Omnipresence
[The scene opens with a hallway, lockers on either side, dimly lit with the roof's lights fluctuating in brightness, buzzing and flickering. The echo of footsteps breaks the silence of the corridor, cutting to a pair of legs walking down the hall, a lone figure in the empty space. The view from behind views that of a tall lupine figure, silhouetted through the dim hallway. It switches to a frontal view as the camera pans up the slacks to a uniform top and finally reveals Legosi in full, walking aimlessly through the hall as his shoes are the only noise heard throughout the area. The lights above the cyan-furred wolf flicker on and off as he looks up…he stops in place as the corridor becomes silent…that is until another set of footsteps can be heard…Legosi is frozen in place as he slowly looks back]
Legosi: …Hello?
[The only thing that comes back is the wolf's echo and the footsteps continuing. That is until he sees the silhouette of another person at the far end of the hallway. Legosi pauses abruptly]
Legosi: H-Hello?!
[The figure doesn't move…a light flashes above them, revealing their back. Legosi holds his tongue as the appearance is oddly familiar, a golden hue with spots on its back, and tall brown antlers atop its head…the figure's head turns at a 180 rotation, practically like an owl with a mask covering its mouth…Legosi's body runs cold as the figure stares at him]
Legosi: M…Melon…?
[The gazelle-leopard hybrid has now fully turned around, and a black mask is covering their mouth…they slowly pull it down…a twisted, sinister grin morphs across their face]
Melon: Legosi…you can't run away from me…
Legosi: …S-Stay back!
Melon: You and me…have some unfinished business…
Legosi: We…We have nothing left between us! You don't have anything left!
Melon: Oh…is that so…? Because…neither do you…if I can't have what you do…then you won't have it either…
Legosi: Wh…What the hell are you talking about?!
Melon: Hmmhmmhmhmhmhmhm, how about I show you…?
[Melon snaps his fingers and from behind him, several figures pop up on death beds, covered up by blankets with their feet sticking out and a tag on their toes. Legosi stares at the spectacle aghast]
Legosi: Aaaah…what…what did you-
Melon: The same thing I've done with everyone else who's crossed my path…they needed to be shown their place and so…they fell into my pocket…one by one, their bodies dropped, hmmhmmhmm, truly a beautiful sight…[sighs] All these perfect specimen…lucky to be born with normalcy…not like us…you know...as a hybrid, it's not easy to 'fit in' with society…they treat us like the lowest form of trash and then leave us for dead…I would know, so I did the deed before they could…sooooooo satisfying were the bloodcurdling screams as I ripped into their very beings…unable to beg for mercy as their lives flashed before their eyes…and yet, change never came my way…in that case…I'll just have to keep…tck, adding more to the pile…
Legosi: And what does that have to do with me?
Melon: Well…do any of these faces look familiar to you?
Legosi: What…?
[As if on cue, the covers pull away, revealing the heads of the victims…Legosi's eyes widen as he sees their faces; Louis, Haru, Juno, Jack, Bill, Pina, Tao, Kibi…all with their eyes blacked out and their mouths open]
Legosi: Wha…What did you-
Melon: Peaceful, aren't they…no longer needing to fear for their lives…because I've taken the lights out of them…tsk, tsk, such fools, they were all destined for failure…pride…lust…greed…envy…wrath…sloth…such is the fate for those born with privilege…not like us…
Legosi: …What do you mean 'us'?
Melon: Well, let's have a little think about that…you and I are hybrids…I'm a cross between gazelle and a leopard and you're a wolf with Komodo blood in you…we could make something beautiful together, you and I…ridding the world of those that have wronged our kind…treated us like scum from birth, and relishing in our deserved vengeance…
Legosi: Melon, I…no, NO! I refuse to comply with your sick ideals! Your plan is bullshit!
Melon: Oh, is it now…well, that sucks for you, doesn't it…because…if you won't join me…then, you'll have to join them…hmmhmmhmm, the sound of your screams would be music to my ears…if I were a musician, I'd compose everyone I've heard into a note sheet.
