura back to his human senses. He felt horrified by his feline actions. He abruptly stopped purring and turned his back on Ryou, tail twitching in anger. “Bakura?” Ryou asked, confused. “What’s wrong?”
Bakura turned back around. He started to talk, but while Ryou heard cat sounds, Bakura heard himself say, “What’s wrong? Ryou, I’ve been cursed to be a cat and I hate cats! I don’t want to be a cat or act like one! I want to be human again!”
Ryou sighed. “You may hear yourself actually talking, but I hear cat sounds. I can take a guess based on your tone and body language. You hate being a cat, you’d rather be human again. I get that. But, it’ll take time. You have to like cats, not mind being one, and admit that Bastet is worthy of worship. I certainly do, considering I like cats and my wish was granted by your punishment. Also, be lucky that you changed here instead of outside alone, where a stranger could have picked you up.”
Bakura shuddered at the thought of being treated like a real cat by a stranger. Yeah, I am lucky I changed at home. Thank Bastet for that. He was aware he was praising Bastet for his luck and as he was a cat, that was a thing for him to do, wasn’t it? Bastet protected cats and, through his curse, he fell under her protection. His eyes stared at the bed as he thought about what Ryou had said. I have to like cats and get used to being one. Naturally, being a cat means acting like one. I have cat instincts that came with this body and I’d be better off heeding them.
He looked up at Ryou who was still there. “Meow,” he said before walking over and rubbing his head on Ryou’s hand before pawing at the brush.
“Oh, okay. I guess you decided to give in again.” Bakura nodded as Ryou lifted the brush and ran it through the short white fur while Bakura purred softly before falling asleep amidst the brushing, vowing to be more like a cat tomorrow and every day until the curse broke.
Chapter Three- Training
Ryou smiled as he got ready for bed, making sure Bakura’s new pet bowls were filled. It had been a long day what with the early morning flight home, organizing his notes, shopping for cat supplies, and convincing Bakura to give in to his instincts.
He imagined it had to be frustrating to be unable to truly share his thoughts and not be able to open doors or go into town for fun. On the other hand, Bakura can entertain himself with something he used to do when human, like watch TV and maybe read if he can figure out how to turn a page with paws. Plus, he easts tuna that people eat and he sleeps in his regular bed. Hmm, I wonder if he’ll want to try to write. It would make it easier for both of us.
Bakura jumped off the bed and padded into the bathroom, his eyes able to see everything easily. He saw the litter box on the far side. He looked at it and then the toilet before heading for the box. It would be ridiculous and difficult to use the toilet in his current form. Besides, in Ancient Egypt, he had used the desert for his bathroom so a litter box wasn’t too different. He climbed into it, selected a spot, lifted his tail, squatted, and went. When he finished, he covered it, ran his paws on the edge to clean them, and left to see if there was any food out. He was aware that it was night, but his stomach was empty and he surmised that his little body burned calories and energy quickly.
He entered the kitchen to find that Ryou had indeed put food out. He’s likely to forget as I adjust to my new lifestyle and I’ll be sure to remind him. Heh, most people train their cats to do what they should do and what they want, not realizing that they’re being trained too. But in this house, only Ryou’s going to be trained. Inwardly chuckling, Bakura ate and drank before going back to bed.
Ryou woke the next morning to something tickling his face. He waved his hand to chase it off, but it continued and he began to giggle at the sensation. He slowly opened his eyes to see a pair of green eyes staring at him. He yelped in surprise as he sat up. Bakura backed up and sat on Ryou’s lap and gave him a kitten’s grin.
“Bakura!” he exclaimed and then laughed at his own reaction. “Okay, I’m up. Just don’t do that every morning, got it?” Bakura nodded and leaped down so Ryou could get up and get ready for the day.
