Chapter 94 - The Good of the Market

They all left the tower with their weapons, nervous, but eager to see what they would learn about meat-eating and one another. Pina and Louis stayed close, their hands brushing occasionally as they walked.

As they all knew, the market was much less active during the day and would have seemed like any other city street aside from the assorted meat vendors that sold during the day.

Pina looked over to some lambchops hanging in one of the stalls, unsure of what to think.

Louis rubbed his arm. "I realize now that we forgot our disguises."

Nori had his hood up. "Eh, it's fine. Ichi is too busy clapping serow cheeks."

Hachi blinked. "What do you mean? Why is he slapping Ni?"

The red panda blinked. "They're fucking. Is that better?"

"Oh. Oooooh."

Pina stopped walking, suddenly. "O-oh. Hi. Sorry, I've just not heard you talk yet..."

The elk turned and looked at him. "Hello. It is nice to meet you, Shichi. Can I just say, your wool is so lovely! I have been wanting to tell you!"

The sheep blushed immediately. "Oh, well thank you!" He reached up to caress said wool as if confirming what the elk said.

Louis grinned at him, then looked at Hachi. "It's nice to hear you speak again. Can you believe I summoned my Chimera?"

Nori spoke next. "Be careful, Louis. You're really in Ichi's hands now."

"I thought that was Ni," Pina joked.

"I'm serious," the small herbivore said. "He has what he wants from you now. Once Pina summons it, you guys won't be able to get away."

Hachi blinked. "Your name is Pina?"

"Oh, yeah. Hi, nice to meet you," Pina smiled, but it disappeared when he turned back to Nori. "Also, since we're all out in the open, the story of how I was raised in the tower with everyone is fake. I just used it to get in easily after Louis told me about the predicament he's in. And if Ichi's right about Chimeras only being summoned by animals raised there, I think we don't have to worry about mine, at least."

Nori's eyes were wide. "Wait. You've known Louis this whole time?!"

Pina nodded. "Yup!"

Hachi scratched the tuft of fur on their chin. "I do not understand. You are not Shichi?"

Pina shook his head. "Nope! The leg being gone and the actual Shichi being a Dall sheep were just great coincidences. I had to jump at the chance to try and save Louis from this situation." Without much thought, he leaned in and kissed Louis on the cheek.

The buck blushed. "Thank you..."

Nori was flabbergasted, his mouth hanging open. "Wuhjuhbuhuh?!"

"Oh, sorry! I guess we should explain." Pina pulled away and cleared his throat. "We're dating, but he and Legosi are still married. My 'friend' Bill is actually my boyfriend. He's also dating Legosi right now. This actually just sort of happened this weekend but we've all known each other for a good while."

Nori put his hand on his forehead. "I think I'm gonna explode."

Hachi tilted their head. "I do not understand, still. You are married but dating?"

Louis blushed. "Well, yeah...It's definitely strange but true. I love Pina."

The red panda made a sound. "So...what about Legosi? You're with two guys?"

Louis nodded. "All you need to really think about is that Pina is my boyfriend and Legosi is my husband. Simple."

Hachi crossed their arms, intrigued, but they nodded. "So that is why Pina became Shichi. Because he wanted to help his boyfriend?"

"Wellllll we weren't dating at the time but yeah, I did it because I love him, and I hated to see him suffer and for the life he wanted with Legosi to be uprooted in such a way." Pina placed an arm on Louis' shoulder and rubbed, comfortingly.

The buck sighed, deeply. "I'm sure you two understand."

Nori brushed his brow. "I actually feel better knowing this. You're a lot closer which means I'm in good hands."

Pina snorted. "What, like we're your dads?"

"I'm older than you!"

Hachi continued to look at Pina and Louis. "It really makes sense now that you two are so close."

The red panda clicked his teeth. "Smart, yeah. Wish I had a Pina to get me out of that hell hole."

"Well, we're not out yet, and as you said, Louis summoning his Chimera might have made things worse." Pina rubbed up and down Louis' arm gently. "Still, good job on that, boo."

"Mmm, thank you," the deer grinned.

Nori turned to them, stopping the entire group. "Wait, does that mean you two are bonking?!"

Pina just smiled wider. "Not yet, but soon."

"Soon?! Really?!"

"Yes, but now you're being nosey."

"I don't wanna know about it! It's just weird to think about!"

