Japan
Kai and Leora followed the small elderly feline back to a large tent; inside were dozens of other cats, most larger than them, as well as several large platters of various foods.
"Now, just a few forms to sign," the clouded leopard spoke, taking a small stack of papers from a desk nearby and handing them to Kai. "Just basic releases."
Kai quickly breezed through the contract. Satisfied, he penned his signature on the line at the bottom, handing the papers back. Leora did much the same, and they were allowed to roam free once more. They walked over to the platters and began grazing, looking the other contestants over.
"He looks scary," Leora gossipped, pointing to an enormous tiger who was conversing in the far corner.
"Like I said, you'll do fine," Kai promised, gently touching her cheek. She smiled, leaning closer to him.
They ate their fill before stepping outside; the sun had already begun to set, casting long shadows through the sparse foliage of the clearing.
"I think it's time we retired," Kai announced. "We want to be rested for tomorrow."
"You mean you think it's time I retired? I'm not even that tired."
"Your dead gaze and drooping eyelids betray you."
"I'm not walking all the way back, if that's what you're insinuating."
"Lucky for us, there are tents for the competitors."
"Tents," she muttered in disbelief. "Well, I suppose I always wanted to go camping. I'm still not walking, though."
He picked her up over his shoulders.
"I was hoping you would hold me in your arms," Leora quietly grumbled.
"No such luck, I'm afraid," he responded, giving a light chuckle.
Although she scowled, he could not see it. They proceeded through the fields behind the castle, eventually finding a tent with their names on it. He set her down and peeked inside.
"Rather roomy," he spoke, taking a seat on one of the mattresses inside. "Come on in."
She crawled through the opening and laid down on the second mattress.
"Hey, the beds aren't half bad, either."
"I'll take first shift."
"First shift?"
He raised his eyebrows quizzically. "Do you honestly think I trust these mammals enough to go to sleep while they're stalking around?"
"Fair point. Wake me up in a couple of hours."
"You need more than two hours of sleep."
"Says you."
"Yes, and I'm always right."
She grumbled, but turned over, pulled the blanket over herself, and closed her eyes, easily falling asleep.
Leora opened her eyes; she was alone in the tent, but she could make out three faint figures from beyond the tent's walls. She peeked her head out to get a better look. From the shadows, she saw that they were a tiger, a wolf, and a lion. The lion turned to face her and grinned. He took a step towards her, and she absconded into the safety of the tent. She saw the figure walking around to the entrance; just before he reached the tent flap, Kai appeared from nowhere; he held her shoulders and gently shook her.
"Leora, are you alright?" he asked. "You were mumbling."
"No, it's them!"
Kai turned around. The trio were gone.
"Who?"
"There, through the tent!"
Kai peeked out.
"There's no one there."
Leora rubbed her eyes and blinked. It felt as if the sun had spontaneously turned on; the tent was now illuminated, as opposed to dark.
"What time is it?"
"Morning."
She slapped him.
"I told you to wake me up in two hours!"
"You looked so cute. You even started to nibble at my coat." He held up one of his coattails and pointed out the darker color from being wet. "No matter. I brought you some water and a bite to eat. We're expected in the competitor's tent in half an hour."
"Who else is there?"
"No one memorable. There are seventeen competitors in total, including us. I also brought our uniforms." He held up a dogi and a silk robe, very intricate in design. "If you need a moment to dress, I can step out."
"No, that's fine. After all, you've seen me naked at least a dozen times. In fact, I might need a little help. This tent's rather small."
He helped her undress and they struggled for several minutes trying to get her into her uniform.
"Now you," she spoke, eyeing him greedily. He threw his overcoat off and put on the silk robe.
"Well?"
"No fair," she grumbled. He chuckled.
"All's fair in love and war," he responded, ruffling the fur on her head. They exited their tent, taking their belongings with them, and proceeded to the largest tent on the grounds. Beside the tent, numerous spectators sat in bleachers encircling an elevated stage with a canvas mat lining the floor. They stared at the setup momentarily, before entering the competitor's tent. Among the mammals inside, Kai was the only non-feline of the bunch, and received stares accordingly. Once the fighters were all accounted for, several mammals walked into the tent.
"Now," one of the newcomers spoke, addressing them. "The rules. There are no holds barred; anything is legal. Slashing, biting, every hold, and every strike. There are no cheap shots in this arena. Do I make myself clear?"
Everyone nodded their understanding.
"Now, there are two ways to win. First, you throw your opponent out of the ring."
"Easy enough," several competitors commented, laughing.
"The second," the thug continued, eyeing them and smirking. "You kill them."
The laughing quieted down, save for a young clouded leopard in the crowd who continued to cackle.
"I'll see you in the ring," he spoke with a stony voice, walking out of the tent with a smirk; the thugs shortly followed.
"What's his problem?" a cougar inquired, motioning towards where the clouded leopard was standing.
