—



TEXTBOX: Somewhere in the ghetto, not far from the Back Alley market.

We find ourselves in a neighborhood somewhere in the ghetto, which is mainly composed of poor-looking apartment buildings that stand in close proximity to each other. We are a few stories up, the air between them criss-crossed by old wires and clothing lines heavy with clothes that’s been hung out to dry.

One of these lines is moving, as its content is getting pulled towards an open window. In it we can see Cosmo, the okapi-stripper whose life Louis and the Shishigumi once saved. She is removing the clothes from the line one by one, presumably to feed a basket next to her.

Suddenly, a swift shadow moves across her, as if something is passing over her in the air above. Her ears twitch and she looks up.

COSMO: “Huh?”

She can’t see anything except more lines and the outlined roofs of the buildings around her, which are about two stories above from where she is. As she can’t see anything strange or out of order, she lowers her head and continues.

COSMO: “…” (Must’ve been my imagination)

Pulling off a bra and a Lil Bomber t-shirt, her eyes widen as another shadow moves across her. T-shirt still in hand, she looks up again with a mildly annoyed look.

COSMO: (No, there’s definitely something moving up there. What is it, birds playing tag?)

She continues to look up, dead set on finding out what it is. Then, after a short while, she is given an answer:

It is Legosi, who is leaping from the roof above Cosmo. He seems unaware of being seen by anyone as he makes it across and disappears over the roof of the opposite building.

Cosmo drops her t-shirt, stunned by what she just saw.

COSMO: “WHAT THE FU-”

—

We go up and over the roofs, where we can clearly see Legosi chasing Kyuu.

The female rabbit runs and makes short but frequent leaps across the rooftops parkour-style. Peaking over her shoulder, she is looking back at the wolf. He struggles to keep up with her, as the distance between them keeps growing between them.

KYUU: “You’re never going to catch me like that!”

Legosi, panting and sweating, realizes that she is right.

LEGOSI: (IMAGINARY CHIMERA)

The blurry image of Legosi’s Imaginary Chimera-self manifests over him. While being just an optical illustration, the effect of the technique is clear: The wolf’s standard running-style, which is quite rough and wide-stroked, turns more rapid and graceful. It’s like comparing a spear thrown by hand suddenly moving like an arrow that has been launched from a bow.

—

We cut to the street down below, where we see a female tiger with her five-year-old son standing by a pedestrian crossing. She has her phone in one hand and her son’s hand in the other; the two of them waiting for a traffic light to turn green.

The cub has an ice cream cone in his free hand, which he is licking profusely. Looking up with a bored expression, the cub’s eyes suddenly widen as he spots Kyuu getting chased by Legosi from rooftop to rooftop. He turns to look at his mother.

TIGER CUB: “Momma, do bunnies and wolves fly?”

The mother, preoccupied with her phone, replies without looking up.

TIGER MOMMA: “Sure they do sweetie, all the time.”

—

Going back to Legosi, we can see that the wolf is now catching up to Kyuu at a steady pace.

LEGOSI: (That’s it! Just one more rooftop and I’ll catch up!)

Kyuu makes a longer than average jump over to the next building, which is about a story lower than the one she jumped from. She lands on a scaffolding, makes an extra jump over to the roof and runs across it.

Right behind her, Legosi makes the jump as well. But on account of his larger and much stronger legs, his leap allows him to soar straight over the scaffolding. He is still in the air as he homes in on Kyuu like a triumphant-looking rocket!

LEGOSI: (NOW I GOT HER!)

However, Kyuu suddenly spins around. She has pulled out six throwing knives out of her ears, holding three each in-between her fingers. She proceeds to throw them at him in two simultaneous sweeps.

Legosi looks shocked. Having not landed yet, he’s unable to dodge! Out of alternatives, he stretches his arms out in front of him.

He then lands on the roof in front of Kyuu, bending over like he’s hurt. But then he stands up. We can see that he is unharmed and has actually managed to catch all the knives between his own fingers.

Kyuu turns around and tries to continue her flight. Her eyes widen though, as she finds herself unable to move.

Legosi stands on one knee, leaning over Kyuu. Zooming out, we can see that he has grabbed her by her lower body. His hand is so big compared to her that his fingers have reached over her back and gripped her around her abdomen.

LEGOSI: “Tag.”

His tail is wagging, showcasing that he has taken an instinctive canine delight in catching her. Kyuu on the other hand looks annoyed.

KYUU: “Okay, you won. Take your hand off or lose it.”

—

We skip ahead a little, to where the two have returned to the roof of the abandoned breeding house where Kyuu, San and Louis were originally raised for meat-eating purposes.

LEGOSI: “You didn’t say anything about having to defend myself while chasing you.”

Kyuu, who is fiddling with the knives in her right ear, glances at Legosi.

KYUU: “It’d be very little purpose to train you to deal with surprise attacks if they’re not a surprise.”

