A bit earlier - The Show Arena
It was getting darker and darker as the two foxes escorted the llama up the Arena's stairwell, all the way to the third floor. The old building must be still in bad repair, he thought, can't even afford light for the stairs? He could only rely on his hearing to keep going. Each clank that their footsteps made on the steps was an indicator to keep moving. The pack of rowdy, bloodthirsty animals' booming uproar downstairs taped off and fade as they neared the top.
It almost became nearly pitched black until they finally came to a stop. The llama nearly knocked over the little fox, who promptly punched him hard in the shin. He grunted as he tried to rub the throbbing area, only to receive another hit after he accidentally grabbed her by the ear.
"Ow!" He groaned. "Cripes!" Probably wasn't even a serious punch, yet it had him limping, if only briefly. He considered himself fortunate his leg had been her only target, given her limited range.
"Lùn…" Fa warned her little sister. "Stop beating up her boy toy. You don't need any more scratches."
"He should watch it then, Fa!" Lùn squeaked, shaking her fist at him. "Overgrown mop!"
He was a herbivore. San could barely see the end of his snout, much less the two foxes escorting him up the dark stairwell. If he wasn't aware of their nocturnal vision and the muffled noise he picked up with his hearing that suggested nearby activity, he would have assumed they were leading him blind into a dead end.
"My bad... Lùn, right?" He winced as he apologized. "Accident. It's so dark up here."
"Next time we're getting you some night-vision goggles." The pygmy sarcastically remarked.
His calf still throbbed with every step he took.
"Jeez, quite the punch you got there Lùn-chan. Ahaha. You hit the bag a lot?"
"What? Are you surprised too? Psycho's not the only one that works out."
"How often do you train exactly?" He asked, genuinely curious.
"At least four to five times a week. I run, lift, and hit the heavy bag almost daily. Loba usually runs me ragged every morning, but I've gotten used to it. Why?"
"Well it's just, you remind me a lot of Kyuu..."
"What?!" She barked.
"In that regard." He quickly added. "That's quite the regimen. I can see why Kyuu trains a lot with you in mind."
"Wait...she does? R-really?" He heard the short vixen's voice quiver briefly in the dark with interest. "Y-you ain't lying, are you?"
He tested the waters again, adding some bait. "Honest... she really respects you as a fighter that much, I can tell."
"Huh. W-well of course she does," The mini vixen boasted, trying to sound tough. "I'd be training hard too if I took an ass-kicking like the one I gave her."
"So you won the fight you two had?"
"What? Did she say that I didn't?"
"She said a draw."
"That lying bitch!" The little fox screeched. "You listen here. I had her flat on her back! And I busted her up so bad that she had to get a cheap shot. She fucking lost, end of story."
"Hey, no need to be touchy. That's honestly not surprising," He said, palming his face. "I figured with those scars I had to clean. Probably was saving face."
"Alright you two, we're here," he heard Fa say, a bit of humor in her voice as if she had been silently giggling at something. "Watch your step."
He heard a door handle turning, a click, and then suddenly his eyes were assaulted by bright flickering neon lights. It was disorienting. It took seconds for his eyes to adjust before someone unceremoniously ushered him into the room.
It was like entering a completely different world. From the drab and rundown-looking paint factory into something fresh and new. It was both dark and bright with flashes of light, he could at least see enough; the neon aesthetic bathed the room in a random assortment of vibrant colors. Red, green, blue LED lights lined and covered a lot of the furniture and structures within the busy room. The colors even seem to pulsate along with loud and bumping EDM music.
It was like a mini club up here, definitely a product of the Inarigumi's flare. An emphasis on entertainment was very apparent and presented by the room's theme. It was a stark contrast to the iron-rich, bloodied gladiator's pit that was the arena down below. Hell, it even made the promoter's office they frequently visited on the floor just below this one look plain by comparison.
Then he realized.
They weren't alone.
A few bright piercing eyes shone through the darkness, turning firmly towards him as he fully entered the room.
Carnivores.
Of course, there were carnivores up here. What were you expecting?! He thought.
There had to be at least a dozen various other carnivores, most of them cavorting and socializing, a few drunk by a small little bar set up on the wall. Felines, canines, bears, weasels, reptiles, you named it all surrounded him. Yet no one really paid him any mind. It was like he was invisible. He was just another animal in the packed room.
A small Blue-tongue skink mixed drinks with expert showmanship while his ultraviolet tongue stuck out like a beacon in the darkness. A young and pretty female coyote wearing skimpy black attire served patrons around the room while wearing a loose assortment of green glow sticks wrapped around her figure.
Scantily clad exotic dancers danced and gyrated wearing neon glowing body paint. Other beasts lounged on a set of crescent couches that were set up on the edge of the large room by a large wraparound window. The glass angled at a 45-degree angle, providing a full view of the carnage taking place down below in the arena.
Regardless of the lack of interest, San avoided eye contact and tried to keep up with his escort. Fa and Lùn were getting ahead of him, so he rushed to keep up, all the while trying to occupy his mind with the thoughts of appearing confident for these various beasts. Don't freak out, not for them. The last thing he needed was to panic in a room full of predators, no matter how many sharp eyes he saw. Just keep moving.
