Hello readers! I am back with another chapter of this story, and the one I have been waiting to post for quite a while. I was difficult for me to find the correct wording of this chapter, so it took me some time to get it out. However, it is now done!

To Fireforrest, the wonderful writer of the story 'Beastars the forgotten one', I have to say thank you for the compliment about my story as well as answering my question regarding your character. To those who haven't read it or have not read it fully, I recommend reading their story. It is a very good read in my opinion.

Now on to the chapter that will begin with the first major change in canon! Roll out!

Chapter 12: Revolution

Bill was sweating.

This was suppose to be his chance to shine, to impress the crowds with his amazing acting, and sway the hearts of the audience. To show that Louis wasn't the only one who could play the lead and make everyone love him. He was a strong carnivore, and a proud Bengal at that! It shouldn't be too difficult to do what Louis does. He was a deer after all, and if a herbivore could do it, than a he could easily.

But as soon as he had stepped forward onto the stage, the eyes all focused down on him. He felt their presence on his face, back, arms, and even directly into his own eyes. They scrutinized him, judging him for his worth, even as he danced through his lines, and carried on the role of the Adler. Before he could even finish out his first declarations at the Reaper, he felt himself heating up, the pressure on him growing with every moment.

And the audience, they were not fawning over him. They were skeptical, unimpressed. They whispered to one another, about the fact that he was not the 'illustrious' Louis. He attempted to push through his lines, trying to add more bravado to his performance, but it wasn't good enough. The thousands on eyes on him felt as though they were piercing through to his very core.

He was very glad that he had doped up before the performance, otherwise he didn't think he could get as far as he had. His legs felt like jelly, his arms were heavy, and his knees were weak. He strengthened his resolve as best he could, looking to the audience.

"It is time for us to part, Ellen." He belted out, his words echoing through the crowd. It made his words feel even more empty, but he grit his teeth. "This is my decision. I choose where to die, myself." He stated loudly, but even as Ellen ran off the stage, he received no applause. No awe from the audience, who all but gasped and inched in their seats the night before from those very same words.

"L-Legos- oi, wait? Who are..." The voices off the side of the curtains pulled at his ears. He slowly rotated around to the other side of the stage, looking to where his final opponent would be. He took in a deep breath, ready to thrash the grey wolf and get to the final scene of the play.

His eyes widened in shock.

The tattered cape flowed behind the figure, the maroon color very similar to the bright crimson he himself wore. The white shirt was ripped down the middle exposing the top of their fur-less chest. His pants were wrinkled, only dropping to where it touched at his ankles before tapering off. His feet were exposing, making soft groans against the wooden floors of the stage.

His hair was wild, like that of an unquenchable fire. Dark brown locks shot in every which way, wrapping around the smooth features of the enemy. The right side of his face was concealed by a torn bandage, but despite that, both his manic eyes were exposed, a thin smile drawn on his face.

He dragged the sword behind him, the sound of the prop clattering against every slight bump on his path forward. The noise attracted people to the side of the stage, where they found themselves staring at a hideous and intimidating villain.

Bill shook his head. He had to keep going with the play, even with the unexpected change up. "So, you are my last evil?" He asked the figure, his words clear as he thrust his sword to his front in preparation for the fight.

The villain stopped, his eyes drawing up slowly over the form of the Adler.

Then he laughed.

It was cold, lifeless, and each cackle reverberated through the audience, who now found themselves looking to the villain in confusion. The laughter however changes very quickly, transforming from that of empty humor to insanity and unkempt temptation. The villain's eyes were opened fully as he wretched his blade forward, pointing it at the Adler.

His laughter ceased, the echoes bouncing through the room for a few more moments before he tilted his head at the Adler across from him. "Evil...how naive." He spoke coldly, his projection clear as ice.

Bill looked at the fire villain with confusion before prepping himself for combat. "Great Zaga, Spirit of Fire, you will not defeat me. For I am the Reaper, and my death will be of my own terms!"

The villain stalked to the edge of the stage, his foot trailing very close to the edge before he twisted around the Adler. "Evil. How can you claim to face such when it is within you?" He asked the tiger, who made a noise in his throat. The Adler's eyes tracked to behind the curtains, where Sheila and Sanu were looking at him with equal confusion. "I came here to face the Reaper, not that of hypocrisy and lies." The villain spoke darkly.

The Adler shifted his blade. "I am the Reaper." He tried confidently.

"Heh...heh heh, heh ha ha Ha HA HA HAA HAAAAAAA!" The villain laughed wildly, facing the Adler, his blade poised. "Then prove it to me!" He demanded, charging forward.

