AN: Did anyone catch the subtle Death Note reference from the previous chapter? Those familiar with that show will know what scene I was referencing. That's all I have to say. On to the story!

Ch 10: Goodbyes? Not So Much

Philip bursts into laughter after Louis's last statement. He turns to the camera. "You hear that?! He's admitted it! Louis the Red Deer has confessed to how pathetic he really is!"

Louis stares down at the floor. 'The world knows my story. My shame. No one has come to help. I have nothing more to say. I am ready to take Philip's judgement.'

"He's not pathetic!" Juno suddenly shouts.

Everyone turns, none of them expecting the now fuming she wolf.

"Louis has problems! Who doesn't?! He may have a bit more than most, but at least he's admitted it!"

"How is that a positive for him, Mother?" Philip asks with a sneer.

"Admitting to a problem means there's a legitimate desire to change!" The she wolf turns her head to look right at Louis. "You're not a hopeless case."

The stag stares into her eyes. "Juno."

The she wolf smiles. "You have the opportunity to improve yourself. Please take it."

Louis slowly allows a smile to form on his face. "Thank you."

Philip scoffs. "Sorry to burst your bubbles, but you two don't have any time left to worry about anything." He raises his gun. "I'm done with both of you."

Ben is panicking. 'I don't know what to do! I can't think of a way to stop this without me getting shot too!'

Juno lets out a little whine. 'Philip's giving us the punishment we deserve. I just wish he wouldn't kill himself too.'

Louis turns to his hybrid son with a defiant glare. "If this is how it ends, we'd like to say a few goodbyes!"

Philip growls, but he lowers the gun.

Louis looks to Juno. "Ladies first."

The she wolf's tail wags a little at that statement. "To Legoshi and Haru, you've been the best friends to me all these years. I always felt so happy to be welcomed into your home when I visited as if I was family. To my old friends from the Drama Club, I'm sorry that I wasn't able to come to as many reunions as I'd wanted to. Even when I wasn't there, I was thinking of you. To Goshen, what else can I say but Aunt Juno loves you? To Marie, Goshen's a wonderful man who deserves the best. Please, be the best for him." Juno looks back to the stag. "Louis, I know that we never had that functional of a relationship, but you're the only one that I have ever wanted to give my heart to." She watches Louis smile at her before turning to her son. "Philip…I can only say that I was a poor excuse for a mother and that you deserved much better than what you got." Juno takes a deep breath. "That's all I have."

"It was all wonderful." Louis stares at the camera. "To Legoshi and Haru."

Meanwhile…

"How much farther?!" Legoshi shouts to Casey just ahead of him.

"We're almost there!" the cheetah-chimpanzee hybrid shouts back.

Those two and the two lions behind them have been listening to the live stream the whole time thanks to Dope pulling it up on his phone.

Louis's voice comes out of the phone's speaker. "The true reason I stayed away from the both of you is guilt. Deep down, I always hated my choice to marry Azuki. Being around you, I would've felt compelled to leave her. I knew staying with her was like spitting on the effort you two put in to being together. Unwilling to deal with everything that would entail, I chose to drop you both from my life like a coward. I can't even begin to say how sorry I am."

Legoshi quickens his pace. 'None of that matters anymore, Louis! You're still my friend and your life is in danger! I'll do everything I can to save you!'

Meanwhile…

Haru is watching Louis's face on the live stream while also trying to keep from getting all emotional.

Louis smiles. "The two of you followed your hearts, something I wasn't brave enough to do. Legoshi. Haru. You are much better animals than I am."

The rabbit bursts into tears. "Dammit, Louis! You're so stupid!"

Goshen, who has an arm around Marie, stares at his mother. 'Mom, you're crying.'

Meanwhile…

Louis glances at Juno before continuing. "To everyone from Drama Club."

Meanwhile…

Riz, Pina, Aoba, Bill, Els, and all the others watching from their homes are surprised they were brought up by the stag.

