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 6

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Marik looked up and ran to the corner of his cage when Rem returned with a crate. He looked over at Bakura, who met his look, and they watched as Rem approached Ryou's cage, ordering the two men with her to remove Yami.

Yami growled puffed up as the men handled him roughly.

"I'll have him stay in the pens in back until I get the paneling installed tomorrow." She said firmly, dumping the contents of the crate roughly onto the bedding of the cage.
Ryou shivered and curled up, ears drooping. He knew where he was now but it was even more frightening now that he couldn't defend himself. He got up weakly, still shaking lightly, and crawled slowly in the direction of his log, keeping his eyes firmly closed.

He let out a soundless yelp when he tripped over himself, hitting his head on the hard plastic log. He got up quickly shaking his head and crawled into the safe haven and curled up, immediately being joined by Tuc and Nod, who seemed very distressed.

Yami stared at the log silently, having ceased struggling when he'd seen Ryou trip over himself and hit his head. "Ryou..."

Marik was pacing wildly, and Bakura was also pacing, thought it was out of nerves.

"Ryou!" Marik called. "Ryou! What did they do?! Are you okay?! Ryou, answer me!!!"

Ryou remained silent, his ears not even twitching at the mention of his name. 'I'm scared...' he let out a soft whimper, opening his eyes, staring blindly at the side of his log. 'oh please...come back come back...w-what if this lasts forever? What...if by time doesn't matter, it lasts forever?! No...it wouldn't...b-because he said he'd do it again...oh please wear off...'

Ryou shook and hugged himself to try to keep himself feeling warm. He felt chilled all over from the cooled sweat. He wanted to bury himself under the shavings, but couldn't bring himself to try and dig, he'd end up laying down and hitting his head again, and his head already throbbed.

Marik was becoming frantic, running back and forth making upset lion noises. He jumped from his log to above his cave and back again, sometimes crouching as though he would try to jump the wall between him and Ryou, but then he'd change his mind and go back to his pacing.

One of the men nudged Rem and pointed out Marik's strange frantic behavior, something they had never seen before.

Rem frowned. "Marik, settle down, he's fine." She said soothingly. "Just tired. let him sleep." She added firmly. "Stop pacing around."

Yami squirmed. "He's not ok! Look at him! He hit his head on his own log! Tripped over himself! What did you do to him!” he shouted, yelping in pain when one of the men's grip tightened to the point he was sure something would break. He held his tongue but glared in silence.

Ryou finally sat up, too cold to hide it, letting out another yelp of pain when he hit his head once more on the log. 'ouch...' he thought miserably, beginning to burrow down. He curled up in the hole, carefully laying down and reburying his body to warm up. 'this isn't fair...'

Marik let out a loud whine when he heard Ryou’s head slam into the top of the log, and this time, he DID jump towards the wall, but smacked into it and fell. He turned, jumped on his log, and tried again.

"Marik you stop it this instant!" Rem said firmly. "You leave the rabbit alone." She added, taking Yami from the men and holding his wings closed as she carried him off.

"Stop it, just let him be. He's fine." She said firmly, carrying Yami off.

Ryou sniffled softly, feeling a slight vibration from when Marik had hit the wall, he looked towards Marik's cage, soft tears rolling down his cheeks. 'Marik...' He closed his eyes for a moment, opening them again to gaze blindly towards Marik's cage.

Marik didn't stop, however. He had given up on jumping and was now slamming into the side of the cage over and over again as hard as he could.

Ryou could feel the gusts and vibration, and became frantic. 'stop! stop please!' He shook his head frantically, sniffling and sitting up quickly, once again hitting his head, before feeling for the side of the log, and beginning to pound it loudly, trying to get Marik's attention.

Tuc and Nod also began thumping their legs, as their friend obviously sensed danger, and the lion was looking very angry.

Marik was beginning to yelp in pain as he slammed into the wall over and over again, and Bakura was shouting at him to stop. Many parents began to pull their children from the pet store, looking back at the lion anxiously.

Ryou whimpered silently and shook his head. 'Marik please! STOP!' he shouted in his mind and let out a choked sob. He closed his eyes, trying to make a noise, any noise to get Marik's attention away from the glass. He'd kill himself if he shattered that wall! It'd be just like a French guillotine.

He took a deep breath and slammed his fist into the log with such force, it shattered in one place and he felt searing pain, knowing a shard had been caught in the side of his hand from the force. He clutched it and whimpered, hoping he'd caught Marik's attention.

And Marik's attention had been caught, but at seeing Ryou in pain and bleeding he began to slam into the wall harder and faster than before until suddenly there was a loud snap, and a crack ran up the side of the wall. This brought Rem running. But when she got there Marik was lying in the sand knocked out, his forehead bleeding. And now a frantic Bakura was acting up.

Rem gasped. "Gosh darn it!" She shouted, rushing to her cart to get the first aid kit. She opened the door to Marik's enclosure and tended to his wound, carefully putting anti-scarring creams on it to prevent any permanent damage.

"Bakura if you act up any more so help me you'll be next!" She shouted glaring daggers at him, at her wit's end.

After inspecting Marik once more, she carefully carried him to his den and laid him down, clipping the chains that were still attached to his collar to a small hook in the floor. "I'm sorry Marik, but this is for your own good." She whispered leaving.

Next she tended to Ryou's bleeding hand, being not even the least bit gentle, but still taking care to prevent scars.

She wrapped his wrist, just as she'd wrapped Marik's head, and exited his enclosure and slammed the door shut, causing Ryou to panic. Had Marik started up again? He hiccupped softly and looked towards Bakura's enclosure, seeming to gaze past him into endless nothingness. He sniffled and shook his head. He took a deep breath, and mouthed the words "I...can’t....see..."