The Adler swung down on the opponent, the fire villain blocking the blow with the his own blade. "Play along, Legosi couldn't do it." He whispered to the tiger before kicking him in the chest, knocking him back a step. The villain took the advantage, using the extra space to swing at the Adler's side, who blocked in the nick of time before swinging his blade out, knocking his opponent's attack back and leaving him exposed. Swinging down once more, the villain dodged out of the way, pulling himself to his feet before striking at the side of the Adler.

Bill didn't have any idea why the new weirdo was on the stage, let alone fighting him in a sword fight during the play, but he couldn't say anything, lest the audience find out this was not planned. He stabbed forward with heavy force, only for the thinner opponent to step in close, avoiding his attack and hitting him in the back with the pommel of the blade. The Adler stumbled forward, swinging around to face his enemy.

"Your words, you actions, your power. They do not meet what I expected." The voice sounded creepy, like the creature was halfway to madness. "In the times of death, everyone shows who they truly are, so please, " He swung his blade up with a cackle. "Let me see who you are, under what you're pretending to be!" And with that, the villain charged forward once more.

Bill made a wide swing, managing to catch the side of his opponent, but it seemed that adrenaline wasn't only affecting him in this fight. His opponent rolled behind the Adler, and before he could do anything, he felt a foot stomp into the back of his knee, dropping him to a kneel. Raised his sword to block, but with his lack of stable stance, he was sent to the ground by the power put behind the blade.

"I see but empty truths and full deceit before me. A Reaper with true spirit could best the flames of life with little hesitation." He whispered loudly, his hissing shooting into the crowd. The Adler got up from the floor, his stance towards his opponent, but his eyes drifting towards the audience.

He saw interest. The normal stares of slight disappointment and lack of enjoyment were replaced with surprise. With genuine curiosity in the performance. Many were leaning forward, and animals were whispering. There was buzz within the crowds.

And what seemed to strike at Bill was the fact that it was pointed towards the villain.

Brandishing his blade, his leveled his footing, standing confident on the stage. "The fires of torment will never be enough to make me falter, hideous beast." The Adler shot back at the fire villain. "My blade will strike true, and vanquish my enemies in protection of Ellen."

The villain swung his blade around lazily. He caught the blade, his body going rigid. "You have already faltered!" The monster barked at the Adler, his eyes shooting to the crimson draped warrior across from him. "And you blade will not be enough! Discipline, Order, Unwavering Power!" He yelled, charging at his opponent. "If you really are the Reaper, then you require that which you clearly don't have!"

The blades clashed, the two figures glaring at each other on the stage. The villain pushed back before slipping under the side of the tiger. As he shot around the side of the larger opponent, the a hand slamming into his side. He countered with a heavy cross to his opponent's face. The neck of the Alder craned back from the blow, his eyes widening in surprise as the straps came loose on his head.

The mask was sent flying back to the curtain's edge, which seemed to put the Adler into more anger. His eyes glared a hole into his opponent. A boot stomped into the villain's chest, knocking him back, but the mad creature glared at his opponent, his body full of wild energy.

The now mask-less Adler roared, charging down against his opponent. Not seeing enough time, the villain stood back on his feet, bracing his blade in front of himself as the opposing sword shot down onto his form. The crowd cried out at the heavy blows, which seemed to be enveloping the performance. The Adler pushed down with his doped up strength, but his opponent was using everything in his power to stand as strong as possible in the fight. They pushed against one another, the metal of their blades shaking with the pressure they were applying.

"You are no Reaper!" The villain yelled. The Adler roared out in fury, pushing forward and forcing his opponent back.

*Shatter*

He fell back to the floor, the metal flying over his shoulder. The fire villain stared down at his broken blade with surprise, but the moment only lasted a moment before he was sent flying.

The audience gasped at the uppercut, which shot the villain away from the defaced Adler. As if flying through the air in slow motion, everyone's eyes followed his journey and rotation as he went up then quickly back down. He was sent rolling, his body flopping every which was as he cascaded across the stage, his body stopping to a dead halt on the other side of the stage. Everyone watching leaned forward, the lights splitting up, one focusing on the Adler, the other on the villain.

Bill stared at the downed form of his opponent with shock, his breathing heavy from the aftermath of the fight. His hands were so sweaty, making it hard to grip his blade. He hoped he hadn't gone too far with that hook, he was just getting really upset by the words that the weird guy kept saying to him. Even if he was acting, Bill might have been taking it a bit too seriously.

He didn't even know why he was fighting this freak-show? What was going on in the play?

A hand shot up from the ground, surprising most including Bill. It slapped down onto the floor of the stage, only for a second to follow. The crowd seemed to whisper in excitement as the villain's knee shot up as well, his whole body twisting up slowly and unraveling from the cold wood and looking to the Adler.

His hands were slow. He reached up for his head, grabbing it from the top and the chin before rotating it gently. Three sickening pops echoed through the air, making the audience cringe in disgust of the noise. He took a step forward, only to stumble over himself and have to recollect his balance.

