Food was always better if enjoyed with someone else.

And that was something that Ibuki, someone who had to eat all alone in the streets of the Black Market since he was five, when he could even get some food, believed.

Eating alone and sad on the streets was nothing compared to sitting in a table and eating surrounded by people who you knew and respected.

Like his wife, the woman who showed him a world outside of the death and violence that his former gang offered him. Like her father, who, despite his initial reservations with Ibuki upon hearing his story and who he was associated with, accepted him once he saw that his feelings for Leano were genuine. Like the three children he had with her, one seventeen and the other two eight, all of which sat on the table and ate with their parents and grandfather. Like Leano's band, a group of friends she met by pure chance and bonded over their shared tribulations for growing up as hybrids, and found out a shared love for music, until those four males became part of the family.

Ibuki really enjoyed eating with all of them at a table. And now, for a change, he was not the one doing the cooking.

"Okay, here are your orders!" Said the waitress as she came with the food. A variety of dishes that were geared towards the carnivores and herbivores sitting together to eat in a single table. There were truly no distinctions there.

They were all the same big group. The same big family.

Even Legoshi's friend from school, Kiira. The eagle/lioness hybrid found it very easily to fall into place in this one table full of accepting animals, and she barely minded the stares and whispers of all other animals around them, looking at them as they sat by the window and ate their meals while chatting away.

"Why are there so many hybrids here?"

"Does that horse have feathers?"

"What about the hairy croc?"

"Seriously, how did they let them in?"

"Just look at them. What a bunch of freaks..."

"I'm kinda losing my appetite now that they are here."

"Hey, it's them!"

"Who?"

"The Urban Beasts! They made a show earlier!"

"Yeah, at the Meteor Festival! I saw it online!"

"Those freaks are the Urban Beasts!?"

"No way!"

"Man, I love their music!"

"They made their first live show and revealed to the world they are hybrids."

"Man, what a way to kill their careers."

All of those and more were whispered among them. Others were said a bit louder, as if the ones talking didn't bother hide what they were saying, or even wanted the band of hybrids to hear the words. However, either way, it was all ignored.

"And that's how I meet Chalky. And he eventually became the keyboarder of our band." Leano said, and Kiira had been listening intently to everything.

"Wow, that's quite a story, Leano-san." The teenage hybrid said, to what the adult female hybrid nodded.

"Yeah, sometimes I swear it is like me knowing them, one at a time, was planned somehow..." Leano said. "As if it was fate or something."

"Really?" Legoshi said, as he had been listening as intently as Kiira, listening of how his mother formed her band, which he never even knew she had in the first place. It was all so interesting.

"I can't believe I never knew about this..." Legoshi said, "Your music is so good."

"Oh, you can bet it is, kid!" Justin said, gathering attention from the younger hybrids on the table. "And now that everyone knows it, all the guys who told 'no' to our faces when we asked to be sponsored to record our first CD will be pulling their ears when they find out they let such a legendary group slip right through their fingers! Hah, I kind wish to go there and say a few things right to their faces and see they eat themselves away!"

"Hun, you should not say things like that." Chalky said to the rabbit. "And, what are you doing?"

He was referring to the fact that the rabbit was using both silverware and the carrots and broccoli of the meal he has been given to build... something.

"I'm not sure yet..." Justin said as he continued to work on the thing he was doing. Meanwhile, by his side, Alec was eating with a look on his face that was nearly the one of someone who did not really wanted to be there. However, he was very nice when the girls asked him to let them touch their feathers.

"They are so soft!" Zora said as she and her sister touched the feathers on the stallion's arm, and he let them do as they wanted, but expressed discomfort when they pulled on the feathers too hard, to what Ibuki made them stop and apologize to their "uncle Alec".

Uncle Alec... Legoshi thought, and then he looked around the table, seeing those males on the table.

Yeah... they are kind of my uncles now, right? Like Sagwan. That... that sounds nice. Legoshi really could not help but think that, and the dinner continued with no incidents.

"Excuse me, everyone could look at me for a moment?" Gosha said, causing the eyes on the table to all turn to him. "I'd like to use the fact we are all gathered here to propose a toast." The Komodo lifted his glass. "A toast to my talented daughter and to her equally talented friends. As well as to her amazing family. Seriously, you all have no idea of how proud you all make this old lizard."

"Ohh, stop!" Justin said, "You will make me blush, Gosha-san."

"Well, I am all in favor of a toast." Warren said, "To our band and families and friends! And to the many good times ahead of us!"

"And to new shows and songs." Chalky said.

"And to many hot carnivores with whom I will be able to suck face!" Justin said.

"And to a bunny with horns who gets smacked in the head by a horse with feathers." Leano said.

"What?" Was all that Justin managed to say before being smacked on the back of the head by Alec, who didn't even look up from his plate to do it.

"Well, I'd like to toast to how good our first live show was." Chalky said, raising his glass.

