Tauli

Author's Note: This is the sequel to Toofy. Whilst no other reading is probably required, you may want to look at the Toofyverse chronology on my profile first as you will encounter spoilers.

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"Why are we running?"

Skip stared beside him at the woman who had asked him the question. The woman who had appeared out of bloody nowhere and was making it look easy as he sprinted as fast as his legs could carry him, trying to outrun the enforcers on his tail.

She seemed strangely ethereal to him. Almost as if she were actually floating between each stride. She had streamers of pink hair flying out behind her, extending from under her main length of shoulder length of black and gold horizontally striped hair.

Her eyes were fixed on him, paying no attention to where they were running. Those didn't offer him much insight. They were bright, but relatively normal, almost human if they weren't a deep purple.

"Are they bad men?" The woman asked with a deep highland accent, and a touch of innocence that he couldn't believe was actually possible.

"... Yeah?"

The woman stopped as if she'd never been moving, leaving him to skid to a stop three or four dozen steps behind her. She cocked her head, and he noticed the the pink strands of her hair weren't quite settling onto her like the rest had. Almost like feelers that she could move. Floating.

One of the enforcers produced a wooden club, holding it towards the mysterious stranger, "Step aside girly, and ya don't need ta get hurt."

"Mmm... Human. Right?" She asked the man.

He glared at her, "Are ya deaf? Git! We got business with the boy."

She stepped up to him, raising a hand, "Flick."

Skip's eyes became wide saucers as the man's head didn't just snap backwards, but one of his eyes popped out of his skull. The enforcer screamed in pain as the woman looked down at her hand. "Oops. Dat was too much. I try ta do beder, next time."

"Fuck this!" The man grabbed at his dangling eyeball, dropped the club, and ran for it. The other two didn't hesitate before making themselves scarce either.

Skip leaned on his knees, breathing hard from his run, "You happen to be a dragon, miss?"

"Tauli." She said, still looking at her hand and flexing it. She turned to him, and burst into a big grin, "Saved you! Now we can go play!"

Skip's face changed, "Uh... How old are you?"

"Old enough to be your mother. I just don' like acting it." She snapped, accent getting deeper. She glared at him and then her expression completely switched, back to bright and care free. "If ya don' wanna play then we should get somet'ing ta eat! I know a place nearby dat does crunchy chicken!"

"What?"

She snagged his wrist and dragged him along with her. Skip didn't dare to try and resist considering what the woman could do with a single finger.

She giggled, "Don't need to smell so afraid. I like ya. Never, ever want to see ya get hurt."

"You don't even know my name." He pointed out.

She shrugged, "Ya a human, born approximately twenty five years ago. Stalwart clan, if I figure ya right. Probably poor as shit, which is why ya a pickpocket 'n pissed off the local beggar lord. Ya cute, 'n as much as ya want everyone t'inking ya all tough 'n stuff, ya a sweetheart. I miss anything?"

He frowned and poked at one of her wisps of floating pink hair, causing it to recoil, "Are you psychic or something?"

"No touch." She smacked his hand lightly, "Ya really wanna know what I am? I dunno know why it matters so much, but I'm a mongrel. Second generation. One of my grandparents was a neko, who slept with a black salamander. My momma was a human."

Skip gave a weak smile. "Sorry."

"Fa what? Havin' parents who loved me?" She shrugged, "People always feel pity for me bein' a mongrel. I really don't see what's bad about da whole thing. We all gotsa be something."

"Sorry for asking." He corrected and tried to smile, "I've just never seen hair like yours, before. It's... Different. Cute, which I think is important to you, but also kinda... Uncanny."

"They're my gills." She deadpanned.

"G-gills?"

She nodded and smiled at him, "Ya. I can breathe underwater 'n shit. Totally fun when the guards are chasin' ya. But they don't much like bein' touched. Sorta like bein' punched in the boob."

Skip laughed, "I really can't relate. So... Being old enough to be my mother... Are you saying you're in your forties?"

"I'm sayin' it's rude ta ask a girls age." She glared and then grinned at him, "And here we are! Crunchy chicken!"

He hadn't really understood what she'd meant when she'd first mentioned it. In his mind chicken was either tender or overcooked and tough. However, he knew this place. Breaded and cooked in oil, he supposed that fried chicken could be considered to be crunchy.

She dragged him inside and waved excitedly at the owner, "Kristen! Look! I made a friend!"

"That's wonderful." The redhead behind the bar said with an honest enthusiasm, "Why don't you grab a seat, Tauli? The next batch is nearly ready."