"That's Akira, the kingpin's son," one of the other fighters responded. "I have no doubt it's rigged in his favor."
"Rigged or not," a lion piped up. "I have no intention of losing to a oafish brat."
Everyone sounded their agreements. They began to talk idly amongst themselves before one of the thugs returned.
"Match one, Akira against Matthias."
An ocelot exited the tent and swiftly made his way towards the entrance of the ring, followed closely by the young clouded leopard; the rest of the competitors stepped out to observe, save for Kai, who knelt on the floor and closed his eyes.
"Where are they going?" Leora inquired.
"To watch the fight, presumably."
"Why? Shouldn't they be getting ready?"
"The first fighters are at a disadvantage. Everyone else gets to observe their fighting styles."
"Are you coming?"
"I don't need to."
She shrugged and exited. Shortly after, the crowd cheered madly at the quick victory. The contestants returned moments later, shock obvious in their eyes. Through the tent flap, Kai caught a glimpse of the bloodied ocelot being carried from the ring, his head turned at an unnatural angle.
"Lord have mercy," one of the foreigners spoke, casting their look down. "Why did Matthias register? He's so small, there's no way in hell he could have won."
"Vanity, thy name is Matthias," someone concurred.
"Amen," a chorus of few resounded.
A few moments later, one of the thugs returned.
"Match two, Gyo against Kai," he barked for all to hear.
Kai stood and walked out, followed by a large tiger. They stepped into the ring; Kai glanced up towards the stands. The crowd stared back at him with interest, and the elderly clouded leopard merely watched with intrigue from his high chair.
"Bow," he commanded. Kai and his opponent bowed to each other. "Begin!"
The tiger charged at Kai; the man stood his ground, not moving until the tiger was upon him. He quickly slipped to the side, effortlessly striking him once in the neck; the tiger fell, completely incapacitated. Walking over, he lifted the tiger over his head, much to everyone's amazement, and unceremoniously threw him from the ring.
"Kai wins," the mob boss announced, thoroughly pleased by his quick movements.
Kai stepped out of the ring and returned to the tent, Leora hugged him and tried in vain to lift him, but failed and simply settled for a small peck on the cheek.
"How did you do that?" one of the contestants questioned, wary.
"Magic," Kai answered shaking his hands around for effect before kneeling once more. Leora sat by his side for another four matches before she was called to fight. Kai stood with her and accompanied her to the entrance of the ring, helping her up. She walked to the center and stood opposite a snow leopard.
"Bow." Leora looked at Kai, who nodded. She bowed to her opponent. "Fight!"
Leora was still mid-bow when the match started, and was nearly caught off-guard by her opponent, who immediately grappled her. She wrapped her tail around his neck and threw him to the ground, putting him in a stranglehold of her own. He shot his knee up and struck her in the snout, causing her to stumble backwards, rapidly following it up with a punch to the kidney. The hit merely grazed her, leaving him wide open; she managed to jab him in the neck. He fell forwards, and she took the opportunity to pin his arm behind his back and began dragging him to the edge of the ring. Just before she threw him over the edge, he raked her shin deep with his claws and pushed her; thinking quickly, she wrapped her tail around his waist and swung around, using her imparted momentum to launch him from the ring instead.
The crowd applauded wildly.
"Leora is victorious," the boss announced, less than pleased.
Getting out of the ring, Leora hobbled down to where Kai stood; he picked her up and swiftly carried her to the medical tent. There, several smaller felines and a wolf sat her in a chair and began fishing for supplies.
"Good fight," Kai complimented. "Your footwork was sloppy, though," he teased, trying to lighten the mood.
"I know, the fucker started too early."
"That he did. That he did."
She yelped when they poured antiseptic on her leg, and squeezed Kai's hand tight when they bound it. After a moment's rest, Kai helped her back to the fighter's tent. On the way back however, they briefly paused to watch the current fight. The second set had begun, and the young clouded leopard was viciously assaulting a jaguar. Just before they had entered the tent, Leora saw him slash at the jaguars throat, spraying blood all across the floor. His adversary stumbled several paces and collapsed, the light leaving his eyes as he choked his last breath. Leora could look no more, instead turning to face Kai.
Before they could have a moment to sit together, Kai was called out once more. He quickly exited, and Leora followed him out as best she could.
"Good luck," she whispered, kissing him delicately.
"I don't believe in luck."
She patted him on the back and gave him a simper smile. "Go get 'em, champ."
He grinned back at her before stepping into the ring. A cheetah followed him in. They bowed, and the match began. The cheetah flew forward with breakneck speed, but was caught one handed by his nape; as he struggled vainly, Kai walked to the edge and tossed him out before making his way back to the competitor's tent, amidst the sound of the crowd booing.
Kai barely managed to sit down when he heard his name again; when he looked at the source of the noise, he found that the mob boss had personally paid him a visit.
