Chapter 23

"....And after that, Bill and I were kicked out of there," Arthur finished his story about being captured by the Shishigumi. He sipped a bit of the cardamom tea he brewed, even offering some to his reluctant guest.

The bat kept his fingers close to him, being cautious in case they might be grasps and crushed.

"So Bill was right except he exaggerated some parts," his guest remarked. "So tell me, did they try anything on you?"

Arthur shrugged. "Besides bounding me like a marionette, no. So, how's your stomach? I hope I didn't fracture anything. And, I apologise for feeling you up since I didn't know what kind of animal are you."

"Please, you caught me by surprise but nothing was hurt, thankfully," his guest, Arthur imagined was waving it off. "Anyways, did those lions tell you anything at all?"

Arthur tilted his head in confusion. Why would Louis be interested in the Shishigumi? The Honduran white bat thinks that this deer was stranger than all the mysteries in fictional novels. Where was he going with this conversation?

"No...But they seemed to be fond of their boss. Respect him, from the sound of it."

"I see..."

Arthur was tracing the brim of his cup, waiting for what the deer was about to do to him. He had to think of something because the silence with the presence of Louis in the room was making him uncomfortable. It's not because he is afraid of Louis, but the bat hardly knows him.

"Arthur, what does your father work as?" Louis inquired.

"An astronomer at the Manticore University," Arthur answered. "It may be exhausting and sleep-depriving but he managed. The planets, galaxies and theories to uncover and research about are his passions. He likes to think of it as communicating with the world beyond the ones we know."

He heard a shift in the seat, the sound of sipping tea made the bat's ears twitch. "My father runs a business conglomerate," Louis told him. "He wants me to take over his organisation once he retires. However, that's not stopping me from wanting to become a Beastars."

Arthur could hear the a small sigh in his tone. "Sounds difficult from the sound of it. But, we just try to make the best of things. Like the sea, the waves will crash or make a maelstrom but in the end things will be calm just like the tides that changed every night. It's how I imagined how things are..."

Louis was silent. He doesn't know what to say about Arthur's enigmatic thoughts. He guessed that it was something he had since the bat was blind and in a sense, this is their perspective of how the world is.

Poor, naive little thing.

"Well, I got what I was looking for," said Louis, the sound of the chair moving indicated that he was standing up. "Don't tear out that stitch."

"I won't." Arthur faced at the sound. Louis was slightly unnerved by those cloudy eyes that stared back at him. It reminded him of a cumulonimbus cloud that was starting to form a thunderstorm, the light kind.

"Oh, and one more thing."

"Yes?"

Louis leaned close to the bat's ear and whispered something which made Arthur covered his mouth in shock. It was something he didn't expect from the deer, let alone the main star of the drama club.

"Louis....Are you serious?"

"Yes. Can I trust you to not tell anyone about this?"

Arthur laughed dryly. "Most animals would already think that I am mad and have descended into the abyss if I say it out loud. Or maybe I'm from the funny farm."

Louis smiled, knowing that Arthur meant what he said. He surveyed the Chiroptera dorm, noting that it had a higher ceiling than most dorms he had known. Plus, the four notable instruments that were in different parts of the room.

...

Bidding the red deer goodbye, Arthur let out a huge breath of relief. He was alright and that's the way it should be. He decided to brew blackcurrant tea for its tartness yet fruity after taste. It was a mentally exhausting day for him and he could use another mug of tea.

Just then, his phone rang and he immediately answered it, wondering who it was.

"Hello Arthur~" the smooth, chuckling voice greeted him. The Honduran white bat smile at who it was. "Hope I am not interrupting your busy day, today."

"No, no, Sameer!" he assured the caller. "I'm just resting today after a hectic night I experienced ever since I moved here."

"Oh, do tell and don't leave out any juicy details. You know how we are with thrills and adventure."

So Arthur told Sameer about the events and animals he met during his first time in Cherryton. From the gardening club, playing music secretly in his dorm, Aoba and even the drama club. They talked while Arthur hung upside down between the gaps of the bed.

"You haven't change, my friend," Sameer chuckled, the back of his throat having that hissing sound. "Wherever you go, adventure follows. So, you haven't met a girl since your time there?"

Arthur thought back about Haru treating him like a little brother and Mizuchi.

Ah yes, that harlequin rabbit that was fascinating in terms of her voice and her interest.

"Well, well~" the voice of his old friend purred. "That silent indicates that you have a special interest in someone? Would you like me to translate 'Thousand Nights' in braille for you? There's a section if you want to do Drawbridge~"

Arthur blushed, his fur fluffed up more than when he dried himself. "N-no! There's no need to translate that book for me! You know I'm not into those romances no matter how descriptive it is."

"Relax, I'm just teasing you," Sameer laughed on the other end. "You leave the spice to me while the sweetness is yours to execute. By the way, I have some good news to tell you since your departure: Beppi has completed his chemo therapy and will be discharged soon."

"What? That's fantastic! That means he will return to school and you guys..."

Arthur remembered some of the great memories he and Sameer had with his other friends in Gryphon Cross along with the crazy adventures they used to do. He hoped to have a new adventure now that he's a Cherryton student.

"Hey, no matter where we are, you're still my friend," Sameer told him gently. "Who knows, maybe one day we'll have a reunion out of our busy life. You, me, Beppi, Maccus, Tek and Daymas. The six of us as a crew again."

"Yeah, thanks for calling me. I've been so busy with my new life here and hearing from you again is a breather today."

"Anytime, my friend. I have to go now ."

"Bye."

Arthur smiled at the thoughtfulness of his old friend and catching up with him. Now, he has to focus on the present with his new friends, adventure and life. Sometimes, it's not always easy to adjust to new places but what does he have to lose?

He decided to swing himself while listening to music on his phone before he continued to rock himself while upside down.

Arthur was wondering what does tomorrow have in store for him. To the bat, life can be an adventure.

"I wonder what Aoba's doing at the moment?" he asked himself.

...

Mizuchi was hanging out with her friends, Riley and Tanya.

The three of them were discussing about which band is better in terms of the attractive guys or the catchy music.

"Say, you ever wonder who is playing all of that music every evening and morning?"

Mizuchi sniffed. "Don't know but those tunes are beautiful, right?"

"Yeah!" Riley meowed while her tail was up. "Shame we don't know anyone here who plays instruments on a daily basis."

The three of them continued their talk until a certain someone walked pass them. It was Mizuchi's ex-boyfriend! He seemed to be carefree chatting with his own group of friends, not sparring a glance at the harlequin rabbit doe herself.

"Do you think she's going after him?" Tanya whispered to the black cat.

"I don't know, she seems to be daydreaming lately," Riley whispered back to the raccoon.

Mizuchi overheard what her friends were discussing behind her back. Honestly, that was the least of her concern right now or the fact that her ex just walked past them. Is she still going to pursue him? Maybe!

Yet...

'Arthur,' she thought to himself. 'He's such a strange yet whimsical thing to talk to. I hope he recovers soon since he's very interesting to hold a conversation with.'

However, her mind drifted back to the idea of her harlequin rabbit breed is going extinct. Would she have second thoughts about it?

Oh, life is such a game show with its choices and temptations!