Chapter 35 - Little Vial of Blood

It was the day of the mysterious meeting. Legosi and Louis stood outside of their apartment, with Legosi about to go help Shogi fix up his room, while Louis would head to Little Bird's.

"So...I guess we can walk down together, but we'll need to separate on the second floor when I go to Shogi's." Legosi had his hands on Louis' shoulders.

The buck raised a hand to touch one of the wolf's. "Okay. Are you good?"

"You know how I feel about this," was all Legosi could say. "You have your gun, and you'll be in a public place. Just don't go anywhere with him."

"I won't. Are you sure you'll be able to focus?"

"Having a task should help. Working on the stage crew stuff really helped me back when you were at Horns. And I'll get to learn more about Shogi-san." The wolf managed a smile.

Legosi pulled him in for a tight hug. "We'll get through it. We got through Riz, so we can get through this. We have to."

"I just...don't want to be caught off guard."

"You won't." The canine started to move their bodies toward the stairwell. "You'll clear this up and we can go back to our lives."

"Yeah...I'll just decline whatever he has to offer."

They took the steps down slowly, still practically hugging each other. "So, what should I do if you don't come back later?" Legosi didn't want to ask it, but he had to.

"...I don't know."

"I'll go to the cafe and ask about you, I guess."

"Okay." It was clear Louis was really nervous, due to the nature of the threat and this being about the black market.

Legosi stopped them once they got to the second floor. His chest hurt. "Well...I'll see you later." He leaned in for a kiss.

Louis leaned up to smooch him back.

The carnivore pulled back and whispered, "Love you."

"I love you..." The deer turned and began walking off.

Legosi turned as well, sighing as he made his way to Shogi's room.

Louis arrived at the cafe. It was almost 9 AM, just a little before Ichi had said to meet. He walked inside, taking in the amazing scent of coffee and finding a small amount of comfort in it. He looked around, seeing if the deer had arrived.

After a few moments, he did notice a red deer sitting in the corner of the store. Any other animal would have paid him no mind. He was staring at Louis and likely had been since he stepped in.

The buck felt his heart drop as he walked over. "Ichi?"

"Shi," the deer said coolly. His body was mostly covered by a dark trench coat, and his face was thin and sharp. His antlers belied his sleek look, appearing to grow gnarled and disorganized.

"You look like something out of a detective movie." His eyes moved down to the vial of red liquid that hung around his neck. "What's that?"

Ichi definitely did not look amused. "So, I see you remember me." He took a sip of his black coffee, not answering Louis' question. "Order something if you wish. We might be here a while."

Louis sat down. "Do I have reason to be concerned?"

The other deer's thin eyes flicked downward. "No, but I know you are, considering you have a gun with you."

Louis sighed. "Just a precaution. I guess you've seen I go by Louis now."

"Yes." Ichi's face twisted a little bit. "What did you tell the wolf?"

"Nothing. Just like you said."

"Where did you say you were going?"

"I just told him I was going to get groceries for dinner since I make all the food. Speaking of, I am going to actually have to do that now..."

"Of course." Ichi looked him up and down. "I still think of our days back in the cell. Even though we couldn't speak, we understood what we meant to each other. The day you saved me was the first day I ever felt truly cared for." He laughed. "I guess it was the other way around, though. You were the one being saved. We had no idea." He stared down at his reflection in the coffee.

"I...Wouldn't call that saving," Louis said, tapping his fingers on the table. "After I left the cell, I was put into another."

"It was still an improvement." Ichi held a fingerless-gloved hand up. "I'm not bitter, don't worry. I've already thought long and hard about what would have happened had our roles been switched, and I'm happier this way. Being set up to be Sublime Beastar would do me no good. They can't actually change society. It seems you abandoned that title anyway, Shi."

"I did. I never wanted it in the first place and it seems...Well, I didn't think Beastars could change society, but then I met one named Sonya who defended Legosi and I from a homophobic herbivore. And that got me thinking...I mean, she had a family and a husband and everything..."

Ichi's eyes glazed over as if spacing out. He wore a thin smile once Louis was finished. "I see. Well, we're working with the cards we were dealt." He glanced up. "It's a shame I haven't been able to see your antlers in person yet. I hope I'll be able to."

The deer raised a brow. "What? Why?"

The other herbivore leaned forward, placing his folded hands on the table. "I wish to establish...a working relationship with you, let's say. One that may even rekindle our bond from years ago. It's why I reached out to you."

