Food Fight

    Noiz wasn't the only one on a mission for change in the Animal House. Rob started to try and change things around the home. His mission today? The mouse wasn't too happy with the Animal House's food. Until today, he didn't complain about it at all. But ever since his master came into the picture, he wanted change here too. This crusade started on the first day of June. It was lunch time and all of the animals were trying to eat their lumpy and cold meals. Rob was staring out in space with his plate before him. He was playing around with his food. Noiz looked at her plate in disgust. She reached over and tapped her mouse on the arm. The pet looked up quickly. Noiz was looking right on him.

    "How can you guys stand to eat this crap?" she questioned him. Rob looked at her in surprise.

    "Huh?" he asked. Noiz looked at him seriously. She showed him her bowl of miso.

    "I mean look at this!" the cat said. "I wouldn't feed this too my dogs! I mean, how the Hell can you eat this garbage?" The mouse shrugged at her.

    "Dunno," he said. "We're used to it, I guess." Noiz looked at him as if he was crazy.

    "How can you?" she asked. "I never at this at Clover House. I know this isn't the same, but you guys could do a little better!" Rob thought about that for a moment. He shrugged again.

    "It's Artemis again," the mouse said. "He claims that we don't have enough money to hire a better catering staff." Noiz snorted at that comment.

    "Ha!" she called. "More like he wants to keep the money for himself!" And that was it. But that conversation inspired the mouse to begin a crusade of his own. Combined with a desire for change and to impress his mistress, Rob formed a plan. It would start within five seconds.

    The doors burst open without a warning. All of the animals looked up to see the pig himself. Artemis was smiling today. The animals rolled their eyes at such a cheesy grin. More rubbish was going to come out of his mouth.

    "Afternoon all!" he said. Silence and groans filled the room. Artemis kept his grin.

    "Okay," he went on. "How is everyone?" More groans filled the room.

    "Right!" the pig called. "Anyone got anything on their minds?" Suddenly out of the blue, Rob raised his hand high. Everyone looked on in silence. Artemis noticed instantly.

    "Yes Rob?" he asked nervously. The mouse slowly lowered his hand.

    "Why is the food here so crappy?" he asked. The whole room just stopped. Everyone was staring right at him. Artemis looked uncomfortable now.

    "Well, what do you mean?" he asked. Rob pointed down at his plate.

    "Our meals are tasteless! They are too lumpy and cold!" he said. "Can't we get a better catering staff?" The pig looked really nervous. All eyes were on him now. Artemis was in a jam now.

    "Uh.... well...." he said. "Anyone else have anything on their mind?" Noiz quickly raised her hand.

    "Why won't you answer the boy's question?" she asked him.

    "Yeah!" the others called out. "Answer his question! Answer his question! Answer his question!" The animals kept on pushing for the truth. Artemis just couldn't take it anymore. He quickly ran out of the dining room. The questions were too much for the pig to take. The other animals all turned to Rob again. The mouse just looked down at his plate in silence. However, he wasn't done yet. There was still more in the next act of the unfolding show.

    After lunch, Rob made it over to Artemis' office. He knocked on the door.

    "Come in!" the pig called from the inside. The mouse opened the door and went inside. Artemis was at his desk pretending to work. Jun was standing behind him in silence. The pig looked up and saw the mouse. He was nervous again, but didn't show it this time.

    "Yes Rob?" he asked. The mouse sat down right in front of his desk. He was smiling at the pig land lord.

    "I came to talk to you about the food," he said again. Artemis froze up quickly at those words. "Oh no!" he thought in worry. "Not again!"

    "What?" he asked in surprise. The mouse kept his eyes locked on the pig.

    "You know what I'm talking about here," he said. "Why have we had such crappy meals over the past two years?" Artemis looked away nervously. He didn't really want to answer this question. So, he went with the good old excuse that he had been preaching for years.

    "We don't have enough money to hire a new catering staff," he tried to explain. This time, Rob didn't buy it at all.

    "But you keep spending the money on your car, suits, and your office!" he pointed out. "You must have some money to spare on Animal House." Artemis froze up quickly at that statement. He was busted now. So what to do? What to do? Artemis looked away again in shame.

    "Good point," he said uneasily. "I'll deal with it when I can!" Rob looked at him happily. Inside, he knew this wasn't over. The pig was going to pull something up his sleeve again. But, it was best to play along and then attack. The mouse shrugged at him innocently.

    "Okay," he said. Then, the mouse rose to his feet and headed out the door. Artemis held his breath until the door closed behind the mouse. He breathed out easily once he was sure that he was gone. He turned to Jun. She hurried over to him quickly.

    "Tell me it's not true, Artemis-san!" she pleaded desperately. "Tell me you're not using the money on yourself instead of Animal House!" The pig smiled at her like a fake angel. He knew how to fix this problem. Just a little white lie to patch things up.

    "Of course not," Artemis lied to the poor soul. "I would never do such a thing!" Jun was overjoyed.

    "Oh Artemis!!!" she cried out happily. The naive soul hugged her eye of affection tightly.

    "Jun, you're touching me!" he called out. The girl blushed at him in shame.

    "Oh sorry, Artemis!" she said to him. Then, his assistant let go of him quickly. Artemis brushed himself clean. A moment of silence passed between them.

    "So what are you going to do about Rob?" Jun asked him in a quiet voice. The pig looked up at her unstressed.

