Yuki stood by on guard, watching for anyone who would be traversing the subway station near sunset, while Michiru pressed and tapped virtual buttons on the ATM machine. She inserted her card and attempted to withdraw money but continuously received a WITHDRAW ERROR message every time she pressed the button to do so.
"Michiru, I have my wallet. I can buy us some bus tickets—" Yuki began to speak but immediately stopped.
Both Yuki and Michiru gasped and looked down the station hallway when the echoing sounds of footsteps began to penetrate their ears. Three people were walking towards their direction, hands in the pockets of their pants, and their hoods drawn over their heads. Two were men and the other looked like a woman. They also looked like the type who would make trouble for both of them.
Michiru immediately ducked into a nearby vent and Yuki quickly picked up a littered newspaper. She leaned against the wall and dug her face into it, casually looking up to see if a sub train was approaching or not looking as if she were a fellow traveler, as they walked closer and closer.
They didn't attempt to talk to Yuki. Instead, they paid their undivided attention on a poster hanging on the wall beside the ATM machine.
LET'S HOLD HANDS! ANIMAL RIGHTS DAY, the poster encouraged with the hand of a human being's wrapped around the hand of a beastman's. Yuki nearly forgot it was the 10th year anniversary of the beastman's acceptance into society and the making of their city, Anima-City.
The three of them sneered at the poster and smirked, chuckling heavily under their breaths. One of them reached into their jacket and pulled out a large can of black spray paint. Shaking it a couple times, Yuki watched from the top of the wrinkled newspaper as they began to write foul words across the peaceful poster about unity.
They laughed at their handiwork and left without so much as a backwards glance towards it.
When they rounded a corner, and were out of sight, Yuki threw the newspaper into a nearby trashcan and watched as Michiru popped out of her hiding spot. They both walked to the vandalized poster and stared at it in frustration.
DIE BEASTMEN!
Jerks, Yuki scoffed in her head.
At that moment, she knew it was unsafe for Michiru to be out in the middle of everywhere in the state she was in. If so many people were open about their opinions of beastmen needing to die, they needed to move to Anima-City fast.
So, screw the ATM machine!
Yuki and Michiru ran out of the subway station and into the outside world, the money needed for the bus ride to Anima-City completely forgotten.
As they ran down the sidewalk, they passed by a TV station reporting about the multiple riots across their city. She quickly read that at least 30,000 people were rioting against the beastmen, hoping and praying their kind will meet a swift, deadly end. Yuki couldn't believe so many people would want another kind that was different from theirs to die! So much for humanity.
Yuki and Michiru found the bus leaving and leading to Anima-City.
They both quickly climbed on the top and hunkered their bodies all the way down, making sure no one could see them until the bus departed.
When it did, zooming down the highway and around the large mountain, Yuki sat up and watched as Michiru did the same. She let out a giant sigh removing the red hood from her head revealing her tanuki-like face and ears, uncurling her bushy tail from within her cloak, and pulling down her socks revealing the brown fur she was covering. She slammed her feet against the bus and leaned back, bracing herself with the palm of her hands.
Yuki smiled and pushed her hair behind her ears—or what she could. The wind blew strongly by their face, the cool breeze untangling their hair, tickling their faces, and ruffling their clothes.
Then, there, beyond the sea that separated the human world from the beastmen world was Anima-City. It was illuminated by pink and purple rays of the setting sun. It sat on the banks of the sea with large snow-capped mountains looming behind it. It looked just like any other city and if any tourists were to see it beyond the waters, it would've looked like any other human city.
Michiru pulled out her phone and looked up a video on Anima-City provided by Sylvasta Pharmaceutical.
The mayor of the city was established as the thumbnail. Her name was Mayor Rose; her skin was pale, she had a bald head with wrinkles on her fore-head, red eyes, pointy ears, and a pointy chin. She wore a long dark brown tunic and had a red and silver cane sitting beside her. She resembled much like a naked mole rat.
When clicking on the video, Mayor Rose smiled into the camera, speaking, "Since the enactment of the Special Beastmen Administrative District Act, Anima-City developed as a place where beastmen can live their lives like beastmen."
"This is it!" Michiru gasped happily with Yuki hugging her arm excitedly.
