Friday came in, eventually.

For some, it took way too long. For others, it came way too fast. However, it did arrive, and it meant two things.

It meant that it was the last day of classes of the week, and the students now had two days to rest and enjoy themselves. And, most important for a lot of people, it meant that it was the day for the second and final presentation of the Adler play by the Drama Club. This was something everyone looked forward to seeing, if they haven't seen the first presentation already.

As the morning turned into afternoon and the final classes ended, everyone started flocking to the auditorium, just like they did on the afternoon of the first play. One by one, they all arrived and started to take their seats. Some of them took seats in the middle, as they preferred to be close, but not too much. Some of them sat right on the back, because they preferred to see things for a distance.

Some, who wanted to be pretty close to the action and not lose anything, sat right on the front row, while there were still places available.

"Do you think it is even worth being here?" Lucas asked to his goat senpai. "With Louis not performing on the play and all..."

"Of course, it is the traditional Adler play." The goat said to him, "We need to see how they will do things without Louis. Besides, you never know how things go. Maybe Louis has made a miracle recovery and will be coming back for a triumphant return. That totally sounds like him."

As Lucas and the goat continue to talk, with the goat giving the chameleon advices on how to hold the camera better, despite the weight, Maki came walking past them and chose a seat in the front.

Maki never cared much about theater. Actually, he hated it. However, he came there so he could see that wolf. He heard someone mentioning on the canine dorms breakfast hall that some "Legoshi" would be playing a part on Adler. This was enough for Maki to decide to put his dislike towards theater aside and come to see the play that he ditched every year since he was a freshman, and to sit on a first-row seat on top of everything.

All so he could look at that weird wolf as closely as he could and see if he could finally figure out what was his deal and why he was so weird.

Maki eventually found a place for him to sit, which just happened to be right by the side of that Labrador wimp who was on the same dorm as the weirdo and who sometimes Maki could swear seemed to be attached to him by the hip.

Jack, on his end, barely paid any mind to the reddish wolf that sat by his side, as he was too busy talking with the lion who was sitting on his other side. He was too old to be a student, and didn't seemed like any of the teachers either, but he seemed happy for being there. He talked to the dog sitting by his side about some trivial matters, as there was a video camera on his lap, just waiting for when it was the moment to be used.

While everyone took their places on the seats, on the backstages, all actors were getting ready. This included trying the costumes prepared for them.

"Wow... that's... nice." Legoshi said as he looked at the outfit that had been prepared for him by his friends of the stagehands. It was basically a long, grayish cloak that had been colored in a way that it looked to be centuries old. Complete with tears on it to simulate old age. It was even complete with a hood to be pulled over the wearer's head and tightening with small cords so it would not come off.

It certainly paired with the tattered shirt and the old and torn pants.

They looked like the clothes of a corpse.

"We made the cloak thinking about you, Legoshi-kun." Kibi said happily, as he seemed to be quite proud of the work that they managed to pull considering they only had a few days to do it. It was quite the impressive work, and most of the credit went to Kibi and Dom, who worked on the sewing diligently to have it ready on time.

"Come on, try it!" Kibi said, but Legoshi hesitated, seeming awkward all of a sudden. This prompted the anteater to apologize to him for forgetting how sensitive he was about being seen shirtless by other people.

"Well, we are sure it is going to fit anyway." Dom said to the wolf. "We used the measurements of your hoodie as base, so the hood will fit around your head well. You don't have to worry."

Legoshi took this, and he thanked the guys for the hard work, as he took his outfit on his hands, knowing that he would have to wear it before going to the stage and standing before all people of the school.

Now, all he needed was to mentally prepare himself to stand before them and say his lines.

Man, he wished he had more time to prepare, he was still feeling too nervous.

The fleeting thought that he could accidentally step on his long cloak and cause it to fall off and reveal his bare body for the whole school to see was one that filled Legoshi with dread. However, the hybrid knew that he could not back away now. He couldn't bear the idea of letting the entire Drama Club down by flanking right on the last minute.

He would just have to power up through his insecurity and go out on the stage and do as they rehearsed... and be darn careful with his step.

Bill, on the other end, seemed like he was practically exuding self-confidence from his very pores. He certainly didn't show any nervousness or to be anxious about anything as he was proudly wearing his Adler costume, custom-made to fit a big carnivore like himself, and he was showing off to everyone.

"All open space for the great Grim Reaper!" Bill said as he proudly swung his prompt wooden sword in the air. "Hero of the play and the one who shall triumph over all!"

The ones who were around Bill could either chuckle or sigh in exasperation. That was Bill being Bill, alright. The tiger was clearly still very happy for finally having the chance to play the hero, for a change, mostly because Louis was not around to claim the role for himself. The tiger could not wait to finally make it on stage and get everyone impressed with his amazing acting. He would certainly put Louis to shame.

Legoshi looked at Bill from a distance, and he sighed. As much as he found Bill insufferable, he sometimes wished he could be as confident on himself as... as... wait.

