Cultivating Anthro CEO RPG Hero Harem Reincarnation In Another World

Having drank his fill of Sonny's [Seer Soup] supper, Vash-squirrel was feeling...depressed.

That is to say, he was feeling even more depressed than usual. Because, by the time he'd finally emptied out his bowl, he had been forced to revisit his every last failed relationship in life—or indeed, potential relationship—down to his first "crush" in kindergarten, with the girl who drew him a dinosaur picture.

And it was all...for nothing.

Vash-squirrel sank flat against the table, with a sigh.

'No matter where I go, it's more misery...'

'I'm STILL stuck as a squirrel, even after all of that!'

Most troubling, though, was the fact that he couldn't shoot fireballs anymore! Which was the single coolest thing he'd had going for him, in this Another World!

All this to say...

The last thing he wanted, right now--

Was to go out for a damned stroll with Sonny!

Vash instead responded to his summons with a yawn, as he stretched out his entire body. 'Why can't I just stay here and relax, until you get back?'

Sonny was adamant, though:

Going so far as to forcibly pluck the protesting rodent off the table!

"My other brothers are out hunting, so it's on me to keep a watch over the surrounding woods." Sonny said, bringing the Vash-squirrel up to his eye level as he continued, "it wouldn't be safe for me to leave you here, unprotected. Some dangerous beasts dwell in these woods past sundown."

"Unprotected?" Vash questioned. "What about that Nail guy? Won't HE—"

He looked over to where Nail was sat, in a chair in the corner, nonchalantly brushing out his hair. And as he did, Nail peered up briefly—to squint and make a snarling face at him.

Vash sighed. 'Never mind,' he relented.

Thus, he found himself begrudgingly trailing behind Sonny—skirting the branches of the trees overhead, as the boy progressed at a steady clip below.

'I hate my life,' thought the Vash-squirrel, and although it was for perhaps the millionth time just that day alone, he really meant it. But while stewing in his thoughts, he immediately froze when his eyes caught a glimpse—through a veil of leaves—of two figures standing in a clearing up ahead.

'What the hell am I seeing right now?'

...

A pair of Rakshasa were standing at the center of the clearing, conversing in hushed whispers...

"That ambush took us WEEKS to plan," said one of the cats in a deep, husky growl. He was by far the more striking in appearance of the two—this [Level 11] [Dimba]: A coat of glossy, jet black fur, like that of a jaguar. His lean, muscled torso, with a matched set of muscular arms. And to top it all off, a golden crown, set lopsided upon his feline head.

"So many of our brothers had to be sacrificed, with NOTHING to show for it!"

The other Rakshasa with Dimba—a squat, fumbling little [Level 5] [Heidi], with fuzzy, yellow-striped orange fur—mustered an anxious growl, as she pleadingly lowered her head and ears at him.

"I-I-I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help." She groaned. "I was...uhh...hiding...the entire time."

The black one snapped at her with a hideous and menacing snarl, showing his teeth.

Heidi cowered in fear, expecting a punishment that never came, as the one called Dimba proceeded to simply laugh it off.

"Bah! It's not as if a weakling like you would have made a difference, anyway."

"It is tiresome enough to have those pesky BROTHERS constantly interfering with our plans..."

"Now, to have to concern ourselves with these...newcomers."

Suddenly, a sound of a twig snapping nearby prompted the two Rakshasa to flinch in alarm—pausing briefly to silently scan, and sniff, at their tranquil surroundings...

Vash held his breath and remained perfectly still, even as their eyes passed over him several times.

It wasn't until they were content that no one was around, that Dimba continued:

"Surely, you've heard the rumors around the den?" He said. "The grumblings of discontentment among our fellows, about the current state of our leadership."

Heidi gave a frantic shake of her head—flustered. "N-n-not at all! I've heard of no such thing!"

"Certainly not of any treasonous rumors, my brother! No way!"

