Author's Note:Hello Lads and ladies
Three weeks of taking pills have come and gone and I am doing very well. My fear and depression has been taking the back seat while I became a bit more active. I'm actually pretty happy :D
So this chapter deals once again a lot with parental fights and how both children and parents deal with them, I especially am proud of how I deal with Azuki here. Her character development was a spur of the moment decision. I hope you guys enjoy what I got cooking up, Louis's story line is almost at it's end. I promise we will have more Jugosi content soon, I just needed to get all this character development out of the way, I will concentrate on Riz content soon. I promise that.
Editors: SuperAverageFoxyboy
Some Random reader32
Enjoy!
-Portal
Chapter 22: Formal Invitation to the Conglomerate's Heir.
"Of course, it was no big deal. You know how much I worry," Legosi told his grandfather on the phone. The whole retelling of the events leading up to his therapy had taken not very long, at least not as long as he believed it would take.
"I already told you that you were worrying too much."
Legosi heard the small inflection in his grandfather's voice. The smallest of changes in his voice were non-existent to people who were free of trauma. But Legosi heard it, and he understood that Gosha had the slightest doubts, but who could blame him. Legosi himself was eaten up by doubt, and of course, his grandfather would be afraid too. Afraid of causing more pain.
But that was over now, thankfully.
"I know, Grandpa… I wanted to ask if we can come and visit soon enough. I want you to meet Juno." Legosi could almost hear the Komodo Dragon smile on the other side of the line.
"Sure enough, you can come visit! I'd be happy to meet the she-wolf that made my grandson oh so happy." A silence befell the conversation.
"Legosi…" Gosha started again, giving Legosi sudden goosebumps as he realized that even if his voice was a lot deeper, its tone still sounded a whole lot like his mother.
"Do you think you can come home when… all that trauma is still haunting you?" Gosha's question didn't directly hit Legosi off guard. His mother's room was already on his mind. And it was a question that was warranted being asked. He may have started the fight to gain back his mind, but he was by no chance rid of it. But what he planned to do had to be done if he ever wanted to be truly free of her.
"I-I think I'll manage. It's only a door. What harm can it do me?" Legosi was unsure if he believed that himself.
"As long as your sure. I don't want you to ever feel unsafe in your own home, ok?" Gosha voiced Legosi's worries out perfectly. But there was no reason in turning back now. Either he managed, or he would never again have the courage to face it.
"I'm sure of myself, Grandpa. You can trust me." Legosi heard his grandfather sigh in response.
"Ok, Legosi. But tell me if you're ever scared. We can help you. You're never alone."
"I know. Thank you…" Legosi was glad to hear no more sighing from the other side.
"Well then, when did you think to visit," Gosha inquired.
"In about a week. Got a few tests soon, but next week we could come Friday afternoon and stay until Sunday." Legosi actually had the idea for the visit for a better part of a month now. Even before the first meeting with Doctor Gouhin, it crossed his mind that visiting home would be a good idea after all this time of never even calling Gosha.
"Noted it down. I'm looking forward to it."
"Me too, Grandpa."
For once, returning home sounded like a good idea.
"Well then, I have to go now. I need to go shopping before it gets too late. Stay safe, Legosi. These are… trying times." Gosha's worry sent another shiver down his spine. He pushed the thoughts away.
"I will, Grandpa. Goodbye!"
"See you in a week!" Gosha hung up.
Legosi looked around himself, seeing how empty the hallway was. It was early afternoon, barely past one. The call had maybe lasted a few minutes, way less time than he thought it would take.
The corridor was extremely quiet, with no one else in sight or audible distance. The only thing he heard was the light buzz of the refrigeration unit in the vending machine by this corner. Legosi began to feel pretty confused at the creepiness of this dark corner until he turned around and was met with the face of his friend, guilt now replacing his confusion. How in the world could I forget?
"Hey, Tem… long time no see." The wolf stepped closer to the mural, the flowers around the picture by the door with the crater still fresh.
Family and friends must still visit him from time to time, but other than that, no one was really dwelling here. The vending machine would at least have to be somehow used, but all the cans were stacked fully to the back. No one was moving past here except with deliberation, and no one got an appetite in the face of a savage incident such as this.