No sooner had he thought that he came face to face with the fearsome visage of a large male spotted cat towering over him. He initially thought of the meek jaguar he had wronged, but he knew it couldn't be him. Just his mind playing tricks. The feline's features became clearer on a more focused look. He wore a dark traditional kimono with no undershirt, sandals, and a white fedora.
The hapless herbivore took a few steps back and tried not to linger, however, it was too late. He had the jungle cat's full attention. The feline rapidly encroached onto San. His clawed hands grabbed him by the shoulders and his jaws opened, baring his fangs. His breath reeked of cheap saké.
"Just what the hell are you doing here? You just begging to be eaten, boy?" The pissed-off feline threatened.
San ripped free from the leopard's grip, tearing his windbreaker's sleeves. In his haste to retreat, the camelid bumped right into another spotted feline behind him, this one lankier and sporting dark sun shades. He must have had the same idea as he attempted to grab the tall herbivore, but San reacted quickly, dropping low and fast, sweeping the feline's leg out from under him.
The cat fell swiftly, sending him crashing backward headfirst against the bar. Another belligerent kitty rushed in right after, but San slipped the feline's lethal swing, keeping crouched to the floor.
The llama quickly shot forward with a low and hard kick to the cat's ankle. He expected the feline to dodge, but the cat strangely failed to move in time. The spotted beast yelped in pain and San followed up with a twisting roundhouse kick that nailed the leopard right in the jaw, sending him careening right into a bar stool.
Incensed, the apparent leader reached for a katana at his hip. "You're gonna be sashimi when I'm done with you!"
Before the blade could even leave its hilt, Fa suddenly interceded on San's behalf with a hard kick that pinned the jungle cat hard against the countertop so hard that it nearly made the small skink bartender lose his balance.
"This one is with the Inarigumi!" The rustic-toned vixen declared as she pulled a compact handgun stowed on an ankle holster hidden under her cocktail dress.
On high alert, San's eyes darted back and forth, scanning the room, seeing who would be the next to come forward, while the bat-eared fox jabbed her weapon in the leopard's face. The feline and canid carnivores both growled at each other in a display of intimidation. However, the leopard was clearly at a disadvantage as he stared down the barrel of the snub nose semi-auto handgun. With no recourse, he surrendered.
Lùn swiftly came to her sister's aid, whipping out one of her tethered kukri blades, twirling it like a windmill to gain the necessary force to cleave through flesh and bone. San, armed only with his wits and skills, formed up right alongside the two with a low fighting stance with his hands up and a determined face.
The frightened guests gave them a wide amount of space as a standoff ensued. The two downed leopards groggily picked themselves back up while two more thugs produced similar bladed weapons. Fa repositioned herself behind the leader with a chokehold, her pistol pressed firmly up to his temple. Not counting the leopard she currently held hostage, it was four against the three-of-them.
"We outnumber you Dog-chan ." The cat croaked as her arm tightened around his neck.
"And you have a gun to your gray matter, Cat-sama ." Fa retorted. "Any of you brave kitties want to be the new Madaragumi boss? Because your boss just said the position has an opening."
The leopards all kept their tongues and paused before doing something rash. They all kept an enclosed perimeter around the llama and vixens, while the bat-eared vixen kept their leader from resisting.
"Didn't think so. Now... I suggest everyone calm down before this gets messy. Remember, the Futekigō clan welcomed the Madaragumi here as guests. That welcome can be rescinded." She said, pressing the barrel further. "Is that what you wish for, Ponzu-sama? Because that is the impression you are giving me."
"No. No!" Ponzu quickly croaked. "You have made your point. We will not seek further dishonor upon your business. We wish to continue being peaceful towards one another." The cat said, motioning for his group to stand down.
"Good answer."
Fa quickly let the old cat go and both groups backed off from one another.
"The herbivore is off-limits. Everyone enjoy yourselves." The Bat-eared fox said with a polite and artful bow that she used to clandestinely stow her pistol. Almost instantly, the nervous party guests swept the incident under the rug. Gossip recommenced, drinks were drunk, and dancers continued dancing.
When Fa rose back up, she frowned disappointed at the llama, and silently motioned for him to follow her. San didn't even look back at the felines as he hastened his step behind his escorts.
So they were the Madaragumi?
The guys that accosted him were members of the Spots gang or Madaragumi as they liked to call themselves. They were an organization that comprised themselves of spotted cats like leopards and jaguars. They were pretty strict, but prideful if he had heard the rumors correctly.
It was a wonder to San that Priscilla even allowed other gangs in her territory, but then again they probably would rather settle their differences over money rather than violence. Maybe this was a truce or an alliance.
Typically, these felines ran the south end of the market and currently held the ranking of the second most influential gang in the Back Alley's wildlife in front of the Shishigumi, though only barely after the lion group's so-called herbivore unifier they had made their leader up and vanished.
