The Jungle

The Jungle

Mally-chan and Hato Chiisai

Disclaimer: We own nothing within this fic.

YAOI WARNING

Pegasus/Ryou, Marik/Ryou, Bakura/Malik, Seto/Yami

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Chapter 4

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When Ryou awoke the pet shop was dark, and he had to sit still, listening to the even breathing of the pet shop creatures. It even sounded as though Marik and Bakura had finally settled down to sleep. He sat up slowly, watching the other rabbits quietly scuttle out to grab a midnight snack.

Ryou looked at the hanging water dispenser, only one thing on his mind. He looked around shyly, not seeing a soul...perfect...

Carefully cupping his hands, he filled them with water, and beginning to give himself a bath. His ears, his hair, quietly washing away any possible filth that he may have gathered during the day, the water making his pale skin seem to shimmer in the moonlight that filtered through the skylights

Marik yawned and opened a lazy eye at a familiar metallic clicking noise. He raised his head and watched Ryou drinking from the water bottle hanging on the wall, licking the metal bead that blocked the pipe, his tongue pushing the bead in so water could escape around it. Marik smiled. Ryou was so CUTE doing that. And he was all wet; he had probably been bathing himself. Marik watched Ryou finish drinking, and then fill his cupped hands and lower them, letting Tuc and Nod drink from them.

Ryou's ears perked up, and he looked around suspiciously. He gazed through the pet shop silently, alerted to someone's awakening. He bit his lip and squinted, finding it hard to see farther into the pet shop, not thinking for a moment that the roused person could be near him.

Bakura would have made a snide comment by now, and Marik seemed the type to sleep like a rock. He frowned and lowered his ears, still uneasily looking around.

Marik smiled and watched him from the darkness of his cave. Ryou made a perfect bunny. He was so shy and timid, and gentle... and Marik would bet his breakfast that he was snuggly, too. He waited to see what else Ryou would do.

Ryou looked around once more, before slowly relaxing a bit. He wrinkled his nose a bit, before noticing something that looked interesting. He got up slowly, and walked over to investigate, before plopping down near the back of his log and picking up a large wooden box and beginning to chew on it, the urge to chew had finally gotten to him.

Ryou leaned the box on the log and held it still, gnawing softly on the edges of it, unable to hide the genetics they'd implanted in him. He was embarrassed that he couldn't prevent himself from doing this, but it was making him crazy!

Marik grinned and watched. He knew by watching over gnawing animals that there would be a special treat inside the box for Ryou, once he had gnawed it open.

"Nice to see you adjusting." A lazy voice drawled, and Marik glanced over to see Bakura sleepily shuffling out of his stump. He shambled over into a corner and climbed into his litter box, needing to relieve himself.

Ryou's ears shot straight up, and he immediately rushed into his log, starting to sniffle, mortified he'd been caught. He sniffled and shook his head. "I'm not!” he said loudly, pounding a hand into the wood shavings, making a muffled thump. "Stop saying things like that!"

Bakura yawned loudly and finished, burying his mess in the litter and getting a drink before returning to bed.

"Give in. The more you resist the more you will lose your sanity. Trust me Thumper.... I know..." And he began to snore.

"He's right." Marik said, suddenly. "He resisted his animal instincts. Nearly went insane. Then he gave in to them, and well... let's just say he's acting more human now that he's acting on his animal instincts. It would be best to just give in."

Ryou glared at him. "I'd rather be eaten by a pack of wild rabid wolves.” he said defiantly. "I will get home someday soon, and leave all of this behind me.” he said looking up through a small hole in the log at the skylight. "I'm human, I might be changed on the outside, but I'm still who I was before this started, and when all is said and done, I intend to stay who I am.” he said shaking his head.

"I'm not going willingly into this...this isn't want I wanted to do with my life, I have hopes and dreams that I'm not ready, or willing, to give up on..." Ryou looked at Marik frowning slightly. "You may not have had those, but I wanted so much for myself, I had high hopes, I was on the road to fulfill my dreams...I won’t let this stop me from doing the things I've always dreamed of doing..."

Bakura snorted, kept awake by the chatter. "Well, you'd better forget about them. You won't want to meet the fate of those who refused to give in."

Ryou glared. "I'd sooner meet it, than become someone's plaything. I have so much I still need to do with my life. I want to travel, to live on my own, to work at a job I love, find someone TO love, go places, do things. I don’t want to spend the rest of MY time playing bunny for some....sick person who decided they needed me to play pet bunny for them."

Ryou sighed, looking up at the stars through the skylight. "I never got to really live, I had so much school, I would love to finish it too, but I have so many things to do before I die, I don’t want to be this for someone else...I know I can’t undo what's done, but I won’t let them take away my soul, I won’t let them force me to die inside for someone else.” he mumbled softly.

Bakura chuckled. "Thumper. You either become some guy's pet... or Marik's prey." And he looked at Ryou with an evil grin. "Like your little bunny friend there almost was....."

