AN: Something I forgot to mention about the last chapter was that the first portion hadn't even been in the first draft, but I had decided to add it in after that chapter felt a bit too short for my liking. I'd actually had it in mind while writing, but I'd originally thought it would make the chapter too long. Ironic, huh? Anyway, this chapter here was originally longer to go along with my original plan of eleven chapters, but it ended up being way too long for my liking, despite chapter eight having been a long chapter too. So, this chapter ends at about where the halfway point was in the first draft. Enjoy.

Ch 10: Five Years Later Part One

"Everything seems to be in order, Sir," says a yellow lab receptionist.

"Thank you," the leopard-gazelle hybrid named Melon says as he grabs his bag. He takes a look at himself. 'The first time I've worn my street clothes in over a decade.'

"Good luck out there, Sir."

Melon does a two finger salute before walking to the front doors. 'Well, Old Man, it may have taken five more years, but I'm finally leaving this prison for good as a new man.' He opens the door and is almost blinded by the sunlight, which makes him use one of his hands to cover up his eyes. 'Damn. Been a while since I've been out in this.'

"Melon!" shouts a very familiar voice.

The hybrid smiles, kneels down, and catches his girlfriend, Sebun the Merino Sheep, in a hug. "We're outside together again." His eyes shoot open when something is placed on his face. "Sunglasses?"

"I thought you'd need those."

Melon grins. "You really are the best." He kisses Sebun.

The couple starts to really get into it, the two feeling needy and passionate.

"Pardon me," says a nearby horse guard. "I'm glad you two are enjoying your newfound freedom to do this, but would you mind taking it somewhere private before it escalates?"

Melon smirks. "Sorry. First time we could do this in five years. Regulations and all that crap."

As the hybrid stands up, Sebun recognizes the horse's white hair and blonde mane. "Hey, you. How's the wife?"

The stallion gives a big smile. "Cassie's really great. We just had twins, a boy and a girl, last year."

"Good. Well, Melon and I have places to be. Bye."

The horse waves.

As the couple walks away, Melon leans over so that he can speak quietly to Sebun. "You know that guy?"

The sheep nods. "We spoke sporadically when I came to visit you. His wife, the one that had twins, is a wolf-sheep hybrid."

"Oh. That's neat." As the two keep walking, ignoring all the looks from passerby, Melon smiles. "I can't wait to see our home for the first time."

Sebun feels a little nervous. "Actually, we have another stop to make first."

"Is it groceries? I'd be okay with that if I didn't have this bag on me."

"No. We're heading to Legoshi's place."

Melon laughs. "The home of Mr Beastar himself. You know, Sebun, he and Haru finally brought Goshen to visit me last week. It's kind of funny seeing a ten year old already taller than his mom."

"Those three won't be the only ones there."

"Ooh, is Gosha going to be there? He had the best stories to tell about him and Old Man Yafya when they were young. That old Komodo pretty quickly became my favorite visitor…that wasn't you, of course."

Sebun sighs. "Melon…we're going to a party."

The hybrid stops in his tracks. "A party?"

The sheep stops too. "Yeah. Legoshi set it up to welcome you back to the outside world. All his friends and family are there."

Melon feels anxious. "That many animals in one place? All to see me? I don't think this is a good idea."

"Come on. It'll be fine."

"No. With so many there, a good chunk are bound to not accept me."

"It's a good mix of carnivores and herbivores. Besides, there'll be another inter couple at the party with a hybrid child."

"Thanks for that, but that's not the part I was worried about them accepting."

Sebun grimaces and takes Melon's hand. "I can't speak for everyone who'll be there, but I don't think any of them would've shown up just to antagonize you over your past. I'd say they are all there to welcome you and give you a chance. If anybody does try to start something, I am going to vouch for your current character. Same goes for Legoshi, Haru, and Gosha."

The hybrid stares into the sheep's eyes. He then takes a deep breath. "Okay. I'll go."