She takes one of the knives out, holding it up so that she may inspect it.

KYUU: “Besides, you would have been fine anyway. These are totally dulled down. At most they would have cracked a rib or two.”

Legosi sweat drops at this.

LEGOSI: (Yeah well that would’ve been a lot better…!)

Kyuu continues to inspect her knife. The edges of it gleams in the light of the sun.

KYUU: “Your defense has improved greatly, but you still show little initiative with your offense. For instance, if I had been an unfamiliar opponent, I could’ve misread you hunching over as having succeeded in fatally wounding you. My guard would’ve been down as I had moved in for the finishing blow, during which you could have either taken the opportunity to punch my head off or turn me into chop suey with my own knives.”

Legosi grimaces at these ideas and leans back against an air vent. He raises his left hand and wipes some sweat off his brow.

LEGOSI: “I am really not good at forming such dark thoughts…!”

Kyuu lowers the knife and gives him an impatient look.

KYUU: “Mastering parries and dodges without any attacks doesn’t make you a great fighter, just an exceptionally skilled coward. I’ve seen you at your fiercest. If you can master that instead of just using it as a last resort, you might have something. Otherwise you’ll remain as half-assed as you are.”

Legosi’s left ear flickers at this.

LEGOSI: “Half-assed? I think I’m doing pretty good… Didn’t I tell you about the buffalo?”

He refers to his fight with Mongo the caped buffalo in The Horny Horror Picture Show. Kyuu doesn’t look overly impressed by said feat though.

KYUU: “You mean the muscle bound retard from Old Town?”

Legosi cringes at Kyuu’s politically incorrect choice of words, which Kyuu ignores as she looks at him scoldingly.

KYUU: “Don’t get me wrong, you are clearly above average, but you NEED to be more than that. You’ve done well so far, but with your current profession you’ll eventually face opponents who are more formidable than you because they have one thing that you lack: a killer’s instinct. That’s the one thing that separates you from elite-fighters like that horse’s ass of a Beastar you answer to. The only time I’ve seen you really use it is when you’re cornered and there’s no other way out… If you intend to continue doing this without getting yourself killed, you’ll have to be able to whip it out like a switchblade!”

Legosi looks down. He has a melancholic and reluctant look on his face. Seeing this, Kyuu’s expression softens a bit.

KYUU: “Speaking of which… Have you thought about what I told you back at that board game place?”

Legosi meets her look, remembering the time from a while back when the two of them talked with each at Yanni’s, in Everybody Play the Game.

LEGOSI: “Yes.”

KYUU: “And my little proposition in light of that?”

LEGOSI: “Yes.”

KYUU: “…. And?”

LEGOSI: “I don’t like it.”

KYUU: “Like it or hate it, it is the most sensible option. Not everyone of your enemies will go straight to you in order to take you out of the equation. Some will go for where you are the most vulnerable. And in your case…”

—

We shift over to a collage featuring key-people in Legosi’s life.

KYUU: “… It’s your loved ones. Your former roommates, the members of the drama club, the tenants of the hidden condo and that girlfriend of yours. You can’t protect them at all times from where you are now.”

This collage feature images of his fellow-701s (Jack, Collot, Voss, Durham and Miguno), members of the drama club (Bill, Juno, Aoba, Kai and Els), his neighbors in the hidden condo (Sebun, Zaguan, Ebisu, Mugi, Raika and Fina) and finally his girlfriend, Haru.

—

The collage sequence ends and we return to Kyuu and Legosi.

KYUU: “Didn’t you say you had a grandfather too? He might become a target as well.”

The corner of Legosi’s mouth twitches as he thinks about Gosha, his badass komodo dragon-grandpa.

LEGOSI: “I pity whoever tries to go after my grandpa.”

Then his ears go down though as he thinks about his friends and loved ones.

LEGOSI: “But I am concerned about the rest. Most of them have no idea…! Still, it’d feel manipulative to do this without telling anyone about it, especially Haru. She if anyone should know if she’s in danger.”

Kyuu crosses her arms and gives him a skeptical look.

KYUU: “There are a lot of things that have happened since last Rexmas which you most likely haven’t told her. What is another secret on top of that?”

Legosi’s ears go even lower. You can tell that he feels really guilty.

LEGOSI: “Another addition to the pile of things I feel bad about… She still thinks I work at the Udon restaurant. I want to hell her the full truth… I am just not sure how she’s gonna take it.”

KYUU: “Look, I don’t know squat about relationships, but if you can live through getting shredded by a psychopathic hybrid, surely you can survive getting yelled at by your girlfriend?”

Legosi turns to look at Kyuu. He is smiling.

LEGOSI: “You haven’t met Haru. She can make me feel powerless in a completely different way… It’s a kind of power you can’t really fight.”

Kyuu looks down. Feeling powerless when facing someone you’re fond of is not unfamiliar to her, as we can see her think back to her savior and former teacher, Gouhin. Looking up at Legosi again, Kyuu suddenly wrinkles her nose.