"And I would like to toast being able to spend my time with so many amazing animals." Warren said as he lifted his own glass with a smile on his face. "Namaste to you all, my beloved friends."

"Ibuki, darling?" Leano said, looking at the lion on the table.

Ibuki suddenly saw everyone looking at him. He looked back at each one of those faces, from his father-in-law to his wife's band members. From his beloved wife to his three beautiful children.

There were so many things he wanted to say. So many things he was so thankful for. So many things he wanted to offer a toast to.

He would take all night to number them all.

So, with a smile, he simply said:

"A toast to a wonderful life, filled with love and happiness."

And everyone on the table smiled, and Ibuki too as he closed his eyes for just a moment.

"To bad this all has to end, no?"

This voice made Ibuki's eyes snap open, and suddenly, this happy reunion was not as happy anymore.

He looked around, and he was shocked to see lions on suits standing around the table. And, on a corner, sitting in a relaxed manner and playing with his cane was...

"You..." Ibuki said, his eyes widening. "Y-you cannot... i-it can't be... y-you are dead!"

"Am I?" The Chief said, lowering his cane, and looking at Ibuki with a single eye.

"I survived you and the Black Devil. Did you really think you would get rid of me now?" He said, looking at Ibuki. "Did you really think I would just let you walk away to be happy with your little family?"

He leaned over the table, and growled:

"Think again! Now it's my turn to have a feast!"

Ibuki blinked, and then he looked around the table once more.

Gosha, the band and Leano were all still sitting on their respective seats, but all of them now were either dead or tied up.

Gosha was dead. His throat had been sliced open so deep that his head dangled precariously. Leano was tied up, her face bruised, her dress torn, revealing her scales as she had her head down while Free was behind her, pointing a gun at her temple.

And then, Ibuki noticed three people were missing from the table.

"L-Legoshi..." Ibuki said, "Zana. Zora! Where are they!?"

"This is an adult party, Ibuki." The Chief said, "There is no space for children here."

"Where are they!? What did you do with my children!?" Ibuki demanded. To that, the Chief only smirked.

Something about that smirk made every alarm on Ibuki's head sound like crazy.

"I think is about time we start this feast, no?" The Chief said, and he snapped his fingers.

Next thing Ibuki knew, someone had come by his side and placed a plate with a lid on top right in front of him,

"And here is something special for you, my dear Ibuki. ~"

The lid was removed.

Ibuki heard a gasp, and he only realized it was his own as his hands slapped on his own muzzle. He stared. He could do nothing more than to stare as tears started welling up on his eyes.

"Do you like it?" The Chief asked. "It is something new. Something exotic. Triple combo of hybrid skull." He had a smirk on his face. Ibuki said nothing in return. He could not say anything. He would vomit if he opened his mouth.

Perhaps that was why he was holding his muzzle so hard with is muzzle while tears streamed down his face.

"What, not going to eat?" the Chief asked. "Not hungry? Oh, well. In this case, I guess someone else will be given the honor of the first bite today... Shark-san, if you could?"

Ibuki blinked. Then, as he noticed movement by his side, he slowly turned his head to look.

And there, standing by his side on his tailfins, wearing the same suits as the Shishigumi lions, was a massive shark.

They looked at each other for a few seconds, before the shark suddenly lunged at him, clamping his jaws around the lion's head.

Ibuki got up with a jump, sitting on the bed as he took in deep, gasping, nearly wheezing, breaths.

He was shaking. His fur was drenched in sweat. His face was matted with tears.

"A-a dream..." Ibuki said, as he breathed deep and hard, taking in he was on his bedroom.

It was a dream.

It was just a nightmare.

Again.

Like the ones he had at least twice a week since that one fateful night on the shore.

"Just another nightmare..." Ibuki said, burying his face on his hands and trying to calm down.

Next, he tried to reach for the other side of the bed, where his wife slept. Touching her would make him feel calmer about everything,

But she was not there.

"L-Leano?" Ibuki said, looking over at the empty bed by his side. And then he heard it.

The sound of retching and of something hitting water.

It was coming from the bathroom.

"Leano?" Ibuki said, getting up, putting on his glasses and walking to the bathroom while wearing only his boxers. He found Leano in there, on her nightgown, kneeling by her toilet with her head practically shoved inside of it, coughing and breathing heavily as if she had just finished vomiting.

"Leano?" Ibuki said, kneeling by her side and placing a hand on her back. "You okay?"

There were a few moments of silence, broke by some more coughing, before Leano spoke:

"Woke up with an upset stomach. Tried to get up to go grab some medicine. Felt nauseous as soon as I stood and ran to the bathroom to vomit... been here for the last thirty minutes."

Her shaky hand reached up for the handle and flushed, sending the contents just ejected from her stomach down the pipes.

"I'm pretty sure it was the mushroom sandwich..." Leano spoke.