Legoshi's nose twitched and, like being dragged by an invisible hand, the hybrid made his way to Bill.

The tiger was still bragging to everyone, when he was interrupted by the hooded carnivore coming to him and starting to sniff all over him. Especially on his breast pocket.

"Bill..." Legoshi said, looking at the tiger with a deathly serious expression. "What do you have...?"

"Man, I shouldn't have drank so much of those power drinks!" Bill said, "I'm gonna go the restroom, be back in just a few!" And Bill rushed to the restrooms as fast as he could, not minding the weird looks that the other students gave him as he went on as if his tail was on fire.

And Legoshi followed him.

They were the only ones inside of the restroom, and Bill turned to look at Legoshi as soon as he noticed that the other carnivore was following him.

"What do you want, wolf-boy?" Bill asked, turning around to look at him with his hands on his waist. "You in love or something? Sorry, but I don't swing that way. I do have a roommate who would like you, though. Moe says he cannot resist a cute doggy. You definitely seem his type."

Legoshi barely paid attention to what Bill was saying. He was far more interested on the smell he was feeling coming from Bill's pocket with his sensitive wolf snout. The kind of smell that one does not expect to feel on a school setting, but that Legoshi, as a carnivore, had an instinctual inkling of what could be.

He felt the scent before, after all.

"Bill..." Legoshi said, giving a step to the tiger. "What is that in your pocket?"

Bill looked at the hybrid with surprise, before laughing.

"Yeah, I guess you can't hide stuff like that from a big carnivore, after all." Bill said, as he reached inside of his pocket, and pulled out something. It was a small vial filled with a red liquid that left out that strong scent that pressed some hidden button on Legoshi's brain.

"Smells good, doesn't it?" Bill asked, smiling at the other carnivore as he showed the vial for the hooded carnivore. "It is gazelle blood."

Legoshi tensed as he heard that, his eyes widening as he looked at the tiger. Bill noticed the change and his posture, and was quick to tranquilize him.

"Relax, dude. It is not from another student." He said to the hybrid, who continued to look at him. "I bought it from one of the older students. Said his dad sent it to him, and that he had more than he knew what to do with, so he gave me a little. Costed me some pretty penny."

Legoshi's surprise was gone by this point, and instead he only glared at the tiger.

"I was saving it for a special occasion. Like today..." Bill said, looking at it, and sniffing it. The smell alone was enough to make him shiver. "Man, what a rush! Want a ship, Legoshi? I don't mind sharing. Don't worry, it won't make you fatter..."

"Flush it." Legoshi said to him in answer, and this surprised Bill.

"Huh?"

Legoshi had a very serious expression on his face, as he pointed at one of the cubicles.

"Bill..." He said, "Open that bottle, drop all of that blood on the toiled and flush it. Right now."

Bill looked at him for a moment, surprised at the sudden assertive tone that Legoshi was using with him. It was surprising for he never even heard the wolf raise his voice before. Let alone talk in a bossy way like that.

A way that reminded him a bit too much of Louis.

"I'm not doing that!" Bill said to him, "Didn't you hear me say this thing was expensive? I'm not flushing down my money!"

"You have too!" Legoshi said, "You are not supposed to have that! You have to get rid of it now!"

"Calm down, dude!" Bill said to the other carnivore. "Look, if you are worried about being caught, I'll let you know that I'm smarter than that. The herbivores can't smell this, and the carnivores know to keep their mouths shut. If you want so bad to get rid of it, then let's just drink it and toss the bottle on the garbage. Each one takes half. Sounds good, doesn't it? Come on, I know you want it..."

Legoshi did. A part of him wanted it. The hybrid knew it. However, there was another part of him telling him that he should not. A much stronger part of him told him not to dare putting an herbivore's blood anywhere near his lips.

A part that spoke with his father's voice.

"Flush it now!" Legoshi said, charging at Bill, his hands aiming for the bottle. Bill, however, was able to react fast enough.

"Hey, cut it out!" Bill said, while Legoshi once more tried to lunge for the bottle, aiming to take it from Bill's hands.

"You are not supposed to have this!" Legoshi said to him, as the tiger started wrestling him. "We study in a mixed education school! We are part of a club with herbivores! You can't just drink herbivore blood! What if was the blood of one of them!? You just can't do this Bill! It's wrong!"

"Quit trying to force your morals on me!" Bill said, pushing Legoshi back enough to punch him right in the face. Legoshi, who had been focusing on the bottle, didn't saw Bill's fist until it collided with his face, sending him into the wall. As Legoshi steadied himself with his hands on the wall, Bill yelled at him.

"You might be okay with living in the shadows! But I want to stand in the light! And sometimes, the only way carnivores can do that is with a little doping!"

He then adopted a condescending tone as he spoke to the hybrid, who was shaking his head as he got ready to lunge for the vial again.

"You say it is wrong for us to do what we are supposed to do? That it is wrong for us to do what we have to so we can stand in the light alongside herbivores like Louis? Man, you really are weird, aren't you? If you can't bear to stay in the light, then just stay in the shadows and die in them, you freak!"