Thinking about the Shishigumi brought up more doubts about his place among the Inarigumi. Rumors say the lions ate the poor bastard after they were done with him. If Pris wasn't involved with me anymore, would they eat me? He thought, looking at the bat-ear mix as she strutted through the crowd. The savagery she showed earlier was kinda frightening.
"Place certainly is a wild habitat," San commented, trying not to think much further on it.
"Just watch where you're going if you want to survive in it." Fa chided him. "You were lucky most of them were drunk."
"Sorry, I just was seeing- it's hard to focus...this place is mesmerizing." His stammering did him no favors.
The room still drew his attention to its aesthetic. Almost everything down to the furniture had a cold white motif to it, which combined with the darkness and pulsating light sources appeared to change into a vibrant selection of color.
"Are you that impressed by all of this, sheep boy?" Lùn asked
"Llama…" San tiredly corrected. "I'm-a-llama… I think. And yes, it's a beautiful club you got up here."
She didn't even deign to even acknowledge his annoyance as she continued.
"Club? Jeez, you're simple. This ain't a club. This hardly counts as a lounge. It's got nothing compared to the Inarigumi's other hot spots." The little fox chuckled. "Imagine if Big Sis took him to the Fox Hole, Fa. He'd probably think he died and went to heaven."
"Fox Hole?" San thought aloud, even he caught how silly that name sounded. "Sounds super raunchy."
"Because it is. The Fox Hole is one of our bigger places, a strip club owned by the Suitiretto Clan on Tesoro Street," Lùn explained.
"Suiti- Suiti- oh...right...right. The other clan." He remembered Priscilla's other sisters from the range. That name was a bit too much to remember. Raunchy sounded about right as he reminded of that touchy-feely fox that Priscilla had a confrontation with. "I know who you are talking about, though." He said. "They're bigger than your group, right? Think they're better?"
"Yeah," Lùn growled, offended. "They're a buncha stuck-up bitches if you ask me. Think they are better because they work more closely with the boss, or rather the true Boss. The one even Onēsan answers to."
"Though that's just what they think." The bigger fox chimed in. "And it doesn't make it so."
"Regardless, this is the best we could do in the short time since we took over this dump. Our first order of business was to make our mark."
"I think we did an okay job, given how this used to be some drab old wolves' den that those Okamigumi creeps hung out in before they left town, " Fa commented.
"Such a shame what happened to those guys. Hehehe! " Lùn commented with a sinister cackle that gave San some concerns.
"I-I think I get it," San said. "And you wanted this place to scream 'Owned by the Inarigumi .' So instead of just the fight club, you also offer a mini nightclub which is more the style of your gang."
"Ah. Now I can see why Onēsan sees you as more than just some handsome bum."
"Well, that's a compliment, I guess." The llama rolled his eyes.
"Well, we ain't just offering it to everybody." Lùn pointed out. "This skybox is for important beasts only. No randos allowed up here. You're really lucky, Sheep Boy. You're only important because of Priscilla and her weird taste in men."
"Llama..." He scowled down at her.
"Whatever. Anyway, this is mainly the place Priscilla will invite sponsors and host meetings or parties...well, when we aren't at the Den. Sponsors can also watch the fighters they invest in beat the crap out of each other away from the rabble down there."
"Sponsors?" San asked, a bit confused.
The bat-eared fox took over again and properly explained. "Mhmm. That's who a lot of these carnivores up here are. Almost all of them are brick-and-mortar store owners or heads of organizations within the market. Most of them are here to discuss business or socialize. A lot of them are Baraki's connections, others are here to work with us. Those Madaragumi guys for example are here for some attempt to strengthen relations between our groups. Apparently one of their guys is fighting tonight."
"Humph, it's funny. Now that you're important, you'll probably get the privilege of watching me beat the tar out of Psycho from a 5-star class view." Lùn boasted, sinisterly grinning as she pounded her fist into her palm.
"Nice, um… you know maybe you two should um...maybe talk it out...you know you might find that you have a lot in common. Y'know besides wanting to beat each other up… " He trailed off at the end as he realized just how futile that suggestion would be. The pygmy just curiously cocked her head at him.
"Lame…"
"Now why would he want to see two microscopic ants fight from all the way up here, anyway?" A familiar voice mused out loud, much to the pygmy's chagrin.
San's wool bristled with euphoric exhilaration as he recognized the tone. It was Priscilla.
"Well. well. well! The late llama finally decided to show up!"
There, between two crescent-shaped white couches, sat his date, resting on a smaller loveseat positioned in the middle. Clad in a regal-looking blue cheongsam cocktail dress with gold trim, the brown-furred Arctic fox mix was revealing a lot more of her fur compared to their last outing.
Perhaps she had become more comfortable with her change, he thought.
He also couldn't help but feel quite underdressed for the occasion with just his hoodie and jeans.
They all bowed respectively before the fox, who only just casually nodded and sipped the glass of orange liquid in her hand from a straw.
"About time you showed up, San-kun." She said, her voice sounded a bit slurred and distressed.
