Chapter 299: Lady and the Tramp

As Parc entered Kali's home, he could hear the low hum of chatter in the living room. Lady, he immediately recognized one voice, soft almost dozed. Then there was another, it was a man, but it was softer even than Lady's. He crossed the hall, followed the noises then as he was about to turn into the room, there was a creak from the staircase.

Blake had come down, her thin legs visible first before she crouched and locked him in the eyes. A tinge of fear-laden within. Parc mouthed 'White fang?' and she nodded readily in response. 'I'll deal with it,' he added and drew away from her and pushed open the lounge door. It was silent, but from how the conversation stopped, he swore it was a dragons roar.

Inside, of course, there was Kali and Lady, Marigold nowhere to be found. Upstairs, he presumed accurately. Of the three people within, the third was that of a man, tall and dark of skin with a red hood ne cloak, beneath which a dark, onyx toned tunic contrasted the white pleated pants he wore. And from his back, his Faunus trait of a fluffy fennec foxtail.

The man angled towards Parc, hands behind his back and chest puffed proudly, the man seemed stalwart and cold. He inspected Parc, narrowing as he saw and smelt more human than Faunus.

Parc said nothing as the door squeaked shut behind him, constantly taking small, methodical steps towards the fox Faunus. Neither Kali nor Lady spoke up, knowing that what was going on was a challenge between men, tigers or whatnot.

"I have heard of you. Parc Evans, is it?" finally, it was the fox to speak, Parc's lips lifted at the ends.

"It is. And you must be Corsac Albain." They didn't offer a hand or an honourable greeting. Too much for people, they knew to be foes more than friends. Parc glanced to Kali, greeting her, then turned to Lady who was dopely beaming at him. "I suppose I have you to thank for this meeting then, Lady?"

She giggled melodically, "oh, no thanks needed." She said, "the moment Corsac heard your name he was simply intent on meeting you first hand."

"Now?" he returned to the coldly scowling white fang representative. "Can't say I've done much to earn your attention. Adam's perhaps." The memory made him chuckle, reminding himself that he still had issues to deal with in Vale and bull to knock down a peg.

"We prefer to keep our tabs up to date on those we deem… minacious."

"Minacious?" Parc chuckled, "sorry. My vernacular isn't as up to date as you seem to think."

"Threatening." Corsac hummed.

"Me?" less a question, more an amusing fact, "well, if an organization can find a single man so threatening it's top dogs, no offence, deem fit to keep an eye on me. Well, I'm not sure if I should be worried or proud."

"For now, you may take pride in that fact. Though from what Lady has told me, I am sure we can push you onto being worried."

"Simply because I wish to speak with Sienna? My, doesn't take much to light your candle."

Corsac rolled his eyes, "one does not simply meet with the High Leader of the White Fang because they wish for it. High Leader Khan is a very busy woman after all."

"I'm sure she can take some time out of her day to meet with me."

"And exactly why would that be? Why is it that she, one of the most important faunus in all of Remnant deign herself to making time out of her busy schedule for you? A teacher at Beacon. A boy who barely even exists."

"I have things to offer. Deals to make."

"Then tell me what those are."

Parc smirked, head lifting he peered around his nose at the Albain, "things you don't have the authority to decide on."#

Corsac narrowed his eyes then let out a harsh harrumph. "I do believe as a representative of the White Fang, I have plenty of authority to make any such decisions."

"Perhaps," Parc backed away, giving the man the barest form of the higher ground as Kali brought him a bottle of beer, mango flavoured. He didn't know beer could be flavoured, he'd heard it for zero percent, but regular proof beer no. It was already uncapped, so he took a short swig and covered his mouth, biting back a belch as the bubbles settled in his stomach. "Still, I would rather it be Sienna herself."

"As I said, she is bu-"

"Bullshit."

Corsac staggered.

"As if Sienna Khan is busy. Perhaps she's chattering away with planners and the like, but she's got no hands in the dirt, so to say. That's the whole point of having sects to a clan, spread the tasks so the head has less to think about." He looked to Corsac, analyzing the mains steady posture and twitchy arms behind his back, "now. I'm perfectly aware she takes a lead role in some of your little raids and the like, for some idiotic reason." He mumbled in the post, "so don't take me for a fool, Corsac. I have too much experience in how organizations like the White Fang work. The workers at the bottom, the gluttonous at the top, feasting on the toil of the lower rung."

He could see Corsac growing more irate.

"I do believe this conversation is going nowhere. Human."

"Oh, it's going somewhere," Parc downed another swig, Corsac shaking his head at Kali as she offered him in silence a bottle of his own. To the side Lady glanced between the two, practically watching sparks fly. "One of two places. A fight, which, let's be honest. I'd rather avoid it. Or two, a meeting with Sienna Khan. Simple enough, simple to do."

