Chapter 38: Aqua Regia
Gouhin stared coldly down at the slavering beast currently bound before him. He clicked the button on his camera, causing a flash of light as he took another picture.
"So, how many have you killed?"
flash*
The carnivore snarled and strained against its bonds. Gouhin's expression darkened.
"Do you even have an ounce of sanity left in your wretched body? Or are you so far gone that you don't even understand me."
flash*
The creature responded by lunging towards the panda. Gouhin didn't even flinch.
"You're in my world now. And I don't care how long it takes to—"
"Doctor Gouhin! Dinner time!"
Gouhin started as the door to the room opened, flooding it with light. Gouhin whirled and yelled.
"Dammit, Yasui! I told you not to interrupt me!"
Yasui poked his head in. He had donned a small nurse's hat as was his custom when in the medical related rooms of the clinic. Gouhin had demanded he do it first as a form of prank, but unfortunately Yasui seemed to enjoy it. The hybrid gave him a sheepish look.
"Nurse Yayoi said it was fine. The food's getting cold."
Gouhin grit his teeth and crossed his arms. Now that he heard the offer of hot food, he was pretty hungry. He looked at his newest patient. He wasn't going anywhere, and maybe letting him stew would help him become more coherent. As he thought it over, Yasui chimed in.
"I made hot pot."
Gouhin let out a long breath. Yasui continued.
"And butterscotch pudding."
"…Fine. But only because this psycho needs to sober up a bit."
Gouhin stormed towards the door and headed towards the kitchen, Yasui doggedly at his heels. In the few days Yasui had been staying at the clinic, he had taken over all the housework Gouhin had neglected to do. Gouhin suddenly found himself having three hot meals a day, clean linens, and spotless floors. This led to Gouhin's new nickname for Yasui, Pansy.
As Gouhin washed his hands, he shot a glare at his small bird nurse, Yayoi.
"I was in the middle of something."
She bobbed her head slightly.
"You work better on a full belly. And it seemed a shame to let this hot pot get cold."
Yasui set the steaming container of food on the table and adjusted the three bowls. He smiled at Gouhin.
"Extra bamboo, not too spicy. Just the way you like it."
Gouhin sniffed.
"You know, Pansy, you'll make a great housewife someday. Heck, maybe I'll just marry you. If I squint hard enough you almost look like a girl."
Yasui pouted.
"You know I don't like it when you say stuff like that. Besides, I'm only seventeen."
"The fact that that's the only issue you have with it is concerning." Gouhin sniped back. His stomach grumbled as the scent of food reached his snout. Yasui might be a bit of an odd, effeminate person; but he sure could cook. Gouhin was sitting down when Yasui bolted upright.
"Ah! The rice! I forgot to get it out of the cooker!"
Gouhin watched as Yasui hurriedly retrieved the rice and set it on the table. Gouhin raised an eyebrow.
"What's with the big meal? Are we celebrating something?"
Yasui shrugged.
"Well… tomorrow I go back to school. So I figured I'd make something special to thank you for letting me stay here."
Gouhin shrugged as he began scooping himself a heaping portion of hotpot.
"Is that so? Well, at least one of my patients is grateful for my treatment. Loads of them are too self absorbed to even get me a thank you card."
Yasui cleared his throat.
"Speaking of treatment. Is this… really all that you had in mind?"
The "treatment" that Yasui was referring to was that Gouhin had asked him to help with chores and demanded he continue exercising as he had told him to do after his previous accident and following… condition.
Gouhin sniffed.
"Of course not. We need to have another conversation after dinner. See if you have the all clear to leave."
Yasui seemed to like that. He had been a bit worried that he wasn't going to actually get any further medical assistance from the panda. And so once the food had been eaten and the dishes cleared, Yasui was once again on the couch in Gouhin's psychiatric room. The panda held up his clipboard.
"So. You excited to go back to school tomorrow?"
Yasui gulped and folded his hands on his stomach.
"Honestly? No. I'm terrified. I didn't realize that being a hybrid had such a stigma here. On New Year's I got a lot of nasty looks as I walked around, and people would give me a wide berth. I'm worried that my friends will treat me differently now."
"Yeah, it isn't easy to be a hybrid here." Gouhin replied. "You'll have to get used to a certain level of ostracism. It's an unpleasant fact, but I'm not going to sugarcoat it. And speaking of sugarcoating, have you talked to your family yet?"
Yasui looked down in shame.
"No. I'm too scared to. They're probably angry at me, and they have a good reason to. I still don't know what to say."
Before Gouhin could speak Yasui added,
"But I will call them. Once I find the words."
Gouhin nodded and settled into his chair. There was silence for almost five minutes before the panda grunted.
"Well, enough sitting around. I got a psycho to knock some sense into. Probably won't see you before you go to sleep, so good night."
As Gouhin stood, Yasui sat upright.
"Wait! That's it?!"
Gouhin gave him a blank look.
"Yeah. You're fine."
"But we haven't talked about any of the reasons I came here! My erratic behavior, mood swings, the general weirdness going on with my body, and… you know… my previous problem."
Gouhin hid a smile.
"So, what do you want?"
Yasui threw his hand up in disgust.
"I don't know! Help me! Fix me! Do your doctor thing! Whatever it takes!"
Gouhin leaned forward.
"Alright, have you been craving drugs again? Need a few pills to pop?"
Yasui looked down.
"Honestly, yes. It won't go away. I'll think I'm fine, but suddenly I just really want some more… some more…."
"Say it." Gouhin said. Yasui sighed.
"Drugs. Are you happy?"
Gouhin crossed his legs.
"This isn't about me being happy. It's about you being honest with yourself. So long as you stay honest with yourself and keep working hard, you can stay clean. I'm always here to help when it comes to that."
Yasui nodded gratefully. Gouhin held up two fingers.
"And secondly, all the other stuff I've already taken care of."
"When?!" Yasui cried.
"Over these past few days. I kept you busy and out of trouble. Your mood swings have definitely stabilized given I don't find you sobbing uncontrollably over broken cups or drooling over pictures of that leopard on your phone."
"You promised you wouldn't tell anyone about that." Yasui muttered. Gouhin continued.
"As far as erratic behavior is concerned, you've spent a full week in the most hedonistic part of the city and adamantly refused to leave. And finally, I've been keeping my eye on you for worrying symptoms of any variety. So far, none."
"So what are you saying?" Yasui asked.
"That you're fine. Clean bill of health. Good to go."
"But… How can that be? I don't feel any better."
Gouhin did something Yasui had never seen him do before. The usually gruff and stern panda moved to sit beside him and laid a strong hand on his shoulder.
"Yasui, the only thing wrong with you is that you're scared. Scared of what you are."
"A freak."
"No." Gouhin grunted. "That's not what I have in my file."
Yasui shot him a questioning glance. Gouhin shrugged and handed him the clipboard.
"See for yourself."