Ryou glared and flicked his ears lightly. "I'd rather die, and if Marik's the one who has to do it, then at least I know he'll get enough food to make up for the lost breakfast.” he said softly, looking down. "I'm not selling my soul to live a life I don’t want. I refuse to live the life of a rabbit, especially not for someone other than myself."

Bakura laughed. "Well then.... I'll be sure to sell tickets for when Marik massacres you." And he disappeared into his stump. "And don’t you say you won't, Marik. You know perfectly well that if you don't, they'll give him to Rex. And Rex will probably do more to him than just rip him to shreds."

"Bakura shut your mouth!" Marik hissed, looking very upset.

Ryou frowned, and looked at Marik. "Please don’t get upset...I...I'm not willing to die to live." he said softly. "Is it so hard to understand? Why is everyone trying to...?” Ryou sighed, his ears falling into his face, in a sad droop. "Am I the only one who is willing to fight it? Why does everyone want me to just roll over and take this?"

Ryou picked up one of his bunnies and sighed. "Like the phrase... you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink...” he said softly, scratching the bunny's neck. "If that horse never drinks he'd die, but if he did, he'd just end up continuing to be miserable...that's why he doesn't want to drink."

Marik did not answer. But someone else did.

"Oh, will you SHUT UP?!?" The voice said. "The fact is, we all learned something! The more you fight it the more miserable you will become!! That's what those thick headed moronic neighbors of yours have been trying to tell you, but you're too busy whining and feeling sorry for yourself to listen to reason! So shut up and get over it, or just fuckin’ die already!!!"

"REX!!!" Marik roared.

Ryou glared. "Then I will die you miserable beast! I hope your fur gets matted down with the excrement you're SPEWING from your mouth!” he shouted back, huffing, the fur on his ears bristled up, looking very angry. Ryou laid down in the wood shavings closing his eyes and giving a shaky sigh.

He groaned softly, he shouldn't have shouted, that only made him dizzy from his refusal to eat. He forced himself to calm down and smiled softly. If Marik or Rex didn't kill him in the end, he'd end up starving himself...

"It's fine Marik, let him have his fun with me, its what everyone wants, fun with the rabbit...and you should all get it while I'm still alive to offer it.” he said calmly.

Marik got up and ran to the barrier between himself and Ryou.

"Ryou, don’t talk like that, please!!! I... I can’t stand it!!"

Ryou peered up bitterly. "It's your job as a 'pet' to deal with it 'pets' don’t get an opinion. why should you care?” he said softly, laying his head back down in the soft bedding.

"Because I... I do care. I care about you. I don’t want you to die... I don’t want you to be miserable. And I don’t want you to turn out bitter and hateful like Bakura. And so far you are well on your way!!"

"Leave me out of this, Simba!" Bakura snapped.

Ryou shrugged, not bothering to look up. "I promise you, I'll die before I end up bitter about being something I am not."

Marik sighed, depressed, and laid down in the sand, drifting to sleep.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ryou played quietly in the soft wood shavings, seeming to play hide and seek with the smaller rabbits, who would bury themselves and he'd find them, then he'd bury himself, and they'd tug his ears in finding him. Ryou smiled when one bunny unburied his face.

"Sneaky...” he said rolling over and hugging the bunny gently, watching the other hop over and sniff at his hair, before beginning to chew some of it.

Marik sat quietly on his log, watching this with a small smile on his face. It was good to see Ryou happy, and quite honestly the entire scene was adorable. There was a loud booming sound, and all the animals perked up as Rem appeared with the food cart.

Rem smiled as she began feeding each animal. "Alright Marik, I brought you something yummy today!" she said, opening a paper package of a rare treat, fresh lamb meat. "How's that for a breakfast?" She said, placing it on the stone near the center of the enclosure. "Something fit for the king of beasts."

Ryou snorted slightly, agitated from lack of food. Rem entered his enclosure next, frowning at the amount of food left from his previous meal. "Why aren't you eating? Is there something wrong with it?" Ryou merely glared in silence, carefully grooming the ears of Tuc and Nod.

Rem sighed softly and thought for a moment. "Maybe I'll put something more appetizing out for you, and that will convince you to eat more." She said, picking up a bowl of freshly chopped fruits and vegetables, and adding them to the berries and nuts still remaining.

Next, she entered Bakura's enclosure and did something Ryou had never seen before. Rem tied a large bag of food to a small rope, and hoisted it up to the top of a long narrow pole, swinging the rope until the food hooked onto the pole, before lowering the rope and smiling. "Alright Bakura, you know it's activity day...have a good breakfast!" She said, leaving, pushing her cart with her.

Marik perked up. "Hey Ryou. You've GOTTA watch this!” he said, and Ryou watched as all of the other animals in the pet shop fixed their eyes on Bakura's cage.

Ryou blinked and let Tuc and Not loose to nibble at the breakfast he'd been provided, turning to watch Bakura's enclosure. "What am I watching exactly?"

