Chapter 49: Walls

It was Sunday afternoon, and Shinrai hurriedly smoothed his fur as he looked in the mirror. He usually didn't care about his appearance at all, and it showed. His fur was unruly and tangled all over, and desperately needed a trim. His tail had knots and split ends throughout the entirety of its length. And his clothes were rumpled and wrinkly because he had never bothered to fold them. All in all, he looked like crap.

(Great, just great. You'd have thought someone would have warned me I looked like garbage before this! I mean, what sort of friends have let me run around looking like this?!)

The thing was, today Shinrai actually did care about how he looked. Because today was his first date with Hikaru. Sure, they'd been "dating" for a little bit now… and by that he meant maybe a week give or take depending on how tight of a definition of "dating" you had. But today was the first actual date where the two of them were going to go get a meal and do stuff together that wasn't playing video games or watching movies. Needless to say Shinrai really didn't want to screw it up.

Shinrai looked at his clothes again and grimaced. Was this really the best he had to wear? Jeans and a wrinkled graphic t-shirt that had a small chocolate stain on the sleeve? The problem was he'd put off doing his laundry for too long, and this was the only shirt he had that didn't reek like a locker room. Desperate to do something to class it up, Shinrai grabbed a somewhat clean button down uniform shirt and pulled it on over it to wear unbuttoned like cool guys did in anime. With a nod, Shinrai turned and examined himself again before throwing his coat on.

"Better."

It wasn't much, but it showed he was putting in effort. The real problem was, Shinrai had never been on a date before. How was he supposed to act? What were they supposed to talk about? Serious stuff? Their dreams and aspirations? More… romantic stuff? There was so much Shinrai didn't know about this, and no time to learn. Even if he did know who to ask.

(Well that's really the problem isn't it. I don't know anyone in a serious relationship who I could ask advice from! Well, there is my sister, but I'm not asking her for dating tips! She's a girl, and I need dude advice. My brother and I… well we don't exactly talk much. There is no way in Hell I'm asking Dad about this. And the only relationship Yasui has is the weird one he has with the leopard lady that's just way too confusing. Like, are they just friends? Something like an adopted family? Or is he her little boy-toy and whenever he stays with her it's because they're getting down and dirty freaky style.)

Shinrai pulled a face. The thought of Yasui having sex was just… weird. Like, he couldn't imagine anyone doing it with someone that doofy. How would you keep a straight face?

(He'd probably be all "Am I doing it right? Do you want me to slow down? Are you having fun? Want something to eat?" Gosh, I have got to stop thinking about this!)

Shinrai grew more and more nervous as he walked towards the front of the school grounds. It was Sunday, and a very overcast and chilly one too. Because of this, almost nobody was outside. Just idiots like Shinrai who couldn't just let things stay how they were. Instead, he had to insist on taking Hikaru out for a real date. Him and his big mouth.

Speaking of Hikaru, the fennec fox was standing beside the front gate wearing a thick coat and hat with a long red and white striped scarf wrapped around her face and neck. She rubbed her arms and shifted from foot to foot, clearly not enjoying the weather. If there was one thing Shinrai's girlfriend didn't like, it was the cold.

"T-took you l-l-long enough!" Hikaru said through chatting teeth. "I'm f-f-freezing my tits off out here!"

"Wow, that's a lot to freeze." Shinrai said with a grin. Hikaru scowled at him, but he just grinned. She was sensitive about her… upper region. Which was something Shinrai didn't understand. How could anyone be embarrassed about having the most jaw-dropping kahunas ever? Which was something Shinrai told her over and over, because it was true. Then she'd get all blushy and say he was embarrassing her, and he couldn't understand because he was a guy.

"Alright, Shinrai. W-where are we going?" Hikaru impatiently said. Shinrai gestured towards the gate and the two began walking. As they headed down the hill, Shinrai looked at Hikaru and grinned.

"You… uh… look really… great?"

"I'm l-literally wearing, like, f-four layers of clothing, dumbass. Y-you can't see anything."

"Well I still think you look great."

Hikaru rolled her eyes, but Shinrai could tell she was trying not to smile. She really liked to act like she was snotty and rude, but Shinrai could tell she was actually pretty soft on the inside. Especially when she watched animated movies and would start crying… just… constantly. Hikaru shuddered and glowered at Shinrai.

"But s-seriously. W-Where are we g-going?"

"To an actually nice restaurant. Well… somewhat nice. Like, better than fast food but not too expensive."

"I t-thought you were broke. You t-talk about never having money."

Shinrai grew an embarrassed look and coughed into his fist.

"I, uh, sorta… borrowed a few yen from Yasui."

"Ah. H-how is your boyfriend doing, anyway?"

Shinrai shrugged.

"Apparently not great. He's staying with that Diana lady for a bit. Apparently there was an accident or something."

Hikaru nodded as they reached the bottom of the hill. Shinrai directed them to the left and they headed off towards the city. As they passed several small buildings and housing complexes, Hikaru turned a mischievous look to Shinrai.

"S-so they, like, totally bone, right?"

"Huh?!"

"Y-Yasui and that Diana chick. T-they totally eff, right? I-I mean, they're just… so oddly close to each other. And she is weirdly hot for an older lady. I m-mean have you seen her ass?! I'm a chick, and even I was like 'damn, she's kinda g-got it going on.'"

Shinrai rolled his eyes.

"No way. They, like, act like they're family. Nothing more. Sometimes I think she treats Yasui more like a pet than anything else, honestly. She's just lonely, and Yasui has mommy issues. Perfect match."

"Yeah, b-but you've seen how… touchy they are, right? They're very comfortable with each other, like, hugging and patting each other."

Shinrai pulled a face and shot Hikaru a deadpan look.

"This is Yasui we're talking about. Pretty sure he doesn't even know what sex is. Besides, Miss Diana doesn't strike me as a pervert who'd do it with a teenager. And it would be illegal… I think."

Hikaru shrugged.