"It wasn't right to cut you from my life either. I wish I could see you all one more time."

Everyone's wishing for a miracle to save Louis and Juno.

Meanwhile…

The stag chuckles as he thinks of who he's going to speak to next. "To Dope, Free, Hino, Agata, and Dolph."

Meanwhile…

"Boss?" Agata asks his phone while running. He wasn't prepared for this shoutout.

"Thank you for staying by my side all these years. Without you, I know Azuki would've been much worse."

"It was our honor and pleasure, Boss," Hino says even though he knows Louis can't hear him.

"Don't you two slow down now!" Dolph calls back to the other two.

"Right!" they respond back as they keep running for the warehouse.

Meanwhile…

Dope and Free are on the verge of crying at their boss's words.

"I've cherished all of you," says Louis. "It was heartbreaking when we lost Sabu, Jinma, and Miguel along the way." The stag takes a moment to compose himself as the memories of the deaths of those lions come back to him in full force. "I'm sorry I lost my conviction. All of you deserved a better boss than me."

"You're the best boss we ever had!" Dope shouts as he runs faster. "We never really gave up on you!"

Free, who'd been lagging behind due to fatigue, catches up to the others through his sheer determination. "Don't you go quitting on us now, Boss!"

The four turn a corner.

"THERE IT IS!" Casey shouts while pointing ahead.

Everyone can see the warehouse now. It's still a little ways ahead, but being within sight of their goal makes any tiredness leave the bodies of the four running animals.

Meanwhile…

Louis's lips tremble as he gets to the next individual. "To my daughter, Marie."

Meanwhile…

The young hind feels something shiver inside at realizing her father is talking to her now.

"Many terrible things came from my decision to marry Azuki. The one good thing that I got out of it was you. Having closed off my heart to go through with marrying your mother, I've been unable to tell you all the things I wanted to until now. Marie, I loved you from the moment you were born. You were the most precious gift." Louis looks off to the side with a deep frown. "When I didn't side with you against Azuki, I died inside. I failed you as your father." The stag looks back to the camera. "You didn't let that stop you. You refused to bow to pressure like I did and you refused to become a drone for a soulless company like your mother. You chose to marry for love despite opposition. You are so much more loving and brave than either of your parents." Louis smiles as his eyes start watering. "I couldn't be more proud of the amazing woman you've become."

Hearing those words, Marie crumbles into a sobbing mess. "Daddy!"

Goshen hugs his wife. He's feeling lost after witnessing both Marie and his mother cry a lot more than he'd ever seen before.

"To Goshen," Louis's voice says on the live stream.

The wolf-rabbit hybrid looks over at the laptop.

"I know we've never met and you have many reasons to dislike me right now, but I'd like to request something. Be the best husband for Marie. Give her all the love she deserves to have. She means the world to me. I'm trusting you with her happiness, Goshen."

The hybrid makes a decision. He lifts up Marie's face to his. "I love you." He gives his wife a kiss before getting off the couch and running out the door.

"What?!" Haru shouts as she runs to the doorway. "Not you too!" She groans as she gets back to the couch and sits by Marie. "We married idiots!"

"Maybe," says the young hind. "Still, doesn't them willing to face danger for all of those they care about make you love them more?"

Haru pulls on her own ears. "Yes and I hate that."

Marie smiles at this display before getting back to watching the live stream.

Meanwhile…

Louis looks back at the she wolf. "Juno, if I'd had the choice, I would've been CEO and had you as my wife."

Juno doesn't know what to say to that.

"The Board of Directors at Horns Conglomerate are staunchly traditional. Any executive who deviated from what they considered proper relationships were either fired right away or they were forced to terminate the 'abnormal' relationship to keep their job. Since I was afraid of what my life would be without my position, I broke things off with you and married Azuki. I regretted that choice from day one. You were right that night on the train. I've never been happy being in a fangless marriage. I should've gone to you the moment I couldn't fight my wants anymore, but I was too much of a coward to face the simple fact that I love you."

