Cut to an hour later,
Within the top floor of Bstrike, the baths were separated into many different areas. Most were sectioned off to the various species the floors of this Bstrike catered to. But to one small area was a mixed species bathing area. Not commonly used, Legosi and the boys all waited in the shared bath, soaking, chatting and relaxing.
"I still can't believe Voss caught that last ball" Callot said glancing over to the tiny Fennec Fox "That thing sent you flying."
"Still got it in in time" Voss said triumphantly
"Only after Legosi picked you up and threw you and the ball to the machine" Jack said, causing a ripple of laughter out from the gang.
"Sorry about that Voss" Legosi murmured. "Got over excited"
"All good. Teamwork baby!" Voss shouted out, the chant repeated by the others a second later.
Legosi, slummed inside the bath and giving off a satisfied sigh suddenly started sniffing at the air. "Oh Louis is coming" He said, raising slightly from the bath to look at where he smelled his deer friend from.
Spotting him Legosi started "Oh Louis. We are over-"
"YOU SONS OF A *****S, THERE YOU ALL ARE!"
Every piece of canine chatter ended in a second as all turned, wide eyed, slack jawed and brain shut down, at the approaching figure of Louis.
The silence, almost as deafening as Louis' booming introduction, was broken from the thud and click of Louis's real and metal foot as he approached Legosi.
Legosi, who liked to think he knew Louis much better then the others at the pool seemed infinity more shocked at the deer before him. Not only due to the volume Louis had used to shatter the serenity of the pool, or even the profanity (which to Legosi's memory he could not recall Louis ever using a word more vulgar then darn). It was the state he was in. He looked...
"...were you attacked?" Legosi asked, his voice a flat tone as he took in every cut, patch of missing fur and marks that he knew would all turn into bright bruises soon. He had gotten out of the bath after fetching and tying a towel around his waste before meeting to intercept Louis.
Louis though only smiled wider... which was in its own way quite horrifying to Legosi. He had seen Louis smile before, but never so... toothy and broad. "Yep! Don't worry, beat the **** out of him far more!" He said, settling down his volume slightly, but still...
The voice Louis was putting on was... just not his voice. At least not to Legosi. It wasn't the calm measure tones he usually used but something more akin to a live sports combinator would use, or someone trying to be overheard a few meters from a tower of speakers at a rock concert.
This was unimportant however. "Wait, you were in a fight?!" Legosi shouted in horror, grabbed Louis by the shoulders and looking him up and down.
"How on earth did you get into a fight here?" Jack said in mirrored shock.
Voss however added into the new silence "Are we just going to gloss over the fact he called us sons of -"
"Later" Collot said, cutting off the small Fennick Fox
Louis, seeming surprised at everyones reactions turned to look Legosi eye to eye. "What's the problem. As I said I won. The little **** nearly had me but after I used my Louis Leg Launch I-"
"Hold that thought" Legosi said calmly, holding up a finger to Louis as he let him go and walked over to one of the bath house walls. He spotted one of the washing tubs used to rinse off shampoo once outside the soaking tub, and filled it quickly with some water from a shower head on the wall.
He then calmly walked back over to Louis who had been continuing the commentary with Jack, who looked unable to come back with any sort of sensible response.
"Hey Louis" Legosi asked calmly
"Yes mate, what is it-" Louis began before Legosi lifted the tiny tub in his hands above Louis' head and tipped the freezing cold water over him.
In a sense at least part of Louis seemed back to normal as the boisterous attitude was replaced first with understandable shock to a form of anger that Legosi atleast recognised from the deer.
"You stupid mutt!" Louis spat back, holding up his wet towel to maintain his modesty as he glared up to Legosi. "What the hell do you... think... you...are..."
Eyes widening as Louis looked from the worried wolf infront of him and then to the pack, also looking concerned.
"...oh... oh no" Louis said staring now off into nothing.
"What happened Louis?" Legosi asked, again taking Louis's shoulders to voice him to meet him eye to eye.
"... I think I joined the cult"
Some time later, with a mortally embarrassed Louis having joined the canines in the pool and recounting the story to them, had slowly caused the worry on the others to turn to a mixture of interest and amusement.
"I don't know when it happened." Louis said, holding his hands over his eyes, mostly so he wouldn't have to meet anyone's gaze. "At one point, even whilst in the ring, trying to just survive the fight I was in I was thinking the whole thing was some testosterone fuelled drug trip I alone was immune to... then... then I just started getting into the spirit of it."
"That really doesn't sound like your sort of thing" Legosi said mildly.
"I KNOW!" Louis shouted back to the wolf. The statement was not said in anger but more loud agreement. "Before the match started I was an a-typical deer in the headlights amongst those lunatics, and after the match-"
"Congrats on winning" Voss added in.
"Thanks" Louis shot in before continuing "I was right there next to them, shouting, swearing, cheering like a lunatic over anything even slightly violent."
"... I am sorry Louis" Legosi said, ears flat and voice heavy with self recrimination.
