Cut to an hour later
"It's so cool you're joining us Louis-Sempai" Jack said, grinning broadly, tail wagging as the others in the group followed shortly behind, catching up with Legosi.
"If I'm honest, it's mostly out of curiosity"Louis said, looking around at the interior of the Bstrike building. "I tried to find out what other deer do here to unwind but every forum effectively said 'none of your business'"
"Well its not a huge surprise. There are hundreds of species out there. Usually one city has around 20 Bstrikes, each one usually offering services for a different species. We are just lucky that this place caters for both Canines and Deer, along with a couple other species." Jack chipped in.
"On that note, we are on this floor" Collot, the English Sheepdog said over to Jack and Louis. "I'm not 100% but usually I see Deer on the higher levels"
"Oh, there's some luck. There's someone who might be able to help you" Jack said, pointing Louis to a Deer businessman, fully dressed up as a typical big city middle manager, from black suit to a modern brief case.
He looks around 40. So I guess this place isn't just for kids, Louis thought, relief palpable.
"Ok. I still don't know if I need anything... gym cloths are something" Louis mumbled. He had meant the comment only to himself, before remembering he was around a small crowd of dogs (plus one looming wolf), all with excellent hearing.
"I wouldn't worry about it. It doesn't look like he has something like a tracksuit in there. And if you do need one, you can either skip on this and head straight for the baths upstairs or quickly buy one" Legosi offered.
"Alright..." Louis said, turning to the pack. He had to use a lot of self control not to make a snide comment on the groups soon to be activities. "I'll meet you upstairs then in the mixed species baths in an hour"
By the time he had uttered the last word, most of the pack where through the door, obviously desperate to get in line for one of the "Fetch" rooms. Legosi stood around however.
"I don't know if this will help but the first time I came here, with Jack and some other dogs from school a few years back, I was sceptical. I had no idea if I would like it until I gave it a proper go. I don't know what you guys do in your section of Bstriker but... I don't know, keep an open mind"
Louis grinned, both happy at Legosi's bumbling attempt to calm him with his speech, and the implication that he had something to be worried about at all.
"They're deer. As having been one for a good 19 years, I think I know what to expect" Louis said, in an not unkind tone, as he waved Legosi off to catch up with his other friends.
Seeing him nod and go through the Canines section of the floor, Louis looked over and power walked to catch up with the businessman he had seen earlier.
There was no point lying or being embarrassed. He would just ask this stranger for some basic information on the floor so he could prepare himself.
"Hello?" Louis called out "Excuse me?"
The deer, almost as tall as Legosi with long winding antlers, turned to Louis in mild confusion.
"Yes, can I help you?" He asked, in a rather light tone.
"Yes, urm. This might sound strange and a bit abrupt but..." Louis started.
The look of confusion slowly gave way to a broad grin "Are you new here?" he asked
"Yes" Louis replied, almost sounding like he was apologising and a bit relieved. "I've never... had the chance to come here."
"Thats fine, thats fine" The Deer said, gently placing his hand on Louis's shoulder as he guided on to the level for there kind. "You're a good age to have your first session. Horns fully grown"
Louis nodded politely. The term 'Horns fully grown' was just one of those phrases adult Deer used as a marker for growing up. It didn't signify adult hood, but at least one of the stepping stones to it.
"My names Aki" The deer said, offering his hand. "I work at Defensive Measures. A company that supplies body armour for the police units around the country. Middle Management."
Louis replied back "I'm Louis. I'm at university at the moment, studying . 2nd year", shaking the offered hand quickly.
'Middle Management' Louis thought with an internal snigger. Just like how Canines had their own social habits, such as near aggressive embraces, the urge to smell one another as a way of catching up and other things, deers had their own odd social queues.
For instance, for deers, social standing between two strangers would usually involve adding something like their job title to their introductions, or make some statement suggesting how wealthy you were (for example, clearly indicate if you were wearing a Rolex or something or mention you sports car if you owned one). This was nothing more then a way of measuring their worth to one another. It was considered odd and a bit vulgar to other species, but to deer, top earners were instantly held in greater esteem over low level pen pushers.
However, in today's modern world the system had become horribly intricate, as Louis' father had told him. For instance, Louis was now considered the junior of the pair, between him and Aki, not because of his age but because he was still a student and not an earner. If Louis however subtly added that he was the sole air to a fortune and major stocks in a high value business, Louis would then take over the senior position...