"Oh." Ibuki said, "Then, I guess we are no longer ordering dinner from that takeout place, are we?"

"Definitely not..." Leano said as she lifted her head from the toiled, and it was matted in sweat and tears from vomiting so hard and for so long. And, as she looked at her husband's face, she saw it was pretty much the same way.

She instantly knew the reason.

"Another nightmare?"

Ibuki looked at his wife, and he wiped the tears from his cheeks.

"Yeah, the same as the previous times. Shishigumi, hellish dinner table, shark... it hardly changes."

She looked at him for a few moments.

"You okay?"

Ibuki looked at her as she asked that question, and then he offered a smile:

"Much better now."

She smiled back at him, and she touched his hand with hers' gently. The scales on her hand felt rough against his furry skin, but that did nothing to diminish the tenderness he felt from her touch.

Then, Leano's eyes widened. She quickly took a hand to her mouth as her cheeks puffed. The next second, she was once more hurling into the toilet.

She stayed there for ten more minutes while Ibuki patted her back.

As morning came, both the night's terrors and nausea were forgotten completely by the couple, who joined their children in the breakfast table so they could all eat and prepare for the day.

"Be sure to eat well, everyone." Ibuki said as he finished the scrambled eggs and rice for the morning. "Remember, today is the first day of school after summer. You need to be with full stomachs."

"Yes, dad."

"Yes, daddy!"

As Ibuki placed the food for Legoshi, the tv on the corner of the room was showing the morning news. The snow leopardess on the screen spoke of a certain subject that was quite familiar to that family:

"...And, on the news pertaining entertainment, it has recently been announced that the Urban Beasts will be making their second live show later this year for Rexmas. This will be the first public show ever since the one they did on the Meteor Festival forty days ago, when they revealed publicly to be hybrids. As you know, such revelation generated great repercussions on the entertainment industry, especially after some members of the Urban Beasts gave interviews."

The tv them showed some of those interviews. Starting with Alec:

"I liked music since I was a child." The horse/rooster hybrid said, "I wanted to play, but no one wanted to hear it. Not after they saw my feathers. And no producer wanted to take me in. Most of them came up with excuses, but some of them had the balls to say to my face they would not sponsor a hybrid, either because they knew no one would want to buy my CDs or just because they didn't want to work with 'a freak like me'. I still played my guitar on the street, and just let people put change on the casing. That was basically how I survived day-to-day. At least until I met Leano and Warren. They were the ones who asked me if I wanted to play with them, and I thought 'why not, we are all freaks, why not do some music together'? That decision changed my life."

Then, it was back to the snow leopard.

"Alec, just as the other members of the Urban Beasts, according to sources, faced great difficulties in pursuing career as a musician due to his hybrid status, which is the reason they have, for the last seven years, kept their identities a secret. This, of course, brings about, once more, the old discussion about how hybrids are viewed by society as a whole. While a great number of the fans of the Urban Beasts, and many members of the entertainment industry, have expressed support for the Urban Beasts, there has also been a growing movement of beasts who threaten to boycott the Urban Beasts, as well as any company with associations with them."

"I mean, they should expect this, no?" Said a bear, who was identified as Bruno, a beast behaviorist. "One of the reasons why hybrids are seen with such suspicion is because, due to their very nature, they don't fit in a single species. Our instincts, as a general, make us identify which species are allies and which are enemies. Hybrids are a mix of different species, they blur this line, causing a confusion when classifying them into the respective roles. An answer to this is that a great number of animals feel naturally weary of hybrids, something that is aggravated by the common beliefs that hybrids in general are susceptible to all manners of health problems, both physical and, more worryingly, mental, with potential to develop psychopathic behavior. Those beliefs make people even more worried about hybrids, even if they have no scientific validation of any kind as of the present moment."

"Most of the reactions of the public to the revelation of the Urban Beasts being an all-hybrid being can be seen online. Mostly on the websites and forums dedicated nearly exclusively to the Urban Beasts." The commentator said. "And all kinds of messages are being sent, with a worrying amount being hostile. To that, other members of the Urban Beasts have gave their testimonies."

Then, the tv showed both Justin and Chalky. They were both wearing matching shirts.

"I mean, we expected this kind of thing to happen..." Said Chalky, who had his mane branded and was wearing a black shirt with the word "I AM STUFF" in it. "I mean, we knew people would react a certain way for finding out we are hybrids, so we prepared mentally for this after we all agreed it was time to come clean. But still, it kind of hurts that so many people are against us..."

Then the scene changed to Justin, who was wearing a black shirt with the words "I AM DOING STUFF" in it.

"Look, I've been through this ever since my horns started growing when I hit puberty. One look at me and everyone thinks I'm weird. That was why I had to wear a big weird hat all the way through high school to hide them. Then one day I realized that it is their problem if they don't like me! I mean, they judge me without even knowing me? Then their opinion matters as little as fly crap! If they think my horns mean I'm not worthy of being their friend, then they are not worthy the privilege of having me as their friend! Their loss if they don't want to be friends with the member of one of the best bands in the world."