Legosi: Well…consider me out of your plans then, because I will never join you…
Melon: Oh, what a pity…so, the noble wolf falls like the rest…from my evil bitch of a mother to the hapless patients to you…well…let's just say I came prepared…
[Melon takes his right hand from behind and produces a syringe needle]
Melon: Hooooooo, what a shame…we could both get what we want…but…some people wanna do it the hard way…
Legosi: S-Stay back! I'm warning you!
Melon: Hehe, and where are you gonna go…don't you know you can't escape me…
[Melon's voice distorts as his eyes become spirals, blood begins to drip from his mouth and Legosi feels the whole room starting to spin around. Legosi's eyes spin as the room keeps going around and around and around and around before he tries to run away, the hallway becoming a flashing display of lights. At one point, a figure resembling Riz appears, first in his normal appearance, and then in a flash in his feral state, reaching out for Legosi's neck]
Legosi: Gah!
[Another flash shows Chief Lion pointing a pistol in the lupine's direction. A shot goes off as Legosi continues to run down the spiraling corridor, looking all around for a way out]
"There's no escape…no escape…"
[Legosi finds himself seeing flashes of past events, from clutching onto Haru, his duel with Bill on stage, Kibi's arms being ripped off, Tao's look of pure terror, Riz attacking him in the shower room, Louis commanding him to rid him of his mark before it cuts to Melon's face, smiling wide and venomous as he morphs into Legosi staring back at himself]
"Aren't you tired of being nice…don't you wanna go apeshit?"
["Legosi" opens his mouth revealing his sharp teeth as his eyes glow red]
Legosi: Guh!
[Legosi finds himself in bed, breathing heavily as he looks anxiously around the room]
Legosi: Huh…huh…not again…
[The cyan wolf sighs as he lays back down on the pillow and tries to go back to sleep, the shot panning over to the clock reading 4:36…it transitions to it reading 8:59 before it goes to 9:00 sounding the alarm to wake Legosi up…the lupine slowly opens his eyes and sighs]
Legosi: [yawns] Getting up…never easy, is it?
[Legosi slowly pulls himself out of bed and sits on the mattress as he puts his fingers between his eyes]
Legosi: God, that same dream…why is it that whenever I try to move on from traumatic events, it always follows me…? Can I never have a moment of peace?
[The scene cuts to Legosi having changed into his casual attire and setting out onto the street. As he walks along, passing by Raven and Starfire, he concentrates on the concrete sidewalk and how it seems to stretch on for ages…as he looks ahead, he notices the path stretching far off into the distance]
Legosi: What the…?
[The lupine's vision morphs into that of the dream he had last night, the endless hallway before the visuals of Chief Lion, Riz, and Melon replay in his head]
Legosi: No! GET OUT!
?: Are you alright?
Legosi: HUH?!
[The visuals cease as it transitions to Duchess looking at Legosi with concern]
Duchess: Is everything alright?
Legosi: I…I, sorry, I just…thought I saw something…
[Legosi proceeds to speedwalk to avoid the awkwardness of the situation]
Duchess: He didn't look too good…
[Legosi passes by Angelina and Tiger walking in the opposite direction and stops next to a lamppost]
Legosi: Oh, god, why did I do that…? I just can't stop thinking about that damn dream…and it's not the first time…
[Legosi closes his eyes as he leans against the lamppost…and his expression becomes more anxious as he hears the sounds of his dream replaying in his head]
Legosi: Uh…errrrr…
[A shrill whistle shocks him out of his distracted state as Spencer passes over the crossing, with Nicole, Homura, Madoka, Choo-Choo, Fancy-Fancy, Ding, and Silver ready to cross over to the other side. Legosi sighs as he tries to walk alongside the other in a normal fashion]
Legosi: [thinking] I need to speak with someone…I wonder if Louis has been having the same dreams…that's an odd thing to wish…no, no, not like that…oh, I talk to myself too much…
[As luck would have it, Louis is sitting down on a bench, drinking a cup of coffee while silently looking down at a book]
Louis: Hmmmm…
[The deer briefly looks up…and then looks up again to see Legosi approaching him]
Louis: He's got that look in his eye…
Legosi: Oh, Louis, thank God I found you.