"Priscilla-chan." He said, scratching behind his head with a nervous smile. "God, it's so good to see you. Y'know, face to face...like Facetime just doesn't cut it. Also, this place is amazing."
The fox frowned and crossed her legs at him. "Hmph, good to see me, huh? What are you trying to butter me after you try to stand me up? Hmm?" She asked, a bit of her makeup had started running as tears rolled down her cheek. "Are you getting scared of me now? Do I have to send my girls after you?"
"What? Pris c'mon. It's not like that." He explained, trying to be comforting. Was she really that upset that he was late?
He was starting to feel a bit more nervous as her commotion suddenly turned all the eyes back towards him. "I wasn't trying to stand you up. I'm here, aren't I? I was only running a bit late!"
"A bit late?" She said, drying her tears. "A bit late? You missed two fights! TWO! That one lion from the Shishigumi and Kusa the Huntress both won their fights in the time for you to show up. Been a real roll for felines tonight. The third match just started a few minutes ago."
"Oh, I hope I didn't miss this monkey guy's fight yet!" He exclaimed, jumping to the front trying to see the battle taking place below. He didn't see a monkey, rather what looked like a leopard and a hyena squaring off.
"What's got you so eager to see some monkey fight. What is so special about him?" She asked, looking at him suspiciously.
"He's probably going to be Kyuu's next opponent, best I get some info on him now. It's my job you know."
The vixen just hissed, annoyed at him. "Just park your cute fluffy ass down here already. You can watch from the couch." She demanded, patting the neighboring seat. "I've wanted to feel your wool all week."
"Ahaha!" He chucked "You got it!" He happily dropped down on the couch next to her and nearly sank into the fabric. It was surprising just how soft yet supportable it was. He felt like he could fall asleep on this and would never want to wake up. A far cry from the lumpy out of shape mattresses they had to rest and recline on back at the tower. Priscilla scooched up next to him and placed her hand on top of his as she rested up against him. Her warmth felt really nice and cozy to him as both of their weight caused them to sink into the sofa together. A concerned few eyes darted their way, but they were fleeting and the fox didn't pay them any mind. If she didn't care, he wouldn't either.
"Mmm, I could fall asleep on this." She said, with some relief as she sniffed his wool, though pretty soon breathed an annoyed sigh. "Still using the Oatmeal stuff? We have to go shopping for some better shampoo," she murmured, pressing her snout deeper into his neck. "How about tomorrow?"
"I thought you liked it?" He asked, feeling a bit confused and self-conscious. He'd become too complacent it seemed.
"It's okay. It's just you could be better. You don't want to smell like oatmeal all the time do you?" She took a glance at his torn jacket. The tears were large and jagged, they would be noticeable even if he sewed them. "Maybe get you some more clothes too. I know just the place we can go."
"So like to a store or something?" He asked, feeling excited about the prospects of shopping like a regular beast.
"Mhmm. Maybe tomorrow if you are free." She said, smiling."
"That sounds fun actually." He said, returning it. The audience in the skybox started getting hyped around them. "By the way, who's fighting down there now?"
Priscilla looked down and thought about it. "I haven't really been paying it much attention. But I believe it's a title match. Omar the Striped hyena vs…some leopard... um." She paused and looked towards the leopard thugs by the bar. "Ponzu-san! What's your guy's name again?" She called out to the Madaragumi thugs that were still mugging at them from the bar.
The leader marched over towards them with his entourage. San raised his head ever so slightly to catch a glimpse of the fierce-looking cat, cautiously keeping his distance, but the pantherine gangster was now on his best behavior. He didn't even bother to return the llama's glance or glare at the vixen that had held him at gunpoint earlier.
"Su. Our warrior's name is Su." He answered pridefully. "He is one of our strongest and bravest, even if he is the youngest."
"Su?" Priscilla almost gagged, tasting the name. "Bleh...such a plain and unmasculine name."
"The quality of his name is irrelevant." The leopard growled. "All that matters is Su-san has a strong fighting spirit and that is what makes him a formidable warrior."
" Su-san?! No way! Hehehehe!" The Arctic fox was in stitches, as she tossed and turned in the loveseat. "The honorifics! Hehehe! His name is Su- san with the- I can't even..."
"It would be wise not to mock such a brave warrior, Mistress Fox," Ponzu growled. "He is to be the next champion in his weight class, just you watch."
"Is he? Doesn't he have to defeat that hyena down there first, Ponzu-san?" She asked, fighting back tears and pointing down to the fight below. "Don't start counting your chickens before they hatch." Su's opponent, the battered striped hyena, as they spoke got a second wind and nailed the Madaragumi fighter square in the ribs. The leopard made a sucking noise as he doubled over and stumbled over towards the cage wall while the Hyena began punishing him with some stiff shots to the waist.
"Ooooh. Brave or not, that looked like it hurt! Hehehe!" Priscilla pointed out, cringing a little.
