The Defunct Livestock Tower - Just a few minutes later - Friday

The tower echoed every time the rabbit struck her small sized sand-filled heavy bag they had set up in the preparation room down by the elevator. The old dingy cell used to be a place of fear for all the livestock that dwelled there, the old preparation room. Right by the elevator, it used to be any of the livestock animals' final stop , where any unfortunate soul chosen would be put to sleep and prepared for the waiting customers.

San had no idea how many kids he had seen escorted or more like dragged down to this very cell. Not like they knew how to count back then. But he knew it was a lot and he knew the ones that went in that cell usually never came back. Nowadays, now that the tower was shut down, it was simply Kyuu's personal workout room. She had claimed it for herself after they had taken up residence here a few years ago.

She got no real objection from him for the room. Even after they very cathartically took a bat and crowbar to the wretched place upon their return, everything down from the tables, the cabinets, and wretched equipment, it still gave him the creeps from time to time. Nothing crippling, thankfully, he knew this place no longer had any power without the evil beasts who operated it, but it still gave him the most bad vibes out of all the areas in the former livestock farm. He liked it better when they trained outside in the courtyard, even if it was out in the open where passersby could see them. He even avoided glancing in here whenever they boarded the elevator to head into the outside world above.

The place for him was just too foreboding. Young animals like them used to be killed in there. Butchered, prepared as meat for hungry customers and now she was using it as a little freaking gym. It wasn't a place that deserved respect, he didn't fully agree with it, but he also felt he understood why she did it. Instead of fear like him, she probably felt anger, at least that's what he figured. He imagined that she channeled all that lingering hatred she possessed for their captors to get stronger. Being reminded of their evil served as a motivator, among other things.

Right now, he could really feel that emotion coming down the hall, her anger. As the llama got closer, the tap of her feet shuffling, her pained grunting, her exhaustive huffing and puffing, the swaying of the chain, and not to mention the frequent impacts on leather. All of it created a rhythmic pattern that San could discern to be a very pissed off workout from her.

Something was really gnawing at her. That was his first thought as he leaned against the doorway. She usually never trained this hard, not in recent memory at least. Well maybe when they were younger and she had a point to prove.

She did get dropped last week, so no big surprise there. Now, she was working overtime.

He was just about to steal a peak before sneaking over to the elevator, when he heard her voice.

"So. Are you really going out again tonight?" Her voice carried out the room.

Aw shit! A lump formed in his throat. How could she hear me? He wondered. The ruckus she was making and he had crept up to the room stealthily like a ninja.

How the hell could she have heard me coming? He didn't have too long to ponder when she called out for him again.

"San, get your butt in here."

San poked his head in through the door with a weak and nervous smile. "Ahaha…" He quickly straightened up when he saw her relentlessly attacking the heavy bag, sweating up a storm.

"Talk to me." The buxom rabbit said, wearing her white tank top and red track pants while looking ragged from an extensive workout. "We hardly talk ever since you got that cellphone."

She had to have been at this for an hour at the least. She also didn't lose her focus or turn around as she kept striking the heavy bag. She was determined.

"You should be resting right now." He lectured. "Your body isn't going to heal if you keep stressing it out like this."

"Answer my question. Are you going out?" She asked again, ignoring his concern as she bounced around the bag and striking it with her knee this time.

"I'll answer you on the condition you stop for a break and you tell me how you heard me coming." San grinned as he slinked in the old room. He still got a cold chill down his spine as he entered. "Y'know it hurts my pride that you could detect me so easily." He joked trying to calm his nerves.

"I thought we went over this." She said, finishing off a combo with a hard kick before resting.

"That oatmeal dog garbage you bathe with is a huge tip off. I smelled you, soon as you came out of the shower room . " She briefly caught her breath. "Not hard to figure you are nearby when I'm expecting some dog to come around the corner."

"Right." He groaned, taking a sniff. "I think garbage is overdoing it. Doesn't smell that bad and it actually makes my wool feel a lot softer" He didn't use that much of this time though he thought.