    "I've already got it figured out," he said. Then, the pig picked up the phone and dialed a familiar number. The phone rang on the other line.

    "Hello?" a man's voice said.

    "Ah, yes!" Artemis said on the phone. "I need your help."

    Meanwhile, Rob was playing on the Wii that his master brought him for Christmas last year. The mouse was waiting for Artemis to spring his next action again. He was so sucked into his game that he didn't hear the door open and close. Then came a tap on his shoulder. The mouse whipped around quickly. Perry and Shannon were standing right behind him. Their former sensei breathed some as he saw who it was.

    "Oh," he said. "It's only you." Something sank in fast. Then, Rob looked again confused. He noticed that Perry Parker looked very worried. Shannon looked high as usual.

    "Uh...." he said. "What are you guys doing here?" Perry stepped forward to his former sensei. He took the mouse by his hand.

    "Rob-sensei," Perry said to him. "We need to talk." The mouse was really confused now. What was all of this about? What was wrong?

    "But... but..." Rob stammered out. "My man will die if I stop now!!!" Perry shook his head softly.

    "Just hit save, sensei," he said calmly. Rob was now pouting. He was grumbling under his breath as he saved his game and rolled his eyes annoyed. Perry took him over to the bed and sat him down. Shannon staggered over to the bed. Rob looked him confused again.

    "Okay," he said flatly. "What the hell is all of this about?" Perry took in a deep breath.

    "Artemis called me today," he said. Rob looked at him blankly.

    "And?" he asked. His former student took in another deep breath.

    "He says you are miserable here," the man said. "You were depressed and confused here. So that's why Shannon and I want you to come live with us in our dorm." Shannon looked up in fear and shock. She wasn't prepared for that one! The mouse raised an eyebrow at him.

    "Oh really?" he asked. Rob knew that this was a trick by Artemis. He was trying to get rid of him for being bold for once. Well, it was time to fight back now. Rob smiled and shook his head at him.

    "Perry, Perry, Perry," the mouse said to him. "I am perfectly fine here." His former student looked at him confused.

     "But..." he said. "Artemis said..."

    "He was mistaken!" Rob cut in. "I'm just fine and everything is good. I like it here and don't want to move. So go on back to your dorm." Shannon breathed out easily. Perry still looked at him confused. He clearly wasn't expecting this.

   "Are you sure?" he asked.

    "Yes!" the mouse said quickly. "Now, goodbye!" He helped his former student to his feet and walked him and Shannon out the door. Perry looked around confused and Shannon was just out of it. The mouse then closed and locked the door tightly. He breathed out in relief. Free at last.

    "So," he heard a voice call out to him. "You make one little fuss to the pig and he calls your baggage claiming that you are depressed and confused." The mouse looked up quickly. Noiz was sitting on the TV swinging her long legs back and forth loosely. Her pet calmed down quickly.

    "Oh!" he called. "Don't do that!" Noiz shrugged at him innocently.

    "My bad," she said indifferently. "But I am right, aren't I?" Rob didn't say anything at all. The cat smiled at him wickedly.

    "I knew it," she said. "Tanya tried to do that to me with one of my former students. But, I taught her better. She can be just as evil as me. Come to think of it, you know the rule just as well as I do. So why did you bother to complain to Artemis in the first place?" Rob kind of looked away. The cat put it all together in a snap.

    "Oh!" she called out loud. "Trying to handle a mission solo to impress me, huh?"

    "Shut up!" Rob said quickly. Both were silent for a moment.

    "So," the cat spoke up. "What are you going to do?" Rob turned to her smiling.

    "That my lady," he said boldly. "You'll have to see on your own!" Then, he headed off to his classes. Noiz looked on curiously. "I guess I will!" she thought impressed.

     The next morning came upon Animal House. Everyone was heading out to their classes as usual. Noizchild was walking to her homeroom when she heard someone call out, "Noiz-sama!!!" The cat slowly turned behind her. Rob was running right over to her. Artemis was trailing behind him looking depressed. The cat raised an eyebrow at them both.

    "Oro?" she asked him. Both men made it right over to her. She kept looking at them.

    "What's all this then?" the cat asked. Rob stepped forward like a gentleman.

    "Sama," he said to her. "What would you like for your meals today?" Noiz kept her curious face.

    "Blueberry pancakes for breakfast," she said. "Soba noodles for lunch. And sushi with tempera along with some nice chocolate cake. Why?" Rob turned to the pig grinning.

    "You heard the woman!" he said. "Get to it with the best cooks!" Artemis nodded in great nervous fear.

    "Oh yes!" he called. "Sure! Anything she likes! There goes the money for that porche I wanted!" He walked away in complete misery. Noiz looked on surprise. The mouse grinned at her widely. His master looked at him in suspicion.

    "Okay," she called. "How did you do that?" Her pet mouse smiled at her innocently.

    "Oh," he said. "I just told him to hire better cooks or I would dismantle myself on top of Tokyo Tower!" Noiz looked at him sharply.

    "You didn't!" she gasped. Rob shrugged as he smiled at her.

    "Sure did," he said. "The stupid pig bought it too!" Then, Rob walked away smiling. Noiz looked after him smiling as well.

    "Oh boy, that was so wrong!" she said to herself. "You alright!" Then, she headed off to her homeroom class.