San was familiar with the Hyena. Omar was the current mid-tier bracket champion, or as the Baraki the raccoon called it cruiserweight. Just above the lightweight bracket that Kyuu and Lùn were promptly dropped into once things had been revamped to make things more interesting. The tier system was the arena's promoter, Baraki's idea he had put in place to make things fair for the fighters of different sizes. Fairness was really an oxymoron for a shady organization like the Show Arena. It was all about combat; fists or weapons, it was all legal save pulling out a firearm or bomb. The tier system was just a means for the sly raccoon to keep his fight booking interesting and to prevent incidents like something Kyuu's first infamous outing from happening too often. Not really for her safety, but rather to prevent the spectacle from getting too stale and avoid scaring off competition.
Judging from what Fa had told him earlier and their presence, San gathered that the Madaragumi were likely trying to get one of their own to take the mid-tier slot, something which would be a big problem for Omar given how hard he was fighting to keep his place. The hyena caught the leopard with a tackle and dropped him on his back, taking the fight to the ground. Priscilla didn't seem too keen on the leopard herself, she still was on a tangent about the frivolous details like the guy's name.
"I just don't like that name, Su." She remarked. "It's just so plain for a male. And it sounds like a girl's name with the honorifics. I assume it's spelled just with two letters or is it three?"
The leopard leader scowled at her. "I didn't name the boy and doesn't change the fact that he will win! Look!" As he pointed out as the leopard finally managed a counter, hurling a hard-hitting cross right to the hyena's snout and managing throwing some punishing blows to his flank and giving him an opportunity to escape the mount.
San found the fight entertaining, but his date was more interested in other things. Priscilla giggled as she leaned in on San as if he were a pillow. "I missed this too, you know? Hehehe." The fox whispered, grinning naughtily at him. Her voice drifted softly and enticingly in his ear. She didn't really care about the fight at all, she was just having fun with him. "I just think his name is dumb, don't you agree?" Her hand slid down his leg towards his crotch and she bit her lip as she gazed into his eyes. Suddenly his pants were feeling a bit undersized as her hands landed on top of his...
Oh, Rex, she's about to do 'that' isn't she? Here of all places? He thought, head swiveling around at the partying animals surrounding them. The unbuttoning of his pants and the tug of his zipper was a very clear answer to that question.
NOPE! NOPE! Stop! Not in front of these beasts. No way they could do that here, could they?
"Y'know…" he piped up. "Priscilla-chan, um, my name is plain too," San nervously mentioned, trying to point out her hypocrisy as a distraction. "If-if we're going to be fair, I mean. I mean my name is silly too like San-san." His hand met hers and he began to tug at her wrist. She merely giggled and kept messing around until he tightened his grip. She looked up and her eyes met his. Something was off about them like they lacked real focus. He squeezed her wrist one more time, even harder, and this time she seemed to have taken the hint, flashing him a knowing look, but also narrowed her eyes signaling that this wasn't over just yet.
"Yeah, but I know the reason behind your name and I think it's cute." She replied pulling her hand back. "Plus Su just reminds me of a name I don't particularly care for." She grumbled, like an annoyed child.
"Like...Kyuu?" He asked, piecing things together rather quickly.
"Uhhh…" She groaned as if he had just killed the mood with the very mention of that rabbit. She sighed heavily and sat back, folding her arms while San promptly took advantage and began to fasten his zipper back up. "Just had to mention that bitch..." She gave him quick glance then gestured a slight apology though he could tell she really didn't care to. "And not only that it's sooooo forgettable!" She mentioned out loud. "Who would even be intimidated by a champion named Su...the Cruiserweight champion Su the Leopard? The arena champ Su? Maybe something like Suzaku or Subariya would have been better. Don't you agree?"
San hesitated and weighed his next words carefully. He could see the red building in the head leopard's face as the arctic vixen continued to insult their fighter. San's hearing could pick up the leopard muttering venomous remarks under his breath, his claws twitching as he held back every fiber of his being from lashing out.
"We-didn't-name-the-boy-you-disgraceful-honorless-upstart..." The leopard's needle-like eyes suddenly locked onto him with a piercing stare, and the llama quickly looked away trying to play it cool. He really didn't want to get involved with any perceived conflicts between the two.
"If you say so." He answered Priscilla rather neutrally with a nervous chuckle.
"Oh come on," Priscilla said, stretching her arm out over him with a fabricated yawn. She rested her head on San's neck and looked into his eyes. "Come oooon," she whined. "Isn't it funny sounding? Su? Su-san? " She giggled wildly and it was infectious, San couldn't help but snicker a little himself with her. The vixen smiled after getting him to lighten up. "See it's official. Su is just so lame...I'll probably forget it even if he does win. Ponzu-san you really should have backed a much cooler fighter than Su-san. Hehehehe!"
San felt a bit uncomfortable as she continued to make jokes at the leopard's expense. They had just avoided a conflict just a few minutes ago and here she was practically poking at a possible landmine.
The llama heard the leopard grumble something to the sounds of " Half-Breed-Upstart, " as he walked off back towards his kin in a huff.
"A-are you drunk?" San asked, curiously cocking his head at her quite concerned. Her breath should have been a tip-off; while pleasant, it had a sweet but pungent odor to it like that of some alcohol. He didn't drink, but he knew the smell of booze well enough from passing occasional winos.