Yasui took the clipboard and saw that it had a medical profile for himself. There was even a new, up to date picture of him. Gouhin flipped to a page marked "psych eval" and tapped it with a clawed finger. Yasui read,
[Yasui is an unorthodox patient mainly due to his unusual personality. He is a hopeless people-pleaser, to the point that it might be an act to endear himself to others. Probably stems from feelings of personal degradation where he thinks people will like him more if he's helpful, and dislike him if he's just himself. Common in large families.
Yasui shows signs of being a hypochondriac, except more of a mental illness bent than anything physical. He's convinced that there has to be something wrong with him, and tends to create these problems on his own such as manic depressive episodes.
Finally, Yasui shows clear signs of repression. He is terrified of his own instincts and sexuality. As such, he pushes those feelings down and labels them as "bad" in his own mind. This creates a negative feedback loop where each time a repressed feeling rises up, it is repressed even more violently which causes stress and restarts the cycle.
Conclusion, Yasui needs to develop some self confidence through meaningful connections with others. A mentor would also probably be beneficial.]
Yasui read the page over and over. He hadn't told Gouhin about most of the things in here, but somehow the panda had figured it out. Gouhin huffed.
"See. The word 'freak' doesn't appear even once."
Yasui gestured to himself.
"But… I'm not natural. I'm not supposed to exist. Foxes aren't supposed to be able to interbreed."
"Yasui, don't talk about yourself that way. Enough of the self pity! People will view you the way you present yourself! So present yourself as a freak who's ashamed of being alive, and that's what they'll believe."
Yasui hung his head.
"You're right. I'll try to do better."
Gouhin grinned and elbowed him.
"And in my opinion you're more attractive now given you don't look like you're ten."
Yasui smiled softly.
"Thanks, Gouhin, but I'm into felines."
Gouhin chuckled and took the clipboard back.
"But on a serious note. Yasui, your biggest critic is yourself. You've convinced yourself that there must be something wrong with you because you're scared to accept what's happened. Just relax. Sure, there will be people who treat you poorly because you're different. But there will also be those who don't care about that."
Yasui was choked up by this point. He wiped his eyes.
"Thanks, Gouhin."
"Yeah, yeah. Don't go blubbering all over the place. I've had enough mushy stuff for the day."
"…."
Gouhin pulled an exasperated face.
"You want a hug, don't you?"
Yasui nodded, fighting back tears. Gouhin sighed.
"Fine. But only because I'm finally getting rid of you tomorrow."
Gouhin looked unamused as Yasui hugged him tightly. As the hybrid broke off the embrace, he sniffed.
"This evaluation is a little scary though, Gouhin. I didn't tell you about any of this! And it's very detailed."
Gouhin glanced at the paper.
"Eh, it's my job to figure this stuff out. Besides, I actually left out a bit."
"You did? What is it?"
"That you have some clear mommy issues. It's why you're drawn to powerful, older females. You crave a nurturing maternal relationship and look for it with those you view as capable and physically appealing."
Yasui's eyes widened and he worked his mouth for a few moments before bursting out,
"I do not have mommy issues!"
Friday morning, January fifth dawned a dull and gray winter day that made you want to stay in bed. Yasui had gathered his things and was dressed in some more suitable clothes Gouhin had given him as a belated Rexmas present. Yasui looked at the panda doctor and smiled weakly.
"Well, guess I should head out."
Gouhin nodded.
"Yup. And stick to—"
"The area the Inarigumi controls, I know. That part's scary enough, I don't want to know what the really dangerous parts of this place are like."
Gouhin crossed his arms and muttered under his breath,
"You're better off not seeing the Market."
"What was that?"
"Nothing." Gouhin shook his head. "Alright, pansy. Get lost. And don't cause any trouble. And keep up with your exercise routine! It's good for stabilizing your mood. And get enough sleep."
Yasui shook his head.
"You know, Gouhin. I almost think you like me."
"I just know that you're an idiot! Now buzz off!"
Yasui turned and walked away. However he stopped and called back,
"Tell Nurse Yayoi goodbye for me!"
"I will."
And with that, Gouhin walked back into the clinic. He sat down in the kitchen and stared idly at the neat and tidy space. It seemed quiet here now. Gouhin was just standing to begin his doctoral duties when he heard a tap on the window. He looked and saw Yayoi perched on the sill, waiting to be let in. Gouhin opened the window, and the little bird fluttered inside.
"Brrr! It's nasty out!" She chirped.
"Yeah." Gouhin absently replied. Yayoi fixed him with a piercing look.
"You seem sad. What happened?"
"Nothing."
She looked around and suddenly realized what it was.
"Yasui already left?"
"Yup. Good riddance."
"…You miss having him around already, don't you."
Gouhin scoffed.
"I do not! He was an insufferable little weirdo. And way too saccharine!"
"I know you've been lonely ever since your wife left. It was nice to have someone around the place again."
Gouhin crossed his arms.
"The only thing I'll miss is his cooking!"
Yayoi gave him a mischievous smile.
"Alright. Suit yourself."
"Hmph!"
The little bird busied herself looking over some papers Gouhin had set out as she said,
"It's a shame I didn't get to say goodbye."
"Yeah."
"Although I probably would have insisted on accompanying him out of the Back Alley Market. Especially through the area he travels through."
Gouhin sniffed.
"The section that those crazy foxes control is practically safe for this area."
"I was more worried about a hormonally charged teenager who hates to say no wandering through the red light district. He might just get sweet talked into a brothel."
Gouhin stood stock still for a moment before swearing loudly and grabbing his coat as he rushed towards the front door.
"Dammit! Yasui! Wait!"
At that very moment Yasui was standing in front of a very classy looking building called "The Tundra Club." He had been walking by when a female wolf standing near the entrance spotted him and called out,
"Hey, where are you heading, handsome?"
Yasui looked at her and then looked around. He then pointed to himself questioningly. The wolf laughed flirtatiously.
"Yes you. C'mere."
Yasui looked at her and rubbed his arm apprehensively.
"Oh, I really should be going. I have somewhere to be."
The wolf winked at him and coyly beckoned him over with a finger.
"C'mon, cutie. I don't bite. Unless you ask nicely. I just want to chat. You have time for that, right?"
"I don't know…."
"Don't be rude, I just want to talk."
Yasui stuck his hands in his pockets and thought about it. Finally he gave in.
"Alright. Just not for too long."
The wolf batted her eyelashes. She was a gorgeous wolf almost a head taller than he was with pure white fur wearing a sensible yet alluring coat. As Yasui approached, the wolf pressed a finger to Yasui's chest and slowly trailed it down to right below his heart.
"I'm Glacier. I'm a dancer here at The Tundra Club."
Yasui perked his ears up.
"Oh! It's a dance club! Ah, where are my manners? I'm Yasui. It's nice to meet you."
Glacier smoothed her snowy fur a bit, giving Yasui flirtatious looks. Yasui continued on, somewhat oblivious to what she was doing.
"So what type of dancing do you do?"
Glacier slowly strutted towards Yasui.
"The type of dancing that'll change your whole world. People tell me they've never seen someone move like I can. Apparently it's… hypnotic."
Yasui smiled.
"Wow, you must be really good! Having such beautiful fur also probably adds to the show."
Glacier laughed coyly.