Louis: Hmph, not surprising, you come to me quite often when you get all emotional.
Legosi: Still as blunt as ever, I see.
Louis: It's a knack…so, I take it you have business to discuss?
Legosi: Uh…yeah…
Louis: Hmm…sit down.
[Legosi sits on the right side of the bench as Louis shifts to make room for him]
Louis: Right then, care to explain your appearance? You look as if you've not been sleeping.
Legosi: Weeeeeell, that's kind of the reason I wanted to speak with you. But tell me if this sounds awkward.
Louis: Very well, proceed.
Legosi: Okay, so…I've been having these…dreams lately, and I don't know what they mean.
Louis: And what's in these dreams?
Legosi: Well…I find myself in this hallway and then I see Melon, and then I see all these dead bodies and relapses of the past…you were among the dead…
Louis: …
Legosi: …Louis?
Louis: …Have you considered the effects of PTSD?
Legosi: Well…perhaps that's it, I mean, we've gone through enough trauma to last a lifetime…
Louis: Speaking of which…I seem to be having similar instances…
Legosi: Wait, really?
Louis: You know where I came from, don't you?
Legosi: Um…yes? I think you told me it was…
Louis: The market…I've been seeing myself back there…back in the chains, behind those bars…that damn mark on my foot…only this time…the cell was larger, and I wasn't alone in it…
[The background behind Louis changes as he speaks, transitioning from the city to the silhouettes of bars in front of him against a dark brown wall]
…There were others around me, hanging on the walls like fresh meat, their bodies so starved you could see their bones…for something all in my head, it felt like I was reliving my past, only there was no one to take me this time…
[Several decrepit bodies hang on the walls, their mouths open and their eyes blacked out, all while Louis is bounded by his own chains]
And then I saw something in the cell right across from me…whatever it was, its eyes glowed red…I felt as if the gaze could melt right through the bars…and then…
[Louis pauses as the background returns to normal]
Legosi: …And then?
Louis: It's…hard to say…something grabbed me from behind and pulled me through the wall…and when I looked down, there were two arms on either side of me…one brown and one golden…
Legosi: Oh…what do you think it means?
Louis: …I think our past is catching up with us…and even when we think we've left it behind, we'll never truly escape it…
Legosi: …Perhaps. I just wish…I could…
Louis: I know I'm not one for sentiment, but…[sighs]...if this continues, I'll be a shoulder to lean on…
Legosi: And I'll do the same for you?
Louis: Don't get cocky, I don't break as easily as you do.
Legosi: Well, not unless you get all aggressive.
Louis: Which is only reserved for necessary circumstance…
Legosi: …You know, I'm not sure if I say it enough, but I do appreciate your company. This might sound corny to you, but I really do mean it.
Louis: Hmmm…well, someone has to keep you in check, don't they?
Legosi: Much as someone needs to keep you from going off the deep end.
Louis: …Touche.
Legosi: Even so, I just want a decent night's sleep, I'd rather not see repeat horror whenever I shut my eyes…perhaps…
Louis: What are you looking at me for…?
Legosi: …Louis, may I sleep over at your place?
[Louis visibly pauses mid-drinking as if Legosi had asked him a really stupid question]
Louis: Excuse me?
Legosi: I just want to see if anything changes sleeping next to another person.
Louis: That's an odd thing to ask someone. And why me in particular, I'm sure Haru or Jack would take the offer in an instant.
Legosi: Well, I can't exactly ask Haru for the same reason you wouldn't ask Juno.