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Kai inquired dryly.
"You need to put on more of a show," the leopard announced, thoroughly irritated. "These mammals don't pay a million bucks to see you throw someone out in ten seconds."
"I don't really give half a shit about what they paid for. I paid my entry fee to win, not to dick around, so if you would be so kind as to fuck off," Kai bitterly responded, turning his back and returning to Leora. She could see the rage festering within the old leopard, but the boss surprisingly managed to keep his calm.
"We'll see, then. Good luck in your next match." The elderly feline left.
"Wow, you got him really mad," Leora spoke, impressed.
"Other than your tour, I'm only here for Jin-Roh. No one is getting in my way."
"What about me? We're supposed to meet in the finals."
"I trust you'll concede," he answered, grinning slyly.
"Why don't you?"
"In case he has some stupid gimmick and summons another fighter, I'll just kick his ass, too."
"My aren't you the sneaky one," she responded, matching his grin.
Kai simply shrugged. "Whatever. How's the leg?"
"Better," she answered, standing and hopping from one hindpaw to the other. "I think that antiseptic had some medication in it."
"More than likely."
They waited together for some time before she was called again.
"Ready to fight on that leg?" Kai inquired. "Just because it feels better doesn't mean it is. You could always concede and let me take care of the fighting"
"Not a chance, I'll be fine. I have to prove that females can fight, too," she answered with a determined expression, exiting the tent and heading onto the field.
"You really don't," he implored; she waved him away dismissively, stepping into the ring with a rather stocky lion. They bowed to each other and began; again, it seemed that the boss called the start of the match too early, causing Leora to take an unnecessary hit to the chest.
She succeeded in deflecting the next several hits, landing some of her own. A few seconds into the match she made a misstep and slipped slightly. The lion noticed and quickly capitalized on her mistake by sweeping her legs out from under her. She slammed face first onto the mat, quickly being pinned beneath the lion's hindpaw. Grabbing at her tail he pulled sharply, lifting her midsection slightly; as she swung back up, she narrowly avoided a swipe to the eyes, instead taking a slice down her cheek.
Instantly, horrible visions began racing through Leora's mind. Roaring in anger, she kicked the lion in the groin, pouncing him herself. She extended her claws and raked across his face, before slashing anything she could find. The lion went from parrying her attacks to blocking, and then to laying curled up on the floor, desperately trying not to get sliced anymore. She continued slashing, cutting arteries in his arms and legs; blood spurted across the ring and all over her.
"Leora!" Kai shouted. She paused and looked at him, panting heavily. He shook his head and pointed to the lion under her; she glanced back at her opponent: he was whimpering and quivering slightly, nearly unconscious. Appalled, she stood and dragged the lion out of the ring, throwing him onto the grass below. As soon as he landed, medics rushed and carried him away.
The crowd went wild; they cheered and roared, applauding like never before. Leora looked at the crowd cheering her on, but could only bury her face in her paws in shame, absconding to the competitor's tent with Kai.
"What happened?" Kai asked, holding her steady.
"He pulled my tail, I… I lost control." She burst into tears. He sighed and hugged her.
"It's kill or be killed. You won the match, without killing him to boot," he spoke, trying to reason with her.
"I maimed him, possibly for life. What did he do to deserve that?"
"Get a hold of yourself," Kai commanded, pulling her away from him, keeping his hands on her shoulders. She fell silent instantly, looking up to him. "You still have one more match. You can fear yourself after," he admonished.
She took several deep breaths before nodding her head in understanding; she quickly hugged him. He held her embrace for several minutes until the remaining competitors entered the tent.
"Ready for the next round?" Akira boasted, punching at the air.
"It's intermission; relax, bud," a panther responded, stretching widely. "I can't fight on an empty stomach."
They stood mostly quiet for several minutes until a few servants brought in large plates of food. Though there was a table in the rear of the large tent, none of the competitors, eliminated or otherwise, sat, with the exception of Kai and Leora. They took small morsels with them and ate quietly despite the dirty stares from the others.
"Only two more fights, tops," Leora commented, nibbling at a small piece of fish.
"Let's hope we both make it through," Kai responded with a simple nod, sipping at his tea.
"That statement would be better worded if you hoped that I would make it through."
"If I pretend that I'm in real danger, it helps alleviate my worrying."
Smiling at him she responded: "Relax, I'll do fine. I was taught by the best, after all."
Kai chortled, hugging her close to his side. They continued eating and drinking silently, until the semifinals had commenced. A slender wolf came in and called for Kai and the last standing panther to come out. They both brushed past the defeated contenders, making their way to the stage before taking their places in the center of the ring.
Kai stared his opponent down; although the panther's stature was less than intimidating, he was likely to be very fast. Kai looked to the elder clouded leopard, remembering his words: 'You need to put on more of a show.' He grinned; he would put on a show, alright.