"You think I'm beautiful?"
Yasui nodded energetically.
"Absolutely! I've never seen a snow white wolf before. Are you from somewhere northern?"
Glacier nodded.
"Borealis City. I moved here three years ago."
"No kidding! I met a couple polar bears from there a few weeks ago. They were here on a beach vacation because compared to the Arctic Circle it's pretty warm, even in winter."
Glacier seemed a bit taken aback by this, but pressed onward. She stalked to Yasui's side and whispered, her lips practically tickling his ear.
"I do private dances too, if you want to."
Yasui turned to keep facing her, laughing sheepishly.
"Oh, I don't know if that's a good idea. I'm not that great of a dancer. Although I did take a lesson with a close friend of mine, her name's Diana, she's like an aunt to me. But we learned how to waltz, tango, and salsa dance."
As Glacier gave him a somewhat confused look, Yasui heard a familiar gruff voice from back the way he came.
"Yasui! Yasui, you moron! Hey!"
Yasui turned and saw Gouhin jogging up the street towards him. Yasui tilted his head in confusion.
"Doctor Gouhin? What are you doing here? Did I forget something?"
Gouhin immediately punched him in the shoulder.
"Dammit you punk! I told you to head straight back! Not to approach the first hooker you saw!"
Glacier gave Gouhin an angry look.
"Excuse me!"
Before she could continue, Yasui interjected.
"Doctor Gouhin, Glacier isn't a prostitute! She's a dancer! We were talking about what types of dancing we like. Apparently she's really good."
Gouhin pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Yasui, you jackass. She's a stripper! It's about as close to dancing as bricks are to flyin!"
Yasui turned his head and crossed his arms indignantly.
"She's an artist, and you should be respectful. I respect you because you're a doctor, even if you can be a bit grumpy."
Gouhin muttered murderously,
"I don't know which was more annoying, little mopy Yasui or big mood swing Yasui."
Their conversation was interrupted when a heavily accented voice rang out from the door of the club.
"Vut is going on here? Glacier, these guys give you troubles?"
Yasui watched in awe as a massive female polar bear wearing a cocktail dress and red lipstick approached. She was clearly middle aged, and her size made Gouhin look small. She was holding a cigarette on a long filter and took a long drag before giving Yasui and Gouhin a contemptuous look.
"You bother my gorls, I have no choice but to beat you up."
She held up a massive fist covered in jeweled rings. Yasui looked at the large accessories on her fingers and gulped.
"That looks painful."
The polar bear jerked her chin at him.
"Da, very painful. You are smarter than you look."
Glacier patted the larger female's hand placatingly.
"No, this interesting canine wasn't giving me any trouble. We were actually having a lovely conversation. This panda on the other hand…."
The polar bear narrowed her eyes at Gouhin, and Yasui felt his own blood go cold at the withering stare. She flicked ash from her cigarette.
"Something is familiar about you? What is name?"
Gouhin did his best to stand his ground, which must have been hard given he had to look up at the intimidating female.
"I'm Doctor Gouhin. I run the clinic down the street."
The polar bear nodded slowly.
"Da, that is vut I am remembering you from. One of my gorls got attacked by punk. You fix her up."
Gouhin tapped his chin.
"Oh yeah, from about three months ago. I take it you were responsible for putting the attacker in a coma with twenty-eight broken bones?"
The polar bear's lips curled into a smile.
"I vas. I am Zorya. I own Tundra Club."
Gouhin nodded, seemingly glad that the brewing crisis had been averted. Zorya turned her eyes on Yasui next. She held her hand out to him, palm down.
"And you, odd fox thing? Vat is your name?"
Yasui looked at her hand and then back to Zorya's face. Did she want him to shake her hand? No, she'd have held it palm sideways if that was the case. She also was clearly foreign, so maybe they did things differently wherever she was from. The only thing Yasui could think of was what he'd seen in a movie with Miss Diana one time. Yasui gently grasped her fingers and kissed the back of her hand.
"I'm Yasui."
Zorya chuckled deeply, looking amused.
"You are charming little creature. I like. So, tell Zorya, what species are you?"
Yasui sighed.
"That's complicated. I'm not entirely sure yet. Some sort of hybrid of a fox and something else."
Zorya pursed her lips, seemingly intrigued.
"Hybrid? Hmm… let me have look at you."
Gouhin and Glacier seemingly forgotten, or just ignored, Zorya looked Yasui up and down. She moved her finger in a circle.
"Spin around. Da, like that. Good boy. Hmm… open mouth, show me teeth. Ooh! Very nice. All clean and bright, da, is very good. Let Zorya feel your muscles."
Yasui held still, deeply confused as the polar bear squeezed his biceps and gently poked at his chest and stomach. Something about Zorya just made him think that saying no was a dumb idea. Maybe because she had shattered some poor sap's entire body. Finished with her inspection, Zorya nodded appreciably.
"Good musculature, not too skinny. Although not nice and burly like Doctor here. You vould make good dancer. Hybrid is exotic. We do ladies night on Tuesday and Thursday. Could use more male dancers."
Gouhin cleared his throat and clasped Yasui's shoulder.
"That's a very nice offer, but we need to get going. It was lovely to meet you."
Zorya smiled at Gouhin too, giving him a heavy lidded gaze.
"You vould be good dancer too. Lots of big muscles. If you ever need money, I can help."
Gouhin rubbed his hands on his pants and began to walk away.
"Very generous. Goodbye."
Yasui began to follow him when Zorya spoke.
"Yasui, vait a moment."
Yasui turned as she took a card from her purse. She kissed it, leaving a large red lipstick mark on it and handed it to him.
"If you change mind. I vould love to have you as dancer here."
Yasui accepted the card and grinned.
"Sounds like fun! I'll think about it, if I get some spare time. Bye, Miss Zorya. Bye, Miss Glacier."
Glacier wiggled her fingers and giggled as Zorya replied with a silky "Dosvedanya." As Gouhin and Yasui walked away, the panda sighed.
"Kid, are you just pretending to be dumb, or are you actually an idiot?"
"Hey! What does that mean?!"
"Do you seriously not know that she was a stripper?"
"What's a stripper?"
"A pole dancer? Somebody who twirls around a stage in her underwear for money?"
Yasui kept silent before replying.
"I did not know any of that. I haven't exactly met any strippers before."
Gouhin shook his head.
"Kid, you're the smartest idiot I know."
Yasui suddenly stopped in his tracks and gave Gouhin a dumbstruck look.
"Wait, was that wolf… flirting with me?!"
Gouhin shrugged.
"Sort of. She definitely didn't actually care about you, just wanted you to spend some yen."
"But, she flirted with me."
"Uh… yeah. So what?"
Yasui shook his head.
"I-I… nobody has ever flirted with me before. I guess now I actually look my age, or even a bit older, so maybe girls will actually notice me."
Gouhin raised his gaze to the heavens and sighed.
"Don't get carried away, Yasui. Although, you'll need to be careful in the same sense. People won't go easy on you since you don't look like a little kid anymore. So be careful about what you say and do. The world's a different place for adult carnivores."