Louis: Oh…I suppose there's that. Then again, I wouldn't have asked her anyway.
Legosi: Plus, Jack messaged me saying he'll be in Amber until tomorrow, so you're my closest bet.
Louis: I see…
Legosi: You seem oddly hesitant.
Louis: Nonsense, you can stay as you wish.
[Louis closes his eyes]
Louis: [thinking] "Goddamnit, you'd better not freak."
[The scene cuts to Bill recounting a story to Tao, Kibi, and Pina, all having sat down at a cafe while Beryl and Nehelenia sit at one table, Brain and Spook sit at another, and then another is occupied by Sayaka, Kyoko, and Mami. Jenny and Ace pass by the cafe as he speaks]
Tao: And what did she say?
Bill: Well, she told me I was the Paris Hilton of the Drama Class…women are hard to please sometimes.
Pina: Or you're just bad at pick-up lines.
Bill: Oh, really? And this is coming from you; the king of cads.
Pina: And yet, I've reportedly gotten more action than you…unless you count the shower room.
Bill: Christ, you're a horny bastard.
Pina: Hmmhmmhmm, I try.
Kibi: Before we delve into Pina's fantasies, how about we shift to something a little less inappropriate?
Pina: Why yes, how about the fact you've been recovering better than I expected? Can you still feel in those arms?
Kibi: Ah well, just a few stitches were required, nothing too serious.
Tao: [nervously] Yeeeeeah, hehe, all good now…
Pina: It surprises me, really. The lengths which medical science has reached these days.
Tao: That's nice, real nice, can we move on from this topic?
Pina: What's got you so anxious?
Bill: You know he doesn't like being reminded of "that".
Tao: [murmuring] It, it was an accident, just an accident, I didn't mean it, I'd never-
[The background darkens as Tao has a mental relapse of the "incident" between him and Kibi]
Kibi: Tao? Tao?
[The background reverts to normal as Tao suddenly comes back into reality]
Tao: Wha-huh?
Kibi: You kinda blacked out there for a moment.
Tao: Oh…I see…sorry, I just…never mind, it's not important.
Pina: Hmm…in that case, I suppose I should apologize for bringing up any bad blood between us, and…oh, that was probably a poor choice of words.
Tao: Uhhhhhh…
Kibi: Tao, are you alright?
Tao: I…I need to go, right now!
[The black panther abruptly gets up from his seat]
Bill: Wha, hold on!
Pina: What are you-
[Before anyone can say anything else, Tao quickly leaves the table, passing in between Hershey and Lupe]
Kibi: Wait! Tao-ooooh…excuse me, you two.
[Kibi gets up from his table and goes after Tao, leaving Bill and Pina at a loss for words]
Pina: …Well, that was rather unexpected.
Bill: Great, ya' scared him off.
Pina: I said I was sorry. You heard it.
[At that moment, Legosi and Louis pass by the cafe and stop before the tiger and sheep]
Louis: How ironic, we just saw Tao and Kibi rush by just now. Was it any of your doing?
Bill: Don't look at me.
Pina: Hmmm, guilty as charged, though it wasn't for my own pleasure.
Legosi: And I thought making people run away was Bill's job.
Bill: Watch it, Legosi.
Louis: Yes, I don't want to have to break up another fight between you two, need I remind you of what happened the last time?
[Legosi and Bill sweatdrop as they remember the aftermath of their fight on stage, Louis had given them a lashing they'd never forget]
Legosi: Uhhhhhhh…
Bill: Yeeeeeeah…
Legosi: [clears throat] Anyway, besides that, how are things?
Bill: Not sure if "sunny" is the right word, but I suppose in typical fashion, things were calm and then they escalated…happens a lot with us.
Pina: My, my, Legosi, you look-
Legosi: Like I haven't slept for days, I know. It's just a lot of background noise in my head at the moment.
Bill: Like what? Had one too many rabbit fantasies come back to haunt you?
Legosi: Not as many sheep fantasies for you, I'm sure.