Parc wasn't intent on backing down, no matter how lax his pose may have looked. He was sharp as the dagger on his hip and cold as the steel it was made from. Corsac, on the other hand, was steady as could be, a rock in the wind, undaunted.

"That isn't a po-"

"I don't see a problem with that." Lady blurted into the conversation, haphazardly and silencing to the man. She cast him an amiable smile and half mooned stare before turning to Parc. "You're not wrong to think Sienna has ample time on her hands. After the Vale branches little… kerfuffle, a while ago, the White Fang has had to go underground, so to say."

Lady's tone was higher than before, not decibels, but she spoke as if on high. And Corsac didn't even dare to step in, he zipped his lips and lowered his head. Letting her talk, even if the words she spoke left him chewing his lip white.

Parc was surprised, drawn aback he straightened his posture and latched his focus onto the buxom horse tailed woman. "You're the leader in Menagerie?" he said, trying his utmost to not sound surprised. Lady only smiled, so he looked back to Kali who was whistling an out of tune bird song by the fridge, hips swaying side to side pretending not to feel his gaze on her back.

"Well, I was. Till a year or two ago. Chose to give up the branch lead position after my son was born. Little too much stress what with all the conniving and violence."

"Huh. I did not expect that coming." How could he, the woman didn't even exist in his memories, "Then how is it you get to say I can or can't?"

"Oh, Parc. I may not be the branch head anymore, but that doesn't mean I've just cut off my connections." Corsac grumbled something beneath his breath, earning him a slap from Lady's tail. "Of course, one of them being Sienna herself. She's very much looking forward to meeting the boy who stole Blake and so thoroughly ruined Adam Taurus' plans in Vale."

His brows rose high, as did Corsac's as he gaped at her. "You've already contacted her."

"Why of course. It isn't often such an interesting boy comes around. I thought why not share him with a good friend."

"Ahem." Corsac coughed into his fist, casting Lady a sharp-eyed glare.

"Oh please Corsac. We've been divorced for months now. If I feel like riding a virile young boy I will."

"That isn't the issue Lady." He spoke through grit teeth. "The White Fang doesn't have time for interruptions like some foul human. And could you not speak like that in front of me at the least."

"Parc is far from a foul human. He has quite the palatable taste." Corsac twitched, steam blowing from his red ears as he tried to force the anger to abate and keep his calm facade. He shut his eyes, caught his breath slowly then when he opened them was in a much more serene place.

"I can see my being here was little more than a pointless game to you Lady. Yet another poor artifice to get some reaction out of me. Well, I will not stand for it." Parc was half tempted to blurt out how he was already standing, but bit it back, for now. The man locked to Parc, his eyes colder than ever, "fair warning to you. But this woman is far from the most trustworthy of things. Give her an inch, and she'll bed your neighbour, their sons and the neighbour's dog." Corsac turned, "Lady. It's been as hellish seeing you as ever. Kali… do tell your daughter to be careful," he eyed her over his shoulder, "her little play of betrayal has made her enemies. I would be bereaved to hear of what they'd done to her when they find her. Good day." He left. Like that, ignoring the hostile fury in Kali's eyes and Lady's lackadaisical harrumphing.

"So, you married that?" Parc said.

"For a year. We thought it better Sheen grow up with both parents. Frankly, it didn't work out."

"I noticed. But the neighbour's dog? You didn't actually?"

"Of course not. I'm not one of those de-evolutionist loons. Corsac is just sour other men made me cum when he could barely make me laugh."

Parc snorted, shaking his head, Kali sidled around the counter, bringing with her another decapped bottle of mango flavoured beer and a carrot flavoured one which she handed to Lady.

"Ouch." He clinked their bottles when offered, "but honestly. How bad must that break-up have been that you torment him by bringing him to a virile young boy you plan on riding?"

Lady smiled amusedly, not bothering to correct him for he was right. "Let's just say that there are five fewer virgin girls in the White Fang than there was before we were married."

"Ohhh," she was pissy he'd cheated on her. Hypocrisy is damned. Parc could sympathize with that sentiment. Tipping the last vestiges of his drink down his throat, he puffed out and set it on the table. A cold wind blew in from the ajar window, a large mosquito-like insect buzzed against a net, trying to get in.

"When's my meeting with Sienna then?" he leaned against the table, the women joining him on either side.

"Tomorrow evening, I would say. Of course, you won't get to know where it is you'll be meeting her." Lady set her bottle to the side, pushed off the table and came before Parc and reached for the belt of his pants, "and we will be taking some precautions." The leather strap escaped the buckle and the moment it was, she practically ripped the zipper off, "for safety, of course."