Bakura trotted downstairs ahead of Ryou, headed to his bowls, and meowed plaintively to be fed. Ryou complied and Bakura inwardly smirked as he ate. He was doing well in training Ryou. Granted, he couldn’t operate a can opener with paws or refresh his water bowl, but still if she stood by his bowls and meowed, then Ryou would feed him.
Ryou scratched him behind an ear. “I was thinking about you last night, about how hard this must be for you. I imagine you could still watch TV, maybe use the remote. I was thinking it would be nice if you could write so you could tell me what you think.”
Ryou’s got a point, Bakura thought as he licked his mouth and began to clean himself. I’d like to be able to tell him what I think, so I’ll try to write. He looked up from his washing at Ryou and mimed writing by moving his paw back and forth across the floor. Ryou nodded, understanding. “Well, if you’re done cleaning, let’s go upstairs and try.”
Bakura bounded up the stairs ahead of Ryou, amazed at his speed and energy. Then again, he shouldn’t feel that way. Kittens are young so they have a lot of energy and the joints were new due to their youth. Heh, this part isn’t so bad. He trotted into the room, up onto the chair, and then onto the desk taking care not to disrupt Ryou’s work. He sat on an unoccupied space as Ryou pushed an open notebook, a pen, and a pencil toward him. “Find which one works best and try to write. I’ll be right here, working on my report.” Ryou grabbed another pencil, pulled his notes and blank paper toward him, and set to work.
Bakura looked at the two instruments sitting upright in a holder. Ryou was being very considerate of the fact that he couldn’t hold or pick up anything with paws. He stood over them, leaned down, and seized the pen with his teeth. He saw it was a click-pen and the tip was already out and ready. He held it as steady as he could as he attempted to write his first word as a kitten. It was a bit wobbly, but it was legible: Hi, Ryou. He beamed at his success and began to write a series of phrases he was likely to use in the course of a day such as “I’m hungry” and “clean my litter box.” When he finished, he put the pen back, and pawed Ryou’s arm to get his attention. The boy looked up and saw Bakura pushing the book at him.
He looked down and his eyes widened before he smiled. “You did it! This is great! Now, talking will be easier.”
Bakura put his paw on the phrase, I know.
Ryou returned to his report while Bakura worked on turning a page. Once he had worked it out, he seized the pen again and started to write down his thoughts and feeling about the situation starting with that angry talking yesterday. He had just finished a recent train of thought when he realized two things. He flipped back to the first page and tapped Ryou’s arm. He then tapped two phrases: “I’m hungry” and “I’m bored.”
Ryou looked up at a clock before standing and stretching his back. “I imagine you are hungry and I could use a break. I believe I know just how to relieve your boredom. It’s a surprise,” he added when Bakura tilted his head quizzically.
Bakura was, fittingly, curious about Ryou’s surprise and was eager to find out what it was. He took his time eating, though. The last thing he needed was to choke on it or throw it back up. He finished his meal and began washing himself. Cats are meticulously clean creatures, he thought as he twisted around to wash his backside. Curious, considering their aversion to water, unless they’re drinking it. Ah, but maybe because they wash themselves is the reason why they dislike baths and since I’m a cat, I hate baths, too.
Ryou was waiting in the living room when Bakura came in. “Okay, now that we’ve eaten now to end the boredom. I’ll bet you’ll nap afterwards.” He reached into a bag and pulled out a plastic ball with a bell in the center. He saw the green eyes widen and Ryou nodded. “That’s right. We’re going to play.”
Toys? Ryou bought cat toys? He eyed the bell ball and firmly shook his head. He failed to see why that would interest cats. “Okay,” Ryou said, putting it away. “I don’t blame you for that one. It was Tristan’s idea. This next one I found around the house.” He pulled out a used, but clean shoe string and dangled it above Bakura’s head before dragging it slowly across the floor.
This caught Bakura’s interest. He crouched down, watching the sting as it started to go around a corner. He wigged his back legs before he ran after it, pouncing on it with his claws extended. He caught it and proceeded to bite it. Ryou tried to tug it away, but Bakura refused to let go. Ryou laughed as he tugged on the string and then said, “Oh!” when Bakura actually yanked it out of his hand. “You little thief,” he teased.