The video switched to a photo of Mayor Rose shaking hands with the CEO of Sylvasta Pharmaceuticals, Alan Sylvasta. He had fair complexion, blonde hair swept to the left side of his head, and teal-colored eyes. He wore a dark teal suit, yellow waistcoat, white collared shirt, and navy-blue shoes. The two of them smiled into the camera seemingly to have formed a friendship with each other.
Yuki thought he was pretty cute but something about him made her feel weird.
"We're assisting the development of the Beastmen District. Sylvasta Pharmaceutical," The voice-over finished-.
Yuki and Michiru gasped in horror when Michiru's phone was destroyed into tiny pieces in her hand. A metal arrow had pierced its screen and entire body having been shot from behind them! They quickly whipped around and saw three people on motorcycles trailing the bus! Behind them was a large black van with possible more dangerous people lurking inside! One of the motorcycles held a golf club and the other a loaded crossbow! They looked exactly like the people from the subway that graffitied the poster!
They're trying to kill us! They must be the Anti-Beastmen Hunters! Yuki thought, horrified.
They screamed and dove away when the woman hunter fired another arrow!
In their haste and panic, the momentum of their bodies tumbled them off and over the edge of the bus!
Yuki felt herself being grabbed by Michiru, who protectively wrapped her arms around her, and fluffed her tail up so big it turned into a giant ball of fluff. They bounced on the soft ball of fur multiple times before landing on their feet. They looked up and saw the hunters still chasing them!
With nothing else to do, Yuki and Michiru ran towards the edge of the street where the guard rail stood, protecting drivers from driving over the edge of the cliff. Screams left their mouths as they jumped up and over the guard rail, narrowly missing another arrow. Their bodies slammed and rolled against the hard, rocky, and bumpy mountain side, tumbling through thick bushes as sticks and stone scraped against their skin.
They rolled to a stop at the bottom but they weren't done yet. The hunters were still chasing them! They were sliding down carefully but quickly right towards them!
Yuki and Michiru forced themselves on their feet and began to run away as fast as they could!
Her legs began to ache as her lungs burned but Yuki kept running. She ducked under tree branches, consistently and regularly looking back at their pursuers, hoping to get away from them. They ran and ran as far and as fast as they could but it didn't seem like it was doing any good.
Suddenly, Michiru fell to the ground behind Yuki.
She gasped but screamed when arms wrapped around her body, holding her back.
"Let me go!" She screamed angrily, wiggling as hard as she could, but froze when more hunters with weapons varying from baseballs to metal poles approached from the trees.
They began to surround Michiru on the ground, who curled up in a ball holding her head in her hands, as the people with weapons sneered down at her.
"You beastmen are scum!"
"We know what you're trying to do," Many of them began to laugh, "All you scum escaping to Anima-City pass through here. Patrolling here is like shooting fish in a barrel. Any more of you freaks come around here, and I'll puke!"
Yuki growled and tried wiggle free but the hunter holding her captive was too strong. "Don't you touch her! You leave her alone!" She screamed at them.
"Time to die!"
"I said stop it!" Yuki cried as they raised their weapons-.
"Excuse me!"
All of them froze in their spots and turned around, confused, to see someone approaching.
A human girl approached from the light in between the trees with a sly smile on her face. She had brown skin, mauve dreadlocks, and green eyes. She wore a dark gray sweater, pale gray hooded overcoat, brown belt, skinny jeans, and black high-heeled boots. Over her fore-head was a pair of green visor sunglasses and hanging from her ears were large golden hoop earrings.
"Sorry to interrupt, but I need you to stop what you're doing," She giggled with the wave of her hand, her voice nasally and high, "Why don't you put those down? She's a very important guest of ours. Please treat her with kindness."
The crossbow user didn't hesitate to aim and shoot!
They all gasped when the girl jumped so high and so fast into the air, the arrow not even close to hitting her! When she landed back on the ground, she wasn't human anymore; her neck grew longer and broader, the structure of her face changed and her ears were perched atop her head, claws were extending from her fingernails, and a tail whipped out from underneath her overcoat.
She's a beastmen!
"Firing an arrow at me, huh?" She purred menacingly. "Don't you think that's rude?!"
Yuki nearly shrieked when two more approached from the darkness of the trees, one resembling a boar and the other a hyena. The hunters turned and shrunk back in fear.
