Art of changing personalities has always been a part of the necessary skills of a professional actor. Of course, there was a certain lack of diligence in school theater, but Pina firmly knew that such a useful talent should not be ignored. Although he considered his appearance flawless and devoted much time to it, his skills continued to improve. And today they finally managed to find a worthy subject for application.

From the metro station nearby, a spotted deer dressed in worn jeans and a bomber jacket was slowly approaching them, behaving like a carefree teenager. Louis himself was a decent actor, but Legoshi, his faithful friend, hadn't seen him so lively and agile for a long time.

In addition, he was kicking an empty tin can in front of him.

The Dall's ram was rightfully proud of his work. The makeup, which could only be removed with a special solution, now almost flawlessly transformed the deer into someone entirely new. Moreover, the mannerisms he had chosen for himself did not resemble the old good Louis at all. He was a stranger now. Well, since they were getting acquainted with a new friend…

"Rumo," Tsu suggested.

"Why Rumo? Where does that come from?" They were still in the club hall where they had gathered early in the morning, and Pina hinted that to maintain incognito, it would be good to change the name. Looking at Louis, who was also examining himself in a large mirror, Tsutomu said:

"It's from a video game. There's a plot about identity theft, and this Rumo is a doppelganger."

"I think something more ordinary would be better. Ichiji or Katsuke."

Louis decided to defend his future image: "Something local won't do. After all, my kind is not from here genealogically, although there are plenty of red deer in Cherryton."

"How about Otto?" Pina ironically suggested.

"No, definitely not that…"

"Marayama!"

"No!"

"Maybe Lizet?"

"That's clearly feminine, you goof."

Legoshi scratched his temple: "It seems the makeup process will appear faster to us than the process of choosing a new name. Louis, how about something geographically related? Jules or Antoine…"

"Or Paul," Pina added, crossing his arms over his chest. The deer thought for a moment and replied thoughtfully: "I like it. But… I want to play the role of a cheerful, silly animal. And Antoine is something lofty and pompous."

"Just like Louis!" Tsutomu exclaimed with a chuckle, patting him on the shoulder. Pina nodded: "Exactly, exactly. There's no point in changing Louis to Antoine. But Paul… or even Paulo. Paulito!"

"There's a certain energy to it," the wolf smirked. Louis frowned: "Paulito? What…"

"It's just one of the variations. It means, if I'm not mistaken, 'little Paul'. But you do want to play the role of someone companionable and energetic, right?"

Louis shook his head and unexpectedly smiled: "At least I have a chance for that. Thanks to you."

"All credits to Sisu."

They left the dragoness at Horns Manor, where Olaf and Odeko, along with a luxurious pool, were at the service of the mythical creature. "I wonder, does she sleep in water too?" Pina thought. Then he asked: "So, what about Paulito?"

"Like the vibe, dislike the name. If we're going there, let's go with Esteban. Or Juan."

"I vaguely remember hearing the name 'Alvaro' on TV once. I think it was in some series," the wolf suggested. Louis now touched the white fur on his neck and nodded: "Alvaro. I like it, quite exotic. Are you sure you won't mention my real name yourselves?"

Legoshi replied with a harmless laugh, "You're already someone else, thanks to Pina. Alvaro. Alvie."

And this very "Alvie" was now approaching the massive building of B-Strike for the first time in his life. Yes, he had been next to it as Louis before, but never inside. He had no idea what deers did to relieve stress and indulge their instincts. His fur was now speckled with white patches as his soul, wherever it floated, was black. At least, that's what Louis-Alvie believed.

The huge relaxation and entertainment center building attracted primarily with its affordability and simultaneously strict order requirements. However, the animals themselves didn't aim to disturb the relative tranquility because in the relaxation rooms, one could blow off steam and briefly shut down their brains. Rumors had it that there was a so-called "B-Stance" somewhere – a variation of "strike" without gender segregation and with mandatory nudity, but this mythical building was rather a product of growing teenagers' imagination than a reality.

B-Strike, among other things, included several playgrounds for team sports, which were located both inside and outside the building, a whole line of fast food joints, food courts, and stores with fast carbohydrates, as well as a surprisingly small "wild zone" for general use, where plants from different climatic zones were skillfully combined in a single space thanks to hydroponics and directed air currents. The motley company headed there first thing.

"We'll need a bunch of selfies," Tsu remembered.

"We'll do it. Maybe one group shot right now?"

"It's dark here – let's go to the balcony instead."

Chrome and polished to shine railings ran over several levels of concentric circles. With a view of the decorative "rock park" in the center, Pina took the first photo – he was on the right in the foreground, winking and pointing back, Tsutomu was also on the right, spreading his wing, which covered Legoshi's back and reached their new acquaintance Alvaro, who grinned at the camera with a conspiratorial look.

"Nice look! By the Rex, your skills are insane," Alvaro said with a slightly lowered voice, examining himself in the photo and clearly complimenting the makeup artist's art. "I have no idea who this guy is."

"Consider it all one big performance. And yes, of course I look nice. Especially in photos," shrugged Pina.