As Bill said those words, Legoshi's body tensed. His eyes contracted into slits as memories came flowing back into his mind.

He was curled into a ball, trembling, sobbing, while those mean kids looked down on him.

"Look at him crying! What a wimp."

"He is not a real carnivore, if he was he would not be so weak."

"He is just like that other freak, just leave him there." Said their leader, and then Legoshi felt a foot pressing on his body as he continued to cover his head with his arms.

"And don't forget, weirdo. If you ever try anything, we will just tell the grownups and they will send you away too. Just curl up in there and stay there until you die and don't cause us any problem."

With this, the kids all walked away, some of them laughing at him. All Legoshi could do was curl in there and cry, too scared to actually get up.

Why?

Why were they so mean?

Why they were like that with him just because he looked different?

Why were they so cruel to him like that?

Why did they send his friend away?

Why even the adults acted as if he was the one in the wrong when he was the one being punched and pushed into the ground!?

Why!?

He didn't do anything wrong!

A growl escaped Legoshi's throat. Behind him, Bill retreated a step, thinking that the wolf was about to lunge for him again. However, the hooded carnivore said:

"Hey, Bill..."

The tiger perked as he heard that, and Legoshi continued:

"Wanna settle it on stage?"

Bill blinked.

"Forget pretending. Forget following the script." Legoshi said, not once turning to look at the tiger, as he continued to press his hands on the wall. "Let's fight for real. You and me. Let's solve our differences on stage. What do you say?"

Bill was surprised for hearing such a suggestion. Was that wolf being serious.

"Wait, during the play?" Bill asked, "Legoshi, you're kidding right? We can't just... I mean, Louis would kill us both if we did anything to mess up the play."

Legoshi remained silence for a second or two. Before chuckling.

"Pussycat."

"Say what?"

"The great Bill the Bengal Tiger." Legoshi said, his voice humorless. "So full of himself and so ready to go on a brawl with other carnivores, but when he is actually called into a fight, he steps back right away."

Legoshi turned his head, allowing Bill to see part of his muzzle. To see that he was smirking, as he said the next words:

"For all that pride you have on yourself as a tiger, you are nothing but a domestic pussycat."

Upon hearing those words, rage like the kind he hadn't felt in years surged through Bill's body. The kind of rage that made him want to charge at the wolf and break all of his limbs and then rip out his tongue so he could never say those words again.

"Oh, so you want to settle it on the stage, huh?" Bill said in a dangerously low voice, his hate showing through it. "Alright then, let's do it. You better be ready, fatty, because I'll kick your ass in front of the whole school."

Bill had tried to be the reasonable one for a change. He was worried with the play, of course. He was also worried that Legoshi, who proved to be better with a sword than he could have ever imagined, would actually beat him if they fought for real. Most of all, he was scared of what Louis would end up doing to him if he heard that they messed up the entire play due to a personal spat.

However, there was no way that he would back away from fighting for real now. Not after that mangy mutt just said the most offensive thing he could possibly say to a big feline.

Still sheeting with anger, Bill stomped out of the restroom, already planning how he was going to beat Legoshi up the most humiliating way possible on stage, while Legoshi remained where he was. Bill did not saw Legoshi's face before leaving.

If he had, he would have seen that the "wolf"s eyes were different now, as his pupils had turned into thin vertical slits.

"Louis-senpai, you are here!" Kibi said happily to the deer, who came in walking with the help of crutches.

Louis' ankle was not as bad as it felt, as it turned out. The reason why it became so unbearable was mainly because the deer kept forcing it instead of looking for help. The nurse gave him an ear-chewing because of it, making sure to him that this could have become something serious in most other occasions, and that he should count himself lucky that he was recovering so fast.

After a whole week of resting and of special muscle medicine on his ankle, the pain was all but gone now. Still, Louis would need the crutches for another day or two before being able to walk normally. He should be good as new on Monday.

"I came mostly to be sure that Bill will not screw anything up." Louis said to Kibi as he looked at the anteater. "And what was that I heard about Legoshi playing Bill's character?"

Before Kibi could answer, the third call rang, signaling that the play was about to start. Just one minute later, the curtain rose, and it began.

Everyone watched as the play progressed, and soon Bill was entering the stage and playing the role of Adler.

As he watched from the sideline, Louis had to recognize that Bill was playing the role in a decent way. At least he didn't made any mistake that could be considered serious. Albeit Louis thought that he was being a bit too aggressive on his movements and on the delivery of the lines. However, he quickly chalked it as the fact that Bill was a carnivore. The audience seemed that they didn't minded his aggressiveness, and seemed to receive it well.

On the front row, Luca tried to take a few pictures, but he was not being able to get angles as nice as he'd hoped.

"Man, why is it so hard?" The chameleon whispered to himself, and this prompted the person sitting by his side to shush him, and Luca was quickly apologizing. He was starting to feel like an idiot. This was so not what he expected when he joined the journalism club...