"Not really. You just have to be sixteen as far as I've heard. Although they are looking to raise the age to eighteen, if they haven't already. Besides, I think Yasui might be older than seventeen. He's probably closer to eighteen if you ask me."

"What makes you think that?!"

Hikaru began counting with her fingers.

"One, he has no birth certificate. Two, he was a runt for most of his life, so he's always been small. His birth mother probably left him with his adoptive parents when he was a year old. And three, wasn't he always noted as being advanced for his age? What if he was just a year older than everyone thought. There's no way to tell."

Shinrai went wide-eyed.

"Oh my gosh you're right. He could be older than he thinks he is. Dang, that's a weird thought. Like, imagine not knowing how old you are? Kinda feel sorry for the guy now, and the whole… mother abandoning him thing. Geez, now I get where the mommy issues come from. But hey, how about we stop talking about this so I don't throw up?"

Hikaru sniggered. She really did have a somewhat weird sense of humor at times. Finally, the two reached a building with a sign that claimed it was "The Fondue Palace" in bold letters. Shinrai pointed.

"Whaddya think? Fancy, right?"

"Fondue?"

"It's bread and stuff you dunk in melted cheese. And then fruit you dunk in sweet stuff for dessert. It's from, like, France or something. I dunno, somewhere in Europe."

"Oh my gosh, I love cheese. I'm going to stick my whole hand in there and just lick it off."

Shinrai opened the door for her, and while he was behind her he pumped his fist in victory. He'd hoped she had liked cheese. She'd had a lot of it in her fridge back when he visited her home, so he'd assumed so. They were quickly ushered to a table and given menus. Since neither had eaten fondue before, they just ordered something at random and chatted while they waited for their food to arrive.

"So…." Shinrai said hesitantly. "What, uh, what should we talk about?"

"Have you seen the trailer for the next 'Wildlands Apocalypse' game?"

"Uh, yeah. Looks freaking nuts. Post-apocalypse meets wizards and crap."

Hikaru snorted.

"Although of course they had to have the typical carnivore-fetish bait in there with that lion barbarian lady in the tiny loincloth. I swear, in every game with female carnivore characters we're always depicted as dumb, brutish sex objects. Can't we have some herbivore chicks be the stupid amazonians obsessed with 'snu-snu' for once?"

Shinrai shrugged.

"It didn't seem too bad to me. I mean, games are always doing junk like that. They make lots of carnivore guys burly jocks."

Hikaru snorted.

"Okay, name one game, show, or movie where a female carnivore has been more than just a pair of breasts that can talk. They always make the carnivore chick a dumb slut who's either evil or just plain stupid. They'd never pull that with a female herbivore, because if they did, everyone would be up in arms over it."

Shinrai sucked on his teeth and held his hands up placatingly.

"Okay, you've made your point. Not a fan of the trailer. So… uh… how's your… mom?"

Hikaru raised an eyebrow.

"She's fine… how about yours?"

"She's good."

Silence fell over the table. Shinrai rubbed his hands together nervously as he tried to think of what to talk about. What made for good date conversation? What did ladies like to talk about? Shinrai decided to take a stab in the dark.

"So… tell me about your goals and dreams. Like, what do you want to do with your life?"

Hikaru crossed her arms.

"Gee, I don't really know. I'm not exactly overflowing with skills that are leading me towards a career path. I mean, let's face it, I'm a bit of a weirdo. And that type of thing doesn't fly well here in Japan."

"Hikaru, you're not a weirdo."

The fennec fox arched an eyebrow.

"Shinrai, I make the worst decisions possible for no apparent reason other than I impulsively make them. Like when I flashed you the other day because for some stupid reason I thought it would be funny. Like, who does that?! Immediately after I regretted it and was trying to play it off."

"Well… it led to us going out together. So that's a good thing, right?"

"I mean, yeah, but my point still stands. I just… don't fit in here. I guess, maybe I'd want to go somewhere more… relaxed. Where you don't get judged for every little thing, and where females are treated with more respect. I dunno, maybe I'll move to Australia or somewhere in the weat. Somewhere warm at the very least."

Shinrai licked his lips.

"So… you want to leave the country someday?"

"Maybe… I dunno, I think it would be better than here. How about you? Are you happy living in the same city for the rest of your life?"

"Well my family are all here." Shinrai said.

"Yeah I know, same for me. It's just… I want to see the world at least a little before I become too old and too busy to ever do anything but work. Who knows, maybe I'll study abroad after highschool. Spend a few years outside the country and then come back."

Shinrai looked down at his thumbs. She had plans and ambitions, things she wanted to do. He barely thought past the next video game he wanted to play or movie he was going to see. It made Shinrai feel childish and a bit stupid. Was he really that shallow? Did everyone else think about the big picture and he was an immature moron who just lived in the now? It was a troubling thought.

The food arrived, and Shinrai picked up his little skewer to dip some bread and vegetables in cheese with decidedly lacking enthusiasm. Hikaru noticed, and tilted her head.

"Are you… upset about something?"

"No, just… I feel a little immature hearing you talk about your goals and plans. Same with Yasui and my siblings. Everyone else seems to know what they want to do, and have plans to get there. But I don't know what I want to do at all."

Hikaru waved his comment off and took a bite of bread with cheese.

"C'mon, you have goals. I mean, what do you want to study in college?"

Shinrai shrugged.

"I don't know. I haven't thought about it yet."

"Well you probably have picked a school you want to apply to, right?"

Shinrai rubbed his face and leaned against the table.

"I don't even know if I want to go to college. I don't exactly like school, and I'm not very smart. So what's the point?"

"Okay… but what would you do instead? Like, do you want to just go into a trade like a mechanic or repair technician or something like that?"

Shinrai let out an exasperated huff and crossed his arms.

"Hikaru! I don't know! Stop making me feel like an idiot!"

"Sorry, I wasn't trying to!" Hikaru said, hurt oozing from her voice. Shinrai sighed. This was going terribly. What had he expected? He sucked at talking about serious issues. All he cared about was dumb pop culture stuff and internet jokes. He was a pathetic manchild, and he'd probably end up one of those losers who lived with their parents their entire life playing video games and never doing anything. Shinrai could just see it now, himself as a greasy NEET with no reason to live.