The bell rang, signalling the start of the match. Kai's opponent quickly dashed and tried tossing fast jabs; Kai ducked past all of them, contorting to avoid the rapid blows. When a kick flew his way, he leaped over his opponent, landing gracefully on the other side.
They stood and watched each other carefully for several moments. Again, the feline launched into a rapid barrage of attacks, each of which Kai easily avoided. A second kick came, and he caught it, jabbing the tiger just above the knee. A seemingly innocent, painless blow, the panther didn't even stagger. The feline suspected it was a form of mockery more than anything else. He continued his barrage; to the untrained eye, it would appear that he maintained his speed, but Kai saw the truth: the panther was just barely slower.
Kai kept avoiding blows, intermittently striking lightly when the panther left himself open. As the fight went on, the feline grew slower and slower until he stopped entirely, breathing heavily.
"How are you so fast?" he muttered quietly, amidst gasps.
"Practice," Kai answered, standing up straight. "But I'll admit I'm impressed. The average mammal can perform anaerobically for two minutes, but it's been five."
"What can I say? I'm above average," he huffed, smiling, before walking to the edge of the ring and stepping out. "But that's still clearly not good enough."
Kai was declared the winner and joined up with Leora; they sat together and chatted about her upcoming match before the panther that Kai had defeated approached them.
"My apologies for interrupting, but I hope you don't mind if I watch your next match?" he inquired.
"Of course not," Leora answered.
"I meant him, but sure," the panther responded dubiously.
Leora made a dissatisfactory groan, but otherwise stayed silent. Soon, she was called out to the ring. She entered and stood, nervous; she waited for nearly six minutes until her final opponent, Akira, eventually dragged his way onto stage.
"Well, kitten, aren't you just the cutest thing," he spoke, walking past her and eyeing her up and down. "How about this: I'll let you live, and you'll sleep with me."
"Sorry, I'm already taken. How about I just kill you instead?" she growled.
"Ooh, a feisty one. That's fine, it's the ones that are hardest to catch that I enjoy most. Besides, I'll bet I'm more of a male than whatever you have as a mate," he growled and mocked back.
"I doubt it, you're far too little for someone like me. Besides, he can kick your ass with one arm tied to his back."
His expression morphed to one of anger. "You shouldn't have said that," he growled.
The bell rang and Akira immediately threw a kick. Leora ducked beneath and landed a shot in his ribs; he swung around and kicked again. She barely managed to block, and was struck by the followup. He swung several punches, half of which she blocked; the other half struck her in various points before she landed a hit square in his muzzle. He recoiled back and she followed up, throwing him to the floor and pinning his arm behind his back.
He swung around and kicked her in the hip, forcing her to drop the pin; he quickly jumped up and grabbed her arm, twisting it behind her back, before wrapping an arm around her neck.
"Maybe I shouldn't leave you alive," he taunted. "After all, it's not like they can make any necrophilia charges stick."
She jumped up and flipped slightly backwards, wrapping her legs around his head and taking him to the ground. When they landed, she raked at one of his eyes before rolling forward and standing. She turned to face her downed opponent, paws up. Akira slowly stood, clutching over his injured eye.
"Why isn't she throwing him out?" the panther asked Kai.
"I don't know. Maybe she has a plan," he answered.
Slowly, Akira shambled over to Leora, raising his paws. Her posture slowly dwindled; he swiped across and struck her across her snout, causing her to tumble down.
"What's she doing?!" the panther shouted.
Akira landed blow after blow on her, and she made no attempt to defend herself. It was clear he wasn't going to ring her out; rather, he would savagely beat her to death.
"Leora!" Kai shouted. She suddenly snapped to attention and looked to him. "Jump out of the ring!"
She looked up, taking another blow to the snout; she managed to block the next strike and slashed blindly. Her claws cut through his uniform, raking his chest. She quickly kicked him off and began crawling to the edge of the ring. When he regained his senses, he chased after her. Just before he reached her, she managed to fall from the edge. Kai immediately rushed over and cradled her head into his chest; she was slightly unresponsive.
"Are you alright?" he asked, gently shaking her shoulders.
She moaned painfully. "I think I might have broken something. I should live, though."
"What happened?!"
"I… don't know. One second I took him down, and the next… I was on the ground myself."
He held her close, an expression of dread painted on his face. Medics rushed to them and began looking her over, patching her open wounds. Akira slowly sauntered off stage, making his way towards them.
"You seem rather attached," he muttered to Kai.
Kai merely stared with hate-filled eyes.
"I don't know why. She's damaged goods." Akira laughed, ignoring the glare from Kai. "Either way, you're next."
The young clouded leopard slowly walked away, guffawing.
"Fuck that cat," the panther spoke, crouching next to them. "How is she?"