Then it went back to Chalky.

"Some of the people who used to send us fan letters are now sending death threats. And some singers who kept asking to work with us are ghosting us now. It is upsetting, to be honest, but I guess I can handle it. Just hope they don't stop using our songs on my favorite animes..."

"Oh, you like anime?" The reporter asked, to what Justin immediately chimed in, jumping and grabbing the mic.

"Oh, he sure does! This guy might be big and scary, but he is the biggest, sweetest dweeb you've ever known! He collects anime girls' figurines and stickers!"

"Justin!" Chalky said, the fur of his arms standing on end, but this did not deter the herbivore hybrid.

"This just goes to show how looks are deceiving! I mean, you see a big carnivore like him, and you immediately assume he is a top, but this hairy lizard here has the tightest-"

That was when Ibuki turned the TV off before something quite improper came out of Justin's mouth on national scale right to his kitchen.

"Okay, that's enough tv in the morning." Ibuki said, "Let's focus on eating."

"Yes, dad." Legoshi said a bit thankful that he didn't get to hear what Justin had been just about to say. His sisters, however:

"Daddy, what was it that Uncle Justin was saying?" Zora asked, "What is tight on Uncle Chalky? His pants?"

"That's... adult talk, honey." Ibuki said, "And I'm pretty sure Chalky is not happy at Justin for saying that."

"Yeah, he is also upset about Justin speaking of his collections." Leano said.

"Mommy, what is buy-cut?" Zana asked, and Leano paused for a moment, before sighing.

"Boycott... means they want to forbid me from singing."

"But why? Your voice is so pretty!" Zora said, and Leano looked at them, before sharing looks with her husband and son, who both understood the whole situation way better than the eight-year-olds.

"They... are jealous." Leano said "Just some meanies who don't like when someone can sing better than them. Now everyone finish eating, you just have to go to school and I have to go to rehearsal."

"Yes, mommy!"

"Yes, mom."

And soon, breakfast was over, and the girls picked the bentos their dad prepared with their lunches, and everyone was out to the car.

On their way there, Ibuki stopped to talk with their neighbor, an antelope who he always had a word with in the morning. However, as soon as he laid eyes on Ibuki, he quickly rushed inside and slammed the door.

This left Ibuki a bit shocked.

"Dad, are you coming?" Legoshi called, and Ibuki forced himself to forget this strange reaction from his neighbor and to get in the car and drive his family to the places they needed to go. Starting with driving the twins to school.

"Have a good day, darlings." Leano said, as she and her husband kissed their daughter's heads, and the two little hybrids were soon running on their school uniforms towards their school, so they could arrive before the first signal.

Now, it was Legoshi's turn.

As Ibuki got in the car with Leano, he suddenly received a notification on his phone. As he looked at it, his eyes widened slightly as he saw what he was just notified about.

"Ibuki?" Leano asked, "Did something happen?"

"I... n-no. It's nothing." Ibuki said, before adjusting the rearview mirror, seeing Legoshi on the reflection before he started driving.

A while later, they were right in front of Cherryton's gates, with the couple wishing their son a good time on the new semester.

"And remember not to get in trouble." Ibuki said.

"I won't." Legoshi promised, pulling his hoodie closer to his head before going forth to spend another semester on one of the city's top boarding school.

"Now you can drop me on the record company..." Leano said, sighing.

"Good thing you left it last, even though is the closest to our home." She said to her husband. "Didn't want the kids to see all of those assholes who are gathering there nearly every day now."

"They still protesting over you and the band?" Ibuki asked, and Leano could not help but frown as she remembered those guys, with their posters and choruses against her and the boys.

"They still send death threats." Leano asked, "Some of them even threatened the kids. I don't think they would ever have the balls to try that, but it still worries me. Honestly, some of them are making so much noise they are getting in the way of recordings. It is such a problem."

Ibuki looked at his wife. She clearly had a lot on her plate, but still, he knew he needed to tell her.

"We may have an even greater problem, Leano."

As he said that, the wolf/Komodo dragon hybrid looked at her husband, just as he showed her his phone, which had a piece of news from an online news network he followed.

The words "THE STAR AND THE CROOK" were clearly visible over two photographs, one by the side of the other. One showed a smiling eighteen-year-old Leano in an elegant clothing, looking like she was posing for a school photograph. The other, showed a frowning nineteen-year-old Ibuki in an orange jumpsuit holding a plank with numbers, looking like he was posing for a mugshot.

"They found out about my criminal record."

Being back in Cherryton felt... strange?

Yeah, guess that was the word.

I mean, not "strange" strange, but just... weird?

It felt like that after all that happened right before Legoshi went off to summer vacation. From being nearly killed by his dad's former gang to finding out his mother was the lead singer of the country's most famous band.