The date continued to go worse and worse. Everything they talked about seemed to spawn an argument or disagreement. As they talked, it felt more and more like they were the most incompatible people in the world. Shinrai felt his stomach clenching with dread. It all felt screwed up beyond repair now. Hikaru had to hate him by this point, and he couldn't blame her. Most of the issues sprang from his blatant lack of ambition or drive to do anything positive with his life. And to think, he'd started this year of school so determined to improve himself. When had he gotten so lazy? Shinrai was actually disgusted with himself. Had he really abandoned his desire to become a better person as easily as that?

Shinrai and Hikaru didn't talk as they walked back to campus. They said goodbye awkwardly and headed in opposite directions. Shinrai could feel a breakup happening. He'd managed to have a girlfriend for all of a week and some change before ruining it. Shinrai knew his sister would laugh at him for bumbling this so badly. She had always teased him about how bad with girls he was.

As Shinrai got to his dorm room, he angrily threw his coat across the room and gripped his head in both hands. He looked around for his backpack, determined to do something productive and study. Shinrai had to get a hold of himself and get better. He didn't want to be a loser! But after a frantic minute of searching, Shinrai realized he'd left his bag in the room above the auditorium where he and Hikaru had spent most of their time together.

(Great. Just great. Guess I'll go get it. I'm such a scatterbrained dummy.)

To say Shinrai was thoroughly bummed out was an understatement. Shinrai couldn't believe how poorly his date had gone. Practically every single aspect of the date had been a disaster from start to finish. But he didn't know how to try to salvage any of it after the fact. Maybe he could try giving Hikaru something? But should they even be dating if they were that different?

As Shinrai entered the small room above the auditorium, he froze when he saw Hikaru sitting with her knees under her chin on the large bean bag chair. She turned and looked sadly towards him.

"Oh… hey."

"Hey." Shinrai clipped back. He tapped his leg a few times before pointing at his backpack where it was by the small television.

"I, uh, came for my bag. I forgot it."

Hikaru nodded and turned her gaze back to the floor. Shinrai shuffled over to his bag and picked it up. He stood there for a moment, watching the fennec fox. With a sigh, Shinrai moved towards the door. But before he left, he glanced back at Hikaru.

"Listen. I'm sorry about how terrible that date was."

Hikaru laughed.

"Don't be. It's my fault for being so ass at talking about literally everything. I always get ranty whenever I'm nervous, especially when I try to talk about important things, and I don't realize it until afterwards."

"And I'm sorry for getting all whiny and butthurt! Gosh, I get so annoyed with how pathetic I get when I don't know what to say. I end up sounding like a grade-A moron."

Hikaru laughed.

"I guess we both screwed the date up a bit. So… what now?"

"I dunno." Shinrai said with a shrug. "What do you want to do? If you think we're too incompatible to be together, I understand. I mean, maybe we only have video games and movies in common?"

Hikaru rubbed her legs.

"But… I do like dating you. And maybe we just have to learn more about each other before we get better at being serious. You know."

Shinrai nodded, relief flooding his body. It seemed like things were smoothed out for now. But what came next? Were things still awkward between them after this terrible date? How long until it felt normal again? Hikaru pat the bean bag beside her.

"Wanna sit? We can hang out for a sec if you want."

Shinrai accepted the offered seat and stared at Hikaru. The fennec fox raised an eyebrow.

"What's up?"

"I just… I don't know how to be serious. I want to be serious with you, and have a deep relationship. But I just can't seem to stop acting like a child! All I can talk about is video games and crap like that. Does that bother you?"

Hikaru laughed.

"Does it bother you that I'm super weird? Because I'm almost always embarrassed by how weird I act on impulse. Like, part of me thinks you'll get tired of me being a freak and leave."

"Hikaru, I like the type of weird you are. I like that you are opinionated and have goals and strong beliefs. I wish I had half the conviction you did, but I just can't stop being a goof up."

Hikaru crossed her arms and grinned.

"Well I wish I was more like you and was able to just… live in the moment sometimes. You know, just relax and have fun."

"I guess we're both each other's favorite type of weird." Shinrai said with a grin. Hikaru nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I like that. So… are we good? You still wanna date me?"

"I am if you are."

Hikaru laughed and hugged the squirrel. They sat there, enjoying each other's company a moment longer before Hikaru ran a claw down Shinrai's chest.

"You know… if you wanted to try… you know… getting intimate… I'd be willing to give it a shot. See how we like it."

Shinrai's pulse quickened as he looked down at the fennec fox.

"You mean… have… sex?"

Hikaru blushed.

"I-If you want to. I've just… never done it before and the mood seems right. You know, since we've been being open with each other. Or if you think it's a bad time we can wait! I just… don't really know when we should."

Shinrai felt his body go cold. Was this the time? Should he do this? Was he about to lose his virginity? Or was it too soon? When in the dating process should they first… do it? Shinrai nervously tapped his fingers on his knee.

"Well I dunno. If you think it's a good time, I guess we can… do it. I don't want to pressure you or anything."

Hikaru rubbed her arms and looked shyly away.

"I mean… I think it's okay. We know each other pretty well, and we both agree we really want to make this a real relationship. So yeah, let's do it. And besides… I'm sorta tired of being one of the only girls I know who hasn't had sex yet."

Shinrai just sat there, watching Hikaru. The fennec fox did the same, both clearly waiting for the other to make the first move. Shinrai gulped and shifted on the beanbag.

(Now I get why Yasui was always cagey and nervous about this stuff. It seems so easy in all the videos I've seen. But now, I'm terrified! What if I suck at this?)

Hikaru crossed her legs and gave a weak attempt at a laugh.

"What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?"

"Sorry, it's just… I don't really know how to get started. And… I'll admit I'm a little nervous."

Hikaru looked slightly disappointed.