"Only a teensy-weensy. Hehe." She responded, patting the soft wool on his neck, marveling at his soft follicles. "You left me waiting so I decided to start the party a little early." She cooed softly in his ear her voice very...floaty.
Well, that explains everything, he thought a bit disappointed. He really didn't like her like this. Alcohol made dumb beasts out the most intelligent ones many a time.
"Want some? She cooed into his ear, offering him a sip. "It's pretty good. Even you should find it tasty."
"I'm kinda afraid to try it." He politely refused, feeling uncomfortable.
"Oh. I get it. You're worried I'll lose control and bite you? Huh? Or maybe you're worried that if you get drunk, you'll completely forget I'm a dangerous carnivore? Scared to drop your guard around me now? That it?" She clumsily shook the half-full glass at him, nearly spilling some in his lap.
"Well no, it's…" He started to say. He was well aware of what happens to carnivores' senses when they mixed them with things such as alcohol. It impaired their senses considerably. It was some of the first lessons they had learned about Carnivores from Gouhin as children growing up. He wasn't so much worried about her as a potential threat, as he was just concerned with how she was acting.
Priscilla then managed to parrot exactly what he had already known... almost word for word as if reading off of some invisible textbook. It was rather impressive given her mild stupor.
"That's not it, Pris. I just had a bad taste of the stuff when I was younger." He explained, rolling his eyes.
"Well, you probably just had some stupid beer!" She slurred. "Probably a cheap one at that. Stuff can be pretty bitter and might be a bad first experience...y'know." She swished around the ice cubes in the orange liquid. "This is just a little fruity cocktail. Nothing too hard like whiskey or anything. This is a really good drink. Got a nice blend of fruits... like...like uh... papayas and mangos! Real sweet, you taste more of the fruits in this than the alcohol. You like fruits don't you sweetie?"
"Well yes, but I don't know…" He answered, letting his reservations crack a little.
"C'mon just a taste, just a taste..." She insisted, looking a bit silly as the tip of her fangs poked from her mouth. "Stop being such a virgin." She taunted.
He hesitated, before relenting. "Okay, maybe just a little. A taste." He said taking the glass from her hand and putting it up to his lips for a sip. Once he got past the cold bitterness, he found the taste rather refreshing and pleasant. He smacked his lips. "Hmm. This stuff is amazing…" He took another sip and started to really enjoy the beverage. Soon another sip then a gulp. Priscilla giggled and quickly reached for the drink,
"Well, don't drink all of it, baby." She smiled and giggled at him, jerking the glass away. "I'll get you your own."
She called over the waitress, a rather beautiful-looking Eastern coyote. "Kanako-chan, honey. Get Brice to make San here an Island Express, light on the rum."
"Infant Island Express. Sure thing." The brown-furred canine smiled as she took a mental note.
"That's fine with you right?" Pris asked, looking the llama looking into his eyes with a smug smirk.
"Yeah, that should be fine... I guess." He answered, smiling back. At least she was compromising, he thought.
"Fa, dear. Do you want something too?" She asked her subordinate standing guard to her left. "You can have one drink for tonight."
"I shouldn't, I'm driving tonight." The bat-ear responded. "Perhaps another time Onēsan."
"Hmm, that's what I like about you, Fa. Responsible." She said half-serious.
"That all?" Kanako asked, the canine beaming cheerfully.
"Yeah, what about me?" Lùn asked, the diminutive fox piping up by San's knee like a child asking for a toy.
"You're an utter disaster when you drink so no booze for you," Priscilla decreed, looking rather annoyed at the short vixen. "Just get her some ice water." The Fennec mix's face became one of dejection as she leaned against San's side of the couch.
Like-you-ain't-a-fuckin-disaster-right-now," The half-sized fox grumbled under her breath.
"So is your sister doing any better? Raira-chan?" The llama asked as the arctic vixen reclined into the couch. "You mentioned seeing her the other day."
"Raira? Well, she's still asleep under heavy medication." She sank a bit into the couch swirling around the ice and remaining liquor, her demeanor dampened. "The surgeon we got did all they could with the shrapnel, but some of the damage is going to be permanent, they say."
San frowned but rubbed the fox on her back to comfort. "But she'll make it right?"
"Yeah, I'm extremely grateful for that, I just wish I could have done more."
"I can totally relate." He said. "You feel helpless or that it's not enough. Gone down that road many times, can't help it when you're partnered with someone like Kyuu. She gets plenty of injuries I got to deal with."
The fox managed to tolerate his mention of his cellmate this time and simply smiled understandingly at him for at least relating. "Well, I thank Rex that Raira had such a benevolent spirit with her that night. Like someone to go the extra mile and especially for someone they barely knew." The vixen started to giggle a little. "You know...he still hasn't left her room? It's been a week and he could have been left by now but he said he wasn't going to leave until she wakes up again. He's a dog, so I guess it's expected, but it's still funny if not a bit creepy."