The pair walk hand in hand to Legoshi's apartment.

Quicker than he was prepared for, Melon finds himself in front of a door. His heightened sense of smell knows Legoshi and others he's familiar with are on the inside. There's also many animal scents he's unfamiliar with too. That part makes his knees tremble.

Sebun knocks on the door.

Answering is Haru. "There you are. I was starting to wonder if you guys would actually show up." The rabbit opens the door wide and turns to the inside. "Everyone! Today's guest of honor has arrived!"

A loud chorus of "Hello!" rings out after the rabbit's big announcement and cups raise in a welcoming toast.

Melon feels himself frozen where he is. The desire to run away is screaming very loudly inside him. However, one tug on his sleeve from Sebun makes the hybrid step inside of Legoshi and Haru's apartment.

Everyone gathers around to talk to the new arrival.

Melon tries socializing with everyone. He really does try for Sebun's sake. However, as more and more new faces keep talking to him and asking questions, the leopard-gazelle hybrid is starting to retreat into himself. His responses and answers become much shorter and that urge to rush to the door and flee grows.

One particular individual has been noticing this and decides to step in. "Hey."

Melon looks to see that a large brown bear has spoken to him.

"Wanna talk over there?" the bear asks while gesturing to a wall with no one around it.

The hybrid, despite having been freaking out moments ago, is comforted by the tone that the bear used. "Sure."

The two head over to the wall and lean against it.

The bear holds a hand out to Melon. "The name's Riz. Nice to meet you."

The hybrid takes the offered hand for a handshake. 'Bear hands are so huge.' "My name is Melon. Back at you."

"Crazy party, don't you think?"

Melon takes a drink from a cup he grabbed earlier. "Yeah."

"It was a challenge for me becoming social again too."

The hybrid is confused by this attempt to relate to him. "Really? What exactly happened with you?"

"You ever hear about that big incident at Cherryton years back?"

Melon searches his brain. "Some alpaca got eaten and no one could figure out who did it for the longest time."

"You're talking with the culprit right now."

That makes the hybrid look at Riz the Brown Bear in a new light. "Huh."

"Like most bears, I put on a friendly face to keep herbivores at ease. I can't speak for all the other bears out there, but this one felt so exhausted from having to do that constantly. Add in my government required strength suppressing pills that gave me migraines, I felt like a big mess. Tem the Alpaca was the first herbivore to openly call me scary. Despite that, he was also the first to actively hang out with me. It was a freeing experience having an herbivore be that friendly to me. Made my headaches go away. Deep down, I think that's what all carnivores want."

Melon feels confused. "A cure for headaches?"

Riz chuckles. "No. Carnivores want herbivores to accept them as they are, despite what their claws and fangs are capable of." The bear smiles at the hybrid. "Perhaps a part of you can relate? Say…half?"

Melon rolls his eyes. "Ha ha. Very funny. But, yeah. I can relate."

Riz frowns down at his cup. "Unfortunately for me, I made a bad choice. I focused way too much on how being around Tem made the migraines go away and how he was so at ease with being my friend."

Melon holds a hand up. "Let me guess. You went off the medication thinking you didn't need it anymore, met this Tem guy feeling excited to show him 'the real you', he freaked out and ran, and that set off your instincts to chase and eat him."

"That's the gist of it. After I came back to my senses, I couldn't deal with the guilt. So, I deluded myself into thinking Tem wanted me to eat him. I kept to that lie…until Legoshi got on the case."

Melon smirks. "That wolf has a tendency to mess up the lives of troublemakers."

"Once I was forced to confront what I did, I gave up and let myself get arrested. In juvie, I was quickly informed that my family was cutting off all their ties with me. They didn't want to be associated with someone who 'lost control so easily'. I had thought I'd be alone for whatever was left of my life, even after I was let out. I ended up with one dedicated visitor. The only one besides Legoshi at Cherryton who knew what I did." Riz points.

