Cat's Rule the world.... since when?!

The Pet Menu

Whoever's knocking better have a good reason, or I'm crawling back into bed and pretending none of this is real.

I shuffled toward the door, rubbing my eyes, still half in a daze. I pulled it open, expecting more trouble, only to find Mina standing there, bright-eyed and full of energy as usual. She had the kind of smile that could light up a room, but right now, it just made me more nervous.

"Hey, Deku!" she chirped, like everything was completely normal. "You ready? Dinner's waiting, and Bakugo's getting impatient."

I blinked at her, my brain still catching up. "Dinner?"

"Yup! Come on, I'll show you to the dining room," she said, grabbing my arm and tugging me down the hallway before I could protest. I barely had time to close the door behind me.

Well, I guess I am hungry...

The mansion was even bigger than I thought. The corridors seemed endless, all decked out with expensive furniture and paintings that looked way too fancy to touch. It was the kind of place you'd see in a magazine or a movie—definitely not a place I ever thought I'd end up.

Mina chatted away as she led me, though most of it was background noise to the storm of thoughts in my head. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to feel about any of this. Part of me was still freaked out, but another part just wanted to eat and maybe figure things out later.

Finally, we reached the dining room. And wow—calling it a "room" felt like an understatement. The table was long enough to fit a small army, and there was already food laid out, steaming and delicious-smelling.

"Go ahead, sit anywhere!" Mina said, gesturing toward the massive table.

I hesitated, looking around. Bakugo wasn't here yet, but the table was set for a group. Mina plopped herself down without a second thought, and I followed her lead, sliding into a chair across from her.

Okay, maybe this won't be so bad. 

Food's food, right?

Before I could even think about digging in, Bakugo strode into the room with his usual scowl, followed by Kirishima and Denki. He shot me a glance, but didn't say anything at first, just plopping down at the head of the table like he owned the place—which, technically, I guess he did.

"About time you showed up, Deku," Bakugo muttered, leaning back in his chair. "We don't have all day."

I don't even know how I got here, and now I'm late for dinner? 

Sure.

The smell of food was making my stomach growl. There were plates of meats, pasta, all kinds of things that looked amazing—and my hunger was quickly overpowering any other thoughts. But just as I reached for a plate, Mina nudged me and slid something else in front of me.

"Uh, I think this is yours...," she said, trying to keep her smile in place.

I blinked, looking down at the plate she handed me. It was... bland. Really bland. There were some plain vegetables, a piece of grilled chicken with no seasoning, and... what looked like unseasoned rice?

Is this a joke?

I glanced at the others' plates—piled high with food that smelled incredible—and then back at mine. I frowned. "Uh, is this a mistake? Why am I eating this?"

Bakugo didn't even glance up from his plate. "You're a pet, dumbass. You can't eat what we eat."

I stared at him, my brain not quite processing what he'd just said. "What?"

"You heard me," Bakugo said, finally looking up with a casual shrug. "Pets can't eat salty or heavy food. It messes them up. No sweets, either."

I blinked again, completely dumbfounded. "But... I'm not a pet."

Bakugo raised an eyebrow. "You are here."

Okay, that's it. 

I'm done.

I leaned back in my chair, staring at the plate of sad, flavorless food in front of me. "So I'm supposed to eat this... because I'm a pet?"

Bakugo nodded like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Yup. That's how things work here."

Of course it is. 

Why wouldn't it be?

The others were quiet, watching the exchange with mixed expressions. Mina looked like she felt bad, Denki looked confused, and Kirishima was trying to act like everything was normal.

I sighed, pushing the plate away slightly. "Look, Kacchan, I don't know what kind of system you've got here, but I'm still human. I don't need some weird diet."

Bakugo rolled his eyes. "Tch. That's how it works with pets. Just deal with it."

"I'm not wearing a collar either," I added, crossing my arms. I wasn't letting that one slide either.

Bakugo stiffened. "What?"

I gestured toward my neck. "You heard me. I'm not wearing a collar."

"You're supposed to," Bakugo said, narrowing his eyes. "That's how we keep track of pets."

Oh no, we're back to this again.

I sighed, rubbing my temples. "I already told you, I'm not a pet. I don't need a collar."

"You don't get a choice, Deku," Bakugo snapped, his patience wearing thin. "Everyone has to wear one. It's the rules."

"Well, I'm not doing it," I shot back, trying to keep my voice calm, even though my frustration was bubbling up. "I'm not some animal you can tag and track."

Bakugo's eyes flicked to my bare neck, and I could see the gears turning in his head. He was trying to figure out how to deal with me, but clearly didn't have a clue how this whole "pet" thing worked either.

"Look," he finally said, leaning forward, "you might've been a human back in your world, but here? You're a pet. That's how it works. And as long as you're here, you follow the rules."

I clenched my fists under the table, trying to keep my temper in check. "I'm not wearing a collar."

Bakugo stood up, clearly fed up with my defiance. "You think you're special or something? You're in my house, Deku. You don't get to just make the rules."

I pushed my chair back, standing up to face him. "I'm not your pet, Kacchan. I didn't train to get into UA just to end up collared like some stray cat."

Bakugo's eyes flashed with anger. "You're in my world now. You don't get a say."

The tension in the room was thick, and I could feel the others watching us nervously. Kirishima shifted uncomfortably in his seat, while Mina looked like she wanted to intervene but didn't know how.

This is insane. How did things get this messed up?

"Fine," I said finally, my voice cold. "I'll play along. I'll follow your rules for now. But I'm not wearing a collar, and I'm not eating this garbage."

Bakugo growled, his hands clenched into fists, but he didn't say anything. For once, it seemed like he didn't know what to do.

The standoff continued for a few more seconds before Mina, sensing the tension, quickly spoke up. "Uh, how about we all just... enjoy dinner? No more fighting, yeah?"

I didn't sit down. I wasn't hungry anymore. Instead, I gave Bakugo one last glare and walked out of the room, leaving the bland food and the collar behind.