Bakura seemed to preen at being called a thief, which made perfect sense. He relinquished his hold of the string, letting Ryou retrieve one end of it. He had lifted it high up above the ground when Bakura leaped up, batting at it furiously before he came back down. He blinked when Ryou took it away but his interest went back up when the boy produced a brightly-colored feather. He tickled Bakura’s ears with it and dragged it over the head.
Bakura suddenly went nuts. He backed up, got up on his hind legs, and batted at the feather, his mouth open to reveal his sharp incisors. He swatted at it several times before a hard one knocked it from Ryou’s hand. But Bakura didn’t stop there. He flipped it into the air and jumped up after it, swatting and batting. It landed on the floor and Bakura pounced on ti, grabbing it in his forepaws before biting it and kicking at it with his back legs. Ryou laughed at Bakura’s antics and it seemed Bakura was so focused on his toy, he didn’t hear him. At long last, the feather fell to the floor and Bakura yawned. He walked over to Ryou, jumped onto the couch where Ryou had settled, crawled onto Ryou’s lap, and fell asleep. Ryou smiled as he stroked the sleeping kitten, a soft purr felt beneath his fingers that lulled him to sleep.
Chapter Four- Caring
Bakura awoke a couple of hours later still on Ryou’s lap. He looked up to see his friend also asleep. He had a small smile on his face and his fingers rested lightly on Bakura’s back. He either didn’t want to move me or my presence on him prompted him to sleep too. He reflected on the fun he had earlier. He had enjoyed playing like that. Must be a cat thing. The string and the feather could resemble a mouse’s tail and a bird, respectively. It would make sense as cats hunt mice and birds. I don’t intend to do that as I’m not a real cat and I have plenty of food and water here. Ryou takes good care of me and I love the care he gives me.
He yawned and stretched his forelegs before climbing off Ryou and jumping down. He felt refreshed and ready to see what else Ryou had bought yesterday. He shook his head slightly. Has it only been about twenty-four hours since I became a kitten? His eyes roamed the room and landed on what he recognized as a scratching post. He looked down at his paws and flexed them to expose his claws, which seemed a little dull. He went over to the post, stretched himself up, and ran his claws up and down the post. He felt rough material under his paws and claws as he sharpened his claws. He went back to all fours and flexed his paws again. Good, they were nice and sharp now.
He wandered all over the room, noticing Ryou standing up and leaving. Probably going back to his report. He continued to look around. He saw no pet carrier which led him to believe that Ryou didn’t think Bakura would be a kitten long enough to need a trip to the vet. I hope I don’t either. He headed upstairs, marveling at how quietly he moved. If only I had this kind of stealth when I was a thief. He went to his room and up onto the bed. He spied the brush on the nightstand nearby and another odd object. He moved closer, tilting his head as he focused on it. Then he recognized it: Claw clippers.
What? I don’t get it. Why buy a scratching post and clippers? Confused, he got down, went to Ryou’s room, and up onto the desk, heading for his book and pen. Ryou had startled slightly when Bakura had jumped up, but he was soon back at work. I’m almost done, he thought, his heart pounding with excitement. Once I’m done, I can truly focus on helping Bakura break his curse. Ryou re-read what he had written since waking up from his nap and found he was ready for his conclusion paragraph. He twiddled his pencil and flipped through his notes as he pondered how to word it right. A tap on his arm and a book sliding toward him distracted him. He looked at it.
“What is the purpose of having a scratching post and claw clippers?” he had written.
“Oh, there’s a reason,” Ryou answered. “The post is to keep cats from scratching up the furniture and carpets, but that won’t effectively keep the claws from getting too long. I get that you would like to keep them sharp but I’d rather not get scratched up whether by accident or on purpose.”