"Regardless..." Dimba growled, his frustration apparent. "I think even a dumb kitten like you can understand that this failure puts my position as King even more in jeopardy."

"In order to regain our peoples' trust...I need to plan something bigger."

Heidi fidgeted—touching her padded, white-furred paws together sheepishly. "I-I-I prefer to not get my paws wet in politics, but I'll take your word for it, brother."

"However...is it really safe for us to be talking so openly about this?" She questioned.

"Couldn't one of our own be spying on us, in disguise?"

Dimba just laughed, and gave Heidi a rough pat on the head with his large paw.

"Hah! It is unforgivable for a brother or sister to employ their powers to deceive one another."

"Young one...you'll find there exist a great many laws that we Rakshasa are governed by, which you would do well to learn, in time."

"R-r-right." Heidi said, averting her eyes. "I s-s-suppose I don't have a choice, now...do I?"

"I've finally seen for myself what the others are capable of." She said shakily, just before turning to Dimba with a scared look, as she never could look directly into his eyes without fear. "I-I-I'm just an ordinary girl, though!" She whined—the volume of her voice unconsciously raising. "I never wanted to get involved in something like this!"

Dimba's previous smile faded at this announcement, to be replaced by a sharp scowl.

"Stupid girl!" He hissed, and issued a [Hard Smack] across the side of her face.

The hit flung her, reeling, unto the forest floor; where she laid, staring up at him, with twinkling eyes.

Looming over her—casting a wide shadow—the imposing figure of Dimba stirred restlessly.

"Such is life, my pure and innocent sister. There is no such thing as right, or wrong, or what is fair or what is unjust."

"Like it or not, young one...but WE are your sole family to speak of, in this world."

Heidi touched the side of her face where one of his claws had grazed her, and felt the fresh blood.

"Am I really fated to become a monster?" She pleaded. "Or, can I still just be...me?"

Glancing up, she saw Dimba was extending a paw down toward her, which she reluctantly took—despite his rough treatment of her, she simply had no one else to turn to for guidance. He'd taken her on as his sibling, as per Rakshasa tradition, as well as given her the name she currently wore.

Dimba was, for better or worse, all that she had.

"The moment you were born as a Rakshasa, you were ALREADY a monster."

"Come now, Heidi." He ordered. "The others will be suspicious if we don't make it back soon."

...

Once the two had gone, the glade had once more fallen deathly still.

Vash-squirrel, once he was certain the coast was clear, scurried down from the trees unto the ground to the spot where those two had just been.

'Alright, kid,' thought the Vash-squirrel anxiously. 'It's safe to come out now, so—'

He fell back mid-sentence—startled, by the sight of a head emerging from camouflage, followed by the neck and shoulders of Sonny, as he appeared from his hiding spot in plain sight, against a nearby tree trunk.

"Interesting..." The boy mused. "It appears there is some dissension among the Rakshasa."

"That was their king, Dimba, and it sounds like he's making plans for something."

'Rak...shasa?' Vash repeated, as he righted himself. 'Are they the same "beings" you were warning me about earlier?'

Sonny was staring off into the distance, while he gave a slow nod in reply.

"The Rakshasa are murderers. Deceivers. Thieves. Rapists." He said, before turning to Vash with a foreboding look. "They are soulless abominations that deserve to be vanquished, for the greater good of all mankind."

"Some will even—" He paused dramatically, his eyes grown cold. "CONSUME...their victims."

Vash, even hearing this, was still scratching his head. 'I don't know...' He reflected. 'I kind of felt bad for the girl. She really did sound like...just an ordinary girl.'

"No." Sonny said flatly. "It is only a matter of time until she becomes corrupted, like the others."

Rather than be a hypocrite, Vash stayed quiet; after all, he thought similarly of Squell, as it pertained to their rabid sex drives.

Just thinking about it was making his teeth clench, and blood boil.

'Akira probably doesn't even CARE I'm gone—that stupid, slutty, sexy BITCH!'