… but it was also considered polite not to mention something inherited or been given, so the socially responsible thing to do was to not mention it straight away but mildly add it to conversation but also add subtle clues with body languages to say you were happy to remain junior to-
'… the whole thing is ridiculous' Louis thought. 'Just something to show the pettiness inside one beast species. Deers have always tried to put on a show of nobility and self importance... like I did in school'
"Everything OK Louis?" Aki asked, leaning down slightly to meet Louis eye to eye.
"Yes yes" Louis replied kindly. "Sorry, just a little hesitant. Before we reach the Cervidae room, can you explain to me what to expect? I would prefer not to make a fool of myself first time visiting"
"Oh don't worry" Aki said with a rather reserved smile "If you are unsure, stick with me. I'm aiming to be first up. Just watch first to get your eye in, then I suggest you give it a go"
"Urmm. Give what a go?" Louis asked, uncertainty popping into his voice. He saw Aki about to answer him before he nearly walked into the approaching door.
"Ah, here we are" Aki said simply, opening both doors and offering Louis to enter first.
Louis did hesitantly before he got a look around the room they had entered.
"...a forest" Louis muttered, looking around at the scenery.
It was obvious to Louis that the area around him was not a real forest, if only by size, but the room had been made to look like a small opening in a ring of trees. There was even real grass beneath Louis' one real foot and the walls that could be seen where painted to look like a clear blue sky.
"It's nice" Louis said, already relieved as he saw multiple other deer idly chatting to one another around the main ring of trees.
"So is this it? Some kind of... communing with nature thing?" Louis asked, as he looked back at the central area, spotting a large white ring marking some sort of central area.
"Hmm, you can interpret it that way. Quick question actually, when did you last shed?" Aki asked.
Louis, a little taken aback by the question replied "... I shed my antlers about 5 months ago. Why is that important?"
"Well you see-" Aki began, before spotted one particular deer and him over. "Yammat, good to see you"
The deer, much broader and heavily built then Aki turned from the conversation he was having and grinned."Aki. And I see you brought an 8th. That's perfect. Been waiting around for a hour" His reply was just as soft spoken as Aki's.
8th? Louis thought
"Ok, close it up" One of the other deer said as another walked to some button on one of the walls.
"Turns on a light above the door outside" Aki said, directing his attention back to Louis. "To say we reached capacity. Anyway, it would be easier if I just showed you then explain."
"Ok..." Louis said, hesitantly.
"Alright, time to get started" Yammat said happily, looking over the 7 other deer around him. "Now then..." And with that, in one quick yank, practically tore off his suit and shirt, leaving him bear chested. "WHICH ONE OF YOU ****ERS WANTS A PIECE!"
…...what? Louis thought.
"Well I said I would show this fine young man here the ropes before he had a go" Aki said, replying in the same civil tone as before, as if the person infront of him hadn't just vocally assaulted him. "So I guess..." And in the same brutal manner, threw down his tie, suit, shirt and glasses to the ground before yelling "I'LL TAKE A PIECE YOU **** SON OF A *****!"
… Oh god. Oh God, whats going on, Louis thought desperately as suddenly the very nature of not just Aki and Yammat, but every other deer around him turned from polite civility to... well.
"YEAH, RIP HIM TO PIECES YAMMAT!" One other deer screamed
"HIS BEEN IN TOP PLACE FOR TOO LONG AKI, TAKE HIM DOWN!" screamed another
"... what's going on. Is this a cult?" Louis said in a small, almost scared voice as he turned from one insane deer to another.
"This is just something we do to get the blood boiling" Aki said, his voice coming over hoarse and deeper, as he continued to strip down, until he was left only in his underwear. "oh do me a favour, can you tie up my arms?"
Louis felt like his brain was shutting down. Starring at this adult aged deer, mostly naked and casually asking Louis to perform some basic bondage on him.
"Is there a gas leak or something?!" Louis asked, turning from deer to deer hoping someone had retained some level of sanity.
"Eh, dont worry about it. I'll do it" One other deer said, coming over and taking some the white strips he had on his person and started to bind Aki's arms behind his back. It took only a few seconds before the other deer asked "That good for you?"
"Yeah, perfect" Aki, said, standing tall, his arms tightly held behind his back as he stepped into the white ring area "OK THEN LETS GET STARTED. YOU READY!?" He voice once again bellowing.