“On purpose?” he wrote. “I would never scratch you on purpose.”
Ryou smiled as he stroked Bakura’s head. “Thanks. I appreciate that.” Bakura laid down and watched as Ryou began the conclusion of his report. Now, he understood why Ryou bought the post and the clippers. He says the post is to protect the furniture and carpets as well as sharpen my claws. Thing is, doing so shortens them too so the clippers aren’t necessary to cut them. Then again, suppose I get a split claw? The clippers would be useful to have around.
“Done,” Ryou announced, cutting into Bakura’s thoughts. He looked over to see Ryou staple the papers together and put it away in his bag. “Well, now I’m free for the rest of spring break. I’m willing to help you break the curse.”
“You don’t have to stay in the house all week,” Bakura wrote. “I can take care of myself for most part.”
“I know you can. I suppose I could put out a lot more food that you can snack on while I’m gone. I do need to do some grocery shopping tomorrow.” Ryou pulled a blank piece of paper toward him, grabbed his pencil, and began to write a list.
Bakura woke up, yawned, and stretched on his second full day as a kitten. It was late morning but he wasn’t concerned about that. He went to the litter box and then downstairs to find a note beside his bowls.
Bakura,
Went grocery shopping and will meet the gang after putting it away. Don’t eat all your food at once.
Ah, good. He needs to get out and have fun. I can entertain myself. I have TV, books, and my toys. Bakura turned away from his bowls and headed for the living room to figure out how to work a TV remote. I’m not hungry right now, perhaps later on I will.
&&&&
Ryou went down an aisle, adding items to his cart. He was enjoying shopping and being out in public, but on the other hand he was anxious to get home. He knew Bakura could take care of himself, but still he was a kitten right now. Who knew what trouble he could get into that required human assistance? He shook his head slightly. Bakura knew his limits at this point. Plus, he’s not a normal kitten and I don’t have to worry about him like I would with an actual cat. I can leave him alone and he’ll be fine. He added a lot of tuna cans to the cart. He wasn’t sure how long the curse would last and even if it broke sometime soon, Ryou could make tuna sandwiches with the leftover cans.
“Bakura, I’m back,” he called as he entered. The white cat came up to him and Ryou stroked him and scratched an ear. He heard the TV on and smiled. “Got the remote figured out, huh?”
“Meow,” Bakura answered, sounding proud.
Ryou chuckled as he carried the grocery into the kitchen, Bakura behind him. “I found a special treat for you,” he said. “I learned cow’s milk is bad for cats so I got this carton of cat’s milk.” He got juice box size carton out and showed it to Bakura. “I’ll let you try some tonight after it chills.” He put it in the fridge with some other items and soon Ryou was out again to see his friends while Bakura went back to the TV, looking forward to trying his special treat.
&&&&
“It’s true, then?” Joey asked. “Bakura’s a kitten?” He snickered.
“It’s not funny, Joey,” Tea said, smacking the back of his head.
Atem concealed a smile at the idea of the tomb robber being a kitten. He kept his face straight as he added, “Tea’s right. Bakura made the mistake of insulting a goddess in front of a magical statue.”
“Oh, come on!” Joey exclaimed. “If it had happened to one of us, Bakura would laugh himself sick the moment he saw us.”
“Yes,” Yugi said slowly. “But that doesn’t mean we do the same.”
“Has he played yet?” Tristan asked.
“He has,” Ryou admitted. “He didn’t care for the ball. He preferred an old shoe string and a feather.” Ryou smiled at the recollection. “He really liked the feather.”
“Sounds like he’s adjusted real fast,” Tea said.
Ryou nodded. “This is his second day and yesterday he figured out how to write using a pen in his mouth.”
“Wow! That’s impressive,” Yugi commented.
“It makes communication easier as he can only make cat sounds.”
“Ryou,” Tea said carefully. “Do you think we could come over tomorrow? Maybe we can help Bakura break the curse.”
