Vocab time: Gijinka is a term used to represent an animal transformed into a human with the beastly features they were known for (ears, tail, etc). You will be using your imagination for this one, kids; don't hurt yourself.

"Speech."
Thoughts.
"Robo-animal communication."

A long time ago, man tamed wild beasts into hunting companions, ferocious animals with unruly personalities, brought to the sides of their masters, and loyal to only them.

A long time ago, but not as long, man worshipped animals as gods and scared beings. They were treated with utmost respect and given gifts that they didn't understand. Men were so confusing to them and didn't care for any offering, unless it involved a kind hand stroking their fur.

More recently in the stream of time, such animals became known at pets, a creature to be treated fairly and respected like any human being.

Past the present and into the future, pets were constructed from metal and fitted with computers, transforming the modern pet into something better. They were obedient, protective, and eternally loyal.

Farther along, some robotic pets gained sentience by their creators, fit with artificial intelligence surpassing their original programming. The first one was a success in two classes: as a more natural acting pet as well as a unit to aid in the missions of his programmed master.

Not too long after, the same man altered the shapes of two of those creations into anthropomorphic forms, gaining the ability to proteus-morph back into its beastly form. By the end of the month, two more creatures of identical willpowers had gone under the same transformation.

And only a few months afterwards, at the start of our story, one of these machines finds himself infatuated with the man he broke his program to join.

Tango woke up to the splashing of sunshine in his eyes, and the frantic typing from inside the dwelling. That was the problem with living in a cave in the middle of nowhere: every sound echoed and only you could hear it. Tango normally ignored the irritating sound, but this time, it was exceptionally annoying. Typing meant determination and that meant repressing all thoughts but the focus of one's attention. He works much too hard... No time to play.

With a reluctant yawn, the morphed feline dragged himself to his feet and padded inside the stone maw, making a displeased sound when he saw that damn laptop open and his master sitting at it. He's becoming like that nasal-pinched flying boy on TV. No wonder the braided idiot is frustrated; he doesn't have him to play with either.

He sniffed, indignant, and knelt down beside the shadowwalker. The laptop was evil incarnate and Tango didn't hold back a scowl at the inanimate machine. He spends more time with it than me! Did I do something wrong? "Mroaw?"

Ah, the insidious keystrokes stopped! Blue eyes lit up as darker ones met his. "What's the matter, Tango?"

"Merow! Mew prrow!" Tango clung to Blues' arm, his eyes glassy as he rubbed his cheek against the bare pseudoskin. Play with me! Get away from that horrid machine! Get up!

But he didn't understand, not in Tango's way anyway, and the catling's green ears drooped in misery as the shadow walker shook his head and said, "Sorry Tango. I'm a little busy."

The half-feline pouted as his master turned back to the mini-computer. It wasn't fair, Tango thought as he stalked over to his corner of the cave. I'm more important than that...! that...! machine! I'm his pet for crying out loud. He climbed into the nested seat that served as a bed and curled up into it, sniffing and glaring at Blues' back. I'd do anything for you and you ignore me! His thoughts had a whine to them. Why am I put after people you hardly ever see? Don't you care...?

The next thing Tango knew, night had set, but the air and temperature told him that it wasn't all that late. He blinked, still letting sleep ride his system, and yawned, stretching out. You'd think that'd I would be programmed to be more alert or something. I guess Light wanted me to be more of a house pet than a weapon, complete with unnecessary needs for napping. ...But his ears picked up the most unusual sound.

Silence.

He shot up immediately, looking around in a frantic motion. Nothing of the unordinary met his eye, except for one thing. That jerk! He's not even here! The catling growled. Drags me along on long and boring lookouts, and then when I'm finally accepting the fact that he does this, he leaves me! What has the world /come/ to when a robot warrior doesn't even take his support unit with him?! My god, I'm a weapon! Not something you leave in the corner!