Skip frowned, "You eat here a bunch? Really? Isn't it... Kinda expensive for someone who runs from the guards?"

"Oh, I do dat for shits 'n giggles." She grinned broadly at him, "There ain't a good dragon who don't have at least a decent stash o' gold someplace. Guess I take after ma grandaddy dat way."

He frowned, looking around awkwardly, "You do what for shits 'n giggles?"

"Mostly steal stuff." She shrugged, "Like um... Last week it was the commander's helmet. I planted it in da tavern's long drop, so it would catch like a bucket. Told 'em da day after. Watchin' 'em dig dat out was hilarious."

"How are you not in the dungeon?"

She cocked her head and blinked her violet eyes at him, "How... Would they... Keep me... In a dungeon?"

He thought about it for a moment and saw her individually flicking the bars out of her way, giggling and taking off running. She was a physical force to be reckoned with. He shrugged, "Dunno. Magic?"

"Pff." She rolled her eyes, "I ain't just cute. I know it's distracting, but try and think for three seconds. For a mage to tie me down, they have ta actually catch me first."

The last time he'd had the bad luck to meet a mage enforcer, he'd been paralysed before he even knew that they were after him. The beating following that had been absolutely brutal.

"She's yanking your leg. She doesn't need to run." Kristen said, approaching with two steaming and crackling baskets of food. The cook put them in front of them and put a hand on her hip, "Tauli here happens to be pretty much immune to all combat magic. They tried to conscript her for it, and she's been pulling pranks on the barracks ever since."

"I don't be likin' bein' told what ta do." She shrugged innocently.

The cook laughed, "That you don't. She worked for me once. For about a day before I had to fire her. So, what's your name?"

"Umm... Skipper. Skip."

Tauli perked up excitedly, "I like that! It's super cute. Just like you."

"Oh, void." Kristen shook her head, "Do you want to drop your egg again, Tau?"

She woman froze, a piece of crispy chicken sitting halfway into her mouth as her cheeks slowly went bright red. She bit it off violently with a flash of sharp fangs, "Ya can't be sayin' something like dat in front of my date! My reproductive cycle be nobidy's business but mine!"

"Aha. Dragon's can choose if they get pregnant. Generally only have one or two kids." Kristen explained, "But because our axomander here is a bit unusual, she's also got a catgirl's heat cycle. Makes her want to bed everyone she meets... Not that she's ever actually managed. Her oddness scares most off. She's a virgin."

"Stop it!" Tauli said loudly, threatening to burst into tears and her voice shaking. "I didnae wanna tell him dat! Nobidy needs know I ain't been havin' none!"

Kristen shrugged, "Kid should know what he's in for if he keeps hanging around you."

"Go away." Tauli sniffled, staring down with crimson cheeks as tears as purple as her eyes started rolling down them in rivulets. Skip couldn't help but feel like he was partially responsible for it.

He waited awkwardly, as the woman across from him cried silently, and then spoke slowly, "So... Um... Thanks for saving me. And the food..."

"It weren't really a date." She shook her head, her gills staying put as she did, "I... I jus' wanted a friend. You smell like fun. Like ya don' give a shit 'n stuff."

Skip frowned, "Smell, huh? Is that why you helped me out?"

"No. Did dat 'cause it was fun." She gave a quick and tiny smile, still not looking up at him. "Ya weren't scared of me. Well, kinda. But more curious. Most people jus' see me likin' a weapon. 'N I be hatin' on war."

He nodded slowly, "You just want a friend. Someone who sees you, and not what you are."

She nodded sadly.

"Well... I'm not human." He confessed, "I'm covering it up as best I can, and I can't show you without stinking out the whole building. So, I think I get wanting a friend who just doesn't care."

She looked up at him slowly, "Ya don' be mindin' dat I'm a crazy beastgirl? 'Cause I am. I don' be changin' fa nobidy."

"I'm a pickpocket who doesn't have a southern accent." Skip said carefully, "Need to know me better before I tell you my story, but we've all got our stories, don't we? I don't mind."

She held out a hand to him, "Me name is Tauli. Goods ta meet ya, friend."

"Skip." He shook her hand and the grinned and picked up some chicken, "Let's dig in."

She relaxed wiping her cheeks. He couldn't help but notice that as her hand pressed on them they flickered through all the colours of the rainbow, but it seemed cute, rather than strange. Every single thing about her seemed... Cute.

Except for her godlike physical strength.