It would be so easy to stay angry at Legosi. I'm usually so good at that... but, Louis thought
"It's not your fault, you big dumb wolf. You couldn't have know. I didn't know... I just do not like the idea of that persona being a part of me."
A few uncomfortable seconds followed before it was broken by Voss adding "Still... who knew deer were such badasses behind closed doors"
"Voss!" The other canines reprimanded as Voss held up two tiny arms up saying "It is! It sounds epic as hell in there. Also, if all the men beat the hell out of each other, what do the women do. They don't have antlers for this weird wrestling thing"
Louis looked rather bemused at this. "I remember asking that and being told, flatly that they have a first aid station for the male fights if things get rough, and an emergency ambulance reserved and on call for the females for the same reason."
"Oh god that's hot" Voss muttered
With a sigh and a look over to the large clock on the central wall Jack added"We better get out. Our time us up soon"
All mumbled their agreement, Louis more then the others as he winced leaving the tub. The bruises were not up yet, but the pain behind them had decided to call early whilst Louis was in the bath.
Legosi made an effort not to say anything to Louis, but did make a point of sitting down, near the edge of the tub to at least offer a shoulder to help Louis out.
From both pain and with only one usable leg, Louis sucked in his pride and did take a hold of the wolfs shoulder to give him purchase getting up. After tying the towl around his waste he did give a genuine thanks to his friend for the silent help.
Legosi was left smiling as his tail smacked back and forth against the bath wall.
It was a few minutes later as the group changed in separate parts of the locked room did Louis, still trying to repress the days events, spotted Jack approaching from the side, putting on his shirt.
"Louis" He said, obviously trying to start a conversation as he approached.
"Hello Jack" Louis replied blandly, trying to give off the air of someone not in the mood for a talk. It wasn't his old coldness to anyone that wasn't... well, anyone. But more Louis deciding his quota for social interactions for the day was filled.
"Hi" Jack repeated, grinning broadly, missing or ignoring the hint. "I wanted to thank you by the way. You coming here, with us"
Louis shrugged "It's not problem"
"Well that's a lie." Jack said happily before continuing. "But I'm serious. Its a great time saver on research."
Louis, dumbfounded turned, full attention on Jack. "What?"
"Research. We are both doing a degree Multi Race Social Studios. I'm planning on doing a dissertation on Bstrike. Or atleast starting with that as a premise to show how social pressures keeps the various sections of Bstrike financially successful"
"Thats... well. That is interesting" Louis said, a drop of uncertainty in his voice.
"Well there is a lot of subtext and social history behind each room. The fact I know deers use the rooms to vent repressed aggression makes perfect sense."
"How so?" Louis asked, halting on changing and giving Jack his full attention.
"Ok, first lets take the canine area. You know what we do in there, right?" Jack asked, sitting down opposite Louis.
"Yes" Louis replied with a grin.
"Yes, go ahead and smirk. But tell me, honestly, why do you think that room satisfies us. And don't give a 'Dogs and Wolfs are weird' answer"
Louis sighed, crossed his arms and tried to give it some real thought. Eventually he had to shrug and turn back to Jack. "No idea"
"Bstrike is an institution around 60 years old. When the owner first opened, all the rooms where roughly the same. Just big play areas people could 'Go Wild' in. And it was vaguely successful but no where near the empire it is today. So the owner, Nick Strike, hired a profession social anthropologist to find out what each room could contain if tailor made for each beast genus."
"Ok" Louis said, now openly interested.
"Guys, you coming?" Collot asked from one side of the changing room.
"We will catch up" Jack said before continueing. "He both asked other people in his field but each belonging to various races. The canine anthropologist, a wolf, when asked, designed a room not for violence or anything physically agressive but, as he put it "Something to help fight off the BBW effect"
"BBW?" Louis asked.
"Before I answer, hypherphetical question... if you had kids, and wanted to teach them of the dangers of preditors, how would you do it?" Jack asked
"What?!" Louis shot back in shock at the sudden change in topic.
"It is related, it is related" Jack repeated, holding his hands up defensively. "Studies show most parents dont just tell their children about what canivors can do directly. Instead, along with generic advice like 'dont talk to strangers' they use childrens stories. Like folktales. Can you think of any old childrens stories that invole a carnivor eating a herbivor"
Louis, unsure about this turn in the conversation muttered to himself before replying "Little Red Riding Hood"
"Yes, perfect. Any others?"
"Urm... The Three Pigs?" Louis added
"Yep. And... ok, the boy who cried wolf."
"Yes" Louis conceed.
"Ok... any other childrens stories that don't involve a wolf being the villian?" Jack asked
Louis opened his mouth to reply. And then stopped. And then he thought.
"...no" He said finally.
"No" Jack agreed. "Wolfs are almost exclusively used as the carnivore bad guy in herbivore child stories. When they were making these stories they never used big cats, like lions and tigers. Because, due to some reason lost to history, people usually look at big cats with a sense of nobility"
"King of the jungle. Kind of the savanna..." Louis added.