“I’d love to have company but I think Bakura would rather have just me helping him.”
“Okay,” Atem said. “We’ll just come by to spend time with you. If Bakura wants our help, only then will we provide it.”
“That’s acceptable.” Ryou looked forward to having his friends over as he rarely had company. He only hoped Bakura had no problem with it, but suspected he probably would.
Chapter Five- Company Visit
Bakura stood by his bowls as Ryou poured a little of the milk in a smaller bowl before putting it down. Bakura sniffed it, leaned down, and tentatively lapped the liquid. Hmm, not bad. No, not at all. He eagerly drank the rest and then sat back, licking his mouth.
Ryou beamed. “I’m glad you like it.”
Bakura looked at him with wide kitten eyes. “Meow?” he said, sounding hopeful.
Ryou chuckled. “Bakura, you can some tomorrow and speaking of tomorrow, I’ll be having company over.”
Bakura stared at Ryou and a low growl sounded. Clearly, he knew who the company was and didn’t like it. The pharaoh’s going to tease me as I would do the same if our roles were reversed. Oh, tomorrow’s going to be torture.
&&&&
The bell rang and Ryou rushed to it and let his friends in. “Hi, guys,” he said as they entered. He noticed Joey carrying a small bag and wondered what was in it. Possibly nothing that was his business.
“Hi, Ryou,” Yugi said. “Any plans today?”
“Well, I have plenty of RPG’s we could play. Maybe Monster World?”
“Sounds great,” Tea said as something caught her eye. She looked to see a white kitten with green eyes peering into the hall. She smiled at him as she crouched down. “Hey, Bakura. Ryou, you didn’t mention how cute he is.” She held out her hand and wiggled her fingers. Bakura seemed to hesitate before coming over. Tea’s fingers scratched his chin before stroking his cheeks and his head. He softly purred so only Tea felt it as her hand moved down his side.
“Oh, that’s cute. He’s purring,” she gushed. She stopped petting and when he looked up she said, “Is it all right if I pick you up?” Bakura nodded and allowed Tea to hold him as the group headed for Ryou’s game room. Oddly enough, he felt comfortable and safe in her arms.
Tea sat at the table and put Bakura on her lap. He found he couldn’t see the board so he reared up and put his front paws on the table so he could see. He took in the faces of the others: Yugi and Tristan looked friendly, the pharaoh was deadpanned while Joey had this evil smile that gave him the creeps.
Ryou was passing out character sheets and pens as he looked at the kitten. “You want to play, Bakura?” He pushed an extra sheet and pen over when he got a nod. Bakura was aware that he was being watched as he took the pen and wrote down his character; he had a feeling that Ryou told them about his ability to write as a kitten and clearly wanted to see that. Tea asked if she could roll the dice for him and he agreed.
&&&&
Bakura swiped his face a few more times before heading into the living room. The others were playing another game, but Bakura declined so Ryou set out some food and the white cat decided food and a nap sounded good. He thought about the game as he drifted off. Tea, Yugi, and Tristan had been supportive when he failed and succeeded in his dice roll and the strokes from Tea felt good. Atem was silent except when his turn came, and Joey kept giving him creepy looks. He wished he knew why the blonde did that. I hope it’s nothing bad, he thought as he fell asleep.
“Ryou, I was wonderin’,” Joey said as they played. “Has Bakura had catnip yet?”
“Catnip. No. Is that what’s in the bag, Joey?”
“Yup and considering cats have a good sense of smell, I’m surprised he wasn’t trying to get at it.”
“Uh probably because he’s not a real cat, Joey,” Tea said in a scolding manner.
“I think he’s sleeping right now so we’ll wait until he wakes up and we’ll see,” Ryou said, inwardly relieved. He too had seen Joey’ creepy looks and had worried what Joey had planned for Bakura. Turns out it’s just catnip.