Louis shrugged. "Legosi and I do it all the time."

"And Legosi and Bill already have," Pina informed them. "Maybe you'll meet Bill one day!"

"What kind of animal is Bill?" Hachi asked.

"A horny one," Louis responded.

"A gazelle? Another deer?"

"Oh! No, he's a tiger," Pina said. "He's a sweetheart too, but yet, horny."

Nori gawked. "You were both dating carnivores this whole time?!"

"Yep. Cool, huh?" The sheep put his hands on his hips with pride.

"It's just crazy! I guess we underestimated you!" Nori exclaimed. His stomach growled. "I'm so hungry..."

"Yeah, where we going, Nori?" Pina asked, looking around. The few carnivores that were out were staring at them, curiously.

"Going to my favorite booth, of course! I always get the sauce first!" Nori said. "Mmm, can't wait."

Hachi blinked. "Sauce?"

"Yeah, you'll see. It's my favorite. What meat do you think I should eat today?"

"I don't know..." Louis mumbled. "That seems weird to make us choose."

"Do they have sheep?" Pina asked.

"Of course they do!" Nori smiled, wide.

"You could try that. Might give me an existential crisis or something."

Louis frowned. "Mm...I don't think you deserve that."

"I don't wanna keep Nori from eating what he enjoys, though." He turned to the panda again. "What's your favorite?"

"Mmm, fried chicken," Nori rubbed his stomach.

Hachi was looking around, noticing all the stalls. They were all set up in a particular way and each carnivore that was buying them seemed to be...smiling. But they weren't smiling evilly, they were just smiling. One vendor even laughed at something a customer said. It was weirdly...normal.

A couple of carnivore kids chasing each other split the group apart for a moment.

The elk blinked. "There are children running around here."

Nori turned, walking backward as he spoke. "Yep! You know, more than just gangs live here, too, you know. There is a whole part of the BAM that's called the slums. That's where all the poor live."

Hachi looked at the children run away, sadly. "But they look so happy. I don't understand."

Nori shrugged. "Who knows what's going through their little heads. At least they aren't herbivore children."

Louis felt a small heaviness at that. "Yeah...Good."

After a few more minutes of walking, they arrived at a small stall with a variety of round glass bottles, all filled with different colored sauces. "Sauce! Sauce! Get your meat sauce! Guaranteed to make any flank of meat taste bettah! Try it on pork, or steak, or chicken! Homemade and oh so delicious!" The apron-wearing snow leopard called. "Get your sauce heah!"

Nori walked up, quickly. "Salamander!" The red panda grinned. "Hey!"

The cat's ears perked. "Nori! Hey, little buddy!" The two animals exchanged a handshake which must have been created between them.

"Sal, I finally got some friends and I brought them," Nori gestured to the trio. "Meet Louis, Pina, and Hachi."

The vendor scanned the three herbivores. "And you're heah to try one of my sauces?" The cat carried an accent that was rather strong but no one could make it out.

Louis raised a brow. "You're a snow leopard named Salamander?"

"Yep! Long forgot my real name some time ago. Call me Salamandah because of the punch my sauces have! Also, because I used to deal in poison that was hidden in da sauces. Dat was a lot of trouble dough so I took dat part out. Lot more successful, lot more successful. Don't get into da poison business, young Mastah Louis."

The deer just blinked at him, confused at the way he spoke. "I...won't."

Meanwhile, Pina was grinning wide at the character in front of them. You didn't see animals like this on the main streets. "Maybe this is a stupid question, but do all of the sauces have meat in them?"

"Ah, wool boy! Do you know how expensive dat would be? None of da sauces have meat."

Pina blinked but then giggled. "Oh, I misunderstood the term 'meat sauce', I guess. It's sauce for meat, not sauce with meat." He looked away and blushed. Bill definitely wasn't just an exception: He was a feline fan.

The cat nodded. "Yes, yes, Mistah Ram. I did not realize pure herbivores eat meat. You all must be a special breed. Eh, as long as I'm making mooney, yeah? Hahaha!"

Nori laughed. "Sorry, Sal. My friends here won't be eating any meat. Though, I was thinking we could talk a bit more since they are used to it."

Sal looked left and right. "Haha, yes, my friend. You ah lucky it is slow hours. I'll answer any questions your beautiful friends have."

Louis tilted his head. "So you like herbivores, then?"

