Saturday 1:30 AM - The outskirts leading to the Back-Alley Market.
A small purple scooter zipped down the dimly-lit streets, it's two tiny passengers huddled together looking like one big animal hunched over as they weaved through the gaps in the traffic. Usually she didn't go this fast or ride this reckless, but the increasingly impoverished looking setting surrounding them made Matilda the sheep reconsider. The rumors about this area, combined with her passenger's harrowing description and confirmation of the existence of the Back-Alley Market, all felt like too much of a risk to drive her at normal pace.
The narrow streets of the older section of city made it seem like anyone could just reach out and grab you if you weren't careful. Single lanes, crowded buildings passing by overhead. One could just disappear in the many darkened alleyways they passed. Matilda swore she could see the bright eyes of predators zoom by in their dark reaches, but it probably was just her imagination playing tricks on her.
In a way she was glad to be wearing her fully enclosed racing helmet at the moment, no one could see the utter distress on her face behind the dark tinted visor. It probably was best for her own safety as well, no one would be able to really tell what kind of animal she was, which would be good. She wouldn't at least look like some lost lamb stumbling into a lion's den. Her passenger, the Holland Lop wasn't worried about that, in fact she was more bothered by the ride itself.
The neglected streets were very bumpy and only made her sore body ache more. On top of that the air that whipped by her face was distractingly harsh. Kyuu had to keep her face buried into the small of the sheep's back as she held on. She must not have been used to riding at such high speeds, the sheep thought to herself. Matilda would have offered her some goggles before they left, but unfortunately she didn't account on being a taxi tonight.
Instead the lop rabbit would just have to seek refuge from the elements behind the sheep. It worked for the most part blocking most of the wind, but she still had to deal with her floppy ears dragging behind her like streamers as they sped down the road. She regretted not tying them down or putting a clip on them.
She felt a soft nudge into her gut, the sheep had elbowed her a bit to get her attention. "Hey! You still awake back there?" Matilda asked, leaning towards the side to bank down another narrow street. The whine of the motor, nearly drowned out her voice, so she spoke up again a little louder. "Hey, Punchy !" She shouted. "You awake?"
"Huh?" Kyuu drowsily said with a raised voice trying to be heard over the engine and city noise around them. "How could one be asleep with all the racket this thing makes!" She dryly remarked.
"Sorry!" Matilda said, trying to suppress a soft snicker at the rabbit's discomfort. "Well that's good, I need you awake." She said as they slowed to a stop at a red light. Her smile started to fade as what had been just a blur speeding off to the side, started to focus and become clear. The ewe cautiously looked around, the area looking very shady and dangerous. A bit of calm returned as a car pulled up in her the single lane alongside her. Their bright lights gave her some placebo effect of inherent safety. As long as other people were around and she remained in the light, she was safe. That's what herbivores instinctively thought, bright lights and sticking together warded off predators. You're safe now. She thought. Nothing to worry about. Well...unless these people- No, don't think like that! The sheep worried, shaking her head. The occupants of the vehicles also started to put cracks in her confidence, they were all carnivores or considered carnivores.
She looked over her shoulder and saw a large SUV driven by a hippo pulling up behind her, his head mostly obscure by the blinding headlights. The giant SUV built for specifically the large animal, dwarfed her little scooter next to the rustic looking sedan to her right. Almost made her seem like one of the tiny animals foolishly driving in the big animal lane.
The sedan's driver was a particularly scary looking male lion who kept glancing at them. Matilda found the way he picked at his teeth, briefly, showing off his sharp fangs very unsettling. He wore a business suit, which probably meant he was coming back home from a long day at work. She had no doubt he could see her in the dark, which did nothing to soothe her anxiety. She just hoped he didn't notice her head tilted his way.
"Um, I need to know where we are right now and how close we are to your place?" She nervously asked her passenger.
The bruised rabbit unglued herself from the sheep's warm and soft cushiony back and took a good look around. Her vision was a bit wobbly. Side effects from the headache she really had brought upon herself. She felt dizzy or almost drunk as she tried to see out of her good eye. Depth perception was shot, but she could see well enough to recognize certain landmarks she and San usually passed when they walked through here. Like an old shoe repair store or the thrift store they visited sometimes or the crappy apartment complex that had sprung up last summer.
"Yeah, this looks like the South End." She stated. "We're close to the actual marketplace. Just keep going up this way, then the road will narrow even more. You'll ride right into it"
"So...this isn't the marketplace?" The sheep asked, curious.
"Nah, this is just the slums where everyone poor lives. Well the ones that are better off." The rabbit said, a tinge of depression in her voice. "The marketplace itself is hidden from sight. It isn't that big. See this whole area we're coming through now is just one big ghetto surrounding it. This is just one of the bad neighborhoods. It's like one of those hard candies. This is the hard exterior you have to get through to get to the center and the market itself is the bubblegum core hidden inside. And that's where you'll start seeing what they really do. How they sell our bodies off as meat."
"Oh." The sheep said, very quiet. She'd always figured the area she worked was rough, but she was beginning to get it. The beasts she saw on the streets. They all looked like a bunch of drifters and bums. Some were pushing carts filled with their only possessions. Others looked to just be sitting, resting in places with signs soliciting various things they'd do for compensation.
The disrepair on some of the buildings seemed to get worse the further they rode in. Patchwork on the brick buildings started becoming frequent, and various shutdown establishments and ventures became more common. Clearly this was an area the city sought to forget about. The perfect place to hide such a dark spot like the market.
"How will we know when we get there?" She asked.