"Yeah," the newcomer yawned and scratched his neck.

"Shall we split up by species first?" Legoshi asked, flicking his tail.

"Are there observation decks?"

"It depends. Definitely not for bats and flying foxes, for us, it's a dark room with obstacles, safety nets, and a bunch of convenient branches to cling to," Tsutomu said. The ram nodded: "Yeah, I haven't seen any for us either. Then let's meet here in two hours?"

The fox smirked: "Let's take a photo of Alvi entering the door and send it to the chat. Or personally to Juno."

"Don't touch Juno," Alvaro frowned.

"Then just to the chat."

"Why?"

"To have evidence that you're not as dignified a gentleman as society thinks you are."

Without further ado, the spotted deer gave Tsu a slap on the back of his head, Legoshi was about to intercept his hand, but he acted too hesitantly. And Alvie, on the contrary, was full of energy. The wolf asked: "Alvaro, don't upset your students. And especially not your kohais."

"Ha!"

Smack!

Another slap, this time hitting the bewildered Legoshi. However, the wolf's character, which had recently slightly changed its direction in the winds of his soul, was not going to tolerate such behavior. He grabbed the deer and hoisted him onto his shoulders, in such a way that the poor Alvi could only kick his legs and horns alternately, under the general laughter he was carried to one of the game rooms and thrown into the pool, filled to the brim with large multicolored pieces of foam.

"I see you're in a good mood."

"Yep," the deer chirped, catching his breath from laughter. He sprawled out in a starfish pose, reluctantly leaving the nest of soft things, and tried to grab the wolf sitting nearby by his wagging tail, but the wolf keenly watched the deer's hands. Two families of ferrets were playing nearby - agile, nimble, they clearly loved all these pools without water, ropes, and pipes. The children dove into the smallest plastic burrows as if they were at home, one of the mothers sharply scolded a five-year-old boy, and outside another curious bunny peeked in - also still a child. A shapeless black spot of fur clearly darkened his eye.

Passing by him on the way out, Legoshi whispered to Alvaro, "Omen. Hare of spades…"

The deer snorted in surprise. When they left, he looked around, but found nothing resembling a sign system. He asked Pina, "The deer hall should be somewhere near yours, right?"

"I have no idea," the ram shrugged. "I think it's close, but I can't guarantee it. Download the B-Strike map to your phone… or just check the website."

"I'm not sure I'll come back here."

"Everyone needs a break sometimes… Alvaro-sama," Tsutomu sighed, earning a skeptical look. He himself perfectly understood that the flying fox was right. "Alvie" subconsciously followed his father's precepts, considering all this frivolous. And this overly respectful address, as if concealed irony… But a card debt is a card debt. He nodded, taking out his phone, "So, as Pina suggested, we'll meet here in two hours."

"No way," the wolf retorted with a smirk. "I won't believe it until I see you enter."

"Since when did you become so skeptical?"

"Someone has to. After all, Louis isn't with us," Legoshi winked and stuck his tongue out sideways.

"Damn," the deer hung his head. "So, are you going to escort me?"

"Strictly friendly," Pina drawled, laying his hand on his shoulder. A vague sound – either a growl or a moan – came from Alvie in response. No, he certainly wasn't going to deceive them, but… perhaps in the process of approach, the opinion about the need to visit the deer room could change. And accidentally bumping him off his intended path.

But, it seems, with the efforts of friends, whom he never deserved - except perhaps Pina, he directly earned that - he obediently headed to the first instinct room in his life.

Meanwhile, the instincts of females were fully under control at the moment. Well, as long as wallets remained in bags, everything was fine. At least, none of them were thinking about theft or murder.

Well, at least, two of them.

And Juno was ready to kill for this dress.

Red, in her favorite bright color and design, with a couple of semi-transparent inserts at the waist, a slit at the thigh, and an interesting solid bodice, it damn teased the eye. And the she-wolf had no doubt that it would suit her. It had to. Especially now, when the girl reluctantly dropped almost ten pounds. However, the main problem, unfortunately, was written on the price tag.

Haru and Eri silently and with great sympathy watched her facial expression. The cat cautiously approached and put her hand on the shoulder of the larger carnivore. She only pursed her lips.

"You could ask Louis," Haru pragmatically remarked, knowing the answer in advance.

Juno snapped, "That's the problem! I don't want to use Louis as a wallet! I don't want to use him at all, I have my own pride…"

"…but you can't allow yourself that," Eri finished the sentence.

"You could ask for money from your parents…"

"Aha. I can just imagine Dad shelling out two hundred thousand for a piece of cloth," she sighed.

Eri asked with pity, "Maybe you could at least try it on, Juno-chan?"

"I've mentally tried it on from here a hundred times already; it's stunning. But it's beyond my means. So, enough drooling, let's go," she finally decided to tear herself away from the shop window.

"Use your deer for their intended purpose," Haru snorted, slightly spreading her ears to the sides. It was a gesture of positive mood for her.

