"Mrrow?" Bakura stopped and listened, hoping to hear the sound again. "Mrrow?'

"I hear you. Here kitty." He whispered, crouching down and looking around. "Come on. I'm not going to hurt you." A tiny kitten wobbled out from underneath the bushes to his right. Shyly, it rubbed up against the Tomb Robbers ankle. "Aren't you the pretty one." He commented. The kitten's fur seemed to be gold, but it was hard to tell, as the tiny creature was wearing a complete coat of dirt and grime. Bakura scooped the little animal up and hurried home with it. The cat purred softly all the way.

/Two hours, a bath, and a bowl of milk later/ The front door opened. "Bakura! I'm home!" Malik entered, leaving jacket and boots in the hall. "Where are you?"

"I'm in the living-room." Bakura responded. "Aren't you just the cutest little thing in the world? Yes you are."

"Are you talking to me? Sorry to disappoint, but I'm straight."

"Not you. My little friend here." Bakura held the kitten up for inspection. Very reluctantly, Malik took the cat and held it as far away from his body as was humanly possible. Deciding to find a better perch, the cat scrambled up, balanced along Malik's arm, and tightrope-walked across his collarbone before settling under Malik's right ear.

"Get it off me." Malik growled.

"Why? It likes you!"

"Because I'm- ACHOO!" Malik sneezed, and the kitten yowled. "That's why. I'm allergic to cats." Bakura collected his pet quickly. The kitten managed, however, to bite Malik's jaw before he left. "Bakura, either that cat goes, or I go. I can't share a house with it." Malik sneezed again and stomped upstairs to his room.

"Well, let's find you a home, small fry." Bakura said. "At least you're handsome." True to his word, the cat was beautiful. It was a pale shade of gold all over, with startling lavender eyes. "Too bad I can't name you." A thought struck Bakura, and he flipped the kitten over, determining that it was male, and ignoring the small animal's protests at the indignity. "Well, let's get started." Bakura picked up the phone and dialed the number for Yami's apartment. The answer?

"Sorry Bakura. My landlord doesn't allow pets."

Joey: "I don't like cats."

Mokuba: "My big brother is allergic to cats."

Tristan: "My dog will try to kill it."

Duke: "It would hide my dice."

Yugi: "Grandpa doesn't like cats."

Mai: "Already have one."

Ishizu: "Not now. Have you seen Marik? He's been gone for more than a week! I don't know where he could be!" Finally, an exasperated and frantic Bakura called his hikari.

"Hello? Ryou speaking."

"Ryou, it's Bakura. I found a kitten today, but Malik's allergic to cats. Nobody else will take it. Can you?"

"Of course. I'll come over and get it right now."

" Thanks Ryou."

"No problem. Bye." Bakura hung up.

"Did you find someone?" Malik asked. Bakura jumped, and dropped the kitten. For some strange reason, the tiny cat raced over to Malik, and scrambled up the leg of his pants. Next, he navigated Malik's T-shirt, and settled under Malik's right ear again. Bakura burst out laughing at his housemate's expression. "Achoo! Get this Ra damned- achoo- animal off- achoo- me! NOW BAKURA!" The Tomb Robber hurried to obey. Malik sneezed twice more and stormed outside. "Call my cell when it's gone."

"I can see that Ryou's gonna have his hands full with you." As if in agreement, the doorbell rang. "Speak of the devil." Sure enough, Ryou was standing in the doorway.

"I just passed Malik. He was headed for the park, sneezing like crazy and cursing up a storm. Do you know anything about it?" Bakura grinned.

"This little menace-" he held up the kitten. "-climbed up and sat on his shoulder. In addition to making him sneeze, he tried really hard to stay there." Ryou wasn't listening.

"Oh, aren't you gorgeous! Is it a he or a she?"

"Male. Go on, get home. I want Malik back before dark." Ryou smiled and tucked the kitten into his jacket pocket. The tiny animal poked his front paws and head out, and then mewed at Bakura.

"Thanks Bakura. You're the best." Ryou said, and set off down the road at a trot. He was soon lost from view.