"Still makes you smell like a dog." She said under her breath.

She took at least six deep breaths, wiped the sweat from her face, and then took a swig from her water bottle. Her lean muscles rippled under the cream fur covering her biceps as she stretched and twisted trying to get limber.

Despite the ugly purple bruising still fading from her face, Kyuu was in great shape at least for a herbivore of her size and gender. As a rabbit she'd never had anything on a carnivore's physique, but she still possessed a bit of muscle and packed quite a wallop if she put her mind to it. She was deadly when she combined it with her sharp knives and rope. Something she would often surprise her opponents with as soon as they let their guard down in front of the 'meek little bunny'.

And it was all thanks to him and Gouhin-Sama's training. Sure she put the physical work in, training like this, but it was his rationing and saving of their earnings that allowed it all to happen. He made sure she could stay in this condition, buying only the necessity in terms of food and water. She was lucky he actually paid attention to their lessons under the panda doctor. If left on her own she'd probably just fuel that stupid smoking habit she picked up from their former rescuer.

She suddenly hurled a hard cross and got right back into her drill continuing on for a further minute or two, going at the heavy bag like she was fighting someone for real.

"Come on, I said a break!" He shouted at her. "That was like... ten seconds at best."

'Got to keep... going. Don't need to be… soft!" She growled between blows. "Besides, … you didn't answer... my question, San!" She was really pounding the side of the bag like a tough piece of meat. "You going out?"

Soon she became enveloped in a dark shadow, turning only to see San standing over her with a serious look.

"What are-" she started to ask before he expertly plucked her wrist out of the air mid-punch and took a brief glance so he could inspect her knuckles. Thankfully they were properly wrapped and they weren't cut...yet.

"Let go of me." She demanded, getting ready to slug him. She didn't get the chance, because he soon let go and a sigh of relief escaped his lips.

"Just making sure you aren't about to screw up your knuckles." He said. "Glad you at least remember to pad them."

"What am I a rookie?" She asked as she went back to pounding the bag.

He frowned and found a nearby crate to sit down on while he watched her continue to beat up the punching bag. The breaking of her fingers or her getting a fracture because she was overdoing it would be a disaster. He looked at his black phone Priscilla had given him and checked the clock, he still had time.

"Anyway. Yeah, I am heading out. Show Arena." He finally admitted.

She almost smiled and gave him a quick look over before throwing another punch. "Oh, you fighting for once? Risking your neck to make the money now?" She asked. She almost snickered. "It's about time. What? Finally found that spark last week? Did she really bring that out of you?"

"Nah, that's not it." He replied, half amused.

"Oh wait. No, no, no. Don't tell me. You are going down to see your fancy pants snow fox again? That's it isn't it? I hear your little phone calls down the hall, I suspected that's what you two were yammering about."

"Well...sorta." He explained, with a nervous laugh. "I'm mostly going down there to watch your competition and of course y'know check in on Priscilla-Chan. Said she had something to tell me."

"What? You really are looking to replace me?" She asked half serious, grabbing hold of the bag for support and taking another breather.

"Stop being paranoid." He said. "That Pao guy should be fighting today, remember? I'm going down there to check him out, see what tricks he might have, y'know given how badly he stomped you last Friday. Ahaha."

"He just got lucky is all." The rabbit noticeably growled, pointing at him, before striking the bag really hard. "Next time, I'll stomp him . Right into the mat! I just need to watch his tail like you said and work around his stupid kicks."

"Kyuu, it's not that simple." He sighed as he covered his snout, looking at her wearily.

"Isn't it?" she asked. "He only got me because I wasn't ready for his tail. He's a kicker and he has that tail covering his back. That's all I need to know." She said matter-of-fact as she jabbed repeatedly at the leather and bounced around.

"You only had one fight with the guy, a fist fight, and he dominated you." San reasoned. "Does that little brain of yours ever stop and think, maybe things aren't so cut and dry?"

"Stop calling me stupid."

"Stop being such a meathead then." He countered.