Bill: Eh!
Pina: Ooooooooh.
Bill: You're an ass.
Legosi: You're a bigger one.
Bill: I've got a bigger one. You need to catch up back there.
Louis: Mind not humoring Pina's fantasies?
Pina: Oh, nonono, keep talking, I wanna savor this.
Legosi: [sighs] Well, good to see you two haven't changed much.
Bill: Heh, same here…get better soon, won't you?
Legosi: Yeeeeah…well, I suppose I can appreciate that…
[The scene cuts to later in the day as Legosi and Louis are seen walking down the street, passing by Galaxia, Honest John, and Gideon walking in the opposite direction, while Johnny leans against a wall with a toothpick on the side of his mouth]
Legosi: You know, I like the streets at dusk…
Louis: I prefer the daytime, as I've heard, there's less of a risk for someone to jump you…
Legosi: Yeeeeeeah, funny that, hehe, ehhhhhh…EH!
Louis: What?
[Legosi points to the other end of the street as Haru and Juno are seen walking together]
Juno: It wasn't that I thought myself inadequate for the position, I just didn't like the company I'd be working with.
Haru: I suppose it's not hard to see why when appearances are such an important factor.
Juno: Well, I just want people to recognize me for my ideas, not just for my looks, is that so hard to accomplish?
Haru: At the very least, I've not heard any tell of you needing to strip down for a group of horny old men.
Juno: Oh right, didn't yoooooooou…never mind.
Haru: Yeah, it wasn't pleasant, to say the least…but at least the ringleader got shot through the head, so I got something good out of it.
Juno: Oh, look, it's the man himself.
Haru: Pardon?
[Juno points and Haru looks in said direction, seeing Legosi and Louis on the other side of the street as Sayaka, Kyoko, and Mami pass by them]
Haru: Oh…
Legosi: Heeeeey…
Haru: …Well, you seem to be doing alright.
Legosi: Yeah…never better, hehe, heeeeeh…
Louis: And I see you're doing well, aren't you?
Juno: Oh, me? Of course I am, thank you for noticing.
[From behind Juno and Haru, Nick and Judy pass by and the fox puts his paw in a whispering gesture to the grey rabbit]
Nick: Talk about a real awkward situation.
[Judy gives Nick a coy nudge]
Judy: Stop it, you're being rude.
Legosi: I see you two have been getting along.
Haru: Well, it's the better alternative to being at each other's throats.
Louis: Or in some cases, each other's mouths, isn't that right, Legosi?
Legosi: [blushes] Uh, yeeeeah…
Juno: So, you two had any brushes with disaster lately?
Legosi: Physically, no. Mentally, yes.
Haru: I see…
Legosi: Then again, I suppose it's nothing new to us…well, most of us, you could say…I wonder how Jack's getting on…
[The scene cuts to the door of a changing room being open as Jack steps out of it]
Jack: [sighs] I hope this works…
[The Labrador passes through the hallway before coming to the main entrance. On the other side is a hot spring with steam covering the area, a small waterfall pours down into one of the pools, while several rocks hang above the water around the pools]
Jack: Well, it looks peaceful enough…time to take a dip…
[The canine dips his toes inside of the water, shuddering as the sudden warmth shoots up his body, but he gradually eases into the pool]
Jack: Oh, ooooh…haaaaaaa…that's nice…
[Jack closes his eyes as he lets the warmth spread around him, his mind begins to drift, thinking back to Legosi…a still from their past appears, showing the two in their youth before it cuts back to reality]
Jack: Hmmm…I should have brought you along…you're always so tense lately…or am I being too needy…?