"Because I'm a carnivore? I guess I understand. It's natural for you to be worried I'll accidentally hurt you. I guess this was a little… impulsive."

"Oh nah, not that. I'm mainly just worried I'll really suck at this. I don't want my— our first time to be total trash."

Hikaru laughed, a real laugh this time.

"From what I've heard, almost everyone's first time is terrible. Sorta part of the process, I guess."

Shinrai picked at his shirt, trying to decide his next move. Did he just… take his clothes off? Or should they move somewhere else with a bed?

(I mean, is a dusty storage room the best place to get our freak on?)

"Do you want to stay here, or go somewhere else?" Shinrai asked, gesturing around the room. Hikaru scrunched up her snout, narrowing her beetle-black eyes as she did.

"I mean, it's a little lacking in the romance department. But it's private so that's good. I don't exactly want someone stumbling over us while we're screwing."

"Wait, where do people here usually go to have sex?"

"I dunno." Hikaru said with a shrug. "I think they just find somewhere a bit private and drop their pants. Apparently a couple got busted screwing in the bushes near the back of campus."

Shinrai burst out laughing.

"How romantic. 'Hey girl, wanna meet me behind the athletic field so we can use the sex bush?'"

"And who said chivalry is dead." Hikaru snorted. "Almost as romantic as giving somebody head under the bleachers."

"Oh geez, I forgot about that! Didn't they get expelled?"

"Just suspended. But I'm pretty sure they almost got expelled and just barely managed to talk it down to probation for, like, forever."

Shinrai shook his head.

"I remember when I first mentioned blowies to Yasui. The guy just didn't understand what I meant. And when I did manage to explain it to him, he thought it was the most disgusting thing he'd ever heard of."

Hikaru waggled her eyebrows.

"Bet he doesn't think so anymore. Probably been getting some 'best friend style' massages from his favorite cougar."

"She's a leopard, and I guarantee you they don't do crap like that."

"Nah, that lady is a cougar if I've ever seen one. She probably has some fuzzy handcuffs she—"

Shinrai plugged his ears with his fingers.

"La la la la! I'm not listening! I said I don't want to talk about your weird fantasies about my best friend and his sort-of aunt!"

Hikaru flicked his ear and laughed.

"I'm just messing with you. Still, it's an interesting thought."

Shinrai closed his eyes and shook his head, trying to shake those mental images out.

"You're totally weirding me out, Hikaru! This isn't helping me at all! We're supposed to, like, set the mood or whatever! You know, talk all flirty and maybe play some smooth jazz? Like, are you trying to—"

Whatever he thought the fennec fox was trying to do died on Shinrai's tongue. While he'd been averting his eyes, Hikaru had removed part of her clothes and was sitting topless on the beanbag. Her face was beat red as she embarrassedly covered herself with her arms. Or attempted to at any rate. This was the first time Shinrai had seen his girlfriend without the heavy duty compression bra she always wore. Apparently it did its job very well.

(They're even bigger than I thought. I mean… just… how. The physics alone is improbable. How can someone that little be probably one-fourth breast? And she's been like this since elementary school?! I just… how?! It's actually confusing! How are they that big?! It's almost… cartoonish!)

Hikaru grimaced and turned away, shielding as much of her front from view as possible.

"W-well. T-tadaa. Please, just don't stare. I know I look like a bad hentai character. I just… that bra is super uncomfortable and I don't want to wear it during my first time! I can throw a blanket over my… chest if you want."

"How does your back not hurt all the time?"

Internally, Shinrai screamed and banged his head against the floor. Seriously?! Hikaru was being open about the biggest insecurity she had and that she'd been bullied over for years and that's what he said?! What was wrong with him! But he'd just said the first thing he'd thought of, as stupid as it was. Hikaru let out a quick burst of laughter, her face still bright red.

"Please don't make me feel sillier than I already do. Although… yeah they do hurt my back… a lot. It's why I'm pretty lethargic. The weight isn't so bad when I lie down. Although even that isn't exactly comfortable. I'm really never comfortable actually. I can't sleep on my stomach, if I lie down on my back they kinda… go everywhere and it's uncomfortable. I just… I hate my weird body so much. Gosh, I'm such an idiot! I should have kept my freaking shirt on!"

Shinrai didn't know what to say. Should he reassure her that he liked her? Say he didn't find her bosoms utterly baffling in a way that made his head hurt a little? Assure her she didn't look like a horny thirteen year old's caricature of a female? Shinrai didn't know, so he did something very stupid but very brave. He said the first dumb thing he could think of.

"Those look heavy, want me to hold them for you?"

Hikaru froze, her face turning even deeper scarlet. Shinrai just stared at her, stunned by how dumb he could really be. Was he just a little dumbass to his core? He shouldn't be allowed to go outside, let alone talk to anyone. But to his amazement, Hikaru burst out laughing. The fennec fox laughed so hard, she stopped covering herself and flopped onto her back where she laid literally shaking with the force of her mirth. Shinrai let out a noise like an elephant with congestion blowing its trunk and doubled over himself, laughing too. Hikaru wiped a tear from her eye and gasped.

"You're such a dumbass! What is wrong with you?"

"I'm a gentleman! I see a lady carrying something heavy and I offer to hold it for her!"

This renewed the laughter once more, leaving both small mammals out of breath lying on the beanbag. Shinrai rolled over and hugged Hikaru, planting a little kiss on her cheek.

"I'm being serious, Hikaru. I don't think you look weird. So, you know, don't be all embarrassed."

Hikaru nuzzled her cheek against his neck and giggled.

"Thanks, Shinrai. That's really sweet of you."

"…Okay, but seriously. Can I hold them?"

Hikaru shyly smiled and nodded. Shinrai licked his lips and gently shifted his hands to reach for what could very accurately be referred to as Hikaru's melons. Shinrai sucked in a breath and let out a high pitched squeaky laugh as he gently took the prize in hand.

"Oh… my… gosh. They're so freaking soft."

"You… like them?"