"In that, you can have no doubt," Juno grinned, and Eri blushed slightly. She quickly asked, "I might not be very attentive… but what's going on between you two and Louis?"

The carefully manicured and pale-red painted claw pointed to a small white bunny, "She slept with him. Long before we got together. That's why… she sticks the pins."

The bunny said conciliatorily, "I just hope he… I mean, you, are happy together. Because we're just stuck together then, like two solitudes. No feelings, except a sense of similarity. I had quite a reputation in school, Eri-chan, believe me. And Louis… he was cold, aloof. But I was lucky to see him in a vulnerable state."

"Me too," Juno warmly smiled, staring into space. The herbivore objected, "Nope, you still have it to come. He sheds his antlers either at the end of winter or early spring. A blow to the pride."

"Rex bite'em…" Juno said perplexedly, looking at the bunny in amazement. "And I forgot that deers do that."

"What's with the terrible reputation?" Eri risked asking, then immediately lowered her gaze. And she got a straightforward answer:

"Hm, the loud reputation of a whore?"

"Haru!"

"Calm down, Juno-chan. I'm just saying it like it is. During my last two years of high school, I had seven boyfriends. Including Louis. Whether that's a lot or a little, only Rex knows," Haru sighed, waving her hand as if showing how tired she was of it even in memories. "But I didn't manage to sleep with half the school, like some were gossiping."

"And… how's that, judging by your experience?"

"And the eyes sparkled in a moment… aren't you satisfied with Tsu anymore?"

"No! He's great…"

"…but?"

"Everything's perfect," Eri blushed. "I'm just asking how it is. Well, are there any differences?"

"Of course, there are. Sizes, habits," Haru remarked coolly.

"Don't you understand what I mean?"

Juno listened silently and curiously, still thinking about the dress.

"Eri-chan… I needed not so much the sex itself, as self-affirmation. Forever alone, without friends, running the club alone. Roommates – nasty creatures, capable of anything to humiliate. So… I found myself."

"E-e-ek!.. seriously?! I thought the herbivore dorm matron keeps order!"

Haru shrugged.

"In the dorm – yes, and even then, not always. But at school, they're just waiting for a chance. Ask Legoshi when you get the chance."

"I'd like to ask him something else, but I hardly ever dare," Eri said.

The bunny playfully punched the cat's thigh with her fist, "I guess I know what that question is. It consists of just one short word – 'how?'"

"I… honestly, I'm curious too," Juno looked away. Haru chuckled, "And such big girls should already understand everything by themselves. Eri, stop touching your face. Maybe some ice cream?"

"I won't refuse," blushing with embarrassment, the serval nodded.

Settling down at a small round table almost in the center of the pavilion, they perused the menu. Finally, Eri timidly suggested getting one large for all, because plastic spoons were abundant in the holder. The other girls exchanged glances and unanimously agreed. At the counter, they were given almost a dozen different scoops in a large vase with a crystal imitation – pistachio, banana, chocolate, strawberry, and plain vanilla, after which Juno proudly placed the trophy on the table.

Eri immediately closed her eyes from the cold, taking a full spoonful into her mouth. Patting her hand reassuringly, the bunny remarked mischievously, "Easy, easy. We understand you need to cool down a little."

"But it's so delicious…" she smiled, swallowing the portion and licking her lips. "So… spill it."

"'bout what?" Juno didn't understand. The serval winked at her, "About who."

"What do you like most about Tsu?" Eri-chan, Haru asked.

"His voice! You heard it…"

"It's a bit low for a creature his size, of course…"

"But that voice, when it's muffled and close to my ear, gives me shivers down my spine," Eri smiled. Haru reached for the next flavor, saying, "I understand."

"Probably the biggest shivers are when your guy is twice your size?" the wolf joked, but the naughty rabbit just nodded, "Indeed. At first, I was afraid… well, back when I was in school, but when we both learned to deal with our instincts, things got better."

"Meaning, he learned?"

"I needed to figure some things out too," Haru explained. The cat asked in surprise, "With what? Did you try to run away?"

"Ha, he could easily catch me if he wanted to. But… there were a couple of moments. Unpleasant ones."

Juno nodded understandingly, "Everyone has their… unpleasant moments they'd rather not touch."

"We've seen," Haru returned the pin to her. The bunny's look clearly indicated she'd seen the bite mark… but devoid of reproach, it simply conveyed that Haru didn't judge her. Her eyes seemed both mocking and understanding. Watching this silent dialogue, the serval said with some embarrassment, "Well… I don't have any scary secrets yet. Do you think it would be worse if I liked an male gazelle?"

"At first," Juno nodded knowingly. "Then you'd adapt anyway… if you love each other."

With the last sentence, a warm feeling rose from the cat's heart, and she hugged herself with her arms, blissfully squinting. She reached out, "He's just… so wonderful!"

"And with no bad habits?"

"Uh-huh."

"Really none?" Haru asked skeptically, stopping her spoon halfway.

"We've only been dating for a month and a half, give me a break, Haru-chan!"