Luckily, his senpai was by his side to comfort him and give him support.

"I've saw some of the pictures you've brought when you applied for the club, Lucas." She said to him. "You have real talent with the camera. And you have an honest desire to go after the truth. This is all that counts on journalism. You just need to put both of those things together. It is like the boss said, 'do whatever it takes for a good story'."

Luca looked at her for a few seconds, and then he looked down.

"You're right..." Luca said, looking down for a second, before saying:

"I gotta go!" He then left in a hurry, leaving his camera on the chair as he quickly left, while his senpai vainly tried to get him to stop, and now she was wondering if she ended saying something wrong without intending to...

While Bill was having a blast playing Adler for everyone, Legoshi was on the back, on the dressing room. He had changed from his regular clothes into his costume, and he now had worm-out looking cloak draped over his shoulders, like a long cape that covered his body, while the hood of the cloak was pulled all the way, leaving only his muzzle sticking out.

He was sitting in a chair before a mirror, looking at his own reflection. A pair of eyes with vertical slit pupils stared back at him.

Why was he doing it?

What was he even thinking?

What he said to Bill... why did he said it? Being half-lion he knew full well how offensive those words were, and how mad they would make Bill.

Why did he said them? To get Bill mad? To get him to accept his challenge to fight for real before the entire school? Was he really going to do it, was he really going to fight Bill for real?

Could he do it? Should he do it?

Those and more questions ran through Legoshi's head.

He should not do it. He knew that. He knew it was not what he was supposed to do, for several reasons.

He hadn't done it yet. He could still back away. He could just go back to fighting like they rehearsed and lose like he was supposed to.

Like he was supposed to...

"That's right, just stay there like you are supposed to, you weirdo."

Legoshi continued staring at the face in the mirror which showed no emotion at all. Even though there was a storm of memories and emotions on his mind.

"Weirdo! Weirdo! Weirdo!~"

"Don't you try to trick us! We know you are a freak!"

"Why are you even telling me that? If the other kids all pick on you, maybe you deserve it."

"Be friends with you? Ew!"

"Honestly, why do they even let a creature like that on the school? Don't they think of the other children?"

"What are you going to do, weirdo?"

"Let's throw sand at him until he cries!"

"Wolf? He is not a wolf! He is a weirdo!"

"He is a chimera! Like on those old books about monsters!"

"He is Legoshi the Chimera!"

"Legoshi the Chimera! Legoshi the Chimera! Legoshi the Chimera!~"

His hands clenched into fists, his nails, already sharp, easily pierced the skin of his palms, causing blood to run through his fingers.

"Legoshi?"

That single memory made the wolf relax, even if just slightly...

The animal who spoke it had his back turned to him, but Legoshi could still see his antlers. They were very pretty.

"Don't ever let people step on you, okay?"

Legoshi said he would not. He made that promise to him that day.

The last day he saw him...

The hell with it… Legoshi thought, as he continued to look at the mirror with no expression. The hell with everything.

That was when someone called Legoshi's name, making the hybrid snap out of his thoughts and look to the side, seeing that Dom was in there, to let him know that his scene would be on in just a few minutes.

"Legoshi..." Dom said when he saw the carnivore's expression. "Are you... are you okay?"

Legoshi looked at him, and he could see the hint of fear on Dom's expression.

Legoshi forced himself to give him a friendly smile.

"Yes. I'm just getting into character."

"Oh... well, good to know." Dom said, relaxing. "Anyways, your scene will be in a few minutes, you can start getting ready. Anything you need?"

Legoshi looked at him for a few moments, before saying:

"Actually, yes... can you get me a few more swords?"

Where is Luca? The goat asked herself, wondering where the freshmen and newest member of their journal went. He seemed upset, maybe she said something he didn't liked? The boss would be mad if he heard that he left literally in the middle of the play and didn't showed up anymore.

Meanwhile, the animals by her side were still paying close attention to the play, all of them waiting for a specific moment.

"Oh, now it's Legoshi's scene!" said the Labrador to the lion sitting by his side, who got his camera ready. Hearing this, Maki also stood on the edge of his seat, looking very intently at the stage.

Everyone saw as the figure emerged from the side of the stage, seemingly coming from the shadows like a specter, wearing a long cloak that covered their entire body, leaving only a canine muzzle exposed. The figure seemed shadowy, what many assumed it was the whole purpose.

Bill looked at the figure that he knew to be Legoshi. He had to hand it to the guys who made the costume, they could make wonders to pass the image. Legoshi looked like a figure who just came out of a cemetery. Bill would surely be scared if he saw a figure like that alone on the streets at night.

Now, Bill had gotten in a much better mood after playing for a while and wooing the audience with his acting. He was not as mad as he had been when he stormed out of the restroom before the play began. However, as he saw the wolf coming towards him with that cloak, he could feel a lot of anger towards him. Enough that he still wanted to kick his sorry butt for the whole school to see.