"Well duh, you'll know it when you start seeing signs for meat." The rabbit continued. "Signs like 'Lamb Chops 50% off'… it's no different from a regular marketplace when you think about it."
That revelation disturbed the Longwool, but she didn't wish to let Kyuu know how much it bugged her. "Very funny." She remarked, sounding unimpressed.
"I'm serious," The rabbit said plainly. "We're coming in from the south which will take us right through the Madaragumi's turf. They're a leopard gang of criminals much like the little fox's group and they usually make sure the shops have specials on lamb and mutton around this time of year."
Matilda noticeably grew very quiet. Kyuu knew that factoid would mess with her and cracked a devious smile at the sheep as she leaned over to look in her dark visor. Matilda was sure she couldn't see through the polarized lens, but she actually wondered if she could sense the fear in her voice.
"You can let me off right here if you want, Matty." She smugly offered. "I can walk. No need for you to see such horrible sights you know? Don't want you to get in any more danger on my account."
"Nope. I made a promise." The sheep said, trying to sound neutral. Her helmet muffled most of the fear at least she thought. "I'll see it through."
"Suit yourself." Kyuu said, with a dry smile.
"So it will really get dangerous later down the road?" She asked.
"Plenty dangerous now, don't you think?" Kyuu answered. "It's midnight, which means any nocturnal creep with a stomach to fill could reach out and snatch up a helpless little morsel like you just like that." She said, snapping her finger.
The lion driver made a slight curious glance at the two of them, as if he had heard her snap, before facing forward again.
"Stop it." Matilda said nudging the rabbit in her sore ribs.
"It's true, though." Kyuu insisted. "Devourings or bitings at night are pretty rampant all over the city I hear. Kidnappings too. Which is why I stay prepared for anything y'know? Never know when you're gonna have to cut someone."
"Yeah, well I guess I'm glad you and that other girl have that policy ." She nervously said, trying not to focus too much on the grisly aftermath of the incident. "I'm grateful."
"Well, I wasn't going to let myself die, cuz that stupid fox brought trouble upon us. So think nothing of it Matty." Kyuu said, "You should probably get a weapon yourself next time so you can save your own hind."
"Oh, well I wouldn't want to do that. That's too much." The sheep said very anxiously with a bit of a laugh. "Besides we're not allowed to carry weapons at the store anyway. Against the policy."
"Shame if you ask me." The rabbit commented, "Anyone acts up you can threaten to gut 'em."
"Well you shouldn't have to do that." She said, humoring what she hoped was a joke. She looked up at the light, which seemed to be taking forever to turn green.
"But back to this place." Kyuu continued, "These slums are where the crazies and addicts usually hang around, so best be on guard. You should probably use this thing's speed to your advantage and don't stop for anyone. Especially in the market."
"I'll keep that in mind." Matilda said, looking around.
The light overhead flashed green and Matilda turned the engine back on. She quickly hit the accelerator and felt a lot better when the lion's car disappeared from her racing mirrors. She breathed a sigh of relief and decided to crack a joke. "I think it's funny, you talk this place up and yet you were so determined to walk home by yourself." She said nervously, though she tried to temper her words with confidence. "Sure you aren't one of those crazies, Kyuu?"
'Ha. Ha. Ha." A dry unamused laugh came from behind her, as her passenger pressed her head back into the sheep's back and held on tight.
"Well you definitely act like you come from here." Matilda commented. "I mean that in the way of you having such a peculiar approach to situations."
Kyuu just seemed to lack any tact and scruples when it came to things that would have made the sheep think twice. Plus she seemed very eager to jump into danger at a moment's notice despite her species' size.
"Like how you attacked that little fox I let inside. What was that for anyway? Huh? Even before those evil men showed up, you guys were at each other's throats."
"Me and her? We got a bit of history. She tried to kill me once and I beat her ass for it." The rabbit said plainly, Matilda noted her tone sounded very coarse like when she was talking about her friend, the alpaca. "Plain and simple, I owed her another beating…just seemed like the right time to pay her back." Kyuu said, unapologetically.
"But...she's a fox!"
"And that matters?"
Matilda gave up trying to argue. "You really are a ruffian aren't you?" The sheep commented over the whine of the engine. "Well next time, remember it's never 'the right time' in my store? Got it?"
"I doubt I'll see her in there again anyway." The rabbit cheekily remarked.
"Still!" Matilda bleated. "You keep your fighting outside! You understand?"
"I'll be sure to take it to the parking lot then." The rabbit replied sarcastically.
A muffled sigh escaped the sheep's helmet. "I'm still wondering though, if you two were at such odds with one another, why did you just start getting all mushy with each other before that." The sheep asked, catching the rabbit off guard.
"Mushy?"
"You know...you two looked like you needed to check into a love hotel?"
Kyuu felt the world stop and grow cold, as she thought back to what she was feeling at the time. Sure she had played it off a means to mess with the fox's head, but at the moment, in reality it just felt right for the moment. She was just following the thought that popped in her head.
"That was very inappropriate by the way." Matilda commented. "Wait…"
"What?"
"Are you two exes?!" The sheep exclaimed, shocked as the thought struck her.
"Huh? Exes?" The rabbit asked, confused.
"You know...a former girlfriend ?"
Kyuu's eyes widened. "I…" The rabbit was speechless. "Girlfri-no"
"Like did you have a rocky relationship or something?" The sheep kept asking. "I firmly believe violence is never a solution in things like that."
Kyuu remained silent, contemplating what she had really done.
"I mean I guess, some people are into that sort of thing, but it's-it's really strange you know? I think they have certain night clubs for that...I think?" The sheep continued to prattle on. Kyuu barely heard anything she said though, the rabbit just sat there, utterly frazzled.