KYUU: “…You stink of sweat. My nose is not as strong as yours, but even I can tell that you reek.”

Legosi look surprised by the sporadic turn of this conversation. He then rubs the back of his head (which also happens to be drenched in sweat) with an apologetic look.

LEGOSI: “I’m sorry. It’s unusually hot for this time of year.”

KYUU: “We’ll call it quits for today. Just go down and take a shower.”

LEGOSI: “You have showers here?”

KYUU: “It’s on the third floor, behind the orange door with two-three-seven written on it. There should be some soap and towels in there for you to use.”

Legosi stands up with a grateful expression.

LEGOSI: “Thanks Kyuu-chan!”

Being called ‘chan’ earns him an annoyed glare from Kyuu.

KYUU: “Don’t call me 'chan’. It makes me sound like I’m a little kid or something! Just 'Kyuu’ or 'Kyuu-san’ will be fine! You don’t hear me calling you 'kun’ do you?”

Legosi scratches his cheek.

LEGOSI: “Well no… But, considering my position… Shouldn’t you call me 'aniki’ or something?”

SHINK!

Legosi looks down. The knife which Kyuu had previously been holding has now been launched and embedded in between his legs, a few centimeters below his crotch.

He looks up and sees that the mere suggestion of having to call a dumbass, five-year junior wolf 'aniki’ has led to Kyuu adopting an exceptionally pissed off look and summoning her own, monstrous-looking Imaginary Chimera, which is standing behind her like a rage-filled demon.

Realizing he may have overstepped his boundaries, Legosi gives off a nervous smile, raises his leg and steps over the knife.

LEGOSI: “Then again, I don’t like to be pedantic. Just 'Legosi’ is fine!”

KYUU: “Just head to the showers…!”

Legosi does as he is told and runs down the stairs.

—

Legosi manages to find the door on the third floor. Walking through it, he finds himself in what appears to be a changing room-like area with tiled floor and walls. Like the rest of the building it has the appearance of being degraded by time and disuse, with several of the tiles sporting cracks and ingrained dirt. The area is composed of two sections; the small square section that Legosi just entered, with benches and coat hangers along the walls around him.

The next section is longer and rectangular, with about a dozen long showerheads poking in from both sides of the long walls.

Legosi spots a couple of towels and a bar of soap lying on a bench nearby, as well as a few scrubbing brushes and an old raincoat dangling off one of the hooks.

LEGOSI: (I wonder why they would need showers in a place like this)

He then sees something alarming underneath the bench: a long chain with shackles. He looks disturbed.

LEGOSI: “…!” (I don’t think I want to know)

He starts to undress, pulling his shirt over his head.

—

A few moments later, Legosi walks into the showers with the soap in his hand. He goes to the middle of the room and turns the closest tap. As he does, the showerhead gives off a strained, metallic sound before spitting out a stream of water that hits Legosi. The wolf shivers.

LEGOSI: “Ugh!” (FREEZING!)

Soon enough though, the water heats up and he becomes more relaxed. He rubs the soap in his hands, making it bubble and foam. As he does, he thinks back on Kyuu’s words to him earlier, her face being visible in his background.

KYUU: “If you intend to continue doing this without getting yourself killed, you’ll have to be able to whip it out like a switchblade!“

He sighs and closes his eyes as he washes his head and body.

LEGOSI: (Continue… I guess I have to continue, but I didn’t get into this line of work because I wanted it… It just happened)

???: "Will you pass the soap?”

The wolf’s eyes open wide and he turns to look at his side. He now sees that he is not alone in the showers. Next him stands San, the alpaca. He is naked and taking a shower as well.

Legosi looks surprised and instinctively takes a step back.

LEGOSI: “HUAH?! Where did you come from?”

SAN: “I came in right after you… Man, Kyuu really must drive you hard if you’re so exhausted that you can’t even notice a naked herbivore approaching you in the shower.”

As he talks, Legosi can’t help but to look at the alpacas’s body. To his great shock, San is extremely skinny… Kind of like Christian Bale’s character in The Machinist (2004).

The alpaca extends an open hand to him and raises his eyebrows.

SAN: “Now, if you’re finished with that soap…?”

Legosi politely puts the soap in the alpaca’s hand.

LEGOSI: “Here…” (I can practically see all the little bones in his torso! Is he ill or something?)

SAN: “Thank you.”

San takes the soap and proceeds to wash his own body, taking special care of his long and fuzzy neck.

Trying not to look at San, Legosi continues to wash himself. As he does though, he notices that the alpaca is looking at him… Quite unabashedly.

LEGOSI: “…” (Why is he staring at me? He’s not even trying to hide the fact that he’s looking… Is it because he noticed me looking at his body?)

Legosi gulps and blushes as a thought crosses his mind.

LEGOSI: (Maybe he is into males?)