"Yeah, probably dragged him into bed right after the first date," she smirked. And felt a light reproachful poke from Juno. She sternly said, "Don't tease Eri."

But surprisingly, the serval wasn't embarrassed. She just replied, "No, it all happened recently."

"So… will we receive any details?"

"Nah, it's a secret," the serval looked at the pure-white herbivore from under half-closed eyelids. Unfortunately, her wide grin and slightly tilted-back head indicated that everything was as close to perfect as possible. Eri closed her eyes completely and sighed dreamily.

The wolf, watching her, just sighed, "Lucky. With me, it didn't work out the first time at all. I mean, not the very first time, but with Louis…"

"Lost control?" the bunny asked with a gleam of understanding in her eyes. Contrary to expectations, her simple question weighed heavily on the shoulders of the wolf. After a pause, almost bumping her nose on the table, Juno dropped her head into her hands, speaking mournfully and softly:

"I almost killed him…"

Haru jumped up and unexpectedly even for herself wrapped her sitting predator around the waist, pressing against her. She said soothingly, "Juno, it's okay. You're good now, aren't you?"

The wolf felt Eri's hand on her shoulder, slightly less bold but still soothing. She replied sadly, "Now – yes. But who knows what might happen in the future… I really don't want this."

Haru rudely pulled her tail, hanging lifelessly from the chair, and said angrily, "You took the necessary steps… if I understood the meaning of the so-called 'treatment' correctly. Now everything will be fine. I trust you and I trust Legoshi, and just try to say you can't handle it!"

"What would happen then, Haru-chan?" the wolfess smiled, blinking to hold back tears. She didn't want to upset her friends.

"I'll find you and bite you!"

"I've never seen such a scary rabbit before," Eri shuddered, then hurriedly clarified, "Intimidating, I mean."

Haru puffed up, "Yes, that's me."

"Poor Legoshi," Juno chuckled, digging into her ice cream again. Haru cunningly covered one eye, settling back down, "Keep thinking he's the same naive and shy wolf he was a year ago."

"I saw you two! You were almost…"

"No 'almost'. Just a normal kiss."

"As long as eternity," the wolfess grinned, tapping her nose with a characteristic gesture. Then, unexpectedly serious, she said, "I wonder what our families will be like…"

Haru laughed, "Like a cabinet of curiosities. But as long as each of us is happy, it doesn't matter."

"I feel like I forgot the notebook where you're supposed to write down all life's wisdom," commented Eri, licking her spoon. There were still several scoops left in the center of the vase, but she didn't seem to want any more. The bunny shrugged, "Remember… if you feel like it."

"Are you saying there's nothing special about it and everyone does it?"

"No, probably… there are different animals. Dumb, aggressive, selfish, just forgetful and absent-minded. But if you have the strength to meet each other halfway, everything is surmountable. At least," she added after a short pause, "if you're even slightly compatible."

"By personalities?"

"I think Haru means more about physiological compatibility," Juno shook her head, curiously watching the dwarf rabbit. "Which brings us back to the question that started our visit to the ice cream café. Compatible… how much?"

"About seventy percent, I think," Haru replied just as straightforwardly, accompanying her answer with a cheeky smile and two index fingers spread apart.

"Oh, Almighty Rex. Why did I even ask."

"Oh, admit it, Juno-chan, you've thought about it yourself…"

"In my second year – yes, I was ready to eat you then. But then… I understood Legoshi. And backed off forever."

"And you're best friends now?" Eri asked, slightly recovering from her embarrassment. The serval's tail also curved into a long question mark.

"Sort of. Although, to be honest, we hardly spoke until the new drama club was discovered."

"He brought together a lot of animals."

"That's for sure. Eri…"

"What?" she responded carelessly, not noticing the cunning expression on Haru's face.

"How about you and Tsutomu? With compatibility."

"Okay, we finished the ice cream, time to move on!" the cat blurted out, the inner side of her large ears turning crimson like a sunset. She stood up, pushed her chair back, and headed for the exit, exclaiming dramatically, "We still have so many stores to check out!"

"Eri, wait, I'm curious too," Juno chuckled, following suit. Eri waited for the girls to catch up and muttered quietly, "Hey! Everything's fine and compatible… where it needs to be."

"Where it needs to be?" Haru tilted her head. "Is it about him… or…"

Juno frowned at first, then widened her eyes, realizing what Haru might mean. Their slightly younger friend stood for a few seconds, like a stone monolith, displaying only horror and embarrassment on her face, then turned around and dashed down the corridor like an arrow.

The wolfess and the rabbit exchanged glances and burst out laughing, chasing and calling for her to stop.

"Alvaro" never thought this could be such a relaxing activity. He could never imagine Pina casually butting some dummies, but the fact that a ram had been here several times suggested such a possibility.

Although the image of Legoshi and his "pack" chasing a ball, strangely, the deer instantly envisioned. And now he… was part of it too. Rex was merciful, even pleasant.

