The loud clang their blades made as they clashed together sounded so good to Lùn. The bruised fox's toothy grin almost seemed like it intimidated the rabbit as she pressed hard on the rabbit's guard, giving herself leverage to swipe one of her kukri knives at her foe's neck. Kyuu was aware of her intent and broke off to avoid the attack. The blade swung close to the rabbit's scalp as she ducked left and began to twist her body for a counter.
The pygmy fox stumbled forward as her rival smashed into the back of her head with a roundhouse, knocking the Vulpes to her knees. It was disorienting, but Lùn was too determined to let her fading vision do her in. It was finally the day she'd longed for, finally it was just her and the bunny in the ring together. She would win this time!
Right now, they had been at this for a good while, both bloody and battered from a lengthy duel. The hot bright lights of the arena didn't help the fox's disorientation, but her nose still functioned, still able to single her out the rabbit's scent through all of the various smells. She could pinpoint where Kyuu was and... She's right on you, move! The pissed off rabbit had hopped to head level swinging both of her blades, trying to decapitate, but Lùn rolled forward only losing some of the hair on the tip of her tail. Lùn's inherited Fennec ears twitched like radar and her nose gave her further warning of the rabbit's approach.
Her vision finally cleared as she evaded another attack, this time a swift downswing. The tanto like knives clanged loudly as they smashed into the hard floor. She's open! Lùn's mind screamed at her as she willed her battered body to swing wildly at Kyuu's blades, the daggers flew from the rabbit's hands after the clash with the fox's thicker blades. Lùn came back from her swing and slugged the bunny hard, burying her fist in her much larger breasts. The herbivore flinched and retreated a few steps back, but the red fox knew she hadn't won yet. Though Kyuu had been disarmed of her 'claws' she still was dangerous enough with her "reach", the rope.
Casting out two loops, the bunny formed a noose, expertly latched on to the predator's arm with her snare and yanked her adversary over her way. However, the small fox was ready for such tricks and slid to a screeching halt right on top of her. The rabbit's shocked expression was like a high for the canine as she pulled a trick from the rabbit's playbook and struck her hard across the face with one of the handles of her kukri. The blow knocked the rabbit cross-eyed and left her staggered. The loud smack sound it made was something akin to music for the pygmy red fox.
The rabbit's knees buckled as she tried to stay on her feet, when Lùn slid her foot forward and brought the other blade handle up right under the rabbit's jaw knocking the rabbit's head back and dislodged a loosened tooth from her bloody mouth. The rabbit slumped backward against the cage, her turn to be disoriented. Dazed and out on her feet she lurched forward and limply grasped onto Lùn. Just when the hybrid fox thought she had finally bested her; the rabbit slid her arms around Lùn's own and attempted to restrict her movement. She was at least conscious enough to try to lock down with a clinch, but Lùn was having none of it.
"Bold of you to get this close, but now I'm going to make good on that offer I made in the office!" The pint-sized vixen growled as she bit down on one of the rabbit's ears and began jerking. Kyuu shrieked in pain as the fox's long canines broke the skin and the bunny gritted her teeth as she resisted. All she could really muster were feeble attempts to bash Lùn in the face with her shoulder. The rabbit had no hope of holding back her carnivore body indefinitely in this hold, but it could grant her precious time to recover.
Lùn began to force her arms free to properly stab the bunny, but the Rabbit stepped in closer, screwing up their balance and both fell backwards crashing into the cage. They hit the cage so hard that one of Lùn's curved knives actually punctured through the wire mesh, giving the rabbit a distraction to slip her one of her hands free and slug Lùn right in the breast. The fox groaned and retaliated by using her free hand to dig her claws into the herbivore's side. The Fox took another bite to secure her grip on the rabbit's ear, the feeling of her teeth digging into her flesh felt so satisfying. Though in incredible pain, the pissed off bunny wound back for another punch and blasted the fox right under the jaw as hard as she could muster. The fox's head flung back ripping the floppy ear free from the canine's mouth, though not without losing a noticeable chunk. The rabbit got her revenge right after landing a full force right hook to the eye that left the fox whimpering. Free from their tussle, the rabbit booked while the fox recuperated.
Getting rocked like that hurt like hell, but Lùn couldn't help but laugh at her inside joke. "Hehehehe! Bet you'll remember my name now bitch..." The fox taunted as she chewed on the bloody piece and spit it out in disgust. "...well for the few seconds you have left." The close quarters fighting had taken a lot out of her. Her eye was useless now, completely closed especially from the rabbit that had targeted it all fight. That punch only finished the job. She could smell her scent though, she was close, her ears twitched again, they could pick up footsteps. To your right! She had to swivel her head fully before her good eye could lock on.
There she was and in that quick span of time the rabbit had retrieved all her effects, daggers and rope. They were back on somewhat even footing again, though Lùn's pride for the damage she had caused was a boon for her spirit. She almost didn't care about starting anew, she didn't care her body ached, she just felt overjoyed she had finally made it to this moment, to redeem herself.