"Alive," Kai responded, picking her up. She hung loosely in his arms. "Leora, you need to hold on." She snapped to attention and grabbed ahold of him, her eyes fluttering, trying to stay open.
"What's wrong with her?" the panther asked.
"I don't know," Kai spoke, concerned, before carrying her into the medical tent and setting her down on a cot. Several of the medical staff surrounded her and began checking her heart and breathing, among other vitals. She held up her paw so they could check reflexes, but dropped it halfway through.
"It appears she's suffering from absence seizures," one of them concluded.
"It's strange; she wasn't hit too hard before they started," the panther observed.
"Well, that may be true, but she could be suffering from internal bleeding after that last bout," another doctor suggested, "We'll see what we can do, but it's possible she may end up crippled."
Kai sat by her side, holding her paw until the boss walked into the medical tent.
"Kai, a word, please," he spoke.
"What is it?"
"In private," he ordered.
"I don't mind. I'm sure they don't, either," Kai stated, motioning to the other mammals in the medical tent.
"Fine." The elder feline grumbled, pulling up a chair and sitting, leaning heavily on the back of the chair. "Listen, I have a proposition for you."
"And that proposition is?"
"I've heard she's not doing too well. I'm willing to make you an offer. I have connections in the hospital. I'll be willing to take her there and pay for her treatment, provided you allow Akira to win."
"You'd gamble her life for money?!" Kai outraged, standing up and looming over the boss.
"I've seen how you fight, and I don't want to take any chances. I have no doubt Akira can win, but I want to make sure he doesn't get hurt doing so."
Kai nearly shook in rage.
"No," he finally seethed.
"If you don't, she'll die."
"If she dies, I'll make sure you follow her, along with the rest of your shitshow family."
The boss chuckled.
"You're kinda funny when you act tough. Whatever. I'll see to it that Akira wipes the floor with you." He stood, brushed himself off, and turned to leave. Just before he exited the tent, he paused. "You're up, by the way. Last chance," he shot back mockingly.
"Go to hell."
The boss shrugged and exited; Kai followed him out, quickly stepping onto the stage. Akira followed at a leisurely pace, stopping opposite Kai in the center of the ring.
"So you must be her mate," the young feline started, taunting him. "You seem to love her. I don't understand why she'd date a mongrel like you, but when we fight-rather, when you make your pathetic attempt to fight-I want you to remember what I did to her."
"Your father spoke to me," Kai responded. "He wanted me to put on a good show, and to throw the fight."
The young cat looked befuddled.
"Why would he want you to throw? There's no chance of you winning."
"You know. I don't think I'll throw the fight, but I'll make sure to give a hell of a show." Putting on a devilish smirk, Kai raised his hands for the fight.
The bell rang. Akira sprinted up and threw a punch. Kai planted his feet steady and caught his fist, holding it where it was. Akira tried to pull away but to no avail; he threw his second fist, which Kai caught as well. Kai began to squeeze his paws, crushing them with the pressure. Akira sweeped with his leg to try to knock the man down, but Kai quickly lifted a foot and crushed the leopard's shin, breaking the bone through his pelt.
Akira howled in pain, falling over slightly. Kai grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and threw a powerful punch to the cat's kidney. Akira stumbled, and Kai followed up the hit with another to his sternum. The young leopard kept stumbling backwards as his opponent kept launching crushing blows. Akira's bones cracked as he couldn't keep up with the onslaught.
Just before he fell out of the ring, Kai seized him by the neck, dangling him over the edge for a moment, taunting him before throwing him back to the center of the ring. Akira desperately tried to scramble to the opposite side, but could hardly move from his many injuries. Kai grabbed his tail and held him in place, dragging him back to the center of the ring. He lifted the feline up by the scruff of his neck and stood him on his feet.
A bell sounded; Kai looked up to the elder leopard.
"The fight is over," he announced, much to the disappointment of the crowd.
"I thought you said it wasn't over unless one of us fell out of the ring or died," Kai retorted in a mocking tone.
"Or unless I declare otherwise," the elder leopard stated, thoroughly aggravated.
Kai quickly struck five times to various points on Akira's chest, before turning and walking away.
"Now the fight's over," he spoke, stepping out and standing by the panther. Akira stood his ground, wavering slightly, before laughing as best he could.
"You just stepped out of the ring. I win," he announced, coughing blood. The crowd booed.
"Why'd you step out?" the panther inquired, once Kai had returned to the entrance of the competitor's tent.
"I don't need to stay any longer."
"What kind of hits were those?"
"The kind that make one's heart explode."
Akira took five steps towards the entrance of the ring and collapsed, immobile. The medics who rushed onto the mat couldn't rouse him.
"And I didn't lose," Kai continued. "The contract stated that the first to render his opponent dead or out of the ring won. He was dead long before I stepped out."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Just in case his father doesn't want to pay up."
They entered the competitor's tent. The elderly clouded leopard stormed in, furious.
