Chapter 28: Beautiful Romance Underneath The Moonlit Sky!


Alex ran through the streets, the cool evening air rippling against his fur. It wasn't too long before he arrived at the meteor festival plaza. Scanning the crowd of animals assembled, he quickly picked out Legosi and Haru from within the crowd. They were sitting on a bench and seemed to be in a discussion. He started heading towards them, and then he saw Juno approaching. His pace quickened, knowing that the wolf girl's presence would probably spell trouble for the wolf and rabbit couple.

As the white wolf got closer to them, he strained his ears and focused on the sounds of their voices. It was a bit more difficult to discern what they were saying, as they were in the middle of a noisy crowd. Luckily, Alex had experience in listening and isolating noises in crowded areas.

"Legosi-senpai… Alex told me that you didn't love me. He said you had eyes only for that rabbit," Juno started.

Legosi nodded for her to continue. "Is it really true? That you're not attracted to me?" Juno sniffled. Tears were starting to form in the girl's eyes.

Alex stopped moving towards them. This was something that Legosi would have to accomplish without Alex's help. Legosi shifted uncomfortably, never taking his eyes off of Juno. "I wish I could make you happy… it hurts me to see you sad and in pain like this. But Juno… I don't think that the two of us would work out as a relationship," Legosi began.

"A-and why do you think that, senpai?" Juno whimpered. Legosi hesitated for a second, knowing that he had to choose his next words very carefully as to do the least damage to Juno's emotions.

"I mean… look at us. We may both be wolves, but we are two very different kinds of animals in terms of personality. You wear the fact that you're a predator with pride, while I try to hide it. Our interactions, where you tried to win me over, have always felt forced and awkward to me. We just aren't compatible," Legosi continued, a somber and melancholy tone in his voice.

The tears that had welled up in Juno's eyes started streaming down the sides of her face. Legosi put a paw on her shoulder comfortingly.

"Don't get me wrong, Juno. You're a beautiful young woman, and you've got your whole life ahead of you. I'm sure you'll find the animal who's right for you," Legosi reassured his friend.

"E-even if it's not a wolf like you?" Juno sobbed.

"Even if it's not a wolf at all! If I've learned anything from these past few weeks, it's that feeling love for others isn't just restricted to your own species. You can develop feelings of affection towards any kind of animal," Legosi encouragingly told the female wolf.

Juno nodded her head in understanding. She then bent down to Haru's height and stared her straight in the eyes. "Y-y-you'd better make him happy, you hear that? A-a-and if you break his heart, I'll…!" Juno wailed.

Haru reached her paw out and patted Juno on the head. "Don't worry. I promise not to cheat on him, or break his heart. Maybe we can be friends, too, Juno," Haru told her.

"T-that would be nice," Juno bawled. She stood back up and looked at them.

"Goodbye, Legosi. Bye, Haru," Juno cried out, before turning around and running off to cry her emotions away.

Alex stepped forward and clapped his paws together in approval. "Wow, Legosi. Just… wow. I'm really impressed," Alex muttered in admiration.

Legosi was mystified. "How was crushing Juno's hopes and dreams impressive?!" Legosi cried out.

A gray bunny rabbit that the three animals knew all too well emerged from the crowd and voiced her own opinion on the situation. "The way you did it. You were so kind and compassionate as you explained to her why things wouldn't work out between the two of you. And you were so poetic… you've got a way with words, Legosi. If Alex ever breaks up with me, I'd want him to be like that as he told me why we were splitting up," Judy Hopps explained.

Alex chuckled. "Like that's ever going to happen!" the albino wolf snickered. Judy smiled and tackled Alex in a hug.

They stood back up and Haru then had an idea. "Let's go somewhere more private. Away from all these prying eyes," Haru suggested.

Judy nodded in agreement. "There's a pretty nice set of benches that would give a perfect view of the moon!" Judy offered.

"Great, let's go there! Lead the way, officer," Legosi responded.

The duo of wolves and duo of bunnies ran off through the plaza, with Judy leading the way. They soon arrived in a clearing with some benches facing the moon. Haru began to talk to Legosi.

"Yesterday, you almost got killed by the Shishigumi. And then at the hotel, it was so surreal… I tried to get eaten by you, for God's sake! How is this relationship going to work out?" Haru fretted. Legosi laughed. "That WAS pretty surreal," Legosi giggled.

"Wait, wait, wait. What the heck has been going on since we last saw each other?" Judy interrupted. The bunny cop was concerned at these new developments. Legosi and Haru then explained everything that had happened: Haru being kidnapped by the Shishigumi, Alex teaming up with Legosi and Louis to storm the Shishigumi base to save her, and the hotel incident. This was the first time that Alex got to hear what had happened to Haru when she was abducted.