"I think before I finish you, I'll tell you the real reason I let you live!" The rabbit boasted as she generated a strong gust with her rope.
"Oh? You're joking right?" The fox was taken aback by the rabbit's claim. The herbivore definitely was worse off than her. What now? The fox thought. Trying to get in my head? Throw me off, no...it won't work.
"There you go again getting confident with your little toys." Lùn turned to pull her kukri free from the cage. "How about a new deal, huh? I spill everything out of you while I cut you open?!" The fox's shrill voice screamed as she turned her blade. The rabbit had vanished. Of course,...fucking first rule: never lose sight of your opponent. Fuck. Alright where the hell could she have gone? She thought as she sniffed the air.
The hot lights above them suddenly vanished, the roar from the crowd ceased, and soon even the cage disappeared from sight. What is Baraki doing? She thought. Some theatrics or something? Even with her natural night vision she couldn't find the rabbit anywhere in the cage. She couldn't even smell her. It was complete black darkness. Then she saw... eyes and that stupid brown fur facial pattern, but it wasn't the rabbit's face she gazed upon, it was something more canine or ursine like a bear. Lùn knew exactly what was going on. It was the beast she had faced in that alleyway, the rabbit's other freakish form. The blood and battle damage the rabbit had suffered carried over to the creature, that only made it seem the more pissed off and intimidating. It was a wounded beast, ready to let loose.
The creature spoke. "You really think you can win? You haven't beaten me yet!"
"That's why I brought these!" Lùn answered back as she flipped her curved blades in her hands.
"I knew it! You needed to copy me!" The monster pointed accusingly.
"Shut up and die already!" Lùn screamed as she rushed towards the abomination, she didn't care how fearsome it was. She'd cut her down one way or another!
"You're just a disappointment !" The creature's taunts only infuriated the hybrid fox.
"AAAAAHHHHH! SHUT UP!" Lùn cried as she swung her blades at the chimera. The beast made no attempt to dodge. In fact, the creature didn't even react. Her blades didn't even break its skin!
"You aren't even sharp enough to cut me! You're nothing, but a dull blade!"
The big hairy paw grabbed hold of the blade like it was nothing. Pain didn't even faze it as the furry beast lifted her up to look her face to face. This couldn't just be the rabbit's tricks, this felt too real, yet it felt unreal. No beast could just grab hold of such sharp instruments like that. Lùn was repulsed as she smelled the foul breath though as it opened its gaping maw revealing its sharp teeth. That's real...it has to be.
"Just a useless... pipsqueak!" It shouted.
Lùn swung her remaining blade at her neck, but again to no effect, it didn't even part it's fur. She kicked and swiped at the creature helplessly to no avail. She was out of options. The chimera's grip soon clenched down and her blade shattered like it was made of glass! The Vulpes fighter fell hard to the floor laying on her back as the towering beast loomed over her. Her heart began to race further. The lights above came back on blinding her, she could hear the crowd all around her, their sea of voices deafening, the ring reappeared. All eyes were on her, she tried to will herself to stand only to stumble and fall as her legs were like jelly.
"YOU ARE NOTHING! GET UP AND FACE OBLIVION!" The chimera demanded as it came closer.
"GET UP!" It beckoned.
"Get up!"
"Get up, kid!"
"Wake up, kid!"
Friday around 6:20 PM - Hybrid Car 4 - Inner City
Lùn opened her eyes to Raira the Silver Fox shaking her vigorously to free her from her stupor. The red/fennec fox hybrid was a sweaty mess as she took big gasps. Had she lost? Where was the creature from before? Her reality suddenly became a rush of rapid information moving too quickly for her to process. "Get up! I'm not about to carry you!" The older fox demanded as she yanked Lùn to her feet. Lùn was lost as she looked around a sweaty mess as the lights above her began to focus and she could see more clearly. This wasn't the arena. The loud noise wasn't from a thunderous crowd, rather a packed subway car. The passengers were all murmuring, seemingly about her as far she could tell. Clearly, she had been dreaming. Above her stood a very annoyed old male lion and an even angrier spotted hyena salary man with a tattered tie. Both glared intensely at her like she had wronged them. The hell? She pondered to herself. Bad enough I woke from such a wretched nightmare, now this?
"I hope you don't behave this way in school young lady!" The lion scolded. "I'm almost bleeding because you scratched me!" He said holding up his muscular forearm. "I was just trying to stop you from biting this man's tie."
"Yeah and it was my good tie too! Now you've ruined it! Ugh...I have to go to work like this." The Hyena added.
"And I'm so sorry for that, we have been having problems with her lately." She leaned in and attempted to console the agitated male. "Meat drunk" she said in a hush voice out of earshot of any herbivores. The Hyena nodded understandingly. "Please accept this money as compensation." Raira said bowing before the Hyena and reaching into her wallet for some currency.
"Well...alright." He said stuffing the cash into his shirt pocket.
