Vincent stepped in. "Chip! Reptil- I mean crocodiles don't have feelings. You won't get anything out of him." The impala wrapped a hoof over the snake's neck. He guided him away from the stool. Tyrone heard that first part. Vincent was going to say 'reptiles'. It was true. They were heartless beings. Maybe that was why he hated the way Chip acted. Every other reptile kid he knew stepped out of line every time mommy and daddy were out of the room.

"Why did I get stuck watching you brats?" The croc marched to the couch. He plopped down, eyes narrowed. It didn't make sense for Jerome to entrust them to him while he was gone. Then again, just because Jay was out didn't mean he'd never return. So really, it was strange that Tyrone was trusted to be by himself with the kids for more than twenty minutes.

"Mr. Jerome is going out this weekend, remember? He has stuff to do. He's a really busy bear. He takes care of us mostly though." Chip explained best as he could. Little children had such strange vocabularies.

"Kids are so stupid." Tyrone sighed. He rested his claws over his abdomen. He didn't want to look at either of them. "Can't you just go off and play? I know you won't set the house on fire. Probably. Not until I fall asleep, you won't. Then the fire will just be on me." He glared directly at the impala.

"What's wrong with this whack job anyway, Vincent? Is he defected, or something?" He waved a lazy claw toward the snake. Chip circled himself on the floor. He tried to figure out how large he could make a perfect donut.

"You're asking because why? He only wants to know if you remembered getting hurt. He's not defected. He's just a better animal than you." Vincent explained. He turned his back on the croc. Anywhere else, Tyrone probably would've jumped him. It was a stupid move. This kid might've acted tough, but he had no street smarts; never turn your back on the enemy.

However, Tyrone remembered what Jerome said. He wasn't going to have a grudge against this kid forever. What kind of man can't hold his own against a child? "Yeah yeah, you're real smart and I'm deeply wounded." He waved a complacent claw in the air. "I'm talking about the rabbit ears."

"It's because I'm a bunny!" Chip interjected. He'd listened the whole time. He didn't seem bothered that the croc called him defected. Tyrone figured he was just too young to know the word.

"Ha! And I'm the queen of Atlantis." The croc laughed. His enjoyment only lasted for a moment.

"He's being serious, Ty-doofus. He thinks he's a rabbit." Just to mock him, Vincent flicked Tyrone's snout. "Deal with it."

That was one step too far. Not the physical touch itself, annoying as it was. Rather, the cockiness that accompanied it. He felt he was untouchable just because he hadn't been hurt before. "Just go with it? Where would that philosophy be if I said I wanted to eat you?" The croc's mouth opened wide. Vincent's eyes grew wide as this time, the massive jaws came over and under his head. He bleated in fear, and bounded away from Tyrone. The croc knew he was a jerk. The world would eat him alive otherwise. That's how it was for anyone born a monster.