"Ah, I trust you have come to give my reward?" Kai inquired.
"You killed him!" the boss shouted.
"Great, I fulfilled one of the two requirements to win. Now, my prize."
"You cheated!"
"How?"
"You interrupted a match in progress!"
"Which match?"
"You interfered between Akira's and the female's bout!"
"He didn't interfere," the panther interjected. "We all saw it."
Everyone else voiced their agreements; the elder feline was furious.
"Pay up," Kai demanded.
"I don't have to. The papers you signed specifically state that you have to be feline to collect your prize."
"The contract said no such thing!" one of the contestants spoke up.
"It does now," the boss seethed.
"Well, no matter." Kai inconspicuously fiddled with his disguise, changing into a snow leopard. "Now, my prize."
Everyone stared in shock. Slowly, the boss and several of his attendants prostrated.
"You… really are the Kai of legends," he responded in total shock.
"Yes, like I already told you. Now, how many times do I have to repeat 'my prize' before you'll fucking give it to me?!" Kai roared.
"I…" the elder feline began, voice uncertain and filled with sorrow. "Very well. What do you desire?"
"You can split the prize pool amongst the surviving entrants. Leora and I have no need of it."
"Very well. I-"
"And," Kai continued, interrupting the clouded leopard. "I want you to take me to Jin-Roh's chambers."
He bowed low and bid Kai to follow. Kai retook his wolf's disguise; before he left, the other contestants thanked him for his selflessness. The panther walked up to him again, bowing low himself.
"Thank you for the good fight, and for sparing me," he spoke.
"Thank you for going easy on me," Kai answered, patting him on the shoulder. "I try to make it a point nowadays not to kill mammals that don't deserve to die."
They passed by the medical tent where Kai picked Leora up. She appeared slightly better, but her actions were still sluggish and weak. Together, they discretely proceeded up the hill and entered the castle. They traveled along the winding corridors, eventually reaching a large staircase.
"Jin-Roh's chambers are in the furthest depths of the castle," the elderly leopard muttered, turning to leave them alone. He exited, dejected.
Kai proceeded down the stairs, Leora in arms. As they went deeper, the light slowly grew dim, until eventually, they walked in the darkness. Through the shadows they walked, step after step, until there were no more steps to travel.
Kai set Leora down and approached a door in the wall. Slightly to the side, there was a panel covered in rather dusty switches. There were paw prints on the scanner, as well as on the surrounding walls. Kai blew the dust from the cracked glass pane and placed his palm on it. Nothing happened. Kai retrieved his microcomputer and plugged it into the wall.
"What's the scoop?" Leora asked, sounding exhausted.
"The scanner's broken. No matter, I'll just…" The door suddenly whooshed open; there was a dim glow from inside. "That was odd."
"What was?"
"I didn't actually unlock anything."
"But it opened."
"It wasn't me."
Kai looked suspiciously through the doorway; satisfied, he picked Leora up and walked through. They made it six paces through before the door slammed suddenly. She clutched him tighter.
"What happened?!" she whispered, voice wavering. Kai withdrew a handgun.
"Try not to wriggle too much."
She nodded.
The hallway ended with another door, which opened to reveal a laboratory. In the center of the room stood a desk, and behind the desk, a wolf was seated.
"It has been a long time since I have seen a living soul," the wolf voiced, chuckling. "A human, no less. Welcome to my humble abode."
Zootopia
Downtown
Precinct One
Lyra paced back and forth along the lightly padded floor of an isolated jail cell; she couldn't help but feel a looming sense of worry mixed with a stinging sense of betrayal. Nothing in her life seemed to go her way recently: she thought she had lost Neal, was imprisoned and beaten in Zootopia Penitentiary, was nearly killed by the incompetence of her subordinates several times while handling viral samples, and the list went on, culminating in her being accused of a crime she should not have been guilty of. She sighed; she was slowly getting desperate for someone else, anyone else to spend the time with. Loneliness had a way of eating into her mind, and she hated the feeling.
As she paced, dreading whatever mammal might come to her first, she heard the telltale click of the door down the hall unlocking. She stopped and pressed an ear to the door; although the noise was muffled, she heard a constant groaning and the clack of heavy hooves approaching her. She quickly backed away and sat on the uncomfortable cot in the corner, fidgeting nervously as her visitor stopped in front of her cell. The panel in the middle of the door opened, revealing Chief Bogo's unnerving gaze.
"We're leaving," he grunted. "Back up to the door and put your paws through the slot."
She did as he asked, purposefully holding her paws behind her back through the lowest slot on the door. Bogo grumbled and cuffed them together, ratcheting entirely too tight.
"Snout."
Lyra turned and placed her snout through the small hole; she felt a muzzle slip over her face, promptly tightening to the point of pain. She felt like protesting, but knew better than to anger the buffalo. The door opened, and Bogo dragged her out by the scruff of her neck, throwing her onto the floor before lifting her under one arm, holding her securely. They passed through the lobby; however, before they could make it to the doors, a fat cheetah behind the front desk stopped them.
