Chapter 35 ~ Saccading

The novae's many undetectable eyes weren't limited only to her surroundings. She could also point them back at herself. A single outstretched hand could let her see herself from angles nobody else could. In this moment, however, her eyes were locked with the Kurai in the mirror. It may not have been necessary, but right now, she really needed this.

Pointy ears rested atop her head. Her human ears could hide so easily under her hair, but these were impossible to miss. It was hard to tell whether the tail was more conspicuous or not, in spite of it being in a less prominent position. It was quite large. It was also smoother than she would have imagined, hardly needing any brushing to be immaculate. She supposed foxes in the forests didn't need any brushes for their own silky smooth tails. Running her hand through it was almost relaxing. Almost.

What will people do when they see me in the streets like this?
...It doesn't take a genius to guess.
I had enjoyed blending in, as best I could.
Maybe I was a bit excessive at times with my appearance, but...
I just wanted to look good. Not to be looked at.
To walk the streets attracting this much attention with these new parts, all the time from now on...
...I suppose the foxfolk already know that feeling all too well.
Those damnable gazes. The words they say behind your back.
And unlike me, they can't simply get rid of these things.
...Yet, considering slavery in Augeo, I can already guess some of them have gotten their parts removed.
There was that old story about the past generations being forced to do exactly that.
...
Perhaps I judged them too harshly.
The way they treated me was horrid, but...

Her hands trailed over her new ears. Surprisingly, they felt like nothing. No sensitivity. No fun sensation to play around with. From what she learned during her anatomical misadventure, she knew she was replicating them perfectly. This is what she ended up with. It was a muted disappointment if nothing else. She thought this would be a bundle of joy, getting to experience something cute and fluffy from the receiving end. Maybe have Robin bury his face in her tail while Meus pets her ears. Or vice versa. Why, then, was everything so uncomfortable?

...I can't go out like this.
Not today.
That's right, Miss Irene wanted me to knock some sense into some boy.
Why did I ever agree to that? It's so...
...
Maybe I'll feel better afterwards, actually.
It's a bad time to go out with any big changes.
I'll do that some other time.
Someday.

Her wordless woes aside, Kurai got ready for the clinic visit. Her normal Elegant, Gothic, Lacy dresses seemed like a bad pick, more for how they might get ruffled than anything else. Surely they would be perfectly fine to fight in otherwise. Still, there were a few alternative styles Kurai had that were gathering dust. She went with trousers for once, its dark color pairing nicely with a white blouse. A perfect fit for any lady of the brawling persuasion.

The interior of Irene's clinic was just as uneventful as the walk to there was. A light mist took the city, and that was all there was of note. It certainly didn't boost the novae's mood any. Kurai sat in the waiting room, legs stretched out as she stared absently at the ceiling. She thought she could spend the time chatting with her apothecary friend, but now she only got to see firsthand how busy the clinic was. There was hardly ever more than one or two people besides Kurai, but there was always someone in the treatment room. There wasn't more than a couple minutes of break in between them. The novae eavesdropped for a bit, but medical matters proved to be more upsetting than interesting.

"Dear, you don't need to be putting on such a sour face! The clinician doesn't need you scaring off anybody."

"Huh?" Kurai snapped out of her introspection. The receptionist was smiling at her. Right, her name was Avani.

"That whole intimidation act you were putting on. I know you fixer types are always doing that sort of thing, but please, you can relax those shoulders a little. Feels like I always have to say that!"

"...Fixer types, huh? Does Miss Irene work with fixers often?"

"Hm? Oh, heavens, I didn't say that! Haha!" She clumsily laughed it off, refusing to acknowledge the question any further.

"Well, I was just thinking about some things. That's all." She wouldn't even know where to begin with trying intimidation tactics.

"Oh, that's even worse! There's no better way to ruin a good day than overthinking. Are you that concerned with the contract? I'll admit, you weren't what I had in mind when the clinician mentioned wanting the boy to be taught a lesson."

"Contract? I'm just doing this as a favor."

"Oh, of course! Such a noble young lady you are, I can tell." While she put on a forced cordial tone, Kurai could see the truth in her eyes. The older lady was bored and itching for anything to gossip about later.

"Right... So, what's the boy's name anyways? Surely he's not that young?"

"He's nineteen, so still legally a minor, but it won't be a problem here. He calls himself J, but I wouldn't let him sign his name with a single letter, no way. So he signed it, and you know what it said? John. I swear, every other man on the street is named John. I can see why he doesn't want to go by it."

"I see. Are you sure there's nothing wrong with, you know, roughing up a kid? Even if he's almost an adult, he's not one yet."

"Oh, nobody will bat an eye. I doubt anybody could tell just looking at him. It's not like you're giving a small child the what-for."

"Right..." The chatty lady kept going on for a short time, but all of it was in one ear, out the other for the novae. It wasn't long before the man of the hour showed up. He announced his presence immediately by the slam of the door, freshly kicked open.

"Oi! Me again. Betcha were starting to miss me! Ha!"