Bakura's tail dropped as he fixed a pitying stare on the rabbit. He sighed and lay down. He could do nothing.....

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

Pegasus entered the dark pet shop, Rem explaining all that had happened. He was led to Ryou's enclosure and let in.

Ryou awoke to Tuc and Nod thumping their feet next to him, obviously alarmed.
Ryou whimpered and ducked down into the wood shavings and looked around alarmed and frightened, forgetting his own blindness. 'who's there...l-leave me alone!'

Tuc and Nod scampered away suddenly and he felt utterly defenseless. 'Who's there?'

Ryou nearly screamed out loud when his ears were grabbed and he was pulled out from under the log. But then, he was pulled into a lap and cuddled... the hands stroked his head and back, and rocked him. It was The Hands.... they were back.....

Ryou gasped softly and curled into the arms sniffling. 'I'm scared... why did you leave me? Take me away... don’t leave me again...' Ryou whimpered. 'Am... I not a person anymore? Do you not see me as human? Am I just a pet to you?' his mind was flooding with questions that he wanted to hear the answers to. 'Please! tell me! What do I mean to you? What is my significance?'

Ryou nuzzled into the warmth of the hands, and his tears eventually stopped. 'I can’t see... can’t hear... I'm just like I used to be... and I'm frightened...'

Pegasus lifted Ryou up higher and kissed his forehead, then his cheeks, and gathered him close in a strong hug. He nuzzled Ryou's cheek with his nose, then set him down again, reaching into the basket he had brought with him. He held a slice of watermelon to Ryou's lips.

Ryou felt more tears slide down his face. 'does... that mean you care? You brought me a treat...' Ryou opened his mouth and sniffled softly, a beautiful smile gracing his lips when he tasted the treat. 'Watermelon... oh hands... I've missed you... you remembered my favorite treat...' He nuzzled into the arms of the hands and chewed the treat eagerly.

'Thank you... I feel better... they keep telling me I'm not a human anymore... I know I am... I still have my dreams. I still dream of traveling.' Ryou thought, once again conversing with the hands despite the fact he knew they couldn't hear him. 'I want to see the world... don’t you? Would you even let me? I want to live!' Ryou wiped his own eyes a bit, once he'd finished the watermelon.

Pegasus smiled and caressed Ryou's hair and stroked his ears, kissing the top of his head. He offered Ryou a slice of zucchini next, and smiling, flicked Ryou's tail.

Ryou nipped the hands slightly, not a bite, just a signal he was not happy enough to play at the moment 'I hurt everywhere, please don’t... a child pulled my tail very hard today... it's still sore...' he pouted in apology, taking the slice of zucchini and chewing it, before making an awkward face. 'what on earth was that? it tasted odd...'

Pegasus chuckled, and smoothed Ryou's tail in apology, kissing the tip of his nose and giving him a strawberry. Then he put Ryou on the ground and rolled him onto his back, beginning to rub his belly, gently.

Ryou squirmed slightly afraid of another tickle attack, but soon calmed and stretched comfortably. 'I feel so appreciated...' he thought closing his eyes and nuzzling into the soft bedding. 'did you see my friends? Nod and Tuc? I saved them from the lion...' Ryou let out a soft comfortable sigh.

Pegasus looked around and saw two little rabbits under the log. He made a kissey noise and tapped the shavings, and they slowly came out to investigate. They huddled next to Ryou, and Pegasus gave them little carrots, and gave Ryou a radish.

Ryou smiled when he felt the familiar presence of Tuc and Nod. 'you found them!' he chewed silenly, nuzzling into one and rolled onto his side, flicking an ear. 'I swear you must be able to read my mind... you're just too perfect...' Ryou let out a mute giggle and shook his head. 'that's impossible, people can’t read minds...'

Pegasus smiled as he heard this thought. Ah, if Ryou only knew. He pet the boy gently, and gave him a bit of banana, before pulling out a cheese cube and offering him that.

Ryou eagerly accepted the cheese, chewing it delightedly. 'they never give me cheese... did you know? They try to feed me pellets... bleck! Pellets, that's just code for edible catlitter! oh I wish I could introduce you, the pink Skunk is Bakura... he's kinda grouchy though... and then there's Marik he's the lion... I hope he's ok. He gave me a scare earlier... I think he was trying to break the glass to see if I was ok... That horrible man made me this way again... he scares me... I wish I never had to see him again.'

Ryou nuzzled into the rabbits and shivered at the thought of Daisuke. 'he's a horrible horrible man! Look at all these people... all of them, look what he's done!' Ryou shivered 'and he'll just keep doing it. How I wish you understood me and could put a stop to it! He even got Yami! Poor Yami... but he looks like a royal angel... so it's not so bad...he didn't seem to be taking it badly. Yami can adjust to anything I suppose...' The image of Yami sitting on that branch in his enclosure filled Ryou's mind. 'he was very pretty...'

Pegasus smiled at this, somewhat amused, and somewhat saddened. He looked over at Bakura and grinned at the sight of a pink skunk, then looked over at Marik, but could not see him. He just continued to pet Ryou gently, and feed him treats. Then, he gave Ryou a little bit of Peanut Brittle as a parting gift; it was time for him to leave again.

Ryou whimpered softly and shook his head. 'please don’t go... take me with you don’t leave me here!' Ryou sniffled and crawled slowly towards Pegasus. 'Please... I don’t want to be alone like this not alone in the dark...' tears once again fell from ruby eyes and Ryou cried silently. 'Don’t leave me here with these awful people! rescue me!'