"So many things happened. I-… called grandpa again." Legosi sat down and talked to his friend. There were truly a lot of things that he had to tell him about.
The relationship between Tem and Legosi hadn't been as close as between him and Jack but, it was probably his closest friendship with a herbivore before Louis.
"I told him about Juno… and I made plans to go visit soon. Introduce them… I've also was thinking a lot about my mother… but I'll tell you about that another time." Legosi looked at the flowers and saw the small bouquet of flowers bound in a white veil. The person's smell had faded too much for proper identification but Legosi knew from the veil that it was Louis.
"Louis is still spending you company, huh? His never-ending kindness never stops to amaze me. No wonder he is the Beastar candidate."
In his mind, there was no question about who would get the position. No one had the skill and ability that Louis had, and even while considering how much luck his heritage had thrown into it, there was no lack of talent and dedication in him.
"I hope you don't feel so bad about Els… I hope she comes by to visit from time to time." Legosi changed to the solemn note randomly. The memory of giving Els the love letter was ironically the strongest memory he had in collection with Tem. Legosi thought it was cruel that the most vivid memory of the alpaca was his death as if his life wasn't really worth remembering until it was gone.
"No… I think it's different than that." Legosi didn't dare to look at the picture as if the eyes were staring him down. He felt watched by an entity that was long dead.
"I only remember your death so vividly because, in life, you were a good friend to me. And that makes any memory of you precious."
Legosi looked up to gaze directly into the picture. The feeling of being watched didn't subside though, the feeling persisting even as he looked right at the alpaca. Legosi felt his fur stand upwards, individual strands of his fur brushing against the inside of his clothes. He maneuvered around, looked behind himself to nearly jump out of his skin.
Riz neatly filled the space in the hallway, a brick wall of a carnivore. His black button eyes apathetically watched along without revealing much of anything to the outside world. If eyes are the windows to the soul, then he shut them quite a while ago.
Legosi shuddered at the thought and grasped himself again.
In the bear's hand was a small bouquet of yellow flowers.
"I'm sorry… I just never saw anybody else around here…" Riz's voice was low and quiet, dream-like almost. He sounded never really present as if still stuck in deep sleep.
"Do you mind if I join you? I can wait if you still have things to tell him… you know, alone…" Riz asked with nervous undertones. Legosi waved it off, sliding towards the wall in order to give the bear space to join him by the memorial.
"N-No problem. I was finished anyway…" Legosi propped his legs up and observed the large bear lumber towards him.
Riz sank to the ground in a kneel. He placed the flowers on the ground and folded his fingers together. His prayer was short but intense, with no sign of insincerity in any of it. Maybe even too much sincerity Legosi thought, but quickly shook the thought again.
Riz remained with his eyes closed and his hands on his lap before he reopened his eyes and just sat on the floor beside Legosi. He seemed to be thinking about something. Legosi found himself observing the bear for a while. He wanted to see if anything would give any hints to what was going on beneath the surface, but the surface remained just what it was, neutral
"Do you come here often?" Riz spoke up, Legosi adverting his gaze in embarrassment.
"sometimes." Legosi's answer was somber and slow. It was linked to shame that he neglected the duty of visiting a friend at most in a time such as this.
"I like to come here when I feel alone… The animals are growing more and more distant, and my friends suffer more and more. They feel betrayed and abandoned… I never know what to tell them… so I go here… Tem is always smiling when you come around." Riz black button eyes were locked onto the face that was stapled to the wall. Legosi followed his gaze and looked onto the alpaca.
The wolf started to register what the Bear had said and felt a hint of pain in his mind. The alpaca with the eternal smile… he literally doesn't even have a choice in the matter.
"I guess he does…" Legosi muttered. He observed the daydreaming bear and began to wonder. "Have you and Tem been close?"
His reaction was something that Legosi didn't see coming. Riz almost recoiled, his features showing a momentary reaction of fear. It reverbed to sadness and then his face was befallen by complete neutrality again that was more akin to being dead than emotionally reserved.