He turns his head to San with a civil expression.

LEGOSI: (Perhaps he’ll stop if I show that I know he’s looking) “Did you want something?”

The alpaca appears to be completely unmoved by Legosi’s awareness.

SAN: “No, just looking.”

LEGOSI: (It didn’t work at all!)

Legosi grimaces, thinking back to moments when San has been around as he has trained with Kyuu.

—

We enter a brief flashback, which shows us one of Legosi and Kyuu’s previous sessions. This one is special, as he is dodging an oncoming assault from the rabbit, who is wielding a chain sickle.

LEGOSI: (Now that I think about it, I know very little about San…)

We can see that unlike Kyuu, San doesn’t physically partake in the training. Instead he sits down on a wooden box in the background, watching the two as they train.

LEGOSI: (He is sometimes around when Kyuu trains me, giving little advice here and there, but most of the time he’s not around)

—

We return to the present, where Legosi is still thinking about this.

LEGOSI: (Though with a frail body like that, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s unable to do any physical training)

SAN: “You are a very good-looking animal.”

Legosi turns and arches his head back.

LEGOSI: “HUH?!”

SAN: “Your body. Your muscles. They speak of an animal in great health… Do you exercise outside your training?”

LEGOSI: “Not really… I mean had gym class at school and I did some training with Gouhin, but I’ve never really gone to a gym or anything.”

SAN: “Hm, I guess that kind of physique could be pretty average for male wolves then… I haven’t showered with one before so I can’t really tell.”

He then points straight at the wolf’s groin.

SAN: “Speaking of which, is THAT considered average by wolf-standards?”

Legosi crosses his legs and covers his junk with his hands. He feels targeted.

LEGOSI: “I ASSUME IT VARIES!”

San gives the wolf an amused expression.

SAN: “Ahaha, so that is the case! I am sorry, am I making you uncomfortable?”

LEGOSI: “YES.”

San turns his head and looks ahead, proceeding to soap up and wash the spot between his ears.

SAN: “Sorry, old habits die hard. Checking out the anatomy of others is kind of my thing… Has been so as far back as I can remember… Did you know that our carnivore captors would take us when we were little? If you saw the chains, then you may have already guessed it.”

—

We enter a flashback, in which we see a group of herbivore-children between ages three and five lined up in very same showers. They have no clothes and are linked together by shackles that go from ankle to ankle, with a long chain running through them.

SAN: “We would get cleaned, trimmed and deloused. Probably the most care that was ever shown to us.”

The showers are running, and the children are all getting cleaned by carnivores in raincoats, who are roughly scrubbing them with brushes.

SAN: “Not that there was any real affection behind it though, it was just business. I mean who would want to eat meat with a side order of typhus?”

In the middle of the chain we see the young San, Louis and Kyuu standing in a row next to each other. San is getting the fur of his neck trimmed with a thinning scissor, Louis gets scrubbed behind his ears and Kyuu gets applied DDT through a large spray pump. The powdered cloud of insecticide causes her to cough.

—

The flashback ends. Despite the dark subject matter, San has maintained a jovial expression.

SAN: “At that time they would also take the chance to check us, to make sure our bodies had just the right amount of produce… It was probably there that I picked up the habit of checking the bodies of others, cause I knew that if I saw someone who looked particularly nice and healthy…”

San’s eyes go down to Legosi’s muscular and scarred torso, rising slowly up to his face. Something in his stare causes the wolf to look increasingly uncomfortable.

SAN: “… He or she would soon be gone.”

Suddenly, the soap slips out of San’s grip and slides across the floor.

SAN: “Whoops!”

San goes over to where the soap is and kneels down in order to pick it up, water dripping off his fur and forming a pool around his feet. We can see it even clearer from his back that he is alarmingly malnourished, with vertebrae, ribs and shoulder blades sticking out like the detachable appendages of a Mr. Potato-doll.

SAN: “What an upturned world, when being healthy seals your fate… Makes me glad I’ve always been quite skinny. I mean… Would you really want to take a bite out of this pitiful body?”

San glances back at Legosi with a grim look.

SAN: “Still, if I was cooked well enough, one could probably suck the meat off my bones the same way you’d lick the batter off a spoon…”

Legosi stares at him with an unreadable expression.

San purses his lips, looking kind of disappointed that he’s not getting any interesting reaction out of Legosi. The alpaca then tries to stand up, but appears to slip and fall over, his knee hitting the tiled floor hard. He gives off a pained groan.

This prompts a look of concern from Legosi. He rushes over and kneels down next to San.

LEGOSI: “Are you okay? You’re not injured are you?”

San spins around, using a pool of water on the floor as a lubricant to move with a remarkable speed. He then makes a whipping motion with his forearm which launches a splash that is aimed straight at Legosi’s eyes.

Legosi instinctively pulls back and raises a hand up to his face, managing to protect his right eye in the last second. The rest of the water hits his unprotected eye though, which he closes tightly. Apparently the soap in it really stings!

