Pretty much suggested/requested by DA user LucarioTheVoreLover, as well as my own interest in this creature. The Zuu in this chapter is from the Final Fantasy series, mainly the ninth one.

-0-0-0-0-

Back at the ranch again after a few days off, thanks to the ranch owner. I swear, it feels like she expects these kind of events. Still, pay is pretty good and the benefits are nice as well. Today, I'm supposed to be helping feed something called a 'Zuu'. The owner said that it's some kind of long-necked bird with navy-blue feathers mostly. I figured that I was going to see it soon enough and started heading for the segment with the birds.

Much like the dome for the plants, the birds had a caged area, though based on satellite images of the ranch – if it could be called that – they have their own small canyon to themselves. I guess it's more than just the zuu the owner has to take care of, seeing that it could very well be a bit of a sanctuary. Still, I carried on, soon arriving at the 'cage', walking up to a door leading in. Opening it and walking through, I was mildly greeted by a bit of an office space, so to say.

Figuring that it was an area for workers to rest a bit, I continued on, soon going through another door and was greeted by the chirping of birds. A smile came to my face, looking around before seeing several parked, roofless jeeps. I figured that they were used to get around more easily, though a notice on a beam caught my eye, walking up to it.

“To those who are to feed the birds, acquire a key from the lodge before stepping into a vehicle. Drive the vehicle to the Feed Station to acquire food for the avian creatures. Depending on the bird means what type of food you will get. It can range from several bird feeders to a hauling trailer's worth of meat. Take note to keep food trailer covered during travel and to not stand close to food if bird type is the Zuu or larger.”

After I read the note, I walked back inside and got a key to one of the cars. Getting one off the hooks, I walked back outside, seeing the number three painted on the key, walking up to the jeep matching it. I walked up to it and climbed in, inserting the keys into the ignition and started the vehicle, it starting with a quiet hum. After seeing that it was an automatic gear shift, I put the car into drive and slowly drove up to the Feed Station, stopping there. I climbed out and walked up to a bit of a computer in the wall.

It was probably built with motion sensors, the screen flickering on as I approached.

“Please choose which bird to feed.” an automated voice sounded out.

I watched as the screen shown a list of possible hundreds of birds, all in alphabetical order. Seeing there wasn't a physical keyboard, I placed a finger on the screen and flicked up, seeing the list scroll down from the swipe. After a couple of flicks, the list stopped, the Zuu in the lower right part of the screen, tapping it. The small panel expanded, showing me what the bird actually looked like.

It was covered in navy-blue feathers, like the owner said, and had a long neck, like a flamingo or pelican. However, it had a form of mane of red feathers, as well as 'sideburns' of them as well. The mane trailed all the way down its back and to a short tail. The tops of its wings had navy-blue feathers, but the feathers of the wings were a brown color, each feather trailing to white. It had four claws per talon, three in the front and one in the rear like normal birds, though each of them were a bit thick. I couldn't exactly help but notice that it also possessed a bit of a…chubby belly, which strikes me a bit odd that it does.

Shrugging a bit, I cycled through several options, including the meal size. I went with the average amount, hitting confirm and stepping back. When I did, I heard the sound of machinery start up from inside. I couldn't help but wonder on how the owner could even afford all of this, let alone maintain it for who knows how many creatures she had in her care. After around ten or so minutes, the sounds stopped, a bit of a garage door opening and showing quite a generous amount of meat on a small hauling trailer. Honestly, the sight of the food made me a bit hungry myself, but I shook off the urge to eat, getting back in the car and backed it in. The trailer must have been on a bit of automatic lifts, for when I got close enough to hitch the trailer, it lowered onto the knob to lock it into place.

Getting out, I walked to it, making sure the trailer was connected before looking to the meat, seeing it was on a large tarp. I walked to either side of the tarp, climbing up on the edges of the trailer and pulled them over the pile, effectively covering it. Fastening a couple straps and I was good to go, going back to the car and putting it into drive. I carefully pulled out, the trailer of meat being tugged along as I drove along the dirt path. The trip was rather uneventful, other than some birds hitching along for the ride, mainly because of the smell of the meat. I did have to turn from time to time, mainly to follow the signs to the Zuu's den.

Just one last turn and I arrived, though the birds all flew away, letting me proceed without company. After another minute, I slowed to a stop at a guardrail, climbing out. I looked around a bit, uncovering the meat pile before looking around a bit. It seemed that the Zuu wasn't here, but there was a rather large bell close to a cliff edge. Feeling oddly like in an RPG scenario, I slowly approached the bell, there being a cottoned mallet close by. On a post next to the bell was another note.

“The Zuu will only come out to eat if the bell is rung. Don't stay too close to the 'offering' while it's eating though. =P”

“Huh, trying to be a bit funny with these notes…” I muttered to myself, looking back to the mallet.

I reached to the mallet, the handle of it as long as one of my arms, the covered head the size of my foot. It was a bit heavy, but nothing I couldn't handle, picking it up. I shifted my grip on it, getting a good one on the handle before looking to the bell. I lightly swung the mallet, mainly to try and get the head of it to the bell, readying my aim. I did a few test swings to make sure it would stay so before rearing back for the actual swing. Once I pulled back, I swung forward, striking the bell and making it ring loud and deeply. The hammer shook in my hands, but I quickly let it go to cover my ears, squeezing my eyes shut.