Bakura emerged from his stump and glared up at the bag. "Damn that woman...." He growled. "MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!!” he roared at the pet shot, but no one did. Bakura snarled, obviously furious, and circled the pole a few times, glaring up at the bag.

"Corn skunks do this in the wild with corn stalks." Marik explained to Ryou. "This is their way of giving Bakura exercise, but he hates it. He knows that if he doesn't do it now before opening, he'll have to do it for an even bigger audience, and this is humiliating as it is."

"Shut up, Marik!" Bakura snapped, before beginning to climb the pole. The higher he got, the more the pole bent under the combined weight of him and the food. When he reached the top he was almost back to the ground. He began to untie the knot. The food fell, and Ryou stared as the pole sprang upright.

"YAAAAAAAH!!!" Bakura shouted as he was flung through the air and catapulted into the wall. "OOF!!" There was a squeaking noise as he slid down the wall. The other animals howled in laughter as Bakura lay dazed in the dirt.

Ryou blinked for a moment, before scooting close to the glass. "Are you ok?” he asked softly, pressing a hand to the glass. "Why don’t you just climb onto the sack of food...and then untie it? Then you AND the food would drop safely to the ground and you wouldn't be flung like that...” he said softly, thinking it was the logical answer.

Marik blinked, then fell over, laughing hysterically. Bakura slowly raised his head, bright red and glaring at Ryou.

"...... shut up, Thumper!” he snapped, and dragged his bag of food into his stump while the entire pet shop laughed at him.

Ryou glared. "It's NOT Funny!” he shouted. "You should all be ashamed of yourselves! Laughing at someone else’s misfortune!” he yelled, ears sticking out behind him, bristled and angry. "Who gave you the right!? You're all horrible beasts!" He added, throwing his gnawing cube at the wall, causing a slight crack and a VERY loud crashing sound, despite the fact that he didn't break much of anything.

"You're all miserable.... horrible....!!" Ryou lost the will to continue, crawling back into his log and nearly dropping to the floor once inside, once again overexerting himself in anger.

Marik and Bakura stared at Ryou, amazed, while the others only laughed harder.
However, the crash brought Rem running.

Rem looked at Bakura immediately. "What did you do?" She asked, looking crossed between out of breath, worried and upset. "What did you break?" She added, looking for shattered rocks, or glass along his enclosure walls.

Bakura glared at her. "The only thing I did was fly into the wall of my cage you frigid bitch! Get off my case!!!" and he ducked back into his stump.

Rem glared softly. "Bakura, don’t make me come in there and discipline you! Tell me what happened this instant!" she said firmly. "Marik, what happened?!" She said, turning to him. Surely he would tell her what had happened. "Did Bakura do something he shouldn't have? What was that horrible loud crash?"

Marik sighed and rolled his eyes. "The first crash was Bakura flying face first into the side of his cage. The other crash was the bunny losing his temper.” he said calmly while he ate his lamb.

Rem blinked and stepped into Ryou's enclosure, carefully examining the walls before blinking in surprise at a large crack, and the battered looking chew toy which laid below it.

"Ryou!" She said sternly. "Ryou you're in big trouble mister!" She said, reaching under the log and tugging him out by his ears. "Look what you did!"

Ryou looked at the crack dully, tired. "So what?"

Rem frowned and shook her head. "Obviously I've been being too soft on you." She said angry. "I'll be back for you once I finish giving out breakfast." She breathed, putting him down. "As for the rest of you, Be silent and eat or there will be NO lunch!" she said, obviously quite angry at Ryou's obvious and blatant rebellion despite her nicest attempts to persuade him to behave.

Marik and Bakura stared at Ryou.

"Oh man... you're in BIG trouble..." Bakura said. "I'd hate to be in your paws right now."

"Ryou, I would suggest apologizing profusely and begging for forgiveness." Marik added.

Ryou crawled back into his log and yawned. "I'm not sorry, I'm not apologizing.” he mumbled looking at the wall dully. "How am I supposed to feel bad for defending Bakura's pride, what little everyone has left here. There really isn't a single shred of humanity or dignity left in any of you."

Ryou sighed. "Just eat your food and leave me alone."

Marik stared at Ryou, hurt. "Fine.” he said in a cold tone. He picked up his slab of meat and carried it into his cave.

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Rem sighed, sitting at her desk and dialing Daisuke's number, frustrated and upset that Ryou was being so difficult. "Hello? Dai...?" She said, slowly calming herself. "Dai I need your help, that bunny you brought is being difficult, even for me to handle. He's throwing fits and biting, being hateful, I can’t seem to tame him at all!" She said sounding desperate for advice.

There was a pause over the phone. "I'm not surprised. If we weren't being paid so much for him I'd say screw it... Surely he isn't as difficult as that skunk or lion were at first?"