"A job? Really?" He blinked. Maybe this wasn't so bad, after all. "I do need the money. I promised my husband I would get a job and I was thinking about this cafe..."

"I...well if you want to think of it as a job, sure. I can compensate you. It will probably keep the wolf satisfied. Just tell him you found a job somewhere."

"And if he asks where it is? He's curious, you know. Wait a minute...You threatened him. What was that about?"

Ichi tilted his head. "A precaution. Our group works out of the black market, in the tower where we were raised. We're working to make sure what happened to us never happens to any other herbivore again. We can't trust any carnivore."

Louis blinked. "What? Group? Tower?"

"The tower where we were raised," the stag repeated back plainly. "I and like-minded herbivores live there. Two of them are even old friends of ours. Kyuu and San. Although, you were too young to know what numbers were which. Kyuu is the rabbit and San is the alpaca."

"Oh...Wow...San, Kyuu...I never thought I'd see them again."

The other deer smiled, this time genuinely "And you will. They've been eager to see you again."

"I still don't understand the need for threatening my husband. You scared us."

"...Husband," Ichi muttered under his breath. "I'm not sure how you can stomach being with a meat-eater after the past we endured."

Louis frowned. "Considering my past, I don't know how I can stomach herbivores, honestly. Even my present. Only herbivores have given me trouble."

"You need to reconcile with your own kind," Ichi sighed. "And a good start would be at the tower."

"R-reconcile? I happen to be...happy in my relationship with Legosi."

"Really." Ichi's eyes narrowed. "Your antlers. You didn't shed them. They were removed. Why?"

"So I couldn't use them as weapons in the hospital," Louis said. "A hospital full of herbivores that were racist toward Legosi."

"Why were you in that hospital?"

"It's none of your business."

Ichi almost had the urge to confront him about his eyepatch, which he knew a carnivore had been responsible for. He made a mental note to talk with him about it later.

Silence enveloped the table. The two deer stared each other down as baristas called out names in the background.

"What exactly does your group do anyway? Are you going to explain that vial of blood around your neck?" Louis asked, eye narrowing.

"Initiation. Any herbivore who joins our group should be willing to shed their own blood." Ichi sipped his drink again. "And like I said, we do our part to keep the black market safe. Ideally, we would want it totally gone, but we don't have the manpower just yet. For now, our main targets are groups that wish to sell live herbivores for consumption. Law enforcement turns a blind eye to all goings-on in that place, allowing horrible animal-rights violations. Vigilantism is the only way."

"A...vigilante group? And you want me for this when I'm married to a male carnivore? As if."

"You're not married."

"Of course we are." Louis held up his ring.

"There was no ceremony. It's not in the books. It wouldn't be legal even if you tried. Interspecies marriage has only been legal for a decade, and it excludes homosexual partnering. You're just delusional." Ichi's eyes were trained outside as he spoke, a hint of venom in his voice.

"It doesn't matter what you or anyone thinks," Louis hissed. "Did you really just come here to tell me what everyone has been telling me? Because if so, then I think this is the end of the conversation."

Ichi turned back to him, raising his voice for the first time, but not loud enough for the patrons of the cafe to be suspicious. "You will come to the tower. You will join us. Herbivores with our past are indispensable for our group, and I need you, whether you want to help or not. I can concede to agree to disagree on the matter of that wolf, and you can come and see our organization peacefully." He angled his head downward, piercing Louis with the gaze of his emerald eyes. "Or...I can make good on what I said in the letter."

Louis looked at him. "You wouldn't. You don't even know where he is right now."

"But we can find out. How do you think we knew his name? Where you lived?"

In his mind, Louis had confirmed that they weren't completely watching them at every moment, otherwise, he'd know Legosi was with Shogi right now. Phew. "And if I shoot you?"

Ichi just looked amused at this. "You'd go to jail, wouldn't you? Separated from that wolf you, unfortunately, love so much."

"Why do you need me, of all animals? I'm just one out of many you could choose."

"There's a...certain ability animals in our unique situation can harness. We take all the trauma and anger and feeling and...project it." The dark-clad deer sat up straighter and demanded Louis' attention. "Here, allow me to demonstrate. Look here, Shi."

The deer turned his head, blinking as his eyes widened at what he saw.

It was like an image burned into Louis' skull. An image that wasn't there physically, but was imagined, yet still somehow tangible. Dark tendrils sprung from behind Ichi as he stared down Louis, and a skeletal figure built itself up from nothingness. A deer skull sat atop the mass, blood dripping from its antlers and eye sockets glowing a brilliant green. All the warmth left Louis' body, replaced only by a cold, prickling feeling.