"Sure I was… He was my first true herbivore friend." Legosi didn't like his tone one bit. He seemed disconnected and in recollection of an event. What made it so much more different from his own periods of being lost in thought was that the bear was actively hiding whatever was going on inside.
"Oh… I'm sorry… his death must have been horrible for you." Legosi looked away, wanting to explain the afterthought as nothing but an afterthought. But the bear kept his guards up, not letting anything leave him. No thought or nuisance.
Legosi looked at his face only to see a tear running down his cheek, unnoticed by the bear that still looked at the picture now more longingly than anything.
"Are you ok?" Legosi asked, leaning towards him just a bit.
"I'm fine," Riz answered in his dreaming dull tone, wiping the tear off his cheek.
Legosi started to feel a weird knot in his stomach. Something was off something that hid himself from his conscious mind.
"I dream of him often…" Riz muttered. Wiping of another tear from his eye. His face seemed to strain under force behind his blank expression. Legosi felt the instinct to leave unobjectionable.
"Well… I-I'll leave you alone then, Riz." The bear nodded as Legosi stood up. He made his way down the hall while looking over his shoulder more often and often. Riz remained sitting without any objection or comment of his own.
After Legosi had rounded the corner Riz remained still, just as quiet and unmoving, but now with an open mouth, spit running down his lower lip onto the linoleum floor. His eyes locked onto the alpaca with no more coherent thoughts running through his head. Keeping a straight face while the wolf was present had grown to be an energy-consuming task.
He gurgled as he tried to speak, a splatter of spit landing on the floor. He was hungry, and he wanted the sheep. There was no doubt in his mind about it. It was like when Tem hugged him. His mind had locked in place, and he had to show Pina how true their friendship was.
A crooked smile formed on the bear's face as one feeling spread in him like a wildfire through a drought. Hunger
"Louis," Oguma looked into the eyes of his heir, the young deer looking at the old buck with indifference. They faced one another as they sat in a limousine on the way back to the Horns Conglomerate Homestead, the trip being a nasty and unexpected surprise. Louis didn't like that Oguma seemed calmly excited in his seat.
"I got a very unsettling call yesterday by the principal." Louis had to fight the urge to grasp his face, keeping up his poker face with effort. Oguma seemingly noticed, the barest hint of a grin appearing on his face.
"And by your behavior, I think you need to pull yourself together. So I have decided to call your fiance over for a dinner with us today."
Oguma shifted his glasses higher and saw his heir squirm under his skin. A man of his age didn't like to realize how sadistic the rites and rituals of control were, so he plainly decided to overlook the epiphany he had long before this moment.
But at a moment like this, Oguma liked to revel in the primal satisfaction of even just the illusion of control. Control was a wonderful privilege only the most intelligent knew how to use and keep effectively. And even if the context was far too civilized to originate from the primal days, so did the need for the control of one's environment having various reasons for it in the primal ages.
"Are you alright, Louis?" Oguma could barely keep the bitingly teasing undertone under control. Another ugly thought crashed into him that couldn't be pushed down as easily.
Part of him hated Louis for fighting his rules. How could he dare to fight him if he was only free because of Oguma? Louis owed him loyalty. If it weren't for him, he would have no pride or no personality. But the truly perverse part of the thought was that he honestly liked Louis better before he could speak. Such a helpless creature full of promise without any rebellious thoughts.
"I am ok, Father," Louis answered, his poker face still up. It dismayed Oguma how well the young buck was at hiding his emotion. Oguma had started to question if Louis had been keeping secrets from him for much longer than just the beginning of the year.
"I feel like you aren't." This was the first sentence by Oguma to result in an outright physical reaction in Louis.
"-Maybe it's because I had to do the work of an entire School Administration block because the principal wanted someone else to deal with his mistakes-…" Louis retaliated, glaring angrily at the buck seated opposite of him. He didn't stare for long, turning to look moodily out of the window again.
"I am just tired, Father. That is merely everything. I don't think I have the capacities to deal with my fiance at this point… but you don't care, do you?"