Rem frowned. "I've done nothing different, he's getting worse than when I started with him! He seems determined to act up. I've given him every punishment I ever gave them, and to make matters worse, he's refusing to eat." She said running a hand roughly through her long dark hair. "I don’t know what to do with him, he's already made one customer mad, and if I hadn't given him a shock so strong it nearly knocked him out, he would have kept on, plus he's trying to tell people that they shouldn't order animals from us."

"HE'S WHAT?! Why that little shit! I should stick in the lion's cage for that!!!" Dai cried, and stood up, pacing around his office. "Maybe a good scare like that would work..... Rem... I have a failed project... a bird..... give her to Marik, and see that the bunny sees it...."

Rem frowned. "Are you sure that will work? What should I do about him eating? It's not like I haven't given him things that would appeal to him. Just...drop the bird by before lunch and I'll feed it to Marik. Does this one have working vocal cords; you know that gives me the chills..." She said shivering in remembrance of the last bird that was able to shriek in pain.

"Yes." Dai replied. "Anzu shrieks like a banshee anyway. It will be good to get rid of her. And if she screams, there's no way the rabbit can escape the kill. I'll bring her by in an hour or so. Anything else?"

Rem sighed shivering. "Do you have any non mistakes for me today? Something that won’t give me nightmares?" She asked carefully filling out some information on a sheet of paper. "Oh, and a woman and her son wanted to order a Raccoon..."

Dai sighed as he thought. "I think that's it. Oh, and I think we're ready to turn our first successful avian over to you. He has all his senses, but he's going to be a royal pain in the ass, Rem."

Rem laughed. "As long as he's not as bad as that horrible rabbit." She said smiling a bit. "I'll prepare the enclosure next to the skunk. What type of bird, predatory or prey?" she asked, ripping a page from her note book, and taking down the specifications provided by Dai, before walking back out, seemingly in a better mood, and beginning to set up the enclosure next to Bakura's, stirring up much commotion between the animals, who were always curious about the newest member of the shop.

"Bakuraaaaa” She sang softly. "You're getting a new neighbor!" She said, tapping on the glass. "Be on your best behavior."

Bakura grumbled a bit, then poked his head out and glared. "Like I fuckin’ care woman. Unless it's a gorgeous young female skunk with big tits I can screw, I don't give a flying fuck." And he retreated back into his stump. He popped out a moment later. "Or a really hot guy with a tight ass that gives good head." And he retreated again.

Rem smiled a bit. "Well, I've heard good things about him." She said tapping the glass again. "I've heard he's quite the looker, with a voice like an angel." She said, hoping to rouse Bakura's interest.

"That had better mean that he's a screamer...." Bakura voice drifted out of the stump. "Like I'll bet Thumper over there is. Hey Thumper! You a screamer?"

Rem laughed softly. "I doubt he's a screamer, I've been told he's the quiet contemplative type. I also heard he's quite a cock." She said, completely implying all the wrong things on purpose knowing Bakura would be more interested at that comment. "He might be just the thing for you." She added, carefully setting up a forest type scene, VERY similar to Bakura's, the only difference being that the hole was much higher on the stump, with a large branch that carried across the enclosure, lots of green leaves adorned the top, acting as a way to keep the new avian occupant in. "I really think you'll like him"

Bakura snorted and Marik scoffed. "Come on, Rem.” he called. "Bakura doesn’t like anyone and you know it. And besides, it's not like you would let them fuck each other, and that's the only thing Bakura is interested in."

Rem smiled innocently. "I'll tell you what Bakura; I'll let you have him." She said smiling. "How's that sound? All you have to do is stay out of your stump until he arrives."

Bakura stared at her in disgust. "Tch. Fuck that.” he snapped, and pulled his head back into his stump. Marik rolled over, laughing.

"Shut up, Marik! Maybe if you stay out of your cave, she'll let you fuck the bunny!"

Rem laughed. "And you wonder why I won’t give you a mate." She said amusedly. "If you don’t come out of there I'll take your stump away like I did last time you spent too much time in there, or would you rather be hutched?" She said giggling softly, adjusting some branches. "Why don’t you just give it a try, ok Bakura? I'll give you a few bits of meat in your lunch today." She sang in a tempting voice. "I know how much you want some meat. What more could you possibly gain from this deal? Meat in your lunch AND a potential lover?"

Bakura growled, then slowly emerged and lay down outside of his stump, glaring at the woman. "I hate you.” he growled.

Rem smiled and exited the enclosure next to Bakura's, entering his and patting him on the head. "Now that didn't kill you. What kind of meat would you like for lunch?" She asked, scratching that special spot behind Bakura's ear that he loved, though never would admit to it.

"I have steak, chicken, duck, pork and fish." She said softly, smiling in pride at getting Bakura to emerge from his little hole.

Bakura grinned. "Steak!” he said eagerly, leaning into the scratching.

Rem smiled and nodded. "Alright Bakura, Steak it is." She patted his head once more before exiting his enclosure.