San’s right hand shoots out at him, aiming at the left side of his chest. Legosi manages to block this blow with his left hand, holding San’s bony hand back by his wrist. The wolf grits his teeth at him.

LEGOSI: “Stop! What are you-”

San’s free hand shoots up and he pushes Legosi’s left shoulder with two fingers.

Legosi’s eyes widens. With his hand still around the San’s wrist, he throws alpaca away from him.

San stumbles back. He meets the wolf’s shocked look and smiles.

SAN: “She HAS trained you well.”

He then puts one of his hands over his other hand in a respectful, Bao Quan Li-gesture.

SAN: “Sorry about that, but I heard you were being tutored in surprise attacks today, so I felt obliged to contribute. I have to say you performed well, pulling a good, though imperfect, block as I splashed at your eyes. If I had managed to hit BOTH of your eyes, you would’ve been in serious trouble right about now.”

Legosi doesn’t seem to hear this though, as his attention is entirely focused on his left arm, which hangs down and looks completely limp!

LEGOSI: “My arm… What did you do to my arm?!”

San raises two fingers and waves them at the wolf in a playful fashion.

SAN: “I hit a pressure point which rendered your arm numb and useless. I know it’s a bit of a cliche to use in martial arts, but it’s really useful if you ever get caught in and can’t get loose. Don’t worry, it’s an easy fix though.”

San walks up to Legosi and uses these fingers to hit the same spot on Legosi’s shoulder as before.

SAN: “Boop!”

Legosi twitches. He then blinks, and slowly raises his formerly limp arm. Inspecting it with a confused look, he then uses it to wipe his closed eye. He has San fixed with an open, wary eye.

San scratches his chin and watches Legosi with a sense of intrigue.

SAN: “… Tell me though, did you try and cover your eyes on instinct, or did something tip you off to my intent?”

Legosi lowers his arm. Both of his eyes are open now, though his left has turned pink and bloodshot from the soap water.

LEGOSI: “By the time I knelt down I felt a nagging suspicion. You may look sickly, but as I recall you managed to immobilize Louis in just a few moves the first time we met, so I figured that you couldn’t be as frail as you look… At first I thought you were looking at me because you liked males, but now I think you were taking a better look in order to further map out my physical weaknesses… You were baiting me.”

SAN: “Exactly.”

San gives off a jolly smile again, as if what had just transpired hadn’t transpired at all! He then adopts an explanatory pose with his hand raised, as if he’s about to give a lecture.

SAN: “It’s called Deceptive Display: an old technique developed by herbivores that is meant to draw carnivores to you.”

We see an illustrative scene playing out in San’s background, featuring an old and limping wildebeest with crutches surrounded by the shadows of ill-willing carnivores with their eyes gleaming and tongues sticking out.

SAN: “ See, for the average carnivore who is on the hunt, the notions of easy prey is irresistible. This instinctively draws them to the weak and injured before the strong and healthy. Deceptive Display exploits this, taking advantage of their dropped guard.”

The illustrative scene fades away. San maintains his friendly smile, but his eyes have adopted more of an edge.

SAN: “However, you’re not that average, are you? I had to act out a bit more, drawing you in by your unnatural sense of concern rather than your natural instinct to devour me.”

Legosi stares at San, seeing the alpaca in a different light from before.

LEGOSI: (Kyuu-san is a tougher fighter than San, but San has more of a devious vibe to him…! Knowing he’s been hiding such techniques this whole time behind such a lax and friendly face…)

His tail bristles and wraps around his leg.

LEGOSI: (It makes my skin crawl!)

KYUU: “Personally I think it’s a one-noted fighting style.”

Legosi blinks. He slowly turns to look down his right and discovers that Kyuu is standing next to him, stark naked and turning the tap of the shower head next to him.

The wolf’s jaw drops, but Kyuu doesn’t seem to be embarrassed in the least.

KYUU: “Trickery and deceptive tactics are invaluable if used sparingly, but are altogether too predictable for someone to fully rely on. If an opponent calls your bluff and you don’t have anything else up your sleeve, you’re screwed.”

She adopts an annoyed frown as no water comes out of her shower head.

KYUU: “Damn pipes…!”

San nods in admittance.

SAN: “Sadly enough, she has a point. I couldn’t really fight in underground pits anymore after my opponents figured out how my technique worked.”

Kyuu and San turn to look at Legosi, only to discover that the wolf has disappeared from where he was a second ago, leaving a Legosi-shaped imprint in the still flowing showerwater. Kyuu and San turn their heads to look at the way out, deducing from a series of wet footprints on the floor that Legosi has left.

SAN: “… What flew into him?”

KYUU: “Female nudity must embarrass him.”

SAN: “Huh, how strange.”

Kyuu takes Legoshi’s place in the still running shower, and San goes to take his original place in the shower next to her.

