AN: In the last chapter, I noticed that I unintentionally made a reference to the Phil Collins song You'll Be In My Heart. I swear, I didn't intend to do that, but it just turned out that way. I kind of laugh about it. Anyway, here's the next chapter.

Ch 9: Aftermath

Melon is sitting on the front steps of the former Shishigumi mansion with Sebun sleeping in his arms. He can see cops and EMTs running all around. 'There has probably never been this many carnivores arrested at one time. They may have to send a bunch of these guys to prisons in other cities, there's just so many. There'd probably be even more if the Dokugumi guys had stuck around. How the hell does Gosha know them all anyway?' The hybrid looks at the sheep resting her head on his shoulder and smiles. 'I love the feeling she's giving me. I could just stay like this forever.'

A female puma EMT comes over. "Sir, would you allow us to take her?"

Melon growls and holds Sebun tighter. He knows others are looking over and are coming to conclusions about the situation, but he just can't let the sheep go. 'I just got her back! No one is taking her away from me!'

"Melon," an approaching Legoshi says in a calm voice. "You're not looking too good in this situation. These guys are medical professionals who are here to help. Let them have Sebun. She'll be safe."

The hybrid is still wary.

"It's okay, Melon," comes Sebun's sleepy voice.

Hearing her reassurance, the hybrid stands up and (with reluctant and shaking arms) gives the sheep to the EMT.

The female puma gives Melon a light smile. "Don't worry, Sir. Our jobs are to heal. We won't let anything happen to her."

Watching Sebun get carried off towards an ambulance, the hybrid feels something ache.

Legoshi pats Melon's shoulder. "Let's sit down for a moment." He sits on the front steps with the hybrid. "You did a good job tonight."

"Thanks. Don't you guys plan on making this a regular thing with me. I want a quiet life after all this."

"With Sebun?"

Melon glances at Legoshi. "What makes you say that?"

"With how comfortable she was in your arms and how much you didn't want to let her go just now, I'm assuming you two are really close now."

"Well…we did kiss."

"There you go. Looks like the start of a relationship."

"Maybe. I just hope she liked the kiss."

"Did you?"

"Best feeling in the world."

Legoshi remembers certain moments with Haru. "In time, you two might find even more exciting feelings."

Melon feels a bit uncomfortable with those kind of thoughts right now, so he changes the subject. "Where are Gosha and Old Man Yafya?"

The wolf looks around. "I don't know. I lost sight of them in the chaos. Want to go look for them?"

"Sure."

Just as the two stand up, a pair of EMTs walk over.

"You two should ride with us to the hospital," says one of the EMTs.

Legoshi gives Melon a shrug. "I guess this means that we'll have to find out about Yafya and Grandpa later."

The two go with the EMTs to the nearest ambulance.

Later…

Melon is lying in a hospital bed feeling annoyed. 'I can't believe this! I'm not allowed to leave this room! They've even got a guard on the other side of the door keeping me in! I want to check on Sebun and see if she's alright!'

"Excuse me, Ma'am, but you can't go in there," says the guard outside the door.

The hybrid rolls his eyes. 'Another curious animal wanting to see me.'

"Excuse ME, but my husband is Yafya's student," says a familiar female voice.

'Haru?'

"If you keep us from going in, I'll get Legoshi and bring him here. We'll have ourselves a real problem then."

'Us?'

The door opens and Haru sticks her head in. "How's my former History professor?"

"I've been worse." His heightened sense of smell picks up another animal as Haru comes in with them in tow.

Holding the rabbit's hand is a little wolf-rabbit hybrid. He's looking all around the room until his eyes settle on Melon.

"I'd like to introduce you to someone," Haru says to the leopard-gazelle hybrid. "This is Goshen, my son with Legoshi. Goshen, say hi to Mr Melon."

The wolf-rabbit hybrid gives a little wave. "Hi, Mr Melon."

Melon is feeling very uncomfortable getting this much attention from such a small child. "Uh…hey."

Goshen tilts his head. "You live in a prison."

Haru and Melon are thrown off by such a blunt statement.

"Where did you hear that?" the rabbit asks her son.

"You and Daddy talked about it."

Haru sighs. "Right. Ears."

Melon chuckles. "Carnivore-herbivore hybrids already have heightened senses. Add this kid being half rabbit, he probably has the best hearing in the world."

"That's why Legoshi and I have to wait for him to be out of the house for us to have some 'private couple time'."

Goshen stares at Melon. "Why do you live in a prison?"

Haru glares at her son. "We don't ask questions like that!"

