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

Pet My Ass

Okay, maybe this wasn't the worst day after all.

I leaned back against the wall of the abandoned building, wiping the crumbs from my hands. I'd finally eaten something that didn't taste like the inside of a tin can. A kid had handed me a sandwich earlier—a real sandwich. Nothing fancy, but damn, it was the best thing I'd had since landing in this crazy, cat-ruled world.

I wasn't going to think too much about the whole "pet" thing right now. Not after I just saw a bunch of humans being dragged around on leashes. That image was still burned into my brain.

Yeah, no thanks. 

Not happening to me.

But, I had to admit—getting away from Bakugo and his mafia mansion felt... liberating. Like, sure, running away from that place hadn't been the smartest move, but if there's one thing I've learned growing up quirkless, it's that running isn't always a bad idea. And now, after all that tension, it felt pretty damn good to stretch my legs. I was light on my feet, free, and with some food in my stomach, I was feeling more myself.

Speaking of feeling good...

There they were. Two familiar figures moving through the alleyway below, not looking too happy. Sero and Mina. They were probably out looking for me—again. I had to stifle a laugh, watching them shuffle around like they were tracking a wild animal or something. Well, technically, they were. I guess, by their standards, I was the "wild human" now. But that wasn't going to stop me from messing with them.

If they think I'm just going to come back quietly...

I grinned. 

Time to have a little fun. 

A stress-reliever.

I dropped down silently from my hiding spot, landing right behind them without making a sound. Years of being bullied taught me how to move without drawing attention. Hell, the bullies back in school never even saw me coming when I'd slip away from their traps. And these two? They didn't stand a chance.

Mina: "He's got to be around here somewhere. You think Bakugo's gonna flip if we don't find him soon?"

Sero: "He's already flipping. Dude's on edge like crazy. We'd better find him before things get worse."

Aww, Kacchan's worried about me? 

How sweet....

I couldn't help myself. Stepping up right behind them, I took a deep breath and, in the most deadpan voice I could manage, I said:

Me: "Boo."

Mina screamed, practically jumping a foot in the air. Sero yelped, flailing around, trying to figure out where I was before finally turning to face me. They both stared at me, wide-eyed, like I'd just come back from the dead.

Okay, technically, I did. 

Sort of.

Mina: "Deku! What the hell—"

Sero: "Dude! How do you do that?!"

"Easy," I said, flashing a cheeky grin. "Years of practice. Gotta stay light on your feet when you're dodging bullies all day, you know?"

I crossed my arms, still smirking as they tried to regain their composure. I could see it in their faces—relief, sure, but also frustration. They thought I was just some weak little pet they could round up and drag back to the mansion. But I wasn't going back. Not yet. Not after everything.

Me: "So... Bakugo still insisting I'm his 'pet,' huh?"

Sero: "Well... yeah." He scratched his head awkwardly. "Look, man, we just want to make sure you're okay."

Mina: "Yeah! You've been through a lot. I mean, getting hit by a car and all..."

Me: "Yeah, yeah, I got hit by a car, saved a cat, died, woke up here. Blah blah. Now I'm apparently Kacchan's pet. Got it." I rolled my eyes. "But here's the thing—if Bakugo really thinks he can just claim me like that, he's got another thing coming."

Sero: "Uh... what are you planning?"

Me: "Simple. He wants his 'pet' so bad?" I stepped back a few paces, cracking my knuckles. "He's gonna have to catch me first."

Before they could react, I took off, launching myself at the nearest wall. My hands found the cracks between the bricks, and with a quick parkour move, I hoisted myself up to the rooftop in seconds. I heard their shocked voices below, scrambling to figure out what the hell just happened.

Mina: "Wait, did he—?"

Sero: "He's... parkouring?! A HUMAN?! WHAAAAAA... WHAAAAAA..... Did you see that too?!"

Hell yeah, I am!

I swung myself up onto the rooftop, standing tall as I looked down at them from above. The city stretched out in all directions, but all I could think about was how freeing it felt to move like this. No rules, no leashes, no collars. Just me, my own body, and the wind in my face.

Me: "Tell Kacchan he's gonna have to work for it if he wants me back!" I shouted down at them, grinning like a madman. "Make him chase me!"

Mina groaned. "You're impossible!"

Me: "Oh, trust me, I know!"

And with that, I was off again, sprinting across the rooftop like a shadow. I leaped over gaps between buildings, ducked under low-hanging pipes, and felt the adrenaline pumping through my veins. Every step, every leap, every swing of my arms—this was the only way I knew how to deal with everything. The confusion, the anger, the fact that I was in some crazy cat world where I was supposed to be someone's pet.

No way in hell. 

Not today.

The wind whipped against my face as I jumped down into another alley, landing in a crouch. For a second, I just stayed there, breathing heavily. The pounding of my heart echoed in my ears, but for the first time since this whole thing started, I felt... free. Like all that pent-up anger and frustration had finally found an outlet.

But I couldn't deny the truth, even as I grinned to myself.

I hate it here.

Being a "pet"? Being stuck in this world where I didn't belong? It wasn't fair. And yeah, maybe Bakugo and the others were trying to protect me in their own twisted way, but that didn't mean I had to play by their rules.

If I'm really stuck here, I'm not going to just roll over and take it. 

If they think I'm their pet, they've got another thing coming.

I stood up, dusting off my pants, my smile fading just a little. As much fun as it was messing with them, the reality of the situation was still there. I couldn't just play around forever. Eventually, Bakugo would find me. And when he did... well, we'd see.

But for now? I wasn't going to make it easy for them.

Come on, Kacchan.

 If you want me so bad, you're gonna have to work for it.

With one last look around, I took off running again, vaulting over a fence and disappearing into the city's maze of streets.