"Always have, Mastah Louis. They're pretty creatures, simple as dat. Just take dis heah sheepie, for example."

Hachi blinked. "You do not want to eat him? Is that why you think he is pretty?"

Sal turned to them, face blank, then smiled with all of his teeth. "No sir, no sir! I don't eat live aneemals! I have all da meat I need heah in da black market. Meat in moderation, friends."

Louis looked at Nori. "He taught you that?"

Nori nodded. "Yeah! He taught me a lot!"

The deer scratched his chin. "You're rather well-built and good-looking for a vendor. Why not join one of the gangs?"

Sal began grabbing some bottles and placing them on the counter one by one. "Been dere, done dat, Mastah Louis. Undahstand dat it is very hahd to escape one of dem gangs. But...ah...a life of killing was too much for me and I did what I had to. I am lucky I got off on good terms with dem, or I might be dead."

"Then the word would live without your incredible sauce," Nori whined. "No way we could let that happen!"

"Yes, yes my friend. Say, what ah all dese herbivores doing out heah anyway? Look around. Don't see much herbivores around dese pahts."

"We're Nori's friends," Pina beamed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "And we love him and we're open-minded about him eating meat, so we wanted to see the ins and outs."

Sal carried a bewildered face then. "Truly? Herbivores dat support deir friend eating meat? Ah've never heard of such a ting. But, ah, maybee ah have jus' been in dis one place for too long, hehe!"

Hachi took a breath. "I did not realize the black market was so organized. How is it like that?"

"Ah, Mistah Elk, dat's where you ah wrong. See, da gang's back heah are all fighting for control of the black mahket. Mostly carnivores. But dere is one gang dat consists of deadly herbivore killahs. The Branded. Dey want to make sure dat da meat-eating in da mahket stops and dey shut down all of our businesses!"

Nori waved a hand. "Actually, Sal, Hachi isn't a he or a she. No gender. They go by they/them pronouns."

The feline blinked, staring at the elk, then nodding. "Fascinating, fascinating. You ah just an herbivore den and you support da eating of meat! At least I can mahk you down as not being a paht of dat slimy Branded group, ah? Where do dose aneemals get off on controlling how we eat meat? Just because dey ah herbivores? Ridiculous!"

Hachi swallowed, deeply. "Yes. They are...slimy, as you are saying."

Nori chuckled. "Enough with the politics, Sal. Tell one of your jokes."

"Yes, yes," the aproned feline nodded. He looked at Pina's eyes. "Dis one is for you, sheepie."

Pina smiled, his ear flicking. "Oh, I'm flattered! Go ahead."

"Why can't cats play pokah in dah jungle?" The snow leopard was grinning, ready to pounce on the response.

"Hmm, realistically I'd say because it's wet and gross and buggy, but that's a shitty punchline."

"Because dere ah too many cheetahs!" Sal finished, letting out a deep and hearty laugh afterward.

Nori began chuckling as well.

Pina just covered his face. "Oh my god..." His smile was still visible behind his hand.

Louis rolled eyes, even if he was grinning. "I hate puns."

"Perhaps I could purrsuade you to like dem, Mastah Louis!" Sal barked. Laughter and groans permeated the group once more.

"So, Sal," Pina began, placing his hands on the surface of the booth. "Anything else that could go with these sauces aside from meat? I'd like to try them."

"Ah! My first herbivore customah! Ooh, little sheepie, let me set up da sauces for you. I bet dey would go great on vegetables, ah?" He began grabbing the bottles he had, all filled with warm autumn colors of sauce. Oranges, yellows, and browns.

Nori smiled, just watching the exchange.

"I want a hot one," Pina stated.

"You ah a spicy sheep, den?" Sal winked as he set the round bottles on the counter in order of color, lightest to darkest.

"I do enjoy spicy food, yes." He sat down and eyed the bottles.

The snow leopard leaned his grey speckled arm on the counter and tapped the bottles that bookended the line. "On da left—your left—heah is my least spicy. On your right heah, dis tah looking one is da spiciest one I have. I call it da 'Gate of Hell'. You won't be coming back from dat fiery place after trying dis one."

Pina moved his head to Nori. "You have a favorite?"

The red panda smirked. "Sal, make 'Da Nori' for me, please."