Pegasus sighed and hugged Ryou, then nudged him back to his log. He then turned, and left his pet bunny alone in the dark.

Ryou sniffled softly, clutching the uneaten peanut brittle and nibbling on it occasionally. 'I want to get away...' he thought sadly laying the peanut brittle aside, where he'd find it easily once he woke up. Sniffling a bit more, he curled up within the log he'd been nudged back towards, and closed his eyes.

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

Morning came, and Yami found himself waking inside his enclosure, and wondered briefly how he'd slept through someone moving him.

"Bakura... is Ryou ok?” he asked, landing near the glass. "Oh... and sorry about before..." He said, grimicing at apologizing. "Ryou wanted me to apologize... and I don’t think now is the time for us to be fighting...” he added quickly, not wanting it to seem he'd been apologizing just for Bakura's sake.

Slowly, Bakura raised his head and fixed angry eyes on Yami. "Not the time to fight, eh?” he snapped, glaring. "Because of YOUR theatrics, I am PINK!!! SEE ME?! PINK!!! So don't think you'll be getting any forgiveness any time soon!!!" And he stalked around to the other side of his stump and hid behind it, growling angrily. "Oh, and Ryou has had his sight, hearing and smell taken away again."

Yami frowned. "Pink suits your girly little outbursts.” he said in a cocky tone. "What about Marik? Is Marik ok?"

Soft crunching noises could just barely be heard over the dying cricket chirps and snoozing sounds of the other animals.

'peanut brittle...' Ryou sniffled softly and once again buried the treat and inched towards the wall between himself and Marik, gently tapping the glass, wanting desperately to hear a soft tap back, but knowing he wouldn't.

'Marik...' He ran his hand over the wall and gasped sharply, pulling his hand away, feeling intense heat in his finger. 'cut..' he put the sore finger into his mouth, soothing the sting.

Yami blinked. "Well Ryou just cut himself... poor guy.." Yami grumbled a bit. "Hey pinky, stop pouting and answer me.”

Bakura snarled loudly, but that was the only answer Yami go from him. Then, a loud bang signaled Rem and the arrival of breakfast.

Marik winced and blinked his eyes open, groaning at his throbbing head. He watched as Rem came directly over to his enclosure to check on his head, and Ryou's hand. Ryou! He leapt up, stumbling at the dizzyness that overtook him momentarily, then ran towards the wall where Ryou was huddling. But he was suddenly jerked back. Marik turned and stared down at the heavy chain coming from his collar and going to a ring in the floor of his cage under the sand in his cave. His eyes widened and he began pulling.

"Muuuuuuurumph!” he called sadly, and fixed an unhappy look on Rem from under the bandages on his forehead. "Huuuuuuurumph!!"

Rem shook her head and set down his breakfast of two whole chickens, rubbed with some spices. "I'm sorry Marik, it's for your own good." She said patting his head. "The bunny is fine." She added, getting up and inspecting the wall. "Look what you did to the glass. I expected better from you Marik, hanging around that bad little bunny is ruining your temperament." She said shaking her head and crossing her arms, exiting his enclosure and entering Ryou's.

Ryou felt the soft breeze and panicked, scrambling away, once again tripping over himself to get into his log, and once again hitting his head, and also this time his arm on the entrance.

Rem rolled her eyes and placed some celery, carrots and two apples into his feeding dish.
Rem reached in, dragging Ryou out of the log by his ears and plopping him roughly before his food, and pressing his face into the food, to give him an idea of what was in the dish.

"Rotten little thing, maybe now you'll figure out who's the master, and who's the animal." She said, seething slightly at all the trouble she'd had to deal with, involving this little rabbit.

Ryou whimpered as he felt the breeze as she closed the door, and backed away from the food looking around, his eyes not focusing on anything due to blindness. He sniffled and buried his face in his hands mournfully. 'Marik I'm scared...'

Marik growled loudly at Rem for the harsh treatment of the gentle bunny. He watched Tuc and Nod run to the dish and begin to eat one of the apples. Marik tried to reach out to the glass, but couldn't reach. With a depressed "muuuuuurrrrrrrr...” he settled down and began to eat his breakfast, watching Bakura glaring at Rem from behind his stump as she placed food in his dish.

Rem exited Bakura's enclosure, and entered Yami's, feeding him quickly before once again leaving the four creatures alone.

Ryou inched towards the glass and once again began tapping, and scratching at it to get close to Marik, to the sense of safety. He whimpered softly. "Marik...” he mouthed, no sounds coming from him. "Marik!” he tried once more sniffling and letting his forehead lay against the cool glass, ears drooping into his face.

Marik let out another low sad noise as he watched Ryou, but the chain held him in place. He sighed and looked down at his half eaten chicken, then left it where it was, returning to his cave to sulk. Bakura scurried out of hiding and began to dig through his breakfast, eating grubworms where he found them, and stuffing his face with blue berries.

Yami frowned, picking at his breakfast dully, looking at the two miserable animals.
"Poor guys...” he said, taking a bite out of a peach.

Ryou whined softly and began digging against the glass by the crack, hoping to find a way into Marik's cage. He could feel the sand filtering through into the wood shavings. He just had to get to Marik, Marik would watch him! He jumped and hissed in pain, pulling a bleeding hand away. He sniffled, and carefully felt down with his other hand, finding a hole he was sure he could fit through.