He sniffed and started to leave, but then the table got his attention, along with the laptop on its surface, laying as innocent as...well, as a small, nearly flat box could be. He hissed in its direction and left, placing the camo-brush over the entrance and set on a run through the woods in his true, original form.

Eventually, the trees thinned out and Tango broke into the clearing in front of Light's compound. He envied Beat and Rush, but wasn't very jealous. Yet it was kind of fun, walking around and seeing how many people he can disturb before he grabbed Rush or Beat's attention.

He was sadly disappointed, however, as he was only able to wake up Rock. Light must've been up already or something.

The window opened and looked down at the howling green tabby, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. "...Tango? Is it trouble or are you just asking if Rush can play?"

"Meaow." It wasn't urgent or desperate in tune...and Rush seemed to know what it meant, since the canine was nudging the back of Rock's knee. He wanted out.

"Okay, okay. Git, you goofy dog," Rock teased and Rush beamed at him, happily leaping out the window...and landing unceremoniously onto the ground with a thud. Tango winced and Rock shook his head in pity. Can't teach an old dog new tricks, even a mechanical one.

But the red support unit was back on his feet in no time, wagging his tail and all smiles. Tango couldn't help but give a light one in return. "Where's Beat?"

"With Roll, in Russia at Cossack place. To see Kalinka."

Tango frowned. "How come? It's a bit far for a social visit..."

"Kalinka smell pretty strong on Roll when Roll come home. Every time."

"Why-- oh." Tango sniffed. "I didn't need to know that."

Rush snickered and started off for the trees on all fours, calling behind him, "Last one to Skull Castle makes scrap metal!"

"Wha--? Hey! No fair!" Tango followed suit, bounding after him as quickly as he could.

"Terrible racer."

Tango looked up at the grinning canoid and gave a pouted frown. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"

Rush shook his head and nuzzled into Tango's fleshed cheek; the feline purred in response. "What do you think?"

"I think that's a big, fat no."

The pair were at the base of Wily's fortress, which looked like someone had gone and threw a serious temper tantrum. Numerous blast marks littered over the ground and metal towers. But they weren't concerned. Wily was still alive and working, that much hung in the air. "Sure do fight a lot."

"Yeah... But we aren't here to solve the mysteries of 'the bad guys'. Just start howling and hope he's not humping someone's leg."

"Better manners than that."

Gospel grinned toothily as he slid the pile of chips on the table over to his side. Slashman only made a frown as Pluto started hissing like a wildcat. "I accuse you of cheating! Wretched mongrel!"

If it wasn't obvious, the three were playing poker, and the purple lupinoid was taking the other two for every cent they had. Pluto just didn't seem to understand that tidbit. The chips were worthless. Slashman would rather have an explanation about how Gospel had learned to play so well, but knowing the duo well, Gospel probably learned all he could from Forte in the off-hours. And a champion never revealed their secret.

A crash came from outside. Down the hallway, up the stairs, and to the left. All three stopped their actions and listened.

Lots of shouting.

The voices they heard caused Pluto's tail to swing back and forth in agitation. Slashman rolled his eyes. "God, don't they shut up?"

Gospel shook his head and started to deposit his earnings into a large ziplock bag. "Why would they? They're practically a married couple."

Pluto growled and, a bit testily, grumbled, "Married couple my ass. More like arch nemesis fuck buddies."

Slashman snickered. "Whaaat," he leered, smiling smugly at the pink Stardroid, his voice graveling his words, "don't like your boss screwing the companion of tonight's winner?"

"SHOW SOME RESPECT!"

Slashman and Gospel exchanged evil smirks. The most obvious thing in the world is when someone is in love...except to the person it's aimed towards. Terra just couldn't see. Even Gutsman had some sort of clue, and he was one of the denser robots. "Hey, c'mon, Pinky. Chill before you blow your tail off."

"DO NOT CALL ME 'PINKY', YOU ABOMINABLE DISGRACE OF A ROBOT! And I will not 'chill'! That is my Commander up there!" Gospel snorted and tossed his bag into the mini-porter. "How do you think I feel, Pluto?" he said as he punched in the code for Forte's room. "My /master/ is up there too, getting beaten and fighting back, screwing and getting screwed."

