A story based upon  Tonde's amazing picture Rubbery Dog.

Being taught to never fail, Aric found that school was nearly below him as he was the top of his class always... but when a teacher grows annoyed with the student's arrogance he pulls a dirty trick.

I hope you all enjoy, and I would love to hear your thoughts. ^^

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Ever since elementary school kids were graded, and they had strict guidelines held against them. On the first day of school, Aric and the rest of his class the rules. “Don’t fight the other kids. Always ask please. Raise your hand and wait to be called on before you speak. Most important of all, don’t get lower than a D.”

That stuck in Arin’s head as school started, he and the other kids were constantly given updates on their report cards. They were given periodic assessments of their abilities with their parents, being told what to do better, and being ignored while their parents asked specifically what the kid’s grade was. Every day in school when they walked in their teacher would look at them, and say without flinching. “If you get lower than a D, then you’re no better than an animal.”

It was like that for all of elementary school, and every year Arin would watch as report cards came around, and watch as people opened their report cards, and there were sighs of relief... and screams of terror. Arin was never afraid as he studied the hardest, and worked the hardest to get his A every report card. Kids would be lead out, and wouldn’t return as they were “No better than animals” according to the teacher.

For Arin he stopped caring about the kids who didn’t get good grades as he pulled into himself, not caring about anyone but his grades and his parent’s expectations of him. Whenever other kids were going out to hang out, Arin just went home and studied. Other kids played video games, but Arin read books. He was perfect in everything about school, he even had a private gym instructor to make sure he was in shape.

In fifth grade things changed up a bit, and as the teacher walked to the front of the class he looked out at the class with the same seriousness as the kid in Kindergarten did. “Starting from this year, none of you shall get below a C. If you do, then you’re no better than an animal,” he said, and there were screams of panic from students who had been scraping by with D’s.

Once again though Arin didn’t panic as he stayed on track getting perfect scores, watching as kids freaked out when report cards were coming around. His parents didn’t care about those times though as they expected Arin to get A’s, and so he did. The number of kids who had entered school was drastically cut down at fifth grade, and Arin didn’t mind as that meant more room for him.

Summer vacation was cut out after fifth grade, and Arin got his perk for constantly getting A’s. Starting the first day of sixth grade the teacher walked in, and walking after him were small rubbery looking animals. “Starting today class, all A students will be receiving their very own Rubber Animal.” There were groans of sadness as people wanted animals, but there were only five kids in class allowed to have them. Arin got first pick as he was by far the best student, and he walked up to pick one out. Looking them over he found a blue cat, and smiling he chose it by grabbing a leash around his neck.

“Thank you, Master,” the cat said, stepping forward he rubbed up against Arin. “What is my name?” he asked, and Arin thought it over.

“Cat,” he said, and Cat frowned for just a moment before his shiny black eyes glowed and he grinned widely.

“Thank you, Master!” Cat said, and followed Arin back to his desk. Since Arin didn’t have any friends, Cat became the closest thing to a friend for him. Every day he would command Cat to get things for him, and Cat would do it without question. All he wanted to to be called was a good boy, and he was happy. Arin found school becoming easier as he studied beyond what they needed to, and he became one of the best students in the school system. Sixth and seventh grade passed, and finally eight grade came around where you couldn’t get below a B.

Waking up, Arin stretched and pushed some of his excess books off of his bed. “Cat, clothes,” he said, and the blue cat nodded happily and walked over to get his master a set of clothing he had chosen for the human a day prior. “Good boy,” he said, Petting the cat on the head he watched as his Pet squirmed with happiness as he got dressed up. “Go prepare breakfast, Cat,” he said, and the Pet was off.

When Arin had gotten Cat his parents had been very happy as they both had their own Pets as well, as everyone got before graduating. Getting out of bed he nearly kicked his mom’s own Pet, a pink ferret that quickly bowed apologetically. “I’m sorry, Master Arin,” she said, bowing away as she ran downstairs to likely grab his mom’s slippers as she always did.

“Arin,” his father’s voice, he turned to see that his father was reading his newspaper while leaning against the wall. “Off to school?” he asked, not even bothering to look out from behind his newspaper. Arin’s father was a huge stock market man, having gotten their family millions by following articles online and in papers on how companies are doing to track the trends before putting money in. He rarely looked at Arin, and even kissing his wife was most of the time optional as he was too busy to really pay them attention.

“Yes, father,” Arin said, and his father’s newspaper bobbed in approximation of a nod. “I have a test today, and after that I’ll be going to a banquet with the high A society at the high school. They sent an invitation a few days ago,” he explained, and much to his shock his father put his newspaper down..

“Is that so?” his father asked, and Arin got flustered as his dad looked at him for the first time in a long time. “Well then I think we’d best get you a new suit as you’ll be needing it for the banquet,” he said, and glancing beside him he looked at the badger standing at about waist height. “Jeck, I’ll need you to go out and order my son a suit, you know his measurements.”