She just huffed at him in response.

"I'm just saying, what if he's packing something else? Like knives or a shiv? You never know. Plus he wasn't trying to kill you then right? Arena might change that mindset."

"Look you wooly wuss, I just need to be faster and cut in on him before he can cut in on me, which is why I'm trying to work on my striking speed. If he has any tricks, I'll have tricks of my own. Remember when I fought him, I did it without my knives or Chimera. No tricks, no weapons. Just me, and I almost knocked him out!"

"That's supposed to be impressive?" He sighed. "That's just recklessness on your part. Maybe you got lucky." This was what the panda was trying to get through her hard head all those years ago. "And I mean look at what it got you in the end. It's why you're sidelined tonight."

"That's why I've been training. I'm gonna be faster than I was that Friday." She said, weaving around the bag swiftly.

From what San had observed so far, she had a more notable swiftness and urgency in her style. From her rapid fire punches and kicks to how she rolled her head. Her usual fighting style was typically hit and run, but this definitely seemed more aggressive than he'd ever seen her train for. She delivered more strikes and blows in her combinations than she usually did before moving on, fast enough to keep her rhythm at least. Great torso rotation, no stiffness, her footwork resembled dancing. He was just worried about her tuckering herself out doing it.

"I mean, you do look like you are making an improvement." He said scratching the still wet wool on his neck. "However that doesn't really mean you are ready to just jump back in the ring with this guy. Not without a proper plan."

"That's your opinion." She said.

"Opinion? Yeah well my opinion is that you aren't ready until we know more about the guy! And it will be a hard fact for you when you are laying flat on your back looking up into space." He said, towering over her again. "That's why I'm going to try and record his match if I can on this phone. Then we can come with a real plan. Pris-chan helped me figure out this neat recording app a few days ago so I'm going to put it to good use."

She paused, and looked up at him skeptically. "San, do what you want." She then sniffed, and turned away from him. "God I hate that stuff. Yeah, why don't you go already, Dog Boy. Go on and get that cheap mangy smell out of here." She said, referring to the shampoo. "I thought you were going to dump that trash out last week."

He smiled. He slicked back his blonde locks on the back of his head. "I was, but y'know I decided against it. I've started to take a liking to it."

"Why? You like smelling like breakfast ?" She asked, mid combination. "Really are hopeless."

"I mean, Priscilla-san didn't really complain about it. Actually thought it smelled nice."

"Hmph. No way." A mild sense of surprise inflected her voice, though she remained focused on the task at hand. "Got to be playing you for a fool."

"Way." He responded honestly with a smiling nod. "She thought I was cute. You hear that?" He asked, proud. "Cute? Me?"

"Of course she likes it, you're only just meat, the kind that seasons itself up for the hungry carnivore and jumps on their plate. I bet she calls you her little sweet treat or some other sappy garbage."

The llama clicked his tongue in disbelief. "Come on. It's not like that at all." Well, not really. She did effectively call him cotton candy as a nickname, but that was just teasing on her part because of the hassling the cougar asshole had given him that night. Kyuu probably would gag if he told her, Priscilla called him that.

"Whatever you say Breakfast. " The lop called him, as she threw out another combo. "Or maybe I should call you Dinner, because I guess it's evening? Don't your conniving vixen eat dinner around this time?" She joked. "Why don't you run along, before she starts getting hunger pangs."

"Shut up!" He said, annoyed. "She's not conniving... mostly. And she doesn't want to eat me, I know that for sure!"

"An honest vixen?" She quipped. "What's next? A wolf that's afraid to bite?"

"Ain't you supposed to be a fluffy weak rabbit?" He shot back. "Guess all beasts are so easily slotted, huh?"

She paused momentarily, briefly thinking about her conversation with Pao before telling the llama to shut up. The llama lightly chuckled and grinned at her hypocrisy.

"Oh what's that Pot? The Kettle is black?" The llama joked, leaning back in with a soft snicker. "You don't say?"

