Rei laughed at Rally's joke, sitting near the bar counter with one cup of strawberry soda in her left hand. The Green Lizard bar has given Rei some good vibes so far. Green tropical trees spread around the walls beneath the blue ceiling, creating a jungle atmosphere with vegetation and sawdust smells. Hundreds of conversations echoed in soft voices, allowing the small jazz band to play their music in the right corner. The crowd looked young, sharks, bears, cats, and raccoons, probably from a college campus. No wonder the bar sold beverage and non-beverage drinks. Sure, the city has educational districts for Humanimals who could afford them. Not everyone was ghetto or dangerous in the high ups of the city, although some outsiders believed that was the case.

“And that’s what happened when the chicken crossed the road!” Rally finished.

Rei laughed, almost choking on her strawberry soda. She padded her chest and took a sip. The sparkling sweet soft drink instantly cleared her arching throat. “You’re funny!”

“Well, comedians are sexy.” Rally grinned and sipped his green bottle of sparkling beer.

“So are you going to tell me about Luna now?” That was the only reason Rei went out for a drink with Rally. She expected the shepherd dog has other things on his mind. Most guys who took girls to a bar wanted something more than silly chats and giggles. Her old friends warned her whenever they went out. But seeing Rally showing no signs of being flirty, she remained neutral. Still, she wanted to get to know her partner more from someone else's point of view.

"Oh! I almost forgot." Rally licked his fangs. "Luna is a very sensitive woman in bounty hunting. She used to be in the military before she caught the virus.”

“Um-hum, she told me that already.”

Rally sneered. “Hmm. Are you dating her?”

Rei’s cheeks flushed red. “What?”

“Dating her, like-”

“Ani! Ani! Ani!”

“Excuse me?”

“I meant-no! We are not dating!”

Rally laughed. “Never mind. Why don't you tell me about yourself?"

Rei sipped her drink. "Like, when I was human?"

Rally nodded.

Rei bit her lip. Eomeo. Are all guys nosey? Geez! He already wants to get personal with me.

Rei gulped. "Aaaaaa-how about you tell me about yourself first."

Rally shrugged. "I used to be a street in L.A during my human years. Fighting crime was my big mojo."

"Really? Since you were little?"

The german shepherd dog chuckled. "Kind of, but my father never approved my career. He wanted me to become a doctor instead. I told him, ‘Then who will protect the doctors?’ HAHAHAHAHA!”

Rei giggled a bit, not sure if Rally’s comment was funny. “Maybe he only cares about you.”

Rally finished his drink. “He cares too much, like my mother. When I was a kid, I always get into fights to protect my friends from bullies. My dad believed I should help people by healing them, not fighting them. But, you know, I wasn’t that type.”

He stared at the tropical beach portrait above the bar, smiling as if he was enjoying the sunset in the painting. "I liked wild actions and helping people through balls to the walls situations. So I joined the police academy to become a cop.” He sighed. “It only lasted for one month.”

Rei rubbed the back of her head. "Why only one month? My training lasted for half a year."

Rally rubbed his finger around the edges of his cup. "I turned before I completed my training. The instructors thought they might catch my disease if they allowed me to stay. So I got transferred here with little money….. Damn, it was hard living in the Underbelly. My apartment was crap, and the food was cheap. I had to avoid muggers on the streets who were desperate for blood. It is a jungle down there."

Rei nodded. "I agree. Luna said the same thing."

"I fought against three street gangs to protect the families from harm. So much, the MCPD caught my attention. Commissioner Fiona offered me a job instead of arresting me for being a vigilante. She liked my skills and teamed me up with Benny." He rubbed a tear off his cheek beneath his sunglasses. "I never thought I would ever become a cop. It was the best thing that ever happened to me here."

Rei grinned. "Daebag! But did you ever contacted your parents?"

Rally frowned and wiggled his sunglasses. "Uhhhhh, you know. Most parents decide to forget about their Humanimal kids. I never talked to them since I joined the academy. I guessed I became a disgrace to them."

Rei's pointy ears lowered. "Eolmana seulpeun….."

"Do you still talk to your family?"

Rei gloomed at the counter. "They never called me after I moved here. None of my friends called me too. I think they got my contact number, or they forgot about me. Jom jjajeungna….."

"I understand."

Rei tried to call her family and friends, but none of them answered. She also didn't find any new K-pop shows airing from South Korea. Did her band decide to split up and start her own thing? It was like everyone has forgotten she existed when she got quarantined. Becoming a Humanimal seemed to have ruined her life.

Rally studied her sad face and sighed. "Look, moving on is what helps us survive in this city. I wouldn't be a cop if I didn't do what I did to those punks in the Underbelly. Your family and friends might fear you, but you got new friends here." He smirked.

"Thanks,” said Rei.

Her only friend so far was Luna. It might take her some time to find more friends in Moreau City.

“So why did you become a bounty hunter?” Rally asked. “You were a k-pop idol. Hehehe. I think that doesn’t mix with your new job.”

Rei paused when she felt her bladder rumbled inside her. “Eh….. I gotta use the restroom!”

“O-okay.”

Rei rushed to the restroom past the bar. She didn’t leave to avoid Answering Rally’s question. She truly had to go.

Inside, she checked the stalls to make sure nobody was using the toilets. She preferred privacy whenever she had to go. It helped her use the restroom without fearing someone was watching her.

After using one toilet, she flushed and washed her hands in the sink. She wondered what she would say to Rally if he doesn’t change the convention.

When Rei switched the sink off, she glanced at the mirror as a black blob figure rose behind her.