KYUU: “I know, right? Males and females only differ in a few fleshy appendages left and right… What is there to be embarrassed about?”

Kyuu rubs her hands over her head, getting accustomed to the temperature.

KYUU: “Then again, he wasn’t forced into shared showers when he was a kid. The differences between genders must be a big deal to him because he hasn’t been exposed to them to the point of indifference.”

Now being completely wet, the rabbit turns to the alpaca and extends an open hand.

KYUU: “If you’re finished, hand me that soap.”

SAN: “Sure thing.”

San begins to hand over the soap, but his fingers pinch it, causing it to slip out of his hand and land on the floor behind Kyuu.

SAN: “Whoops.”

Kyuu looks over at the dropped soap with slight annoyance. She turns around, bends over and reaches for it.

KYUU: “Still using the dropped soap-trick, even after my little speech about fleshy appendages and indifference? You’re so transparent it makes me want to throw up.”

SAN: “What can I say Kyuu-san? I’m male, you’re a female. You may be embarrassed by your female drives…”

As she bends over, San can’t help but to stare at the bunny’s curvaceous backside. We can see that she has a few scars across her back; most likely from previous fights.

SAN: “… But I quite enjoy stimulating my male ones.”

Getting up with the soap in hand, Kyuu proceeds to use it as she washes her armpits, her ears and her tail.

KYUU: “Giving into your urges so easily is one of the things that make you so predictable… It was no wonder Legosi could read you right away.”

SAN: “Should you really be the one lecturing me on that? I wasn’t the one who tried to proposition myself to that wolf the same night we met.”

Kyuu’s deadpan expression breaks somewhat. She turns to give the alpaca an unamused glare.

KYUU: “I didn’t proposition myself. It was part of his training.”

San laughs.

SAN: “Yeah right, I bet that’s all it was… I guess I would be way off for thinking you just wanted a taste of that desirable carnivore-strength through the raw, sexual onslaught of his HUGE-”

FWUP!

San looks stunned as the bar of soap gets launched into his mouth. He gags and spits it out. As he starts to cough up bubbles, Kyuu starts to whistle the Bubble Bobble (1986) theme song while she wrings the water out of her ears.

—

We skip over to when Kyuu and San have finished in the showers and are putting their clothes back on. San, now with his pants on, has taken a seat on one of the benches. He has his hand over his mouth and looks sick.

SAN: “My mouth still tastes like soap…!”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, Kyuu puts her own pants on.

KYUU: “Be glad that’s all I did, considering your little street fight in the showers.”

San looks up at her with a skeptical look.

SAN: “… What, you didn’t like it? I just added a bit of extension to your lesson today. Considering surprises are my speciality, it’d be criminal if I just stood on the sidelines and did nothing to contribute.”

KYUU: “There’s a big difference between throwing a knife a dull knife at his face which you know he can catch and poisoning him and expect him to build up immunity to it on the fly.”

The alpaca adopts a confused look.

SAN: “What are you talking about?”

KYUU: “Don’t play coy.”

Kyuu puts on her t-shirt and then her red training jacket over it.

KYUU: “I saw the whole thing. You tried to hit the pressure points on the left side below his ribs, which would’ve affected his heart and liver.”

Kyuu turns around. Her deadpan eyes have become sharp and her lip has turned up to form an angry sneer.

KYUU: “If you had made a successful hit, he could’ve gone into cardiac arrest, putting his life in danger!”

San looks unaffected by Kyuu’s accusation. He leans forward, cups his chin in his hand and stares at her.

SAN: “… Why are you so upset? You mean to tell me you don’t endanger his life during your training?”

KYUU: “I don’t throw lethal techniques at him before I’m confident he can handle them! He’s not ready for what you’re trying to pull… He probably doesn’t even know that pressing pressure points is a real-life thing! You’ll end up killing him if you pull more of that crap. And that’s not the only reason I’m upset.”

Kyuu proceeds to pull something out of her pants pocket: one of the throwing knives she used earlier.

KYUU: “I took these for the training knowing they were dulle… But guess what I discovered just a little while ago?”

She then throws it across the room, aiming at a raincoat that dangles next to San. The knife pierces through the coat and becomes embedded into the tile on the wall behind it.

San turns to look at the knife. Meanwhile, Kyuu glares at him.

KYUU: “They had been sharpened. Sharpened to the point that I could penetrate the aluminum of an air vent! I sure as hell didn’t sharpen them, so it couldn’t have been anyone except you! If I had hit Legosi with even one of them…!”

SAN: “If he would’ve died, he would’ve died.”

Kyuu looks a little shocked as she hears this from San. The alpaca turns back to give her a cold look.

SAN: “Survival of the fittest Kyuu, that’s the rule of the back alley market. If someone isn’t strong enough, fast enough or clever enough to keep the death at bay, then why should he amount to anything more than chopped liver? Isn’t that the exact words you’ve used in the past?”