The bunny danced in front of the bag before turning around, her face crossed as she punched the inside of her palm. "What's that San? You want me to use your balls as a speed bag instead?!"

Self-preservation of his nethers caused him to wisely move out of her range. "Y'know, just beating up your problems doesn't make you right!" He said, just shaking his head,

"Will make me feel better." She grumbled to herself, turning her back on him as she returned to her workout.

"Feel better, huh?" He asked. "What's up with you anyway?"

"Ain't nothing up." She said, plainly as she struck the leather hard once again. "You're imagining things."

She wanted to insult him, he was going to mess with her right back. "Is someone upset about their first loss in a while? Haven't seen you like this since after you almost bit the dust during that fight with the Siamese cat." He asked her mockingly. "Should consider yourself lucky you're still in one piece."

She knew he could read her very easy especially if she was going through something.

"Consider myself lucky," She said mockingly. "You're lucky I don't bloody you nose. How about you go away before I sock you?" she demanded, trying to dismiss him before he stuck his big nose in further. "All you're good for nowadays anyway.

"Something is wrong, isn't it Kyuu?" He asked, resting his muzzle on his knuckles with the slyest of grins.

The rabbit tried to ignore him and kept punching away at the heavy bag. "I said beat it. Go run off to your little sharp toothed lover and quit bothering me with questions!"

"Kyuu…"

"Go ahead! " The shorter animal shouted, shooing him away. "We're done talking!

San stood up, but didn't leave. He instead walked over to her and craned his tall body down to inspect her shadowboxing more closely.

"Who exactly are you fighting right now in that little head of yours?" He asked as she smashed her fist in with a loud thud. Her huffing and puffing were like that of a savage beast.

"Who's got you so pissed off? Is it the monkey? Huh?" He leaned in further over her shoulder. "Is it me? Gouhin-Sama?" He hesitated. "Chuan?"

She finally reached a boiling point and unloaded a bit of pent up aggression at him. "It's Lùn!" He really felt her frustration coming as she hurled a hook out at him. San however was much quicker than she gave credit, he jerked his head back just in time.

"URRGHHH!" She growled frustrated and wrung her hands in the air. "I'm imagining I'm fighting Lùn right now. There. Now leave me alone!" She admitted.

"Loon...Loon?" He said, trying to picture who she was talking about. The name sounded familiar. San squinted as he tried to remember the name. "Oh wait, you mean the little fox in Priscilla's gang right? The one that sees herself as your rival? The one that saved us that night?"

"Yeah, her name is Lùn. I've been using her as an imaginary opponent for my workouts."

"Why? She's still a low ranker isn't she? You don't have to really worry about her until she runs through the rest of the bigger names at the arena. She's a mid-carder at best."

"That doesn't make her any less a threat." She said, pointing to her clawed face. "Have to stay prepared." He had noticed the cuts under he left eyed hadn't really healed up and probably were going to be permanent.

"She gave you those right? The scars?" He asked. "I think you said something about a fight with her last Friday?"

"Yeah. We had got into another little scrap after we dealt with the hulking scale heads." She grabbed hold of the bag, she seemed to finally have run out of steam he noticed as she leaned against the miniature punching bag. "Bare knuckles, just like the first time." She said, breathing hard.

"So you really lost two fights in one evening?" He quipped. "Impressive."

"I DIDN'T LOSE!" She shouted, finally taking a quick breather. "It was basically a draw." She insisted.

"Those scars say otherwise." He half-jokingly commented, pointing to his left cheek. The rabbit angrily covered up her scars briefly before explaining what happened, or at least her version of events.

"She only clawed me because your girlfriend's gang had to bust in at the last minute to pick her up. I was just about to win, then they put a stop to it."

"Really?" He asked with the smuggest look she'd ever seen on the llama's face. He didn't buy that one bit, not as mad as she was. "You know...just because it was a draw doesn't mean you won. Just meant it was a draw. And given how busted up you were coming back home...wasn't a good draw from the sounds of things."