"I was taken to the mansion, and there were about ten lions in there with me. They talked and debated whether they should throw me in their boss's room now or wait until he was finished bathing. Then this black Congo lion came in and saw me. He was repulsed by the whole kidnapping, and he even managed to convince some of the other lions to take his side," Haru started.

"Then what happened? I need to know everything, Haru," Judy pressured.

Haru sighed before carrying on with her story. "I asked to go to the bathroom, and the black lion escorted me there. I was really afraid of all the other lions, but that black one was really nice. He told me his name was Agata, and that he was really sorry that I got kidnapped. He reached into his pocket and gave me a pen. Told me to stab the chief's eye out with it, and make a break for it. He promised that help was on the way," Haru continued.

"So Agata wasn't lying about helping Haru," Alex thought to himself.

"He told me to stall for as much time as possible, and told me that their boss only ate his herbivores when they were feeling embarrassed or humiliated. He left with his other lions and I got taken to the boss's room…" Haru trailed off. The memories of the boss's room were the most painful for her.

"Please, Haru. We need to know everything that happened," Alex advised her. Haru nodded, taking a moment to recollect her thoughts.

"The boss had me undress, and that meant I couldn't get to the pen that Agata hid in my school uniform pocket. I ran for the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. The chief threw some knives at me and they got stuck in the doorway. In that instant, I thought I was going to die. Time seemed to grind to a halt as I started writing my will in my head, and I froze up, waiting for the inevitable," Haru continued. She paused, drinking some water that Judy offered her.

Legosi scratched his head. "But the boss was bleeding from his thigh when I broke into the room you were in. How'd he get that wound?" Legosi wondered. This prompted Haru to resume recounting her side of the story.

"As he got closer and closer to me, I thought of everyone that I had met. Especially you, Legosi. I decided that I wanted to keep on living, and I had to save myself. I pulled that knife out of the doorway and charged him. Stabbed that bastard in the upper thigh," Haru continued. Legosi blushed as she told him that he was part of the reason she was inspired to keep living.

Judy grinned when she heard Haru had stood up for herself and attacked the lion who was trying to eat her. "You go, girl!" Judy cheered. Haru chuckled. She then explained how Legosi had fought the chief lion off, and carried her out of the mansion to the hotel. Then she gave her perspective on the events that had occurred at the hotel.

When Haru had finished talking, Judy had only one question for the white dwarf rabbit. The bunny cop took Haru's paw and put her own paws around it. "At the hotel, were you afraid at all of Legosi?" Judy asked.

Haru contemplated that for a minute before shaking her head in response. "Not at all. I've only been feeling braver with every passing hour. I think that's part of the reason I tried to get in Legosi's mouth- my instincts were being emboldened by my growing courage," Haru answered.

Judy nodded, beginning to understand what exactly had happened to Haru. "Haru, there's this thing that sometimes happens to prey animals when they're in life or death situations. It's called a Trigger Point. Your body is overwhelmed by the desire to keep living, and it changes your system. You start to lose the ability to fear," Judy explained.

"Lose the ability… to fear?" Haru asked, intrigued and wanting to know more.

"You know the feeling of fear that you get when you look at a predator and they smile at you, showing their fangs and sharp teeth? Things like that which used to scare you will become less and less scary as time goes on. Eventually, you'll be scared of almost nothing!" Judy declared. Haru smiled.

"Now, I'd love that. But Judy, how do YOU know about this?" Haru replied.

Judy sighed, turning her head to look at the moon. She gazed at the floating sphere in the sky before answering. "It was when I was six years old. After I finished performing in my town's play, and told everyone in the theater that I wanted to be a Zootopian cop, I got attacked by Gideon Grey. He had a lot of issues back then, and I got scratched pretty badly. If you look hard enough, you can see a hint of the scar," Judy said. She leaned towards Haru and the white dwarf rabbit could see a faint claw mark on Judy's left eye area.

"I couldn't see out of that eye for days. But in those few moments after he clawed at me, that wicked chuckle/sneer combination coming from his mouth… I thought I was going to die. I jumped on him and started kicking the crap out of him. Sprained both his arms," Judy continued, a small smile on her face now.

Judy paused again, this time to take a drink of water. "After that, I wasn't afraid of anyone anymore. I've only been afraid a few scattered times throughout my life, and they were all during critical points of my career as a police officer," Judy finished. Haru thought about that for a second. "Maybe I could grow up to be a cop, like you!" Haru jokingly suggested.

"If that's what you really want to do with your life, Haru, then go for it! You'd definitely be able to make a difference in the world as a cop. Plus, I can tell you have the potential," Judy told her.

Haru's eyes widened, and she gasped. "REALLY? You think I could be a cop like you?!" Haru squealed excitedly. Judy nodded, chuckling at the excitement on Haru's face.