Yasui hung his head and dejectedly kept pace with Gouhin. The panda did his best to ignore the hybrid's moping, but eventually he huffed.
"Spit it out. What's bugging you?"
"Well, life's going to be a lot different now. I wish this hadn't happened to me. I always hated how small and cute I was, but now I want to go back to that more than anything."
"Listen, you pansy." Gouhin growled. "Let me give you some advice. Who gives a damn? You aren't special. You've got problems? So does everyone else. You wish life was different? Join the club. Learn to face up to this crap instead of spending your time wishing everything was different."
Yasui laughed.
"Reminds me of something my… dad once said."
"Oh?"
"Y-yeah. Spit in one hand, wish in the other. See which gets full first."
There was silence for a while as they wound their way out of the back alleys and into the main part of town. Yasui grinned devilishly at Gouhin.
"I think that polar bear liked you though."
"Meh."
"C'mon. Do you really want to be a bachelor forever?"
"Tried doing this gig while being married before. Didn't work out."
"I didn't know you were married." Yasui said with a surprised expression. Gouhin sneered.
"Is it that hard to believe?"
"A bit. You seem too grouchy for a girl to go out with you."
"I oughta slug you, kid."
"But still, she seemed like your type. Big, confident, and able to hurt people. Maybe it's serendipity that you met her with me."
"And maybe we're back in the city proper and you should get lost, you punk."
Yasui shrugged and held out his hand to Gouhin.
"Thanks for everything, Doc. Let me know when that geneticist can see me."
"Yeah. Take care."
They clasped hands, with Gouhin giving Yasui a bone crushing squeeze. The hybrid winced as his knuckles popped and Gouhin chuckled. Finally, the panda turned and sauntered back into the dimly lit maze of the Back Alleys.
Yasui's trip back to Cherryton was uneventful. Everywhere he went people gave him weird looks and skirted around him. Parents moved their children to interpose themselves between Yasui and them, and some small herbivores even crossed to the other side of the street. To somebody watching the whole street, it probably didn't even seem like there was a disturbance. But Yasui definitely noticed the large bubble around himself at all times.
Yasui was thoroughly dejected as he climbed the hill to Cherryton's front gates. Once he reached the top he leaned over the short wall on the side of the road and stared out over the bay. He looked at the bridge, and the open ocean beyond it. He'd looked at this same view months ago when he'd first gotten here, and had been so nervous and excited. Now he just felt hollow and depressed. He'd been feeling better at Gouhin's clinic, but his walk through town had put him in a bad mood again.
With a sigh, Yasui turned and walked through the gates. He was definitely early, given how few students were walking around the grounds. The deadline to check back in was five tonight, and most people would probably be happy to wait to come back until the last minute. At least there weren't too many people to ogle at Yasui's new look.
Yasui made his way to the main office and went up to the window where the administrator sat. She was a dark feathered hen wearing large, winged glasses. She tilted her head as she saw him.
"Hello. Can I help you?"
Yasui took out his ID and slid it towards her.
"Checking back in."
She took the card and inspected it, looking from Yasui to the ID. Yasui suddenly got a sinking feeling. His school ID had been made before his growth spurt. So it said his old height and species. He also didn't look anything like his picture anymore. Yasui uncomfortably rubbed his neck.
"I, uh, had a bit of a growth spurt."
The administrator looked at him cautiously.
"Please take a seat. I need to speak to the headmaster."
Yasui nodded. If he were in her position he'd probably do the same thing. He sat in the chairs lining the hall and leaned his head back with a sigh. He idly fingered the scar around his eye. Fortunately it wasn't terribly large. It was just where his skin had split during his savage beating by the caiman. But still, it was pretty ugly. Yasui pulled out his phone and looked at his messages. He had still never replied to Shinrai. There had been so many things happening it had sort of been driven out of his mind. For a moment he considered calling his parents. They were probably worried.
(But… what would I say? "Hey, Mom and Dad. Should I even still call you that? Well, sorry I ran away. My head is a mess and I feel like I'm dying. Life sucks and I wish I hadn't been born. Anyway I'm back at school, but I just want to hide in a hole somewhere because I'm ashamed of my body. Have a good weekend!" It's just… I know that nobody will understand what I'm going through. I've never even met a hybrid.)
Yasui looked down at his phone. He had gone so far as to type the number in to call home, but then deleted it. He couldn't face them yet, he was still too ashamed. And if Yasui was being honest, he was scared of what they would say. He'd always been unobtrusive and obedient. He never had really done anything that bad as a kid, especially not compared to Yone. He didn't know what to expect.
(Coward. I'm such a failure.) Yasui berated himself. He could practically hear Gouhin yelling at him for having a "pity-party" as he'd called them. Yasui shook it off and moved on.
(Just don't think about it. Focus on something else. I'll text Shinrai.)
Yasui opened his texting app and sent a quick message to his best friend.
Y: Hey, Shinrai. Sorry I haven't texted you. I have been busy. No I'm not mad at you, so don't worry. Lots of things have been happening so I couldn't talk.
Yasui hesitated before adding,
Y: Some pretty bad things happened to me over the break. I look different now, and I'm worried I'll scare you. Please know, I'm still the same me. I just look different.
The door to the office opened and the same administrator looked out at him. She beckoned Yasui to follow her.
"Headmaster Gon will see you now."
Yasui followed her back to the Headmaster's office. Once inside, he found himself seated across from the older tiger once more. Headmaster Gon smiled at him.
"Hello. How are you today?"
Yasui looked down.
"I've been better. Uh, sorry. I've been better, sir."
Gon steepled his fingers and stared intently at Yasui. Yasui met his gaze before dropping his eyes. Gon turned his chair and looked at the wall behind his desk.
"What was the last thing I said to you?"
Yasui started.
"What was that, sir?"
"Our last conversation, what was the last thing I said to you?"
Yasui gulped and screwed his eyes shut. The last thing the headmaster had said to him. What was it? Had it been particularly memorable? Was it some meaningful piece of knowledge? Yasui sighed.
"Let's see. It was summer. I was talking to you about my club's booth for the Festival of the Meteor. And then there was something to do with that lion who's the head of the baseball team and that snobby deer in the drama club. Oops! Sorry, sir. I should be respectful towards my upperclassmen. But then… we had a conversation. And…."
Yasui noticed the headmaster's reflection in a trophy on the far wall. The tiger was grinning mischievously. And then it hit him.
"Oh… yeah." Yasui deadpanned. "The last thing you said to me was 'goodbye.'"
Gon burst out laughing and spun his chair around to look at Yasui.
"You'd be surprised how many people forget saying goodbye is still saying something! Thought I had you for a second! Nice to meet you again, Yasui."
Yasui looked at him hopefully.
"You mean, you recognize me?"
"Well I recognize your mannerisms and bearings." Gon replied. "Every time we talk you are extremely polite and formal. Manners to the extreme!"
Yasui deflated a bit.
"Oh… so you don't recognize me because I look somewhat like I used to. Just because I'm still weird."
Gon waved Yasui's comment off.