Hearing this, Kyuu looks down and thinks back to the moment when Legosi asked her to command him to 'stay’ in preparation for his fight with Melon; seeing that very memory play out in her background.

KYUU: “That was before…”

SAN: “I’ve been keeping watch you know. The training sessions you’re giving him now are freaking filler compared to when you started. You’re not acting like someone who wants to further him as a fighter. I don’t see a trainer teaching a pupil, but a girl who is enjoying a males company.”

Kyuu starts to look increasingly irritated (and quite possibly a bit embarrassed) by what the alpaca is suggesting.

KYUU: “Watch it…!”

San stretches his arm out and pulls the knife out of the wall. He looks down at it with a sneer.

SAN: “Just admit it already: You’re soft for him, otherwise he wouldn’t have caught back on that roof.”

—

We enter a flashback, at which we can see San standing on the roof of the building. Looking through a pair of binoculars, he spies on Legosi and Kyuu from a long distance.

SAN: “I could see your face.”

He witnesses the moment right after Kyuu has thrown the knives at Legosi. As Legosi bends over, San can see Kyuu’s face clearly.

She looks concerned.

SAN: “You looked concerned for him.”

Going back to San, we see him lowering the binoculars with a grim look.

SAN: “It distracted you, made you hesitate. It wasn’t because he was better that he caught you, but because your concern for him delayed your reaction.”

—

Returning to the present, we see Kyuu looking at San with a pair of big eyes. That look though is enough for San though as confirmation that his statement is true.

SAN: “You ARE soft for him… And because I am not, one can say I am a far more impartial teacher than you are being right now.”

Kyuu looks down. She seems to struggle at coming up with an appropriate response.

SAN: “… Let me ask you something, what is it about him that makes you THAT concerned about him?“

Kyuu grits her teeth at him, the question clearly irritates her.

KYUU: ”… Louis and Gouhin trust in him. Isn’t that enough?“

San shakes his head at this.

SAN: "Louis and Gouhin also trust the Shishigumi, but I don’t see you hanging out with any of them in your spare time, acting all playful.”

Kyuu blinks. Then she crosses her arms, fixing the alpaca a squinted look.

SAN: “Then again, maybe you would. With all that friendliness you are showing that wolf, maybe you would like a lion or two for the sake of variation. Maybe teach them an Imaginary Chimera or two while you’re at it?”

KYUU: “… Is that the core of your issue? Me being friendly with carnivores?”

SAN: “That tone in your voice makes it sound like I’m being petty. Don’t treat it like it’s a small thing…! It’s when herbivores and carnivores kid themselves that they can co-exist as friends that they set themselves up for misery and bloodshed, with the herbivores getting maimed and carnivores weeping over their bloodied corpses.“

San bends over and grabs a hold of the chain under it.

SAN: “You and Louis and this whole damn society is heading to that place because you forget one important thing:”

He throws the chain over to the floor in front of Kyuu.

SAN: “Every carnivore is the enemy of a herbivore. Remembering that is what keeps us alive!”

Things go quiet between them. Kyuu looks down at the chain… Two of it’s shackles are open and almost look like they’re reaching out to bite her.

KYUU: ”… Before Gouhin freed us, either of us were not seen as people. We were just consumable items… Meat to be eaten.”

Her arms go from being crossed to reaching further around her body and hugging herself, reservedly displaying a rare case of vulnerability.

KYUU: “Afterwards, each of the numbers went their separate ways… Found homes and families and what-not. The only ones who stayed here were you and me… We’ve spent our whole lives together… You’re my closest friend San, and because of that, you see me exactly as I am: A weak and self-serving turncoat… You may not say it aloud, but you KNOW IT. You don’t judge me for it, and you’re my friend despite that… I am grateful, but I’ve also come to realize that that’s part of the problem.”

San stares at her, looking confused as to where she’s going with this.

KYUU: “My point is that I have never been seen as more than what I am… EXCEPT by that stupid wolf. For some reason, he thinks MORE of me, even after knowing what an ungrateful affair that has been to him! I still have no idea why he trusts me so whole-heartedly… Or why he doesn’t just see me as the gutter-filth who sold him out for money!”

She looks increasingly angry and frustrated the more she talks about this.

KYUU: “The Kyuu inside his head must be so far attached from the real thing that it’s laughable…! HE’S SUCH A FUCKING MORON I SOMETIMES WANT TO PUNCH HIM! And yet…“

Kyuu’s imagination paints up a picture of Legosi’s friendly face from before, as he thanks her and calls her ‘Kyuu-chan.’ This appears to melt her anger, making her adopt a calmer expression.

KYUU: "He’s made me realize that I want more out of this life… Not just possession-vice, but to be more as a person. Because of him… I want to be less like the Kyuu I am and more like the Kyuu he believes in.”

San stares at her for the longest time after she says this. He then snorts and grins at her.

SAN: “Sorry, but… What a load of bull!”