[Jack looks around to see if anyone is listening in. Nearby, Akela is sitting on one end of a pool while Robin and Beast Boy are sitting on the side of another, Cyborg nearby resting on one of the deck chairs. Further right, Dongwa is resting in one of the pools while Ronno comes up behind him]
Jack: Ah…still would have been nice to have some company…I really should help him more often…I hope he's doing alright…
[The steam in the air swirls upward into the sky as it cuts to nightfall. By this point, everyone has gone to bed, including Legosi and Louis who are sleeping on opposite sides. The wolf begins to stir as his expression becomes anxious]
Legosi: Hmm…errrr…
[The shot focuses in on one of Legosi's eyes as he continues to mumble in his sleep…until it opens and he finds himself walking through the same hallway as before…his shoes echoing around the walls and lockers and the lights flickering above him]
Louis: Hmmmm…
[Louis looks behind to hear Legosi's mumbling. The scene then cuts back to the dreamscape as Legosi continues to walk down the path before one of the doors to his left opens…he pauses as he turns his head to look into it…in a flash, Chief Lion appears in the doorway, holding a pistol and aiming at the lupine's mouth. Legosi immediately runs off as a shot is fired…another door opens on his right…Riz appears with a calm expression…that once innocent face and that smile only makes Legosi feel uneasy…the brown bear offers a paw to the lupine…only for his claws to unsheathe…and tears begin to trickle down his face as it morphs into that of his feral state]
Legosi: Guh!
[Legosi's unconscious body becomes tenser before Louis reaches a paw to his back. Back in the dream world, Legosi's feet are shown running as fast as they can through all the twists and turns in the hallway. He finally stops to see if anyone is following him…as the lupine turns around, Melon appears in front of him, causing Legosi to freeze in place. His eyes stare back into the gazelle-leopard hybrid's as he holds the syringe in hand…the background becomes darker and darker…until suddenly, Legosi feels something behind him…only this time, it's not unpleasant…in reality, Louis wraps his arms around Legosi in a tender fashion…the lupine's uneasy breathes begin to subside as he starts to relax…cutting back to the dream realm, Legosi gives a sigh of relief before it transitions back into reality…the lupine opens his eyes gingerly and looks back to see Louis holding him]
Legosi: …Thank you.
Louis: Hmm? Uh…[sighs]...of course…and you're welcome…
[Legosi closes his eyes once more as he feels more comfortable than before, Louis closes his eyes as well taking in the lupine's soft fur…for a moment, all is peaceful between the two…that is until a shadow from outside the window moves…as it cuts back inside of the bedroom, the shot hovers over the sleeping wolf and deer…before the background darkens around them and the two are sent spiraling into a vortex of shadows, going around, and around, and around…]
Tao: Guh!
[Tao stands up abruptly, his eyes darting around…a POV shot searches around his room before it cuts back to the black panther putting a paw on his forehead]
Tao: [sighs] I need help…
Character Guide:
Legosi, Louis, Haru, Juno, Jack, Bill, Pina, Tao, Kibi, Melon, Riz, Ibuki, Oguma, Chief Lion - Beastars
Duchess - The Aristocats (1970)
Nick Wilde, Judy Hopps - Zootopia (2016)
Ace Hart - Dog City
Akela - The Jungle Book (1967)
Angelina Mouseling - Angelina Ballerina (2002)
Choo-Choo, Fancy-Fancy, Spook, Brain - Top Cat
Ding-a-Ling Wolf - Hokey Wolf
Dongwa Miao - Sagwa the Chinese Siamese Cat
Homura Akemi, Madoka Kaname, Sayaka Miki, Kyoko Sakura, Mami Tomoe - Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Honest John, Gideon - Pinnochio (1940)
Jenny Wakeman - My Life as a Teenage Robot
Johnny Bravo - Johnny Bravo
Queen Beryl, Queen Nehelenia, Galaxia - Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Robin, Beast Boy, Raven, Starfire, Cyborg - Teen Titans
Ronno - Bambi (1942)/Bambi II (2006)
Silver the Hedgehog, Nicole the Lynx, Lupe the Wolf, Hershey the Cat - Sonic the Hedgehog
Tiger - An American Tail (1986)
Spencer - Thomas and Friends