"Hey chief," Clawhauser inquired, pointing to the vixen. "Need transfer paperwork?"
"No, I've already taken care of it," Bogo lied. The cheetah slowly hid behind the computer, allowing Bogo to leave undisturbed.
When they reached the front entrance, Bogo threw the door open. A patrol car was parked just before the steps. When they reached the vehicle, the discontented buffalo opened the door and haphazardly tossed Lyra in.
"I want you to know that I hate you for what you're forcing upon me. All of us, actually. For some reason, they felt the need to call everyone to this next meeting so that you can be tried." Bogo grumbled again. "Waste of my time. With this much evidence, they don't need a hundred mammals to come to the correct conclusion, let alone nearly three thousand."
Lyra was unable to respond, as the muzzle firmly clamped her mouth shut. Instead, she glared daggers at the chief. The drive to the lodge was slow and silent; the rush hour traffic kept them locked in the grid. Fed up, Bogo turned on his lights; a path almost magically cleared before them.
They eventually reached the lodge; Chief Bogo parked the car at the base of the hill before exiting and opening the backseat, helping Lyra out.
"If I take your muzzle off, will you behave?" he asked blandly. When she nodded, Bogo reached around and removed her muzzle.
She glared at him and said nothing, before spitting on the interior of the police cruiser. He threw her against the car and she fell over, letting out a quiet yelp.
"You never learn, do you?" he seethed.
She slowly managed to get to her knees.
"I learn plenty well. You're just a terrible teacher," she responded, turning to face him; there was no hint of remorse or fear in her eyes.
"Well then, I guess I'll just have to get work experience towards my diploma, won't I?" he whispered, letting out a light chuckle. He shoved her forwards, scraping her knees against the pavement before allowing her to stand. The duo slowly proceeded up the hill; whenever Lyra got too slow for his comfort, he shoved her, often knocking her over in the process. Lyra looked around; there was nary a soul to see her mistreatment.
They entered the building, passing the front desk; the receptionist barely lifted his head from his newspaper, quickly returning his attention. Bogo forcefully led Lyra to the lower levels; she would have stumbled down the stairs, had he not caught her in the last moment. They proceeded down the hall and around several corners, stopping in front of a cell with a glass window, easily half a foot thick.
"This is your room until the meeting starts. As you can see, no windows, no mirror, no bedframe, and your basic amenities." He motioned around; there was a small toilet in the corner and a sink too high for her to reach. "It's nigh soundproof, so don't waste your time trying to bother anyone who passes. I'll be back in a few hours."
He opened the thick glass door and shoved her in, uncuffing her. As soon as her wrists were free, Lyra shambled to the mattress and fell down onto it; the mattress was hard and uncomfortable, and had no blanket, only a small pillow. She grabbed the pillow and held it tight, curled into a ball, and began weeping. She cried out obscenities to nobody in particular and forced her eyes shut, howling her rage at the injustice that faced her.
Lodge
Several Hours Later
Lyra lacked the strength to cry anymore. Her tears had long since dried, and her mind was mostly blank. All she she could think about was her mate, and how not even twenty four hours ago they were laying in bed together, warm and content.
There was a noise from the door but she didn't lift her head. She heard a slight rattle, a click, and a creak. From the corner of her eye, she saw the edge of the door and two sets of paws from under starry robes.
"We are ready to hear your trial."
She stood and slowly walked into the hallway; she proceeded towards the chambers, with one of her wardens in front of her and the other behind her. She briefly pondered making a break for the door, but quickly dismissed the thought. The mammal behind her was a cheetah, and even if she somehow managed to evade them, they would surely kill Neal.
They soon arrived at the entrance to the Court chambers. Lyra closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths before opening the doors. What she saw shocked her: instead of the promised three thousand mammals, there were hardly any at all; she counted no more than a hundred. She recognized none of them
"Oh no," she breathed unwilling to step in.
"Keep moving," the cheetah growled, pushing her through. They continued down the walkway reaching centerstage rather shortly. Lyra climbed onto a stool and sat quietly.
After what felt like an eternity to the poor vixen, Rigel called order.
"Recess is over," she announced. "We resume with the final order of business: the trial of Regulus, for assaulting and blinding Alcor."
"Where's Arcturus? Sirius, Altair, Procyon, anyone that I know?" Lyra inquired.
"It's a conflict of interests. They would always vote in your favor. Now, any opening remarks?"
"It was self defence!"
"If Regulus would refrain from speaking unless she is asked to," Rigel seethed. "You will be allowed to argue your case after the prosecution." Rigel walked offstage momentarily, dragging a projector with screen to the center of the stage, quickly setting it up. "Since Alcor is in critical condition, he has asked me to argue the case."
