Chapter 26

Mizuchi decided to relax rather than join her friends for dinner tonight. Lately, they've been acting strange for her to hang out around them. Not to lie, she loved her friends but their unnatural behaviours were starting to weird her out.

She figured maybe she'll call for takeout tonight to be delivered outside of the school's compound. She needed some time for herself and lately, the teachers have been firing more homework at her. Mizuchi wanted to slam her head on her desk.

How the hell was she supposed to know pressure and momentum when she is living in the moment?

She decided to complete her math homework tomorrow and she can't understand why her science homework needed her to learn physics on topics like magnets and electricity as if she was some engineer. Those aren't things needed if she wants to be a fashion designer!

"I won't even understand a thing if I tried to search for the answer online," she complaint to herself. But her mind was drifting off to other matters.

She wondered what that bat Arthur is doing right now?

The harlequin rabbit was starting to suspect something out of that Chiroptera, with his attitude during their first encounter and now she can't help but smile at him. Has she thought about her ex and the idea of them getting back together? Yeah, but it's not as extreme as it was before.

Mizuchi has seen him hanging out with his friends, still bragging about cute girls but never about her. She remembered Haru's warning about staying away from that blind bat. It was an inner relief to hear that the Netherland dwarf rabbit only saw him as a little brother rather than be part of the bunny's string of harem.

She shouldn't think too deep into this because the last encounter was her visiting him at the infirmary, he sounded happy at her presence. She remembered how retold her about his favourite novels, a hobby she couldn't imagine him doing because of his blindness.

But then, that bat is proof that anything is possible. Well, most things...

She remembered her mother's words when she first enrolled into Cherryton: Be proud of herself and her efforts.

Efforts? Well, Mizuchi knew that wasn't the case with her ex, even if he was the only other harlequin rabbit in the school. But with Arthur, she felt like there was some sort of progress when she was around that Honduran white bat. She still has a pang of guilt on how she first treated him when she first encountered him at the cafeteria.

Bless that bat for being so forgiving!

Mizuchi wondered if one of these days, she will make time to talk to him. Something about his voice which complimented his fogged up blue eyes reminded her of those characters in children's storybooks. She had her ears down when she remembered how they both held hands at the medical wing.

It was comforting and she wouldn't mind doing that again.

Just then, her phone buzzed to notify her that her that her food order of veggie burger with sweet potato fries and cherry cola have arrived.

...

Arthur just finished his dinner with Aoba at the cafeteria. Tonight's menu for both carnivores and herbivores were udon noodles. Now for Arthur, he only knew the food by touch, smell and even sound. Noodles and pastas to him reminded the bat on worms, the most succulent annelids to eat. Rice is like those tiny maggots that wriggled in some of the leftover food as well as caterpillars with their leaves.

The only difference between carnivore and herbivore's udon is that carnivores have eggs inside while herbivores get lotus root and some boy choy leaves.

As Arthur was slurping his hearty bowl of noodles, his ears swivelled at the atmosphere in the cafeteria. Not many animals which he expected because he knew some animals would rather have dinner in their dorms or have takeouts.

"Whatever happens, Arthur," Aoba's voice broke the bat from his thoughts. "I know you can always find a way. You might not know it or maybe you have but I've seen you holding your head high and moving on when it comes to any situation.."

Arthur's fur fluffed up in embarrassment. "Oh, that's a very nice way of putting it. Most of the time I just move with the rhythm or go with the flow. I might not know how you look like, Aoba but I can tell that you really are mature and intelligent."

Now it was the bald eagle's turn to be flustered by Arthur's compliment.

The both of them chatted about some movies and game stories whether if there's anything to change about the plot or the music that accompany it. The two of them were so engrossed with their conversation that even Arthur couldn't hear the approaching footsteps coming towards their table.

Aoba noticed the black cat and raccoon approaching them. Clearly they have something in mind, specifically their gazes were at Arthur as if they were going to prey on him. The bald eagle placed a wing around his friend's back.

"Hmm?" Arthur tilted his head at his friend's gesture. He opened his mouth slightly to click and realised who were the two unknown animals standing at their table.

"Hi," he heard the purr from the cat. "Sorry to disturb you boys but can we borrow the bat after dinner?"

Arthur was not sure but he felt his eagle friend bringing him close. "And why is that?"

"No reason at all," Arthur heard the chitters from the raccoon. "Just need to ask him some questions."

The Honduran white bat sipped his boxed drink of ice lemon tea. "Would you like to sit down with us? You can tell me from there on."

"Thanks but no thanks," the heard the cat meowed. "We'll meet you outside of the herbivore dorm once you are done."

With that, the sounds of their footsteps faded away. Arthur has heard of those girls before even if it was brief. They were friends with Mizuchi, the harlequin rabbit.

"Do you know those girls?" Aoba asked him in confusion.

"Sort of. Something tells me that they're having some kind of problem."

"Do you want me to go with you?"

Arthur gave the bald eagle a reassuring smile. "I'll be okay. So, see you in class tomorrow?"

"Of course."

...

Arthur had walked his way to the herbivore dorm, guided by Aoba before he left so that the Honduran white bat can talk to the girls. He wondered what do they want him for?

"You kept your word after all!"

"I have a feeling this has something to do with Mizuchi?"

Arthur could feel a pair of claws gripping his shoulders, a low growling voice was heard close to his ear. He hoped this is over soon or else he would lose his shoulder blades.

"Very good, detective," the cat purred. "Now that you know why you are here, tell us what have you done with our friend."

Now Arthur was baffled by this interrogation. He focused his head directly at where the cat's voice was. Riley was a bit unnerved by his lifeless eyes and the white fur shining under the moonlight made him resemble a ghost.

Or a phantom at least with those ears and wings!

"I've done nothing to her," said Arthur. "You can ask her that yourself. We only just talked."

"By talking you mean that you've hypnotised her!" the raccoon grasped his right hand-wing too roughly. "She's been acting strange ever since she met you in town. So what did you do, Vampyrum?"

Arthur wrenched his hand-wing away and shoved the cat that was gripping his shoulders. "I have never done anything! Like I said, you should ask her yourself before anything else happens. So if that's what you want out of me, then I am done."

Arthur stormed away, a bit aggravated by the girls' accusation. How dare they assumed he had hypnotised Mizuchi! Vampyrum? He should've been burnt by sunlight if they think he's a bloodsucker.

He's going to need some chamomile tea, some songs to listen to on his phone and a plate of tea biscuits!

Both Riley and Tanya watched with disbelief that the bat had snapped at them. They were not expecting that sort of reaction out of him. The both of them decided to confront Mizuchi about this tomorrow.

They want to know what is their friend hiding from them.