"Maybe she picked up another friend that night." San joked with a slight laugh. The coyote waitress returned with more drinks and took a nice sip of the cocktail. He was feeling a lot more calmer and relaxed now as the liquid raced down his throat. He suddenly thought about his own friend, and the favor he promised to make for her. "You know um, Priscilla. Um, Kyuu and I were talking an-"
"What's up with her now?" She asked, giving him a gaze of skepticism. "She's lucky she got this week off."
"Well, she-" He attempted to say. The room started to get a little too loud. The crowd below was going crazy over the fierce narrative down below.
"I better pay attention to this, San. Business." She said looking down to the arena.
"Well, maybe it can wait. I'll tell you later." He said, looking back to the fight.
It wasn't looking particularly good for the leopard as the hyena had made a comeback. He executed a devastating kick to the liver that left Su hurting badly. The hyena decided to end it there, by stunning the feline all but good with a hard hook to the jaw and finished him with a leaping super punch off the cage walls.
The leopard stood briefly as the hyena regained his posture, seeming to have weathered the hard-hitting blow, but everyone could soon see no one was home as he fell to the mat.
The challenger laid there spread eagle, looking up at the bright lights, completely unresponsive. It was over, and Baraki called the fight right there.
Baraki's voice came through the loudspeaker: "AND THAT'S ALL SHE WROTE BACK ALLEY MARKET! I HOPE SOME OF YOU BET ON STRIPES CUZ THE MEAN YEEN TAKES THE WIN YET AGAIN!"
The Madaragumi sponsor was livid as the victorious hyena paraded around the blood-spattered ring. The crowd down below erupted into a loud turbulent frenzy and chanting that could be heard up in their private booth despite the loud music blaring.
"Such a shame, Ponzu-san." Priscilla mockingly commented. "And you felines were on such a streak tonight, I guess it just wasn't in the cards for polka-dots, Hehehehe! Oh well, come again. Maybe next time you'll bring a winner...with a better-sounding name."
"Filthy honorless half-breed dogs! I should have listened to Miso and gone to Ten with this!" The leopard shouted as he furiously stormed out of the room, with his entourage in tow. The last one out nearly shook one of the speakers loose as he slammed the door behind him.
"Sen-si-tive, am I right? For tough warriors, their feelings sure do bruise easily. Hehehe!" Priscilla humorously mocked, causing the room to laugh at the departing felines.
Priscilla pulled out her phone and made a call. "Loba, we may have some upset feline guests, round up some of Baraki's boys and make sure the kitties find the door. Also, tell them to take their litter with them."
"Yes, Onēsan." A husky voice responded.
"You didn't have to screw with that guy so much, did you?" San asked, a bit concerned as he took another sip from his glass. "Very wound up tight guy." He commented.
"Oh him, he's always tense. See, they always get their shit kicked in by the Shishigumi trying to claim turf so they think they can come over to us and try to assert their dominance, but they fail to realize that we're much too smart for that to work. We're not even really into that kinda macho bullshit, we just care about the money and influence. Plus that guy makes pushing his buttons so easy with his dumb oversized butter knife and gaudy little bathrobe."
"Pushing buttons...where have I heard that before?" San sarcastically joked as he sipped the drink that Kanako slipped him.
"Oh, that reminds me." Her toothy grin twisted. "My girls got you real good judging from these texts Ferro-chan sent me!"' She began scrolling through startled snapshots they had taken of him. The look of brief terror captured on them made him sink into the seat embarrassed. He knew she was just messing around with him, but it still wounded his pride a tad bit.
He groaned, before taking one last shot of the alcohol. "Easy for them to sneak up on me when I'm distracted." He grumbled, before making a loud burp.
"Distracted with what?" She asked, cocking her head at him. "You never really told me why you were so late Watame-kun." She asked in a cutesy voice as she stroked the underside of his jaw. "Sounds like someone is hiding something."
"We found him staring at a mural," Fa answered, interjecting from behind the couch. "Completely oblivious." She added.
"See?" San quickly remarked, jumping on her comment and pointing out just how they got the drop on him. "I was oblivious." Well... it sounded better in his head.
"That's not a good thing, San-kun." She incredulously pointed out, grinning amused at his poor attempt at saving face.
"You should know better. You of all people should know to be wary of your surroundings. Especially in the market anyway. It would really suck to find out you got eaten because you weren't paying attention. Like that incident, you caused at the bar over there."
"You heard that, huh?" San said, folding his arms, a bit proud of himself.
"How could I not?" She giggled and shook her head at him. "You were doing your whole ninja monk shtick."
"Ninja monk?" San couldn't help but laugh at such a thing.
"You know the whole 'I can't fight unless provoked because it's against my religion' thing. That pacifist crap you shoveled at me at the range."
"It's not my religion." He insisted with an annoyed tone. "It's just what I was taught. I don't need to start trouble, only get myself out of it."
"Then why did you start a fight?" She smugly asked. "Seems kinda counter-productive to come into a place like this and make an enemy out of one of the market's big organizations like that. Did you do it to impress me?"
"I didn't start it." He loudly insisted. "It just happened. All I did was just bumped into that Ponzu guy... by accident. He took offense and then they tried to jump me."