Juno trembles at the stag's declaration. "Louis."

"I can't even begin to make up for all the years of denying you. At least I can do this…at the end."

The she wolf doesn't like those confusing words. "Louis? What do you mean? What are you going to do?"

Louis stares ahead at his hybrid son. "Philip, because of my choice, you got dealt a hand no one should have. If I'd been brave, you could've been rescued from Xander and Delilah. Not doing that is now my greatest regret." The stag spreads his arms out wide. "For my mistake, I'll offer myself as your first kill."

Ben almost knocks the camera over from his shock. 'An herbivore is offering his own life in order to protect a carnivore. No matter what happens, this gesture will always be remembered by the world.'

Juno is furiously struggling against the ropes binding her. "No! Don't do this!"

Philip stares at the stag for a moment. "You know something, Father?" The hybrid gives his unsettling grin. "You're absolutely right." He suddenly charges forward.

Louis isn't prepared for being grabbed and lifted up.

"This all started with you! So screw you!" Philip throws the stag across the stage.

Louis tumbles for a few moments before coming to a stop. He gets himself up so that he is on one knee.

The deer-wolf hybrid is grinning maniacally. "As punishment, before I kill you, I'll make you suffer!" He turns to face…Juno.

Louis realizes what Philip's going to do, so he scrambles to his feet and starts to run over. "No!"

Philip points his gun right at Juno's head.

Ben abandons the camera and heads for the stage. "Philip! Stop!"

The deer-wolf hybrid doesn't listen. He pulls back the hammer and puts his finger on the trigger.

Louis knows he won't make it. 'I'm going to lose her.' "JUNO!"

CRASH!

Everyone turns to see the door has just been smashed in and a large figure is running over to the stage.

Philip's flight instincts kick in and he runs until he's against the back wall of the stage.

The large animal jumps onto the stage and glares at Philip.

"You're here," Juno says to the new arrival.

Louis trembles as he stares at someone he hasn't been near in twenty years. "Legoshi."

The grey wolf doesn't respond, but the light swish of his tail lets the she wolf and the stag know he's happy to see them.

Philip's heart is racing from fear at the large wolf. "How…did you…find us?"

"Casey led us here."

The deer-wolf hybrid sees the cheetah-chimpanzee hybrid climb up on the stage. 'You've turned against me?!'

"Us?" Louis asks before he's swept up in a tight hug.

"We made it in time, Boss!" shouts Free.

Once Louis is released, he sees Dope untying Juno from her chair.

The other lion just smiles and nods his head as he frees the she wolf.

Juno goes around behind Legoshi and runs to Louis.

The stag opens his arms and receives the she wolf in a hug. "I thought I'd lost you."

She smiles at him. "It's going to take a lot more than that to get rid of me. I don't plan to go anywhere."

Philip growls softly at this affectionate display.

Louis looks back at Legoshi after his hug with Juno. 'What the hell do I say to someone I was friends with who I kept away from for twenty years?' "Legoshi…I…"

"I saw the live stream at home," Legoshi says without taking his eyes off Philip. "On the way here, Dope had it playing on his phone. I heard everything you said, Louis."

The stag stares at the wolf, fearing his opinion. "And?"

"You and Juno should have dinner with me and Haru some night." Legoshi glances over to the pair and smiles. "It'd be fun."

Louis doesn't know whether to laugh or cry right now. 'Dammit, Legoshi. I should have known you'd never hold a grudge against me. That almost hurts more than if you had.' "Sounds wonderful. You can expect us."

Legoshi's tail wags at this, but then stops as the wolf focuses on the young hybrid. "First things first, your son needs to be taken into custody."

Philip doesn't like this one bit, especially as the wolf steps closer. He points his gun right at Legoshi's head. "Stop! Don't make me shoot you!"

Louis makes to head over to help Legoshi, but Juno holds him back.