"Oh, and that's not a conflict of interests?!" Lyra shouted once more. "You absolutely hate me!"
"I grow tired of her antics. Muzzle her."
Several mammals walked up to Lyra. She struggled, but they eventually managed to fit the muzzle over her face and cuff her to the chair. Rigel turned the projector on and displayed a slightly grainy camera feed; the feed showed the hallway just outside of Jack's room in the asylum.
"I present into evidence video footage of the assault." The clip played; Lyra unlocked and scrambled into Jack's room; shortly after, static cut in, before cutting out to show Lyra with bloodied paws running from the room, followed by Alcor shambling out with the aid of security.
Lyra tried to shout, but the muzzle prevented her. "We would have called Alcor for testimony, but we had to put him into an induced coma because he was in too much pain."
The vixen struggled as much as she could, making a racket. "Something to say, Regulus?" Rigel inquired, walking over and loosening the muzzle slightly.
"This trial is a joke! A total sham! That camera feed cut out on important details, including where he attacked me, first! Where's the feed from inside of the room? Where's the rest of the Court? On top of that, you haven't given me a chance to tell my side of the story!"
"Let's hear it."
"Alcor attacked me first! I found out that Jack is missing, and he wants to silence me!"
The revelation appeared to have no effect on the Court.
"What part of 'Jack is missing' don't you understand?!" she continued.
"And? He's a non-threat. He won't make it more than a hundred miles while he's sick."
"He's not sick!"
"You may have removed the virus that attacked his brain, but he still has Cynewulf Disease. Either way, he remembers nothing of value. Nothing of us, and nothing of his… incident, for lack of a better word. He won't make it more than a hundred miles before dropping dead."
"You can't just-" Lyra outraged, quickly being silenced as Rigel tightened the muzzle.
"I think the evidence stands, as is," the doe continued. "Let's put it to a vote. All who believe Regulus is guilty?" Nearly every paw and hoof went up. "I think that's majority. Now, for sentencing. Normally, mayhem and assault and battery constitute fifteen years, but given how she might reveal the inner workings of the Court, and how her mate will receive death, I have no choice but to advocate death for her as well."
Lyra's eyes shot wide open and she made as much noise as she could in protest. Just as she began scratching at the floor, she saw the door open quietly; in stepped Sirius and his wife, inconspicuously sneaking around to look for two consecutive open seats.
"All in favor of the aforementioned penalty-" Rigel continued.
"Aforementioned penalty?" Sirius piped up. "For whom?"
"Yeah, would you mind filling in the details?" Grace continued, finding a seat. "Achernar asked us to watch a few things while he was gone, and he only just got back."
Lyra managed to tip the chair over, breaking it when it hit the ground.
"Is that…" Sirius muttered.
"What's Regulus doing tied to a chair?!" Grace shouted.
"I recommend you two leave," one of the surrounding mammals commanded.
"No, absolutely not!" Grace retorted, setting her mask aside and making her way to the stage. There, she helped the small black vixen to stand, removing her muzzle. "What's happening?"
"Jack's free!" Lyra proclaimed.
"Does Procyon know about this?" Grace asked, turning to Rigel.
"We felt that certain information was… not privy to his ears," the doe sheepishly answered.
"Well, let's see what he thinks about this stunning revelation," the wolf barked back, retrieving the ansible that Kai had given her.
"Stop her!" Rigel shouted; several large mammals from the front row charged her, but she withdrew her pistol and aimed it at them.
"Not so fast," she hissed, hitting the call button. A rhino charged and she shot; the bullets did little to stop the mammal until one landed in his neck, dropping him. Several more members assaulted her, and she was quickly overwhelmed. Her weapon dropped to the floor and was kicked aside, but she clutched to the ansible for dear life. Soon, her call was answered.
"Grace, what's wrong?" spoke the voice from the phone.
"The Court's about to lynch Regulus! And Jack is-" Before she could finish her sentiment, she was gagged. Sirius was shortly brought to the stage as well before being muzzled and cuffed. A lynx picked her phone up and held it to his ear.
"It appears that the call went through," he lamented.
Rigel burst out laughing. "What does it matter, he's in Honshu. He'll never get here in time; just dispose of the three and…" She trailed off as her and everyone else's fur began to stand on end. The air became noticeably drier, and in a sphere directly in front of her, the light began to distort. She saw the faint outline of a figure shimmer into existence, although she couldn't make out the finer details. Soon, the figure's lack of a snout became apparent. Nearly instantly, she felt a gust of wind as a very familiar man appeared before them.
"What do we do, Rigel?" the lynx inquired worriedly, stepping away from the apparition.
"It wouldn't matter anyways," she spoke plainly, ears laying flat on her head as they all watched the man stand upright.
A/N: And now the plot gets kicked back off. Thanks to 33K121 for his help with the chapter.