"Oh please! I recognize that scar too, and your fur color. And to correct you, the last time we spoke you were in the hospital. Remember?"
Yasui squinted.
"Uh… not really… sir."
Gon shrugged.
"Well, I'm not surprised. You had been comatose for a while and were on a lot of medication. I expected you to forget that conversation, if I was being honest. Oh! Speaking of that visit, I'm glad to see your eye has healed!"
"Yeah! I just got the patch off this week. It was a little bit of an adjustment going back to having two eyes again, but I'm back in the swing of things."
"Good to hear! Now, I don't want to take up anymore time so I'll let you go. I'm content that you are who you claim to be."
Yasui bowed his head.
"Thank you, headmaster. I appreciate it."
"Always so formal! Very well, off you go. Enjoy the next few days before classes start. I expect you to hit the ground running."
Yasui smiled at Gon and left his office. He always found himself liking the eccentric tiger every time he talked to him. He was like a strange uncle, or wacky grandfather.
Yasui finished his check in, where they made him a new ID and made his way back to the dorms. As he opened the door, Yasui looked around at the nearly vacant building.
(Feels like ages since I've been back here. Even though it's only been a few weeks.)
Yasui climbed the stairs and soon was back at his dorm room. It was empty, and had a fine layer of dust over everything. Yasui set down his bag and began straightening up his bunk and closet space. This is when he noticed his uniform. He pulled the clothes out and held them up to his body. Yasui winced.
(Crap. I totally forgot about my uniform. I need to get a new one, but the uniform shop might not have any in my size. I'm sort of a weird body style now. This is not good. I'll just have to go to the store today and hope they have something in my size.)
Yasui finished putting his things away and set aside all his old clothes that wouldn't fit anymore. He'd find something useful to do with them. It would be a shame to waste them all, and if there was something Yasui wasn't it was wasteful. He was slowly walking towards the stairs, not paying attention as he looked at his phone to check over the easiest route to the uniform shop when he heard a familiar deep voice.
"Huh? Yasui?!"
Yasui paused and looked behind him. He watched as Legoshi, followed by Jack, stepped out of their room. Jack looked confused.
"Buddy, that's not Yasui. Do you need to get your eyes checked?"
Legoshi frowned. He closed his eyes and sniffed the air, moving closer to Yasui. Finally, the wolf shook his head at Jack.
"No, it's him. I'm sure of it. He smells exactly like Yasui."
Before Jack could reply, Yasui stepped forward and hugged Legoshi. Yasui grinned happily.
"You have no idea how nice it is to be recognized! I was terrified nobody would recognize me now!"
Legoshi separated from him and looked him up and down, circling him a bit.
"You look a lot different. What happened?"
Jack spluttered in amazement.
"He doesn't just look different! He looks like a completely different animal!"
Yasui sighed.
"It's a long story, and I don't feel like retelling the whole thing. Everytime I do I get really sad. But, to be blunt, I found out that I'm a hybrid. Half fox, half… something."
Jack tilted his head.
"Wait, how can you not know what— oh…. Oh, Yasui, I'm so sorry. Is everything okay with your family or…."
Yasui held his hands up defensively.
"It's nothing bad! I'm just adopted! Which… also makes me sad."
Legoshi still seemed to be familiarizing himself with Yasui's new form as Jack pointed to their room.
"Do you want to come in? We can hang out for a bit. The rest of the guys will probably come straggling in around five or so."
Yasui nodded.
"Sure. But what are you two doing here so early?"
Jack shrugged.
"We both stayed over the holiday. We do it every year."
Yasui nodded. He remembered Legoshi mentioning something about not having much in the way of family. Legoshi sat down and stared at Yasui intently.
"So. How are you getting along with the whole being a hybrid thing? Anyone bullying you?"
Yasui grimaced.
"Well, people have been treating me weird in public and avoiding me. I'd hoped that with how many people there are here I'd stick out less. People really don't like hybrids here, don't they?"
Jack slumped over a bit.
"Yeah…. There's definitely a stigma attached to being a hybrid. It gets worse if there's an incident with a hybrid involved. About two years ago this hybrid bear went berserk and killed five people in the subway. People were protesting the government to make all hybrids register and have to undergo regular psychological tests. It was scary."
Yasui gulped and looked down at his hands.
"Is that… common? Hybrids going berserk?"
Jack gave him some sad eyes.
"Well… unfortunately. I've done a little research, and apparently hybrids are prone to genetic disorders and psychological issues. And some people use that against them."
Yasui sighed and rested his head on the table.
"The more I learn the more I hate that I'm a hybrid! Everyone's going to think I'm a freak!"
There was a pause before Legoshi spoke up.
"I don't think you're a freak. You've always been nice to me, and you're a pretty nice guy in general. So I won't treat you any differently."
"Me either!" Jack added. Yasui smiled at them.
"Thanks, guys. That makes me feel a little better. I just… I wish there was at least one other hybrid that attended school here. Then I wouldn't stick out so much."
There was a pause before Legoshi sighed.
"Well… there is."
"Hm? There is what?" Yasui asked.
"Another hybrid here." Legoshi continued. Yasui was surprised at how uncomfortable Legoshi looked. The usually stoic wolf seemed a bit… embarrassed. The large canid sighed.
"I don't like to talk about it, but… I'm one quarter komodo dragon."
Yasui took a moment to process that. He… had not seen that coming. Yasui gave Legoshi a suspicious look.
"You're not trying to pull my leg, right? Because at this point that would just be hurtful."
Jack butted in.
"No, he's serious. I've met his grandpa. Komodo dragon. I've always wondered if that's why he's so tall. And why his eyes are so intense."
Legoshi frowned and looked at Jack.
"You think my eyes are intense?"
"They can be a bit… much sometimes. Especially when you forget to blink."
Yasui shook his head, interrupting the two canines.
"So you're actually… part komodo dragon?"
Legoshi nodded.
"Yeah. I just don't talk about it. Same with my whole… family situation. I only told you because I felt bad for you. Uh… don't take that the wrong way."
Yasui sat back, bewildered.
"No offense taken! It's just… I never would have guessed! And don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I hate gossip."
Legoshi nodded his appreciation. Jack then fixed his attention on Yasui.
"So, what are you up to now? If you're free we can always hang out. By now Legoshi probably could use a break from me hovering over him all the time."
"Hm? Why would I need a break from you, Jack?" Legoshi queried. "We're best friends."
Jack laughed,
"I was joking, big guy."
Yasui shrugged and pointed towards the door.
"I need to go to the uniform shop. My clothes don't fit anymore."
Jack gave Yasui a worried look.
"Oh no! But the nearest store that sells these uniforms is closed today! They reopen on Monday!"
"But I can't wait until Monday! I'll get in huge trouble if I don't wear my uniform!" Yasui exclaimed. Legoshi tilted his head.
"You could wear one of my uniforms. It might be a little big on you, but it would fit well enough to get by."
Both Yasui and Jack stared at the wolf. Jack then looked Yasui over and rubbed his chin.
"You know… he's right. You're a bit shorter than Legoshi, and not as wide; but if you roll up the pants and shirt sleeves nobody would notice."