"Let's teach these punks a lesson!" The boar threatened.
The mink beastmen tsked at him, speaking as she smirked, "Killing them always causes a lot of trouble later, so go easy on them."
Yuki's captive threw her on the ground and joined in on the chaos that ensued in front of her.
The Anti-Beastmen Hunters stood no chance against the beastmen. The boar grabbed the crossbow user and rammed his head into her body, throwing her over his head. The hyena slid under the boar and punched another hunter in the face so hard his tooth broke! The boar and the hyena worked together to punch, kick, and smash every hunter in their path. It was over before it really began.
Yuki hurried to Michiru and helped her to her feet, suspicious of the mink beastman who approached them with that same sly smile.
"The roads to Anima-City are blocked by beastman hunter scumbags," She began to explain, "But don't worry. I'll help you."
"Uh, who are you?" Michiru asked her.
The mink placed a paw on her chest over her heart. "Well, I'm just a compassionate volunteer who extends a helping hand to beastmen in trouble, Marie Itami."
Yuki and Michiru glanced at each other with a single raised eyebrow.
"You look suspicious," Michiru huffed.
Marie didn't look offended. Instead, she had a well-placed and hard to decipher poker face. She wiped her fingernails against her coat, looking down her nose slightly, sighing, "Oh, I'm hurt."
"How much of this is going to cost, exactly?" Yuki asked crossing her arms.
"I told you, I'm a volunteer," She repeated but her suggestive eyes and small smirk said otherwise.
Michiru huffed again, "You're the type that will come for payment later."
"Well, you sure are a cynic."
"Being a cynic is what's gotten me this far."
Marie's smirk widened and she nodded her head in understanding. "Fine, I'll take every penny you've got." When Yuki and Michiru gasped in disbelief, she added, with her hand extending outwards, "It's the price for your life, you know. Don't place so little value on it. You know it's true."
Yuki was getting extremely annoyed but Michiru, exhausted, merely huffed, "Quit acting like you're doing us a favor."
Fuming, Yuki reached into her back pocket and pulled out her wallet, grabbing some cash from within. Michiru pushed her hand into her tail and pulled out a wad of cash. The two of them placed the money in Marie's extended hand, who looked at it as if it was too small. Nonetheless, she showed them the way to the boat she had arrived on.
It was small white boat with the words ANIMARU written across. Yuki and Michiru sat at the bow letting the salty sea water spray misty droplets on their bodies and faces. The cool water calmed Yuki's angry nerves about her money being taken from her but the sight of Anima-City growing ever so closer made her nervously excited. She was going to live in a city full of beastmen with Michiru. A city where she will surely stick out like a sore thumb. She just hopes she wouldn't be kicked out or harassed for being a human.
A filthy human, Yuki thought to herself softly growling beneath her breath.
Yuki turned to Marie, who was counting the money she hustled out of her and Michiru, asking, "Are there really only beastmen in that city?"
"That's right," She answered. "It's a very strange and very rare sight to see a human traveling with a beastman. Are you escaping from some sort of trouble? Is she your girlfriend?"
Both Yuki and Michiru immediately flushed red, protesting, "No, of course not!"
"I'm traveling with Michiru because… she's my friend," Yuki answered smiling towards her. "I do not want her to be alone. Humans are bad enough around beastmen, we've seen that firsthand, and even though Michiru is escaping to get away from them, I feel… like I should, too."
Marie smirked and nodded her head. She pocketed the money, leaned back against the railing of the boat, and sighed out, "Don't worry. Now you'll be able to sleep in peace."
Yuki and Michiru smiled and hugged each other's arms. They leaned their heads against one another's and let out small sighs, their close friendship and bond feeling as if it was strengthening and growing with every second they were around each other. All Yuki wanted was Michiru to feel safe and happy, and then maybe Yuki would find that feeling too.
Finally sleep peacefully? Yeah, Yuki would like that a lot.
They finally made it to Anima-city.
Yuki and Michiru walked through the quiet, large city that should've hosted many different kinds of beastmen. She thought the city would be lively, full of beastmen roaming the streets, talking and chatting, shopping, or doing what anyone would do. She expected music, the loud sounds of a busy street, a march of footsteps, and the bright lights of stores, buildings, and more lighting up the night sky. She didn't expect… whatever she got.