“Yes, Master,” Jeck said, and he shivered in happiness as Arin’s father patted him on the head. “Right away,” Jeck said, and he left to make the arrangements.

Turning back to his son, Arin was shocked to see his father smiling. “Well it looks like you’re doing very well for yourself, Arin. I’ll be anticipating you tonight at dinner,” he said, and then the newspaper was back up and he walked into his bedroom.

Arin whistled to himself as he walked downstairs, and sitting down at the table Cat served him some of his favorite eggs. “Your favorite, Master,” Cat said, bowing his head as he started away.

“Cat, wait,” Arin said, and Cat turned around. “Take a seat,” he said, and Cat gaped in shock but wiggled in excitement as he was allowed to sit at the table for the first time. There were firsts for everything...

***

Arriving at school Arin felt the gaze of other students on him just like always, and just as always somebody stepped in front of him. “Give me your Pet,” the bully said, glaring down at him.

“Get outta my way,” Arin said, not even bothering to look the bully in the face. “I have a test to take.”

“Give me your animal, and I will,” the bully said, smiling snidely as some of the other kids around them snickered.

Sighing Arin handed his bag to Cat. “Take care of it,” he said, and Cat nodded before Arin looked at the bully. He was a bit smaller than the bully, but glancing at height difference he knew that he could beat the big oaf. “Okay, fight me,” he said, the bully just laughed and lunged at Arin.

Arin whipped to the side and kicked out with one leg slamming into the shin of the bully, and watched as an expression of pain slipped across the bully’s face, and like a tree he slammed face first into the ground. A scream started to rise from the bully, but Arin was gone with Cat before the screams could even be heard by the teacher’s. “He’ll be gone soon enough from school,” Arin said, nodding to himself as he walked into the school. It hadn’t been the first time people had attempted to steal Cat, but what the B students didn’t seem to understand was that once the Pet bonded it couldn’t be broken without death, or imprisonment, or failure in school.

Once Arin had even allowed one of the bullies to take Cat, and while they attempted to command Cat to do things, he just told Cat to protect himself. Cat proceeded to put the kid in the nurse’s ward for the rest of the day, and quickly the Pet was back at Arin’s side. Now as he sat down in class he pulled out his notes to do a quick review as the teacher walked in, but the thing was that unlike the other teachers before him, he detested Arin. “Arin, what are you doing in class so early?” he asked, frowning as Arin read through his book.

“Studying,” Arin answered, fully aware that the teacher used this time to grade papers in peace. Never once had Arin bothered him though in the process, yet every time the teacher gave him grief about it.

“Why don’t you go out with the other students?” the teacher asked, grimacing as the student looked up at him with annoyance. His own Pet a monkey grunting as he grabbed the papers to start grading some of them.

Not bothering to answer the teacher Arin went back to studying, and the teacher just grunted in irritation as he went back to his desk. Arin figured that the teacher was likely a B student back in school, and so was bitter that Arin had such an easy time. “Cat, please go sharpen my pencils,” he said, handing Cat his pencils as he continued to study. Cat walked out of the room, and by the time the class was starting to fill up with early comers the Pet was back in with pencils in paw. “Good boy,” Arin said, and after Petting the Pet he sat up in his chair to wait for class to start.

The tests were passed out, and as the time started Arin flipped his paper over and started answering with ease. He found himself letting his mind wander to the dinner with his family tonight as he answered question after question, and what should’ve been an hour long test was shortened to a ten minute test with five minutes of reviewing answers before he slid it to the edge of his desk. He rose his hand, and the teacher just glared at the hand before calling out. “Yes, Arin?” he asked, his teeth practically scraping together as he spoke.

“May I go out and get a drink? I finished early,” he said, it was something he did on every test.

For a moment it looked like the teacher was going to say no, but then something flashed across his face and he nodded. “Go right ahead,” he said, and Arin walked out with Cat in tow. As he stepped out of the class he whistled to himself as he grabbed himself a drink, and as they were all required to hand in phones before tests just to make sure there was no answer checking he got his drink and went straight back without stopping.

Sitting down Arin leaned back in his chair as he dozed through the rest of the hour, and by the time the testing hour was over he heard the teacher running the answers through the answer machine. “Drake, B. Sara, A. Terry, A,” he was reading them each off, and Arin whistled happily. “Braiden, F.” The whole class froze, and looked back at Braiden. His face was chalky as the teacher turned his gaze towards the student.

“So... Braiden, you know the rules about Fs.” Braiden started to hyperventilate, and tears rolled out of his eyes as he nodded. “Go to the back of the class,” the teacher said, and Braiden didn’t even bother grabbing any of his stuff as he walked to the back of the class. “Markus, C. Terry, A. Arin, F.”