An all hybrid band was to be added, as everyone now well knew.

And they were talking about it in school.

"I mean, I was in shock when I found out! Were you shocked?"

"Can't believe no one ever knew they were hybrids!"

"The ones with scales are the weirdest."

"My favorite streamer made three whole videos about them the week after the Festival."

"Was it in favor or against them?"

"I used to love their songs. They were so great..."

"Hey, they still are!"

"Did you guys know that they served as inspiration for a video game? I mean, not an 'Urban Beasts' videogame, but a fantasy game where the main characters are hybrids. I swear it's true! My uncle works on the company that had the idea, and they put him on the team to produce it! They are trying to contact the lead singer to get her to voice one of the characters."

"A game with hybrids as main characters? Sounds controversial."

"I was online, and some people claim to be selling Alec the Horse/Rooster's feathers for a lot of money."

"How would they even get their hands in it?"

"I was on that website! A guy was offering a truckload of money for one of Leano's scales!"

"Wait, for real?"

"Yeah, honest! Something about them glistening like gemstones and he wanted to put one of them on a ring to make a charm or something. Really creepy stuff."

As Legoshi heard this last exchange, he caught himself rushing past, as to avoid hearing anything else.

I mean, the story of his mother being invited to voice a videogame character was interesting, but the one about someone wanting her scales to make a charm was unsettling.

And the talks did not end once the hybrid made his way to his bedroom, as he was soon swarmed by his roommates.

"Well, if it isn't the star's son himself!"

"Legoshi! How come you never told us your mother was a singer!?"

"Dude, you could have mentioned it! I've been obsessed with the Urban Beasts since their first album!" Voss said.

"Wait, you are?"

"Yeah! Their songs just speak to me! Dude, if I knew I was sharing a room with their singer's son... you gotta invite me to your house whenever they are there! I want to know them!"

"Maybe you could get us tickets to their next show? They are making one on Rexmas, right?"

"That's right!" Voss said, and then he jumped off Collot's shoulder and landed right on Legoshi's chest, grasping his hoodie. "You gotta get me a ticked for their next show! And a backstage access for me to go to their dressing rooms and talk to them! I use the canine friendship code to demand you to do it!"

Legoshi was starting to get overwhelmed, and that was when Jack got in between him and the rest of the dogs and reminded everywhere they had class in a few, and that getting late for the first period on the very first day was not a good way to start a school year.

With this, the subject of Legoshi being or not able to get them tickets for the Rexmas show of his mother's band, as well as full-access backstage passes, was forgotten. At least until they met again for lunch.

So, the day proceeded like any normal day. However, as Legoshi could notice as he went around, people were still talking about his mother's band, who were still a hot topic even over a month after their great revelation.

Some people also came to Legoshi. Not to ask for tickets or backstage passes (although some of them implied they could give him money if he got one), but mostly to either ask questions about the band and ask him if he could get them autographs.

And there were some who...

"You must be really proud of your mom, no?"

Legoshi stopped on his tracks as he heard that familiar voice on his way to Drama Club. There, standing behind a pillar, was Maki.

"You..." Legoshi said, his eyes narrowing at that wolf who was familiar to him.

"Oh, yeah. You certainly must be so proud of your mommy." Maki said, making a baby voice with Legoshi. "Of her and the rest of her Urban Freaks."

"Leave me alone." Legoshi said, turning around and walking away, just wanting to get as far form that wolf as possible. Maki, however, would not relent.

"They really planning to make a second show?" He asked, "They know no one will show up to this one, don't they? And, if they, it will be only to throw rotten foods at them. Because that's what they would have done if they hadn't been so surprised when the freaks showed up what they really are. No way they actually still have fans."

"They do." Legoshi said, turning around to look at him. "They do, because not everyone is so focused on someone being purebred or hybrid as you! They don't judge my mother or my uncles because of it!"

"Oh, yeah?" Maki said, a smirk on his face. One that made Legoshi more than a little uncomfortable.

"Then maybe they will judge her for the fact she married a predation offender."

Legoshi's eyes widened as he heard that, and that was when Maki showed him something on his phone.

The lion posing for that mugshot was familiar to Legoshi. He was younger, with softer features and no glasses, but Legoshi could still recognize his own father's picture. Right beneath the words: FROM FELLON TO POPSTAR'S HUSBAND

"That father of yours is really something." Maki said, that shit-eating grin still plastered on his muzzle. "Most carnivores would stop after killing and devouring a single herbivore, but he did it multiple times. He's practically a serial killer! And he was on a gang, it seems. Sold them all to the police for a reduced sentence."

Maki looked up at Legoshi.

"So, both a murderer and a snitch. Not really a good combination. Amazing he ever made it out of jail alive." Maki said, "I wonder if he'd ever make it out if he got back there..."