It had been an in the moment thing, the lop thought. Clearly that's what the fox wanted too? Right? They had embraced each other a good while. She hadn't felt that way about anyone in ages. And what she did, that's what you do right? And why did she do it? It was an urge, but what triggered it? Perhaps it was just that mutual determination and respect they had for one another. Watching her cut that crazed reptile apart with her must have just turned something on for her.
"Kyuu."
Or...maybe she had just acted too early. Jumped the gun as it were? Maybe it was possible she was the only one that felt something between them? Was that normal? What would she know about normal?
"Kyuu!" The sheep shouted.
"Huh?" The rabbit said, snapping from her musing.
"I'm seeing some of those signs you were talking about." The sheep said as the asphalt started to turn cobblestone. They passed under a large stone gate that served as a marker for one of the main entrances to the marketplace. They were then greeted with a cacophony of loud noises and chatter from a multitude of animals occupying the street. It was still early in the morning, a stream of neon lights and strung up paper lamps illuminated the dark sky overhead and lit their path. The smell of cooked meat and spices hung in the air, and a throng of early risers and nightcrawlers still congregated in the street. Most waiting and browsing for their next meal, while others merely gossiped with friends or buddies from their various lives unfiltered, no need to be discreet while they casually ate the flesh of the type of people they likely had just been around hours earlier.
It was almost surreal for the Longwool, all those rumors and stories Mr. Yelchin would go on and on about held truth and weight to them. Slabs of meat hung out on display while store proprietors stood behind their counters preparing and chopping the bodies for distribution. The burning smell reminded her too much of the lizard brother they had set alight and watched cook to death in the store. Matilda almost felt her stomach turn, as the scent invaded her helmet and ventured through her nostrils. Then of course, Kyuu was entirely right with her statement about seeing her kind up for sale. As Matilda rode by, a jaguar proprietor was advertising very loudly of his fine cuts of the breasts, loin, and shoulder, all at a reduced price. Matilda shuddered, just thinking about it. However she tried to steel her nerves, and push on. She had asked to see this, no one but her own conscience had forced her to come. However nothing changed for the Holland Lop. It was still just the Back-Alley Market for her. Kyuu was home again. Same ol' depressing home, she thought. Any sting of seeing such butchery had long since faded in the lop's mind.
The bazaar-like area was densely populated, vendors on each side of the winding street. Matilda slowed down considerably as she began to try and safely navigate the crowds of carnivores of varying sizes and species. She kept her head forward as tried to keep her cool around so many carnivores. "Just like the store. Just like the store." She kept repeating like a mantra. Just relax Matilda. She told herself. These are probably the same kind of people you see on your shift. The same nice people, It's just they are...here….in this place. Don't worry. Just keep going, don't say anything.
"Hey wait up!" A voice called out from behind them. Matilda slowed the scooter to a crawl, but Kyuu nudged her in the ribs. "Keep going." She warned. It was too late though, a young slim male coyote, out of breath caught up to them and leaned on the handlebar.
"Hey…" The brown canine said panting. "So... how much?"
"Wa-waa?" Matilda mouthed, the only attempt at communication her frightened mind could vomit from her mouth. She wasn't supposed to say anything, she remembered.
The coyote just looked at her strange then gave her passenger a closer look over
"Uh, the rabbit?" He said, gesturing towards Kyuu. "I'll take her off your hands if you want? She seems a bit beat up, but I'm willing to work with you on price."
Kyuu clandestinely started retrieving her tanto blades, while trying to keep her cool. The Longwool was the absolute opposite, behind her dark mask, Matilda was still flummoxed on what to say. "...What?"
"Isn't this your product?"
Product, oh no. With that terrible proposition cleared up, Matilda didn't wish to linger any longer and gave the scooter some gas, however the larger coyote was persistent. He quickly reached over and grabbed the handlebar, the scooter jerked forward almost knocking it's riders off.
"Hey wait. Wait. You haven't even heard my offer. Like I got money, I'll even pay for damaged goods."
That was when Kyuu sprung into action, in a matter of moments she both blades out, one swung awful close into the scruff of the canine's neck. "Hands off the bike, or I'll collect your limbs and sell them!" Matilda heard the rabbit's voice sternly proclaim behind her.
"Hey, hey…!" The young canine shouted, yanking away from the bike and getting himself some safe distance from the two. "Sorry, I thought that was just how things worked around here. Y'know?"
"You see any price sign on me, tail sniffer?!" Kyuu said.
"N-no?"
"Then I ain't for fuckin sale!" She shouted, while waving the dagger in hand. Others in the crowd turned their heads at the rabbit's raised voice. Suddenly it was if almost all the eyes were on them. A sullen looking leopard wearing sunglasses and a fancy robe, held a sword at his waist as he stood up and began looking around for the source of the commotion.
Kyuu knew exactly what his involvement would mean for them and ordered Matilda to leave post haste. "Gun it, Matty-san." She demanded. "Take us down the alley on the left." The sheep happily obliged and the scooter shot off down the alleyway specified, away from the main street.
The coyote, visibly shaken and looking like a fool, stood there as the rest of the crowd went about their business. "Fucking psycho." He commented under his breath, feeling for any cuts on his neck.
Meanwhile - "The Scoundrel's Den" - Futekigō Clan Turf
Deep inside the former high school the gang had revamped into a bustling gambling den as their main base of operations, Fa and Lùn were winding down, and gossiping about their respective nights. Lùn recounted the almost disastrous heist and the incident at the drugstore all the while Fa worked on treating Lùn's minor bumps and bruises that she had gained in her 'little' brawl with Kyuu.