The barely perceptible itch in the antlers, to which any male deer somehow got used to with the first shedding and regrowth, here served only as a reason to use the appropriate simulators. And Alvie, not caring about publicity and relying on a false persona, was now shamelessly and forcefully stripping the bark from one of the tree trunks. With his antlers. There were several deer of different species here, and no one paid the slightest attention to him. Having spread out so much that he even got rid of his jacket, and remaining in just a white t-shirt with an indistinct printed inscription and jeans, the deer didn't calm down until he peeled off a third of the massive willow log. Then he stretched out next to it, completely exhausted.

And it's actually nice, lazily flickered in his mind. We're just animals and can sometimes remain as such. Perhaps that's the beauty of Beastars - it provides freedom, relief from external problems. The main thing is not to overdo it.

He rubbed his slightly sore neck and sat up, leaning his hand on the spot where the wooden bark was. Someone was chewing on the grass, carefully planted on separate raised platforms, picking it with their fingers or just tearing it off with their teeth, one of the deers was lying on the ground in the pose of a horned star, with earphones in. Adjusting the not very comfortable wide belt, Alvaro touched the knee of that same leg, still marveling at the absence of pain. Magic, Rex tear it apart.

"Is your leg bothering you?" came from the side.

"Yeah," Alvaro nodded, smiling calmly. Not to behave like Louis, not to alienate people even before the conversation begins. "Fell from the stairs like an idiot."

"It happens to everyone," chuckled the stranger. "I'm Chuck."

Chuck looked to be clearly over forty - his antlers were much more powerful, and overall the deer was more massive, towering over the young one by almost half a head.

Actually, his species - a wapiti - was supposed to be big.

"I'm Alvaro," Louis introduced himself. "Believe it or not, it's my first time in the B-Strike."

"Seriously?" "Yeah. My parents thought it was all nonsense… and we lived in a small town, three times smaller than Cherryton. No B-Strike was anywhere near there."

"Well… enjoy then. Sorry if anything. I also just have a problem with my leg," the older deer grinned. "Knee cap surgery, a serious injury plus a burn."

"Where did you get that, Chuck-san?"

"Let's skip the 'san'… I'm a former firefighter. Now I just try to enjoy life."

"And…" Alvaro curiously touched the antlers. He knew that rescuer equipment rarely allowed such things. Especially lush and tall antlers like Chuck's. He just shrugged: "They were removed, of course. By contract, otherwise it's a safety violation and a fine."

"So what should I do with my knee?"

"Don't strain the ligaments, don't load the leg. It should pass on its own, but if you feel discomfort in two weeks - it's better to see a doctor."

Alvaro himself could tell a lot about taking care of an injured leg, but he didn't want to scare off the unexpectedly friendly stranger. Chuck seemed harmless, at least at first glance. They chatted about trivialities for a while longer, Alvie thanked Chuck for the advice, and suddenly feeling hungry, looked at his watch. Two hours had already passed. And he almost did nothing… but maybe that's the point?

Apologizing hastily, the young deer fled from the observation room. His friends were already waiting for him in a small café on the corner, waving their hands invitingly. Feeling a little embarrassed, Alvi approached the table and sat down, throwing his bomber jacket over the back of the chair.

"Would you like something?" Legoshi asked.

"Coffee and a mountain of croissants to go with it. This thing really worked up an appetite, you know."

"Oh, we understand you, Alvie," Pina grinned. Unusually disheveled for himself, he was clearly trying to do something with the locks of his wool, but after the sheep room, they behaved as they pleased and got in the way. "Rex, I need to trim all this wool. Legoshi-kun, aren't you going to shear your fur for the summer?"

"I already trimmed once, you should remember. Brr. I'm starting to look really scary," the wolf shook his head. "Although we're shortening our fur anyway, otherwise it gets really tough in the summer."

"And you shed," the ram noted mercilessly.

"Juno will also be shedding," Alvaro intervened. "It's just a characteristic of the species, not a flaw."

"M-m-m, dog fur all over the house…"

Alvie jokingly flicked him on the forehead. Pina shook his head disdainfully:

"Ugh, how rude, Alvaro-senpai."

"You turned me into this yourself, now reap what you sow."

"How little it takes for an animal to lose its civilized appearance… just a couple of white spots."

"And who ended up dyeing the tail in the end, you or him?" Tsu asked, calmly sipping his café au lait all this time.

"Me," the deer replied.

"No, I did," Pina tilted his head with feigned surprise. Alvi looked away:

"Alright, him. I wouldn't know how to dye properly anyway. And, Pina, I really hope it all washes out without a trace! I have a conference presentation tomorrow and your rehearsal!"

"I'll help scrub it off, I promise. You need a special shampoo with paint solvent for wool… or fur in your case…"

"No way!"

"Is it scary to bathe next to Pina?" the flying fox asked teasingly. The ram gave him a disdainful look, making way for the collie waitress who was hastily arranging their order:

"What are you talking about?"

"Probably Tsu is concerned about your health," the wolf suggested with a hidden smile. Pina raised his voice:

"What are you guys talking about?!"

"Well, how… you practically sacrificed yourself for her," Alvaro spoke in a tone that brooked no objections. "So, how long has it been? Two months? And this considering your usual pinanigans with everything that moves?"