You don't call a big feline a "domestic pussycat". Especially if you are not a feline yourself.

"So, I see you have come to face me, figure of the shadows!" Bill said, making sure to deliver his lines with an extra dose of kick, just to make the crowd all the more riled up.

"I knew you'd raise from the darkness to come after me after all other spirits have failed. You are Nature's last resort. The one being that shall only rise from the depths of the earth when everything else fails!" Bill said, drawing his prompt sword and pointing it at the figure in the cloak.

"You, whose mission is to eliminate everything that violates the natural law! You, who have brought down many entities, be them mortal or divine! You who have claimed even other grim reapers! You are the ultimate weapon that Nature has unleashed against my rebellion!"

Everyone looked intently at Bill, transfixed by his acting. Louis, on his end, still thought that Bill was being too fancy. At least his improvising wasn't straying too far from the script.

"However, I knew you would come, and I have prepared!" Bill said, allowing himself to smirk at Legoshi. "I am not like the ones before! I shall defeat you and send you back to the shadows, where you shall whiter away and die!"

Legoshi said nothing, as he simply looked at him.

Go back to the shadows.

Whiter and die.

No.

Not anymore.

"Now, come to me, Nameless Spirit of Shadows!" Bill yelled at him. "Come and face me!"

Now it was Legoshi's line. He was supposed to give a small speech about how "Adler"s actions went against the natural order, and how he should now atone for his transgressions with his own life.

However, Legoshi didn't made that speech.

He just said "fine!" and lunged forward fast.

Much faster than Bill ever thought that he could move. In just two seconds he was standing before Bill, and he drawn a prompt sword of his own and swung it at Bill at full force.

Bill managed to block, but the force and suddenness of the blow threw him off balance. Legoshi used this chance to strike with his other hand, closed in a fist and driving to Bill's face much faster than the tiger could ever hope to block.

Bill was sent back flying. The mask flew off his face, and the small vial flew out of his pocket.

The tiger landed heavily on the ground, and the mask landed far from him. The vial landed on the ground and miraculously didn't shattered. It stopped right at Louis' feet. The deer looked down at the vial, picking it up and realizing what it was.

However, he didn't had time to think much about it, for his attention went back to the stage, where Legoshi was now attacking Bill.

The tiger had to roll out of the way as the other carnivore thrust his sword downward in a stabbing motion. He missed the tiger, bit he did pierce his cape, pinning it to the ground as the tiger tried to escape, causing the cape to rip apart as the tiger got up and moved away, rushing to get his sword back before turning to face his opponent again.

Legoshi just looked away from the cape, completely ignoring it, as he swirled to face Bill, letting a view of the rest of his outfit for the tiger. From the dirtied shirt with a volume on the middle of the torso to the torn off pants. Bill even caught a sight of Legoshi's waist, and he realizes that the wolf is carrying more swords tied there.

Nearly as if he was ready to draw another in case the one he currently was holding on his hand turned out not to be enough.

The cloaked animal, however, didn't allowed Bill to actually think on what he just saw, for he started attacking Bill once more.

This was not like their rehearsed fight. Not at all.

Legoshi was supposed to fight defensively, but that was not what he was doing at all. He was charging like a maniac at Bill, swinging his sword with immense ferocity and power, hitting Bill so hard and fast that the tiger couldn't think of anything other to do than defend.

Everyone got transfixed by what was happening on stage. The animal in a cloak was attacking like there was no tomorrow, while the tiger could only dodge and block each swing of his sword while dancing around him and vainly trying to get an opening to attack.

S-since when can Legoshi swordfight like that!? Louis thought as he watched, baffled, as Legoshi showed a level of skill that was only possible to have with years of training.

And Legoshi did had those years of training. Years of learning how to fight from both his dad and grandpa, now put into use with the sole purpose of defeating that one opponent before him, that one tiger who he wanted, more than anything, to punish.

Bill himself was shocked at how vicious Legoshi was being, and at how hard he could swing that sword. He could feel the muscles of his arm growing stiff from the stress of having to block the attacks of the wolf. He needed to strike back!

And he did it on the first he got, when Legoshi was pulling his arm back to deliver another strike. The tiger managed to strike first, sending his sword aiming for the wolf's shoulder. However, Legoshi proved to have faster reflexes than the tiger could have ever anticipated.

Legoshi saw the blade coming and changed his movement to block it. The wooden blades of the swords slid across each other in one fluid movement, as Legoshi twisted his own arm around Bill's locking their arms together.

Then, his other arm went on the attack, punching Bill's face savagely.

The tiger could barely resist, as the other carnivore punched him over and over again, with each impact seeming to carry more anger than the last.

"Is this part of the play?" Someone asked on the front rows, while the goat adjusted her camera and snapped more photos. Everyone was watching transfixed, some of them, the carnivores in particular, cheering and applauding. Meanwhile, some animals on the front row were tense.

They were tense because they both knew Legoshi well enough to know that was not a pretend fight anymore.

