An Oddity Among Beasts (BEASTARS)

To Tempt Fate

The day had arrived, and the stage was set.

Alan had a hard time getting a seat near the front, but managed to find one quickly. Todd had to try and get a good picture of Louis as Adler, so he went a bit farther back to get an angle. The auditorium was bustling with excitement, many of the first-years whispering to themselves about Louis and his popularity. A few even spotted Alan and asked him some questions, which he didn't mind.

The human was excited to see the play. If the rehearsal he walked in on was good, then the real deal will be something to behold. Soon enough, it started and Louis ran to the stage. His costume flapped behind him, the skull mask sealing his face away from the audience. Alan saw him falter slightly, but he didn't seem to care. He still had that power in his movement, his voice, and his stance.

Alan couldn't stop watching, enamored by just how well Louis played the role. The fierce and unwavering reaper, guarding a soul he must claim from other forces. Everything he did carried that same aura he usually held, but felt as if he were carrying a heavy weight on his shoulders. Could it be the audience? How he's seen at school? The role of Adler himself?

    He kept going right to the end, holding the girl in his arms as she departed from the living world. He wanted to be with her, but he had a duty as the reaper. Alan noticed something as Louis looked up: his head kept going back, his body as well. The curtain was already going down as everyone began to clap. Even from far away, the human could tell something was wrong.

He was out the doors before anyone could notice.

~~*~~

"Man, why is it so hard navigating this place?!", Alan said in frustration as he walked down the hall.

    He knew something happened to Louis, so the infirmary was the first place to check. However, he still didn't have a full grasp on the campus setup yet, so finding it was easier said than done. He was more worried about the next performance than Louis' well-being. The deer was stubborn, he knew that, but he was more than capable of taking care of himself. If something did happen to him, though, what'll happen in the next performance? Who will take the lead role?

He had just rounded the corner when he bumped into Legosi, along with some of the other club members.

"Hey, I was just looking for you guys. Did something happen?", he asked worriedly.

"Yeah...", Legosi said. "Louis fell unconscious once the play ended. Turns out, he fractured his foot."

"Well, what about the next show?"

Bill spoke up next, "I'm replacing Louis in Adler's role. I'm kind of worried, but it's still exciting!"

Alan had to smile at the tiger's usual attitude, "That's great. Where is he now?"

They managed to point the human to the infirmary, Alan making his way there quickly and slipping inside. Louis didn't seem to notice him, gaze down and most likely thinking to himself. He couldn't help smiling a bit, seeing the deer still holding that force he held every day. Even now, in a state like this, he kept the mask on.

"Y'know, I would've half-expected you to be relaxing, but another part of me knows you're not that type.", he said, watching Louis snap his gaze to him before calming down.

"I'm just worried about tomorrow's performance, since I won't be participating.", the deer said. "Did you enjoy it?"

Alan smirked, "It was amazing, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried about you when I saw you faint."

He turned away almost angrily. That only made the human's smirk widen. The mask was slipping, albeit slightly. He had observed Louis a bit more while he was in the club, how he always had that dignified and delegating aura about him. He wasn't a fool, though, Alan knew that. He knew what he was getting into, and he made the choice to do it.

"But...", he crossed his arms. "I think I understand you a bit more."

The deer turned his head slightly, "What do you mean?"

"You went in anyway, despite your injury. It was because of the performance, for the first-years. They came to see you take the stage as a reaper, a powerful force of nature. Not to mention your status as the most popular student, as well. If you were to get injured, what would they think?"

Louis gave him a scrutinizing look, "So you think I kept going out of ego? Is that it?"

A small frown crossed his lips, "No, not completely. Having an ego is natural. It just means you're confident, no one can fault you for that."

"Then why do you think I kept going?"

He looked around for a second, "I'm going to be honest with you. This world we live in—of carnivores and herbivores, I despise it."

The deer blinked, not expecting the sudden change in tone.

"You do too, and that's why you kept going.", he looked at him with an unreadable expression. "You don't like being branded as weak. In this world, you're either a feeble herbivore or a dangerous carnivore..."

He held his hands out and looked down at them, "The only way to break that is to be human, but that won't solve the issues of society."

They were silent for a moment before Louis spoke up, "Alan...what are your goals?"

"I don't know, to be honest.", he shrugged. "I spent most of my life among humans. Even then, I heard predation stories as I grew up. I never even went to the city until..."

He trailed off, "My point is...you don't want to be branded by your species. You want to be seen as more than just a herbivore."

Louis just stared at him for a moment, "Then what about you? Why do you hate this world if you live on the line between species?"

He looked down, "I refuse to be complacent. I don't want to smile through the tolls and live my life like nothing bad happens, that's just ignorant! If I'm going to live in this world, I want to see it for what it is—not through some fantasy!"

"But...", he looked the deer in the eyes, "I still believed what you said when you got that award. I want there to be prosperity between the two, not fear because of these primal urges deep inside."

Louis smiled slightly after a moment, "You surprise me, Alan. Even as a first-year, you seem to think more than you let on. Have you ever thought about becoming the Beastar?"

He blinked, "I read up on them, but I don't know about it. I do want to change this world, but becoming the Beastar..."

"I get it. It's not something to take lightly— even as a first-year. You already have attention because you're human, so it probably wouldn't take long for you to reach my level."

Alan smirked, "So you're afraid of me?"

"What is there to be afraid of?", Louis returned the smirk. "You're obviously not interested, so I can say my status is secure."

"Sure...", he chuckled before starting to the door. "But I will change this world, I'm just not sure how."