Melon follow's the bear's finger to see a male Dall's sheep talking with a female cheetah. The hybrid can't hear what's being said due to all the overlapping voices, but he can tell the ram said something that pissed off the cheetah since she clearly wishes to smack him. "That mouthy bitch?"

Riz lets out a little laugh. "A mouthy bitch Pina may be, but he has a nice side. Before I was arrested, I threatened his life, generally terrorized him, and even kidnapped him trying to get Legoshi provoked before our big fight. Still, Pina was my sole visitor while I was locked up. He claimed he was doing it to entertain himself, but that excuse can only last so long. After I was let out and had nowhere to go, Pina had us become roommates in an apartment. While he did allow me to keep my distance from everyone else the first couple of years, he eventually started trying to convince me to be around the others again. The only ones I was interacting with during those early years were Pina and those that I work with. I'm a cook at an all carnivore restaurant, by the way."

"Okay."

"It was a really slow process, but I eventually got to a point where I was hanging out and talking with everyone I know from Drama Club. There'll always be a distance because of what I did, especially with the herbivores, but we can hold nice conversations."

Melon takes a drink. "What was the point of this?"

The bear smiles at the hybrid. "Don't go giving up on socializing altogether just because you were overwhelmed this one time. Take it all slowly if you need to. Also, don't see everyone as those crowding or interrogating you. See it as this many are willing to give you a chance."

Melon thinks over these words.

Pina walks over. "Riz? Are you being a wallflower again?"

"No," Riz says feeling annoyed. "I'm just giving Melon here a bit of a pep talk."

"I'll take over from here. Get back out there, Big Guy."

"I'm going." Riz walks away.

Pina takes the bear's place beside Melon (somewhat invading the hybrid's personal space doing so). "Listen to Riz. He has experience in this department. Besides, this whole loner over by the wall look isn't exactly flattering."

Melon just stares. 'This guy already annoys me.'

"I mean, what would a complete stranger walking in say. 'Oh my. What's with that man by the wall? He looks like such a creeper.'"

The hybrid's eyes narrow at the ram's words. 'This guy is really starting to get on all my nerves now.'

"Sure, you're different, but get on out there. Talk up a storm. Wear your special brand of ugly like a badge of honor."

Melon's eye twitches. 'What an absolute pest!'

"Are you okay?" a suddenly appearing Sebun asks her boyfriend.

Pina shrugs at the leopard-gazelle hybrid. "Looks like your lady friend is here. I'll leave the rest to her." He walks away with a lazy wave. "See you later, Mr Half and Half."

Melon takes a deep breath. "I'm a new and better man. I will not rip off that guy's horns and stab him to death with them."

Sebun hugs the hybrid. "I know that Pina's a lot to deal with, but behind the rude sass, he means well…surprisingly."

Melon smiles. "I do want to get to know everyone, but all of them at once was a little bit much for me."

"I know. That's why I brought him."

Appearing with a grin is Gosha. "Hi, Melon."

This is one individual the hybrid is happy to see. "Hey, it's been awhile."

"Sorry. My schedule the last couple weeks has been hectic."

"That's fine. How've you been?"

Gosha frowns. "Well, this is as good a time as any since everyone else already knows. I visited my doctor and he told me I have cancer."

Melon stares at the Komodo dragon. "Really?"

Gosha nods. "I'll definitely try treatment so I can spend as much time with my family as I can."

"Good luck with that."

After some more conversation, Gosha switches out with Legoshi and Haru. However, the two have an unexpected guest with them.

"Sorry, she insisted on joining us," says Haru.

The guest is a smiling she wolf. "Nice to meet you, Melon. I'm Juno."

The hybrid recognizes that name. "You're that other Beastar."

"That's right. I lead a group who fights for carnivore-herbivore couples to be able to love each other freely. I was wondering if you'd consider someday coming to one of our meetings."

Melon is baffled by this request. "Not a good idea. I don't have a really positive opinion since my parents were a train wreck."