"Ah, wit pleasah. I was waiting for you to ask, my friend!" Sal laughed, grabbing 4 of the bottles, one with a dark yellow sauce, one with an orange sauce, one with a light brown sauce, and one with a dark brown sauce." He set them down behind the counter and then disappeared for a moment.

Louis blinked, watching with interest.

Nori nudged Pina. "Look, watch this."

The sheep watched with an intense gaze.

Sal popped back up with an empty bottle and grinned. "The fun paht."

Nori clapped his hands. "Set it where they can see it better."

"Yes, yes." Sal moved some glass bottles aside and put the empty one down and then grabbed the four previously chosen bottles and poured a quarter of the contents in the empty jar, one by one. Afterward, he reached down a brought out a thin wooden stick, inserting it into the bottle and moving it around in a figure 8 motion. Slowly, the sauces began blending together in a display that looked almost like a moving painting.

Soon enough, the colors all blended into one dark brown mixture and Sal pulled out four more wooden sticks, spinning each one with his fingers before dipping them all into the sauce, where he maneuvered each one into crossing over one another, the whole thing making a wooden vortex shape.

All the animals were utterly transfixed now, completely invested in the sauce.

After the saucier was finished with his art, he slid the jar a bit forward. "Alright, you five. You can each take a stick and try a sample of 'Da Nori'."

Louis' brows furrowed. "Five...?"

Everyone turned around, spotting a coyote standing a few paces back. Once Louis met gazes with him, his ears flicked back and he looked away, but he stayed still.

The buck stared. "Riley? What are you doing back here?"

All of the animals that were with him gave him a "you know this guy?" look.

Pina, after some thinking, made a face of recognition. "Oooh yea, you mentioned him."

Riley rubbed at his arm, much like Legosi would when he was nervous. "Well, Gouhin said cutting meat completely would be a bad idea, so I try to come here during the slow traffic times."

Sal nodded. "Yep! Riley does not like da spicy sauces!"

Louis blinked. "I'm sorry I haven't been texting you. I mean, you stopped as well..."

"I know. I've been busy with, everything. Trying not to lose my job and everything." The carnivore got closer but still avoided looking at the others. "Good to see you, of course. Why are you back here again, though? And with other herbivores again?"

Louis sighed. "It's very complicated. How is your little brother?"

That got him to smile. "Same little monster as always."

The deer grinned. "So, I guess you're here to have some of Sal's sauce."

The snow leopard pushed the bottle again. "Come on, come on! Take a stick! I didn't make it pretty for notding!"

All the animals grabbed one and stuck it in their mouth. Pina immediately slammed his hand on the table. "Oh, damn! That's good shit!"

Nori shuddered. "That might be the best version yet!"

Louis smacked his lips. "I wonder if Legosi would like it..."

Hachi looked at their stick, then at Riley.

Riley made a grimace and set the stick down. "Uh, I'll get my usual sauce, Sally."

Sal chuckled and then grabbed the brightest yellow sauce he had. "Ah, the little pussy boy. I remembah you can't even handle a little bit of spice."

"You're the cat, though," Nori said, sucking the end of his stick.

Riley rolled his eyes. "Maybe, if you like your food to be drowned out by a scorching fire, but I like to actually taste what I eat, thanks."

"'Scorching Fire' is a taste in itself! It's literally one of the sauces!" Nori scoffed. "Don't judge."

"I was judged first!" Riley scoffed. He then properly looked at the group and asked, "So, who even are you guys?"

"I'm Louis, this is Pina, Nori, and Hachi." He winked with his one eye.

"Uh, hi, I guess? I'm Riley, as you know. Me and Louis are friends." He took the sauce from the cat and laid his money down.

Nori did the same. "Thanks, Sal."

Hachi held out their hand. "Nice to meet you. I am Hachi. You seem rather shy for a carnivore."

The coyote reached out and took it, shaking, lightly. "Yeah, well, I'm not usually. It's just that my life kind of turned on its head recently and I'm still coping."

"What happened?" the elk asked, still shaking his hand.

"Um..." Riley looked down, unsure who should let go first. "I had to go to a doctor. I don't want to talk about it."

"I will not push." Hachi let go. He does not seem evil at all even though he eats meat...None of these animals do...

"Thanks." Riley looked down, bottle of sauce in hand. "So, what are you all doing here? Aside from, uh, sauce."