Pina, always composed and slightly arrogant, lowered his gaze. Meanwhile, the young café employee retreated, understanding that there was no point in eavesdropping here. He said barely audibly:

"One and a half. Maybe a bit more. But that's not so important."

Legoshi lowered his clawed hand onto ram's back:

"What's important then?"

"I… I don't know. Don't ask, Legoshi-kun. I don't want to think about it."

"So, just let everything go and think that sooner or later it will somehow sort itself out?" Alvaro frowned. "But it doesn't work that way. And Sisu is also a bit… off."

"Don't you dare."

"Pina, she's literally from another world."

"That doesn't give you the right to talk about her like that," the ram said angrily. Alvie raised his hands:

"I'm not attacking. Just… by leaving yourself in such a suspended state, sooner or later you'll do something thoughtless and terrible. Tell her how you feel."

"I. Don't. Know!" Pina shouted, drawing puzzled looks from those present. Turning his head, he noticed curious glances from the café patrons, and waved irritably – as if to say, mind your own business. He repeated, quieter this time:

"I don't know. I have no idea what I feel. I admire her. I enjoy spending time with her. But… sooner or later she'll have to go back."

"And then what?"

"The thing is, when I ask myself - if there was a chance, would you follow her? - I don't know the answer. From what Sisu told me about Kumandra, that country must be beautiful… but at the same time, it's dangerous. She herself died once there. And I'm not a warrior. Let's be honest, I'm a pampered herbivore living in civilization. I'll drop dead after a couple of steps, which will only make her unhappy."

Legoshi smiled, looking at the center of the table. He said, without raising his eyes:

"If even in a situation of possible death you're thinking about her – we know the answer. All that's left for you, Pina-kun, is to tell it to yourself."

"So, I'm a bad storyteller," the ram jumped up and pushed his plastic chair aside with a crash. "The subject is closed. Alvie, how was your time in the hall?"

"Weird," sighed Alvie, realizing that Pina's stubbornness was truly sheep-like, and defeating him could only be achieved through tremendous efforts. "Made a new acquaintance."

"From the simple animals, not deities?" the fox joked. The deer returned the pin:

"Well, I'm sitting with you guys, chatting."

"Don't compare yourself to us. We're the salt of this world," the ram said arrogantly.

"You're a pepper, if anything. Hot'n'spicy."

"Well, I admit your point, Alvie-san. Legoshi is mint then."

"Catmint?" Alvaro laughed. The wolf lifted his eyebrow: "Catmint? Did you mean 'catnip?'"

Pina showed both palms, like stopping that crazy word train:

"No-oo… that's more like Tsu. And our wolf is just regular mint, soothing and refreshing breath."

The flying fox said offendedly:

"And I'm not catnip at all… besides, that's not even a spice."

"Tell that to the cat who's rubbing against you," the ram said with a sly expression, pointing his finger alternately at Legoshi and Mr. Incognito:

"Rabbit mint. Wolf mint."

"I've heard of wolfberry and wolf's bane…" Legoshi mused thoughtfully. "But wolf mint? What's that?"

"A plant that drives wolves crazy, obviously. Tell me, Legoshi… if, hypothetically… you were female, and you saw that rather elegant deer drinking at the bar… would you sit down next to him to get acquainted or not?" Pina innocently asked, squinting his blue eyes.

From the deafening laughter of the pseudo-spotted deer, his chair almost tipped over, and the nearest table looked disapprovingly at them as a whole.

"Eh? Sorry, Alvie, did I say something funny?"

"Perhaps," Alvaro regained his mental balance, still laughing and waving a croissant in the air. "Just imagined a huge, scarred wolf in makeup and a dress. But let me eat first."

"No," Legoshi meanwhile came to some conclusion. "I wouldn't."

"But you're best friends, aren't you?"

"And that, thanks Rex, doesn't obligate us to anything," the deer smirked, typing something on his phone. The silent mode in the wolf's pocket vibrated, and he took out his phone without looking and brought it to his eyes. The screen displayed a single message from the contact "Louis":

"Well, maybe you'll have better luck the second time around?"

Legoshi typed a little slower and tried to communicate at the same time, but after two minutes, Alvie still saw the reply:

"So why wait for a meeting in a bar if there's a great shower in the club?"

The deer's eyes involuntarily widened.

So, you're already on this level and can take a hit even in playful banter? You're good, Legoshi-kun. Yes, I'm a wolf fetishist and generally love carnivores, so that lowers the plank, but if I were a female… damn, perhaps Haru's fate would have befallen me.

Of course, Pina and Tsu don't need to know about this at all.

"Video games? You must be kidding."

"Come on, let's go," Eri impatiently said. "I'm not asking you to dance on the 'Dance Revolution,' let's just see what they have. If nothing interests us, we'll move on."

"Now Juno-chan will say 'but we're girls,'" Haru patted her tall friend on the side.

The wolfess swallowed the already started phrase and instead asked, "But why?"