"You don't have to be a speaker. Just you being there would be quite a boost for us. The reformed hybrid criminal who risked life and limb to rescue his special someone being one of the group's supporters? That's a definite increase in membership."

The leopard-gazelle hybrid chuckles. "You're a real opportunist."

Juno's smile falters. "I have to be. To get what I want out of life, I have to go for what I can. It doesn't always work, but I can't stop being myself."

Melon stares at the she wolf. 'This woman's a plotter who somehow also wears her heart out on her sleeve. Honestly, if Sebun and I don't work out, I'd consider giving Juno here a call.'

Haru smirks at the hybrid. "Did you know I had to convince Legoshi to accept his being offered the position of Beastar?"

Melon lets out a laugh. "I wasn't aware of it, but that actually doesn't surprise me one bit if I really think about it."

The male wolf looks down at his cup. "I wasn't sure about taking up that responsibility."

Haru laughs. "Legoshi, you always get yourself into dangerous situations, especially if it involves helping others. At least as a Beastar, you have the legal right and authority to be there."

"True. I also didn't originally want to accept it because of…an old promise."

Juno rolls her eyes. "Don't tiptoe around me. You can say it."

"Okay. I was reluctant to be Beastar without Louis. We had talked about being Beastars together years ago."

Melon recognizes that name too. "The red deer stag who used to run the Shishigumi. He is the one who showed up the day we fought. He's the CEO of Horns Conglomerate." He looks over at Juno. "What does he have to do with you?"

The she wolf frowns. "We briefly dated."

"Really? Never would've guessed he had a thing for carnivores considering he's married and has a child with another red deer."

Juno growls. "He married that woman for business and a life of privilege." Realizing the entire room is staring, the she wolf sighs. "Sorry. I'll go check on Goshen and Trini." She takes her leave.

Haru frowns. "Louis isn't just a sore spot for Juno. Nobody here is a big fan of him ever since he cut off all contact with everyone here."

Legoshi raises his hand. "I'm still a fan of Louis. He just has lots of responsibilities that take up his time."

The rabbit face palms with a heavy sigh. "Oh, Legoshi. You always have to defend him. It's so frustrating."

Sebun, who has been leaning against Melon the entire time, informs everybody she needs to use the restroom. After she leaves, someone comes running over.

"Mr Melon!" Goshen shouts as he stops in front of the older hybrid. "I was playing with Trini and didn't hear you come in!"

Melon smiles at the kid. "Nice to see you again. Still taller than your mom, I see."

Haru glares at the leopard-gazelle hybrid.

"Goshen!" another child's voice shouts out. "Wait for me!" A hybrid girl who's younger than Goshen appears at his side.

The wolf-rabbit hybrid grins up at Melon. "This is Trini. She's my friend."

The leopard-gazelle hybrid leans down to be closer to the little girl's level. 'I can already tell she's half goat. Not sure what carnivore would give her that coloring.' "Hi, Trini. My name is Melon."

The girl just stares up at the older man.

'Uh oh. Am I scary to her?'

Trini gives a bashful smile. "You're handsome."

That takes Melon (and anyone else who heard it) by surprise. He lets out a nervous laugh in response. "Thanks for that. I'm very flattered."

"Don't feel too special," says Goshen. "She said the same thing to me."

Trini glares at the wolf-rabbit hybrid. "And all you said was 'Okay'!"

Goshen tilts his head, confused by the anger. "What about it?"

Trini lets out a growl and is just about ready to tackle the older boy for what she sees as a deliberate insult.

"Trini!" comes the scolding voice of a female goat. "No fighting!"

The little girl pouts.

"We've talked about this. Most boys your age aren't interested in romance."

Melon decides to chime. "And adults should never like kids that way."

The goat nods to the leopard-gazelle hybrid. "Thanks, Melon. I'm Els, Trini's mother."

"A pleasure."

Trini sniffs. "I just want my prince."