He clutched his bleeding hand, shaking a bit. The glass had broken due to the pressure and Marik's incessant ramming the day before. He sniffled, carefully pulling out several small shards of glass. "Marik...” he mumbled soundlessly. He didn't even understand why he was so drawn to Marik, just that he needed to be near him in his vulnerability.

Bakura blinked and watched all of this, as did Yami.

"Wow... he's REALLY gonna be in trouble...." Bakura said.

Marik blinked and turned his head, hearing a strange noise. What he saw made him jump to his feet and run out of his cave. Ryou had dug under the wall, and was currently widening the hole enough for him to fit through. Marik pulled on his chain, trying to get closer to Ryou as the boy began to worm his way through the hole.

Ryou froze and winced as dirt got into a cut on his back, his estimate of being small enough to fit through just a bit off. "Marik...” he mouthed, letting out a choked sob and forcing himself the rest of the way through the hole, and collapsing in the warm sand, panting softly from the strain, and the pain.

He shakily forced himself up and began feeling his way around the sand. He was in unfamiliar territory now... and hadn't ever memorized Marik's enclosure. He just slowly crawled, wincing as his cut hand seemed to absorb more and more sand into the would, and with every movement his back throbbed as blood slowly dribbled out of the wound. He shuddered slightly and fell to the dirt wearily.

'It hurts to move....'

Marik strained, reaching out as far as he could, but Ryou was still just inches out of reach. So Marik turned around and reached with his backside. The tip of his tail tickled Ryou under the nose.

"C'mon..." Marik said, softly. "Just a bit further, Ryou...."

Ryou sneezed softly and forced himself shakily up once more, seeming to sense Marik's voice despite his inability to hear. He hissed and inched forward a bit more, feeling a slight breeze of movement in front of him. 'Marik...?' He crawled forward one more pace, before loosing his balance and once again falling to the sand, crying out in silent agony as new sand got into the wound on his back, and the fact he may have just widened the cut.

Ryou laid still, panting softly, his once snowy ears tinged brown and pink from small cuts and dirt. He shivered and closed his eyes tightly sniffling. "Marik...” he mouthed once more, curling up to try and ease the pain he was feeling from the several cuts he'd received.

Marik reached out, finally finding Ryou in his reach. He pulled him closer, then nuzzled him, licking his wounds with a rough tongue which hurt, but it got the sand out of them. Then, he gently guided Ryou into his cave, letting Ryou huddle in the back corner while he himself lay down between Ryou and the mouth of the cave.

Ryou shivered softly, inching closer every moment or so, to snuggle into Marik's side unexpectedly, nuzzling him softly. He opened blind eyes and stared at Marik, despite his inability to see and smiled. "Protect me...” he mouthed laying his head down and slowly relaxing against Marik's warmth.

Yami blinked. "Well...this won’t end well..."

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

Children gathered before the rabbit cage, frowning. "Mommy....where's the bunny?" It was only a matter of time until Rem got the many questions of concerned parents, asking where the precious white rabbit had gone. At first she waved it off as the little bugger merely hiding in his log, but soon she began to wonder. She entered Ryou's enclosure and frowned. He really was gone.

She quickly exited and looked at Bakura, panic clear on her features. "Bakura where is the rabbit?" She asked, trying to feign calmness, and not doing so well.

Bakura looked at Rem, and blinked, then, he thought a moment. He opened his mouth.

"Oh, he's....” he stopped, and looked back at his pink tail. Then he turned to Rem and gave her a smug look. "He's at an undisclosed location.” he said, deciding not to grace her with an answer in revenge for his lovely color change. After all, she would find Ryou herself when she did a more thorough inspection of Ryou's cage.

Rem frowned. "Not the time for games Bakura, tell me where he is!" She said, beginning to loose her cool act.

Yami chuckled. "Oh that'll solve everything, a good shouting match with Bakura will surely get the guy to spill his guts. Especially after dying him pink."

Rem fumed. "Tell me where Ryou is Bakura!" she said opening the door and picking him up by his tail. "I need to know! He's reserved! If his owner found out I'd lost him heads will roll, and so help me if I get in trouble, I'll feed you to Rex!" She said, fear ebbing in her voice at the idea of Dai's wrath over the lost rabbit.

Bakura yelped and struggled as he dangled from the strong woman's grasp by the tail.

"I ain't sayin a thing! He's fine!” he said, but then Rem turned and walked towards the door to Bakura's cage, beckoning some of the male employees over, and they came with a chain while the children gathered around, excited about the pink skunk. Bakura's eyes widened when he saw the children and the chain.

"No... NO!! Not the pen!!! NOT THE PEN!!! NOOOO!!!!!” he howled in terror.

Rem let the men chain up the skunk. "Maybe next time you'll think twice before disobeying." She said as the children swarmed Bakura like fans on a celebrity.

Rem locked Bakura's enclosure as he was dragged off, and once again entered Ryou's enclosure. She began softly moving things around, looking under the log, and under the bedding, before noticing the shattered glass and bloodied wood and sand.

She growled and quickly exited, not bothering to lock the door. "MARIK!" She growled, entering the lion's enclosure. "Marik it's time Ryou left." She said stepping in front of the lion's den. "Now out with him." She commanded.

Yami winced a bit, this was going to be one HELL of a show...

Marik turned and looked at Rem, yawning and flicking his tail and an ear, lazily. "Out with what?” he asked, innocently, ignoring Bakura's whining from across the room as his tail was pulled by countless little hands.

"The rabbit, send him out here." Rem said glaring. "Don’t play stupid with me."

Marik smiled innocently. "What rabbit? I do beleive that my head injury has affected me.” he said in a sugary tone, batting his eyelashes.