It was strange to see Rai' being so...cordially and polite. Any other day the short-tempered silver fox would have socked the guy clean in the face if he even attempted to raise his voice like that. Then she remembered, she and Raira were riding the train into the city for a job. Priscilla was in her own car today for her little date, while Fa and the rest of the girls were in the sedan at the Arena, so they had to ride the metro. It was all part of the plan, they were disguised. Raira was her aunt Violet, a Viola player in the orchestra playing at the festival in the park and Lùn was Vespa, her niece, a grade school student she was dragging along with her. It was all a front to smuggle in their equipment in plain sight. Raira's large viola case held weapons while her school backpack held further gear for the heist. Raira was merely acting the part of an embarrassed aunt to keep to their cover.
"Rai... sorry... It felt so-." She whispered as she tried to apologize. The grey furred fox swiftly slapped Lùn upside the face. No real names, right.
"Don't talk back to your Aunt Violet like that little one, your mother is going to tan your hide when I tell her you're biting people's ties like jerky."
"Yeah, just keep that delinquent on a leash." The hyena said before departing. "She'll have a record in no time with those scars and behavior like that!"
"Thank you, sir. Come along little Vespa, before the train leaves." She said adjusting her fake glasses with the most fraudulent smile Lùn had ever seen grace the silver fox's mug.
Once they were out of the train car and heading for the exit, Lùn asked her what really happened. "I was moving in my sleep?" Lùn asked the older fox as they walked.
"No... you weren't just moving, you were throwing punches and swinging your arms around like a crazy person!" The silver fox replied. "That jackoff lion was trying to restrain you and you scratched the hell out of him. You are lucky these Hybrid cars are usually rowdy or they would have called the cops."
"It was that bad?" She asked, shocked. "I was just having a dream."
She usually had rough dreams as of late, but didn't know she could experience something so lucid. Thought it really dawned on her that everything must have felt real because of the circumstances of the train car. They were typically packed and every blow she felt in her slumber must have been passengers bumping into her. When she had been biting "Kyuu's ear" that must have been the Spotted Hyena's tie. Kyuu's beast holding her up, the lion. One thing didn't add up though. She could swear she had smelled Kyuu, she knew her scent anywhere.
"What were you having one of those wet dreams?" The dark grey vulpes asked.
"No...just a really vivid nightmare."
"Well it's the last time I let you sleep on the job you little shit." Raira exhaled sharply as she hefted her large viola case. "You almost got us made." She exclaimed as soft as she could. "Come on. We're going to be late; we need to be on time for this to work smoothly." She said as she quickened her pace, weaving through the crowd trying not to bump her large viola case into anyone. She constantly had to turn around and scan for Lùn in the crowd. "Keep up, already! We're going to be late!"
It wasn't like Lùn didn't have her work cut out for her, she was trying her best not to get trampled by all the frantic traffic in the station. She had to squeeze through a rather rotund elephant couple and almost got her low hanging tail stepped on a few times. One pedestrian, a young Bengal tiger was rather rude and almost got into a heated confrontation with her, after Lun had accidentally trod over his shoes in a rush. Luckily his eagle friend was able to calm him down, allowing Lùn to catch up.
Once they were free of the larger crowd, Raira really dug into her. "So, why'd fucking ya flip out like that anyway?"
"Well...I thought... I could smell her." The smaller fox said, trying to defend herself.
"Smell who?"
"Y'know. The rabbit, y'know... Kyuu."
"Really? Oh c'mon...we're in the city center." Raira said dismissively. "You probably smell some poor gutter bunny around here somewhere. City is lousy with em, fuckers breed out of control y'know."
"I know her scent Raira...she was there... somewhere. Probably could have even been in that car with us, for all we know!" Lùn said, pointing to her nose.
Raira just shook her head, not buying it. She didn't smell anything. "Riiiight... whatever, but just focus on the task at hand and stow that arena stuff until after we make this score. Stop worrying about your little girl crush."
"She's not my crush!" The fox said stamping her feet, pissed at the implication of such a notion.
"Suuuure and I'm going to be the next Beastar." Raira said mockingly before snickering.
"Shut up...I-want-to-kill-her." The pygmy fox responded in a dejected way with her trademark pout. She really wasn't in the mood for the silver fox's humor, even if Raira was just messing around.
"Daw...dat's so adorwable." Raira said all cutesy as she stopped to pinch Lùn's cheek. "No, really keep sulking. Totally fits with your character, makes ya look really authentic as a wittle brat who doesn't get her way."
"You know you're not that much older than me, right?" Lùn replied stone faced.
"Oh, I know. That's what makes it funnier." She said with a grin as she hefted the large case through the exit.
As they left the station a hooded figure slowly approached the staircase leading to the exit. Kyuu removed her hoodie and began to ascend up the steps. As she exited the station, she made for certain both foxes were completely gone. "That was close..." She said with relief. "I would run into that stupid girl on a rotten day like this." She said annoyed as she walked down the street, wandering the "outside world" and taking in the sights. "Just surrounded by morons."