Lùn grunted sharply when her 'big' sister touched the open cut over her puffy looking eye.
"Just relax. I'm almost done." Fa said, as she cleaned the wound. This had grown to be routine for her, fixing Lùn up like this.
Fa considered herself very lucky tonight. Not only did her 'little' sister survive her ordeal, she didn't have much to fix this time around. Usually on a Friday night like this, she'd have much worse injuries to worry about with Lùn. Maybe a sprain here or an open cut there or Rex forbid something broken. It was just an occupational hazard expected of a natural underdog, she and the young Fennec/Red fox knew their work was cut out for them every time Lùn stepped in that blood soaked arena. Fa counted it all as a blessing every time she just made it through in one piece. Thankfully her sister was skilled and cunning, but that still didn't make it any less nerve wracking.
Really Lùn had gotten off light. It was Raira who had the more serious injuries. Shrapnel wounds, a large laceration over her eye, some of her fur had been burned off not to mention some bumps of her own. But still she was lucky, had that accomplice not been there to help, this would have been a much different story. Still, they had made off with the loot, they'd made it back with their lives, and of course they had avoided getting caught. So...gotta take what you can get, the Bat-eared fox thought. Once she applied a gauze pad to Lùn's brow, she let her loose. The pygmy scrambled over to the table, almost like an eager child where she had a small gift waiting for her. A rice bun burger with a real deal beef patty. Actual meat. Since the mission was a relative success Fa decided, it was appropriate for them all to celebrate by bending their diet of only tofu. A good ol' fashion market burger.
"You know, Lùn, I am very proud of you. You handle your first heist rather well, all things considered."
"Obviously it would have gone better had those creeps not shown up." The fox said, opening the wrapper and smelling the tantalizing burger in hand.
"But still thanks to you, we made it with all the loot and I'm sure that's all that's going to matter to Priscilla-sama."
"That's what Rai' was telling me. I'm just glad to be back home. Tonight really took a lot out of me." She said just as she took a bite.
"Yeah, it was a good thing the Psycho was there at that drugstore with you."
The bruised little fox growled angrily at the mention of the rabbit. The vixen tore hamburger apart, jerking savagely at the beef patty while her sister Fa sat there staring at her from across the table. It was just them together, so the Bat-ear mix typically didn't expect proper manners from her sister, but Lùn ravaging the sandwich like a feral beast raised some concerns.
"Is... something wrong?" The taller fox asked, concerned. "Did they make it too chewy?"
"No," The Fennec mix said, still gnawing. "Just really hungry is all."
"You sure? You usually aren't that aggressive when you eat."
"It's nothing, Fa." The pygmy insisted, while gulping down a large portion.
"Slow down, kiddo. You're gonna choke if you eat it that fast. Savor the meat."
Her advice was ignored as Lùn seemed to attack the burger once more after staring at it for a few moments.
"Slow it down." She said slapping her hand down on the tabletop like a parent scolding their child at dinner. That's what life was like with Lùn as of late, she found herself acting more like a mother taking care of a misbehaving child than a sister. Something was eating at her little sister, she could tell and she had a feeling she knew what.
"Is this about the scuffle you had with the Psycho earlier?"
"What?" The little fox's ears toggled up and her eyes narrowed at her sister.
"Don't 'what' me, you little munchkin." The bat-ear fox said, "Is this about the rabbit? Like are you taking your aggression for her out on that burger or something?"
"Maybe I am!" The pygmy shouted. "She pisses me off. So what else is new?!"
"Well," Fa said while peering over the table. "It's just your tail is wagging like crazy. And that usually means..."
"That doesn't mean anything!" The little fox cried out, shocked as she quickly grabbed hold of her flopping brush. "I'm just really enjoying this wonderful burger is all. It's that good!" Fa could see she was trying to 'land on her feet' with this conversation, and picked a bit more.
"Really? That isn't even quality beef, Loony." Fa said, expression very skeptical as she stared at her 'little sister'. She knew when she was covering for something all too well. "And you sure are tearing that burger apart like a savage."
"I swear I'm just hungry. Raira didn't let us eat anything before the heist."
"Wait if you're so hungry, how come you didn't bite the rabbit when she was in front of you?"
"Fa you know I'm under strict orders from Onēsan herself not to kill her, you know." The little fox said, nervousness was picked up in her voice. Fa also saw her ears flatten and her tail curl as well.
"Not even a teensy little bite?" Fa said, teasing.
"No, Fa. I had orders." The fox said, staring at her with a frown.
"Orders didn't stop you from trying to kick her teeth in." The larger fox pointed out.
Lùn jumped up and barked flustered, "Well I…she gave me no..." However Fa just stared at the dwarf with an eyebrow raised.
"Loony, you know I don't buy any of what you're selling right now." Fa said, shaking her head. "You mean to tell me on an empty stomach, you ran from the jewelry store, had to fend off two bigger animals, and then you just so happened to get into a fight with that rabbit, the one you never shut up about and during all of that you weren't tempted to take a bite to soothe that raging stomach of yours?"
"I…" The words choked in the dwarf fox's throat.
"I'd have taken a finger at the very least." Fa commented, "That takes some fortitude or… you just didn't have your heart into it. " Fa looked at her sly.
Lùn could tell she knew something was wrong. She remained silent, while Fa got up and sat down by her. Her sister caressed the top of her head and looked down at her with understanding. "Sis just tell me what happened." She said plainly.
"She seduced me, okay?" The pygmy blurted out. "We kissed."