Instead of walking through a beastmen wonderland, Yuki and Michiru found themselves walking through an extremely dark, near pitch black (if it wasn't for the moonlight shining down on them), and eerily quiet city. All the lights of the city were turned off, the streets were completely empty and devoid of any living creature, and there were no sounds other than their footsteps echoing off the pavement and bouncing off buildings in the air.
They stood in the middle of what looked like town square, a place where it should be the busiest. It wasn't exactly the busiest time of the day, especially since it was the middle of the night, but… Yuki thought there would be at least some beastmen roaming around.
"It's so quiet," Yuki mumbled softly to Michiru but, even then, it sounded as if she was talking at full volume.
Suddenly, something caught her eye above a tall building in the distance.
Yuki gasped, tugging on Michiru's jacket sleeve, and pointed at what she was looking. On top of that building, mysteriously looking down on the ground beneath it, was a large wolf glowing a bright teal blue. Their long fur and unfurled tail waved and swayed in the cool breeze, their eyes scanning the ground, and they held themselves up in confidence, courage, and pride. Yuki's eyes wavered staring at the large wolf and felt mysteriously drawn to it.
AWOO!
Yuki and Michiru's eyes were suddenly torn away from the large wolf and towards a large alleyway where there was nothing but pitch black and where they heard a mysterious wolf howl. Then, hundreds of pairs of eyes revealed themselves from the darkness within.
But it wasn't only from that alleyway.
Nearly all around them, hundreds upon hundreds of eyes opened from the darkness and began to move forward towards them. They walked out of their hiding places, with their mouths in the sky, howling in the air, as they continued moving forward towards both her and Michiru! They were beastmen! Then, they realized the beastmen were wolves! They were all wolves! They were howling in the sky in response to the initial howl and kept moving!
Yuki and Michiru held onto each other, fear dropping in their stomachs, as the zombie-like beastmen drew closer and closer until they formed a tiny circle around them. They were surrounded!
All of a sudden, her eyes were blinded by a yellow light and her ears were deafened by cheers, screaming, and explosions.
Yuki blinked multiple times and realized the lights of the entire city had flicked on at the same time, colorful fireworks streaming into the sky and popping tens at a time, thousands of wolf masks being thrown into the air and littering the floor, and hundreds of beastmen ranging from different kinds of animals smiling, cheering, and screaming in the night sky. There was a stage blasting music with a dance line of flamingos, banners of different arrangement of colors hanging from buildings, luminescent confetti falling through the air, and dozens of stands lining the town square. It looked as if they were having a festival!
Yuki's fear was quickly replaced with confusion and she stared wide-eyed at everything around her, but that confusion was replaced with happiness and giddiness!
"The 10-Year Anniversary festival!" Yuki and Michiru screamed holding each other's hands and jumping in the air.
Then, Yuki became suddenly aware of the eyes falling on her, narrowing in confusion and suspicion. She glanced down and quickly grabbed an abandoned wolf mask, placing it on her face to hopefully stem the stares from the other beastmen.
No need to remind me I'm human, she sighed out.
Suddenly, the largest TV she's even seen propped on pillars behind the stage switched on. A smiling face revealed Mayor Rose, the mayor of Anima-City. The beastmen around them smiled and cheered in her honor, requesting others to quiet down so they could listen as to what she had to say. They looked up at her in awe and adoration which pleased Yuki.
"Ten years after the establishment of Anima-City, the gap between beastmen and humans still exists," She began to speak. "But this city remains a refuge for beastmen. To rejoice the last ten years as well as the next ten years as far into the future, let's celebrate the city's anniversary!"
Many more cheers erupted into the air and Michiru, in her excitement and happiness, removed the large cloak from her body, exposing her true beastmen form.
"I don't have to hide who I am anymore!" She cheered with Yuki clapping along.
Yuki was so happy for her best friend except… she couldn't help but feel sadness and deep jealously just looking at her. She feels accepted and is surrounded by people she can actually be around, she was truly happy for the moment, and nothing could take it away from her. But, glancing down at her skin devoid of fur, ran her tongue along her human teeth, and blinked with her human eyes, Yuki could only wish she wasn't so… human.
Michiru gripped Yuki's hands, exclaiming, "Come on, let's celebrate!"
