The Queen had a songbird that sang in the dark Chapter 7, a yu-gi-oh fanfic

Disclaimer: See last chapter

Layweh hesitated just long enough to toss something to Baboom - who caught it deftly enough for only having hooves - before charging Yami head-on, losing just enough speed to switch to Humanform and tackle him with a high-pitched cry of "OOOOH, IT'S MY SWEETIE SWEET LITTLE MAN!"

"HOLY MOLY!" Joey screamed.

Yami, however, was used to this, and was almost able to shake Layweh off - she clung to his arm like a leech - as he greeted her in his own usual fashion:

"Stop calling me that!"

"Ah, you're so sweet," the blue-haired, blue-eyed, blue-dress-wearing Goddess laughed, hugging his arm for all she was worth, "You know you weally luv me!"

Joey recovered from his fear enough to start snickering.

"And you can keep deluding yourself forever as far as I'm concerned," Yami snapped, glaring at the laughing mortal.

"Oh, don't be so silly," Layweh sighed, finally letting go of Yami's poor arm, "I heard you weren't feeling so great, so I brought you a present!"

"You heard…" Yami frowned, "Do I dare ask who else heard about this?"

"Oh come on, you've only been moping for a whole year or so, EVERYBODY knows about THAT," Layweh huffed, "Sheesh! I found this really cute critter, and I figured you could use a pet to take care of, to get your mind off stuff -"

((What are we, chopped liver?)) Laurel and Jake grumbled.

Layweh laughed, and gestured, her astral-Hand plucking whatever she had tossed to Baboom out of the Creature's grasp and setting it gently down on the ground between herself and Yami. While he - and Joey as well - gaped in astonishment, Layweh giggled "What do you think? Isn't it so CUTE?"

Joey lasted another couple of seconds before he burst into hysterical laughter.

"Oh MAN!" laughed the blonde, "Dat's SUCH a good look for you!"

"SHUT UP!" screamed one seriously-pissed-off Malik Ishtar - a.k.a. the 'cute lil' critter'.

Malik was currently sporting a fuzzy rainbow collar with a matching fuzzy rainbow leash, which Layweh was holding onto. When the goddess gave Malik a pat on the head and declared what a "Wondrously cute little critter he was too!", Joey had to hold his sides, which were aching from how hard and loudly he was laughing.

Making so much noise was a bad idea. Layweh lunged for Joey the second she took notice of him, grabbing him in a throttling headlock/hug and squeezing him very uncomfortably close.

"You sweet little man, you got one for me TOO!" Layweh exclaimed with utter joy.

"WHAT!" Joey screamed, while Malik starting laughing his head off.

"You knew I was going to be a little sad giving up that little cutie so you got me one almost as pretty!" Layweh continued, causing both mortals to shoot dark looks at Yami - as if it was his fault they were pretty!

"Layweh," Yami growled warningly at her.

"Yessim?" the Goddess blinked, "What, you don't want yours? YAY! I get to keep 'em both!"

"NO!" Joey and Malik - the latter now also being throttle/hugged at this point - wailed.

Rubbing his head to stave off the headache he was getting from all these loud noises, Yami took a deep breath.

"You can't keep either of them as pets, Layweh," Yami said.

"That's not fair, you can't have both and not give me one, you have to share!" Layweh exclaimed.

She waited for Yami to start fuming before laughing. Layweh was excessively perky - and such a wonderful facet of her personality it was! - but she was far from being a total airhead.

"I know, I'm just teasing ya," Layweh said, releasing the struggling mortals and winking playfully at Yami, "Honestly, if there's anyone who has a good reason to do anything it's you, Mister The-Amazing-Yuugioh. They're weird humans that come from the same place you do, right?"

"How did you know dat?" Joey wondered.

"It's so completely obvious!" Layweh said, "Anyone with eyes can see that! At least if they're a genius like me! OH HO HO HO!"

"Yeesh," Joey muttered to himself, "When he said she was like Rebecca, I didn't think she'd be exactly like her…"

"Is anyone going to take this stupid collar off me!" Malik yelled, irritated that he was being more or less completely ignored.

"…Dude, can't you just pull it up over da top of your head?" Joey asked him.

Malik blinked, then did so, face bright red with embarrassment. He shot Joey an especially evil death-glare when the not-as-platinum-blonde dared snicker in amusement. Watching all of this from high above the assembled mortals and gods, the four Creatures very quietly despaired of ever having normal masters with normal friends.

Meanwhile, Layweh continued to talk to Yami quietly, but now it was about something serious. Something VERY serious.