"For fun, Juno-senpai. To clear our heads from lessons, clubs, and dresses worth a hundred grand."

"Two hundred…"

"Even more reason! I already forgot."

"Because of the wind in your head," the wolfess gently stroked her nape, and Eri playfully hissed in response.

The video game club they entered had an intentionally loud and pompous name, "Master of Virtual Reality." In addition to old arcade machines and trays of cheap chewing gum at several prices, there were indeed several VR stands with helmets of different sizes and shapes for various skull shapes. Besides this part of the gaming club, everything else worked without much supervision and problems – instructors stood at the stands, while three out of the staff of a hundred were just animatedly chatting by the wall.

Since it was the middle of Sunday, the club was already flooded with children of various ages – mostly boys. They chatted, argued, laughed, some younger ones whined and cried, and the cacophony of sounds was not pleasing to the ear. Juno grimaced:

"What a melee."

"Don't worry, you'll get used to it in a couple of minutes."

"Do you often go to places like this, Eri-chan?" Haru asked, more out of curiosity as she surveyed the space of the club. Eri shook her head:

"Not anymore… but when I was little, my brother often took me to places like this. And a couple of weeks ago we played on Tsu's console in the dorm, so I remembered something…"

"What does your brother do now?"

"He's a programmer."

"Oh, does he make good money?"

"Average," the serval shrugged. "He complains that he studied too popular programming languages, and now the competition for a job is unreal."

"So let him learn others," Juno raised her eyebrow. Eri chuckled:

"It's easier to complain. And not everyone is career-oriented like Haru-chan."

"Hey! I'm right here!"

"Senior manager Haru," the wolfess smiled. "I can just imagine how you intimidate some poor bear or lion with just your presence."

Haru proudly lifted her nose:

"I actually work with a black bear, Miron. But he's nice. And seems okay with my promotion. Eri, where do we want to go?"

"Where do we want to go…" the cat repeated thoughtfully, looking at the inquiring one with slight curiosity. "What kind of video games do you like? Racing, fighting, some adventure games? Maybe classic platformers? Like 'Jurassic Park'…"

"U-uh… I have no idea. And I suspect Juno doesn't either. Just lead us to anything, and we'll figure it out from there."

"Maybe 'Shinobu'?"

"Definitely not, I'm not into music at all," Juno refused. Watching the young coyote dancing skillfully on the colored squares, she pointed there with her finger. "How about that one?"

"'Dance Revolution'… I don't know, honestly. I already get enough dancing at the club," sighed the serval. Haru asked cunningly:

"So, who's the better dancer between you two, you or Juno?"

Eri snorted, "Are you kidding? Juno, of course. I still have a lot to learn to reach her level."

"Eri is being modest," the wolfess chimed in. "Her grace is exceptional, and she improvises her moves on the spot, which I can't do."

"I envy that. I'll never look as stunning as you gals."

"But Legoshi can dance with you being embraced as much as you want."

Haru sighed, "He can't dance at all."

"Or maybe he's just shy."

"…if we're talking about the beginning of the spring, then yeah."

"Hm… maybe that's true. So where are we going?"

"We're going to spend the next hour and a half deciding," Eri grumbled discontentedly and dragged them to the nearest brightly red, flickering with multicolored lights, arcade machine.

"Fighting?" Juno tilted her head in surprise, surveying the simple joysticks and the device as a whole.

"Yes, it's 'Vagabond,' one of the most popular games back in the day. A fighting game. The youth these days prefer dating sims and dancing."

"The youth," the rabbit teased, then confidently stated, "I'm the oldest here, so I have to complain about the youth. And you're only in your second year of high school."

"Just like me when I joined the club," the wolf smiled, wagging her tail. Ignoring her, Haru hunched her back and, fairly successfully imitating an elderly cracked voice, croaked, "Games aren't what they used to be… oh, this youth…"

The girls laughed. Juno, seeing Eri's eagerness to introduce them to the gaming world, took her place at the controls. The serval immediately began to explain:

"One-on-one fights, all characters in the selection menu. The blue frame is yours, stick to switch… what? Stick – it's the thing under your right hand."

The wolfess flipped through the controls thoughtfully for a while, getting used to them, then pointed with her painted claw at the screen:

"Here. This one looks like Haru."

Behind her, Haru crossed her arms on her chest:

"That's a hare! Come on, we've played cards already…"

"I know. I'm not saying it's you… just mimics."

"It's Jando Tu," Eri differentiated, choosing a short red panda in armor for herself. "She has cool aerial combos and a cute finishing move."

"How can a finishing move be cute?"

"We'll see… if you manage to win," the serval winked.

At first, Juno reluctantly pressed the control buttons, but then the typical carnivore's excitement ignited in her. Fortunately, all parts of the machine were claw-resistant. Eventually, she somehow managed to win one round against another character and tiredly raised her hands:

"I give up. Haru, finish her off."

"I'll avenge you!"

The rabbit decisively moved a small pedestal with a couple of steps closer and climbed up to the gaming spot. She checked if it stood stably and looked at the screen.