"Lùn!" Fa gasped as she covered her muzzle with both hands in shock.
"She just kissed me out the blue! It was so random, and we made out right there on the floor." Already Lùn was growling at herself as she looked away in shame. She just wanted to die, cease to exist right now. Crawl under their bunk beds and never come back out.
Fa tried her damndest not to smile and burst into laughter. It was a fool's gambit as Lùn could hear the telltale snicker of the darker fox slip through her fingers. The diminutive fox's face drooped as she just stared at the floor. Fa got herself under control and just pulled her sister close for an embrace, rubbing into her back. "It's okay. It's okay." She said, trying to comfort her.
"It'snotokay…" The grumpy little fox growled very low. "She forced herself on me and I didn't know what to think. Next thing I knew...we were tussling on the floor and... her hands went places...mine too." She looked at the floor before admitting it. "I...I enjoyed it, Fa. I felt dirty afterwards, but I enjoyed it."
"Loony...I'm sorry." Fa said, reaching out to scratch behind her ear, but Lùn just walked away from the table.
"It's not okay!" Lùn repeated.
"I'm not making fun of you. Honestly. I just think it's kinda cute."
"It isn't cute!" The fox growled. "Fa, I will fucking deck you…" She half-heartedly threatened, raising her clenched fist.
"Okay. Okay. Calm down killer." Fa said, trying to calm her friend down. "You're right, it's not cute. You just have a little crush is all. A weird crush, but a crush none the less. I mean it's not unnatural for girls at our age to experiment around. Priscilla-sama is fawning over that herbivore boy the rabbit hangs out with, Raira-san usually beds whoever she can get her claws on. You-you just had a moment of acquired taste is all."
"Acquir-What?" The little fox eyed her big sister. "I can't like her! I shouldn't like her. I hate her guts." Lùn shouted, stamping her feet. "I can't stand her! With her stupid attitude and her stupid techniques and her stupid ears and her stupid...face! Urrgh!" She screeched almost ready to blow a gasket. "Why'd it have to be her?!"
"Sis, your tail is wagging again." Her sister said as Lùn's tail continued to spin around like a fan. "Just... go over what happened. Spill it." She patted the table where she wanted her to sit. "Come on. Sit with me."
Lùn stomped back over to the table, moving her plate aside, and sat next to her friend. "Well it all started when we were dealing with the last dragon in the store. We had jumped him together and then we both got tossed aside and well... the fall wasn't so pleasant." Lùn rolled her eyes and frowned. "She would land on top of me and next thing I know, I got my snout nose deep in her sweaty breasts and then she's coming to and then we just stare at each other like a bunch of idiots. I swear I bet she saw how embarrassed I was and just made the pass at me to rub it in."
Fa just shrugged, and gestured for her to continue.
"Next thing we're back up and we jump the scaly bastard again and then we got him. The sheep girl from the store had whacked him with with a bunch of stuff, knocked him stupid and then we jumped him. Hack him to pieces."
Fa, slightly cringed at the mention of that detail. "Yeah, well we saw...that."
"And just when we think he's gone, she jumps on me and starts kissing and feeling me up. Like I'm some victory prize! I didn't know what to think at the time. Took me completely by surprise!" Tears started to roll down the foxes cheeks. "Fa, I don't want her to be my first! What am I going to do?!"
"Lùn, slow down a bit. First off I don't think you love her." She said getting up and bending down to her level. Her smile calmed the little fox's heart. "This doesn't seem to be anything above surface level. This all just sounds more like you were both hot at the time, and well things just might have led to places. Doesn't make you two an item."
"Well," Lùn said, wiping away the moisture from her eyes. "Good! I guess…" Lùn said, blowing out a sigh of relief.
"Yeah, it probably was just something you girls were doing and it just clicked on some of your baser instincts. Nothing to be ashamed of. You know I experimented before back in high school. You remember Tokine-chan, right? I used to talk to her for a bit, but that was just a fling. Never went anywhere outside a little fun."
"You think this was a fling? " The short vixen asked, looking at her sister unsure.
"I wouldn't even say that! Hehehe!" Her sister said, laughing as she tried to reassure her confused sister while patting her on the head. "Just finish your burger then we'll go check in and see how Raira is doing. I'm sure she'll want to hear your story again. That will probably make her feel better."
The Back Alley - The Defunct Livestock Tower.
Matilda brought the scooter to a slow stop in the narrow passageway, while Kyuu tapped her on the shoulder, pointing up to the tower poking over the row of buildings just a short distance away. "That's it." Kyuu said, as the tower came into view.
It's disheveled brickwork and the disrepair of the courtyard, made Matilda's courage shrink even more than the trip did. "That? That's where you live?" She asked.
"Yep. "The rabbit answered. "Used to be where they sold us, until we were rescued and the place went out of business. We decided to set up shop here a few years ago. Been here ever since."
"You just... live here?"
"I mean it's no apartment, but the cells work as decent rooms. Great place to train. Don't have to worry about rent. The water and electricity still works. San says it might be 'a glitch in the system' or whatever the hell a glitch is. And most of the place is candle lit anyway so we don't use much electricity."
"I don't think….that is exactly legal...and that you're supposed to be doing that." Matilda said scratching her muzzle, perplexed.
"Who is gonna stop us?" The rabbit said hopping off the scooter and slinging her groceries over her shoulder. "No one enforces this area anyway except the gangs, so I doubt we got much to worry about."
"You don't have a problem living in such a horrible place?" The sheep asked concerned. "I mean they sold you here?"