Rem took a step towards the den looking very determined. "If you won’t give him to me, I'm taking him." She said firmly. "He's a very bad rabbit!"

Marik frowned and glared at Rem. "He's scared! And hurt! And I'm NOT giving him to you!!” he snapped, not noticing several parents coming over to investigate the confrontation while their children tortured Bakura.

Rem glared and crossed her arms. "He's HURT because he crawled through broken glass to get to you. He's hurt because you won’t leave him alone!" She spat, taking another step towards them.

Ryou knew something was happening, he felt Marik's tail lashing and his breathing become more agitated. He nuzzled into his side and trembled slightly.

"If he's hurt, you shouldn't horde him back there anyway! He needs treatment!" Rem said staring him down.

Marik got to his feet and moved himself so that his body was blocking the mouth of the cave. He said nothing, just bared his teeth and growled threateningly at Rem, flexing his fingers to show his claws.

Rem glared, slowly sinking down to eye level with him. "Marik... after all the time you've known me are you really going to ruin your own chances of getting an owner over that selfish bratty little rabbit?" She said calmly, looking him in the eyes. "After all the things I've done for you are you really going to bare your teeth at me?"

Marik growled. "Ruin WHAT chances?! I've been here for three years.... I think if anyone would have wanted me, they would have taken me by now.” he said, a growl in his tone, but Rem could hear the feelings of lonely sadness and rejection underneath.

Rem gently reached forward and patted his head. "You don’t want to ruin the chances you have Marik. No one will ever want a ferocious lion. Give me the bunny." She said softly. "There's a lot of people watching... maybe if you're good one will like you enough to buy you." She added softly, scratching his ears.

Marik slowly let his head and tail droop. "Muuuurrroowl.....” he said in a dejected tone and walked closer to Rem, sitting at her feet and resting his head on her shoulder.

Rem patted his back and smiled softly. "Good boy." she said carefully moving around him and picking up Ryou by his ears. "And as for you..." She growled softly.

Ryou whimpered and shook his head, squirming to get away, knowing who had grabbed him. "No! Please!” he mouthed, though no sound escaped his lips. "Put me down it hurts!"

Marik stared at Rem with wide eyes, and was pacing back forth, anxiously. "D-Don't hurt him!!” he whimpered, pushing his head into the cave around Rem and licking Ryou's cheek, trying to calm him down. "Don't hurt him! Just... leave him in here while you fix the wall? Please?" Marik begged, licking Rem's cheek pleadingly. Rem backed out of the cave, stumbling over Marik's un-eaten breakfast, dragging Ryou with her. "Please?!"

Ryou squirmed and opened his eyes, unknowingly looking at Marik, the expression on his face showing deep hurt, fear and betrayal. "Marik!!” he tried to wail, once again failing. Rem hoisted him up and tried to subdue the flailing bunny.

Ryou was desperate to get away, but froze as his body filled with a flash of white hot pain. Rem had touched his back with her sweaty palm. He let out a silent howl of pain and laid rigidly in her arms, panting and trembling.

"Rem! Please!!!" Marik cried, following her as far as the chains allowed him to. "Please let him stay in here!!!!" Bakura glanced up at Yami briefly, before going back to the unfolding drama.

"Heh... this is better than soap operas!" Weevil sneered, and he and Rex burst into laughter.

Rem shook her head. "No Marik, lions don’t keep bunnies in their pens, you EAT rabbits." She said firmly, struggling to keep a hold of Ryou who was doing everything in his power once again to escape her. "Lions and bunnies do not mix."

Yami stared. "Marik for Ra's sake!” he squawked. "This is what I was talking to you about! Who are you!?"

Marik strained against the chains, a mournful expression on his face as Rem carried Ryou away. He let out a loud lion equivalent to a meow and dropped to the sand, hiding his face in his folded arms.

Yami sighed shaking his head. Marik was just too far gone... "I'm sorry Marik...” he said bowing his head a bit as Rem disappeared from his vantage point.

Rem tossed Ryou roughly into a tub and began scrubbing him harshly, frustrated with him. "You horrible little white rat!" She spat, scrubbing him. "Why can’t you just behave!?"

After a few minutes of harsh scrubbing and stinging soap, Ryou laid still as she carefully wrapped his torso and checked his ears for any deep cuts, satisfied to see the only cuts had been minor and for the most part were closed up.

She once again picked up the phone, dialing the geneticist. "Dai..." she said drained. "He's still being stubborn, he dug a hole and crawled through broken glass to get at the lion. I'm running out of ideas... Maybe we should just sell him already." She said resting her head on the desk. "Even after your injection he's still struggling and causing trouble for me..." She breathed, slowly calming down and shaking her head. "Why is he so convinced he's human?"

Dai sighed. "Perhaps you should move him to a different cage. See how it works out.” he offered. "He's not trained yet, we can't hand him over to Mr. Pegasus. Not yet. I'm sorry dear, but you just need to stick with it for a while. Just remember that he's not there long."

Rem groaned softly. "I know... but I'm wondering how long I can keep this up before I just feed him to Rex. He's disrespectful, disobedient and no punishment is harsh enough to knock sense into him..." She said glaring at Ryou's still form, laying on the table dripping wet. "I've never had this much trouble with any other animal before. Did you possibly make a mistake and give him stubborn genes in that human mix or what?" She said.

Rem was blissfully unaware that Ryou was telling the truth, as far as she knew he really was just a white rabbit made to resemble a human.