"Yeah, well both we kicked each other's asses." Kyuu started clambering up the cell's bars and began performing chin-ups. "I'll be ready next time."

San frowned at her, continuing to overtax her small body. "You really need to take longer breaks than that, Kyuu. You're going to kill yourself if you over do it." He lectured. She ignored him and started counting to herself.

"Fine. Don't listen to me." He said, crossing his legs as he watched her heft herself up and down. She had reached 'ten' when a thought caught his attention.

"You know… it's weird that you said her name just then." He said.

"Shut up." She snapped at him, annoyed. "You are going to make me lose count."

"Like I've never heard you get her name right until now." He continued. "It's always been pipsqueak or runt or some other name."

"So?" She said hefting herself up and down reaching 'twenty-two'. "What...do...you...mean?"

"Just weird is all. You tend to have a bad habit of getting people's names wrong. It's like when you don't like them, you usually go out of your way to screw up their names, at least the ones that aren't hard to pronounce. Hers isn't that hard. It's as simple as mine."

"So what? I got to know her better at the store when those reptile freaks were chasing us." She was really straining to lift herself and San, noticing, cautiously pulled his stool closer to the doorway just in case she fell.

"Why are you so defensive?" He asked.

"Because I want to know what you are accusing me of!" She shouted down at him, her breathing very labored.

"Just calm down, relax." he warned, feeling concerned for her. "Like what are you two, best chums now?"

"No... just know each other better is all. I mean, I think we made a nice team that night." She said, pulling her chin over the bar again. "She's a cunning fighter. Clever. Should have seen her carve that dragon bastard up with me. Rex, it was beautiful... like one of those poem things."

San slowly tilted his head at her.

"When we first fought, she was a greenhorn with raw potential, but now...and her carnivore body, so athletic even for her size! I felt so alive pitting my skill against hers." The bridge of her nose started to redden as she became flush thinking about her.

"You two seem to have a lot more in common than you thought it seems." He said, grinning with a raised brow. "Shame you two aren't friends."

She found the smugness radiating off of him very irritating. "Whatever," She said as she switched her grip to start a series of behind-the-neck pull-ups. "We're done talking about her." She grunted at him. "I need to focus."

Evasive, he thought. Changing the subject.

He stood up and checked the clock on his phone. "Well, it's getting late, guess I'll just be going then. I won't bother you with any more questions."

"Good. Maybe I can get a good count going now." She said.

"I mean it's not like you are attracted to her or anything. Right?" He mused softly and offhanded, as he walked through the doorway.

"Huh?" The rabbit was caught off guard as she paused briefly hanging from the doorway.

San quickly turned around and caught her flustered reaction. She had fallen right into his trap.

"Kyuu... you like her don't you?" He asked. San's face twisted into that of a troll as he stood up and looked her right in her dark face as she hung in the doorway. "You're blushing." He said, looking her in her light brown eyes.

"No I'm no-Get out of my face before I kick you!" She threatened. She knew she couldn't outright deny it or hide the evidence while hanging up there, which was all he needed.

"Aha!" He exclaimed. "You like her, don't you? Oooooh this is too much."

"San, shut up or you're dead!" She actually followed up and kicked at his nose, but he swiftly dodged back out into the hallway.

"No, no no. You can't tell me shut up. You have the nerve to give me shit about Priscilla-Chan, but deep down you've gotten yourself another carnivore crush! As if Chuan and Gouhin-Sama weren't enough." He yelled at her. He suddenly broke out into a fit of laughter as tears began to roll down his face. "Least you picked one your size this time at least! AHAHAHAA!"

"Oh shut up!" She shouted. "I'll kill you when I get down from here."

He calmed his amusement down to some light snickering, as he sat back down on the crate. "So, does she like you back?" He asked.

"That's it….you die!" She threatened hanging there before dropping to the floor, falling flat on her butt. She groaned as she massaged her temples like she was getting a headache. She was too exhausted to really do anything to him. "God damnit…" She cursed, trying to will herself back up. "Damnit!"

"Kyuu, you okay?" He asked, offering to help her up.