Skip did have to admit her flicking someone hard enough to pop an eyeball, when she was holding back, was incredibly disturbing.

"Ya been 'round long?" Tauli asked him curiously, crunching loudly as she spoke with her mouth full, "Not many round 'ere who haven't heard aboot me, sooner or later."

"Arrived on last month's supply ship. Stowaway." He lied.

She narrowed her eyes immediately, rolled her jaw, and then sighed. "Na need ta fib. If ya don' wanna say, I like it more if ya just don'. I can usually tell, so it bugs ma."

"Noted. It's not secret, but not comfortable to tell a stranger." Skip said and tried to smile, "What about you? Been in the city long?"

"Da colony? What I say aboot it bein' rude ta ask a girl's age?" She raised an eyebrow and then laughed at him. "I'm kiddin' wit ya. Been hereaboot for two or three years. Don' much pay attention ta time. Na need ta, 'cause I don' work or nuffin'."

"Every day is pranks and fun?" He said in surprise.

She nodded and grinned, except this time her teeth were normal, not fangs. She looked almost human, again. "I can show ya my nest after, if ya wan'. Nobody bothers me der. The beggar lord'll shit 'imself before he orders anyone ta drag ya out of there."

"How did you manage to get a stockpile of gold if you don't work? Professional thief?" He asked curiously.

"Used to live in a mountain." She shrugged, "Bunch o' artists there, makin' weapons and jewellery 'n shit. They used ta pay me ta find stones. I can smell 'em, see? Lotta rattan der, but dey weren't near good as ma. But I didnae have anyfin ta spend it on. So it built up. Take after ma grandaddy a bit. Like holdin' onto ma gold."

"You didn't spend much on food or rent, I take it. Good hunting out that way?" He said casually, just trying to make conversation.

"Don' like killin'. Dis crunchy stuff makes ma break ma diet. Bacon, too." She shrugged, "But I mostly eats rocks 'n shit."

"Rocks." He stared at her, and shook his head, "Sorry, my bad. That was insensitive of me."

She grinned at him, "If ya fishin' for a present, den ma favourite thing in da world ta eat is ruby. Fuckin' gorgeous. I go aboot mad for the stuff. The market sees ma comin' and jack up all der prices. Sucks."

She'd given him a friendly out. Not minding talking about her specific oddities so long as he didn't treat them as oddities. This woman continued to amaze him. Skip had to wonder what god he'd impressed that they allowed him to cross her path.

He did not remotely deserve a friend as kind as this.

Tauli let out a heartbroken sob, causing him to jump in shock, but she was holding her empty basket, and shaking it, but not even crumbs were falling out of it. The girl really did like her food.

Skip offered her one of his hesitantly, but she shook her head. "Gots dat for ya. I can hear ya stomach gurgling from 'ere. Eat up, 'n den we can go and play! I'll show ya me nest tonight. Not like most places would be safe for ya ta sleep at tonight."

He nodded, and continued eating, but noted that she was watching each and every piece as he ate it. He wasn't exactly a slow eater, being from the street, but she was something else. Practically inhaled her food.

Kristen looked over hopefully, "Seconds."

"Places to be." Tauli answered her and gave a hurt glare, showing that she hadn't forgiven the cook for earlier. Skip did have to wonder how a woman as pretty and fun had managed to stay a virgin to the age of... Old enough to be his mother.

"You really do look about my age. Twenties. What's the trick? Stress free living?" Skip teased at her.

Tauli grinned brightly at him, "Long ass naps. Cats 'n dragons both agree, there ain't a thing in the world better than a fookin' good sleep. Voiden, last time I had a decent sleep da town had gone 'n changed their name by the time I woke."

Skip blinked and decided not to comment.

"'Course, I did fall asleep da day before the namin' festival." She finished the joke and grinned broadly at him.

"Oh, put him out of his misery!" Kristen announced, but before she could follow through, Tauli vanished from sight and Skip heard a crash and a meaty thud on the floor.

He looked over, and laughed as he saw the cook lying on her stomach with her arm twisted painfully behind her back and Tauli sitting on her. The pink strands of hair were raised, and there was a shimmer to her black and gold.

Kristen smacked her hand on the floor, "I give up! I give up!"

"Ya pick one more fight wit' me, and ya really will be." Tauli growled, all of her niceness gone. "I gots patience, Kris, but ya food ain't that fookin' good. Ya not ma friend."

The cook looked pained, and not just from her predicament, "I'm not your friend?"