Yasui stood and looked at Legoshi. He was used to the wolf towering over him, but as Legoshi stood Yasui noticed that he actually was eye level with the larger boy's chest. Yasui smiled.
"You're right! It could work! And… you'd really let me borrow your clothes?"
Legoshi shrugged.
"They're just clothes. It's not like you're going to destroy them or get them dirty. At least, I hope you won't."
Yasui bowed his head.
"Thank you so much! I really appreciate this!"
"It's no trouble at all. Just get them back to me whenever you can."
Jack looked between the two and laughed.
"Geez, it's so weird to be shorter than Yasui now!"
Later that say, Shinrai was sitting in the cafeteria with Hikaru looking around nervously. Hikaru quietly helped herself to the pickles lying untouched on the squirrel's plate. As she chewed her prize, Hikaru leaned her elbow on the table.
"Why exactly are you so nervous? You're just meeting Yasui. It's not like you haven't done this a million times."
"Yeah, but something's up. Yasui said that he looked different and not to be scared of him. I'm worried."
Hikaru picked up Shinrai's cookie and broke it in half. She absently nibbled on one part as she observed Shinrai's nervous behavior.
"What exactly are you afraid of?" Hikaru asked. Shinrai shrugged.
"What if he got hurt and is all scarred and nasty looking. I'd feel terrible if I made him feel uncomfortable about it! Or maybe there was a complication with his eye and now it's gone! Or his arm could have gotten infected and he's a cripple now and he'll blame me for it because it was all my—"
Hikaru twisted Shinrai's ear. The squirrel squealed in discomfort and rubbed the sore extremity.
"Geez, Hikaru! That hurt!"
"Good. Snap out of it. Maybe he just went bald? You don't know, so don't go working yourself up over nothing!"
Shinrai sighed.
"Yeah, you're right. I just wish he'd show up already and stop keeping me in suspense!"
The two small animals were interrupted by a shadow falling over them. A deep voice called out,
"Hey, Shinrai. Hey, Hikaru. How was your break?"
They both looked up to see… something. It was a truly strange blend of fox and some other type of canid staring down at them. Shinrai's voice caught in his throat as the imposing figure stared down at him. Hikaru dropped her fork. They were both silent before the creature sighed.
"Yeah, sorry. Should have warned you a bit better. It's me, Yasui."
Shinrai stared at him in disbelief. This massive… thing… was Yasui?!
"Yasui? Is that really you?!"
The large carnivore nodded, still holding his tray.
"It's me. I know, I look pretty weird now."
Both Shinrai and Hikaru stared up at him in shock for a moment before Hikaru shook her head slowly.
"I just… how is that physically possible?! You're practically twice the size you were before Rexmas?!"
Yasui sat down and sighed.
"Well it wasn't pleasant. I was almost comatose for a few days, and when I was awake it was agony. And then there were the after effects! I was confused and moody and so clumsy! It's been an… adjustment to put it mildly."
Shinrai kept staring at Yasui before finally asking,
"So you're… a hybrid? You look like one, not to be rude."
"You're fine, Shinrai. That's what the doctors think, but I'm hoping to see a specialist soon to be certain."
Hikaru coughed.
"So, uh… does your family know who your… other parent is?"
Yasui made an "X" with his arms.
"Nothing like that! I'm adopted…. Which is also something I found it. To be honest, this break was terrible."
The conversation was muted after that. But then again, Yasui had expected it. That had been a lot of information to drop on his friend all at once. The silence was broken as they left the cafeteria. Hikaru said her goodbyes, leaving just Yasui and Shinrai on the walkway to the dorms. Yasui looked down at the squirrel and smiled wearily.
"Thanks for not screaming when you saw me. I know it was probably a little hard not to."
Shinrai frowned in response to that. He beckoned Yasui to lean down and nimbly clambered up to sit on Yasui's shoulder.
"Yasui, you looking different doesn't matter! So don't apologize or feel bad about it! Besides, I've always wanted a friend large enough to ride around on his shoulders. It always looked fun!"
Yasui laughed. A real, genuine laugh. One of the first he'd had in a few days. Yasui reached up and patted Shinrai's back.
"Glad to be of service, buddy."
[Later that day, Jan 5th. 11:30pm. The docks]
Rikimaru, former police chief, rubbed his eyes wearily as he stood waiting beneath a streetlight. It was cold and windy, with the wind causing larger than average waves in the port to crash against the stone walkway he was standing on, spraying him with icy seawater. The bloodhound turned up the collar on his coat and growled,
"I'm too old for this…."
His ears pricked as the faint *click* *click* *click* of footsteps on the stone came from down the street. Rikimaru turned and watched as Teressa, his tentative partner in his current investigation came strutting down the road. She was wearing a thick coat and had eschewed her usual dress for some jeans. However she still wore her high heels, which caused the clicking sound. Rikimaru shook his head.
"I've never understood you Inarigumi and your obsession with high heels. They seem impractical in a fight."
Teressa batted her eyelashes at him.
"They have uses that a male wouldn't understand. And besides, if a fight breaks out I have you to protect me."
Rikimaru glowered at her and shoved his hands into his pockets.
"Great…. So, did that creepy little lizard have anything worthwhile or have I been standing here freezing my tail off for nothing?"
"He came through, as he always does. Apparently there are some fur traders in a warehouse here that sometimes buy from The Fox Queen. If we can get a location from them, we're one step closer to our mystery art collector slash fur seller."
Rikimaru grunted.
"Well that's something at least. Lead the way."
Teressa smiled and slid her arm through his before inclining her head down the dock.
"Third warehouse from the end. Number twenty-three. Shall we?"
Rikimaru rolled his eyes but didn't pull his arm away. It was actually a smart move. To any outside observers they'd look like a couple out on a walk. A really dumb couple to be out in this weather, but a couple nonetheless. He had to bear in mind that this vixen was clever and skilled at manipulation. Teressa moved a bit closer and spoke quietly.
"So, tell me about yourself."
Rikimaru laughed.
"You serious? What, want me to tell you that I like long walks on the beach and a glass of chardonnay?"
"Do you?"
"No."
Teressa huffed.
"I meant how a police chief ended up working as a bouncer in a seedy nightclub."
Rikimaru grunted.
"That? Simple. Mayor asked me to lie, I refused."
"Is that all?"
"I… might have insulted him and then thrown something."
"Ah, that makes more sense."
"Happy now?"
Teressa pouted.
"You know, would it kill you to be a bit more friendly? If we're going to work together it might help if we were civil."
"You're a spy." Rikimaru grumbled. "I have to be careful what I tell you."
"A spy? Really?"
"It's close enough. I've been around the block enough to know someone who deals in subterfuge when I meet them."
Teressa squeezed his arm a bit.
"Keep walking. They have a lookout by the door. We'll go to the end of the road and cut around the back."
Rikimaru's eyes darted towards the warehouse. Sure enough there was a figure leaning against the wall, looking like a dock worker for all intents and purposes. But at this hour, he had no right to be there. Teressa was right.