"I freaking love them! How could anyone think this is a bad thing?! Like, sure at first glance it's a bit shocking. But now that I'm getting used to this, I think you have the hottest body in the world!"

Hikaru blushed, but this time not from embarrassment. She turned so she was directly facing Shinrai and rested her arms around his neck.

"Do… do you want a closer look?"

Shinrai nodded and leaned forward to kiss her on the lips. He slowly worked his way downward, just following his instincts and doing what felt natural. Soon, they were both helping each other out of their remaining clothes and enjoying each other with a wild abandon. It was something Shinrai had never experienced before. It felt primal and raw, like he was getting in touch with his past lives. There wasn't any need to think and worry about the right thing to do or what to do next. He just felt what to do and did it. And Hikaru did the same. Together, they joined a primeval dance performed by millions of people since the dawn of time. It was like nothing else existed except the other person who they were with. And it felt indescribable, not just physically but mentally to.

Shinrai wasn't sure how long it had been when they ended. They were happily cuddled up together, although Shinrai was extremely out of breath and his muscles were sore.

"Gaaaah." Shinrai huffed. "I'm so… out… of shape!"

Hikaru hummed happily and rested her head on the squirrel's admittedly scrawny shoulder.

"I don't know what other people are talking about. That was amazing. We did awesome for our first time."

Shinrai wheezed loudly and shifted so he could flop his head tiredly on Hikaru's large chest.

"Yeah… great… gosh, I need… a nap."

Hikaru tittered and rubbed the back of Shinrai's head.

"Wow. You're actually in terrible shape. Let me know if you're going to die, because I can call an ambulance if you're going to stop breathing. Or if your heart's going to explode."

"Hey… I'm the one… who had… to do… all the work. You just… got to lie there… and have fun!"

Hikaru raised an eyebrow and patted one of her bosoms.

"Do you really want me on top with these monsters? One wrong move and I could take your head clean off."

"What… a way… to go." Shinrai panted. He then used his arms to contain Hikaru's mass and snuggled his face into it. When he spoke, his voice was comically muffled.

"Wow… these make some… cozy pillows."

Hikaru laughed and played with the squirrel's ears.

"Well at least someone likes these two massive pains in my back. Almost makes up for the constant discomfort."

Shinrai just grunted and shifted to a more comfortable position. They rested in silence, enjoying each other's warmth. That is until Shinrai suddenly lifted his face and groaned.

"Craaaaaaap! Oh man, my parents are going to kill me if they find out I did this! And we didn't use protection either! Crap, crap, crap! Oooooooh, what if you get pregnant from this? Damn it! What was I thinking!"

Hikaru rolled her eyes and pressed Shinrai back down against her.

"Relax, nuts-for-brains. I'm a fox, you're a squirrel. There's no way I can get pregnant from this. Foxes can't even interbreed with other canids."

"Tell that to Yasui's mom, wherever she is."

Hikaru shrugged.

"Well isn't that like a one-in-a-million chance? I'm pretty sure we're safe."

Shinrai warily looked up at her from his perch.

"I dunno."

"Besides. Even if I do get pregnant, we know a wonderful mountain village where we can drop the baby to live a normal, albeit sheltered, life."

(That night, outskirts of the Back Alley.)

Rikimaru, former police captain, wanted to strangle his "partner" Teressa. The vulpine information broker had been snappy with him ever since every single lead they had on the mysterious "Fox Queen" of the illicit fur trade had gone cold. Every thread they followed led to dead ends and brick walls. Nobody seemed to know the identity of the mysterious pelt trader or where she could be found. She operated with so much redundancy and caution, she was either professionally trained by the intelligence agency of some advanced country, or so paranoid that she didn't even trust her mailman.

"There must be something you missed!" Teressa growled from her seat in the car. "This is where the trail went cold. This is the last definitive lead where we know for sure she has money in play."

The car was parked outside of Ebony and Royal, the club that Rikimaru had gone undercover at to find one of The Fox Queen's couriers. It was also where he now went for… personal reasons. Teressa gave him a flat look.

"Do you remember the plan?"

"Of course I remember the plan. I'm not an idiot." Rikimaru snapped. Teressa had gone from being coy and teasing to downright waspish over the past few weeks. Not that Rikimaru was any better. His temper was frayed from the frustration of the trail going cold. Everything they had done turning out to be for nothing was too much for the grizzled police dog, especially when new victims of the serial killer Crimson Smile appeared every few weeks.

Teressa huffed and got out of the car, walking with purpose towards the unassuming building. Rikimaru followed, his hands in his pockets. It was the failure that haunted him, the fact he had lost his position in the police force over this killer. The fact he had lost his home because he couldn't afford it on the meager salary of a bouncer, a job he'd only gotten as a favor from a former informant who had gone semi-legit. If he couldn't crack this case, why live? He'd thrown everything away and hadn't even accomplished anything for it.

The two slipped into the BDSM club and made their way to the back corridor where the private rooms and staff area were. Teressa entered the staff room while Rikimaru stood outside to keep anyone from discovering her. She'd snoop through every single employee's belongings to determine if any of them were on the payroll of The Fox Queen. Rikimaru hoped that a certain employee had tonight off. But as luck would have it, a door at the end of the hall opened and the familiar figure of the lioness dominatrix, Mistress Rose, left with a female dog who was giving the feline the most adoring puppy dog eyes imaginable. The lioness said a few words to her and kissed her on the forehead before ruffling her ears. With that, the dog happily left and Mistress Rose locked eyes with Rikimaru.

"Well well well. My bad little doggy is here without an appointment. Poor guilty puppy, are you here for punishment?"

Rikimaru cleared his throat.

"Uh, no. Just… dropping by to… say hello. I was in the area."

Rose smiled sweetly and reached up to scratch his ears. Rikimaru couldn't help himself, he immediately nuzzled her palm. It was unavoidable now, he simply melted under her touch. The lioness knew how to make you feel safe and cared for, but also how to dole out some serious pain. Truly an odd experience coming from a female wearing what could only vaguely be considered clothing under extreme circumstances. Rose turned and grabbed his wrist, pulling him towards the room she'd just left.