"I'm fine." she said, stubbornly slapping his hand away. She appeared to be lightheaded, as she slouched over on her back. The llama crouched down and picked her back up despite her protests and dragged her up by the crate. He felt the top of her head, it was warm, so he poured cold water on top of her. She shook violently, but was starting to liven up.

"You okay?" He asked again, offering her the water bottle to sip. Her heavy breathing slowed down as he began to towel her off. He had warned her that she was overdoing it, this was just a result of her hardhead nature.

"Thanks, and I don't really frickin know for sure if she likes me or not." She said, finally answering him, taking a large gulp. "She said no to my face, but she's a really weird female, for a carnivore at least."

"So she rejected you?" He asked, his face became more serious with concern.

"That's the thing. I don't think she meant it. I can tell just from how she fights me. She doesn't use her claws or teeth against me anymore not unless I force her. And it's not out of pity either, like she's handicapping herself on purpose. So I suspect we might have something going on. Maybe she just hates me or maybe it's something else." Her eyes sadly drifted towards the floor as she slowly shook her head in shame.

"I mean I really hadn't been giving it much thought until last Friday. I mean deep down I was impressed by her fights at the arena, but after we finally met back up at the store, I tried to do what you did and jump at the opportunity."

San's mood for teasing had all but dried up as he listened. In fact he almost felt pretty rotten, almost as it wasn't like she hadn't been practically asking for it.

"Like I was fighting her shadow in the park," She continued. "and it must have been me thinking it, but after I knocked it down, the shadow actually wanted me ...came on to me. Desired me. Never felt that way about a female before. Then at the store, during the battle we fell on top of each other, got really close together. And she practically had the same look on her face when we both came to. Later after we snuffed the final guy, I just couldn't help myself.

"Then... reality happened. She pushed me away and then we just started yelling at each other. That's when we had our fight and then I got cut. Said it was payback for the scars I gave her. That's funny huh?"

"Oh…I don't know about funny." The llama said, half-surprised. "Still...bummer."

"Oh, what?" She asked, scowling at him. "Now you're going to hit me with your pity?" She growled. However her face softened as regret set in instantly. "No, actually…you know what? I think... maybe I should ask for your advice."

"My advice? Now you want to listen to me? Well...I don't really think I'm qualified to give advice in this instance to be honest." He said cautiously. He was new to all this himself after all, at the end of the day this was really his first romantic relationship.

"What do you mean?" She asked, looking at him skeptical. "You're talking to one ain't you?!" She shouted, standing up and rushing over to him. "How do you talk to your vixen?" She climbed up into his lap and grabbed hold of his jacket, yanking his long neck down by his collar. "TELL ME YOUR SECRETS!" She demanded in his face.

"Hey easy! Easy." He said, a bit bewildered as she tried to balance herself in his lap. He was worried she might set off his pistol more than anything, her foot was right next to it in his waistband. He picked her up and placed her back on the floor. "Look, I honestly don't think I'm the guy to talk to about this. I'm still new to this myself." He nervously laughed as he started twiddling his thumbs as he started to think of something proper to say.

"What? Didn't her boss treat you like a male? I could smell her all over you that night!" She asked, cocking her head at him, letting go and taking a step back. "Besides I actually treated her like a female if that's what you need to hear." She said, wiggling her fingers.

"Well no-we are-I mean we kinda did get-I mean like..." He started stammering, trying to explain their night together before his eyes widened as he caught what she really said. "Wait, like a female?" A look of shock ror was on his face as he realized what she meant with her fingers. "No. No... you didn't, did you?"

The dark faced rabbit blushed as she scratched behind one of her long ears. "I mean I kissed her and then me and her kinda hugged and touched for a bit. You were right about their fur by the way, it is nice and soft to the touch."

"Kyuu." San facepalmed and hung his head low.

"She seemed like she was into it." She attested.

"Kyuu! Are you crazy?!" He shouted at her. He paused for a moment before cutting off any response. "D-don't answer that." He rubbed his brows and took a deep exhale. "She probably rejected you because you didn't give her time to think or even a choice. You just sprung it up on her."