And won the first battle right away, taking a slender but athletic cat. Eri stared at her in amazement:

"You must be kidding."

The small girl explained with a smirk:

"In a big family, someone always plays 'Vagabond.' For me, it's my younger brother. But, to be honest, Zatias is the only one I can play."

"Alright, pick him again and let's go!"

Now it was the cat fighting for survival – surprisingly, against a cat, albeit a virtual one. Juno clapped desperately, especially when Haru managed to execute long impressive combos. However, the serval's victory counter was still higher – perhaps due to her familiarity with games. Jolting her ears alternately, she led them further… and it spun.

The girls gradually got into a frenzy. They unanimously refused racing games, but classic pinball, and then a suddenly vacated VR box with an alpinism simulator, captivated Juno for a long time. Haru, on the other hand, spent more time than others in an embrace with a strange simulator of riding dinosaurs, "Rattako" – she didn't like racing, but a race on living creatures… Juno joked that now Legoshi would definitely suffer. However, both she and Eri then tried to sit in the "saddle" – and they liked it too, so in the last race, the girls walked, competing with each other and enthusiastically urging on the virtual raptors on the screen. Juno reached the finish line first, triumphantly raising her hands and wagging her tail as much as she could.

By a strange coincidence, her riding raptor also wagged its tail and smiled with a toothy mouth.

Juno leaned back against a comfortable lumbar support and cheerfully said, "You know, there's something to this. Thanks, Eri, for dragging us to the arcade."

"I would like to take Sisu here at least once… but I'm afraid she'll destroy the entire club with excitement," the serval sighed. Haru suggested thoughtfully, "Why don't we install games on a laptop?"

"Then she'll destroy the laptop. Our dragoness is great at everything… except self-control. But then again, who am I to talk about self-control," Eri smiled embarrassedly.

"And Sisu heroically hid from everyone when we were still trying to keep her a secret. But you know, if it weren't for her, I would have never gotten close to any of the girls in the club," Haru admitted. Eri added:

"It's funny because Tsutomu was the one who brought the club together with his picnic."

"Praise your winged friend, praise…" Juno teased.

"He's amazing, honestly!" the serval said with a touched expression.

"You know… I never thought I'd make my first real friends in high school after I graduate. Real friends with whom you can do silly things, talk about boys…" Juno trailed off, and Eri mischievously added, "dresses worth two hundred thousand yen."

A groan of frustration came from the wolfess.

"Oops. She just forgot," Juno teased.

The rabbit suddenly snapped her fingers and exclaimed, "Juno! I know what to do! How much are you willing to spend on a dress?"

"Well… I don't know. It would be nice not to spend more than ten thousand, but I'll still have to ask my parents, I don't have that amount," Juno replied.

"Let's say seven to eight thousand yen, then?" Haru proposed.

Eri looked at her in surprise, not understanding where the rabbit was going with this. Haru continued, "You mentioned that your club has a brilliant costume designer, Bea, who can replicate complex clothes from centuries ago… so take a photo of what's in the shop window from different angles and ask her to make the same thing! Of course, not for free…"

"Haru…" Juno said in awe, "you're a genius."

And she jumped up, making adorable sounds, lifting Haru off the ground and hugging her tightly, spinning in place. Then she sneakily looked around and gently put down her miniature friend, assuming a serious look, "Of course, if Beatrice agrees. And if she has free time."

"Of course. And don't forget about the time for fitting and other details," Haru said importantly, adjusting her clothes. The serval raised a finger, "The main thing is not to tell anyone, otherwise poor Bea will be overwhelmed by the graduating fashionistas."

Juno grinned widely, "Don't worry, the Order of the Dragon knows how to keep secrets! But I would still visit a couple more shops…"

Louis turned around and absentmindedly surveyed the galleries. All these animals, resting in homogeneous and mixed companies, young and old. It was good here. Peaceful, relaxing. Perhaps someday he would return here not as the spotted deer Alvaro, but in his own guise.

"Why are you frozen?" Legoshi called out to him. Pina and Tsutomu were discussing something animatedly ahead.

"I'm thinking that someday… it's worth repeating," Louis answered honestly. The wolf nodded, "Yes. Perhaps more than once."

"I'll consider your offer, Legoshi-san," the deer said with a playful tone.

"How's your leg? Is it bothering you? Sisu said that concentration is needed to walk properly…"

"I must inform you that she was mistaken. Sometimes I even forgot that my leg was artificial. And still walked without much effort. I'll have to test it while running."

Legoshi wagged his tail happily, "I'm happy for you, Lu… Alvie."

The deer playfully wagged a finger at him.

The phone emitted an unassuming beep. It wasn't the sound of a message, he thought, reaching for the gadget.

An email from "User1467" – that's how he had Agata in his contacts. The email started with the sentence "Everything is going according to plan," but it was followed by a rather long text.

Louis sighed and nodded in satisfaction, briefly putting the phone back in his pocket.

It seemed that the short respite was coming to an end. However, he – thanks in no small part to his friends – was now full of strength and determination.