Slashman waved a hand in dismissal that. "Okay, I will not start listening to whining /pet/ bitching about their love-life problems and all that kinky crap you two tend to talk about in the midst of these affairs when you try to out do each other with your damn imaginations."

"Oh, you're no fun. It's not like---" His ear pricked up and Gospel looked over to the window. Saved by the bell. "Excuse me gentlemen, but I have a sudden date to attend."

Slashman and Pluto gave the wolf dirty looks as he abandoned them, charging out of the room on all fours. They could hear it now as well.

Pluto raised an eyebrow and folded his arms to emphasize it. "Isn't conversing with the enemy punishable by death?"

"If only it was," rasped Slashman, pushing himself out of his seat. "Unfortunately, Wily couldn't give a shit about what we do, unless we just so happened to be named Forte. Play again?"

"Might as well."

"And another thing. We need to get your speech pattern altered. It's atrocious."

"Stop using big words! Not a dictionary!"

"Then start using pronouns!"

Rush half-lidded his eyes in annoyance. It wasn't his fault that he was the prototype for animal Transla-bots with a flawed system. Now if Light would only give him a real speechbox, he could inform the good doctor of this flaw. "Can't and you know it."

"Both of you, stop your bickering," came the growl from behind the bushes, moments before the half-wolf sauntered into the clear with a stride heavily attuned to his lupine persona. "I could hear you from the castle entrance."

Both bowed their heads in embarrassment, until Rush cocked his head towards the tabby and said accusingly, "Started it."

Tango glared. "Why you dirty excuse for a dog. You should be dragged into the middle of the street and shot for lying!"

"Better a dirty dog than a sick kitty."

"Children!"

Back to square two. "Sorry Gospel," came the double reply.

Gospel's eye twitched in irritation, but shook his head with an impatient sigh. Obviously, the two never meant what they said, but it was still god-awfully annoying to hear them insult each other. "I assume one of you is having a life-crisis. Leave it for next time."

"Said last week time to complain about owners this time," said Rush, scratching the back of his head with a foot. He may have been humanoid, but old habits die hard. "Do we have complaints?"

"/You/ never do, bird head," mumbled Tango, sulking. "Rock's always with you and you're always with him. You run and play and kick evil's swollen butt. What's to gripe about?"

"Umm.... Life too perfect?"

Gospel and Tango matched dramatic exhales. "Trust me, Rush. You want that perfect life. You're always warm."

"Always fed."

"Rock doesn't ignore you half the time."

"Or all the time."

"You can be as carefree as you want--"

"--because your owner isn't into wandering for days and observing the quiet."

"Or an evil bastard who doesn't like carefree."

"And Rock likes to think with his heart more than with his head."

"Or his dick."

Rush and Tango blanched at that and stared wide-eyed at Gospel. The half-lupine just shrugged a shoulder and ran a hand through his dark violet strands. "Well, it's true. Forte's screwed Terra nineteen times in the last week. And all I get to do about it is tease Pluto."

"Why tease Pluto?"

Gospel grinned lazily and leaned back on a treetrunk. "The alien furball is head over heels insane for his dearest green-haired commander. Funny thing is, Terra wants Mercury, but doesn't dare mess up their already battle-worthy chemistry. And the irony of this...Care to guess?"

"Mercury likes Pluto, I take it."

Gospel reached over to pet Tango on the head. He got in a few before Tango's disgust rang true and moved his head out of arm's length. "Furball wants wood nymph. Wood nymph wants scaly lizard. Scaly lizard wants furball. And Forte's getting some nymph ass when what he really wants is Rock's precious virginity."

Rush blinked in disbelief. "Can't be serious!"

"Ah, but I am, Rush." He slid closer to the red support unit and nipped leisurely at his ear. "Forte tells me everything...and trust me, he wants Rock baaad."