The sound of footsteps roused Bakura from his nap two hours later. He yawned, stretched, and began cleaning himself. He no longer considered such a thing to be disgusting as he had been doing it several times a day; in fact he thought it rather natural. And it is natural for cats and me as I am a cat. He looked up once finished and he saw a small smirk on Atem’s face. He fixed a glare on the pharaoh before sticking out his tongue. He heard Yugi laugh a little and was sure he was laughing at Atem’s reaction.
“Bakura!”
He looked over at Joey who was pulling a small package out of the bag he had brought. The blonde grinned as he opened the package. “Wanna try some catnip?” Joey took out a pinch and put it on the floor. Curious and suspicious, Bakura jumped down and slowly approached the nip. He sniffed it and he sneezed, eliciting a squeal from Tea and gentle laughter from the boys. He cautiously licked some up since he didn’t detect anything suspicious and he had never had catnip before. The plant tasted pleasant on his tongue and he licked his mouth once he swallowed it. He munched on some more of the pinch and he felt energized from it and he felt like playing in true kitten fashion. He started purring loudly as he rolled in the remaining nip and felt happy being a kitten.
Ryou stared as Bakura first sampled the catnip and then his jaw dropped as Bakura rolled in the nip and purred loudly. Whoa, I didn’t think catnip would affect Bakura like this.
“Wow, he really likes it,” Joey commented.
“He’s also acting differently,” Ryou pointed out. “It’s almost like he’s drunk.”
Joey chuckled. “In a cat way, maybe. Let’s see how he acts with this.” Joey reached into the bag again and withdrew a laser pointer. He saw Ryou fix him with a stern look. “What?” he asked.
“Joey, a laser pointer is more like torturing the cat instead of playing. They see the light but can’t catch it. I didn’t buy one as that would be insulting to him.”
“I don’t think he cares in his state of mind right now.” Joey aimed the pointer in Bakura’s direction and pressed the button. A red dot appeared on the floor and Joey moved it about to catch Bakura’s attention.
It worked as he ceased rolling on the nip and crouched down, his eyes wide and following the light. Joey moved it closer, then away, and when it slowly got closer, Bakura pounced but Joey moved the light away from him. Bakura chased after it, his tail waving crazily.
Joey laughed as did Tristan while everyone else was silent. Ryou felt awful that Bakura was chasing a laser while nipped out of his mind. He finally reached over and took the pointer from Joey, causing the cat to stop and stand there panting from running and an urge to still play.
“Hey!” Joey exclaimed.
“Enough,” Ryou said. “This isn’t fair to him. He needs something he can actually catch.” He put the pointer in his jeans pocket before grabbing the feather and moving it back and forth to catch the kitten’s attention before tossing it in his direction.
Bakura went into action, swatting the feather and sending it soaring into the air. He jumped up, batted the feather, and brought it down. He seized it in his front paws, rolled onto his back, and proceeded to bite it and kick at it with his back legs like last time. Tea squealed at Bakura’s cuteness while Yugi, Atem, and Ryou smiled or chuckled at the scene. The feather then slipped from Bakura’s paws as he fell on his side, his eyes slid shut, and was asleep in no time.
Tea blinked. “Uh, what just happened?”
“I read that catnip drives cats wild and makes them very energetic. Eventually it wears off and they nap,” Ryou answered. “It’s best to let him sleep it off.”
He’s not going to be happy when he comes out of his nip-induced nap, Ryou added silently.
Chapter Six- Curse Broken
Bakura blearily opened his eyes and winced at the light and the throbbing in his head. Uh, I don’t feel too good, he thought. He have a mew of pain and felt himself being picked up and cuddled. “It’s all right, Bakura,” Ryou said softly. “You’ll feel better eventually.”
What happened? Bakura wondered as he meowed in confusion.
“Shh,” Ryou soothed, stroking the back. “Just go back to sleep.” Bakura sighed softly as he drifted off to sleep again, purring softly.