"Well come into my chambers then, I think we need to have a heart-to-heart. Mistress can tell you're troubled."

Rikimaru hesitated a bit. He was supposed to stand guard. But not only would it be suspicious to refuse to move from the hallway, he couldn't make himself disobey a direct order from the lioness. So he followed her to her room and took a seat on one of the chairs that she had there. Rose turned her back on him to pick something up, and then sauntered over to kiss him on the cheek. It was then that Rikimaru heard a faint "clllllick" noise and looked down to see he was handcuffed to the chair. Rose stood and clasped her hands in a matter-of-fact way.

"Comfy? Good. Mistress will just go fetch your little partner and then we can chat."

"Wait, I don't—"

The lioness stuffed a gag in his mouth and attached it with a locked band before exiting the room. Rikimaru groaned and hung his head. He should have suspected this, the dominatrix was practically psychic. Nothing got past Mistress Rose. Part of Rikimaru hoped Teressa could worm her way past Mistress Rose. But the lioness literally restrained people for a living, so he wasn't holding his breath. And sure enough, a few minutes later the latex-clad lioness returned with Teressa pushed in front of her. The lion had Teressa's arm bent at an awkward angle, and was using the leverage to push her forward. Once she had pushed Teressa into the room, Mistress Rose entered and locked the door behind her. As Teressa spun and growled at the lion, Rose just gave her a disapproving look.

"Now now, pet. Didn't you already learn your lesson? Be a good girl and sit down. Mistress will rub your ears if you do."

"Bite me you psycho bitch!" Teressa spat. She saw Rikimaru and gave him a disgusted look.

"I should have known you couldn't keep it in your pants, you useless mutt. You can't do anything right."

Mistress Rose crossed her arms over her chest. One latex booted foot tapped irritably. Rikimaru knew that meant the lioness was getting annoyed. He didn't want to be on the wrong end of that.

"Actually, the poor doggy did his best to distract me. It's not his fault I already knew about your little partnership."

Teressa sprang forward, attempting to sucker punch the domme. Rose caught the punch with ease and narrowed her eyes.

"You're a very bad little fox. Didn't anyone ever teach you any manners?"

"You don't scare me you fishnet wearing whore. I'm not one of the perverts who need you to kick their balls to get their rocks off."

Mistress Rose sighed in resignation.

"Not only do you completely misunderstand what it is I do, but I can tell you won't cooperate unless I make you. You brought this on yourself. Don't worry, Mistress Rose will fix your bad attitude."

Teressa tried to wrench her arm free, but the lion held firm. The fox attempted to break Rose's grip by punching with her other arm, only for the dominatrix to grab that arm too. With both arms restrained, Rose did something unexpected. The lioness pulled Teressa towards her, bringing the fox into biting distance. Rose hooked one leg around Teressa's ankle and knocked her legs out from under her. Teressa fell to the ground with a thud and a wheeze, the wind getting knocked out of her lungs as she slammed onto her back on the floor.

With almost leisurely ease, Rose straddled the fox's chest and pinned her arms with her legs. From her seat on top of Teressa's chest, Rose crossed her arms and looked down domineeringly.

"Do you submit? I can be gentle with you if you apologize now and beg for your mistress's mercy."

Teressa just snarled and writhed, trying to bite the lioness. With a disappointed sigh, Mistress Rose reached her gloved hands down and wrapped them around Teressa's neck. She squeezed her fingers in just the right position to safely choke the fox. Teressa's eyes bulged and panic covered her face. She squirmed more desperately, mouth clenched and a defiant growl coming from her throat. Slowly, Teressa's eyes grew unfocused and she whimpered pleadingly. Rikimaru strained against his restraints and tried to pull the gag from his mouth to no avail. As Teressa's struggles grew weaker, Mistress Rose relaxed her grip.

Teressa gasped and began taking deep breaths as she lay limply on the floor. The lioness patted Teressa's cheek and gave her a haughty look.

"Are you done struggling? Can we have our talk now?"

Teressa nodded weakly, tears dripping down her cheeks. Rikimaru looked down uncomfortably. Teressa might be a pain sometimes, but he was still her partner for the time being. Mistress Rose took a seat on the couch and crossed her legs, one booted foot gently bouncing in a steady rhythm.

"Now then, we can discuss what's actually important. And by that I mean the reason you two are back here snooping around. I'm assuming you've had no luck tracking down your illusive fur trader? And yes, I do know all about your little search for this Fox Queen person. I deduced the solution to that puzzle a while ago."

Teressa pushed herself weakly upward with her elbows to try to look demandingly at the lioness. However Mistress Rose made a shushing noise and pushed the fox back down with her foot.

"Easy now, pet. You just relax on the floor for a while. Mistress will deal with you in a second. I was talking to you, doggy."

Rikimaru pointed to his gag, and Rose smiled mischievously at him.

"The key is in your pocket."

Rikimaru stared at her with an unamused look before retrieving the key and unlocking the gag. Once he'd stretched his jaw a bit and licked his lips, Rikimaru answered the dominatrix's question.

"No, we have no more leads. Everything we had has been a dead end. The last real break we had was finding out that she sometimes uses this club as a dead drop. We were hoping that we could find some other clues here to point us in the right direction."

Mistress Rose nodded and moved to lie down on her side across the couch. She idly reached down and rubbed Teressa's ears as she hummed to herself.

"That isn't a terrible idea on your part. Retracing your steps is often a good idea if you get stuck. But I don't know why you need to find this fur seller. And that will determine if I help you or not."

Teressa growled but didn't try to stop the lioness from touching her.

"If you know how to track down this criminal, why haven't you reported her yet? Unless you're on her payroll."

Rose pressed a finger to Teressa's lips to silence her.

"Quiet, pet. Your mistress will get to you in a moment. Well, dog?"

Rikimaru nodded at Teressa.

"She raised a good point. Can I— we trust you?"

Rose smiled gently and rubbed the back of her hand against Teressa's cheek.