Kyuu’s eyes widen and her arms go down on her sides.

SAN: “I know you. You want to be close to Legosi, and Gouhin if I remember things right, not because you think either will make you a better person, but because you HATE other herbivores.”

Kyuu tightens her fist and grits her teeth as San continues his talk.

SAN: “You hate us, thinking our line of thought and sense of self-preservation is what is holding animals like you down. Socializing with carnivores is just a way of catering to your envy of them… To make you feel more like one of them than one of us.”

Kyuu looks so angry at this moment that she appears unable to talk. But then, her fist loosens and her face relaxes. She closes her eyes, sighs through her nose and opens her eyes to meet San’s look.

KYUU: “Believe what you will… But consider the fact that you may not know me as well as you think.”

Kyuu turns and walks off to the door and opens it. She stops in the doorway and looks back at San over her shoulder.

KYUU: “I don’t hate other herbivores… But just because I am one, doesn’t mean I am required to love them.”

Her eyes turn sharp and bitter.

KYUU: “Carnivores may have kept us, carnivores may have wanted to eat us, but it was herbivores who sold us to them to begin with!”

She then walks out and slams the door after her, leaving the alpaca by himself.

—

Kyuu walks back to her room. Passing a staircase on the way, she stops to look down like she’s noticed something.

We see that Legosi is still around, sitting at the bottom of the stairs.

KYUU: “You’re still here?”

Legosi looks over his shoulder as he hears Kyuu. We see that he is still quite wet, with patches of water soaking through parts of his shirt (as he was in such a hurry to get away from the showers that he didn’t stop to dry his fur off). He rubs the back of his head.

LEGOSI: “Ah… Well… I figured it would be rude to leave without saying goodbye, so I waited until you were done.”

Kyuu gives him an incredulous grimace.

KYUU: “… What the hell? You don’t have to be so polite. If you were gone, I would have just assumed you left.”

LEGOSI: “Still, it wouldn’t have felt right…”

Kyuu shakes her head at this, like she’s thinking 'he’s unimprovable’.

Legosi then stands up and gives Kyuu a more serious look.

LEGOSI: “I also wanted to tell you I’ve thought more about your suggestion… And I’ve decided on something.”

KYUU: “Oh?”

LEGOSI: “I want to tell Haru first, before I say yes or no.”

Kyuu blinks. Then she sighs, goes down the stairs and sits down in front of Legosi.

KYUU: “Very well then… When will you tell her?”

LEGOSI: “Golden week.”

Kyuu raises an eyebrow.

KYUU: “… That’s in like two weeks, why not right away?”

LEGOSI: “There are other things I want to tell her in the meantime… Some of which I think are better told as she meets someone very special to me. Golden week is the best time for that.”

KYUU: “How very ceremonious of you. Personally I think the sooner the better but whatever, I’m not your fucking nanny. Do what you think is best.”

Legosi nods.

LEGOSI: “Thank you Kyuu-cha- I mean Kyuu-san. Oh, and thank San for the lesson too… It was very educational.”

Kyuu tilts her head in a questioning manner, like she’s not exactly sure whether the wolf is serious about appreciating San’s dangerous lesson or if he’s just being sarcastic.

Legosi turns around, looking like he’s about to leave. But then, he pauses and turns back to face Kyuu. He looks like he wants something.

LEGOSI: “Um…”

KYUU: “What now?”

LEGOSI: "Well, before I go… You know those swiping moves you made with the throwing knives… What do you call that?”

Kyuu gives the wolf a confused look.

KYUU: “Call?”

LEGOSI: “I mean, what is the name of the attack? What would you cry out while doing it?”

Kyuu gives him an incredulous look.

KYUU: “Cry out… What do you think this is, KAMEN RIDER?! What would be the damn point to cry out the name of a technique for the whole world to hear?!”

Legosi holds his arms out in an urging gesture.

LEGOSI: “Cause it’d be cool! You know, people would be like 'oh no, Kyuu’s about to do her famous KNIFE SPLASH!’”

Kyuu stares at him with an open mouth, like she can’t even compute the nonsense she is hearing.

KYUU: “… Knife splash?”

LEGOSI: “You know, cause the way it spreads is like water splashing… And it kind of sounds like 'knife slash’.”

She continues to stare at him.

KYUU: “… Knife splash.”

The rabbit smacks her mouth with an odd look, like she’s trying to taste the word and it’s turned out to be an acquired taste.

KYUU: “Knife splash… You’d like me to yell KNIFE SPLASH on the top of my lungs whilst doing it?! You don’t do anything like with any of your attacks!”

LEGOSI: “Well not externally anyway.”

KYUU: “Why Gouhin took you under his wing I’ll never understand…!”

As they continue their banter, we go up the stairs and see that San is standing leaned up against the wall just out of sight. He is listening in on the conversation with an unreadable expression.





THE END… FOR NOW.

—