"Ahem!" Tango shot them both annoyed glares and waved them off. "Please, I don't need to add 'canines making out' to the list of bizarre things I've seen in my lifetime. Besides," his frown was poutish, "at least Rock and Forte talk to you. I have to howl and kick up a stink just to get Blues to say hi to me."

"Heh. That bad, eh pussy cat?"

"Oh, it get's worse." Tango smiled falsely, but began to fade fast as his anger was vented. "He hardly knows I exist and just a little while ago, he /left/ me in the place we're staying while he goes out to do god know what. What kind of asshole would leave his support unit behind?! He doesn't talk except maybe to scold me for doing something wrong. I have to /beg/ to get his attention. And if that's considered 'liking' me, then he is beyond infatuated with his laptop. He honors and worships the very ground its non-existent feet walk on! If we're not out spying on everyone, then he's on that stupid thing!!"

"Well gee, how long have you been holding all that in?" Gospel snorted and laid his head down in Rush's lap. "In my honest and not so experienced opinion, Blues needs to get laid."

"That's what I thought!" Tango began pacing. "But there isn't a single shred of evidence that that's the case. It's like he put himself in automatic 'ignore' mode, or something."

"Was first made, Tango," commented Rush. "Maybe not sex fiend like others."

Tango looked crestfallen at that and slumped where he stood. "That's not what I want to hear."

"Oh ho and why not, pussy cat?" The gears were turning in Gospel's head and the leering smirk on the wolfling's face proclaimed he knew the answer. "What do you want to hear?"

Tango pursed his lips together and mewled out a whine; he looked as miserable as a catling who was just thrown into a lake and as dejected as a person slapped by a loved one. "A little attention wouldn't hurt."

"Want Blues, don't you?"

The tabby's nose crinkled, and gave it some thought. "Kinda. Not once as a complete cat did I ever feel the need to have more than what I had of him. Still don't in a way, but then again... There's no lust or need, just...petting would have been nice. He used to, a lot. I could say I was apart of his world without a doubt, but then this..." He looked at his hands, pale fingers with sharpened nails, child-like yet not. "Maybe it's just his desire to stay away from all things human in appearance, regardless whether I'm in one shape or another.

"That didn't curb what I slowly began to feel, in this particular form. But when I finally realized what he did to me-- against me-- it hurt.

"I went into a bit of denial. That everything was fine and all that needed to get out of the way was that fucking computer," he spat venomously. "But maybe the problem is...me. I like being humanish. But if this keeps going on, I'd gladly go back to permanently being a cat instead of switching between the two. I'd rather have him back than live like I do now."

A pair of arms caught the tabby off-guard, but the sight of vermilion hair just made him sigh and bow his head until it touched a shoulder. All the while, Gospel just watched, sprawled out on the ground with his tail swinging from side to side, a slightly jealous glint in his blue eye as his Rush comforted the half-feline. But Tango had a good point. The lupinoid frowned. Ever since his own transformation, he had felt a twinge of pain every time Forte neglected him for something else.

Like Terra.

"Love is stupid, Tango," he said flatly. "Terra's smart, observant and keen, but he can't, and probably never will, see that Pluto wants him. Pluto's fucking crazy about him, and Terra just can't see it. If Pluto wants him to know, the only way to make sure he gets the message is for Pluto to tell him. But the furball has too much pride and it's hurting him. Cutting him deep. And it won't ever stop."

Tango peered out from his current haven, unblinking and unmoving except to follow Rush's rocking movements. He knew what Gospel was saying between the lines. If you want to show Blues how much his worthless ass means to you, you need to tell him, show him, because if you don't, it'll only hurt more. Swallow your pride and do what you think is right. "Maybe all Pluto needs is a bit of help."

And all Gospel did was smile knowingly. "Maybe he does. Maybe he does..."