"If you work hard enough and pursue that dream, definitely! But first, you need to learn how to defend yourself. Come to my sister's house, I'll text you the address," the gray bunny responded.

"Am I dreaming?!" Haru muttered to herself. Legosi grinned, and leaned forward so that his nose was nearly touching Haru's head. The bunny, now emboldened with her newfound courage, leaned forward and kissed Legosi on the cheek. His eyes widened, and he couldn't help but back away from her. Legosi hugged Haru before quickly going to Alex's side. "The heck is wrong with him?" Haru huffed angrily.

"I think you kissed him too soon. With a reserved personality like Legosi, romantic relationships take time. Yesterday, he saved your life, and the two of you almost had sex with each other. I know you're horny, Haru- god knows that I certainly was at your age- but if you try to go too fast with Legosi, you'll end up pushing him away," Judy advised.

"How do you know so much about romance anyways, Judy?" Haru asked. The bunny cop blushed before responding. "Well, I have over two hundred siblings, and for some reason they always came to me for love advice. Some of my brothers and sisters are homosexual, others are bisexual, one of them is pansexual... though I'm the only one in my family with a polygamous relationship, and in a romance with a predator," Judy admitted.

As Legosi approached his wolf friend, Alex stared at the moon silently, and Legosi could tell something was troubling Alex. The gray wolf had a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with Louis. Legosi hadn't seen him ever since they split up at the mansion, and from the way Alex was looking at the moon, Legosi knew that something bad must have happened. "Alex. Tell me the truth. Is Louis alive?" Legosi asked worriedly. Alex nodded his head, tears in his eyes.

"Then what happened to him?" Legosi blurted out.

"He chose to walk down the path of darkness," Alex solemnly said. Legosi frowned, getting frustrated with Alex's evasiveness.

"Alex, what does that mean?!" Legosi begged.

"He's the boss of the Shishigumi now… and he's happy about it. He's ENJOYING himself, and he looks like he's never been happier as he ate meat. He's just a teenager! He can't be a fuckin crime lord! God, I was many things at his age, but I wasn't a gang boss!" Alex moaned in anguish.

"We have to go in there and rescue him!" Legosi growled. Alex shook his head rapidly.

"Legosi, if those lions see you, you're dead. Louis may be their boss but they'll have a grudge against the gray wolf who beat them up and rescued their hostage. You show up at that mansion and they will shoot you on sight, guaranteed," Alex told him. Legosi sank down to his knees, upset at this revelation.

"Then how do we save him?" Legosi wondered.

" You're going to do nothing. The only times you will be at the black market is when you go to Gouhin's clinic for your evaluations. Me? I'm going to work my ass off to try and persuade that dumb deer to abandon this delusion. Maybe I can bring one or two of the drama club members to try and talk some sense into Louis," Alex answered.

Alex's phone went off and the white wolf looked at it. His tail started wagging excitedly as he read through the contents of the message. "What's got you all ecstatic, Alex?" Legosi inquired.

"Gouhin came through. He just finished assembling psychological profiles of all the drama club members," Alex sighed happily.

Legosi scratched his head, a little confused by what Alex had said. "Why would you have Gouhin psychologically profile the other drama club members?" Legosi questioned.

"Because, Legosi, a psychological profile helps narrow down the suspect list. The investigation started with hundreds of students, any one of them could be the one that murdered Tem. Now, it's down to less than a dozen. All medium to large size predators in the drama club," Alex replied.

The wolf cop showed the list to Legosi. Some of the names and pictures he recognized were of Riz the bear, Tao the panther, Aoba the eagle, Bill the tiger, and Sheila the cheetah. "Legosi. I don't know some of these animals as well as you do. You can pry more information from them, because you're more closely connected to them on a personal level. Please, Legosi. Help me avenge Tem's murder," Alex pleaded.

Legosi nodded determinedly. "Tem was my friend. Whoever massacred him like that must have been a monster. I want his killer brought to justice. So yeah, I'll work with you," Legosi agreed. Alex hugged Legosi and the gray wolf squeezed him tightly. Alex noted how the gray wolf was extremely strong for his age, perhaps even abnormally strong. He took a deep sniff of Legosi's scent, and realized it didn't smell entirely wolflike. Was Legosi keeping something else from him?

But that was something to think about at a different time. Alex felt as if he was entering a contract with Legosi, one that would change both of their lives forever. "Together, we'll discover the creature behind the carnage. And we'll avenge Tem," Alex promised. "Together," Legosi muttered.


Thank you for sticking around this long, folks. Season 1 of the story concludes with this chapter. But be sure to be on the lookout for the next exciting installment of the story!

BEASTARS: Converging Destinies, which will cover the Who Killed Tem arc, is coming to a Fanfiction and Archiveofourown page near you soon!