Dai sighed. "No, I didn't. He must have been a stubborn little thing after all. When he gets his sense back, which should be within the next twenty four hours, why don't you try to talk to him calmly about it? And if he's still being stubborn, just... take those rabbits away from him. Give them to Marik. That's what they're for; Marik's dinner, not Ryou's friends."

Rem nodded and took a slow shaking breath. "Thanks Dai..." She said smiling a bit. "You're right..." Hanging up the phone she turned to look at Ryou and sighed.

Rem brought Ryou out from the back and looked around for a place to put him. "Who wants to bunk with the rabbit?" She called calmly, looking for volunteers.

Of course, the first volunteer was Rex. "I'll see to it that he doesn't cause trouble anymore, Rem...” he growled, wagging his tail. Marik let out an upset roar.

"REM!!” he howled, pacing back and forth.

Rem looked at Rex calmly. "You're not allowed to eat him, or injure him. For today you keep him in order, I'll give you whatever you want for dinner. Does that sound like an even deal? You teach this rabbit to behave, and you get whatever your heart desires to eat." She offered, ignoring Marik.

Marik let out an enormous roar and began fighting the chains as thought his life depended on it. Bakura watched him, alarmed, from where he was running around the pen, trying to escape the children.

"Rem!" Bakura howled, tucking his tail under himself. "Rex will hurt him and you know it! I'll take him.” he said, silently cursing himself. 'You'd better appreciate it, Marik...'

Rem frowned. "No. I don’t want him near you three. I'm tired of these little games, he's learning his place, and he's learning it today. No more miss nice lady." She said turning to Rex. "You're not to eat him, or mortally wound him, but if he needs discipline, I assume you can give him a thrashing without much outward marring." She said looking Rex down. "If you eat this rabbit, I'll take his cost out of your hide and have you skinned and fed to Marik." She added motioning to the furious lion. "So I suggest you accept my little deal and just request your dinner."

Rex pouted for a moment. "Rabbit.” he said with a smirk, eyeing Ryou. "And I won't kill him or wound to scar. Cross my heart...." He blinked a moment. "Oh, and I want it live!"

Rem smiled. "Fine, I'll get you rabbits to eat, no eating THIS rabbit however. No wounding to scar and no taking little bites out of him because you're hungry." She said opening the door. "I'm putting my good faith in you Rex, if you are a good boy, you'll be given a reward much better than getting to eat this guy. He'd just give you indigestion."

With that said, she tossed Ryou in and locked the door, glaring the mess between Ryou and Marik's cage she had left to clean. "Let this be a lesson to anyone else who gets any big ideas about giving me trouble. I'm NOT playing nice anymore until he learns his place in the world!" She said loudly, glaring ice at each animal that was looking.

Rex grinned, circling the rabbit huddling on the course dirt floor of his cage, shivering. He skirted around a bit of tumble weed, then charged, knocking Ryou over and sniffing him, eagerly.

Bakura in the mean time lost his temper as a child pulled his tail. He yelped in pain, then whirled and bit the little girl. She screamed bloody murder, and Bakura immediately ran to a corner and huddled there. It was only a matter of time before Rem came to punish him.

Rem fixed her angry glare on Bakura and in a movement so fast it had to be superhuman, had him by his tail and giving him the spanking of a lifetime. "BAKURA!" She said fiercely, holding him to face her. "You do not bite people." She hissed, hearing a few children snickering about the skunk getting a spanking.

She roughly jammed a piece of cloth around a bit into his mouth and tied it back, making a gag that even he couldn't bite through and putting him back in the pen, glaring. "Lets see you bite through that." She said grumpily.

Yami stared shocked. "Damn... she means up fast doesn't she?” he breathed quietly, noticing the equally shocked look on Bakura's face. Yami had to wonder briefly if Bakura had even known what hit him.

Bakura shook his head, trying to get the thing out of his mouth, but a sudden shock from his collar made him stop. He turned and fixed pleading eyes on Rem. 'She was HURTING me!!!' He whined mentally. A child grabbed his tail and he ran, tucking it underneath him and huddling in a corner. The children followed. Bakura stared, alarmed as they came, so he did the only thing he could think of. He turned his backside to them and lifted his tail. The children all froze.

"Wait... wasn't he deodorized?" One of the older ones asked. Bakura grinned to himself.

'Yep... but only to a certain extent.' He mused to himself. Then, Bakura farted. LOUDLY. The children screamed and scattered, running as if for their lives. Bakura sat down laughing to himself, and gave Rem a smug look.

"I hope that little stunt was worth it, because you just cost yourself lunch Bakura." Rem said calmly. "And probably dinner too." She added after a minute.

Ryou whimpered feeling the heat from breathing against his skin. His ears were playing tricks on him...he could swear he could faintly hear snarling. He sat up slowly and looked around blindly. He wasn't in his enclosure... or Marik's. Where was he?

Suddenly, his ear was seized in teeth.... long sharp teeth.... and he was tugged across rough rocky ground.

Ryou gasped and struggled to keep up with the dragging, trying to ease his pain, but his face gave away the agony that his ear was enduring. Whimpering softly, he raised a hand to try and find the source of the biting.

Trembling as he found rough hair, and pointy ears, he gulped and his breathing quickened. He wasn't in Bakura's enclosure either...which only meant one thing. Had...Had Rem decided to kill him?

Ryou began trembling and shaking his head slowly, eyes wide and beginning to fill with frightened tears. "N-no please...” he breathed soundlessly.

Rex snarled and bit Ryou's hand, sharply, then shoved him onto his back and stood over him, seizing his throat in his teeth, but didn't break the skin. He simply sat and waited for Ryou to beg for mercy.