Oguma felt no impulse other than to faintly smile. Louis was right in his hand. And if playing dirty harbored such results then there was no reason not to play dirty. The only rule in the fight for survival was that there were no rules. If you had morals that held you back, you were dead.
The rest of the drive continued in silence. Oguma didn't think he had to apply any more pressure on his heir. That would be redundant. And Louis wasn't even truly there at the moment. His day had been mundane with nothing of substance. It was rather too quiet for a while at school, and so his own mind had begun to fill with worry over the silence.
They reached the home just a little past six, Azuki already sitting at the table, friendly and insubstantial as always. Her presence in the dining room was forgotten before they even finished, making her form in his vision a repeated unwanted surprise. Besides the food that Louis couldn't remember the taste of, the next most interesting thing was what Oguma told them when they were on their way to living quarters.
"Due to Louis's apparent stress as of late, I've decided that you two may sleep in Louis's room. Spend each other company."
Louis had the urge to wipe the teasing smile off of his father's face. He decided that he didn't have the energy today.
They walked down the hall towards his rooms while no words were exchanged. Louis always thought Azuki to be a simple-minded person that didn't have any conversational value. She never said anything that didn't confine with the personality that her family had elected her to have. In many ways, Azuki was the child that Oguma wanted, but couldn't get out of Louis.
There was no resentment towards her, Louis figured. He just disliked what she represented. Spending time with her in any way gave him the mental image of the chain tightening around his ankle. The iron ball growing in size with every responsibility that added on to the already large pile.
They entered his room, Louis hanging his suit jacket on the clothes rack and moving through the room as if he was alone, falling into the chair at his desk. The entire room was spacious, being dissected into a few areas. A wardrobe dressing area beside the door, a large bed directly opposite of it, a flat-screen television beside a trophy case, and as the main point of interest his office space.
His desk was orderly, not many objects of memorabilia on it beside a few medals in a small case at the top. A few registers and folders filled with different documents where in the other corner, housing conglomerate work that his father so kindly had bestowed on him as a responsibility.
Azuki closed the door quietly and hung her own coat beside Louis's. The deer didn't hear her walk towards the bed. Louis sat there with closed eyes.
"Do you actually care about any of those trophies there?"
Louis lightly bobbed his head from left to right, still with his eyes closed.
"Not really. It's all from events my father wanted me to participate in…" Louis's voice was a low exhale, the sentence settling in a sigh that broke all stress in his body loose.
"Why are you asking?" Louis's question was left unanswered for a time, the soft rustling of hands running across clothing being the only sound.
"They looked dusty," her voice sounded a bit mumbled, as if she was speaking through a weirdly frozen mouth. Louis raised himself and looked at Azuki only to see her with a cigarette in the corner of her mouth.
"You don't mind if I smoke here, right?"
Louis was lost for words, no thought sticking to his pale mind trying to understand what was happening. He hadn't expected the good little fiance his father had arranged to strengthen their economic ways to have any sort of rebellious tendencies.
She stood up and walked over to the window above his desk, opening it. Cold air started to gently flow across Louis's skin.
Azuki sat down at his desk, holding a lighter under the end of the cigarette. She took a draw and blew the smoke into the night as she let all the tension of sitting straight out of her, slinging forward. She looked at the buck in his office chair, his jaw open.
"Don't tell me you're going to tell Oguma about this. I always have my evening smoke." Azuki took another drag, looking at Louis like an unimpressed older sibling.
"I won't snitch," Louis answered while still obviously perplexed.
"Since when have you been smoking?"
Azuki showed small hints of a smile as she answered the deer.
"I also have friends that aren't all in the upper circle. I started when I was sixteen." She scanned him, finding his confusion a little endearing.
"What did you expect? That I'm a well-behaved little businessman's daughter that follows everything her father says word for word?"
"You never did seem like the kind of woman to break the rules of your own family."
"So you never thought to consider that you aren't the only heir that feels trapped?"
Louis started to feel like an idiot. Of course, he wasn't the only one that had to endure the iron ruling of tyrannical parents. Azuki probably had it as bad as him. He felt a part of himself ease up. The knowledge that not everyone was against him in the proceeding against his father.