Melon chooses to give the kid a vague answer. "I did lots of bad things as a younger man that I'm paying for now."

Goshen nods. "Other kids at my school say you're a monster."

"Goshen!" Haru scolds her son.

"I'll tell them they're wrong. You're nice."

That one really blindsides Melon. "Uh…thanks."

Haru smiles at her son. "Why don't you hang out with Uncle Jack? Mommy would like to talk with Mr Melon alone."

Goshen smiles. "Okay. Uncle Jack's fun." As his mom opens the door for him, the little hybrid waves to the older one. "Bye, Mr Melon."

The leopard-gazelle hybrid lifts a hand in a lazy wave to the younger hybrid (it's lazy for the sake of not aggravating his injuries from the fighting). He smiles as Haru closes the door. "I think you've got a real cute kid."

The rabbit beams. "The cutest. Sorry we never brought him to visit before. It's not you. We just didn't want to bring our five year old into a prison."

Melon shrugs. "That's fine. You know, he seems pretty happy. Don't wanna think about what'll happen when he starts getting accused by the public of being 'an abomination'."

Haru frowns. "Actually…he already experienced some of that."

The leopard-gazelle hybrid is shocked. "Really? He's pretty upbeat for somebody who's already experiencing those things."

"It sucked for him and for all of us when it happened. Still, he's learning to deal with all of it. He has me, Legoshi, Gosha, Jack, and all sorts of family and friends by his side who would never allow this world to keep him down."

Melon grimaces. "He's luckier than I was at that age. I didn't have any real support."

"Maybe not then. You do now. Yafya set the whole redemption thing in motion, I'm here to root for you, Legoshi is Legoshi, Goshen already likes you, and don't go forgetting your most enthusiastic supporter."

"Excuse me, Ma'am, but you can't go in there," the guard outside repeats.

"I'm going in there," says another familiar female voice.

A huge smile spreads across Melon's face. "Sebun."

"I'm sorry, Ma'am," says the guard. "Rules are rules. I just can't allow you to go in that room."

"I've punched a guard in the nuts before," says Sebun. "If you keep me from going in to see my boyfriend, you'll experience that for yourself."

Melon can't believe his ears. 'Boyfriend?'

Haru opens the door. "Let her in."

Sebun walks in, now sporting a hospital gown. Seeing the hybrid, she smiles. "Melon!" The sheep runs over, gets on the bed, and hugs the hybrid.

Haru points at the guard with a glare on her face. "Interrupt them and there will be hell to pay."

Melon finally hugs Sebun back. "So…I'm your boyfriend?"

The ewe pulls back. "If that's okay with you."

"You bet. This means you're my girlfriend."

"That's right."

Melon smiles at Haru. "I'm a boyfriend."

"Good job," the rabbit says with a thumbs up. "I'll check on Goshen and Jack. See you." Once outside of the room, Haru lets out a sigh of relief. 'Didn't have to bring up how I heard the leopard guy call Sebun a bitch last week. Should've suspected him of things, but I dismissed it. I guess I shouldn't think too much about it now. Things worked out.' She goes looking for her son and the yellow lab likely playing with him now.

With Haru gone, Melon hugs Sebun again. "How are you doing?"

The sheep nuzzles the hybrid's neck. "Better. Tonight really was a lot. I was kidnapped, stripped, threatened with being eaten, that all sticks in somebody's head for quite awhile." Sebun straightens up and gasps.

"What?"

"Zaguan."

Melon recognizes that name as belonging to the seal that got killed escorting Sebun. The hybrid automatically knows to embrace the sheep as she starts weeping. He has no clue what he could say to make her feel better, so he just lets her cry into his shoulder in silence.

"My friend's gone! He g-got killed t-trying to…protect me!"

Melon finally decides now is the time to say something. "I never really met Zaguan, just saw him through the door during weekday visits. Still, he took time to look out for you and went out trying to keep you safe. In my books, that sounds like a real friend and a pretty cool guy."

Sebun looks up at her boyfriend.

The hybrid suddenly feels self conscious with the sheep staring at him. "Uh…I probably suck at this."

Sebun gives him a little smile. "You're better than you think." She rests her head on the shoulder of her boyfriend for a few minutes in silence. "For someone who has never been in any relationship before, you're already doing really good."

"Me apparently being a natural bodes well for our future together. Good thing I didn't act on my first case of feelings for someone."

"What do you mean?"

'Me and my big mouth.' "Okay. Back in my…let's call them 'bad days'…I was working at a university disguised as a regular gazelle who taught History part time. There, I met Haru for the first time."