Ryou stiffened, eyes wide as he breathed slowly. "D-don’t...” he said in the softest hoarsest of whispers. Ryou blinked when he had felt his voice work, even slightly. It was short lived however as he fell into a fit of coughing and tried to shove the creature off slowly, not wanting to entice whoever or whatever it was to end his life.

Rex slowly let go and slowly dragged his tongue up Ryou's chest, neck, and cheek, then backed away and stared at him.

Ryou laid still, whimpering softly and barely breathing, too frightened to move. He wrinkled his nose slightly after a few moments, slowly sitting up and making a face. Whoever it was licked him... and it wasn't in his mind appropriate especially since he was so vulnerable.

Yami frowned, watching Rex torment Ryou. "Poor Ryou..” he said searching for a way to get loose and distract the mangy mutt from the poor senseless bunny.

Rex circled him, tongue rolling out in silent laughter. Weevil watched, immensely entertained by the entire thing. Bakura in the mean time was strutting around the pen, raising his tail whenever anyone got near him.

Ryou shook like a leaf, his senses returning dimly. He was overjoyed at that fact, but they weren't good enough to identify the creature that was tormenting him.

Rem picked up Bakura and smirked evilly at him. "Think you're real tough don’t you..." She said cooly. "Wonder how adorable you'd be in a diaper. that'd stop the kids from being afraid of a stinkless skunk." She threatened. "A diaper, with pretty little ribbons painted on it."

Bakura's eyes widened.

"MmmHMMPHmmmMmmmHMM!!!” he cried through the gag, shaking his head frantically. "HNNNNN!!! MMMMM!!!!"

Rem forced him down and diapered him. Placing him back in the pen, his tail sticking out of a small hole that she'd pulled it through, the fur sticking out at odd angles. "Now behave or I'll make your life hell."

Children inched forward to the cuddly skunk in the diaper. "Aww he plays dress up mommy!" one child said. "He makes such a cute little baby!"

Rem nodded. "He does, and if he tries anything, I have a bib and bonnet with his name on them."

Bakura whimpered in a defeated tone, then slumped over onto the floor and didn't move; just GLARED at Rem.

Rex in the meantime was sitting and staring at Ryou, waiting as his senses returned.
Ryou's eyes widened as they began to focus. "R-R-Rex…” he stammered, backing away slowly, ears flattened against his skull. He looked around frantically, his breathing hitching as he realized he was in Rex's enclosure...with Rex, a… very amused looking Rex.

He slowly turned back to face him. "Rex..."

Rex smirked. "Hey there... Ryou, is it?” he asked, a growling laugh in his tone. He licked his jaws.

Ryou nodded slowly. "Y-yes...” he said yelping as his back hit the glass back to Rex's enclosure. "Why...w-what am I--?" Ryou stammered, looking at Rex warily.

"Rem has given me the job of teaching you your place in life." Rex said, sitting on his haunches. "You see, first there are people, and animals. WE are animals. The humans are the masters. Then, there are predators, and prey. I am the predator. YOU are the prey. I am the master. And you had better learn it quick...” he snarled, getting up and stalking closer to Ryou.

Ryou looked around the enclosure for someplace to hide, and swallowed hard finding the only place being Rex's sleeping area, a small cave that had a few cacti near it. No escape.

Ryou inched sideways, hoping to elude Rex and melt into the glass. "W-what? B-but....” he stammered despite himself.

Rex chuckled. "You should have listened to your idiot neighbors... you would have saved you AND them a lot of grief. I think Marik will break his neck it he keeps on like he is now..." Rex glanced at Marik who was still trying to get loose of the chains. "And Bakura would have his dignity. But noooooo.... you have to be stubborn and spoiled. Well, you're here to be broken of that....."

Ryou swallowed hard and looked at Marik longingly. "Marik... MARIK!” he shouted suddenly. "MARIK!” he yelped and looked back at Rex, who was growling. "L-leave me alone...." Ryou stammered inching to the side again.

Rex smirked. "Let's review. What are you?"

Ryou swallowed and stared at Rex fearfully, unable to even voice his opposition. He bit his lip, swallowing hard and shaking his head. "H-human...” he whimpered suddenly.

Rex let out a snarling roar and leapt at Ryou, giving him a firm thrashing, bashing him around, scratching him up, and biting his ears until Ryou broke away and fled.

Ryou sped into the first place his feet took him, the dead-end that was Rex's hollow. He turned and stared out whimpering. "Stop! Please!” he said stumbling a bit, his body already weak from the previous day and morning's activities.

Rex snickered. "Wrong answer. What are you?"

Ryou swallowed hard and remained silent, backing up. "Please just leave me alone!” he whimpered flattening against the back of the hollow. "leave me alone!"

"ANSWER, RODENT!!!"

Ryou yelped softly and shook his head. "I...I...” he stammered whimpering. "I...I'm hu-hu-"

Rex snarled and began to come closer. "You had better be preparing to say 'hungry'......"

Ryou swallowed hard. "H-h-....h-h-human.” he breathed his ears flattening against his head. "w-why a-are you doing this?” he whimpered as Rex neared him.

"Because... you're not human....” and he attacked even more ferociously this time.

Ryou yowled in pain and squirmed to get away. "Stop please!" he wailed, tears rolling down his cheeks. "You're hurting me stop!" Ryou laid still after Rex finally backed off. "It hurts....” he whimpered, battered and bruised. He slowly lifted his head and looked at Rex tiredly. "Please... no more..."

Rex snorted. "That all depends on you. What are you."

Ryou whined softly and buried his head in his hands, unwilling to speak, knowing his mouth would betray him and award him with another fierce beating. "please... j-just stop..."