Yuki forced the feeling of hopelessness down her throat and smiled widely. "Of course! Let's do it!" She forced herself to cheer and raced along with her down the square.
They passed by dancers, fire breathers, a giant moving statue of a silver wolf, and the stage hosting the famous beastmen band. They ran to every single food stall they saw in their path; drinks, candy apples, soup, stew, bread, and so much more! They ran to souvenir stands and bought each other silly trinkets that can barely fit their bodies.
Michiru placed a silly hat on Yuki's head, who posed for her with a funny look, and continued to run down Times Square with giggles flying out of their mouths—.
"Ah!" Yuki yelped when she ran into something hard. She looked up and gasped, "I'm sorry," seeing she had run into a wolf beastman!
He had white fur accented by teal fur covering his back and the top of his head, gray fur on the bridge of his black nose, a white diamond-shaped pattern on his forehead and his eyes were an icy blue. He had a small, disheveled mane of fur around his neck that spilled out all over the light tan trench coat he was wearing. He also wore a black sweater underneath, black cropped gloves, dark gray pants, and black boots. He strangely wore a black dog collar with a silver buckle around his neck.
Yuki gulped and heat rose to her face just staring and being in such close proximity to him. He gave off a confident, intimidating, and courageous aura, as well as one of overprotective and caring. He was unlike anything she's ever seen or ever felt before. Although, she also couldn't help but felt like she has seen him somewhere. It was impossible because it was her first time ever visiting Anima-City, so, why is she getting that feeling?
Instinctively, she flinched away, thinking he was going to berate and growl when his eyes glanced down at her, but he merely picked them right back up towards the festival. Then, her fear was replaced with curiosity and sympathy when she saw tears running down his face.
"Are you… all right?" She asked softly.
"What a fine smell. The smell of beastmen filled with delight and joy," He suddenly spoke causing her to flinch. Then, she was confused. It didn't answer her question much. "Enjoy this beastmen celebration we've waited 1,000 years for."
Michiru grabbed Yuki's arm, giggling nervously, and pulled her away, mumbling under her breath, "What a creep. I guess there are strange people everywhere. Why is he crying?"
"I don't think he's a creep," Yuki spoke shrugging her shoulders. "Maybe he's just an overemotional guy."
Michiru turned her head and huffed. Yuki did the same and realized the wolf beastman had disappeared. He left as quickly as he came and quietly as he did. He was certainly mysterious and strange, but she knew for sure he wasn't creepy.
"What's this? Bought some snacks and souvenirs, did you? I knew you were hiding something from me," They suddenly heard a familiar voice with a sly tone.
Yuki and Michiru gasped and turned seeing the mink swirl around them with a smirk on her lips.
"It's the weasel!" Michiru shrieked.
Marie glared at her, snapping, "I'm no weasel! I'm a mink! I'm nothing like those rascals in their cheap fur." Then, with an eye roll, she got right in their faces, huffing, "I thought I told you to give me every last penny. You sure can't trust youngsters these days."
"We already paid more than enough," Yuki scowled glaring back.
"Yeah, we're not paying a cent more," Michiru added crossing her arms. "After getting off the boat, we're strangers, right? That's what you said."
Marie had a sly smile on her face, immediately making Yuki suspicious of her and intentions, when she yelped and jumped slightly when something touched her rear, Michiru doing the same with her hands flying to her tail. They both turned around to see a monkey beastman running away with both of their wallets in his hands!
"Hey!" Yuki screamed angrily.
"Oh, you poor things," Marie smirked with a small giggle. "Be careful. You'll get fleeced in no time here in Anima-City."
Yuki scoffed, "You were behind that, weren't you?"
"Your thief is getting away, you know."
Yuki and Michiru scowled at Marie before hesitantly turning away and chasing after the monkey beastman. They were shouting and screaming at the top of their lungs for someone to stop the monkey thief from getting away, but the cheers and music were too loud for them to be heard. They ran as fast and as far as they could but they just couldn't catch up! The monkey had raced underneath the pillars holding the large TV and disappeared in the darkness.
Both of them stopped, hands on their knees, breaths heaving in and out of their chests, but quickly picked themselves up. They glanced over to the side and watched curiously, suspiciously, as a fox beastman stood up from one of the TV pillars. When he realized they were staring, he placed his cap further down on his head before racing away.