Sebun comes to a realization. "Oh, that's what was going on."

"Huh?"

"Haru already told me about this. You felt her up, stabbed your leg after she told you she already had a boyfriend, and got her to agree to let you eat her on your birthday."

"Not one of my shining moments. I'm grateful now that Legoshi fought with me and that the Old Man arrested me before that could happen. Why did someone as headstrong as her agree to that in the first place?"

"She had self worth issues, not helped by Legoshi keeping his distance at that time."

"He was wanting to catch me so he could clear his predation record and be free to be able to marry Haru."

Sebun smirks. "Are you jealous he succeeded?"

Melon rolls his eyes. "Hardly. That was a momentary interest. Old Man Yafya says that apparently establishes I have a type."

"Oh? What would that be?" Getting silence, Sebun nuzzles Melon's neck again. "Come on. Tell your girlfriend what your type is."

The hybrid's cheeks have never felt hotter. "I like tiny herbivores with big personalities."

The sheep turns her boyfriend's face to her. "Do I fit that description?"

Melon smirks. "You're number one." He goes in for a kiss.

Sebun loves this, but she'd like to take it up a notch. She sticks her tongue out.

Feeling the tongue against his lips, the hybrid pulls back. "Sebun? What exactly are you doing?"

The sheep blinks. "I wanted to upgrade our kissing to making out."

"Making out? Oh. Right. That." Melon leans back in, hesitantly this time. This is some uncharted territory for the hybrid, which makes him feel very uncertain. However, when his and his girlfriend's tongues meet, Melon really gets into it. His arms wrap around the ewe.

Sebun lets out a little hum of pleasure while her arms go around the hybrid's neck. 'This feels so good.'

The door suddenly opens and the guard steps inside. "Excuse me, but…oh."

The couple pulls apart, both unhappy they had to stop.

"Is there a reason for the interruption?" Sebun asks with a glare.

The guard clears his throat. "I've just been informed Yafya wishes to see both of you."

Melon and Sebun get off the bed and follow the guard, the sheep holding tightly onto the hybrid's hand.

Melon feels the eyes of many as they walk through the halls of the hospital. He feels the judgement and disgust in their gazes and not just from his obvious hybrid appearance. Having it all aimed at him is something he can handle no sweat. Those things getting directed at Sebun, on the other hand, he can't stand. He's already feeling on the verge of exploding from his protective anger.

A wolf couple passes by and scoffs.

"What a repulsive display," the she wolf whispers to her husband.

The male wolf chuckles darkly. "Attaching herself to that abomination, that ewe must've been dropped on her head a few too many times as a child."

Melon almost turns and lunges at the pair, but someone else deals with them first.

Without taking her hand out of the hybrid's, Sebun glares at the wolf couple. "If you two have something to say, say it to our faces!"

Everyone around is taken aback by the sheep's sudden shout.

While the wolf pair isn't intimidated by the glare, they are unsettled by all of the eyes and ears of the bystanders.

The she wolf puts on a big smile and clasps her hands together. "Not at all. We're going to see a doctor about our young son. He's not feeling well."

Melon's eye twitches. 'Fake smiles and fake sweetness. Just like Mama.'

The she wolf places a hand onto her husband's shoulder. "Come along, Xander Dear. We need to visit with Philip's doctor."

The male wolf puts on his own smile. "Of course, Delilah."

The two turn and briskly walk away.

The guard leading Melon and Sebun feels relieved he didn't have to step in to stop things from escalating. "Come on, you two. Yafya's still waiting."

Melon glances at Sebun, who's now holding his hand even tighter. "That outburst tripled my attraction to you."

The ewe giggles.

Soon, the three reach a door with Legoshi and Gosha waiting outside.

Sebun detaches from Melon and rushes over to hug the large wolf.

Legoshi pats the sheep's head, a bit too injured to return the hug. "I'm glad you're okay, Sebun."

"Sorry for not visiting you. I was busy with my boyfriend."

The wolf smiles at the hybrid. "A relationship upgrade. Good for you."

Melon chuckles. "Thanks."

"Remember though, Sebun is a close friend of mine. If you don't treat her right, we'll be having a problem."

The hybrid laughs. "I get you warning me about that, but I don't think that'll be an issue. By the way, why does the Old Man want us here?"

"No clue. I guess he's stuck in bed after all that fighting." Legoshi turns to the Komodo dragon. "Grandpa, you were with Yafya when the ambulances came, right? How was he?"

Gosha doesn't say a word.