Rex snickered and licked Ryou's cheek, not in a comforting way, but to taste his blood.

"Answer the question...” he hissed.

Ryou shivered and pulled away from the tongue. "I don’t want to..." Ryou whimpered

Rex snarled and nipped his cheek, drawing more blood. "ANSWER!!!"

Ryou yelped and squirmed away again. "stop please!” he pleaded softly. "J-just leave me alone!"

Rex snorted and smirked. "Answer the question."

Ryou shook his head fearfully. "I do-don’t want to..."

Rex snorted. "Have it your way.... REM!!"

Rem looked up from Bakura to Rex, tossing the skunk back into his enclosure for lunch, as parents and children alike had slowly but surely began to exit the pet shop for their own lunches, leaving the place relatively empty.

"Yes Rex?"

"He's not co-operating. Refuses to admit he's an animal and now is refusing to answer completely. I think he needs some encouragement.” he said, grinning.

Rem nodded. "Ryou, that's the final straw." She said, storming across the store into his enclosure and roughly picking up Tuc and Nod and throwing them into Marik's cage, unchaining the lion within. "Eat them." She said, carrying the chains that had been attached to his collar out, and slamming the door.

Ryou stared wide eyed. "MARIK DON’T! PLEASE!” he squealed, peering weakly out of Rex's hollow.

Rex snarled and smacked Ryou upside the head. Marik shook his mane and blinked, a bit confused. Then, he saw the rabbits. He stared, and his eyes got wide, then narrowed.

The rabbits were frozen in fear as they faced the lion. Marik licked his lips, grinning, and crouched down in a pouncing position. Then, he launched himself forwards with a roar, and pounced. Sand flew up in a great cloud and Nod darted away... but Tuc screamed. The sand settled and Marik looked at Rem, the rabbit dangling from his mouth. He turned and trotted into his den, then suddenly streaked out again, heading straight for Nod. Nod fled, Marik on his heels.

Ryou broke into sobs as Nod was trapped in Marik's jaws, shaking his head in disbelief. His little companions... eaten by someone he thought he trusted. "HOW COULD YOU!?” he wailed burying his face into his hands, sobbing for the loss of life. "HOW COULD YOU MARIK?! YOU MONSTER!” he shrieked through the sobs.

Marik turned and trotted into his den with Nod, and didn't emerge. Rex chuckled.

"Is Marik human?” he asked Ryou.

Ryou sobbed softly, shrinking back into the hollow. "leave me alone...” he mumbled somberly, collapsing near a wall and crying softly.

Rex grabbed Ryou by the ears and jerked him up. "IS HE?!?!"

Ryou looked at Rex brokenly and sniffled. "no...” he mumbled, heart wrenching in guilt and sorrow.

Rex grinned. "If he's not... how can YOU be? The only difference between you and Marik is that he is a predator. YOU are prey.... but you are BOTH animals......"

Ryou sniffled softly. "But...” he started, but simply closed his mouth and nodded, large tears spilling down his cheeks.

"So... what are you?" Rex asked again.

Ryou felt his heart drop to his feet. "Please stop...” he said softly. "Just let me be..."

"WHAT ARE YOU?!?!

Ryou winced and looked at Rex with sad empty eyes. "Prey...” he mumbled softly looking down, suddenly relaxing in Rex's grip.

Rex grinned. "Right.” he said, petting Ryou. "And there for you are....?"

Ryou sniffled and pulled away slightly. "Please stop..." He whimpered not wanting to let go of his last clutches of the life he'd known. "Please..."

"And therefore you are..?!" Rex growled, getting up in a threatening manner.

Ryou sobbed softly, looking away. "A rabbit...” he mumbled miserably, sliding to the floor of the cave to curl up and cry softly over his own death.


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

IMPORTANT NOTE!!!!

Hello all! First off, I want to apologize for the lack of updates with ‘Burning Sea’ and this week’s missing chapter of ‘Ahmose Inarus’. It’s that time of the semester, folks, final exams, research papers, and all that shit. I’m busy as hell and the next chapter of BS has yet to be written and AI is not quite complete. Plus, I have noticed that not many have been reading ‘Ahmose Inarus’. That’s not a problem for me, I knew it would not attract many readers considering that it is focused on an original character, and those are not exactly popular in fanfics. I know… I tend to avoid fics with too many OC’s or too much focus on an OC. There. I admit it. I’m a hypocrite. ^_^()

However, I did get the opinion of many of my readers, and many said they wanted to see the fic ‘Ahmose Inarus’. That is why I posted it. However, I hope to post the sequel to ‘Koibito Yami’ in the undefined future, called ‘Millennium Balance’. I think it is only fair to warn you that you may be a bit lost in that fic unless you read the three prequels; ‘Koibito Yami’, ‘Ahmose Inarus’ and the sequel to AI, ‘Mikado Maho.’ Just letting you know and giving you a heads up. And for those of you who ARE reading AI and reviewing, (though there IS a serious lack of reviews… actually I’ve notied a recent decline in reviews in general)glad you’re enjoying it.

Anyway, look for updates on Ahmose Inarus and Burning Sea after Christmas break. Sorry, but I don’t think I’ll have anything to post up on those between now and when I leave the campus and go home where I will have no internet access… for a month. So until then, read and enjoy what I’ve already got up, and REVIEW DAMMIT!!! THE AUTHOR NEEDS REVIEWS!!! FEED ME! FEEEEED MEEEE!!!!

Yyyyeah…. >.>

Merry Christmas!!!! ^_^