"Rem!" She turned as Dai appeared, and Ryou watched as all the animals glared and many of them growled at him, Marik included. In fact, Marik got to his feet and moved to the front of his cage, growling at the geneticist. Bakura lifted his tail, puffing it up. "I brought the failure, whenever you're ready.” he eyed Marik, then Ryou.

Rem frowned slightly. "The new one isn't inside yet right? I don’t need to be scaring the new arrival." She said softly, not wanting more trouble.

Ryou peered out of his log, immediately glaring at Dai. "What are YOU doing here...” he hissed, both him and the other bunnies in his cage immediately making growling clicking noises.

"No, he's not. I mean, he is, but I won't have him brought in until we have disposed of the failure." Then he turned to look at Ryou. "I heard that YOU are misbehaving horribly.” he looked at the crack Ryou put in the cage, and glared. "You will be disciplined. Rem, why are those rabbits in there? Throw them to the lion!"

Ryou gathered the other bunnies in his arms and his ears tilted back ferally.

"The lion wouldn't eat them." She said calmly. "He's done nothing wrong, so there's no reason to give him something he doesn't want." She added. "Marik, you know what is going to happen, I expect you to be on your best behavior." She stated firmly to him. "Do you understand?"

Marik blinked. "What? Huh? Did I miss something?” he asked.

Rem motioned to the bag Daisuke was holding. "See that bag?" She said softly. "Do you know what's inside?" She asked gently, trying to calm him down from his obviously irritated state. "Daisuke needs you to put the poor creature out of its misery....do you understand?"

Marik perked up. "Another failed bird?” he asked eagerly, forgetting about Ryou.

Ryou stared at Marik in disbelief. "I can’t believe you...” he breathed in shock. "Eating someone...” he glared at Marik, deeply disgusted with the eagerness in his tone. "How can you sleep at night? How do you live with yourself?"

Rem frowned, opening the door, and setting loose the mass of feathers and shrieks, before quickly shutting the door and locking it closed.

Dai flung open the door to Ryou's cage and stormed in, taking Tuc and Nod and tossing them aside before grabbing Ryou by the ears and dragging him over to watch.

"If you cannot learn to behave like a good little bunny, this could be you.” he snapped, forcing Ryou to watch.

Marik stalked closer to the gangly malformed girl with blue eyes and brown hair. She flapped her wings and awkwardly floundered over the sand, unable to walk properly or fly. She made the most ungodly noises, nothing a bird should make. Marik suddenly charged with a roar and sank his teeth into her shoulder, bringing her down and shaking her viciously.

Ryou glared, with hate filled eyes, though it was indiscernible if that hate was directed at Marik or Daisuke, or just the general situation. He said nothing, but it was obvious he was not happy about watching someone die, let alone someone he knew was human before the whole ordeal started.

Rem winced and closed her eyes as Anzu shrieked her last, and Marik finished the deed, knowing that it would once again give her nightmares. "Sometimes...I really hate nature." She breathed softly.

"Funny line of work you picked then." Ryou huffed, though his eyes were wet with the tears he'd soundlessly shed, watching the scene. He winced when Daisuke gave him a harsh slap.

"Where is the new arrival? I'll go get him..." Rem said, wanting to get outside for some air. "I...trust you can put the bunny back."

Dai snorted and nodded, forcing Ryou to watch Marik rip open the girl's belly and pull out her intestines. He began to devour them, his face smeared with blood. And in that moment, Ryou saw nothing but an animal.

Daisuke made him watch a few more minutes before hurling him back into his cage.

"Let that be a warning to you.” he snapped, slamming the door and locking it. Then, he went to help Rem with the new animal.

Ryou crawled under his log, curling up and shaking softly.

Rem carried in a large crate carefully. "You crated him?" She said carefully setting down the crate. "Why? Is he really that fragile?"

Inside the box there was a slight shuffling, followed by the soft whistling noise of a beautiful song.

Rem smiled a bit. "Oh what a beautiful voice!" She put her hands to her cheeks and smiled. "Oh Dai he's wonderful! Its about time we had something that can make beautiful noises here, the grunts and snorts just aren't as lovely as they used to be."

Daisuke chuckled. "Ah, but doesn't Marik have such a commanding roar?” he asked, helping to move the crate into the new enclosure.

"Yes, but nothing like this! Oh it's such a beautiful sound...it's a shame it'd be so easily drowned out by Marik's yowling." Rem said smiling. "Bakura, now you remember, you have to stay outside of that stump! You want to make a good impression!" She said proudly.

Ryou lifted his ear slightly, blinking and looking towards Bakura's enclosure. "...that song...” he breathed softly in disbelief. He recognized it...but...where from?

"He's not aggressive is he Dai?" Rem asked, stepping out of the enclosure, to get the keys to the small locks that kept the crate closed. "He's relatively tame right? Did you spray him down before he got here?" She gasped. "Oh!"