"I never thought of it that way… I didn't mean to sound like a narcissist."
Azuki chuckled a little, allowing Louis to look at her directly. Behind her laugh, she did her best to hide the feelings of hopelessness and pain. She was a lot like him, he thought. Maybe all young heirs of royal families feel this way.
"It's quite alright. I don't have any friends who are in the same situation as myself, so finally openly talking to you is reason enough for me to forgive your suspicion. I would've done the same."
"Then why did you hide yourself from me for so long?" Both of them had spent maybe two dozen dates with each other ever since the age of fifteen. Never had she ever expressed her thoughts to him like this before.
"You seemed too much like your father."
The sentence stung, but Louis could understand perfectly well. Every day he looked into the mirror, and all he could think about was that he thought he looked like a younger version of Oguma. Despite the two not sharing the same blood, they had more or less shared the same life.
"That couldn't be further from the truth," Louis muttered. Azuki laughed as she flicked her cigarette out of the open window.
"Adults are great at lying to themselves. They don't have any idea what goes through our heads while they are sure they could plan or every other move… You just have to know how to play your cards right, and you can't lose."
It was awful advice, but Louis knew better than to say it out loud. To have one friend in the whole situation was enough for him to be thankful for.
"So, tell me, what does the Horns Conglomerate heir like to do in his free time?" Azuki asked as she observed his television and the small drawer it stood upon. Louis had to smile.
"Free time? I manage a school club, am a trainee in Financial Management, Resource Management, and Politics. And I have a course about Advanced Export Theory. If I ever have free time, I spend it with my friends at school, where I already spend most of my time."
Azuki began searching through her large purse.
"You sound like your father, you know."
"I do not!" Louis stood up abruptly, his muscles tense in defiance.
Azuki finally grabbed an object out of her purse and held it in front of him.
"Then show me." In her hands were three microphones as she gestured towards the dusty gaming console underneath his tv.
"Karaoke. Seriously?" The doe had already plugged in the two microphones and switched the channel with the remote.
"Why not? You can widen your horizon and have some fun in the process."
Truth be told, he hadn't ever actually played anything on the console in all of his teenagehood. He had watched a bit of television and then went to bed. He didn't even know how to use the game controllers. Are you seriously looking for reasons to not have fun right now? You're eighteen.
Louis stared out the window for a moment and let out a large breath of air, along with all stress and tenseness.
"Screw it." He extended his open hand, a microphone dropping into his palm. The metal in his hand felt cool and satisfying.
"Now we're talking."
The two began settling into the game as a black and white Deville drove up the driveway...
Oguma leaned back in his armchair, the wood of his pipe neatly held by his teeth. In a long life of calculating every move of every person of importance around him; to know that he had his heir under control was a victory that Oguma would take if he could.
He had settled down with his pipe, the latest book he was currently reading, and a glass of wine. In a small moment of peace, in his tiring and straining life, he took a moment to gather his thoughts in this large room warmed by central heating and an enormous fireplace.
It was mercifully quiet. As quiet as it never had rarely ever been. Oguma smiled as he enjoyed the everyday order returning.
The flavorful smoke entered his mouth, coating his throat in the smokey bite of redwood. He felt the leathery binding of the hefty book in his hand and turned to his latest page.
The latest onset of symptoms in Myra's case were no symptoms at all. They were signs of ultimate deterioration and the final goodbyes of the beloved family Matriarch. Her days and nights had changed from discomfort to pain-filled torment at every waking moment. On one of the most awful nights where her ailments were so severe that she could do nothing but scream, the doctor administered a high dosage of Morphium. The dying royalty threw a monstrous shadow in her bed, her age having turned her limbs into bare sticks underneath the covers. She hadn't left her quarters for a week, needing help even while using the bedpan. When her eldest son arrived, Myra was reduced to a mere skeleton in the making, the skin sagging as the meat and muscle dwindled. "I feel the need to apologize for my misdeeds," The skeleton croaked. Her horrible form seemed even more lifeless in the flickering candlelight.