"He won't!" Legoshi said, "My dad didn't commit any crime!"

"Oh, really?" Maki said, "How about him sneaking around the herbivores' houses while waiting for a chance to snatch them? Even going as far as to force his way in just to see if he could so he would be able to get a meat snack?"

"He never did that!" Legoshi said in outrage. "Why would anyone think he did that!?"

"Because I am going to call the police and say it." Maki said, and that made Legoshi's eyes widen.

"And I won't even need to call and say my name or anything. Thank Rex for anonymous tips." Maki said, "The police will have to check on it, no matter if it's true or not, especially with your filthy dad's record. Even if they don't arrest him, that should be enough for him to be chased out of the city with the rest of his family, you included. Especially if I add that has been promising he would be sharing his catches with the whole family. I'd like to see if anyone would still want to hear your mother's music after hearing she is married to a guy like that..."

"You..." Legoshi growled, his lips curling as he bared his fangs. His fur stood on end under his hoody as his fingers flexed. His pupils turned into thin vertical slits as he glared at the wolf, seeming like he was ready to tear him apart.

However, before either of them could make a movement...

"Senpai!"

Legoshi blinked, and he and Maki were soon turning to see a figure coming in their direction.

"Legoshi-senpai!" Kiira said, running to the big male hybrid. "I was looking for you!"

"Kiira-chan..." Legoshi said as he saw her coming. As he was distracted, he didn't saw Maki quickly hurrying off, not wanting to stand around if that one came to the game as well. He was still not confident enough to take on two hybrids at once.

When Legoshi turned his head back, he only caught sight of Maki's tail vanishing behind the corner.

"H-hey!" Legoshi said, but he was already gone, and that was when Kiira reached him, and she seemed quite excited.

"Senpai!" She said, throwing her arms around him. "Welcome back!"

She seemed quite happy. Legoshi could tell because of the smile on her beak.

Her beak... she was not wearing the mask anymore!

"Kiira-chan..." The male hybrid said, looking at her face, and Kiira could only smile at him.

"I decided not to hide my beak anymore." Kiira said. "I didn't really saw a point anymore, since everyone saw it at the Festival. I decided not to be afraid anymore."

"O-oh... that's good for you." Legoshi said, still a bit surprised. "And, are people being nice to you?"

"They are! Well, nicer than I thought they would, anyways..." Kira said, rubbing the back of her head. "My roommates were kinda cold to me. Felt like they were ignoring me or something. But, neither of them was hostile. Neither was anyone else, save for a couple girls who walked away when I came near."

"Yeah, that's good." Legoshi said. Then, suddenly, he remembered about Maki.

"That wolf!" Legoshi said, "I have to find him!"

Kiira, noticing Legoshi's agitation, was soon asking what was wrong, to what Legoshi's answer came frantic:

"That wolf! The one who has been taunting me since he found I am a hybrid! The one I punched on the Wolf Room and that you chased away before summer! I have to find him! I have to stop him from calling the police on my dad!"

"Calling the police? What do you mean?" Kiira asked, and Legoshi looked at her.

"You... you remember back when I told you my dad used to be in a gang?"

And Legoshi told her about the matter. About how his father, as a part of the Shishigumi, had committed predation, among other crimes. Make had found out about it and said he would give an anonymous tip to the police that his dad was planning to start eating herbivores again to get arrested and kicked out of their neighborhood.

Kiira, of course, was outraged with that wolf. However, upon seeing Legoshi so worried, she decided that calming him down was more important.

"Senpai, calm down, please!"

"I have to find him! He will try to have my dad sent to jail!"

"Legoshi, is okay!" Kiira said, "Ibuki-san didn't commit any crime. None of it is true. He won't be able to get him in trouble. If anything, he will be the one getting in trouble for making a false call like that."

"But he-"

"Senpai, is okay." Kiira said, "Please, calm down. You can't think when you are too nervous, like Leano-san said. You have to stop and take a deep breath, remember?"

Legoshi blinked, looking at the female hybrid. He realized Kiira remembered the conversations on the table at their dinner together after the Festival, when his mother told her that Legoshi was never keen on thinking things through, and that it got worse when he was too nervous. That he often went and did stupid things and got himself, and sometimes also others, in trouble.

That was why her father, Gosha, taught his grandson some breathing techniques to help him calm down and think clearly when he was too nervous. Kiira he remembered this, and her words brought it back to Legoshi.

This allowed the male hybrid to stop and take some deep breaths on the right rhythm to calm himself down.

After a few minutes, Legoshi had calmed down to be able to think clearly.

However, by that time, Maki was long gone.

"We... should go to Drama Club." Legoshi said, and Kiira looked at him for a moment, before nodding. Soon, she and Legoshi were both going on their way.

As they did, Legosh pulled out his cellphone, and typed a message for his dad.

Dad, a jerk from school knows about your past. He said he is going to make a call to the police and tell them you have been stalking herbivores on our neighborhood to devour them. Please, be careful.