"Of course I do." Kyuu said, looking off towards the tower. "No one wants to live like this, but it's a better way than living off the street like those other bums. I'd rather have a roof over my head when it rains and money that I earn than trying to scrambling for shelter every night with the meager scraps that I'm going to eventually run out of once I run out of limbs to sell." The rabbit answered. "At least fighting, I make enough money to keep us content where we are."
Matilda swung around on the scooter's seat and pondered the rabbit. "You never thought about...going to school or trying to find a job?"
"We used to go to school. Our master used to send us alongside his own child at one point, but then...all that stopped when his wife left him. Then we were on the street soon after." She dejectedly said while scratching her right ear. "Hmph, Job? Who's going to hire a bunch of uneducated bums like us?"
"I'm sure Mr. Yelchin would hire you at the store. It's not that much money, but it's good legal work."
The rabbit sighed, appearing to think it over, but flat out refused. "Nope. No offense Matty, but your job's kind of stiffy ...if you get my meaning. Plus you said I'm not allowed to fight people. That kinda sucks."
Matilda just shook her head at the rabbit. "No, you're not allowed to hurt people. That's generally a bad thing." It was clear to the sheep that Kyuu was likely the only one holding herself back in this case. A job at the store would easy work for her, if someone her size could make it, the rabbit certainly could. Then again, the rabbit seemed cursed with a bad attitude. It was enough to make her scratch her head. She couldn't help a person who didn't want to be helped.
"Well...if you change your mind, I can definitely put in a good word for you." She offered one last time. "You and your buddy, the alpaca. Think about it, both of you two working down there...twice the paycheck." She said trying to make it seem more promising.
"Nah. I'll pass." The rabbit stepped into the entrance of the decrepit building and turned to face the gawking sheep. "You want to come in? We ain't got much, but we probably got something in the fridge. Fruits, Carrots, drinks...mostly cheap healthy stuff."
"I think I'll decline." The Sheep said as she watched the bunny head towards the entrance. "So...about your friend. He lives here with you right? The tall alpaca...um San."
"I think he's a llama, we've never been entirely sure." The rabbit said, turning around. "What about him?"
"Are you sure you don't want to see what he thinks about the offer?" She asked.
"I don't even know if his stinkin' carcass is in there or not."
"Um...are you guys fighting?" The sheep asked, cautiously. "Like not actual 'punching' fighting, I mean...like 'not talking to each other' fighting?"
"What ever gave you that idea?" Kyuu replied, sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.
"Well, just your body language really." The sheep said pointing at her. "I mean the tone of voice, the sullen look when you mention him. Looks like you two had a breakup."
"He decided to go on a date. That's all."
"Yeah, you told me earlier. What? Were you jealous or something?"
"No." The rabbit flat out answered.
"Well then what's wrong with that? He deserves to be with someone."
"Yeah, well it's who he's seeing."
"Oh. Oh! Let me guess, he's talking to someone you don't care for? Someone from school?"
"I told you we don't go to school anymore."
"Right, right. Well maybe someone in the neighborhood? Probably someone you think is bad news?"
"Could say that." The rabbit said, folding her arms. "You remember those foxes from the store?"
"Oh" Matilda said, she paused as she thought more on it. "Was it the little fox?" She blurted out, jumping to immediate conclusions.
"No." Kyuu answered with an annoyed tone of voice. "Of course not. But you are close. It was one of them. One of their leaders to be exact."
"Oh" She said, then it dawned on her. "Oh dear! He's seeing a criminal?!" The sheep exclaimed, her white cheeks growing even more pale with shock.
"See! You get it too!" Kyuu ecstatically shouted, glad someone else saw what she saw. "He deserves better than that. Right?!" The sheep nervously recoiled.
"Well, I don't know if you should be judging him, Kyuu." Matilda replied, looking at the bruised and battered rabbit. "I mean with all due respect and all…" She quickly clarified.
"And why not?" The lop questioned.
"Well, you of all people don't seem to have such a great...moral compass." The sheep said, her eyes darting off not to look the surly looking rabbit in the eye.
The rabbit scratched her head and looked at the girl strangely. "The hell is that exactly?"
"What? A moral compass?"
"Yeah, that. I feel like I heard of it before, but it just ain't clicking."
"It's a term for how someone tells right from wrong." Matilda hesitated before just speaking her mind. "I don't think you have a great one, if I'm going to be frank. You don't seem to have a problem with hurting people and you are kind of rude."
"Well I don't think you have a good one either if you are just going to insult me!" The rabbit growled, glaring at the sheep.
The sheep quickly tried to ease the tension and tried to soften her words. "Well, I mean I'm thankful that you helped me out tonight. I really am, but that isn't normal behavior. None of this is normal." She looked all around the seedy part of the city to make a point. " None of this is normal. A rabbit fighting a fox or monkey isn't normal. You get what I'm saying? If I told anyone about this, they'd say I was crazy."
The rabbit calmed down and sat down on the steps outside the entrance and pondered the sheep's words. "Well I still don't think he should be seeing her or why he'd even want to."
"Well, the ones we met seemed nice enough….for criminals...mostly. Definitely better than those thugs that stalked us in the store. Maybe, your friend has a good reason, maybe he sees something you don't. I mean he seems like a nice guy with a good head on his shoulders. Have you talked to him about it? Maybe seen his point of view? "
"Only a little."
"Maybe he sees something you don't. If he is in there, why don't you just talk with him about it. It's the least you can do as his friend. You wouldn't believe the time I had trying to get my mother to stop worrying about who I was dating." She said while toying with her ponytail. "But I had to talk to her first…well after me and Nobita dated for about two months as proof of concept."
