~~ SPOILERS ~~
Kyu the fierce rabbit attempts to train Legoshi to be a better fighter by overcoming his reluctance to attack smaller females. Her methods are- um, interesting. (And no, I do not agree with her assertion that breasts don’t hurt if they get punched. Maybe not on a rabbit in this world?) We find out that she was taught by the Panda earlier, too. Melon relates a story about his childhood to the lion gang- a terrible story about how his relationship with his mother ended in violence- it really cements the concept that this mixed beast is just insane. (I didn’t understand the bit about how melons are neither fruit nor vegetable until I looked up the Japanese viewpoint- apparently in that culture they are often eaten as a savory food.) None of the stuff he said about why he suddenly hated his mother made any sense to me. Nor anything about how Dolph (the lion) reappeared after having got his throat slashed in the last book. I mean, we saw all the blood on the floor. Is this series going even further off the rails?
Legoshi worries that Melon is becoming almost a popular figure in the black market and influencing things- in a very bad way of course. He sets a date (does this sound familiar) to have an end-all fight with Melon and then it all becomes very ritualized, arranging this fight. Turning one role on its head and repeating another, Legoshi tries to enlist support from both Louis and Yahya.
Louis’ father dies and he suddenly expresses emotion for him- and has to take over his CEO role. Louis goes to an herbivore festival (I love how the animals honor their dinosaur ancestors) and unexpectedly encounters Haru. They reminisce a bit, and recognize how much each has changed. But Louis realizes Haru is in mortal danger from Melon- and she doesn’t seem at all concerned.
Melon and Legoshi, in some weird preparation for their upcoming fight, have to do a quiz show in public- on an abandoned construction site- answering trivia questions about animal rules of conduct and physiology. It was very strange, but also amusing, and a nice way to give us more info tidbits on how this society works. (The quiz event was run by small beasts in white sheets with eyeholes- very unsettling). A piece of equipment almost falls to impale Legoshi but Melon saves him, so he can have the pleasure of looking forward to killing him personally, on the set date. Then Legoshi and Kyu have a weirdly argumentative interaction where he admits to her that he’s in love with another rabbit, she declares him hopeless, and then tries to knock over a giraffe in a neck cast who is just strolling along innocently with his giraffe girlfriend in public- because Kyu’s so disgruntled at seeing someone else in love? or she wanted to goad Legoshi into stopping her and prove he could react quickly? I’m not sure.
Borrowed from the public library. Completed on 4/20/24.