"Friends don' tell ya secrets to anyone the moment they get a chance. Didnae tell ya boy dat ya bein' a virgin, 'n all." Tauli stood up and let her go. She walked back slowly to Skip, looking like she was trying not to burst into tears, "Mind if we go?"

---

Even after the outlawing of slavery, and the rigorous enforcement of equality that came from having a catgirl empress with a temper like a god of war, there are still many exotics who find themselves shunned, and exiled from mainstream society.

No matter what Toofy did to try and correct it, there were some things that were beyond her. She could not simply change the way that people treated things that were different. People were still people, in all their bottomless cruelty.

"This is the tree?" The neko blinked her red eyes slowly, looking up at it with a much milder curiosity than the human beside her had expected. The man nodded, fretting and pulling at his temple robes. He smelled like true fear. She enjoyed it.

The tree was hidden in a cavern, deep beneath the temple. Toofy had thought that she had uncovered all of Efina's secrets, but she had thought the few scraps referring to the tree had been in regards to folklore or legend. Not an actual tree that the priestess had been hiding.

Sacred items, like this tree, were beyond rare.

Most people in the world didn't believe in the gods. Not anymore. Not since the gods had stopped caring about the people and started fighting their civil war, instead. The unlucky few knew that they were real, because they became tools for use in that war.

As far as Millie had been able to uncover for her, the tree was beyond ancient. It had been transplanted from the temple gardens and into this hidden cave some three hundred years ago, to help protect it. However the tree itself had first grown too long ago to be certain of when.

It didn't look like a normal tree.

Normal trees weren't generally the size of a small town. And normal trees weren't capable of blooming in the darkness of an underground cave. Nor did they bloom year-round. The pollen and falling pink petals covered everything in sight.

Toofy's eyes picked out more details in the dark, ones that human eyes couldn't. Flecks and spikes of magic, here and there. The petals were enchanted, though her eyes alone weren't enough to determine precisely what kind of magic it was. Not even enough to tell what kind of magic.

However, it wouldn't help if she could.

This tree was sacred, and the magic was a reflection of that. The tree had been created when a half-dozen drops of blood had been spilled to the ground in some long forgotten battle. Back when the gods were present in the world and not just fucking with it.

The Green Goddess had been injured, somehow. The result was this object, and quite frankly Toofy found it all to be a bore. She wasn't interested in the divines. She'd put up with more than enough of their shit for a single lifetime.

The catgirl yawned dramatically, "This is the tree. She's seen the tree that he wants her to see. Now what?"

"Ah, sorry." The priest said nervously, "If we might approach the base? There's something about it that has... Changed. Since we notified you of our discovery of it."

She rolled her eyes and walked with him towards the overbearing plant. The path was laid out with care, resting on the bedrock it was difficult and clumsy. Yet, it was lined with many stones and flowers. The path had been designed to represent the respect the architect had thought the divines deserved.

Trying to remind you to be humble, as you moved towards the sacred.

Toofy paused and flicked a booger from her nose onto the path, grinned, and then continued following behind the priest. She would have preferred to make a more dramatic show of defiance, but she didn't have enough gas to let a giant fart rip.

She held her hands behind her regally, refusing the instinct to skip. She needed to appear the stoic and indomitable empress right now, not the mad kitty with a touch of anger problems that served her at other times.

As she walked along the path, she thought about her husband. It was his turn in her bed, tonight, instead of her succugirl wife. She was looking forward to it. Since the misunderstanding with the collar at the Halfdark Festival, he had been extremely sweet to her. Taking his time to play with her.

She knew she didn't deserve it, that it was her fault that she'd got so mad at him, but if he wanted to pamper her, she wasn't about to say no. Being empress was far more stressful than she'd expected. Being a slave where a salamander was looking for an opportunity to murder her in her sleep had been less stressful.

At least she'd known why Meerakeilian wanted her dead.

Now she had whole swathes of people she'd never met, and never even heard of, wanting to cut off her head. Most of them for nice and crappy reasons like complaints that she wasn't human. Or that she had a wife when she didn't have a dick.

"E-empress?"

She shook off her thoughts, and followed the priest to the side of the tree. She spotted it immediately. The bark was peeling, but it wasn't curling outwards, but inwards. Forming a slit about the height of the catgirl.

She would have laughed at how much it looked like a woman's bits were it not for the fact that it practically was that. There was thick and goopy sap running down the length of it, but it didn't seem to be pooling on the ground. It was forming a bulbous sack that hung off the tree, but hadn't detached yet.