The male wolf tilts his head at Philip. "You're reluctant to shoot me?"

"Because I respect you!" shouts the deer-wolf hybrid. "You openly live as a carnivore in love with and married to an herbivore! You have a hybrid child both of you raised into an adult! You didn't run away from who you are or reject your child out of shame!"

Louis and Juno feel a great pang of guilt at those words because, in a sense, Philip is right about them.

Legoshi's eyes soften at the young hybrid. "Look, I get you're mad at them. What those two did wasn't good, but killing them isn't the answer."

"Shut up! Those two deserve to rot in hell with Xander and Delilah for what their stupid carelessness and greed put me through!"

"No. They made mistakes. I know them well enough to know they regret their actions."

"Because it led to my existence and their fall from the power they clung to since that was everything to them!"

"That's not true!" Juno shouts to her son.

"Liar! You and Father are spewing a bunch of lies about how you care and are oh so very sorry about what I went through!"

"We are, Philip!" Louis shouts to his son.

"Lies! You two don't have a single loving bone in your bodies! Any claims of caring are just to look good for the public!"

Juno realizes something. 'His tone. Philip doesn't really believe his own words. He just can't let himself believe because he doesn't want to let go of his anger and hatred.'

Louis has come to the same conclusion. 'Philip has to believe that we're just as cold and heartless as Xander and Delilah to keep justifying how he feels.'

"Revenge!" Philip suddenly shouts. "It's all I have! It's the only thing I have left to live for!"

"Don't say that!"

Philip glares at his stag father. "Stop talking…forever." The deer-wolf hybrid points his gun at Louis.

"NO!" Juno screams as she tackles the stag to the ground.

A gunshot rings out.

"JUNO!" Louis screams to the she wolf on top of him.

"I'm fine!" the she wolf reassures him.

A clattering can be heard as chunks of Philip's gun hit the floor.

The hybrid stares at his hand where his gun was before it got shot away. He looks around and sees someone standing by the stairs to the stage on the left.

Dolph is there holding his own gun with a slight smirk. "Perfect shot."

Louis gets helped to his feet by Juno. "Dolph. You're here."

The lion walks onto the stage. "Good thing I am. Juno'd be dead if I hadn't been."

The stag smiles at the she wolf. "You tried to save me."

"I did," she says as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.

Louis takes a moment to be charmed by that simple statement before getting distracted by two more lions running up onto the stage. "Agata. Hino."

Agata smiles as he and the other lion stop in front of the stag and the she wolf. "I'm glad you're safe, Boss."

"How did you get here?" asks Juno.

"Andy told us where to go," says Hino.

Philip grits his teeth in anger. 'Him too?'

"The kid's gone for the police," says Dolph.

Philip starts to shake from the absolute rage he's feeling now. 'So now Andy wants me to get arrested?!'

Ben walks onto the stage holding the camera.

Legoshi looks over at the eagle-vulture hybrid. "Thank you for stalling, Ben."

"It was the least I could do."

Philip finally snaps. "Traitors. Traitors! TRAITORS!"

Legoshi looks back at the deer-wolf hybrid. "It's over, Philip. You're done. It's time you came quietly."

Philip looks around at all of the animals staring at him. Then…he laughs. He's laughing so hard that he has to hold his stomach. Once he finally stops, the deer-wolf hybrid grins at all of the spectators. "You're kidding, right?!" Philip rips off his shirt.

Juno gasps and covers her mouth. 'Oh, Philip.'

Louis almost feels sick. 'He's covered in scars like mine.' His fists are shaking. 'Unlike me, Philip's came from Xander and Delilah's abuse. Damn those demon wolves!'

The deer-wolf hybrid smirks at everyone. "If you all think I'd come quietly, then you are all idiots! You really want to take me into custody?!" He gets into a fighting stance. "Come and get me then."

AN: That's right! Philip's not giving up without a fight! How will it all turn out? Find out next time.