The door to Yafya's room opens and a doctor steps out.

Just as the door closes behind the doctor (a female goat), Melon catches a whiff of a scent he's very familiar with. 'Oh.'

The doctor nods to the visitors. "You may go in now."

Legoshi pushes the door open and the scent Melon already caught meets the wolf's nose, his heart almost stopping from it.

Inside, Yafya is lying on his bed. Multiple tubes are connected to him, a heart monitor is letting out a steady flow of beeps, and a large portion of the horse's head is covered in bandages.

Legoshi, Gosha, Melon, and Sebun gather around the bed.

Yafya opens one eye. "Thank you…for coming." His voice is raspy and his breathing is labored.

"What's going on?" asks Sebun.

"I wanted…you four here…before the end."

Gosha shakes his head. "No. You'll be okay."

"Doctor…already called it. Won't make it…to morning."

"Don't say that. You'll be back to fighting crime in no time."

"I can smell it on him," Melon says in monotone. "I know it well. Death."

"I smell it too," Legoshi reluctantly admits.

Gosha covers his face. "Stop it! This isn't happening!"

"Gosha," says Yafya. "You were there. My knees finally gave out. The enemies…got to me. You fought them off…but it was…too late. You have no…fault in this."

The Komodo dragon shows his tear stained face. "Yaf."

"I'm sorry…I was mad at you…for so long. We could've…hung out as friends…all that time."

"It's okay, Yaf. We had dreamed of being Beastars together. I abandoned that."

"To raise a family. I'm now glad…you did that." Yafya looks over at Legoshi. "You did great tonight. The next ceremony…to name a Beastar…my vote's already cast. I chose you. On that day…you'll be named Beastar…Legoshi."

The wolf is uncertain about accepting this, but he doesn't want to say that to the horse on his deathbed.

Yafya turns his head to look at Sebun. "I was lucky…to have saved you…five years ago. I found someone…willing to put up with…and stand by…Melon. I just hope…tonight didn't get you…feeling discouraged."

Sebun shakes her head. "Not a chance. If anything, it made our bond stronger. If Melon is ever allowed to be free, he'll have a home with me."

The hybrid looks down at the sheep by his side. "Really?"

"Yes. Be warned, it's a pretty small apartment."

"As long as I'm with you and the place is bigger than my cell, I'll be happy."

Yafya smiles at the couple's happiness. "What a relief…this is." He focuses his one eye on the hybrid. "Melon. Come here…please."

The leopard-gazelle hybrid steps so he's by Yafya's side. He then goes to his knees to be level with the horse.

"Hmm. You're a different man…from when we first met."

Thinking about that day makes Melon chuckle. "Yeah. Complete one eighty."

"You started out…a ruthless serial killer…who relished taking lives. With support and…five years of dedication…on our part…you've become a caring man…willing to risk your life…to save your girl."

Melon smiles. "Truth is I also like everyone in this room and then some." He glances at Legoshi. "By the way, I met your kid. Real cute one. Can I be his cool Uncle Melon?"

Legoshi grimaces and shakes his head. "Sorry, but you'll need to put in work before you get that privilege."

"Melon," Yafya says to get the hybrid's attention. "The day I brought you in…I vowed I would…make you into…someone better." The horse smiles. "Mission accomplished."

Melon feels a rush of affection and gratitude for the old horse. "Thank you."

"Just promise me…you won't go back. Keep going…the way you are now."

"Count on it. I have friends and a great girlfriend. I don't want to lose any of that."

Yafya feels a sudden urge. It may drastically shorten what little life he has left, but this is something he feels needs to be done. The horse, with great effort, lifts his hand up and sets it on Melon's head between the horns.

The hybrid is shocked beyond belief by this gesture. It only increases when Yafya's hand pats his head. In that moment, Melon feels like a child being praised by an adult and not just any adult.

"You got this. You'll be okay…Melon." Yafya's eyes shut, his hand slips off the hybrid's head, and his heart monitor flatlines.

Gosha hugs Legoshi and wails.

The wolf whines from his own misery.

Sebun hugs Melon.

The hybrid stares at the body of the man who started all this. Tears begin to trickle down from his eyes as a word pops into his head. 'Dad.'

AN: Yeah...I had Yafya die here at the end. It just felt like something that had to happen. Surprising that Melon came to see him like a father? For those who remember Kingdom Fall, yes, those two wolves are the monsters that poor Philip had to endure being "raised" by. As the last few chapters come out, you'll be seeing a lot more connections being made between the two stories. The next chapter to come on Wednesday.