Tango narrowed his eyes as he returned home. There was no way he was waiting for Blues to come back. Call it going on strike against his programming, but the catling preferred to call it being upset all over again. Gospel's right. If Terra doesn't notice Pluto's fawning, then how can I expect Blues to see my attempts? Somehow I doubt that. Blues knows what's happening on the other side of the frickin' world. He's acute and perceptive, observant and has eyes going around his whole damn head; why shouldn't he deduce what I'm experiencing?

He sighed loudly and headed for his bed, passing by the laptop on the table, its blue glow lightly up a small part of the stone wall -- Wha..? Tango swerved his gaze over to the mini-computer, eyeing it with suspicion. He knew it definitely wasn't on when he left and the running program was easily identified.

Tracker Search. Bleh. What could be so important that he'd leave the stupid contraption on-- He's home? Tango immediately took to sniffing out the cave and mentally smacked himself when he chose to ignore looking in the least expected place and found him in there...

...and he never wanted to leave.

Blues was, for the first time in the felinoid's eyes, disorderly and unorganized, sprawled out on his cot, flat on his back. Knuckles of one hand brushed against the floor and his other arm draped across a very well toned chest. A dark blue sheet was wrapped around his hips, just barely making the borderline of being decently exposed. But the way it was tossed around his legs make it seem like he had fought with the sheets. Maybe he had.

Tango's bio-signature skipped a few beats in his chest at the sight thrown before him. My god, he looks delicious. The catling padded in softly; he had never seen Blues asleep before. Who knew if he was a heavy sleeper or not? Tango sat at the end of the cot, where the snow-white haired head rested on a pillow much too flat. The kagemusha's chest rose and fell in a dull rhythm and Tango lifted his hands over Blues' mouth. He almost giggled at the ticklish breath that touched his fingers. He could sense the heat, hear the sound, see the motion of breathing. The green tabby's curiosity got to him. How would it taste?

This wasn't the first time he had wondered what kissing was like. The pecks on the cheek from Rush, Gospel, and the girls didn't count. That was their way of affection. Blues' way of affection meant saving people's behinds and Tango wasn't one of those. He was left to defend for himself, which he could do, no sweat...but it still hurt a little.

Away from the puffs of air he moved and before he could think twice, a single clawed finger dragged itself lightly through the white strands. They were soft. Not silky or coarse, just soft. It made him wonder if this was how Dr. Light intentionally made him or if this was an upgrade.

His attention was too occupied to notice that midnight-blue eyes began to flutter open at the mere hints of touches. The hand was snatched back, as if burned, when Blues did stir, tired eyes opening. "...Tango? That's you, right?"

Tango gulped nervously, not knowing what to do. But a tiny conformation in the shape of a "m'row" was able to make Blues, more or less, awake and twist himself around, blinking at the tabby. "Where were you?"

There was a small edge in that voice, an edge that cut through the toughest metal like a hot knife through butter. Tango could only bow his head. But what was he supposed to do? Stay there until he came back? That could've taken from two minutes to two days. The buzzsaw feline wasn't as dependent as Rush was to Rock; he had always been independent, ever since he cracked his coding to stay at Roll's side.

So, he tried his best to relay the main details. Tango shrugged, guiltily, and held up his hand, making a scissor motion and moved it along. He stopped then and made the stupidest imitation of a dog he could do; no one really thought highly of Rush's intelligence. And then it was back to the bounding fingers, except now there was a second pair. He stilled them and then touched his thumbs together, pointer fingers in the air. A 'W'. He hit the sign to his head and did the best impression of a howl a cat could do. Tango held up three fingers after that, one for him, one for Rush, and one for Gospel and started to make his hands 'converse' with each other.

The expression on Blues face was one of amusement. Tango blushed and looked down at the floor-- Hey... His face may still have been stained pink, but he had enough pride to cross his arms and look generally pissed. "I should be asking you that! You're the one who left first!" "Marowr raow hrrreow! Purrow maow!"

The accusation was obvious. Blues raised an eyebrow inquisitively. "Upset that I left you behind?"

Tango nodded firmly.

A nonchalant shrug. "I had to do something. Didn't need anyone getting in the way."