Hurrying off, she rushed to the back, returning quickly with a small metal collar that was dipped down like an Egyptian neck adornment, lined top and bottom with beautiful flowers, which looked real, but were for obvious reasons not. "I almost forgot the collar!" She announced sheepishly.

Dai smiled at Rem. "I think he's a bit stunned and confused, but I predict that he will be just as difficult as Bakura. Watch it with him. He's a fighter. And, uh.... apparently, he and the bunny already know each other.....” he glanced at Ryou. "Apparently they were around each other before we altered their DNA."

Ryou growled and his ears flattened back. "Bastard!"

Inside the box, the song stopped, and more rustling was heard, and a soft grunt.

Rem frowned and began unlocking the small locks and looked at Dai before she hit the last. "When I unlock it, grab him so I can put the collar on him, if he's like Bakura I'll need your help." She said softly, slowly unlocking that final lock, and within seconds a black gold and red mass of feathers and flesh emerged, puffed up and looking quite agitated at being stuffed in a box.

Dai pounced, and the creature squawked. Feathers were flying as the bird screeched angrily, beating his wings and scratching Dai with his talons.

"OW!! SON OF A--REM!!! GET IT ON HIM!!! NOW!!!"

Rem quickly snapped the collar on, making sure it clicked shut. "Ok Dai!" She said, quickly pulling the box out of the enclosure and shutting the angry avian within the confines of the glass. He disappeared into the hollow of the tree, having not been clearly seen by any creature, though his eyes glowed red from within the stump, giving anyone who gazed into them an eerie feeling.

Rem looked at Dai silently for a moment. "Did the human genetics give him some creepy eyes or what...?” She said amazed at the power of a simple gaze. "He's really something." She said in soft awe.

Dai shrugged. "Just happened. He is gorgeous though. Wait 'til you see him. Beautiful plumage. But I have to go. Good luck!" And with that, he left.

Bakura looked up, trying to get a glimpse of the 'new kid', but Marik was more concerned with eating his breakfast.

The eyes locked onto Bakura, staring him down for a moment, seeming to see the soul of the skunk without so much as a hurdle.

Ryou peered out of the log at the tree. "Bakura...” he said softly, trying to think of a way to identify which of his friends had been kidnapped. He bit his lip, thinking. "Bakura ask him something about a game please. Anything will do." Ryou said softly, knowing that whoever it was couldn't hear him, and he didn't want to flail around in the nude to get his friend's attention.

Bakura snorted. "Game? What does that have to do with anything?” he asked, glancing back at Ryou. "I can tell you he's got really mean lookin' red eyes. That ring any bells, Thumper?"

Ryou wrinkled his nose a bit. "My eyes weren't always red, I don’t know if his were or not.” he mumbled softly, spotting a small puzzle cube among his toys and tossing it over the wall.

"Just throw it at him. I'll know who it is, on how fast they solve it." Ryou grumbled, softly not wanting to be seen until he knew who it was. He'd just die if it was Jou...he'd never hear the END to the jokes.

Bakura just rolled his eyes. "Rabbits... everything the hard way... HEY!!!” he roared at the new neighbor. "What's your name?!"

The eyes looked up, glared for a moment, before a loud yawn was heard, signifying he wasn't going to grace his neighbor with an answer.

Ryou blinked, before giggling. "I don’t think he's talkative.” he said, rolling over a bit, feeling re-energized by the spectacle.

The eyes seemed to have a smug look to them, as though the owner was highly amused at the attempt to speak.

Bakura snorted. "Hey! Are you still deaf or somethin?! The Bunny wants to know who you are! Says he's a friend of yours or somethin!!!"

A voice, smooth as silk replied "must you be so loud?"

Ryou bit his lip, starting to guess who was hiding in that tree.

Bakura rolled his eyes. "Only when I'm pissed off.” he snapped, then picked up the puzzle block. "Here. Gift from the bunny." And with that, he climbed one of the trees in his own enclosure and chucked it into the new neighbor’s tree, grinning at the thump and yelp as he hit the newcomer in the head.

There was a soft growling sound, and in a matter of moments, the puzzle block was thrown back into Bakura's enclosure, solved, the prize missing from the center.

Ryou giggled, knowing immediately who it was, and amused at Bakura's irritated look.

Yami waited patiently, before chucking the remains of a corncob at Bakura, nailing him in the head. "Here, gift from your neighbor.” he said, the smug smirk EVIDENT in his eyes, which was followed by rich sounding laughter.

"WHY YOU SON OF WHORE!!!" Bakura screamed. "FUCK THIS!!! I'LL RIP YOU LIMB FROM LIMB LIKE MARIK JUST DID TO THE OTHER BIRD!!! AND I'LL EAT YOUR ENTRAILS, AS WELL!!!" And he began grabbing things right and left and chucking them up at Yami's smug grin. Marik looked up, taking his head out of the ribcage of the girl and watched, chewing on a lung. A drop of blood dripped from his hair and landed on the tip of his nose. He licked it off, watching Bakura for a while, and then buried his head back into his meal.