"Yep. And other big carnivores get lumped into other groups. People long ago just decided that wolfs should be the big bad guy when a story needed a scary meat eating villian. A BBW"
Louis paused before realisation struck and guessed "Big Bad Wolf?"
"Exactly. And that biased is reflected in sociaty. And dogs and other canines are not excluded from it."
Louis paused. He had no reason to argue with Jack on this. Both because he was a dog and had first hand expericne with this but also because, in his second year of Social Studies, he remembered hearing some figures that reflected Jack's theory.
"So, this anthropologist designed a place where other canines could go and well, be told that they were appreciated. That some innocent task once completed would be rewarded with a heartfelt (even if not real) thank you. And it has to come from something that isn't necessarliy another canine. Thats important."
"Why?" Louis asked.
"Because it isn't about another dog or wolf coming over and doing it. It has to be someone outside of the pack, the species that says 'Hey, you did a great job. Thank you'. The fact that room exists and has dogs and wolves and other canines flocking to should give you an idea of the sort of passive distrust Canines naturally get in society compared with other beats."
"I'm... well, I'm very sorry to hear this" Louis said, not sure what else he could say.
Jack waved him off. "I didn't say all this to get a pity party started. Most canines can generate and get positive reinforment from eachother fine. We're pack animals. This was just one snippet on the history and social reflection on just one room. I dont think any of the rooms are as straight forward as just 'hey, I bet deer in secret are all violent psyciopaths'"
Louis grinned. "Thank you for that... lets get going. The others are still probably waiting near the entrance."
"Yeah" Jack agreed as he picked up his shoes to put on. "Thanks for hearing me out"
"No, thank you" Louis replied genuinly. "That was... very interesting"
Jack just grinned, his tale flicking back and forth like crazy. Spotting this and Jack spotting Louis' mild surprise looked embrassed. "Sorry. You said thanks. I still have a bit of a buzz from the fetch room"
Finding himself back in a good mood, something he would thank Jack for later, finished changing and walked out with Jack.
"Can I tell you something Jack" Louis offered, decided to open up a bit in offering for Jack's talk.
"Go ahead" Jack asked.
"I think I know what really first set me off. It wasn't the fighting, really. Or the vulgar nature sucking me in... I think it was when I first mentioned my leg"
Jack, confused, short a look down at Louis' artificial leg before looking back to meet the deers face "How so?"
"Well, when I first mentioned my leg, it was as a crutch. A reason not to take part. And I expected the sort of reaction I usually first get when I have to show someone my leg. A vague discomfort and mild coddling."
"That happens often?" Jack asked.
"In some form or another yes. Even if it is just mild concern about whether it hurts or something. Reasonable reactions and sometimes justfied. But in there... nothing"
"Nothing? As in they weren't bothered by it?" Jack offered.
"Precisly. All them gave off the air that, within those walls, there was no judgement, negative or positive. Even when someone lost of won, people stopped caring as soon as they were out. No pecking order or social structure. The fact that we were fighting just felt like a... well, like a focal point for it."
Jack grinned broadly. "Thats the sort of thing I was talking about. Thank you Louis."
"No problem" He said.
Spotting that they had walked on auto pilot to near the inside entrance to Bstrike, Louis spotted the others to the side of the doors chatting, in a small waiting room full of pictures.
"Nice you could join us" Voss called from Legosi's shoulder, befond the wolfs giant hand gently clamped down on the fox's jaw. "Be nice Voss".
"Ok, well that was a good days out... and one we won't be blabbing about to others, will we" Collot said.
As one they all said "Nope", except for Louis.
"Go ahead" He said easily.
"What, really?" Legosi said in surprise
Louis smirked. A couple years ago he probaly would have tried to bribe or threaten the pack in some way to keep their silence, just like how he tried to paid off Haru when he antlers fell out or threatened Bill with a gun when he found out about his upbringing. Now though... it just seemed unimportant.
"I remember clearly making fun of the Canine Room at some points in my past. Seems only fair you all get the same chance"
All members of the pack grinned at this and as one, started to walk out.
As Louis mused on the events of the day, reflecting on how might have reacted if he had come to this odd building at a younger age, he stopped as Legosi placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Urm... whilst we were waiting here... I spotted something" he said, for some reason seeming embrassed.
"Whats that" Louis asked, bemused at the wolfs expression.
Legosi, now silent and still standing in the picture room to the side of the entrance, pointed over to a section of frames
Louis looking around finally, taking in the area. It was a wall of fame. Basically dedicated to those who had done something for Bstrike, most likely financially sponsered or invested in it. Looking at the area and walking towards it he saw a small assortment or various people. Some he recognised as movie and TV stars. A musician. And a...
... Louis felt his body halt in mid motion as he looked directly at the picture Legosi had indicated, of a broad shoulded Deer, grinning wildly forward, one of his antlers half cracked and one swollen eye visble behind his glasses.
...Even with the injureis, Louis could easily resognise the face of his adoptive father looking right back at him, with an alarmingly wide grin plasted on his face.
"...Are you kidding me?"