"Oh, well Nori here was gonna show us all about eating meat! He's an omnivore so it should be pretty interesting," Pina grinned.

Riley gawked. "Really? Herbivores tagging along with their meat-eating buddy? I mean, I've seen it before back here but it usually seemed like hazing and the herbivore usually runs off."

"There's more herbivore than meat-eater," Nori pointed out. "I hope I don't scare any of them off."

"Oh, we won't! We love you too much," the sheep poked his cheek.

"And Louis, apparently."

"Not 'apparently'! I do!"

Riley cleared his throat. "Well, if you guys don't mind, I could come with you. You could see me as hired muscle, I guess."

Nori raised a brow. "You're really that lonely?"

Hachi looked at him. "Nori!"

"What?"

"Yes, you can come along," Louis said. "I'll make sure not to ignore you."

"What about me!" Nori whined. "You came out for me..."

"You're still the star of the show," Pina assured. "Let us know if you feel you're being ignored."

"Ok..." He turned back to Sal. "I guess we'll be going, man. I'll see you next week." He reached to do their handshake once more.

"Yes, yes, but wait!" Sal raised up a finger. He disappeared behind the counter again as everyone waited.

Instead of popping out this time, he slowly rose menacingly, holding a box that was in the perfect shape of a cube. He used one of his claws to cut the tape on the top of the box and then pull out a bottle of white sauce, a color that was not part of the previous line of sauces, which only went to yellow. "Dis is what you requested some time ago. It's ready."

Nori swallowed. "Ah, right. I forgot I paid for this in advance."

"You know what do, yeah?" Sal asked, tilting his head down, but his eyes up.

"Yeah. Thanks." He took the bottle of white sauce and looked at it. "Thanks..."

Pina leaned over to Louis and whispered, "Cum."

Louis looked at him, then whacked the back of his head. "Later."

Nori looked a little shaken. "Bye, Sal."

The snow leopard nodded. "Goodbye, Nori."

The red panda turned and held out the sauce to Louis. "Will you hold this in that satchel of yours?"

Louis grabbed it and glanced at what was inside. "What is it?"

Nori shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Let's go take our sauces and eat."

Pina looked between the bag and Nori, concerned, but he said nothing. The group was on their way once again, the only carnivore trailing behind Louis.

The quintet approached a stall and Nori turned around. "I don't know this vendor as well as Sal. It will be a lot quicker."

Riley's ears perked. "He's cool. Doesn't talk much. Doesn't ask questions."

"The shopkeeper?" Hachi asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. Uh, he serves a lot of cervid meat, fair warning."

"Which I won't eat!" Nori added. "So, coyote, what are you gonna eat? I'm curious."

"Riley. And I'm having some pig. It goes best with this sauce."

"Chicken for me. Fried. I like pulling the batter off of it and dipping it in the sauce and then pouring the cause on the chicken that's left."

"Wow, you sound like a gourmet. You sure you weren't a carnivore in a past life?" Riley prodded.

"Mmm, hope so~" Nori said. "Herbivores, you should step back a bit and once we have our food, we can find something for you to eat and then sit."

Louis let out a breath. "What a first date..."

"You're not having fun?" Pina said with a nudge.

Almost immediately, Riley turned to them. "Oh, did something happen with Legosi?" There was clear sadness in his voice as he asked.

"No, no! Of course not," Louis grinned, holding up his ring. "Still married. I'm just dating a sheep now, too."

Nori clicked his tongue. "I feel like it's so like you to do something like that."

Riley nodded. "Oooh, didn't know you guys were open. That's cool." He turned back to the stall, waiting for the butcher to finish what he was doing.

"So, do we go and find whatever non-meat food might exist back here, now?" Pina asked, snaking his arm with Louis'.

Hachi turned to the couple. "You two go. I do not mind anything. I want to keep an eye on them."

"What should we get you?" Pina asked.

"I just said anything is fine," Hachi smiled.

Pina turned around and shook his head. "Not even a clue."

Louis was already off, walking away.

"Not so fast, bucko!" Pina ran after him and grabbed his hand.

"What?" Louis smirked.

"I'm not about to let you go off and get yourself killed." The sheep reached behind him and gripped the handle of his nail bat sticking out from the backpack he was wearing.

"Why would I get killed? I have a weapon, too."

Pina looked at him, unconvinced. "How many times do you practice with that thing?"