"You want to know why I haven't assisted you in acting against the Fox Queen more directly? Because I'm not going to create a power vacuum in the Back Alley Market if I can avoid it. Life is already hard enough for the destitute and helpless who have no choice but to live here. Add a turf war to replace a major supplier of black market goods, and we have even more suffering for those who are already struggling to survive. I'll only assist you if you convince me that you're worth assisting."

Teressa growled but kept her tone civil.

"And how exactly do we do that?"

Mistress Rose fixed her piercing gaze on both Rikimaru and Teressa in turn.

"I want to know that you're dedicated to fixing the problem rather than simply removing the symptom. Are you going to ensure that this doesn't escalate into a turf war?"

Rikimaru grit his teeth. He hadn't considered that possibility. There was already an uneasy balance to the Back Alley. Tip it too far in any direction, and everything fell apart. Teressa on the other hand simply nodded.

"I'll work with my contacts to ensure things don't escalate. You have my word, there will be no war."

Rose stared at the fox for a moment, judging her. Finally she nodded at Teressa.

"Very well. I have one more stipulation. If you want me to put my faith in you, you'll need to put it in each other first. I don't like entrusting tasks to people who are at each other's throats because they refuse to acknowledge their own mutual attraction towards each other."

Both Teressa and Rikimaru burst out "Attraction?!" at the same time. They looked at each other before scoffing and turning their gazes away. Rikimaru couldn't believe it. Him attracted to Teressa? Sure she was pretty, but she was a criminal and an uppity jerk who thought everyone else in the world was an idiot. Mistress Rose gave them both stern looks.

"You can't expect me to believe you're both in denial. Why else would you still be acting together all this time if you didn't actually like each other."

"We're hunting down a killer." Rikimaru growled. Teressa nodded adamantly, although she didn't go so far as to look defiant near the lioness. Being physically dominated by a latex clad lioness once was enough for one night. Rose smirked slightly.

"And you couldn't have split up to cover more ground? You needed to do everything together?"

Rikimaru opened his mouth, and then closed it. He didn't have a good answer for that. Sure there was safety in numbers, but why did he keep waiting to investigate leads until Teressa was with him? Sure she'd gotten him out of some jams, and her knowledge and contacts supplemented his well. But he could easily have just touched base with her on occasion. Maybe Mistress Rose was right, what if he just… liked spending time with the fox. The dominatrix pointed sternly at Teressa.

"The problem is that you shut everyone out because you're terrified of betrayal. So you look for reasons not to trust anyone and then cut them out of your life when you find what you're looking for. If you can't manage to trust anyone, how do you expect people to trust you?"

Teressa bit her lip and looked away. That was the scary thing about Mistress Rose. She somehow always managed to find what made you tick. The lioness then turned to Rikimaru with a slightly pitying expression.

"And as for you, my poor guilt-ridden doggy. You need to forgive yourself for what you've done and stop punishing yourself as a form of penance. I'm doing that enough for you now, so you need to start living again."

Rikimaru hung his head. That was something that Mistress Rose didn't seem to understand. For the things he'd had to do to take down the gangs he'd infiltrated back in his undercover days, he deserved to be punished. If people even knew the half of it, they'd be so disgusted with him they'd lock him in a cage for the rest of life like the monster he was. People like him didn't deserve to be happy and move on. Teressa huffed and gave Mistress Rose a deadpan look.

"What are you pretending to be, a therapist? You're a prostitute, so don't act all high and mighty with me."

Mistress Rose glared at Teressa and stood to look menacingly down at the fox. The lioness tapped a clawed finger against her hip and clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

"People always assume what I do is some bizarre sex thing. I blame the adult film industry for turning BDSM into a weird fetish. While some utilize what I do in sexual ways, it isn't inherently sexual. It is primarily about roleplay and trust. That's why so many people are drawn to it, the chance to play a different role than the one they normally need to. If you can't get that through your skull, I'll put you over my knee and spank you. Do you understand?"

Teressa sat up and held her palms out placatingly.

"No need to get all worked up. You do whatever you want, lady."

Mistress Rose gripped Teressa's muzzle shut and gave her a stern look.

"That's 'Mistress Rose' to you. Or 'Mistress' if you want. Honestly, I think you could use a dominatrix. You're entirely too full of yourself and haughty. Don't you get tired of sticking your nose up at everyone and just want someone to submit to?"

Teressa scoffed, but wisely remained quiet. Rose nodded and took her seat once again.

"Now, I'll provide the information you need. But first you two need to hash out your differences and learn to trust each other so you can start working as a team. I don't invest in sinking ships after all. So, how about ladies first?"

Teressa and Rikimaru exchanged looks and remained resolutely silent. Neither wanted to be the first to do as the lioness commanded. After a minute or two of waiting, Mistress Rose sighed and crossed her arms, looking coldly down at Teressa.

"You're being quite stubborn. Do I need to teach you a lesson? I'm happy to work on you for a while, get you nice and submissive. You'll be begging to rest your head on my lap and do as I command once I'm done with you. Ask my doggy over there, he knows just how effective I am."

Rikimaru gave Teressa his best warning look. Mistress Rose breaking you in was a long and arduous process. He was pretty sure Teressa would not be a fan of what happened. Finally, Teressa huffed.

"Fine. Want me to confide in him? I'll confide in him. Do you know why I don't trust you, or anyone else for that matter? Because everyone just wants to use you for their own gain. People used me for years until I wised up and kept my distance. To them, I'm just a piece of meat to be taken and used until they get bored and move on. Nobody is actually loyal to anyone else, they just stick around until you're no use and leave you in the gutter with nothing at all. There, happy?!"

Teressa crossed her arms and scowled down at the floor. Mistress Rose patted her shoulder, and Teressa pulled away. Rikimaru didn't know exactly what the fox had meant, but he had an idea. Lots of women ended up in the Back Alley after the guy they thought would take care of them abandoned them without a cent to their name. Most turned to prostitution to afford food, and then they rarely managed to leave ever again. It was sad, and degrading for a female to be forced to sell herself just to avoid starvation. Anyone would be jaded after that.