Just a couple minutes later, he received a message back from his dad.

Thanks for letting me know. I will be fine, don't worry. Love you, pup.

Love you too, dad.

"Wow, that's so cool!" Kibi said as he and everyone looked at what Louis was showing.

Once more, Louis proved why he was the one who many considered THE future beastar. As he came back home after a month of recovering from having his arm eaten, and he showed the same air of strength and confidence that he had on nearly all occasions.

Especially as he proudly displayed his new arm to the rest of Drama Club.

"Courtesy of the Horns Conglomerate's robotics division." Louis said as he flexed the fingers. Their movement was not as fluid as the original ones, but more fluid than what one would expect from a robotic arm. The fact that the arm itself was in colors of grey and blue, with the Horns Conglomerate's logo printed on the back of the mechanical hand, certainly helped pass the idea of a mega-advanced, sci-fi movie prothesis.

"Are you gonna tell us this thing has a built-in laser beam?" Kai asked with crossed arms, to what Louis said:

"Just an internal microchip that interprets the electric signals from my nerves so I can move it like I did my old arm."

Just as he said that, his arm suddenly jolted, causing Louis' organic arm to shot up and grab it, as if to keep it from lashing out. This caused some of the members of club around to flinch.

"Just some kinks that have not been worked out fully yet..." Louis said, quickly recovering control of his arm, "No need to worry, it will not get on the way of rehearsals. We can still prepare for our next presentations with no problem. Naturally, I will still play the characters we decided previously. Sorry to disappoint you, Bill."

Louis looked at the tiger as he spoke that, with a tone that was like "boo-hoo for you". Before Bill could answer, the door opened, and the two members of the club that were missing came in.

"You are late." Louis said nonchalantly to the hybrids.

"Sorry, we got some problems on our way here." Kiira said, and Louis said:

"It's okay, the important is that you two are here. So, this means we can stop wasting time and go back to work." Louis said, and soon he was going his way while everyone started going back to work.

That is, save for Legoshi, who tried talking to Louis.

"I heard you have a new arm." Legoshi said, "That's really cool."

"Well, I guess it is, isn't it?" Louis said, his hand gripping his metal and plastic polymer arm. "I guess those are the wonders of technology, no?"

He then looked at the hybrid.

"But, let's not waste time with it. This arm is mostly a tool for me to be able to function normally, no big deal. You have to go back and work on the light fixtures, they have been malfunctioning again. Now, stop just standing there and go work."

The way Louis spoke that was so blunt that it honestly left Legoshi a little shocked, as he just stood there while Louis walked away.

Legoshi could only look, before Kiira came and asked him if they should go and get to work, what the male hybrid soon conceded.

"You can finish teaching me how to fix the light fixtures." Kiira said to him as they both made their way to the upper levels, while Louis, still on the lower floors, looked at the two of them until they were up there.

As he looked at them, he reminded the words his father said before he came back to Cherryton:

"From now on, be more careful with who you associate, Louis. There are certain types of... companies that can surely compromise your future. And yes, I am referring to that mistress of yours. But I am also referring to the hybrids of your club. I understand that they are members and you cannot fully cut contact with them but try to keep all interactions to a minimum. Don't allow yourself to become close with such unsavory companies. They will stay at the bottom for the rest of their lives, and they could drag you down with them if you spend too long around them. That would be very bad for all our plans."

Oguma was serious as he said those words to Louis. Perhaps even more serious than he usually was. The way he spoke the word "hybrids" certainly made it sound like he was serious.

Of course, hearing that from him surprised Louis, even shocked him a little. However, the deer, not knowing what to say to that, and not wanting to make his father more upset than he had already been since finding out about Haru, simply said a "yes, father" before going his way to Cherryton.

And now there he was, unable to help himself but look towards the two animals who his father told him not to get involved with and think what his reasons could be.

Well, hybrids were seen negatively by most of society. That much was a fact. Prejudice against them was strong, and it often reflected on attacks not only on them, but on those close to them as well.

Maybe he is worried that being close to them could make me a target. Perhaps even start rumors. Louis thought, trying to reason with himself. The whole Haru incident was swept under the rug, but some people were whispering about that as well. Maybe they could start talking if they think I am close to Legoshi and Kiira? That could affect my reputation and interfere with my goals of becoming a beastar. Perhaps that is what my dad is so worried about... that makes sense... I guess? Besides, there is the fact that Legohis's father has previous associations with crime, and now it is on the news...

As Louis was having this internal monologue, Legoshi and Kiira were both unaware, as they continued to work on the light fixtures.

Once more, Kiira proved to be a quick learner about those kinds of things, as Legoshi himself was a good teacher, as she told him.

"Oh! By the way, I heard Sheila offered to have you transferred to the dancing team permanently after your presentation." Legoshi said, and Kiira looked at him before nodding.