The hybrid was fighting for real.

And Louis noticed that as well.

Crap, what are those two idiots doing!? Louis thought as he watched Legoshi bash Bill's face savagely. So savagely that Louis had the impression that Bill would be dead already if he was an herbivore. I gotta do something! At this rate they will kill each other and ruin the play!

As Louis went to the dressing rooms, leaving his crutches behind, Legoshi continued to bash Bill, who now had a bleeding nose, a swollen eye and a broken lip. However, he could still notice how riled up the crowd was, as he could hear all the cheering and applause going on.

Legoshi delivered one more punch, this one aiming for Bill's temple. However, the tiger saw it coming, and grabbed it with his own fist.

Soon, he was wrestling Legoshi, and he managed to make Legoshi drop his sword by twisting his other arm. He ended up letting go of his own sword as well, but Bill didn't mind. He managed to hold the wolf by putting his arms around him, pinning them against his body.

"Enough of that!" Bill whispered on Legoshi's ear, nearly snarling at him. "Don't forget that I'm the hero, you are supposed to lose!"

"Hero?" Legoshi snarled back. "Do heroes carry vials of gazelle blood on their pockets!? You hypocrite!"

Bill held Legoshi down by pinning his arms by hugging him.

"Hypocrite? Me?" Bill whispered to him, seeing the way that Legoshi was tense. He had a smirk on his broken, bleeding lips.

"The way you reacted to the blood..." Bill said, whispering on the wolf's ear as he positioned his hands on his back under the cloak. His fingers were tensing, as he was getting ready to sink his claws on Legoshi's back and give the wolf his own stripes. "You attacked a gazelle, didn't you?"

Legoshi tensed even more.

"Did you kill them?"

Legoshi opened his mouth, a mist of hot air escaping from his lungs.

"Hey, Legoshi?"

The carnivore was tensing. Something moved under his shirt.

"Do you wanna hear something funny?"

He still remembered his voice. He could still remember how a single leaf floated in between his antlers, before he turned to look at him with a smile.

"You are my best friend."

Cloth ripped. Legoshi's shirt was ripped. However, it was not by Bill's claws. He didn't had time to sink his claws in, for then he felt something hitting his torso on both sides, causing pressure to both his kidneys. Then, he was hit once more, and he was forced back several steps. As he did, the swords tied to Legoshi's waist all fell to the ground. All three of them, joining the two swords that Legoshi and Bill were both holding on their hands before the tiger managed to put the hybrid on that hold.

Dammit, what was that? Bill thought, and he was recovering as he was forced on a knee on the ground.

He was getting ready to get back up.

"Why you... you..." Bill was about to say something, but his voice died on his throat as he looked at the wolf... or, at what was supposed to be a wolf...

Legoshi's shirt was torn, and his cloak fell from his shoulders, landing on the ground. The carnivore was still growling as he tore the rest of the shirt off his body. In other words, Legoshi's upper body was bare for the whole audience to see, as the spotlights all shone on him.

And what a sight it was, not only for the audience, but to the members of club who were seeing Legoshi's naked chest for the first time.

"What the fuck!?" Maki said as he looked in shock.

The goat from the school's journal nearly dropped her camera out of shock.

Jack gasped in surprise, not at what he was seeing, but at what Legoshi was doing. By his side, the lion was looking with a somber expression.

On stage, Legoshi had all eyes on him, including Bill's, which were shocked. However, he didn't cared. He didn't cared that Bill was seeing his mane. He didn't cared that he was seeing his body, even more jacked than the tiger's own due to years of training. He didn't cared that the rest of the school was looking at him, seeing his mane, his muscles and the long feline tail moving behind him.

He just picked up the swords on the ground.

First, he picked the one he had been holding. Then he picked a second sword.

Then he picked a third, and then a fourth.

Bill could only look in shock as Legoshi now stood before him with four swords, one held on each one of his four arms.

Legoshi's upper arms held a pair of swords, putting them in an angle before his body, as if he was ready to defend any attack. Meanwhile, Legoshi's lower arms, located around twenty centimeters beneath his upper ones, just as muscular and covered in emerald-green scales, were holding the two other swords on a more offensive way, as if they were ready to deliver a blow as soon as the enemy was within range.

Bill didn't attack, though. He didn't react. His mind was still trying to process what he was seeing. I mean, can you blame him? He was looking at a huge, maned, four-armed wolf!

Legoshi looked like a demon. Especially as he glared at Bill with those hateful eyes with vertical slits for pupils.

"... L-Legoshi...?" was all Bill managed to say as he looked in surprise at the animal he had been clubmates with on the last few years. Legoshi, on his end, just glared at him. One of his lower arms moved, resting the tip of the sword on the ground. Then, with a swiping motion, he made the fifth sword on the ground, Bill's sword, slid all the way to the kneeling tiger.

"Pick it up." Legoshi said, his voice strong and firm. Bill blinked and looked down at the sword that now laid before him, before looking back at the... whatever the hell Legoshi was supposed to be.