"Well, we've been focusing all of our training on summoning our Chimeras..."

"Which paid off, apparently. Now I know what you and Legosi's kid would look like."

"Eheh...I didn't get to see it, myself," Louis laughed.

"Maybe show it to Legosi and have him draw it? Or maybe even Bill! You know he's started drawing and is actually not half bad."

"Wait, you mean outside of the tower? You think I can just summon it at any time now?"

Pina nodded. "Yeah, why not? It was never exclusive to the tower."

"Maybe I will show him, then. Sorry, I'm not taking you on a very interesting first date, romance wise."

"Pff, have you met me? Something like this is great!" Pina looked around, taking in the sights and smells of the fabled back alley market. "And no carnivores have tried anything, so that's a plus. Goes to show they're decent people, by and large, I think."

"Mmm...That sauce guy was really interesting, though. Fun."

"Yeah. Hot, too. Woof." Pina fanned himself.

"Wait, what? You think so?" Louis blinked.

"Definitely. The way he called me 'sheepie' was making my heart pound, I swear."

"So I took you out to see a hot guy!"

"Among other things. Riley's not bad too, but probably more your type." Pina nudged the deer.

Louis huffed. "Fine, fine. We don't need to talk about it. Let's find some food."

"Yes. Should we just ask people? 'Hey, what back here in this place that is specifically catered to carnivores to get their meat fix is consumable by herbivores?'"

"Do you think we should leave, then? I don't want to wander too far..."

"What, get food from the main street, and bring it back?"

"Yeah. We could actually hold hands out there without getting too many strange looks."

"Well, granted, the only reason we're getting them here is cuz we're herbivores, not cuz we're gay."

"What do you feel like eating anyway?" Louis blinked.

"Something you can eat with sauce," Pina announced. "So maybe like some potato wedges or fried veggies or something."

"Ooh, that sounds delicious," Louis huffed. "I am interested in that sauce you're carrying."

"And I'm interested in the one you're carrying now. Nori seemed weird about it."

Louis opened his satchel and moved his gun aside, pulling out the bottle of strange white sauce. "He looked upset about it..."

"Maybe it's horrible," Pina offered, jokingly.

"Or maybe it's poison," Louis said. "Salamander used to deal in it..."

"Nori getting poison and then giving it to you. Weird. Maybe he'll tell us later in private what it is."

"I'll trust him. At least I have it until then."

"Yeah. Anyway, let's go find some food!" Pina pat Louis' back and they headed toward the exit.

Nori waved his hand forward. "Go first, Riley. I'll wait."

Riley stepped up and pointed at the portion he wanted and set the money on the table, following the butcher's silent lead.

Hachi watched, waiting. They had expected something to happen the whole time, but it was all so...normal. Just normal.

"So...do you guys live back here?" Riley asked as he waited.

Nori nodded. "Yep! It's fucking horrible!"

Hachi came forward. "It's home, even so."

Riley shook his head. "No, that really does suck. I'm lucky enough to have a place to live outside of this place! Isn't it dangerous out here for..." The coyote immediately stopped as he looked Hachi up and down. "Well, actually you look pretty jacked, so I can believe that you have no trouble back here. What about you, Nori?"

"I could kill 5 carnivores in one go before being hit," Nori said. "Don't try me."

"Have you before?"

"Many times! It's so—"

Hachi clamped their hand over his muzzle. "He is just joking," they grinned.

Riley looked between the two of them and smiled slightly, fang poking from his lips. "Well, uh, you seem pretty badass either way, what with that katana at your side. It seems like Louis has a lot of friends. When I, uh, met him, he was with a bunny and an alpaca."

"How did you meet him anyway?" Hachi asked.

Riley turned to face them. "You seem pretty curious, so I'll be blunt: Me and a friend of mine at the time were stalking them so we could eat them." He held his hands up before anyone could say anything. "I know. It was horrible, and that 'friend' of mine was a really bad influence on me."

Nori blinked. "Mmmph!"

"Well, I caught Louis in my arms and he just...wasn't afraid at all. He was trying to talk calmly to me and I wasn't having it, so when I attacked him he ducked out of the way and I got my ass handed to me by the other two. And after I was tied up and incapacitated and my judgment came back...Louis came over to me and pet my head and told me I'd be okay." Riley reached up and wiped his eyes quickly. "After that I was picked up by Gouhin. The doctor that looked after me. He runs a clinic back here."