The Adler waved his blade. "You are defeated!" He exclaimed. "Why do you not remain where you belong?" He asked.

His opponent remained silent. A foot trudge against the floor, before another followed clumsily behind. He stalked forward towards his opponent, who pointed his blade against the villain. The villain unexpectedly hoisted himself forward, dodging the blade and grabbing onto the jacket of the Adler with abysmal strength. The tiger growled at him, throwing him off and shooting him to the floor.

The Adler smiled down at him. "It seems you have accepted death." He lifted his blade as the villain pulled himself to his knee, his body weak. He looked up at the Alder in defiance, his eyes cast more towards the audience so they too could see his face.

"I...will only truly fall, to the Adler Reaper." He spoke softly, his voice managing to carry through the audience.

Bill's smile twisted into a smirk. "Then allow me to give it to you."

The crowd yelled out in anticipation. 'No's could be heard within the whispers, heads shaking, drawn into the story completely. The blade was raised higher, over the head of the weakened villain, who stared at the crimson dressed tiger in front of him.

*Chang* *Clatter*

The Adler turned around, his blade no longer in his hand. "Well, it looks like you were having fun." A voice sounded, cutting across the tension that seemed to have built in on the stage. The crowd exploded in shocked gasps at the sight.

A masked deer stepped onto the field, a blade aimed at the tiger, who stared back in shock. He thrust the sword forward, the tiger barely avoiding the attack and stumbling away from his prey. "I know who you really are, you sympathetic ghost." He stepped carefully, edging around the villain and the tiger Adler with slow movements. "I'll show you who the real Reaper is." He stated confidently, the crowd out of their seats in going absolutely wild behind him.

"You claim to my title, why don't you face me, and become a real Reaper?!" The tiger Adler stumbled back, jumping away from the villain and the new Reaper, who was poised to strike at him if he drew too close. "Unless so, then leave! Let us never see your face again, impostor!" The defaced Adler stumbled back,, flipping his cape around before running away into the curtains, the cheers and joyful yelling at his back.

A drop to the ground sounded on stage, and the on fire audience was quick to quiet, their eyes looking at the downed form of the villain.

The Reaper turned around slowly, looking down at the ground where the fire villain fell unceremoniously. His eyes drew to the eyes of the villain, who stared back, a smile forming on his lips.

"I knew you would come." He said softly, a broken chuckled forced past his lips. "Death hath await me for some time, but I always refused it unless by proper hands." He spoke out, his voice catching on itself. The Reaper stepped towards the downed figure.

"Then allow me to help you to the end." He offered, leaning forward and offering his hand. To his surprise, the villain shook his head.

"No, I fear I will not make it to the gates of pure folly." His words laced through the audience, as if fighting with the dominating power that the Reaper seemed to have on stage. "If I am to falter as well, then allow so right here...please kill me."

The crowd gasped, and the Reaper narrowed his eyes at the figure. "Do you doubt my ability to carry you through to the end."

The figure attempted to shake his head from the floor, his face contorting in pain. "No..., I doubt my own drive to get there." He gave the hero a pleading look. "Won't you give me this one grace?"

The Reaper stared down at the villain before offering his hand once more. "You may not think you can make it, but I believe you can, so long as you allow me the chance."

The villain looked at the hand, the audience on the edge of their seats. His eyes seemed to reignite with life at the offer, looking into the hallowed husk of the Reaper. He raised his arm up, his limb shaking as it slowly gripped the hand of the Reaper, who helped pull him up onto his weary two feet.

The crowd exploded in cheers. Everyone was out of their seats once more, the spotlights focused on the two in the middle for the amazing performance. The Reaper stood tall, his basic clothing not taking away from his noble actions to save the wild and desperate monster. The villain, who in the end was victim to a impostor, was brought up by the kind words of the amazing hero, who came to his rescue at the last moment.

The Reaper stared into the crowd, his eyes caught up in the spotlights, but still able to look into the massive amount of flailing arms and cheering faces up above. "I want a full explanation later." He said under his mask, basking in the moment of delight.

Tiberius nodded, looking up at the crowd with lack of credulousness. His legs felt like they were on fire. His lungs hurt, and if he had to be on stage any longer, he knew he would probably end up throwing up from the amount of anxiety festering in his heart. He had never performed in front of so many people as a lead role before, it was terrifying. He had managed to keep himself afloat by remembering his promise to Legosi, but even then, he almost got himself tied up on stage, especially with the moments when Bill caught him off guard in their fight.

Still, this was a new experience he could add to his tab of 'things I have done'. He smiled, looking over at the edge of the curtains. Standing there was Legosi, who stared back at him with awe. He gave the wolf a small smile before turning back to the audience.

"You're a lucky guy, Louis."

The deer said nothing back.

-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-

End Chapter