The world stopped, Arin opened his eyes and slowly sat up in his desk. “S... say that.... say that one more time, please,” he said, why was the air so thin? Why did the room seem to shake, his brain must be messing with him.

“Arin, F,” the teacher said, and looked at Arin with a glow in his eyes that Arin knew something had gone on while he was outside of the class. “You’ll have to go to the back of the class,” he said, and Arin stood up as Cat looked up at him with confusion.

His hands shaking, Arin marched not to the back, but up to the teacher and snatched the test out of his hands. Every question on the paper was wrong... and it wans’t his paper in the first place. The name on the paper was lazily written, and all of the circles drifted out of the circle instead of his usually sharp writing skills. “This isn’t mine,” Arin said, his jaw tight as he glared up at the teacher.

“Your score is registered, Arin. You’re to go to the back of the class,” the teacher said, and Arin felt the compulsion to punch the teacher, and tell him how much a liar he was, and how jealous he had been. “Arin, go,” the teacher said, his eyes smiling while his jaw quivered to hide glee.

Cat stepped back as Arin walked to the back of the class, and with all of the excuses he could’ve made he knew from the looks on the other kid’s faces that they’d never attest to it being a setup. Following by his leg, Cat hugged Arin’s leg tightly. They were the only two to get F’s, and they were led out of the room by the teacher who whistled a cheery tune while Arin shook in anger. He wanted to push the man down the stairs as they got there, but he just shook his head. He wouldn’t resort to that...

They got to the principal’s office, and while Arin was sat down Braiden went in with his rabbit Pet. Cat reached up and held his hand, and Arin practically cried as he saw how sad Cat looked. “Master,” Cat said softly, and Arin for the first time in a long time hugged Cat.

A few minutes later the rabbit Pet walked out, and didn’t look back as it was led out and down the hall. “That’s.... weird,” Arin said, he’d never seen a Pet be happy to walk away from its master. About ten more minutes later he saw another Pet, a weasel from what it looked like was struggling against his leash.

“Let me go!” he shouted, and Arin recoiled in shock.

“That’s... even weirder,” he said, his heart riding up into his throat as he was told to come inside. Walking in with Cat at his side, he stepped in to see the principal sitting there with a eyebrow raised. Arin had never seen the principal up close as only trouble students, or kids who failed were the ones who ever got close to him.

“Arin Carthy, out of everybody in this school you were the very last on my mind to be in my office,” he said, and gestured for Arin to sit down after closing the door. Arin tried to think of how to explain that he was framed, but he just took a seat as Cat rubbed up against his side. “The teacher switched your test,” the principal said, and Arin’s face turned into a big grin.

“You know?!” he said, excitement rushing through him as the principal nodded. “Does that mean I can go back to class?!”

The principal shook his head though, and Arin’s face dropped as he closed his eyes tightly. “I’m sorry, Arin. Your test score was already submitted, and though we know it’s incorrect our system doesn’t allow for retests. Your teacher will be punished severely, but because of his actions you’re to be punished.”

Arin shook his head a few times, not accepting it. “You can’t... you know that it’s wrong!” he shouted, jumping up.

The principal lowered his hand, and though Arin was angry he took his seat once more. The principal glanced down at Cat who looked up at him with anger himself, and sighed. “Pet cat, reboot and erase all memories.”

Cat froze for a moment before shaking his head a few times. “Pet cat ready for orders,” he said, smiling blankly up at the principal.

“Back to obedience school,” the principal said, and the cat nodded and walked away.

Standing up in shock and denial, Arin slammed his hands on the desk. “You can’t do that! Give me back Cat! He’s my best friend,” he shouted, but the principal just looked into his eyes with a sad gaze.

“i’m sorry, Arin,” he said, and then he pressed a button under his desk. From the roof a band of green rubber fell down the roof, and wrapping itself around Arin’s throat he gasped as it turned into rubber and started spreading out covering his skin.

“Stop this! What’s happening?” he asked, trying to pull the rubber away, but he found that when he touched the goo it formed onto his fingers as well and spread out. Underneath where the rubber formed he felt his insides disappear to be replaced by the green rubber. “Please, stop,” he said, finding it hard to speak as his mouth was invaded before forming into a new muzzle.

The principal had his eyes closed and his head in hands, and from the tears Arin could tell this wasn’t what the man wanted to do. “Too many times...” the principal said, and Arin felt his heart pang for a moment before his size started to diminish as his legs became smaller along with his chest. Arin felt like he should blush as all of his clothes vanished and he was left as a green rubber dog, and he winced as he felt his body flex itself to let out a new big green tail. “Take him out,” the principal said, and an aide walked in to take Arin by a natural forming leash from his collar.