They continued their stroll down out of the lookout's view before Teressa spoke again.
"For your information, I'm simply an information broker. A good one, but nothing more."
"You're Inarigumi, that's a little bit more than just a broker."
"I'm not officially a member. More of a… working partner. Ten and I go back, so I offer her my services in exchange for hers."
Rikimaru snorted before discreetly gesturing to an alleyway.
"Head that way and see if we can't cut through to the warehouse?"
"Looks promising. Wait until we're between street lamps."
They darted into the dark alley and crept stealthily back towards the warehouse. They managed to find a window looking into a dark office of the warehouse, and Teressa tightened her large purse across her body.
"Boost me up. I can get that window open and take a look around. If the coast is clear I'll unlock that door over there."
Rikimaru nodded and cupped his hands together. Teressa effortlessly stepped onto him and set to work on the window. As Rikimaru supported her weight, his arms began to burn a little bit. He was starting to get the shakes when he heard the window pop open and Teressa slipped inside. He sidled his way to the door and waited anxiously for Teressa. He could only hope there hadn't been an issue, because she was on her own.
Rikimaru was beginning to get nervous when he heard the handle turn and a familiar red furred face appear.
"C'mon. This way."
Rikimaru slipped inside and gently pulled the door closed. The warehouse was drab and dingy, with loads of boxes piled up around the walls. Rikimaru gently opened one up and made a grimace of disgust when he saw the contents. It was filled with tiger skin.
"This is definitely the place." Rikimaru whispered. Teressa nodded.
"You look around out here for anything of use. I'll go check the office."
Rikimaru nodded and set to work. He looked over any paper he could find for clues about the mysterious Fox Queen. He looked at shipping addresses, receiving orders, and even some random notes left on a corkboard by the door. Nothing of value anywhere. Rikimaru was about to go look for another room when one of the doors opposite where they entered slammed open. Three rather dubious looking animals came sauntering out, a jackal, a falcon, and a weasel. The falcon pointed at Rikimaru.
"Told you I heard something! There's a rat poking around our turf."
Rikimaru swore. He was out of practice. He watched warily as the three fanned out, approaching him from all sides. They had various weapons ranging from knives to crowbars. Rikimaru found himself wishing for his service weapon. Given how the odds were stacked against him, Rikimaru decided to level the playing field a bit. Before they could strike, he leapt towards the falcon. The avian squacked and tried to avoid the bloodhound, but Rikimaru had trained for these sorts of situations for years. He quickly punched the fragile joint of the falcon's wing while pulling it outward. The bones cracked with an awful crunch and the bird screamed as he fell to the ground. Bird's had hollow bones, which made them easy to shatter.
Rikimaru felt a searing pain as the weasel slashed with his knife, catching him on the arm. Rikimaru jumped backwards and held his arm up to block the blow he was anticipating from the jackal. Sure enough, the crowbar was whistling towards his head as he landed. Rikimaru managed to deflect the blow, but it still caused a glancing blow to his forehead. The disgraced police chief sucked in breath as his head throbbed with pain and a trickle of blood ran down his cheek. The three mammals circled each other once again. Now it was a matter of who flinched first.
Seconds passed as they warily eyed each other. However it was the weasel who flinched. With a clumsy lurch forward, the weasel stabbed out towards Rikimaru's ribs. The bloodhound backed away and retaliated with a quick jab to the face. Blood splattered from the weasel's nose as he staggered backwards. Rikimaru yelped in pain as the jackal's crowbar slammed into his side. Fortunately he was wearing a thick overcoat, but that still probably cracked a rib. The weasel tried to press the attack and slashed again. This time Rikimaru was ready and caught the smaller animal's arm. Rikimaru twisted the knife out of the weasel's grip and delivered a powerful haymaker to his attacker's jaw. The weasel's eyes rolled backwards and he slumped to the floor, unconscious.
Now, it was just Rikimaru and the jackal. They were similar in size, which gave the jackal the advantage given he was armed. However, Rikimaru had a few tricks up his sleeve. The dog backed away and seemingly caught his foot on the weasel. Immediately the jackal sprang forward to deliver the final blow, however Rikimaru pushed off of his bent knee and slammed into the jackal. The crowbar wielding thug gasped as a sharp blade slipped into his chest. He looked down in surprise at the knife protruding from his torso. Rikimaru had scooped the fallen weapon of the weasel up off the ground when he fell.
As the jackal staggered to the wall and slid down it clutching his wounded body. Rikimaru breathed heavily and held his battered side gingerly. He winced and limped his way towards the office. Whether they had found what they wanted or not, it was time to go. Rikimaru froze as a familiar clicking sound came from behind him. He slowly turned towards the sound and saw the falcon from earlier aiming a gun at him. One of the bird's wings was dangling awkwardly by his side, but his other held a handgun that was pointed straight at Rikimaru. The falcon gestured with the gun.
"Hands in the air, or I pump you full of lead!"
Rikimaru did as commanded. The falcon was breathing heavily through the pain as he waved his gun.
"I don't know what you're doing here, but I'm going to make you wish you never decided to fu—"
BANG!*
The falcon flinched before slowly looking down in shock as a blossom of red spread across his chest. The gun slipped from his grasp as he crumpled to the ground. Rikimaru turned to see Teressa holding a smoking revolver. She jerked her head towards the back door.
"C'mon. Who knows who heard that. Can you walk?"
Rikimaru grunted and limped as quickly as he could after her. While his legs weren't injured, his ribs burned with every breath and with every step agony seared up his side. That crowbar had definitely broken something. They hurried back into the alley behind the warehouse and Teressa jerked her head away from the docks.
"This way."
As the two canids ran, Rikimaru could hear voices coming from the other side of the warehouse. Whoever else had been operating this illicit business seemed to be aware something was going on. The next few minutes stretched into a torturous eternity for Rikimaru. Every breath, every step, every second brought a fresh wave of pain. Finally, Teressa stopped once they had put some distance between themselves and the docks. Rikimaru slumped against a wall and wheezed painfully, clutching his side. Teressa lifted his head and looked worriedly at him.
"You're hurt."
It wasn't a question. It was a statement of fact. One Rikimaru couldn't deny. He gasped.
"Took one to the ribs. Probably broke something."
Teressa looked around and nodded grimly. She moved to support some of Rikimaru's weight and pointed down a side street.
"There's a guy who can help down here. It's just two blocks away."
Rikimaru nodded, saving his breath. This time they took it slower, seemingly alone on the dark street. Rikimaru wasn't certain if the slower pace felt better, or worse. All he knew was that once all the adrenaline left his system he'd feel much worse. They stopped at a small drugstore and Teressa knocked on the door. There was a long pause before she hammered on the entrance again. A light flicked on and Teressa called out,
"Zushin, it's Teressa. Need some medical attention."
The door opened to reveal a male vulture with unnervingly wide eyes standing in the doorway wearing a bathrobe. The bird tilted his head and sized them up.
"Hmm… come in, come in. I was just about to sleep when you startled me."