"Mother, what do you mean?" Hawthorne questioned his mother's intentions. The Skeleton of Mount Point shook its head, discomfort written in the many lines on her face.
"I have never been a good mother to you. I have never been a good mother to your brothers. And I have never been a good mother to your sister. God sees it in my soul. I have sinned many times. I have neglected all of you. I threw away our family and replaced it with an endless sea of regret. All I ask from you, Hawthorne, is to not fall ill under the same curse that has swallowed me and many before me. Our line is cursed by greed-" Myra's face contorted heavily as a loud moan escaped her. The doctor was quick to her side, but not even his knowledge of his craft could ease her suffering. Her time was simply running out.
"Mother!" Hawthorne cried.
The younger deer rushed to grab his mother's hand.
"Mother... I promise you that I shall nevermore make my family suffer. I promise with my heart, I will always be a man of generosity and courage. I will stand tall as the Buck of the Family Crest." The skeleton shook its head slowly.
"Don't let your son James be tainted by it. Keep him safe from harm's way. He is the last living member of the-
"Master Oguma?"
The buck looked up from his book, his butler Yuta at the door. The sheep looked nervous.
"What is it, Yuta?"
The sheep wiped over his forehead quickly, stowing his handkerchief back into his pocket.
"Erm… Mister Tokugawa is at the door."
Oguma's brow narrowed, his eyes beginning to squint. Why in the world is Tokugawa, of all people, here? The business lead of the black market showing up without any warning was a rather peculiar event. Not that it never happened before, but the cougar made surprise visits only when he wanted to catch people off guard. Today he had unfortunately succeeded with catching Oguma off guard.
The relationship between the two businessmen was, of course, non-existent outside of work. So Tokugawa also had no reason to show up here for reasons of friendship. It was a true enigma why he was here. And not knowing a piece of information could be very critical in this proceeding.
"Accompany me to the door," Oguma ordered, leaving the book in his armchair.
With his butler by his side, there was no such occurrence of weakness in his stride. Even if the most politically powerful carnivore stood in front of his doors, the conglomerate's lead would never hide. A long life of servitude to the family token had shown him that.
"Did he mention any reasons for his visit?" Oguma knew that Yuta's information would be arbitrary. But any illusion of control was very well helpful.
"He came to deliver something… something personally to you."
Oguma continued to walk on while internalizing the new information.
Mister Tokugawa, the patriarch of the Back Alley Family, went to visit the patriarch of the Conglomerate Family, looking to deliver something directly to him.
It was peculiar and concerning. Keeping a poker face would be the best bet.
Oguma opened the door, the cougar dressed in the completely white suit in strong contrast to his surroundings.
"Good evening, Oguma!" The cougar held out his hand, the other holding a small paper bag in purple color.
"Good evening, Mister Tokugawa," Oguma shook his hand with a little hesitation. He still failed at finding any reason for his unexpected arrival. The cougar himself was wearing his usual charming smile that held any and all intentions he could hold whatsoever have, tightly behind his eyes with no means of clearly spying through.
"Is there a reason for your visit?" The buck was the one to ask the serious question before Tokugawa could utter anything to explain himself or charm his way into his house.
"I know unsuspected visits are uncommon these days but to think that you automatically assume I've come with hostile intent to you is insulting," Tokugawa answered while still retaining his smile.
Oguma stayed silent, awaiting his explanation, the cougar not dwelling on the silence long. He held up a bag.
"I've brought a few gifts. It's been one of the most fruitful months for both the horns conglomerate and my business-" Oguma was thankful he didn't go into detail over the nature of said business. "-so I wanted to bring a few gifts to celebrate a prosperous year."
The cougar and the buck looked at each other for a few seconds, neither of them breaking away to speak to the other. Oguma was trying his hardest to interpret whatever he could into the enigma of Tokugawa's charming smile. Oguma still remained with complete silence, not daring to ask the cougar for the actual reason behind his visit.
The silence persisted, doubt over his decision forming in his mind. Was a simple act of kindness so out of place in the formal world of business? Thankfully for him, the cougar spoke up again.
"May I come inside, or do you want to interrogator a business partner out in the cold?"
