An Oddity Among Beasts (BEASTARS)

Reunion Underground

Being outside the school felt different to Alan.

    For the most part, he spent every moment since he enrolled on campus— even weekends. He didn't exactly have a real need to go to the outside world. Even before he came, he rarely ventured into the city. When Louis told him his plan for letting him go out to follow a group of second-year students— in disguise, he was apprehensive at first. He knew the reputations humans had, so he'd likely stick out like a sore thumb even with a disguise on. Not only that but he never really explored the city in the past. He only ever went a few times, and the circumstances were far from good.

    He kept a small distance from the group, consisting of five carnivores. Legosi and Bill were included, surprisingly, though the human should've expected it in hindsight. Apparently, they were going to a meeting for the Meteor Festival. They were all wearing casual clothes as well, Legosi having a red shirt with some jeans and sandals while Bill wore a blue shirt with some pants and sneakers. Alan wore a shirt with a hoodie over it, with gloves to keep his hands hidden and a baseball cap to hide his face. He also wore a pair of sunglasses for good measure, though he doubted it'd be easy to stay hidden when following a group with a canine.

    As he followed, he couldn't help marveling at what the city looked like. Bright buildings towered over him, animals big and small bustling around at a pace that nearly made him dizzy. There were a few instances where he nearly lost the group but managed to catch up swiftly. It wasn't until after the meeting that he realized the group was veering off-track, going to the city center instead of back to school. A pang of anxiety pooled in his gut as they wound their way down a plaza.

    He looked to the sky in an effort to push it down, blinking at the birds flying above him. They looked so free, casual even. As he looked around more, he could see adults acting casual around each other— even carnivores and herbivores! It was almost hard to believe that predations were happening in a place like this. If he were being honest, he wished for it to be like this. No death, no fear, no tension. Just animals living their lives alongside one another, regardless of what they are.

But he knew it was only a fantasy.

~~*~~

    The group decided to stop at a fast-food place, which was just fine for Alan. All the walking around he was doing made him hungry, and he hoped to be able to eat something not made in a school cafeteria (as good as it was). He waited a few minutes after the group to go in himself, getting his order and taking a seat a little ways from their table. The cashier was slightly weirded out by his attire, but a quick shift of the sunglasses combined with a well-placed wink made the reason clear. A few glances were sent his way, but he ignored them because of how much he was enjoying his city meal.

    The human couldn't help glancing at the group as they ate and talked. Bill seemed to be the most talkative, which wasn't really a surprise considering his personality. Legosi seemed uncomfortable with whatever the tiger was talking about, sipping his drink with a focus that one would most likely never need for something so mundane. Bill seemed more friendly with him, patting his back jokingly as if they were buds. Maybe it was just the atmosphere of being in the city? Alan had to admit, he did feel better outside of school.

Everything he felt before seemed to be suppressed, replaced by this general warmth inside him. The anxiety of knowing his secret was out, the anger towards Will and himself, the guilt of scratching Todd. They didn't matter at the moment, seemingly turned to dust and blown away. If he were being honest, he felt a bit of envy for carnivores like Bill. They had strength, pride, and they acted as if it were normal for them. He only had parts of that, others being a mix of conflicting emotions and beliefs that he didn't even know the meaning of. What would he be like if he were born a pure carnivore?