Hachi let go of Nori. "What happened then?"

"He helped me. Louis visited me, even, and we're friends now, even if we don't talk much."

Nori looked to the side. "Louis really does seem amazing. He just wants to help."

"Yeah. I really should connect with him more, and other animals, considering my social circle before all of this fed into my shitty lifestyle and almost made me a murderer." The butcher knocked on the table, indicating that the pork was done. Riley thanked him and picked his plate up. "Your turn, big guy," he told Nori.

The red panda squinted and stepped up, beginning to order his fried chicken.

Riley stepped back and stood by Hachi, turning so his meat was out of their view. "So, you really don't feel weird about all this?"

Hachi moved and rubbed a hand on their chest, nervously. "It is nothing like I thought it was."

The canine cocked his head. "Wait, you live back here but this is the first time you've seen it up close?"

"We are not really allowed to come out here..." Hachi whispered.

Now, the coyote looked concerned. "You...are you being held somewhere against your will? Are you...please don't tell me you're livestock."

"Agh! No! It is...not...Did Louis tell you he used to be livestock?"

Riley shook his head and gawked. "No! Is that true?"

"It is," Hachi nodded. "He still has the 4 on his left foot."

Riley gasped, slightly, and brought a hand to his mouth, tears in his eyes. "I-I had no idea."

The elk blinked. "Sorry! I am sorry! I did not mean to make you cry!"

"It's okay, really. I just." Riley wiped at his eyes and let out a shaky breath. "Been feeling things really strongly lately. And Louis...he didn't deserve an upbringing like that. I can't believe someone like him would give a carnivore like me another chance and, hell, even be with one romantically."

Nori came back. "What you whores cryin' about?"

Despite his mood, Riley couldn't not laugh at that. "J-j-just Hachi told me a-about Louis' past."

Nori blinked. "Oh, yeah. His past sucks. A lot. All of ours do. You should hear Hachi's! It's badass."

The elk turned their head and shook their head. "Not true. It is sad."

"Don't push them," Riley said. "Anyway, let's find a place to eat and meet up with the others."

Everyone reunited thanks to Louis calling Nori and they finally found a group of tables to sit at. Nori had his plate of fried chicken in front of him and he took out his bottle of 'Da Nori' sauce. "I'm so damn excited!"

"If you don't wanna feel your tongue," Riley muttered, placing a conservative amount of his own mild sauce next to the pork.

The elk watched closely, sitting across from him. "I do not know how to feel about all of this. You don't seem evil."

Riley looked up, ears rotating before he laughed, nervously. "Uh, I'd hope not...but I can understand if you think I am considering what I almost did to Louis..."

Louis waved him off. "It's passed. This is a learning experience so we can see just how normal this all is."

Pina nodded. "Billy eats meat! Well, used to. I honestly think he should, still, but he hasn't touched the stuff in months. Point still stands though! Anyway, I wanna try this sauce..."

Louis pushed their plate of fried vegetables toward him, leaning on his palm and observing.

Pina poured some sauce and dipped some of the food in it and took a bite. His eyes popped open immediately. "Oh fuck! Nori this is amazing!"

The red panda blushed. "Thank you! It took a lot of experimenting but it's definitely the best."

Louis just smiled at his boyfriend, admiringly.

Pina pushed some of the veggies they brought toward the elk. "Here, you have some!"

Hachi took it and dipped one of the fried vegetables in the sauce, taking a bite and smiling. "Very good."

Meanwhile, Nori was using his little claws to peel off the batter on his chicken.

Louis's mind wandered to that night and he sighed. This was a good day. He summoned his Chimera, got to go on his first date with his boyfriend, saw Riley again, and then there was the special time they'd share that night.

Pina entered his vision, locks of wool bouncing. "Hey, you in la la land, or disassociating because of the meat being eaten around you?"

"The former," Louis stated.

Pina rubbed his thigh. "Are you seeing into the future?"

"I might be~" The deer responded. "The closer we get, the more it's on my mind."

Pina then sat up and slid onto Louis' lap, being mindful of his horns. "How about now?"

"Even more now," Louis smiled. "Don't you want to eat?"

Nori looked at Riley. "I guess we gotta get used to this shit now."

"Yeah. I just have to meet Legosi now," he commented, taking a bite of his pork.