Oguma's teeth pressed neatly and lightly against each other. Exerting too much pressure would cause a straining of muscles in his face, revealing the tension he didn't want Tokugawa to know of. He thought for less than three seconds and held the door wide open, stepping aside.
"Yuta, bring some glasses into the study." Oguma's small wooled servant moved away to bid his master's order, the cougar stepping inside. He closed the door and pointed in the direction of his study, leading the carnivore forward.
"It is right there." Oguma walked ahead, Tokugawa following behind in a relaxed strut. Oguma growing worried over the cool and level-headedness that the mafia boss showed to the outside, making predictions woefully improbable.
They entered the large study, the wood in the fireplace cracking just as they traversed the doorway. Yuta very quickly followed in with a tablet upon which stood a few glasses and a bottle of wine in a cooler filled with ice.
"No need." Tokugawa waved him off, holding up the bag under his arm, getting a bottle of wine out from his bag.
"For a man of your taste, I was almost sure you'd bring champagne." Was the first thing Oguma said besides the most necessary gestures. Tokugawa smiled once more.
"I wouldn't want to visit a business partner known for his enjoyment of simpler wines. And I want to make this a pleasant experience."
Before Oguma could ask any further questions Tokugawa had locked his eyes on him, the intense grip of his complete focus leaving the buck very little air to breathe. Holding his poker face was now a very difficult task.
"I would prefer if only the two of us could discuss this. It is important business after all."
Oguma waved off Yuta, who obediently and quietly left the room. Tokugawa's grip of pure focus let up, and he turned towards the bottle, releasing the cork with a careful touch. He poured the liquid into the glasses while deliberately using both hands to hold the bottle. A sign of utmost respect.
He handed the glass to Oguma and held his own glass closer to his chest as he smelled the top of the glass. Oguma refrained from drinking it even after smelling the powerful fragrance. Tokugawa laughed at that.
"Not thirsty?" His expression was a teasing smile, his fangs shining ever so slightly in the light and his eyes holding the deathly focus.
The cougar took a drink, looking straight into Oguma's eyes as he swallowed.
"If I were to make an attempt on your life, which I would never do, then you think I would do it with spiked wine I bring to your doorstep personally? I am ashamed of what you think of me. I would never kill business partners, and more importantly, if I did want to kill you, you would be dead minutes after the thought crossed my mind."
Oguma took a sip of the wine. It was wonderful, like all things the cougar did for respected people in his cycles. But that still didn't answer the one question the buck had.
"At least have the common courtesy to let me know why you are here before you go and eliminate me," Oguma answered the cougar's ramblings, who in turn stopped to look at him again. Silence ensued for a little while, leaving the room in a war-like atmosphere.
"I've come to offer your son an invitation."
Oguma's poker face slipped away for a moment, confusion peeking past his facade. Tokugawa sipped away at his wine all the while, observing the buck with little focus or emotional reaction.
"Invitation for what?" Showing any signs of confusion is seen as a directly declared loss. In the battle of wits confusion meant loss of the grasp of the situation, and knowledge was the bullet to the revolver of the mind. And while Tokugawa was merely pausing to reload, Oguma was frantically looking for ammunition. And so Tokugawa began firing away.
"An invitation for a dinner at my place, Oguma." He stared apathetically at the buck. Even more, confusion setting in as he was looking for any key bit of info he lacked, not finding any.
"He's been a tremendous help and has single-handedly strengthened my business, furthermore strengthening your conglomerate. You should be proud of him."
What has that foolish boy been doing? Helping a mafia boss like him, and a carnivore at that… I've been too soft on that ignorant fawn. Oguma's thoughts began to spiral out of control.
"I would be awfully disappointed if you were to raise a hand against him."
"What?"
Tokugawa's dark words nearly brought Oguma to shatter inside of himself as he heard them. The last thing I needed is Tokugawa getting Louis involved...
Oguma had forgotten the point of feigning knowledge at this point, completely confused by the breakneck speed of the conversation. Tokugawa placed his glass down and leaned against the table behind him.