Bakura stirred hours later and blinked. He was in his bed with his book and pen nearby. He jumped down and went to the litterbox. He then went downstairs and examined a clock before eating and drinking. It’s a new day. My fourth day being cursed. However, this isn’t so bad. I kind of like being a cat. I have better vision, amazing speed, and jumping power. Cleaning myself wasn’t so great at first, but it’s oddly satisfying now.
“Morning, Bakura,” Ryou said softly as he entered. “You feel better?”
“Meow?” he asked, confused. Better? Oh, right. I had a throbbing headache earlier only I don’t know why.
“You don’t remember, do you? I think Joey gave you a little too much catnip for your body. You were nipped out of your mind and Joey teased you with a laser pointer until I put a stop to it. I then gave you your feather and you played with it until you passed out asleep.”
Bakura stared at Ryou, mouth agape. I overdosed on catnip? I played like a crazy cat? He dipped his head, feeling embarrassed. If he could have blushed, he would have.
Ryou stroked his head. “It’s all right. I won’t let Joey do that to you again. I think your first time with catnip will be your last. However, I think some milk will be good for you.”
Bakura’s head went up as Ryou poured some milk and put it down. He immediately started lapping up the milk. Ryou smiled at Bakura’s actions. He really likes it. He left the kitchen, retrieved the notebook and pen from his friend’s room before sitting in the living room to wait for him. He flipped through the pages on Bakura’s thought of the curse. He had made it clear that he found it infuriating that he had to live as a kitten until he learned his lesson. He feared he wouldn’t break the curse, t be stuck as a kitten for life. Ryou nearly jumped when he heard Bakura meow. He looked at him guiltily. “Sorry. I just wanted to know how you felt when you were first cursed.”
Bakura jumped up and pawed at the notebook that suggested he wanted to write. Ryou handed it over with the pen. Bakura took up the pen and began to write. After several minutes, he pushed the book back toward Ryou.
“I know you’re aware that I hated it when I changed. Today is my fourth day and obviously I’ve had time to think on the situation. It’s not too bad being a kitten. I like the speed I have, being able to jump higher, and can see in the dark. I understand how and why cats act the way they do as I do them now. I regret saying Bastet was not worthy of worship. Cats are cool and I’m happy to be one.”
Ryou looked at the kitten sitting on the couch beside him. “You really feel that way, Bakura?”
“Meow,” Bakura said and he nodded. He now understood cats by being one which he liked now and he was actually grateful to Bastet for cursing him. I don’t mind if I remain a kitten the rest of my life. He lifted a paw with the intention of licking it to clean his face when his body glowed green which grew in intensity. Bakura squeezed his eyes shut as the light was too bright for even his cat eyes. Ryou covered his eyes as well.
The light passed and Bakura opened his eyes to see everything was a little smaller and he was sitting taller on the couch. He looked down to see hands instead of paws and his human body. The curse was broken!
“Ryou! It’s over,” Bakura said, delighted to be able to talk again.
Ryou opened his eyes and gasped. “Bakura, that’s wonderful.”
Bakura flexed his fingers and smiled, happy and delighting in being able to do these things. It felt wonderful to be human again and vowed to never be dismissive of Egyptian gods, especially in front of magical statues.
“Well, Ryou. What are we going to do with all the cat items?”
“I suppose we could donate them to the shelter.”
“I have a better idea. We go to the shelter and adopt a cat or kitten.”
Ryou looked at Bakura in surprise. “What?”
Bakura shrugged. “I liked being a cat and the house is quite comfortable and pleasant. I just know that any cat we choose would be very happy here.”
“We’ll need a carrier and a cat bed.”
“Of course and we’ll need to remove the pet tag from the collar.” He picked up the collar that had broken away from his neck. “A breakaway collar. Brilliant, Ryou.”
Ryou nodded as Bakura removed the tag, put the collar in his jeans pocket, and steered Ryou out the door to buy a carrier and a bed before going to the shelter to choose their new addition to the family.