The boy calling himself J was defined by his bruises. Practically every part of him was discolored, though it was hard to tell where tattoos began and bruising ended. Bandages hung loosely in scattered places, some torn up. His clothing was rough and made of thick canvas to be more durable, but it still managed to be threadbare and tattered on the problem areas. He had a head of natural red hair, haphazardly trimmed and still just long enough to look messy. In spite of his state, or perhaps because of it, he seemed cocksure and undeterred.

"Oh, you can't keep coming in like this! You're even worse off than last time, dear," Avani bemoaned.

"Yeah, so what? Pain is just weakness leaving the body, haven't ya heard? I’m feeling pumped today!" He raised his fist proudly in the air. "Tell the doc to make room for me A-S-A-P, would ya?" His attention just as quickly snapped over to the staring Kurai. "Well hello mama! See something you like?"

"..." Ordinarily, Kurai would feel ashamed for staring, wondering what the correct, human way would be to answer this. But her task from Irene was liberating in a way. It didn't matter if she came off as rude. If she provoked a fight, it was just as well. "You look like a rotten tomato that lost a fight with a brick wall."

"Hey, hey, hey! I never lose. Not even once! Don't get me mixed up with some poser."

"If you never lost, why do you look like you got beaten up for a week straight?"

"Nothing but marks of glory, toots. What you see here is proof nobody ever keeps ol' J down! Always rise up from the fuckin' ashes, like one of them penixes."

"Pfft... I'm sorry, were you trying to say phoenix just now?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever! Doesn't matter one bit what they're called. All I wanna know is, you free tonight? I got somewhere you're gonna love, trust me on it."

"Are you really hitting on me when you look like a half-finished mummy? Goodness, you really have some confidence..."

"What can I say?" He plopped down right beside her, resting an arm across the back of her chair. "I know I'm just that good, and you know you want a real man. Hell, I'll toss out whoever's hogging the infirmary and get that little doc to patch me up right now, we'll be outta here before ya know it."

"...You know, I didn't say I liked that confidence. Not when you have no restraint. I'm feeling tempted to give you another bruise to wipe that smug look off your face."

"Hey, whoa, cool it with the attitude. I was just offerin'. Not like I was forcing you or anything. Just, y'know, if you got any interest. That's all." He held his hands up in a faux defensiveness.

"My interests, huh? ...Y'know, I just think it would be fun to bruise you." Kurai smiled at him. She didn't need to force anything.

"What, are you some kinda psycho? I'm starting to get the creeps, yikes."

"Nah, I'm just a girl with interests. Tell you what, if you can beat me in a fight, I'll let you take me on that date you were talking about. And if I beat you, then, uh... You'll do what I want instead."

"You really think you can take Unbeatable J in a fight? Ha! You look soft as could be, doll face. I don't want you to chip a nail or anything. But if that's what I gotta do to get you to change your mind..."

For all the faults with the city of Augeo, gender inequality was usually not one of them. With magic being available to all, as well as the proliferation of firearms, it became less common for women to be seen as dainty figures needing protection. The fact that many of the physically demanding jobs in the factories were taken by men and women alike was certainly another contributing factor. By this point, there was nothing odd or dishonorable about a man and a woman dueling, not any more than it would be for just two men. It wasn't something people thought about enough to question it by this point.

"Let's take this outside, then."

It wasn't two steps outside before the 19 year old boy ripped his jacket off, tossing it to the side. It came as little surprise that his arms were heavily tattooed, yet almost just as decorated by scars.

"One round, first to tap out. Don't worry, I'll go easy on ya."

"That makes one of us." She stretched her arms forward, locking her together. The sound of cracking knuckles was "Ready?"

"RAHHHHH!" J screamed as his body surged with some strange power. His veins popped out to a worrying degree, especially in his forearms. Liquid, possibly sweat, bubbled out of his skin, coalescing together into a thin watery layer. "Water magic. Born with it. I don't use it as no fuckin' sprinkler, no way. You turn that shit inwards and it gets your adrenaline PUMPED like you wouldn't believe! Hell YEAH I'm ready!"

He started off strong with several fast punches, far more intense than Kurai would have thought from someone so beat up. She had already done her own, far quieter preparations with her bones and muscles. Still, with his sudden onslaught, she didn't see a good chance to get a safe hit in. She didn't need to worry about safety, though. Accepting the trade, Kurai took a blow to her shoulder as she drove her fist in hard right to his chest. It was like her fist drove right into dense slime. Her fist made contact, but it was definitely cushioned.

"What the...?" She did some slight damage and got a reaction out of him, but that liquid layer absorbed her strike far too much. She wouldn't have expected it from something so thin.

"All natural body armor, girl!" he answered her unspoken question again, taking a step back and spreading his arms wide in a brag. "What, you thought I was trying to cool off? Nah, no. Got you some real condensed water here! It stops anything short of a cannonball from landing a clean hit. Unless you think your fist could break through concrete, you may as well give up now!"

