Chapter Two: Tasty
Orient Town was busy as always. The townsfolk going about their daily lives, and preparing for an upcoming festival. They past by all manner of little booths and shops, already set up and doing business. Even the area around the clinic was crowded. Tao sniffed the air, and her tail twitched. Suddenly, they rolled out of the way of an aerial kick directed at Tao, who then blocked a follow-up series of punches, then jumped back. Before them stood a tall man in a green suit.
"Tao! My dedicated pupil! I, Bang Shishigami, have seen that you have not been neglecting your training! Come! Let us spar to ensure your skills are parallel to mine!" Bang assumed a ready stance.
Tao did not have the patience for this, and slammed him square in the face, knocking him down. As Bang looked up, the feeling emanating from Tao made him shiver.
"This. Is. A. Special. Day. Meow." Tao emphasized each word, making sure Bang understood, "So leave us alone! Come on Ragna, let's go."
"Wait! Ragna The Blood-!" Bang was silenced again by a strong kick from Tao, his expression even more confused, "Why?"
"I love him, meow. Simple as that." Tao then kneeled down, "Look Bang, I know your thoughts on Ragna, but he's not what everyone thinks he is. He's made me so happy, and we've been together for the past three years now, and have an adorable daughter. Please, just stay out of my way today, meow."
"Ragna, is this true?" Bang could not believe someone like him could make anyone happy.
"Hey, it's been Tao that has been nailing you man, not me. I think that makes her point quite clear." Ragna just leaned against one of the stalls, waiting for Tao to finish. She stood up, and walked over to him, "Ready to go?"
"Yes Ragna," Tao, making sure Bang understood what she meant, pulled Ragna down and kissed him. Bang's mouth hung open, stunned, "Let's get back to what we were doing." As they left, Bang was surrounded by his subordinates as he passed out on the floor.
After their sudden interruption, they arrived at the doors of Litchi's clinic. Due to the festival preparations, not a lot of people were around there. Ragna eased the door open, letting Tao in first. Litchi was on the other side of the room, organizing medicine. She heard the door and turned to see Tao walking up to her.
"Ah, Tao. It's been some time since I last saw you here." Litchi was surprised that Tao hadn't simply groped her like usual and instead gave her a tight hug, "Well, someone's changed."
"You bet it, meow." Tao caught Litchi off guard as her demeanor had changed significantly, she was practically like a respectable upper-class woman, "Ever since I confessed to Ragna, I've never been happier."
"Ragna? What's this about?" Litchi finally noticed Ragna, who was sitting by a chair skimming through a magazine.
"Remember three years ago you discovered a little something about the Kaka?" Ragna said plainly.
"Yes, do you mean to say?"
"I chose Ragna." Tao sat down next to him, staring into his eyes, "Why, soon after we were bless with Misi, and we got married in the Kaka manner, meow."
"Misi?" Litchi almost felt woozy, sure of Tao's, or Ragna's, answer.
"Misikaka, our daughter, meow." Tao replied, "She's a normal Kaka kitten, so that's the result of your test."
"And, you're happy?"
"Yes, Ragna's the best thing that ever happened to me, and I hope I am to him." Ragna simply answered with a kiss, "And now the village is more than safe from Arakune neow."
"He hasn't been attacking the village more frequently?" Litchi was certain that Arakune would be continuously attacking the village due to Ragna being there. Then Litchi remembered that Ragna lost the Azure some years ago, and Kokonoe had replaced his arm. She had barely noticed, as Kokonoe's masterful work made it look, and she believed feel, just like a normal human arm.
"No, not after the thrashing we both gave him meow." Tao's eyes turned into a sharp scowl. She recalled the time Arakune had returned to the village, obviously to feed. The kitten he found first was Misi, who was playing near the sunny hill. Ragna luckily was looking for her, and engaged him before Misi was put in any danger. Tao heard the commotion, and quickly aided Ragna, almost killing Arakune, who managed to save himself by slipping through a small hole into the sewers.
"Well, I'm glad the village is safe. Thank you Ragna."
"I just want to make my family happy, you don't need to thank me."
"Ragna, shall we go eat neow?" Tao held her stomach, visibly hungry, "Don't worry, I'm not hungry enough to have to pig out, meow."
"Alright, let's go. Goodbye Litchi." Litchi waved them off, and they started to walk towards the elevator to the higher levels of the city.
As Ragna directed himself and Tao to the restaurant, the crescent moon was rising into the gloomy sky. Finally, they stopped outside a large establishment that had a large balcony for dining at a high price.
"Ragna, this place is so expensive." Tao had no clue why Ragna thought they could afford it, "How much money could you have saved to afford this?"
"Let me answer that when we get to our seats." Ragna and Tao walked in, and were greeted by the waiter, "Ragna, table reserved for two." The waiter nodded, and escorted them up a small flight of stairs to a small separate balcony facing the rising moon. Ragna dismissed the waiter, and pull out a chair for Tao, who stood there amazed.
"Ragna, how did you afford this, meow." Ragna forced Tao to sit, and pulled the other chair up next to her.
"Let's just say, I faked my death." Tao simply stared at him, confused, "And then turned in the fake while I disguised myself, and collected the reward."
"So that's why we have been able to get the sky back for the village. What about the rest, meow?"
"I'm planning on talking to the elder about the erection of a school for the Kaka, instead of having all those kittens cram into her home."
"But with our population only capable of a hundred Kaka, why would we need a school?"
"Tao, since the Kaka managed to repopulate themselves recently, what do you notice is different?"
"Nothing, meow."
"The elder counted, and realized something."
"Meow?" Tao was trying to think, but could quite place it.
"Misi is the hundred and one member of the village. Passing the restricted population mark. The village could grow Tao, if others become so inclined to fall for, or mate with, humans."
Tao almost began to tear up. Her kind, the village, was finally saved. With her to protect it, Ragna raised enough money to last them for god knows how long, and no longer will they be in danger of dying out due to reclining population. Ragna placed a hand around her, holding her tight. The waiter returned with the menu, and quickly set it down and left. Tao finally calmed down, and looked over it quickly. They called for the waiter, and within a few minutes had their food brought up. Ragna paid for the meal then, so they didn't need to wait when they wanted to leave. They ate quickly, both quite eager to return home. After an hour, most of which was spent gazing at the moon, they got up, and headed home to the village.