Yami chuckled softly, seeming to dodge each of them. "What a temper...no wonder you've been deodorized.” he said calmly, slowly gathering the things Bakura was throwing, and hoarding them in his little nook in the tree, not emerging from the darkness once.

Ryou howled with laughter at this point. "Bakura stop!” he said giggling. "Stop you're just egging him on!” he said, trying to force himself to breathe. "Yami's always one for the 'better than you' game!” he giggled and shook his head.

Bakura snarled and stopped, not because of what Ryou had said, but that he'd run out of things to throw. "No ass is worth this...” he growled, and stormed into his stump, grumbling.

"Guess you're gonna be stuck with Mr. Fluffles!!" Marik sang after swallowing the hunk of flesh in his mouth. "So, you know this guy, Ryou?"

Ryou nodded giggling in his stump. "Yami's the game king.” he said nodding. "You know the one who was in the news for winning the third international championship? Yami Mouto."

Yami yawned softly, finally stepping out of the tree, satisfied with his little victory over Bakura. "oh no, a real shame.” he said amused. Yami stretched a bit, his wings fanning out to reveal the beautiful blacks, crimsons, and golds. "So you're a bunny then? I thought I'd heard right...” he said calmly, looking at Ryou, taking a seat on the branch.

Ryou crawled out of the log and pressed up against the glass, looking at Yami. "Wow, you look like some kind of royal bird.....” he breathed, quite taken by Yami's beauty. Of course Yami hadn't ever been unattractive, but Ryou would never consider anything more than friendship with him, who date's their best friend's brother? No one, that's who.

Ryou giggled softly, no one except someone with a lot of patience; Yami couldn't let someone else have the last word...

Marik looked up at Yami and inspected him.

"Damn... guess that means I don't get any more failures to eat....” he sighed. "Oh well... I heard they're gonna start working on reptiles soon." And he buried his head into the girl's chest cavity and ripped out the heart.

"Bloody rooster...." Bakura grumbled from in his stump.

Yami ran his hands through an extended wing, beginning to preen and break open any pin feathers. "Idiot skunk." Yami retorted, without a second thought. "Oh, thanks for the puzzle Ryou." Yami said, shaking out the wing after a moment, before returning to the tedious task. "So...What's the story here?” he added calmly, focusing on the task at hand.

Ryou frowned. "Well, they want us to act like animals. We're not animals!" He said frustrated.

Yami looked up for a moment, studying the surroundings, before returning to his wing. "It would seem so."

Bakura snorted and grumbled, though a few choice curse words could be heard. Ryou winced at a loud cracking noise as Marik's jaws broke bones. After a moment Bakura emerged, still bitching under his breath, and went to the litter box in the corner of his cage to do his business. He finished, buried it, and then returned to his stump.

Yami chuckled. "How long do you intend to pout?” he said calmly. "It's not like you didn't have it coming, it's painfully obvious you're a stubborn jackass."

"FUCK YOU!!!!" Bakura shouted. "REEEEEEM!!! REM!!! REEEEEEEEEEEEM!!!"

Rem hurried to Bakura's enclosure, blinking. "What's wrong? Why aren't you outside? Don’t you want that meat I promised you?" She asked softly, entering his pen and blinking. "What happened to all the rocks and toys I gave you?"

Ryou burst into giggles again, and Yami couldn't help but laugh softly at Rem's comments.

Bakura came out, glaring at Rem. "Damn you woman!” he howled, pointing at Yami. "I am NOT living next to that overgrown stuck up peacock!!! GET RID OF HIM!!!!"

Rem gave Bakura a harsh slap to the bottom. "Don’t shout!" She said firmly, looking displeased. "You know I won’t tolerate being yelled at by animals here." She said frowning. "Now out of this stump and make friends. You acted smug when you got here too. Give him a chance."

Ryou giggled and fell to his back, rolling from side to side giggling.

Yami smiled innocently at Rem. "Rem? That horrible skunk has been throwing things at me! I think he hurt my wing....” he said in mock fright and hurt.

"WHAT?!?! WHY YOU COCK SUCKING FUCK-TARD!!!" Bakura screamed, launching himself into the glass divider over and over again, trying to break it. "WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU THERE WON'T BE ENOUGH LEFT FOR MARIK TO EAT!!!"

Yami puffed up his wings and immediately used the eyes Yugi had used so many times on him, to get his way. "Oh Rem I'm scared!” he said, adding a few soft whimpers.

Ryou was trying desperately to breathe between fits of laughter. "Oh my god...make it stop make it stop!"

Yami watched Bakura with big frightened, innocent eyes.

Rem frowned and picked Bakura up and gave him three more swats. "Stop tormenting him! Birds are very sensitive creatures!" She said, turning away from Yami to make Bakura face her, and Yami smirked broadly at him when she couldn't see, mimicking her soundlessly. "He's a very rare bird and so help me Bakura, if he starts plucking his own feathers out from stress because you won’t be nice to him, I'll put you in the hutch so fast your head will spin!"