Yuki and Michiru just ignored it and continued running, but there was nowhere to go! The monkey beastman had gotten away!
"Damn it!" Michiru lashed out in anger smacking a pillar.
Both girls screamed when something exploded behind them vibrating the earth beneath their feet and shattering the happy atmosphere that was around them. Smoke billowed out and surrounded them until it dissipated just moments later. They looked back and realized multiple pillars had been destroyed! The TV was tittering and beginning to fall towards the ground!
Yuki and Michiru immediately began to race for their lives seeing the ginormous TV, whose size rivaled a mansion, started to crash towards the ground. Beastmen around them began to scream and run for their lives but Yuki saw an old goat beastman walking casually away from the whole thing, and no one was helping him!
"Watch out!" She screamed placing her hands on his back and pushing to go faster and faster. "Go faster, go faster, go faster!" She mumbled under her breath almost incoherently seeing the TV already inches above her head.
She closed her eyes, waiting to be squashed to death, feeling the TV brush against her hair—.
"Ow!" She yelped feeling something grab and push her at such immense strength.
The world beneath vibrated harsher and louder than before, tiny bits of metal bumping into her skin, as she skidded against the ground. Yuki, who covered her head in reflex, whimpered in pain, rubbing a hand against her head softly, feeling the ache in her legs, and glanced up to see what had happened.
Standing above her, holding the old goat beastman in one arm, was the wolf beastman who was crying earlier. Well, he was still crying.
But then, his icy blue eyes landed on her.
He gently placed the old goat beastman on the ground then roughly grabbed the scruff of her hoodie, effortlessly picking her off the ground. Yuki just hung there in mid-air, aware of the eyes landing on her, and sheepishly turned to the wolf beastman. His eyes were glaring down on her and she saw his black nose twitching ever so slightly.
"Was it you who ruined the beastmen's celebration?" He growled.
Yuki quickly shook her head, protesting, "No, it wasn't me!"
The wolf beastman eyes narrowed slightly and lifted his other hand up, grasping her wolf mask. He pulled it off revealing her human face to the beastmen surrounding them for answers. They all gasped and began to mumble among themselves just staring at her. The wolf beastman growled staring at her and huffed, "Human. I knew I smelled something foul."
"You don't have to say it like that," Yuki grumbled, annoyed.
The wolf beastman growled, "What is a human doing in Anima-City? This city is a safe haven for beastmen who cannot live anywhere else. We were given this through hard work and I'm not letting some human girl destroy everything that we created. So, why are you here? Are you here to disrupt and destroy the beastmen's celebration in hopes of ruining and taking away our rights? That's so like you humans. You all make me sick."
"I would never!" Yuki gasped in disbelief at the accusations he was curve balling at her. "I believe beastmen deserve rights and their basic needs fulfilled just like humans do! I'm not like the others who wish you would all drop dead; I want you all to live and thrive! Please, trust me, I'm telling the truth!"
His eyes narrowed even more and he growled, "That remains to be seen, and right now it's not looking good for you. You so happen to be under the TV as the pillars exploded, sending it toppling to the ground?"
"Yes! I didn't do it, neither my friend! We were under the TV when she hit one of the pillars," Yuki spoke exasperated.
"Another human?"
"No, she's an actual beastman!"
"Then, why would the pillar blow up from that?"
"Because it didn't! The pillars a couple feet away from us were the ones that exploded," Yuki began to explain, her head beginning to ache, but gasped remembering the fox beastman that had been there before them. "I know, it was that guy who was sneaking around the pillars before. I'm sure it was him."
"A guy?" He asked her curiously but also suspiciously.
Keeping her in his grasp like she's a toy doll, she watched as he closed his eyes and sniffed the air. His nose twitched slightly, his tall muscular body taking deep breaths, and he stayed like that for long moments of time. Yuki watched him, mesmerized, but quickly shifted her eyes away when his popped open.
He looked slightly annoyed but stood up straight. "It appears I made a mistake. My… apologies, human," He spoke hesitantly in between gritted teeth setting her roughly on the ground.
"My name is Yuki Hanamura—" She began to speak but he was already gone.