“Loud loud loud Loud Loud LOUD!!” I ended up yelling, trying to block out the ringing of the giant bell.

After a minute, the ringing stop, though my ears themselves were ringing a small bit, shaking my head to try and clear them from it. They soon stopped, allowing me to open my eye and lower my hands. When my vision was back to normal though, I yelped out as a large shadow suddenly shot up from in front of the bell, making me stumble backwards and land on my back. Dazed and confused on what that was, I was about to get up but stopped when I saw something flying overhead, making me freeze in my spot.

Shortly after, the beast landed, the ground shaking a small bit as I quickly scrambled to my feet, looking at what it was before freezing again. Standing right at the pile of meat was the Zuu, but it was huge, standing on its talons at almost thirty-five feet, looking down at the pile before it. The bird didn't seem to have noticed me, tilting its head at the meat before lowering its head to it, snapping some up with its beak. I only watched as it ate, its head jerking to pull the bits of meat in, soon ending with a rather powerful-sounding swallow with each bite.

Feeling rather stupid as well as curious, I slowly got up and started making my way to the Zuu, seeing bits of the meat flying from the pile after each snap-up from the mighty bird. An hour later, or rather a couple minutes since it felt like it was that slow, I was standing next to one of the talons of the bird, hearing and seeing it gorge itself up close. There were bits of meat around the trailer, but I didn't care, looking up at the rather chubby belly of the bird. I wondered on how it was able to fly with such a gut, but it was something I'd rather not question too long.

As I watched, I found myself reaching out to the belly, though I tried to restrain myself, mainly to heed the warning of standing too close to it and back away. Instead, I felt my hand brush against the feathers of the bird, hearing it do a quiet squawk and look down at me. It was then that my oblivious curiosity was quickly replaced with the urge to escape.

“Oh crap.” I managed to speak, quickly trying to run.

It was quickly futile as I felt the beak of the Zuu clamp shut around the back of my shirt, lifting me up. I struggled quite a bit without thought of how high the bird was lifting me up, seeing it unfurl its wings.

“Let go of me! Put me…!” I yelled out, but trailed off when I looked down to the ground, seeing it become further away. “…down…?” I barely squeaked out, eyes shrinking in fear as I saw it flying past the cliff edge. “No, keepmeup, keepmeup, keepmeup!” I yelled out, clinging to the beak out of fear of dropping to my death.

I watched the ground zip below, soon feeling gravity shift as the Zuu went into a dive. I yelled out as it sped up, almost being bent awkwardly because of the beak holding me. I squeezed my eyes shut as the ground rushed, but was shaken around a bit when the zuu leveled out, though I kept my eyes shut. I felt the bird banking quickly every few seconds, making me sick from all the motion. After a bit, it soon stopped, feeling the gusts of wind from the wings flapping, soon feeling the wind stop and me being roughly dropped onto sticks.

“I think…I need to puke…” I muttered, though withheld the urge to vomit.

A small yawn-like squawk sounded out, making me turn around and look at the Zuu, trying to scramble away from it.

“Nice…birdie.” I said to it nervously, seeing it look down at me.

It took a step towards me, in which I flipped over to try and run from it, only to be grabbed by the lower half of my body, whipped up and released, sending my spinning and flying. I yelled out from such, seeing the world flipping end over end, soon coming to black as something snapped around me and I was on something wet and squishy, but was too dizzy to try and find out. Thankfully, I seemed to have landed normally, but again, too dizzy to notice, nor the same surface I landed on moving over me.

It was only until the area shifted did I realize what was happening, feeling a ring of muscle close around my head. I didn't resist, having all the energy I had drained from the Zuu's rough handling. A swallow sounded out as I was pulled further into the throat, the ring of muscle sliding up my body with each swallow. If I had to guess, I was making quite the bulge on the outside of the birds neck, continuing to be swallowed down by it. After a few more, my feet were pulled in, being sent sliding down the fleshy tunnel towards the crop, or at least I think it had one.

After being massaged by the throat, I soon felt myself being pressed against a bit of a solid surface, going through a bit of deja-vu like with the Chomp. The pressure continued to build, soon letting up as I slid into the crop of the Zuu. I would be moving around, mainly to try and get out, but the humidity and the heat, combined with the rather soft walls were taking their toll on my weakened form, quickly sapping the energy I had left. Last thing I noticed was the place shifting before my eyes closed and the darkness of sleep/unconsciousness overtaken me.

-0-

I snapped awake as I breathed quickly, looking around quickly. I was back in the jeep, sitting in the drivers seat with the vehicle off. After a minute of looking around, I calmed down and gripped the steering wheel to further calm down. I held that way for another few minutes before looking back, seeing the pile of meat was pretty much gone. I got out and folded it up, as well as placing the fasteners on top to weigh it down so it wouldn't fly out, soon starting the jeep up to leave.

On top of that, a nice, warm shower will be needed after this encounter.