What? Getting in the way....? That hurt; Tango cringed mentally. What kind of heart do you have, Blues? What the hell kind of heart do you have?! You say you care. About what then? If I had a human voice, I'd give you a serious piece of my mind! But his physical reaction was less than pleasant. In fact, he'd never done it towards Blues ever.

He hissed.

The sound wasn't too impressive, but it was the feeling behind it that counted. Blues frowned with a sigh and sat up, wrapping the sheet around his hips before standing up. Tango was quicker to get to his feet and almost made it out of the room.

"Tango."

Almost. No Blues. I will not turn around, I will not-- He turned around. Darn it.

Blues' expression was scathed and Tango felt his own fall. His partner looked so...hurt. "Stay for a minute, neko."

His tail twitched nervously. .....Tell me.

The kagemusha moved closer, the sheets dragging, undignified, behind him. "Tango, there are many things you, and everyone else, don't understand and I can't burden you with a heavy responsibility such as this."

The human-formed feline bowed his head. "But, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your patience lasting this long as well as your help." A hand reached out and gingerly stroked the green-striped cheek. "I know I ignore you and I can't say enough how sorry I am for denying your presence. I can't--..." Blues took a deep breath and exhaled lightly, bringing Tango's chin up and his eyes away from the floor. "You are a help to me, Tango. If I could prove to you how much you mean to me, I would without a second though, hands down."

Tango only stared, his mind forcing courage into a strong want. A want of the robot before him. Not the master, the kagemusha, the thief, the liar, the deceiving, the complex, the partner, the spy. Just... Blues. The person. If only I could talk. If only he could understand me like Pluto and Slashman can understand Gospel. If only...this.

The motion was sudden, unexpected, and, gods, utterly unstoppable for the gijinka-pet. Tango's lips were upon the shadow's in a breathless heartbeat, shy yet so hungry, lacking in real experience. Motivation drove him, however, and being ill-knowledged hardly hindered his performance. Oh, but a heaven to feel a hand slip behind his back and press the flat of a palm against the space inbetween his shoulder blades, drawing him closer to the warm body no longer inches away.

And the unadulterated vigor behind the kiss's return was quick to make Tango forget just who started this bout. Another arm encircled his waist for support as the tabby's legs liquified and only served to worsen when Tango felt the barest hint of a tongue flickered at his lips, seeking to break a well-constructed seal and create a whole new one in its place.

All Tango was capable of was purring as he readily complied with Blues' request, at the same time letting a clawed hand tangle in the white hair, the tips of his fingers raking lightly over Blues' scalp. The cat was just able to feel the light tremble go through the body against him and was then invaded so intimately that his instinct to bite down never occurred.

An eternity seemed to have passed before the lock broke, but a quick check to an internalized clock told the anthro-feline that it had barely been a minute. Too, too short, but he didn't have another chance to bring back that feeling when a finger came up to his bruised lips.

"Breathe, neko."

A rush of air whispered past the digit and Tango blushed sheepishly. He knew there had been something missing...

But again, breathing was forgotten when he saw how much darker Blues' eyes had gotten. His breath had caught at the sight of near black sapphires just glittering in... Can I faint here? Oh god, fainting would be nice.

But scarcely a moment went by before that same finger brushed aside sage-green from his forehead and Blues laid a light kiss there. Just a small one that seemed to have no significance. On the contrary, it meant the world to Tango. Why shouldn't he relish in the same gift given only to Rock before him?

"Welcome home, Tango."

AN: Possibility of robotic critters becoming robotic semi-humans? The same chances as a big-rig transforming into a universe-saving, evil-kicking machine. If Prime can do it, so can these pets. After all, it's only fiction.

For the new: Welcome to my crack-pairing. I am its owner and master. I doubt you'll ever see it again anywhere.

For the old: It was deleted by the system because the old version had a few sparse lines of muse-speak at the very end. Well, I was working on the rewrite long before this happened anyway; it just became the excuse I needed to finish and repost it.