'That's how they do it in the movies and anime." She reasoned. "At least I think."

"This ain't a movie." He said. "Have you even talked to her outside of the times you've gone for her throat?"

"Well...no."

"Then you really screwed up. You need to...talk with her at least. Like a friend. You ever noticed Priscilla-chan at least talked to me before we decided to see each other?" He asked, slowly sliding down the wall as he looked at her. He closed his eyes as he tried to think of something to help her with. He could only come up with the simplest of suggestions.

Kyuu heaved a heavy defeated sigh. "Great. Guess I'm up creek then. Maybe I was the only one that wanted it really in the end anyway."

"Well, it's dicey, but I don't think you are completely hopeless." He said. "You can probably still smooth this out. I just think you REALLY went about this the wrong way."

"Well what do you think I need to do?" A bit of hope tried to infect her voice.

"Well for starters...actually maybe talk to her. Try to express your feelings before... you know."

"Talk to her?" Her head dropped slightly. That didn't sound promising at all to her. "Great. San, how the hell am I going to talk to her?" She asked. "If you hadn't noticed, me and her don't exactly see each other all the time. I only really see her at the arena."

San stroked his jaw as he thought more closely on the situation. "Perhaps I can ask Priscilla-chan? She is her boss after all."

"Don't freakin tell her!" The rabbit spat, blowing her top. "This is between me and you!"

"If you've made your move already, then it involves Priscilla and this Lùn girl anyway. Talking to Priscilla seems like our only way of settling this properly." He reasoned. "Besides, maybe I can just swing it as something of a favor... like what do you say to you two training together or something? You both seem to share a similar mindset. Maybe you two can just find something in common first that way."

"Fu-fu-fu...fine." She said looking dejected. "I guess."

"I'm just going to ask for you. No promises." He said, trying to reassure her. "I mean, chances are, she will probably say no."

She sighed. "I kind of hope that she does." She said, kind of deflated about the whole situation. "This love stuff is more embarrassing than I remember."

"Honestly? I think you should focus on something else. I mean, I'm not trying to shoot you down, but you got bigger things to worry about than some girlfriend problems, namely this Pao guy. You can bluff all you want, but I still think he'll be an issue if we don't get a better look at him."

She sat there cross legged, listening to him as he lectured. Perhaps she was too tired to really put much of a fight on the topic anymore, he wagered. But she was finally listening to him.

"Just stop working yourself to death for a bit and get you some rest. You'll probably feel better if you get some relaxation in." He said looking at his phone and checking the time. "Oh shit...I'm going to be late." He said, heading for the elevator. He'd be cutting it close if he didn't leave now.

"San." She rushed to catch him by the hand. He turned, seeing her resting against the cell bars, completely gassed out. "I know I never say this, but thank you for being here for me." She said, swallowing her pride. "Ugh...I hate this sappy stuff. It never feels right. Look, just good luck out there...okay?"

"Don't worry. Only luck I need is this." He said brandishing his pistol and giving her his reassuring smile and chuckle before pressing the 1st floor button. "I'll be back no problem, so keep the lights on." He said as the rickety old elevator started lifting out of sight. "And get some flippin' rest! I mean it! Better be in bed by the time I get back!" He shouted down as he vanished up the shaft. As he ascended, he let out a deep sigh.

"Rex! Ughh." The llama groaned as he ran his fingers through his hair. As he let the façade slip. "You just have to keep coming up with more and more messes for me to clean up, don't you? I might as well just call myself a janitor at this point."

Finally the elevator came to a stop, and he stepped out into the bustling back-alley as he fastened his headphones, making sure his pistol was secure in his waistband, and found a good song to listen to as he began to stroll into the alleyways. He took a whiff of the linger shampoo odor again.

"I really hope this stuff makes me smell like a dog as much as you say it does." He muttered to himself, pulling his hood over his ears before stepping out into the vast meat menagerie.