He sat there frozen, staring blankly. "Um..."

Ichi's body relaxed and the image disappeared just as quickly as it appeared. "You see?"

Louis was flabbergasted, almost unable to form words. Finally, he got his bearings. "What the hell was that?"

"Imaginary Chimera. At least, that's what Kyuu calls them. It's an ability she's developed over her years of rigorous combat training. Really gives us herbivores an edge in combat." Ichi smiled so wide his eyes almost closed. "How did you like mine? I've worked very hard channeling just the right emotions for it."

"I...Don't understand. How is that possible?" He couldn't wrap his head around what he had just seen. Was he really capable of such a thing...? No. It was just a trick. "I don't want whatever you're selling."

Ichi laughed. "We don't fully understand it ourselves. Livestock aren't intended to grow as old as we have, though, so perhaps it's nature's sick, twisted way of making it up to us. I assure you there was no smoke and mirrors involved."

"Even so...I don't want to become a vigilante. Whatever you are doing, it can be done without me."

Ichi grunted and pulled out a flip phone from his pocket. He started a call, staring at Louis the whole time. "Juu? Where is the wolf right now?" He put the phone on speaker, just loud enough for Louis to hear.

The answer came quickly. Female. "He's in apartment 202 with a sheep. They've come in and out a few times, but they haven't seen me. Are you wanting me to take him out, sir?"

"That won't be necessary, Juu. I'll call you again if it comes to it." With a clack, he ended the call, still staring at the other deer.

Louis' mouth hung open. "D-don't hurt him...He doesn't deserve it..."

Ichi leaned in, their muzzles close. "Shi, I tried to give you the illusion of choice, but I think it's time you know you have no choice. Tell your wolf that you got a job and start coming to the tower if you value his safety."

"B-but...I..."

"But what?" Ichi asked in a mockingly innocent tone.

"What do you gain by having me in your ranks?"

"It's eight of us versus organized crime syndicates in the black market. Every body helps, and one that has the potential to produce an Imaginary Chimera is worth ten men in my eyes."

"So...not all eight can do it, huh?"

"As I told you, it is only me, Kyuu, and San that bare the mark on our feet. The rest are recruits: herbivores that were desperate enough to try and sell parts of their bodies in the black market that we rescued."

"...Am I allowed to go home today?"

Ichi raised his hands up. "Yes, since it'll be suspicious if you don't. You'll need to tell the wolf that you applied for a job. I'll call you for when the 'interview' shall be, and from there you put on a façade. You'll get to go home every night and get days off. I won't expect you to live at the tower with the others." In a strange show of bashfulness from the intimidating deer, he pulled his phone out again. "Could you give me your number?" It was the only time during the meeting that Louis realized this deer was around the same age as him. Maybe in his early twenties.

Louis sighed, having no choice. He relayed the information. "At least you aren't a total monster."

"It hurts that you think me a monster at all, but I understand. You'll soon come to understand our cause, though." Ichi stood up and extended a hand to Louis.

The deer swallowed. "I...have a bad feeling about all of this."

"Don't worry. When I summon you, I'll have San and Kyuu escort you through the black market so you'll be safe. I'll even have Juu stop watching you if you can promise me the wolf will never find out about this."

"You'll kill him if he does, right?"

"That's right because there's no other way I can get you to give us a chance."

"...Fuck," Louis huffed. "Okay. He won't find out."

"Good." Ichi retracted his hand once he realized it wouldn't be taken. "Come up with a good job, but not too good of a job. I can only pay you so much."

"Okay. Is there any other mind-blowing info like Imaginary Chimeras I should know about? Can you shoot fireballs? Control water?"

The other deer laughed, heartily. "No, nothing like that! Keep that gun close, because you'll need it when we get into things." He walked over and set a hand on Louis' shoulder. "I know this wasn't the most pleasant meeting for you, but I'm telling the truth when I tell you that...I'm really happy to see you again." His green eyes didn't betray this statement, staring down at Louis with sincerity.

The buck's own eye averted. "Yeah. Thanks for coming and throwing me into something I'll probably regret."

"You won't." And then Ichi was gone, a few wisps of black smoke and the ring of the bell on the door the only indication that he left. His deep, smooth voice still rang in Louis' mind.

The deer stood there, now realizing his heart had been racing. Not only was he about to be part of something big, but he was also just shown that something as wild as Imaginary Chimeras was possible. He really didn't know what to make of what just happened. All that was left now was to go home to his mate and enact Ichi's plan.