I wanted to make something clear from the last chapter, but I'm going to explain it in the story anyway. Please enjoy this chapter and have a safe holiday.

-MalMetal

CHAPTER 43: Old Scars

"Melon, do you know why I named you that?" A female cheetah stood tall over her small, frail-looking hybrid child who hadn't yet understood her words. The woman was lanky and long-limbed, her leopard print's beauty showed brighter than normal, and her fur was full. Her eyes were squinted like a gazelle trying to hide its presence from a predator. She stood in her underwear, looking down at her child she'd just clothed for his school day. Smiling at him like a prize she'd won at a fair, a prize won by someone she loved, like a boyfriend, husband, or crush had given it to her. She smiled and told Melon what his name meant. Those were the last words she spoke before she died right in front of the child who wandered into the Black Market the same day.

Melon charged forward and countered Leon's quick draw. He was pushed back. The strength difference was clear as day. He felt his left paw vibrate as his knife clashed with the sword. It was like he got hit by a bat head-on, with just a small barrier blocking full contact.

"Fighting up close won't work, I should've known that much." Melon dodged Leon's second swipe at him. He backed away, taking in the narrow space again. Leon lured him here for a reason: to close off his options and keep the fight a close-quarters one. Melon looked overhead at other animals, watching the battle from their windows like it was a rare spectacle.

"You keep running! Is that all an herbivore like you can do?!" Leon yelled.

"Be quiet, I'm thinking of how to kill you quickly!" Melon retorted as he revealed his right hand to pick up some dirt while dodging under another attack. Twisting around, he threw dirt into the cheetah's eye as he prepared to swing again. Melon got to his feet to slit Leon's throat, but he was forced to avoid it again because of a small blade pulled by the cheetah that sliced through his sweater.

"Even if I were blind, deaf, and couldn't touch anything, I'd know where you are. You've got such a distinct scent while you sweat, trying to keep yourself alive." Melon reset himself, smirking at the challenge in front of him.

"You're the fourth closest to Miso, but you're this strong? Now I have to kill the other three."

"Don't worry, the difference between us is small—just differences in swordplay skill or hand-to-hand skills. Honestly, I'm more impressed by you. Tell me your name so I know who I'm eating."

"No," Melon said with a small chuckle. The cheetah rubbed his eye to wipe away the dirt, opening it, he stopped Melon's rush, but he was empty-handed. Using this to his advantage, Melon moved swiftly as a snake, striking Leon in the stomach. He focused his strength into his arms to emulate a panda's arms. His imagination of this unparalleled strength in his eyes came forth to send two shocks through Leon's body, forcing him to his knees. His attacker stumbled, feeling the backlash of the attack, it was completely beyond his body's normal limits.

"Wha-what was that?!" Leon felt it was hard to breathe.

"Something an old beast taught me." Melon pulled his knife again, ready to kill, but he was stopped by a strong grip around his wrist.

"Still doing odd jobs, huh?" Gohin's grip was impossible to try to shake off, so Melon dropped his knife into his other hand. Gohin jumped away to avoid the strike.

"Fast as usual," Melon stated.

"You've gotten sloppy. Is the prey not fun enough for you anymore?"

"I pay my bills with animals' lives. You tell me if I still think it's fun." Melon felt his wrist. It was slightly swollen, nothing that would impede his fighting ability, though. Before the two could go any further, garbage rained down on them, especially on Gohin, who blocked any residue from the trash using his jacket's hood.

"Go back to your clinic!"

"We don't wanna see your face around here!"

"I hope that gazelle cuts you to pieces!"

"Rip that panda apart!"

All of those insults were just noise to Gohin. He didn't have a single weapon in hand, only his paws, muscles, and well-trained techniques to guide him through this encounter. Melon settled into his position again, making sure he stayed smaller than the panda. Once they were prepared, Gohin threw an empty can at Melon, who knocked it away in time to dodge a left straight from his blind spot. Gohin used his right to prevent Melon's knife strike and swiftly planted his left elbow into the side of the hybrid's head. The blow was a bit disorienting, making way for Melon to deliver an unexpected kick to the chest. Separated once again, the trash stopped falling as the onlookers were simply focused on the display unfolding beneath them.

"I thought there was another animal stalking me."

"You didn't exactly make it too hard. I'd been tailing you since you left the neutral area."

"I thought I was emitting enough bloodlust to keep the dumbasses away, but a beast like you would be happy to hunt me." Gohin could tell Melon was being a bit sarcastic.

"Of course, you're a danger who needs to be rehabilitated before you do any more harm."

"Then why don't you take in the four big bosses? They cause more harm than I ever could."

"Because I know that I can still save you." Melon's eyes narrowed, and he wanted to crack a tooth from his anger.

"You'll die if you show me mercy or hesitate. I promise you, I won't."

"You really are an adult, huh?" With that, the hybrid charged in, pulling a gun from his right pocket. He fired two rounds that missed because Gohin moved before the bullets fired. He swung his left arm, missing Melon's jaw, then grabbed his opponent's knife arm at the tricep. He pulled Melon closer into a right gut punch that brought him to a knee for only a second before Gohin smacked the gun from his paw. He grabbed Melon's sweater and threw it to the ground. He was surprised for a moment as Melon landed a blow to his right cheek from behind.

"If you keep this up, you'll tear up your muscles," Gohin said, rubbing his jaw.

"Why don't you come closer to see if I'm broken?"