Teressa helped Rikimaru inside and shut the door behind them. It was blessedly warm in the store compared to the icy temperatures outside. Zushin led them to a back room where there was a small room with an old table. The vulture gestured for Rikimaru to sit on the table and busied himself by getting out some medical supplies.
"Hmm, what injuries do you have? Besides that little gash on your head."
Rikimaru reached up and felt his head. He'd almost forgotten about that one in the heat of the moment. Slowly Teressa helped him out of his coat and shirt, leaving him shirtless on the table. Rikimaru grit his teeth.
"Got a cut on my arm, and something wrong with my rib. Probably broken."
Zushin scuttled over and peered down at Rikimaru. The vulture was seriously odd with his wide eyes and the way he kept his wings held up in front of his chest, like he was holding an invisible book. Zushin brought his head closer to Rikimaru's arm and then his side. The vulture clicked his beak.
"Hmm, yes yes. Very nice. Excellent blood coagulation and coloration. Bone structure is solid. Although nobody has as beautiful a skeleton as Miss Teressa here. I've begged her to let me have her skeleton when she dies. Such a beautiful work of art deserves to be displayed, not buried."
Teressa crossed her arms.
"Zushin. Can you patch him up?"
"Hmm? Ah, yes yes. Let me start with your head. It is bleeding the most. Hmm, would you mind if I have a little? It has a most appealing look."
Rikimaru gave Teressa a concerned look. The vixen shook her head.
"He's lost plenty already."
"Hmm. Such a shame."
As the vulture began cleaning and bandaging Rikimaru's wounds, the male dog peered over the odd avian at Teressa.
"So… are you and Zushin close?"
Teressa laughed.
"Not particularly. Zushin here prefers dead people to living ones any day. But it's always useful to know people with medical training all over. And Zushin is affordable."
Zushin bobbed his head.
"Hmm, be assured I will be collecting my payment once your canine companion here is treated."
Teressa sighed.
"Yes yes, I'll get ready."
Teressa moved across the room and began getting something out of one of the cabinets. Zushin moved to Rikimaru's arm and looked over at Teressa before bobbing his head again.
"Hmm, what a divine skeleton. Look at her, she's perfect."
Rikimaru gave the vulture a confused and somewhat disgusted look. Zushin vaguely gestured to Teressa.
"Graceful cheekbones, long legs, delicate hands, and a perfect hip to shoulder ratio. She's practically a model from a textbook."
Rikimaru nodded hesitantly as Zushin moved onto bandaging his ribs and applying a soothing poultice. The former police dog sighed as he felt some relief from his pain as the affected area went numb. Zushin gave Rikimaru two pills as well as a handful of them for later. After a while he was resting comfortably on a couch as Zushin moved over to where Teressa was. She had gotten out a blood drawing kit and rolled up her sleeve.
"How much do I owe you?"
Zushin steepled his feathers.
"Hmm, because it's you…. Six vials."
Teressa laid her arm on the table.
"Draw away."
Rikimaru watched in fascination as the vulture eagerly took a syringe and began to fill vials of blood. Teressa just looked at Rikimaru with mild annoyance as her blood was extracted. Finally, the sixth vial was filled and Zushin removed the needle and bandaged Teressa's arm. He placed five of the vials carefully in a refrigerator and unstoppered the sixth, licking his lips hungrily. Rikimaru watched in disgust as the vulture put the vial to his beak and drank Teressa's blood. Zushin's expression grew dreamy, like a food critic enjoying a pleasant meal.
"Hmm, such delicious blood. Type O negative, high red blood cell count, and refreshingly free of contaminants. Thank you for your patronage. I'll let you both rest on the couch until you feel up to leaving."
Teressa nodded wearily and moved to sit beside Rikimaru.
"Thanks, Zushin."
"Hmm, most welcome. Do let me know if you need any blankets or food. Your blood sugar will be low after giving all that blood."
Teressa shook her head and held up her purse.
"I have something to eat here. No need to stick around."
"Hmm… well alright then. Farewell."
And with that the odd vulture had shuffled off. Rikimaru heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs as Zushin made his way to the second story of the building. Apparently he lived above the store. Teressa pulled a protein bar out of her purse and held it towards Rikimaru.
"Want one?"
Rikimaru raised an eyebrow as she pulled a second one out. Teressa shrugged.
"Always be prepared. I have all sorts of useful things in this purse. Food, medicine, money, lock picks—"
"A gun." Rikimaru deadpanned. Teressa smiled and pulled the revolver out, opening the cylinder. She removed the spent casing and loaded another bullet with practiced ease.
"With how many crazies there are in this city can you blame a girl for having some extra protection?"
"Why do I get the feeling you didn't obtain that thing legally."
"I actually did." Teressa replied before handing him the weapon. Now that Rikimaru was holding the gun he could see that it was old. Teressa tapped the grip.
"Colt peacemaker, manufactured in the 1800's. Perfectly legal to own a historical firearm."
"Does the government know that you carry it around fully loaded?"
Teressa winked.
"What they don't know won't hurt them."
Rikimaru snorted and carefully inspected the revolver. It was definitely old, clearly a single-action. Which meant that it didn't fire particularly fast. However Teressa, or whoever she had paid to do so, had done a beautiful job refurbishing the piece. Rikimaru nodded approvingly and handed her the gun back.
"Bet you feel like a real gunslinger with that piece on you."
Teressa's eyes sparkled with mirth as she checked that the hammer wasn't cocked and spun the weapon like she was in an old Western.
"Yeehaw."
Rikimaru laughed and picked up the protein bar Teressa had offered him. He read the package.
"Chewy peanut butter crunch bar. Sixteen grams of protein."
Teressa hungrily ate her bar and gestured vaguely towards him.
"They're pretty good, and great for if you've just lost a bucket of blood."
"Touche."
Rikimaru turned the bar over in his hands as Teressa finished her snack and slipped her shoes off. Rikimaru watched as she rubbed her heels, which he noticed had been chaffed until they bled. Turns out running long distances in high heels wasn't exactly optimal. Rikimaru looked at Teressa and cleared his throat.
"Hey, uh, Teressa?"
"Yes?"
"I just… I wanted to thank you… for saving my life. If you hadn't shot that guy when you did, he probably would've…."
Teressa waved him away, seemingly indifferent.
"Think nothing of it. I can't have you dying on me this early into our serial killer hunt."
"I'm being serious. I owe you my life."
Teressa pursed her lips and gently stroked her chin. Finally she smiled.
"How about once I get an actionable lead from what I found tonight, you provide a nice dinner for us to look it over during. And you have to answer any questions I ask about you. Deal?"
Rikimaru shook his head.
"Really? That's what you want?"
"I'm curious about you! I tried to dig up some information about you but you dropped off the face of the planet for almost eight years! I don't like unanswered questions."
Rikimaru laughed.
"Fine. I guess I can't deny you that. Just let me know when."
Teressa nodded and leaned back against the couch, closing her eyes. Rikimaru grunted and adjusted his position as he slowly allowed himself to relax. He was beginning to drift off to sleep when Teressa said,
"And the food at your dinner had better be good, or I'll shoot you myself."