(The story included below was not written by me, but rather by Tea Spot! The character belongs to her as well. I just really liked the idea and wanted to draw a fanart of her, and Tea wanted to write a story to go with it. I actually drew this back in 2018, so the art is a little old now. Enjoy the story of a rabbit that is not quite what she seems!)
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Being the owner of a small business with no other employees had many difficulties and hassles, but it was not without it's benefits. One such boon that Rakshasi greatly enjoyed was the ability of choice. For better or for worse someone in such a position has the freedom of choice about their own person, a gift that not many in Thistleland could afford. When to open, when to close, who to accept, and in this particular case, when to have a lunch break.
The day had, much as many do for Rakshasi, been slow. Her establishment certainly could not claim to be the richest, or busiest of establishments in the village. However, the few clients she had walk through her large doors more then countered their general rarity. While not many needed the services of an expert masseus, those that did most assuredly paid well.
That is not to say that she had a poor day of trading. The single customer of the day paid well enough to justify the entire days opening. If she so wished Rakshasi could close and call a profit for the day, though it would hardly cover a single carrot.
A two hour session was purchased in the morning by an adventurer, and she paid well.
The customer wasn't a local, rather one of the many that pass through the village on the way to settlements larger and richer for quests. Still, she was pleasant and like many of the out of town customers Rakshasi has, had heard the reputation of a rabbit with an uncanny ability to work her paws into the deepest of knotted muscles with a firm but gentle skill.
The two had talked shop while Rakshasi started her work, Rakshasi giving some pointers around the village while the hare talked some about her hopes for juicy bounties and monster quests further along the road. While Rakshasi mentioned about the merits of finding more stable work or putting out relations to settle down later in life, her client was far more happier being a free spirit, with few really knowing where she would go next on her adventures.
Naturally, such talk for Rakshasi had as much to do with gauging how her client was enjoying the work her paws did on them as learning anything specific and it wasn't long before the talk was moving from how many people keeping track on the hare to noting about the skill and reassuring grip Rakshasi had as she worked her paws to splay the hares limbs and vertebrae, each small resetting pop of a joint giving the hare cause for a blissful noise somewhere between a gasp and sigh. Eventually, as they all do under her paws expert actions, such noises became little more then murmers, and then the sighs of a splayed out sleeping hare being squeezed over gently by Rakshasi's paws.
With formalities concluded and her wallet full, Rakshasi decided it best to take a lunch break, enjoying her main meal of the day a little too much and deciding to take some extra time to replenish her stocks at the village market. Carrots, potatoes, all the things a rabbit would need could be found there, after all.
With lunch being a little treat for herself, Rakshasi realised afterwards she might have over eaten a little, to the point of almost looking as if she was with kit. Still, sometimes a person has to treat themselves, especially when one has a good opportunity. It certainly won't be the first time she would have hear someone call her a carrot packer in jest.
Leaving her clinic, a building with rooms tall enough to handle even the larger species that enjoy her services which was part of her modest home, Rakshasi decided to take a side path to the market. While the main path might have been shorter, it would have passed by the villages healer, Simila Wigglesoft.
Rakshasi was sure that there was something up with that canine, but could never put her paw on it. Rakshasi always considered it some sort of professional instinct, possibly them both having similar skillsets that are competing. In any case, Simila always took a strange interest in the other village folk whenever someone over-ate, so it was best to avoid any attention from her for now. Simila certainly had little self control when it came to touching, something Rakshasi refused to allow anyone unless it was her paws being paid to be on them in her clinic.
While the side path was quieter, it was also smaller. Rakshasi always felt more boxed in between some of the houses on this route, and normally that is no problem but occasionally she will need to pass another person, and either her claimed Haphephobia caused issues or the other person would wish to talk when all Rakshasi wanted to do was collect some vegetables.
On this occasion, Rakshasi would have to deal with the second of these possibilities. A rabbit, Pippy was her name if Rakshasi could remember correctly, had left one of the local shops and was heading somewhere or other, using the side path. A friendly rabit, but one Rakshasi preferred to only talk to in passing, Pippy was someone who spoke her mind even when she probably shouldn't. She was also known to talk to others, making an awkward problem for some as a gossiper.
With a small "Good morning" Rakshasi move to let Pippy pass, but alas, the rabbit wished to chat, or at the least pass comment. Pausing as she passed in front of Rakshasi, Pippy turned and took a glance down at the belly. With a wry smile, she put her paw on one hip and winked. "Wow, putting on a bit of weight there, huh? Been hitting the carrots?"
Rakshasi had heard the joke before, but it seemed clear there was little malice in it. Besides, the assumption of carrots was always a good guess, and with Pippy's nattering habit, word would certainly get around. Giving a chuckle in return as she placed a paw on ber belly, Rakshasi tried to find a proper way to reply that would both agree and give an sneaky insider joke only her and the adventurer hare would understand. She failed, and instead provided a somewhat awkward "Yeah..." as she rubbed the back of her head.
Glancing down the street, Pippy frowned a little before raising an eyebrow. "You're heading to the marketplace? You can't still be hungry, you look like some monster having caught an entire adventurer party!"
Giving more genuine laugh Rakshasi reported "Rude!" while patting her belly some. "I just had a treat and wanted to restock the kitchen, I swear! No lies at all there!"
Pippy rolled her eyes before glancing further up the street. "Now don't you wolf down all the carrots at the marketplace as well, people will accuse you of food based witchcraft. Anyway, I better go, can't all go around eating everything they see!"
Raising a paw in farewell, Rakshasi watched Pippy wander off then muttered under her breath "Oh, you have no idea."
Resuming her walk, nearly a waddle really, Rakshasi made but five paces before pausing and looking at her belly. "Wait. Wolfing down. Damnit that would make a brilliant pun, why didn't I think of that? Sorry I missed that trick with you. Maybe I'll say it with the next prey, eh hare?"
While the hare in Rakshasi's wolfish belly squirmed in sluggish reply, not a movement was seen to the outside world through Rakshasi's rabbit illusion.