"You'll just run away like you did last time, so what's the point? Go ahead, I won't stop you. You've given me quite a few animals to take care of as is." The panda threw Melon his sweater. "The next time I find you, I'll drag you back kicking and screaming like I used to."

"Some doctor, you've always sounded like a kidnapper when you talk like that. I guess I'll have to lay low and train myself up again in the meantime." Melon slipped into his clothing before walking away. Gohin looked into the alleyway to see three of his assistants taking back the now sedated meat addicts. He turned his attention to Leon, picking him up gently and walking him in the direction of the Madaragumi hideout.

"Why'd you save me?"

"I've known that beast for a while, so once I saw him, I knew he'd be up to no good."

"Should've killed him."

"I don't get to decide who lives or dies. I just save who I can. That's what a doctor does." Leon processed Gohin's message in silence. However, Gohin had one more question that Leon did answer, albeit against his better judgment. From that point on, the two remained in silence and waved away any animals that looked like they wanted to attack. The two safely made it to the Madaragumi base, where Leon was turned over to his comrades, and Miso came down to meet Gohin.

"You saved one of our own. Why?"

"I just happened to come across him about to be killed, that's all."

"Do you mind telling me who did it?"

"It doesn't matter they've run off to hide somewhere, but I do want to ask you a favor." Miso's eyes narrowed. "Pull out of the honorable feast against the Shishigumi. It's a problem for the Black Market that I don't want to deal with if things get out of hand."

"That's a big ask."

"You'll be getting your share of Shishigumi's territory no matter what, so let it go."

"Do you really think I'll give a damn, honey lover, that because you saved one of my own?" Miso stepped up to Gohin, who was completely unfazed.

"They're your family, and you have honor." Miso drew his sword and pointed it at the doctor's nose. He studied those black voids for eyes every panda had. The scar on Gohin's face could tell a few words on any other, but for Gohin, it told a thousand words.

"Tch, you always have that damn look on your face. Get the hell outta here." Miso sheathed his sword and walked over to Leon.

"Ugh… I'm sorry,e Miso."

"Don't worry about it. We'll just have to train you up some more. Rest up, I'll whip you into shape for Meat Day."

Stepping outside, Gohin lit a cigarette and made his way out of The Deep. No one dared mess with him because of his known skills, but they certainly did not after he helped Leon. His thoughts drifted to Melon, thinking of how much taller he'd gotten and how thin he was now. The faint strawberry taste of his cigarette was nostalgic and a reminder of when he was supposed to stop smoking four years ago. He motioned to spit the cigarette from his mouth, but a paw kept it on his bottom lip.

"If you waste cigarettes, you'll never get your money's worth out of this crappy brand," Kyuu said on her tippy toes. She was wearing a small mask with tinted glasses and

"It's my money, let me spend how I want."

"Whatever's wrong, crying won't help." Gohin took a hit from his cigarette.

"Right."

"So what'd you ask him?"

"To pull out from the honorable feast, and he will. Hopefully, that kid gets the message."

"If he doesn't, I'll convince him. Either way, this whole thing is over with. Now you can focus on your work again." Kyuu looked at the doctor, who puffed his cigarette again.

"I'm heading back, are you gonna stay the night?"

"No, I need to go meet San in The Deep."

"Make sure you two stay safe." Kyuu looked at the panda with wide eyes.

"You saw him?!"

"I came across him by accident. Just come and stay at the clinic for the night. Tell San to stay where he is."

"I'm going." Gohin softly grabbed her shoulder.

"He's long gone by now. I couldn't stop him because I had to make sure my assistants were safe."

"We have to stop him."

"Kyuu-" The rabbit slapped the doctor's paw away.

"Let him go."

"I did. So don't tell me what you want to hear. Let's go back to the clinic. I could use your help in case any of the patients cause too much trouble." Gohin turned his back.

"What're you gonna do if you see him again?"

"Bring him in like I'd do for any other animal that's my job as a doctor." Gohin kept walking. Kyuu let out a sigh and called San. A gentle, upbeat voice answered her. San is a moderately fit alpaca with fluffy fur that looks a bit pointy on his cheeks and large eyes. He was dressed in a custom-made tracksuit that he and Kyuu made together under Gohin's watch. It took them over a month to get them right.

"Hey, Kyuu."

"Hey, I'm not coming by tonight, so stay put until tomorrow morning."

"Staying at the clinic tonight?"

"He saw Melon again."

"Oh… is he doing okay?"

"He's probably going to pull an all-nighter again."

"Try to make sure he gets some sleep. Slip him some sedatives if need be I packed some into your bag."

"I saw them. I wanted to ask why you're always packing me drugs?" San chuckled a little bit.

"Sorry, I don't want you to be angry. I just wanted to make sure you're feeling okay before sleeping."

"I don't need you to make sure I'm fine. I can take care of myself."

"I know, but sometimes you overdo it. Don't take too many of those drugs, or your organs will fail, okay? Also, about three or four of those sedatives should put Gohin down; be sure to grind them up in his coffee." San walked around his old cell when he was livestock, found a book he was looking for, and sat down on a very old mattress with a pillow and blanket. "Otherwise, is everything okay?"

"Yeah. I'll call you later if I've got questions about the sedatives, alright?"

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow." San hung up the phone, leaving Kyuu to follow behind the panda who'd disappeared into the populated streets of the Black Market. Feeling the soft isolation, she stopped to think for a moment. Calming her nerves, all she could do was move on. Taking a step towards the clinic, one thing came across her mind.

"If you can't. I will."