Hachi smiled. "I think they are cute."

Louis was too distracted looking at Pina. "Just imagine me when I've all prettied up thanks to you."

"All prettied up and on top of me. I think I might go wild~"

Louis bumped him with his nose. "Eeeat."

Pina did so, periodically feeding some to the buck as well. Riley looked on and sighed.

Hachi looked back at him. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah..." He spoke a bit quieter, then, so the couple couldn't hear him. "I just remember how lonely I am when I look at couples, I guess. It's selfish."

Nori rubbed his claw in a circle on the wooden table. "Yeah, yeah. You're lonely, I'm lonely. It's a wonderful life."

Hachi sighed. "You two..."

Louis leaned in a bit to Pina. "Shouldn't we focus on them...?"

"Eh, if they wanna talk with us, they will, right?" Pina popped another veggie into his mouth.

Louis chewed on it. "I mean, you'll have all of me tonight..."

Pina shivered a bit. "Yeah. Here, I'll slide off so you can eat easier."

Louis held him. "No. You can stay. Let's just pay attention to them, too. Then that means I need to pay extra attention to you tonight~"

They looked at the three, Riley in the middle and looking a bit down, but his tail was wagging slightly.

Hachi noticed this. "Do you ever spend time with anyone else?"

"Used to. Now just my family sometimes when I visit." Riley took another bite of meat, trying his best to keep his mouth closed as he chewed.

"Tragic," Nori stated, uninterested, taking a bite of his chicken.

Hachi frowned. "Be nice!"

Louis blinked. "You've been acting weird today."

Nori sighed. "I guess I'm worried that you guys will like this Riley guy more than me!"

Louis blinked. "We don't play favorites."

"Now you know how Roku feels," Hachi fired.

Nori frown. "I really did kinda stop hanging out with him just because I thought he felt bad for me."

Pina ran a hand across one of his horns. "Well if that's the case maybe you should be honest about it instead of avoiding him. I guess either way he won't feel happy about it, though."

Nori groaned. "Uuugh, let's not get into my personal drama right now, we have the new guy here."

Riley finished up his food and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Well, I can tell these guys care about you, Nori, and I'm happy to maybe count you among my new friends."

Hachi grinned at this, looking at their plate of food. "I guess I really was blind this whole time. I had always assumed meat eating was a sinister thing, but I guess it really is normal. And I also noticed that this place has systems and small business and if the Branded were to completely take down the market, they would be doing a very bad thing."

Louis held his hand up as Pina took the fried vegetable with his mouth. "It's part of the city's ecosystem."

Nori smiled and chewed his chicken, swallowing. "Meat in moderation."

Pina sighed and put his hand on his cheek. "Could do without the organized crime and selling of live animals, though. What the market needs is more organization and funding."

Nori snorted. "We all know Ichi just wants it destroyed, not organized."

Louis thought for a moment. "If the crime and selling of animals was banished in the market and Mayor Sonya maybe made it legal to eat meat here, she could have a branch of her division dedicated to running the Black Market properly."

Riley looked between them all talking in disbelief. "W-wait, you guys are part of the Branded?"

Louis pursed his lips. "Yes, unfortunately."

"Unfortunately," everyone said in unison.

"Ah, I see."

Pina chuckled. "Yeah, I guess we're all trying to dismantle it now."

"That's really brave of you!" Riley said with wide eyes. "If you guys need a place to lay low ever, my door's always open. If you're comfortable, that is..."

Nori swallowed. "So then, this is it. The formation of the BMAB."

"BMAB?" Hachi tilted their head.

"Branded Members Against the Branded," Nori clarified, taking another bite of sauce soaked batter.

"And Riley," the coyote added, pumping his fist lightly. "Yaaaay."

The elk smiled at him. "You really need friends, do you not?"

Riley's whole body drooped. "Don't rub it in, Hach..."

"I will be your friend. We can hang out more. It will be my journey to understanding meat-eating carnivores more."

"...As long as you don't think I'm evil. I'd like that." The carnivore's tail was wagging harder now.

Nori leaned on his hand. "And I'll fucking make up with the old man and if he forgives me, we can hang out again. I guess I'll hang out with you two, too." He looked at Louis and Pina. "Now that these love birds are involved, we're on our own."

Hachi nodded. "As long as Ichi does not find out, ever."

Louis nodded. "Agreed."