The rabbit rubbed her brows in annoyance. "I'll think about it." She stood up and stretched. "You sure you don't want to come in? I'm sure we still got some fresh fruits."
The sheep just shook her head smiling and swung her legs over her scooter. She really felt a general unease looking at such a spooky place. However she didn't wish to offend the rabbit any further, so she just politely declined.
"Thank you very much, but um, I think I've had enough for the night." She sheepishly said starting up the engine of her scooter. "I better get back you know." She said, smiling from ear to ear. "I have to call my boyfriend after all and tell him I'm on my way home. He gets anxious if I don't check in with him, probably a nervous wreck you know."
"Suit yourself." The rabbit said, oblivious. "Just remember to head east. A few blocks that way will take you out of the area without going through the marketplace again. Don't stop for anyone."
"Thank you!" She said placing her helmet back on and nodding. "If you see your friend, tell him I said hi! And just talk to him, okay? I hope to see you two back at the store!" She yelled, before swinging the scooter around and zipping out of the parking lot.
The rabbit watched as her red tail lights faded from view before turning, hefting the bag of groceries over her shoulder and trudged her way into the dimly lit corridors. She noticed the wall lamps were on, which meant he was probably back, leaving them lit for her. That put her mind at ease, at the very least. She wasn't going to be alone tonight.
She found him in his cell, laying on his side napping like an exhausted man. He smelled like her , she noticed. She recognized the snow fox's perfume soaked in with that annoying oatmeal conditioner he had bathed with earlier. She contemplated just leaving him to slumber, but she wanted to talk to him while the thought was fresh on her mind. She started jabbing him in the back with her finger.
"Ugggghhh…." Was all the exhausted llama had to answer.
She jabbed him again, harder this time.
"Whaaat?" He whined, annoyed. "I'll get up in the mornin'."
The rabbit furrowed her brows, poked her lip out in annoyance, and proceeded to punch him very hard in the back.
"Ow!, For fucks sa- what?" He cried out as reached behind to soothe his back. "What is it?"
"So how did your date go? I see you seem to still be in one piece."
He raised his head only slightly to scowl at her. "You woke me up just to ask that?" San groaned. "Yeah, we had a good time." He said, drifting back off to the sleep. His snoring only ticked her off. She crawled her small frame up onto the mattress and stood over him, shaking his shoulder vigorously.
"Get back up or I'll punch you again." She growled into his ear.
"God!" He groaned lethargically. "Fine. I'm awake."
"Talk to me." She demanded.
"Okay, we're talking." He replied lazily waving her off, still uncommitted to rising. "I had a very long day Kyuu. Can I just get some rest?"
"I just want to know... if you are back for good?" She asked, leaning down at him. "That...seeing her was worth it."
The llama was uncharacteristically snappy. "Yeah, it was worth it. I was never going anywhere. I'm the one that should be asking if we're cool? I'm not the one that stomped off in a fuss."
"I overreacted," She said softly, fighting off her pride.
"Huh?" He asked, his ears pricking up.
"I overreacted," She said louder, swallowing her pride like a large pill. "I shouldn't have said those things to you."
San raised his head again to glance at her. "Okay, just who the hell are you?" He asked half serious. "Don't sound like any Kyuu I know at all. Hmph, the rabbit I've known for so long never apologizes, even when she knows she's wrong."
"I'm still me you jerkass!" She shouted, punching him in the shoulder, just not as hard as before.
"Well, that certainly felt like her. Ahaha." He joked, his ears wiggling as he chuckled. "Kyuu if it's all the same with you, I think we're fine. I'm just really tired. Priscilla-san and I, we just had such a good time tonight and it took a lot out of me."
"Do you...really like her?" She asked. "More than...this?" She clarified, gesturing towards her body. He barely opened his eyes to glance at her and rolled back over.
"Yes. I like her. Of course more than that. I saw a bit of her that she hides from everyone, under all that wealth and power, she's still just a girl that's trying desperately to rise from the station she was dropped into. Kind of like us. And she respects me for who I am, even if she has her own ways about it."
"San. I.." She hesitated. "Listen, I...screwed up alright. I was just...afraid of you leaving me here all by myself. I didn't want to admit it then."
"I'm not going anywhere Kyuu. I never was. Only thing different is, I might be seeing Priscilla-san more often than before that's all. More than I would down at the arena."
She hopped off his mattress and turned to face him. "So you aren't ditching me for her?"
"Kyuu, we've been together for how long exactly?" He said, rolling over with a reassuring smile and placing his hand on her shoulder. "Why the hell would I leave no-" However his drowsy eyes began blinking with shock and horror when he saw her bruised and busted face. "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOU?!" He shouted.
"Ugh...right." She felt her closed eye and winced. "It's a long story."
"No," He flat out refused to just accept that as he sat up on the mattress. "What the hell happened to you? Who kicked your ass?!"
"Well…" She started to say, but then her eyes widened as the maroon splotch of wool still dyed into the right side of his neck. "Wait...What happened to your neck?!"
His hands instinctively reached and covered the red welt on his neck.
"Did she bite you?!" The lapine shouted. "Tell me! Did that vixen bite you?!"
"Oh, no, no." He tried to explain. "That's just paint. She shot me with paintballs on our date. I was gonna-"
"SHE SHOT YOU?!" The rabbit was incensed as she climbed back up the bedding to inspect his supposed wounds. "And what happened to your face!" She shouted as she noticed his bruised lip and the swelling under his eye. "Who hit you?!"