Bakura was shaking in fury. "Sensitive my furry white ass, Rem!! If he's missing feathers, it's because I will have plucked them myself!!! He's FAKING it!!!"

Rem swatted him again, shaking him softly. "Bakura!" She said firmly. "I'm beginning to get cross with you; if you don’t hush up and behave I swear I'll hutch you right now, as it is I'm removing your stump as punishment for throwing your things at him. No stump for a week."

Yami shook with silent laughter, immediately reverting to a misty eyed frightened fearful bird, when Rem turned around. "Poor Yami, it's ok, tell you what, I'll coat your fruit in a bit of brown sugar, how's that sound?" She said, knowing every animal loved a bit of flavor to their food.

Yami smiled fearfully, and nodded. "Th-thank you"

Bakura's eyes widened and he began shrieking in his fury, bolting out the door of his cage before Rem knew what had happened. He began banging on the door to Yami's cage. "I'M GONNA KILL HIM!!! I'M GONNA KILL HIM!!! I SWEAR, I'M GONNA KILL HIM!!" When he couldn't get it open he tried to squeeze through the holes in the face of the cage for people to reach through and pet the animals, but he was way too big. The other animals, Marik included, stared, stunned, as Bakura grabbed the edge of one of the holes and threw his entire weight into it. With a loud crack, a piece cracked off and Bakura wormed his way into Yami's cage, slicing open his stomach. But Bakura didn't care; he leapt for Yami, eyes blazing in a lust to see the bird's blood. "KILL YOU! KILL YOU! KILL YOU! KILL YOU!"

Rem gasped and hurriedly opened Yami's enclosure, grabbing Bakura by his tail. "THAT IS IT!" She thundered, startling every creature in the building. "Marik!" She said dragging Bakura to his cage and tossing him in. "Don’t eat him, but you teach him a lesson!" She shouted, obviously furious at this point.

She hurried back to Yami, who was huddled over his wounds, feathers puffed out and shaking softly, glaring at Bakura and giving all the signs of an injured bird. Rem frowned picking him up and petting him carefully. "Come on little guy, I'll get you fixed right up."

Bakura blinked, eyes wide. He was in Marik's cage..... wait... HE was in MARIK'S CAGE!!! Bakura stared at Marik, fearfully. True, they had become good friends, despite their bickering, but he had never been face to face with Marik without glass between them. Marik blinked at Bakura, just as surprised. He sat up and wiped the blood from his mouth on the back of his arm.

"Ummm... hi.” he said.

"Yeah. Hi." Bakura replied. They stared at each other for a while. "You're not gonna.... are you?" Bakura asked, meekly. Marik blinked, and then snorted.

"Nah.” he said, assuring Bakura that he would not hurt him. "Just huddle in the corner when Rem gets back." Bakura nodded. There was another long pause. "Can.... can I.... feel your tail?" Marik asked. Bakura blinked, and then smiled. It was the first genuine smile Ryou had seen from Bakura.

"Sure. Can I have some?” he asked, looking at Marik's kill. Marik grinned.

"Sure!!!” he said, and Bakura ran over and began to eat the body while Marik pet his tail. Marik grinned and the softness then looked down at his friend and got down next to him to share the meal.

Ryou groaned and shook his head.

Rem came back shortly after and put Yami in Ryou's cage. Yami smiled and held up a wrist, that had one bandage on it, an ankle with one, and an elbow with another, the full extent of the damage he'd taken.

Ryou smiled and tackled Yami to the soft bedding and they both hugged, laughing at the joke that was being mercilessly played on Bakura.

Rem turned to Marik and looked at Bakura huddling in the corner. "As for you...” she said in such a calm voice it sent shivers down Ryou's spine.

Bakura stared at Rem and huddled further in the corner. She opened the door to Marik’s cage and walked in. But when she got close, Bakura ran to another corner and huddled there. Marik watched Rem chase Bakura around his cage, until Bakura finally climbed to the top of Marik's tree, and out of Rem's reach.

Rem growled softly. "I'm giving you to the count of three to come down, and if you're not down, I'm giving you to Daisuke once I GET you down." She said, in the same eerily calm voice.

Ryou and Yami watched quietly, Ryou nuzzling into his friend's wings and shoulder, as the show continued. "Bakura just climb down!" He said loudly. Yami nodded.

"I forgive you, maybe Rem w-won’t be so angry..." Yami said softly, snuggling with Ryou.

Bakura glared at Yami, and looked down at Rem. "That bird is NOT a rare, exotic sensitive fragile creature! What he IS, is a pain in the ass who happens to be a great ACTOR and YOU'RE FALLING FOR IT!!!"

Rem yanked Bakura down while he was distracted and held him tightly. "You're coming with me." She said, exiting Marik's cage and locking the door behind her.