"This battle is not over yet!" Legoshi said, his voice resonating through all of the auditorium. "Pick. It. Up!"

Bill took a few moments, but he picked up the sword, and now he was holding it as he got up, his eyes not leaving Legoshi even for a second.

Meanwhile, the hybrid looked back at Bill. He looked straight at those eyes. Those eyes that looked just like that of the kids and teachers who found out about his hybrid nature. Those looks of surprise and shock, which were soon replaced with hatred and disgust.

That looked that preceded a lot of the suffering he had on his childhood.

That look that he learned to hate with all of his being.

Legoshi's body tensed, as anger bubbled up on his being, like molted metal running through his veins.

Legoshi roared at Bill.

He didn't screamed.

He roared.

Like he did back when Els pointed those scissors at him when he tried to give her Tem's letter.

Like he almost did to that fox on the cafeteria.

Like he did right on Louis' face on his office.

He roared like a true, primitive lion of the ancient times. A roar so powerful it resonated through the core of every animal inside of the auditorium, and so loud that it caused most of the animals on the front rows to cover their ears.

Then, Legoshi charged and was once more on the attack.

Bill now had to defend from not only one, but four swords swinging at him, all of them attacking in perfect synch. Bill now had literally no break, as he had to constantly move and block to avoid the blows of the four swords the hybrid was using against him. That was a single minute, but it felt like an eternity to Bill, as he felt all of those swords coming too close for comfort, and they were tearing gashes on his costume, despite being only prompts, due to how hard and savagely Legoshi was swinging all of them.

He blocked the swing of a sword, and then he had to quickly step back to avoid the swing of three others.

And as he stepped back, Bill ended up stepping on the cloak Legoshi left on the ground, causing him to slip and fall. As he did, Legoshi stood before him, glaring down at him with hatred. Legoshi roared again, as he raised one of his swords, and he was ready to bring it down on the tiger, when a sixth sword came out of nowhere.

"It's Louis-senpai!" Someone on the front row said as they saw the deer come into the stage, swinging his sword in a way of making the four-armed animal lose grip of that one sword, which flew to the other side of the stage, as the hybrid gave a few steps back in surprise.

However, Louis was the one who was the most surprised of the two as he looked at the hybrid. I mean, he knew about Legoshi's mane already, but a second pair of scaly arms!?

However, the deer, just like Louis would, recovered from the surprise and instead focusing entirely on the carnivore before him.

"Legoshi, what are you doing!?" Louis whispered to him between clenched teeth, trying to avoid the audience from realizing this was not part of the play. "Have you completely lost your mind!?"

Legoshi looked at him, and growled before charging at the deer. Louis had to quickly raise his sword to block another swing. This one was considerably weaker than the ones Legoshi was using against Bill, but it still felt hard for the deer.

"What I am doing?" Legoshi asked the deer, speaking the same way as him, speaking through the clenched teeth of his snarl. "I'm giving you what you wanted!"

He continued to press down. Louis had to use both hands to hold against the sword that Legoshi was holding with only one of his four hands. The hybrid was pressing him down more and more.

"You wanted to see my strength? Well, there you have it!" Legoshi snarled at the deer. "Are you happy now, you spoiled, arrogant brat!? Are you!?"

Louis could feel the pressure as the hybrid continued to press down on him, his ankle starting to hurt as it had not healed completely yet. That was when Bill came along.

With a mighty cry, the tiger came forward, batting Legoshi's sword again, and forcing the hybrid to take a lot more steps backwards. Now, as the two "Adlers" stood with their swords in their hands, the "Spirit of Shadows" stood looking at them with his three swords ready for battle, with his fourth hand was now running over his mane as he growled in pure hatred at them.

Dammit, this is getting seriously out of hand! Louis thought to himself. He is going to attack again, I can see it on the way he is glaring at us. If he does, he will beat us both. He already handled Bill his own tail on a platter, I'll have no chance if he strikes. I have to do something!

Legoshi was walking at them with slow steps, his three swords lifting, ready to strike at them both.

"You don't have to do this!" Louis said, raising his voice and speaking as if he was talking lines. "You don't have to fight us! You can stop!"

The hybrid's answer was to growl at him louder, his grip tightening on the handle of his swords, as he got ready to swing them all at once. By Louis' side, Bill tensed and cursed under his breath.

"Why are you doing this!?" Louis asked of him. "What is your goal!? What do you gain from doing this!?"

Louis' questions became louder and louder as he asked those questions.

"Just what do you want, dammit!?"

Those words made Legoshi stop dead on his tracks, and just look at the two of them.

"What... do I want?"

"What, do you think anyone cares what you want?" Those were cruel words, especially coming from a teacher to who Legoshi was trying to ask for help. "Well, sorry to say it, but no one does, so just drop it. Now get out of here before I get mad."

"What do I want!?" Legoshi asked, his voice raising to the same level as Louis'.