"RIGHT, EVERYONE, GIVES US A TIMER!" Yammat said standing opposite Aki.
Louis, just standing awkwardly next to the other rioting deer, remained silent and lost as all around him counted down from five.
Four!
Threee!
TWOOOOOO!
OOOONNNNNNNEEEEEE!
And then they charged. Aki and Yammat in a mad rush, both bent down, rammed into one another, both their antlers giving off a dull thud as they connected and then locked into one another.
"... its wrestling" Louis said, finally clocking on to what the hell he was watching.
"Of course!" One young buck cried next to Louis. "What did you think it was?!"
Louis made a tiny glance to the pile of clothes that Aki had discarded before mumbling "Nothing worth mentioning in polite company..."
"Fair enough" The buck said before turning back to the fight. "Come on. Cheer for your favourite. Thats the second best part! Next to going in there anyway!"
Louis titled his head away from the buck, annoyed at the raw volume from him, but finding no salvation to the other side. The deer there were screaming just as obnoxiously, shouting out cheers and obscenities with abandon.
Instead of cheer, Louis just decided to watch the match to get an idea for the rules. And it seemed the rules were simple... in the fact that there were no apparent rules.
The competitors arms were bound beforehand and thrown into the ring. And once in, both men seemed fine to either enter a reverse tug of war with their antlers locked together or change tactic and knee or kick the opponent. Nothing they weren't already restricted from seemed to be against the rules.
Aki was doing his best, but the raw muscles of Yammat seemed to put the fight on his side. That was until Aki, horns still locked with Yammats, titled his entire body upwards in an attempt to raise both his and Yammats posture. Despite the ground he lost doing it, just before he was about to be pushed out the white circle, Aki viscously kicked the side of one of Yammat's legs, toppling him.
Disengaging the antler tug match, Aki kicked Yammat in the chest and a second time in the side of his ribs, downing the bigger deer.
At this point the fight was over. It turned out getting to your feet with you hands tied behind you back was not easy. A task made near impossible when someone stood above you kicking out at you without a shred of sympathy.
"Alright. Alright. I'm done!" Shouted Yammat on the ground, wheezing as he said it.
Aki, mid kick, stopped. A cheer went up through the crowd as Aki stood tall, grinning broadly to everyone outside the ring before turning to Louis and walking over.
"And...there you have it..." Aki said, having to stop every few words to catch his breath.
"...Right" Louis said, again at a slight loss for words before simply saying "... well done"
"Thanks" Aki said, turning away from an approaching deer who was both congratulating him and removing the arm restraints. "Now... your turn"
Louis froze "...no" Was all he said, not a drop of uncertainty in his voice.
"Come on, get it over with. If you lose you won't need to take part in any other rounds. Its knockout tournament rules.
"But... I can't fight. I DON'T fight!" Louis said, for once the volume of his voice matching that of the other maniacs in the room.
"Why not? This is the whole point. Have a go and see if it lights a fire in you. Come one" Aki said encouragingly.
"I can't fight. I only have one leg" Louis said, raising the hem of his jeans to show his artificial leg. As he was about to defend him coming there, saying he had made it clear he didn't know what was going to happen, Aki simply cut in saying "Oh, neat"
"... yes. And in a match like you had, I would say a good reason not to get in the ring" Louis said, now sounding like he was talking to a toddler.
Aki, unphased just looked down at the leg and back up to Louis' gaze. "Well, if you say so. I don't see a problem"
Louis felt his mouth hang open. He tried to close it and reply but nothing came out as he just felt at a true loss for words.
Finally, after a good five seconds silence Louis finally said "... this really won't be a problem?"
"No. You could probably use it in the fight" Aki said, rubbing his chin.
"How?" Louis asked.
"I dunno. Any way you can release it? Maybe shoot it out at the opponent in a surprise?" Aki said sounding more exited as Louis just felt more lost. "It could be your signature attack. You could call it "The Louis Leg Launch". How does that sound?"
Before Louis could formulate something sarcastic and irate (something he was having a much harder time with things so out of his control at the moment), another deer walked up. He looked roughly Louis' age.
"Ok. I'm good for the next match. How about you?" He asked Louis.
Louis, looking from the eager deer, to the other grinning expectant deer around him and finally back to Aki, with a sigh of defeat said "... fine"