Rikimaru looked at Teressa and smiled as best as he could.

"I'm sorry you've gone through something like that. I didn't know."

"It's not like it's your fault." Teressa snapped. "It just is what it is. Now can we finish up already?"

Rikimaru nodded and closed his eyes, collecting himself. What was he supposed to say to summarize why he didn't want people getting close to him? There were so many reasons why he needed to be alone, but one stuck out more than any other. The dog licked his lips and rubbed his throat.

"I had to do a lot of… terrible things when I was undercover. Things that haunt me to this day. The worst was the initiation ritual into the gang I was infiltrating, the Bloody Butchers. You see, they didn't just engage in predation. They actively reveled in it. The members of the gang went out of their way to find and eat people without using the meat market. Most preferred to eat their victims alive, to let them know that to the carnivore, you were nothing but food."

"The initiation was simple. You needed to capture a small mammal like a rat or mouse and bring them alive to the meeting place. I didn't know what they had planned until I'd already found someone to bring. I thought I'd be able to sneak him out after whatever the leaders of the Butchers wanted us to do was over. But… the initiation was that they wanted you to swallow the small creature whole."

Rikimaru shuddered and his expression became distinctly queasy.

"I still remember the feeling of him sliding down my throat, and the poor guy's screams as he fell into my stomach. They kept a close watch on us to be sure we didn't 'chicken out' as they said. And I had to suffer through over an hour of listening to him. At first he begged me to let him out, told me about his family and his kids. Then he just screamed and begged, writhing inside of me. And then… nothing."

Rikimaru didn't look at either female. He knew they'd be horrified. What he'd been forced to do was so monstrous, so disgusting that anyone would be sickened by the mere thought of it. But honestly, it felt good to finally tell someone. Nobody spoke for a while, until Teressa shook her head and rubbed her arms.

"Damn, that's… horrific. I just can't imagine going through that."

Rikimaru laughed mirthlessly.

"I had to do other stuff almost as heinous as that while I was undercover. My soul is stained as black as midnight from what I was forced to do to take those monsters down. Now all I can do is try to stop as many other monsters before I end up in Hell where I belong."

Teressa gave him a sad look. The fox stood and went over to him. She reached out for his shoulder, but then hesitated as if she was unsure what to do. Finally she just patted him on the back with a reassuring smile.

"You've had to do some terrible things, but I have too. I'm sorry, I just assumed you were upset because you had come down so far in the world. I had no idea what you'd suffered through."

Rikimaru harrumphed and shot a questioning look up at Teressa.

"You're not going to start trying to be nice to me, right? Because at this point it would feel weird."

"I promise, I'll still call you a brainless dolt whenever you act like a fool."

Mistress Rose nodded in satisfaction and adjusted her gloves.

"Good. Now that you two have stopped bickering like spoiled children, I think I can place some confidence in you. From what I've overheard about this Fox Queen individual, she has only one vice she indulges in that will leave her vulnerable. She enjoys going to see erotic male dancers, specifically more exotic ones. So if you find a truly exotic male stripper to put on a show at a club for you, you can lure her right to you."

Teressa and Rikimaru shared looks of excitement.

"That's it?! She's crazy about male strippers?!" The fox chuckled. "If I'd have known that I'd have set some of the girls to work looking around their usual haunts. Tell you what, Rikimaru. I know a few club owners who I might be able to convince to let us use their spot for our trap. If you find a dancer, I'll set the stage."

Rikimaru nodded, rubbing his chin with his free hand.

"That could work. We can spread rumors about the show to make sure she hears. I had some friends who worked that scene for a while, and somebody who knows how to find people. We need someone truly unique, some animal nobody will have seen before."

Teressa nodded, glad to finally have a next step. She inclined her head to Mistress Rose and cleared her throat.

"Thank you… Mistress Rose."

The lioness smiled haughtily and scratched Teressa's ear.

"Any time, pet. I'm ready for you whenever you decide you want to give up control for a bit. Mistress knows how to help tightly wound things like you relax."

"I think I'll pass." Teressa said before hurriedly walking out the door. Rikimaru rattled the handcuff that still held him and looked expectantly at Mistress Rose.

"Mind letting me out? Gotta lot of work to do."

The lioness smiled sweetly and lifted the dog's chin with a finger.

"Now why would I do that? I think you need to convince me to let you go."

"But… Teressa's my ride home."

(Monday, Hawaii.)

The plane touched down on the runway of the airport that stood near the heart of the island of Maui. As passengers disembarked, Yasui hurried out the gate and dropped to his knees on the floor, laughing with relief.

"Land! Sweet, sweet land! Oh, I'm never taking you for granted ever again!"

Diana chuckled and walked over to him, handing her bag to Charles to load into the car they had waiting for them.

"I never would have taken you for the airsick type, Yasui. With how high up you used to live I wouldn't have thought it would bother you."

"It wasn't the height that was the problem, it was being in that flying metal coffin! My hands hurt from gripping the seat so tightly."

Diana shook her head and checked her watch.

"Well you had better gather yourself soon. We have to go meet the heads of the American branch of the Seputto Conglomerate for a meeting and dinner afterwards. You're here as my attache after all, I can't have you making me look bad."

Yasui looked incredulously up at the leopard.

"We have a meeting?! But we've been flying for hours? And how is it dinner time? Shouldn't it be dinner?"

Diana laughed and patted Yasui on the head.

"Dear, Hawaii is nineteen hours behind Japanese time. It's technically yesterday here."

Yasui blinked and rubbed his head with a groan.

"How did you do this for so long."

Diana craned her neck to watch Charles bringing the car around. She helped Yasui to his feet and patted his arm soothingly.

"I took a lot of… stimulants. We'll have some coffee and you can see the sights while we drive. I must admit I'm excited to finally have someone along on a trip. Now I'll actually have a chance to do some sightseeing while I'm here."

Yasui nodded, but his face was pinched. This was going to be a very long day.