“Please turn me back!” he shouted to the principal, but the man had turned his chair to gather himself. He was dragged down the hall towards the half of the building where the students had never been allowed to go, and when he tried to tug away the rubber snapped him back. “Where are you taking me?!” he screamed, hoping that the noise might alert someone, but they had built the building so no sound would pass into classes.

“Obedience class,” the aide said, and without another word he tugged Arin through the doors. His nose could now pick up many scents, and in this half of the building he could smell... more rubber. They started to pass by small rooms, and they had little peepholes for both humans and Pets it looked like as Arin looked in to see Pets watching slides. “You’ll be attending those soon enough, but first you’ll be having a private class,” the aide said, and walking down another hall he saw many empty rooms, save for one. Inside sat the weasel that he had seen earlier sitting before the rabbit, and from the look on the weasel’s face something was putting him in some sort of trance.

An idea suddenly came to mind, one that frightened Arin and he prayed wasn’t true. The aide put him in a room... with Cat. “Cat!” Arin shouted, but Pet cat just smiled at him with no recognition in eyes.

“Pet dog, please take a seat,” the cat said, and Arin frowned.

“Cat, it’s me, Arin,” he said, but Pet cat just chuckled as he walked over and grabbed Arin by the arm and plopped him down in a chair that was also made of rubber, and upon connecting with it he found himself unable to move from it. “What is this?!” he shouted, but Pet cat just walked in front of him.

“I will be your obedience trainer, now please look into my eyes,” Pet cat said, and as Arin looked into his eyes he saw spirals forming that made everything seem... unimportant.

“W... what’s going on... Cat... i’m... Arin...” he mumbled, everything slowing down until he found himself unable to think, or speak, or remember.

Pet cat smiled as he did his job so well, feeling a zap of happiness pulse through him from opposite a mirror placed in the room. “What is your name?” he asked, watching as Arin struggled.

“Arin,” he said, the name springing to mind.

“Forget,” Pet cat said, his own new programming having been given to him so he could be an instructor. “What is your name?”

The command had worked as rubber Pets had been made very easy to control, their minds as pliable as their bodies. “I don’t know,” the dog said, his mind having thrown out the name as easy as trash.

“Your name is Pet dog until you are given to a Master. Then they shall give you a new name, and if any higher authority commands you with the phrase “Pet dog, reboot and erase all memories” then you shall wipe to before you were chosen. Now what is your name?” Pet cat asked once more, and the dog blinked.

“I am Pet dog,” he said, smiling as a jolt of happiness spread through his body.

“Whenever you hear the phrase ‘Good boy’ you will be awarded with amazing happy feelings, and also the only thing you will ever need as a Pet is the need to be Petted,” Pet cat said, and upon Petting Pet dog he watched as the new rubber Pet arched in happiness. “Now Pet dog, you’re to wipe any memories of life before entering this trance. You’ve always been Pet dog, and that’s all that matters to you. You will be obedient, and be trained by other Pets until you’re ready to become a Pet, or in case you don’t become a Pet to a student then you shall be trained after graduating age into a field such as food servicing, or being a butler. Now forget,” Pet cat said, and Pet dog arched as memories soared before his eyes.

Memories of school, memories of his family, memories of Cat became nonexistent as the rubber took hold. Personality quirks, his favorite foods, his favorite books were no longer applicable to him so they vanished. Arin disappeared, and Pet dog became another Pet as he sat there. His eyes having some color in them became black just like the other Pets as he smiled at Pet cat. “Memories gone,” he said, smiling as Pet cat smiled back.

“Good boy,” Pet cat said, watching as Pet dog loved the feeling. “Now you shall enter the obedience courses, and in time you will be presented for classroom choosing,” Pet cat said, and Pet dog nodded before heading out.

***

As high school was closing out for Pet dog’s original class, he had been put into new obedience training for being a butler. His last two Masters had failed out in high school, and he had been wiped two times. Now along with Pet weasel they were being prepped for butlering, and they couldn’t be happier. Pet dog answered obediently as his trained asked him to deliver a wine bottle to a waiting couple at a dinner party. As he approached he noticed they were talking. “It’s a good thing that the school had changed their policy on grading papers, Arin was thrown under a bus because of the dang system,” the woman said, sighing heavily as her husband hidden behind a newspaper nodded the paper.

“Indeed, I miss him... but I suppose we’ll have to live without. We’ll have his memories,” the man said, and Pet dog smiled happily as he appeared before them.

“Madam, Mister, I have wine for your pleasure,” he said, not realizing who they were int he least.

“Thank you, good boy,” the woman said, smiling at him as she took the bottle and poured herself some wine. As Pet dog walked back to his trainer, some people waiting beside their table smiled and nodded.

“Pet dog has no memories of family, he’s another perfect Pet,” they said, and they toasted the good news as Pet dog became another butler for new families. Wagging his tail happily as he moved on as a happy rubber Pet.