Only small billows of dust and dirt had risen into the air from where he had rushed down an alleyway. Yuki stared in that direction extremely confused but intrigued. Why was he so angry finding out she was a human? But, more importantly, why would a beastman ruin their peaceful anniversary by destroying the TV pillars? For money? Petty crime? Or, maybe, something worse? What kind of safe haven was it if their own kind is willing to destroy something sacred?
Yuki, without looking back or hesitating, began to race down the alleyway. He had left tracks in the dirt and she was following them closely. She didn't know if she was close or far behind him but something shook the earth beneath her. She gasped at the violent tremor and her eyes widened at an explosion erupting a few miles from her location, a large mushroom cloud covered in flames rising higher and higher into the air.
"Oh, no," She mumbled and ran faster.
The closer she got, the hotter the atmosphere became. She heard gunfire, bullets piercing and hitting metal, and screaming mixed with growling. Soon, in her vision, she found something on fire and the voices of multiple men had grown clearer. She ducked down and peered her head out to see herself caught in an ongoing fight!
Three beastmen, the fox, a stag, and a lion, were shooting straight at the wolf beastman! Even though he was outnumbered, he looked ferocious with all of his teeth bared and his eyes glowing a vicious red!
Yuki has never seen such anger, fury, and wrath, coming from anyone! It sent chills down her spine and goosebumps rose on her arms, but she couldn't help be amazed and astonished by him. He swiftly dodged their bullets and grenades, jumping over, under, and moving so effortlessly around their weapons. It looked like a deadly dance he had rehearsed over and over again. Even though she was breathless, the three beastmen fighting him grew angrier and angrier at their fruitless attempts.
"You've sold out to the anti-beastmen faction!" The wolf beastman growled.
"Don't you call me a sellout!" The lion beastman roared. "Whether they're beastmen or humans doesn't matter. Any job I take, I do it right! That's what it's all about!"
The wolf walked menacingly towards them, dodging all of their bullets, moving left and right faster than the blink of an eye, growling, "You call that a reason for spoiling the festival? Bullshit! You'll pay for your crimes with your lives!"
He suddenly ripped the gun from the stag's hands, grabbed his ankle and threw him up in the air, slamming his foot into the stag's chin. His foot slammed so hard into the stag's his head was forced into the pavement, sending cracks streaking along the ground. Turning around, he grabbed the gun from the lion, the bullets the lion tried to desperately spray missing by a mile, and pushed the butt of it into his face. The lion recoiled in pain and didn't notice the wolf grabbing his bandelier, using it to slam his entire body into the ground. Without waiting a further moment, he swiftly kicked out his leg and sent the fox flying backwards multiple feet.
Yuki fell backwards on her rear when the fox suddenly landed just inches from her hiding spot, but he seemed to be knocked out cold.
Peeking her head out once more, she watched as the stag and lion groggily stand on their feet, the wolf standing in front of the blazing fire that didn't seem to indicate it was going out anytime soon. Neither did his revenge, anger, or his thirst for their blood.
"You scumbag sellouts who sold your beastman souls to humans… You're not even worth using these claws of mine on. You'll die by my fists!" He screamed angrily lifting up his tightly clenched fists.
Suddenly, the stag and lion transformed into something bigger, badder, and stronger! Their clothes were shredded from their bodies, their claws extending an entire foot from their fingers, their muscular bodies now towering over the wolf, and they released such powerful roars from their chest it sent Yuki's rib-cage rattling! She covered her ears, hoping to suppress and muffle the loud screams penetrating her head, and groaned in pain.
The beastmen destroyed everything in their path hoping to stop the wolf, even as going as far as charging and grabbing him, but he simply grabbed and threw them far away from him!
"Since you've lost your pride in being a beastman, you won't need your deer pride either!" The wolf growled loudly with his hands gripping the stag's antlers tightly. With surprising strength, he began to press down hard and fast!
The stag didn't try to fight him. He instead grabbed his antlers and tried to fight back the force of the wolf's strength, begging and pleading, "Not my antlers! Anything but my antlers!" but it was useless. The wolf had already shattered the stag's antlers into large pieces that he still held tightly in his grip!
Suddenly, the lion grabbed the wolf's head from behind him!
"It's curtains for you now, cub!"
The wolf didn't look offended. He adjusted his grip on the antlers, huffing, "So you think I'm a cub, now?" before slamming both of them into the lion's face.