She actually believed she could, but it was clear that brute force was the worst way to handle this. That water armor only covered his skin in large patches, leaving gaps in his connective tissues at the shoulders, elbows, and other joints. It would take a lot of precision hitting such small areas, but if she used her own magic, she probably could blow the water barrier apart to make a bigger gap...

But, the novae wanted to try something more fun.

"Funny you should mention concrete...!" She rushed at him boldly, not caring if she was an open target for a free hit. Even as he swung, it wouldn't stop her as she stretched her arms out. They wrapped around his back oh so snugly. J seemed completely taken off guard as she gave him the warmest smile she could.

"Because we're gonna see just how well you break through it!" She pulled him into her as she fell backwards, spinning mid-fall so that the boy would be the one hitting the ground. Even the water barrier behind his head could only do so much when it was gravity pulling him into the ground, rather than an outside force trying to crash in. He howled as his skull slammed into the cobblestones below. Maybe not concrete after all, but it was close enough.

"Gah! You bitch!" His focus completely dropped, causing his water barrier to spill into nothing more than a worthless puddle around him. Any amateur, no matter how natural their magic was, couldn't maintain it under pressure. She could only imagine how poor his control was when he was so battered in spite of such a potent armor. He was wide open for her to drive her fist right into him.

Kurai had something else in mind. For all the things human limbs were good at, just how well did they handle being stretched? She was going to find out. Taking his wrist into her hands, she swung her body around as to be perpendicular to him. Bringing his arm as far as she could up her chest, her thighs squeezed around his shoulder, locked at the ankles. With his arm hyperextended across her body, all she needed to do was lift her hips from the floor ever so slightly, just enough to start bending his elbow backwards...

"Gah, fuck! Stop that, stop right– ah– fuck!" Music to her ears.

"Giving up yet, J?"

"I never give up! Just, just quit that shit and fight me for real!"

"Sounds like you want more~." It was a marvel just how little she had to move to get such a yelp from him. Human bodies really couldn't handle a single inch of extra pull, could they?

"No, no– Gah! Fuck, fuck, okay, fuck! You win! Whatever! Stop!"

"You sure? You know, I don't think I told you yet what I want when I win..."

"Let go of me already! I don't care what it is!"

"I want you to stop getting into fights until Miss Irene says you're healed."

"Fuck that! I never, NEVER give up on nothing! I do what I want, and–" A little now-familiar stretch was all it took for his tune to change instantly with another howl of pain. "Okay, okay! I'll do it, promise! Fuck, just stop!"

"Hm... Alright." She finally freed his arm, pivoting her legs off of him. Before he could get up, she grabbed him by the collar. "But you better keep your word. If I hear that you were lying about your promise..."

"I ain't a liar. J says he gonna do something, it gets done. Nobody's gonna say otherwise."

"Good." She let go of him, offering her hand to help him up instead. After a moment, he took it, rising to his feet. Kurai opened the door as they went back inside. Some crowd had gathered to gawk at them at some point, but the novae, heart pounding in the best way possible, found that now she didn't care.

So what?
Let them look.

"Fuck me though. I was so close to getting my big breakthrough too," the boy griped as he plopped down into a chair in the waiting room again.

"With what?"

"Joining the Pack! I've been going there every day trying to join them. They make you have to win a fight against one of their members to get in. Kept putting me up against this wolf-guy. He's built like a bull, but I've been getting so close! I knew I'd win any day now. Now I gotta twiddle my thumbs for who knows how long before I take another shot at it."

"What's... the Pack?"

"You never heard of the Pack? What, you been living under a rock? They're the toughest, coolest bunch a' nutcases out there! They're all beasts. Got those ears or horns or whatever else people get. You know how expensive those things are?! But they get it done for you for free! I'm gonna be living the high life soon as I get in."

"You've been getting beat up that much just to change your anatomy a bit...?"

"Hell yeah I have! I'm gonna look so good once I get horns. I even got a nickname decided. They're gonna call me the MAN-otaur!" He was so confident about it that Kurai almost didn't start laughing right in his face. Almost. "Yeah, yeah, you're laughing now, but see me in a year and I'm gonna be on top of the world!"

"I'll look forward to it," she got out as she finished chuckling. "...Say, where is the Pack located?"

"All over, doll. ALL over. You ever see a shadow moving in the city, there's the Pack howling and dominating everything around 'em."

"So you don't know where they are even when you've been getting into fights with them?"

"Hey, I know a thing or two! Over on East End, I always go over to Carver Street for it. They're always filling up the King's Ransom pub. Can't miss them."

"Interesting... Thanks." She didn't expect to finally get a hint on where to find beasts from this, but she kept a mental note of it. "Still, you could use the recovery period. Wait til your next birthday comes around at the very least. I don't think a kid should be getting involved with that kind of stuff."

"Hey, I ain't no kid! What's a few months change anything anyways? I'm already so grown up, you don't even know, like—" He started to go off, but Kurai could only giggle at his antics at this point.