"I want to keep talking as equals, Oguma. Because that's what we are, but I can't take risks because I can't take into consideration how you might retaliate. So I'm gonna explain it pure and simple for you, to not waste your or my time." The cougar reached into his coat, slipping out the letter from his inside pocket.
"Here I have an invitation to a formal dinner at my mansion, a place you have visited before." He pointed at the letter and then lowered his hands, carefully held as not to crumble it before continuing.
"For a few weeks already, the way things have been working in the Black market has aggressively changed." The pure mentioning of that wretched place gave Oguma a mean shot of pain through his head. "Most notably, a new influx of direct employees under my supervision. One of which has quickly revealed himself to be an excellent natural leader. And he told me a little story."
Tokugawa grabbed the bottle and poured himself another glass, taking a sip before continuing once more.
"A story about a great young deer that out of pure courage and kindness helped him out of a rather problematic situation. The details I'm not deserving to tell you of. But this employee, one of my most treasured ones by now, asked me for one favor. Find him that deer and thank him personally for his help. And who am I to deny a loyal man of an act of kindness?" Tokugawa once again delicately held up the letter.
"I only ask one thing of you, Oguma. Of all the years that we've been partners, of all that years that we've been neutral parties to each other, and of all the years that I've grown to admire your strength and economic prowess, I ask only that you let Louis himself decide the matter of actually pursuing this invitation."
The cougar walked over to Oguma and handed him the letter. The lettering on the front was a beautiful wavy hand-written note. "To the heir of the Horns Conglomerate."
"I've come here as a friend while the world out there continues to grow hostile. Don't let them blind you as well."
It never occurred to Oguma that silence could be used as a weapon even against him, but carnivores had a quality herbivores could never emulate. True intimidation in their pure presence.
His focus went away as if switched off by Tokugawa personally. The cougar still wearing his charming smile.
"I hope you enjoy the wine, Mister Oguma. You deserve it." Tokugawa turned for the chair seeing the book laying on it.
"The Count of Mount Point. Not the kind of book I would have expected you to be reading but a wonderful read indeed." He looked back at the buck.
"It was a nice visit, but now I have to go. I am awaiting a guest or two." He bowed before Oguma, coming back up with the glare of focus for just a few more seconds.
"I hope the letter reaches him well. Goodbye, Mister Oguma, I'll see myself out." The cougar turned around and went on his way through the door.
Oguma was left holding the letter, completely unsure if he should or shouldn't open if he should or shouldn't deliver, or if he should or shouldn't rip it into pieces. He observed it in his hand and felt the logic in his head come to a boil as it battled itself to the very brink of rationality. And for one of the first times in his dutiful life as a servant to the conglomerate name, he acted on feeling.
That night, Louis slept safe and soundly after his first session of karaoke in a long while, his fiance turned friend sleeping on the other side of the bed. And Azuki was right. It was fun.
Oguma came to his own bed rather quietly and devoid of thought as he slipped away to sleep. The opened letter laid on his bedside table next to a glass of honey tea Yuta had made for him. A wildfire of emotion had left tears in his eyes.
To the respected Mister Louis,
I have found myself in a position of utmost respect to you and your cause. The story of courage and defiance of sour circumstances has truly touched me. And as all actions have consequences, so have your actions deeply touched one of my most treasured employees, one of the highest burning and brightest flames I will ever have under my wing I truly believe.
And as wrong actions are punished, so good actions are rewarded. I want to express my full appreciation with a dinner at my mansion. You and your group of friends, as they too have shown great ability and quality of the soul. A value underappreciated in times of struggle.
I would be very honored to meet you personally and shake your hand. You, the two wolves, the tiger, and especially the white rabbit. To her, I must give an explicit round of apologies for what nearly transpired. But I shouldn't delve into those unfavorable events for too long. I hope you take us up on this invitation as I will see to make sure all of you will be well fed and accommodated.
In utmost respect and sincerity,
Tokugawa
PS: In the case that Oguma reads this letter, I have remained vague in my explanations. I wish you the best I can with him. He may be stubborn, but underneath the hard exterior lies a good soul. Best wishes.