"Sheila-senpai said that I was a great dancer and would be an amazing addition to the team." She explained, "But I turned her down."

"Oh?" Legoshi said, looking at her, while Kiira took a moment to look down at Kiira, who was overseeing the others as they made some stretching exercises.

"I was honored for being invited, really. And I don't mind being in attention too much now..." Kiira looked back at the male hybrid by her side. "But, if I left the stagehands, then I would not be able to spend as much time with you."

The male hybrid blinked as he looked at her.

"hey, don't be so surprised." She said to Legoshi. "I told you on the Festival that I wanted to stand by your side to be strong, right?"

She smiled. It was a beautiful smile on her beautiful beak, with the corners of her furry cheeks around her beak curling to complete a smile, like most avians.

That was a cute smile.

Haru also had a cute smile.

He wondered if he should go to the Gardening Club later to see if she was okay and if she needed him.

They didn't keep in contact during summer, after all.

"Did you think about the Festival when you were away, Legoshi-senpai?" Kiira asked, snapping Legoshi back to reality, and making the mostly-lion hybrid nod at her.

"I also remember you were trying to ask me for something back when Mom and her band started their show." Legoshi mentioned, and Kiira nodded.

Yes, she remembered that as well.

"Oh, yeah." Kiira said, "I was going to ask you-"

"GYAAAAH!"

The sudden, piercing scream made the two carnivores look down at what was happening there, and the sight shocked the two.

"Oh, no!" Legoshi said as he bolted, ad Kiira was right after him as they wanted to get down there as fast as possible.

There, on the floor level, Kibi was on the ground, his eyes widen in shock and trembling slightly, as his hand was holding the vacant, quickly-staining in red spot where his right arm was supposed to be.

Said arm was currently on Tao's hand.

"W-what..." Tao said, "W-what is...H-hold on... I-I did not..." Tao said, looking around as all of the club now had their eyes on him. Then, as if he suddenly realized that he was holding Kibi's arm, he let it go startled.

And he was not the only one scared, as all the herbivores around looked nervous, including Louis.

As he looked at the scene, seeing Kibi down on the ground, shaking as he held his vacant shoulder, all Louis could see was himself.

His mechanical arm moved on its own, prompting Louis to quickly grab it to keep it in place as he desperately tried to keep his emotions in check. Meanwhile, Kibi, who managed to get to his knees, let out a scream of fear and pain, which only served to make everyone else even more nervous, including Tao, who then grabbed the nearest person, who turned out to be Ellie the Zebra.

"I-I didn't do it on purpose! You know that, don't you!? I would never!" Tao was desperately shaking Ellie as he spoke, until Bill came and pulled him off her, holding him and telling the shaking panther to calm down.

"Louis!" Bill said, causing the deer to look at him. "Don't just stand there! Do something!"

The deer blinked, and then, seeing that he had only been standing while everyone looked at him, as if waiting for his directions, he realized that he still had a job to do as the future beastar.

Soon, he was telling others how to proceed, as he instructed the others to keep their distance while others came forward to help Kibi. The anteater stood there, shaking on his knees as someone tied the sleeve of his jacket into a knot while it still stained with blood. However, as soon as Aoba tried lifting him...

"Don't touch me!" Kibi screamed so loudly it honestly spook the eagle. "I don't want any carnivore to touch me!"

"Kibi, come on!" Bill said, "You need a carnivore to help you right now!"

"No!" Kibi said in fear as he shook. "No! No way! You will rip out my other arm!"

There was no use. The anteater was not going to listen.

He was terrified.

Louis had been just as terrified when his own arm was ripped off by a lion...

"Legoshi..." Kibi finale said, and then he looked over at the male hybrid.

"I... I'll let Legoshi carry me."

Those words caught the hybrid by surprise. For a very long moment, he just stood there, while everyone else looked at him.

"You heard him, Legoshi." Louis voice was what brought Legoshi back to his senses, making him look at him.

"This is your chance to use your strength to help someone." Louis said to the hybrid, and Legoshi could only look back at him, before nodding.

Very carefully, he picked Kibi, holding him gently on his arms while telling him to stay calm and let Legoshi take him to the infirmary.

"Can someone bring on his arm?" Legoshi asked. Another heavy silence followed, as everyone stared at the severed arm, no one daring to even go near it, until Kiira said:

"I'll do it... But, we better wrap it in something so no one will see and get scared... Maybe your jacket?"

Legoshi looked at her, before nodding and, very quickly, but also carefully, removed his jacket, using his lower arms to hold Kibi as the upped ones slid off the sleeves. Once he handed the jacket to Kiira, she used it to wrap the arm, and soon, the two hybrids were making their way out if the Drama Club, both rushing towards the infirmary.

"It will be okay, Kibi." Legoshi said to the anteater. "It will all be okay. I will get you an ant-shake when this is all over. I promise."