"What about being able to live in peace!?" Legoshi yelled at him. "What about not being treated like a vermin everywhere I go!? What about being able to stand among you, 'normal people' without being yelled at or without being threatened into leaving!? What about THAT!?"

Legoshi was shivering as he said that, his eyes boring holes on Louis.

"Or is THAT too much to ask!?"

Louis looked at he hybrid, unsure of how to answer. The hybrid, seeing his silence, roared again in frustration, throwing all of his swords into the ground.

"I never asked to be born like this!" Legoshi yelled. "I never asked to be different from everyone else! I never asked to be a monster!"

Two animals on the front row, a Labrador and a lion, both flinched as they heard the hybrid on stage say those words.

Louis looked at Legoshi, who sounded like he was pouring his heart out, and he said:

"You are not a monster."

"THEN WHEN AM I TREATED LIKE ONE!?" That yell nearly sounded like a roar, and everyone on the auditorium could hear it.

"Why am I shunned away and attacked whenever I show myself, even though I never did anything wrong!?" Legoshi yelled, demanding an answer from the deer. Then he pointed at the tiger.

"He is not treated like that! He is not treated like a monster, even though he has the scent of blood on him!" Legoshi said, causing the tiger to shift uncomfortably. "And you..."

Louis tensed as the hybrid turned a finger to him.

"You are ready to step on everyone on your way, don't you? Especially those who have fangs!" Legoshi said.

"No! I've never-"

"Don't you dare to lie!" Legoshi said to the deer. "You forgot we already talked? You think I didn't noticed the way you were looking down on me!?"

"I'm beneath you, your attitude from the beginning said it!" Legoshi vented to the deer. "From the first time we talked, you looked at me the same way as all those other 'normal' people did! Like you though I was not worth of your respect! You were ready to push me around and treat me like I'm less of a person! You would love nothing more than to just bury me and forget I ever existed, wouldn't you!? The arrogant look on your eyes and the condescendence on your voice said it all!"

Louis didn't had an answer for that. The hybrid then continued:

"What a wonderful pair of reapers you are! The carnivore who covers himself in blood to keep going and the herbivore who puts others down to feel better about himself!" Legoshi said, glaring at the two. "And yet, everyone loves you two! You are wanted by your peers, all because you are 'normal'! unlike ME!"

Legoshi looked down at his own four hands, one pair covered in fur and the other covered in scales.

"I was born looking like this! I was shunned by all of those who saw how I look! I was never allowed to be around others, and I was treated badly any time I tried! All because I was born different from everyone else!" Legoshi said, tears were leaking from his eyes, but he didn't care. "That was why I retreated on the shadows! Because by hiding in them, I wouldn't have to deal with the hate that people like you throw at me! As if you all thought I was committing a crime just by existing! As if you wanted me to apologize to you just for having been born! I stay in the shadows just so I can avoid your hate, and you still find ways to force me out of it just to suit your fancy! I'm sick and tired of this!"

Legoshi was shaking at this point, his voice starting to break. He fell to his knees.

"Why?" Legoshi said, two of his hands going to his head, grasping the fur of his mane, while he buried his face on the other two hands. "Why do I have to live like this? Why do I have to be treated like this only for looking the way I look? Why do I have to hide like a criminal when I spent all of my life trying to be good? What is even the point of living like this!?"

Tears were flowing freely, as Legoshi lifted his head to look at Louis, who saw the tears running down the hybrid's face.

"What is the joy of living?" Legoshi asked. Louis continued to look at him, caught completely off-guard. The crowd all watched the scene developing, to spellbound to even breathe. The silence was so deep that every single person on the auditorium could hear Louis answer:

"I don't know."

For a long moment, Louis and Legoshi only looked at each other, before the deer snapped out of it, remembering they were still on stage, and proceeded:

"I don't know what is the joy of living. This answer still eludes me sometimes." He said, sounding proper and proud as he said that. "I certainly never expected this quest to come to this... none of us did."

He looked at Legoshi and at Bill, both of which looked back at him.

"But, there is one thing I know." Louis said, turning to look at the hybrid once more. "You cannot live your life by shunning away parts of yourself. By being ashamed of who you are. There is no joy on living like that."

Legoshi looked at the deer, before lowering his face to look at his hands again.

"But, we can all stand proudly." Louis said, "We, all of us, can stand proud before the world. We can finish this and find out our own joy of living. As hard as it may seem."

Louis stepped forward, silently and discreetly beckoning Bill to come as well.

"We can finish this..." Louis said. Legoshi rose his head to see Louis offering a hand to him. "Together."

Bill followed his lead, and he offered a hand to Legoshi as well. Legoshi looked at them for a few moments, seeing the two of them merging and becoming a single, familiar animal who smiled as he offered both hands at him.

Legoshi's eyes finally reverted from vertical slits back into round pupils, and he reached out for their hands with two of his own.

"I..." Legoshi said, tears still running down his cheeks. "I don't think I was made for the light..."

Louis looked at him, and he said:

"Then let's vanish in the shadows together."

Then curtain fell.