Els smiles at the others. "She really likes fairytale romances."

Melon feels his stomach lurch, but then he shakes his head. 'Calm down. You and Panda Doctor have talked about this. Just because Mama liked fairytales doesn't mean others who like them are sick like she was.'

The goat hugs her daughter. "You're a child with the freedom to play. As you start to get older, you'll lose the time to do that. Save looking for romance for that time. It's one of the few fun things older people get to do."

Trini looks up at her mother. "Okay. I'll look for my prince then."

"That 'prince' will have to go through me!" shouts an approaching tiger.

Els glares at the tiger as Trini looks ready to burst into tears.

Something clicks in Melon's mind as the tiger takes a knee in front of the little hybrid. 'I can't believe I didn't realize this sooner! Duh! Of course her dad's a tiger! How else would she be that orange?!'

The tiger gives his daughter a reassuring smile. "Look, those boys at your school always try to push you around. You want to have your prince so badly, I'm really scared that you'll end up accidentally choosing a guy who treats you like they do."

Trini goes from almost crying to looking fierce in a flash. "Any boy who tries to push me around is no prince!"

The tiger laughs and holds his fist out. "There's my tough girl!"

Trini fist bumps her father.

Goshen taps his friend's shoulder. "We should play with Aunt Juno. She looked lonely."

"Okay." Trini follows after Goshen, her earlier anger with him forgotten.

The tiger stands and turns to the leopard-gazelle hybrid. "I'm Bill. So, you're Melon."

"That's me," answers the older man.

"Heard how you saved your girl. If it was me having to go in and save Els from danger, I would only need five seconds." Bill starts laughing.

Melon notices everyone else in the room seems annoyed by the tiger. 'Guess he's always like this. Maybe I should take him down a peg.' "Yeah. It would only take you five seconds…to get yourself killed."

Most of the room erupts with laughter.

Bill growls. "You wanna go, Pal?! You and me! Right here!" Before the tiger is able to get any sort of answer, his tail gets pulled. "Ow!" He looks back to find his wife is the culprit.

Els glares at her husband. "No fighting! Especially not on his first day out of prison!"

Bill turns to Melon looking dejected. "Sorry. I'm kind of…extra."

The hybrid shrugs. "It's fine. We can schedule a fight for another day."

The tiger perks up at that. "Yeah! Now that's what I'm talking about! I should warn you though, I have beaten Legoshi before."

Haru looks up at her wolf husband. "Do it."

In an instant, Legoshi has Bill on the floor unable to move. "That was back at Cherryton. Since I trained and became Beastar, someone like you is honestly not a challenge for me."

The tiger growls. "Okay! I get it! Let me up!" After the wolf releases him, Bill gets up feeling embarrassed. However, he remembers something his wife said and turns to Melon with a grin. "Hey. This is your first day out of prison."

The hybrid blinks. "Yeah?"

"No prison regulations to hold you back now."

"From what?"

"Oh, come on! You can't be that dense! You and your girlfriend can finally get freaky!"

'Get freaky?' Melon finally figures it out and stares straight ahead unseeing. 'Oh. Bill's right. Me…and Sebun can have…sex. Oh…wow.'

AN: Last time I'll bring this up, I swear, but...the ending of Louis and Juno's relationship didn't feel natural. It felt like a plot twist for the sake of subverting expectations. It also, in my mind, went against Louis's character arc of realizing he liked carnivores. Anyway, this chapter was a much needed break from a lot of the drama of the previous chapters. Melon talking with Riz, the other major antagonist of Beastars, was something I'd wanted to happen from some of my earliest imaginings of this story. I also have to admit, writing Pina's lines was an absolute delight. I still laugh whenever I read through them. Having Melon find Juno attractive wasn't something I'd planned on until I actually started writing the scene. Don't worry, there won't be any cheating going on from Melon. He's completely dedicated to Sebun. So...next chapter, things finally become physical for this story's main couple. The fun happens Saturday.