Letting go, the lion recoiling in pain, the wolf pushed himself higher in the sky and fell towards the ground, shoving his fist into the lion's face. The lion's entire body crashed into the pavement and a couple feet under, breaking the pavement under the immense strength and force from the wolf.
"Don't move!"
Yuki yelped when her body was forcefully dragged from her hiding place, suppressing a whimper as something cold and sharp laid against the skin of her throat, a rough hand gripping her arm, with her captor growling roughly behind her. It was the fox beastman! The wolf sharply looked over his shoulder to the both of them, his eyes narrowing down.
"Make a move and the human dies!" The fox growled.
Yuki growled at the name but the knife pressing into her throat stopped her.
"Who did you say would die?" The wolf growled suddenly disappearing from in front of them.
Then, he appeared from behind the fox and punched him hard in the head. Yuki was ripped free from his grasp and she took multiple steps back, watching fearfully as the wolf punched him over, over, and over again! He wasn't hold back, or going easy on the fox! Every punch he pummeled into the fox meant for his death!
"Yuki!" Michiru screamed racing up to her side looking extremely worried.
Yuki ignored her, her eyes still wavering in anger, frustration, and fear seeing the wolf show now mercy on the fox. "Stop that!" Yuki shrieked.
The wolf didn't listen to her. Instead, he kicked the fox's body hard away from them. The fox crash landed into the recovering lion and stag, sending all of them flying back into the ground, but the wolf didn't look like he was done with them.
He was stalking towards them slowly, his snarl growing and his eyes widening, and probably was going to kill them!
"Stop it! That's enough!" Yuki screamed from behind him.
"Don't stop me. These bastards disrupted the festival," He growled.
Yuki took multiple steps towards him, protesting, "But they're beastmen just like you! How can you do that to them? Aren't you supposed to show mercy?!"
"These scums were hired by your kind! They're a disgrace to all beastmen. This is what they deserve. I don't expect a human like you to understand," He growled kicking his foot out and shoving it into the fox's face. Then, without mercy, he began to press harder and harder into him. Any more and it was going to kill him!
Yuki couldn't do anything! She was just a stupid human who would only get hurt if she tried to stop him! What can she do?!
"She said stop!"
A blue light glowed brightly behind her and pushed forward. Yuki gasped and turned seeing it was Michiru's tail that had grown brightly, growing bigger and bigger. It pushed forward, harmlessly brushing past Yuki, but harshly kicked the wolf off of the beastmen. When her tail retracted, Yuki and Michiru stood in front of the beastmen protectively, their faces scrunched up in determination and concentration. The wolf looked at them as if they were stupid meddling kids.
"I thought this place was safe haven for beastmen! Why are you fighting your own kind?!" Michiru screamed.
The wolf looked at them under a scrutinizing eye but Yuki could still see the anger lingering within just looking at them. "That's exactly why I do this. Humans are the enemies of this city. Beastmen hired by humans are the same as them."
"Not all humans are like that!" Yuki protested angrily.
His eyes landed on her and growled, "All you humans are the same!"
"No, we're not! I used to be a human just like Yuki, but we're not all like that! Stop saying humans are all the same when we're actually not!" Michiru suddenly snapped.
The wolf raised an eyebrow looking at her.
Yuki stepped forward, legs trembling slightly, but she met his gaze defiantly. "I don't know why you hate humans so much, but you went too far! They may deserve to die, they betrayed you and your kind, but you shouldn't give the culprits an easy way out. They deserve to see and feel the wrath of justice, don't you want that too?"
"How would you know what justice is? You're just a human. Why do you care so much about our kind?!" He snarled getting in her face.
She flinched but didn't back down. Instead, she sighed out, nearly breathless, "I know what it feels like to be on the beastmen's side. I'm not ignorant like all the others; I know what your kind faces every day, I'm truly sorry for it. But, trust me when I say I'm on your side. That not all humans want your kind dead. Michiru and I… are proof. We would never do anything or wish for something like that."
They stared down each other for what felt like a lifetime. It felt like he was searching her soul and was seeing right through her. She could see the slightest softening in his eyes but they quickly hardened. Then, he finally growled, "I don't trust you, but I won't kill them."
Yuki nearly sighed out in relief but he lifted one finger up, speaking words she didn't want to hear.
"But you're getting on the next boat out of here."