"I hope they didn't cut you up or anything with those butter knives." She said mockingly as she inspected his person again. He didn't smell like he was bleeding. "Seem to be still in one piece I see. Glad Fa and Lùn were there to straighten that out."
"I held my own." He boasted, feeling confident and proud. "I got two of them before Fa-chan here stepped in."
"Really?" She asked, looking rather impressed. "Had to be five of those dumb kitties over there and you didn't wet yourself?" She gave him a very posh little clap and pinched him on his cheek. "Aren't you so brave? My wittle boyfriend is coming a long way now, huh? So cute."
"I mean... that stunt you pulled at the range last week was much worse if you ask me. Chasing me down and almost strangling me. That was terrifying!" His fingers rubbed his throat. "My neck still smarts from that y'know?"
She giggled and rubbed the back of his neck with her claws. "Careful, I might take that flattery as feedback." She said, running her rough tongue along the sharp edges of her fangs. "Now back to your tardiness. Just what were you doing looking at murals if you knew were so late I wonder? Did you see a modern masterpiece on there or something? Huh?"
"Well, I ran into some complications." He paused, thinking if he should tell her about his brief episode or if it was the right time to ask her for Kyuu's favor. The busy room already made him feel a tad bit uncomfortable. Maybe when she sobered up a bit. "Say, how about we go somewhere private later? I'll tell you then."
"Private?" She sobered up real quick, staring at the wooly blonde with scrutiny. "San... is something wrong?" She raised the straw to lips and sipped. "You weren't seeing anyone, were you?"
"No, no." He stammered, trying to put her suspicions at ease. "Well, not unless you count Kyuu." Both Priscilla and Lùn's eyes widened briefly in shock at the uttering of that statement.
"Explain." The Arctic fox demanded, voice very hostile. Lùn leaned in as well, trying to eavesdrop with her ears raised for full reception. San's eyes widened as he quickly rebounded with the truth.
"It's not like that, I swear." San chuckled, waving off such implications. "Like she almost hurt herself training and I had to help her out. That took a while. She's hardheaded, you know? It's really what I want to talk to you about in private." He leaned in closer to whisper in Priscilla's ear. "It involves the little fox there too." Lùn had a look of concern, just unsure exactly what he meant.
"I see." Priscilla's eyes narrowed coldly at him, then down at Lùn as she silently sipped her drink. "Well, I can be flexible. It's settled, after this fight, well talk. I'll just commandeer Baraki's office again so we will have somewhere more secluded to chat."
"Really?" His voice sounded hopeful.
"Mhmm." She said with a smug face leaning into his. "We got all the time in the world, darling. You know I got something that I need to ask of you in private as well."
"You aren't going to ask if I can be the main course at a banquet, are you?"
"Oh-my-god... no!"She palmed her face hard with disbelief at his terrible joke. "Shut up." She demanded, crossing her legs and looking down at the arena while she took a deep sip from her drink.
"Beasts of the Back-Alley! We have one more contest in-store that'll be sure to whet your appetite for mayhem!" Baraki's voice came over the loudspeaker.
"Hey, it's starting." San excitedly shouted, pulling out his phone. "I promised Kyuu I'd get this guy's moves on camera."
Priscilla slightly frowned but said nothing as the llama leaned down with the camera recording.
"Hailing from the breathtaking faraway exotic land of Brazil, swinging in with an impressive record of 15 wins, only 1 draw, and 0 losses. Give it up for the arena's number one lightweight contender! Pao the Cyclone!
There he was, San thought as he got a good look at the spider monkey as he made his way down through the crowd. He was shirtless, showing off his toned chest and wearing a pair of green abadá pants. It was a bit hard to tell from up in the box, but the monkey looked to be at least 4'6" in height, possibly somewhere in the ballpark of 100 or more pounds.
Definitely had the physique of a beast that could knock Kyuu out easily, however, his mannerisms told a different story. He had a playful demeanor about him as he came down, having a bit of rhythm as he moved. Didn't look like a brute or anything.
And then San spotted the infamous tail he heard Kyuu tell him about. It was like a thick serpent coiling behind its master like it had a mind of its own.
"Wow…" He heard Priscilla comment as if impressed, "Now just look at that specimen over there."
"What?" San asked, pulling the camera away from Pao. "The monkey?"
"No, just look at who he's fighting." She answered, pointing towards the opposite side of the cage, where his opponent was currently entering. He outsized the monkey by a good bit and seemed like a savage the way he shook the cage trying to hype the crowd up. "What kind of beast is that? He's such a hunk, but I bet he's a real asshole though judging from that attitude he's got.
San frowned, a bit jealous at Priscilla's fawning over the new arrival, but found himself drawn to the hulking creature as well. The mostly black body with a white streak going from the top of his head to the back, the fighter seemed way more impressive a beast than the more lean monkey. He was almost like a really short, skinny black bear.
"Honestly, I don't think you need to be worried about your friend fighting that monkey, you need to be worried about him, " Priscilla said, swirling what was left of her drink. San couldn't help but agree.