"I'm fine! I'm fine." He said waving her off. "The guns, they shoot these balls of paint and they sting like crazy. We were just playing around though. And about the bruises, well...someone pushed me and I pushed them back."
"You? Got into a fight?" Kyuu asked, cocking her head at him, her frown shifting into a smile.
"Don't look so surprised and don't change the subject!" He shouted, pointing at her worse off condition. "Are you gonna tell me just what happened to you? You look like you went a few bad rounds with someone at the arena!"
"That's not far off. Uh...I got into a few fights in town you see and well..."
"Great, did you at least win?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. She could tell he was going to be disappointed. "Bring home any money?"
She looked down dejected. "No." She answered solemnly.
The llama huffed annoyed at her as he cradled his head into his palms. "Of course not. Do you still have the money you took off with?
"I got most of it, I spent some on medicine and supplies."
"Supplies for you usually means those nasty cigarettes."
"Well I got those too, but I got something for my injuries."
He looked up at her, his large eyes squinted, as if trying to read her. "I think I actually get it now." He said. "Why you wanted to wake me up so late. You're just trying to make peace so I'll just patch you up like always huh?!" He accused, leaning over her while still sitting.
"No! That's not it at all!" She insisted. "I was worried about you."
"Oh really? So what's got you of all people apologizing? What happened in such a short span of time that makes you the one that's sorry."
"Almost dying for one… and Matty-san said that I should just talk to you." She rubbed her bruised nose, and gave a sincere look. "You've been there for me from the beginning, San. And she said I should just try to see it from your point of view or whatever."
"Wait, Matty? You met Matilda-san? From the store?"
"Yeah, I went to the store after my first fight to get some medicine. She helped me after I collapsed. Then...well you'll never believe what happened even if I told you. Long story. She actually gave me a ride back over here."
"Matilda... came here?" He asked, surprised and flustered.
"Uh huh, she offered me a ride when I came in there all busted up because it was late."
San could tell just from her voice, she wasn't bullshiting him. "Okay, this sounds way too complex to be a ploy to get me to help you. I believe you."
Kyuu clicked her tongue at him and gave him a crossed look. "What's that supposed to mean? Like I'm stupid or something?"
"Look I believe you. That's all that matters. Okay?" He said, trying to clarify. He stood up with a slight wobble. "Just follow me, I'll go check the kit and see if we got anything left that can make that swelling go down and kill any infections you might be in danger of picking up." He sighed and shook his head. He took a few sniffs and stretched. "Now that I'm up I best get something for myself while I'm at it. Maybe a shower. You too I reckon."
"I got some painkillers from the store." She added, as she followed him down the lamp lit corridor with bag of groceries in hand.
"Be careful with those," he warned. "Take too many of them and you'll go to sleep for real. I wonder if you even got the right brand for your species."
"I can read just fine, Mr. Flea Shampoo!" Kyuu shot back at him with a scowl. "Besides, Matty-san helped me."
"That reassures me actually." He said with a slight smile. "Still can't believe you got hurt and you have a fight next week. Then you didn't even make any money. Somehow I was the idiot today, huh?" He groaned as he ran his hair through his fingers.
"Yeah, well you're still my idiot."
"I guess so." He said with a chuckle as he led her into the former infirmary. "Right this way."
The llama yanked the pull chain on the overhead lamp and got a better look at her as she hopped up on the former inspection table. In the light he saw how her eye had swollen completely shut and that she had quite a few bruises on her shins and wrists. A few cuts on her head as well. He sighed at the work he had cut out for him, and went to work.
A few minutes later.
San still couldn't believe it even when she told him the crazy story a second time. He could tell she wasn't lying, but it still was hard to take in. "Komodo dragons? Two of them?" He said as he finished wrapping her cut hand. "Just wow."
"Like I said we took them down one by one. You should have seen us, Lùn came up with the planning, then me and her took 'em out like a bunch of chumps. Oh and she had some mice with her that lit one of them on fire with my lighter and some hair spray, and even Matty helped out."
"Rex, that's just wild." He said. "Tell me more about the monkey guy in the park. He seems like he's gonna be a problem if he's your next opponent." He said as he pressed one of the cold packs she had bought from the store up to her eye. He held her head in place as she started flinching from the pain. "Just keep that pressed for a while, okay?"
Once she composed herself, she started giving details. "He had a weird fighting style. Kind of like how I move, but with dancing and a lot of showing off. Like he was swift, nimble, cocky, did a lot of kicking. He also has a tail that moves like a snake and hits like a damn sledgehammer. That's what dropped me."
"Let me guess, you tried to get behind him?" He queried.
Kyuu's one good eye opened up in surprise. "How did you-" She stopped short, when she quickly realized that of course San knew why. That was always his specialty, always being knowledgeable. "Yeah. I tried to get behind him and I took one right in the face."
"I would have told you that. You underestimated his strike zone." San said wrapping her arm. "You're so used to fighting people with dumb tails that you went up against a smart one and got a very painful surprise. Ahaha!" He laughed. "I feel like we learned a lesson about this once. Something about monkeys and lizards, and how they know when to watch their six o'clock."
"Well, we got time to figure out a strategy at least." She explained. "They told me to stay away from the arena for a while to heal up."
"Really?" He asked, sort of skeptical. "That was awfully nice of them." Instantly he thought about Priscilla. The vacation could be just what he needed to hang out with her again. Still, Kyuu would definitely need a lot of his attention if she was going to get ready for a rematch with this Pao guy. Great, he thought. He didn't really look forward to pulling double duty. He finished her wraps and got up from his chair. "You keep those on for a while. I'm going to go hit the showers. When you're feeling up to it, we'll get to work."