Chapter 31

It was the Environment Day where all students are required to complete their hour down in the basement where they will be stimulated by their natural behaviours. It was something familiar to Arthur because back in Gryphon Cross, they had something similar but instead of the basement it was in another building which was similar to a hostel.

He recalled from memory that they have special rooms for aquatic animals to swim and breathe like Maccus, who needs to use the electromagnets from his hammerhead or small yet comfortable crevices for serpent students.

"You ready for your first Environment assignment?" asked Legosi, who was walking beside him.

"Oh yes," Arthur nodded excitedly. "I hope before the hour is up, I still have time for tea. It's good for the mind and soul."

"If you say so..."

Arthur was glad to hang out with the grey wolf but something has been bothering him. Arthur may not know what but he could hear a different shift in Legosi's tone. As if he was pondering about something or being woeful.

"Legosi," Arthur tugged the grey wolf by his shirt. "I need to tell you something after our hour. Is that okay with you? I just need to let you know about something..."

The grey wolf was curious but even those foggy blue eyes couldn't hide the pleads of the Honduran white bat. Looking around in case anyone was eavesdropping, he accepted the meeting.

"Wonderful! Let's meet at the poolside for lunch. I brought some snacks besides my sandwiches."

Legosi watched with amusement as Arthur moved his mouth a little, not a sound was heard but he found his room where he will spent an hour in their to do his bat behaviour. Once Arthur went in, Legosi entered his wolf's room.

...

Arthur was right when he used his click to estimate what the bat room felt like.

There were stalactites and stalagmites which were good substitutions for percussion instruments which he will use his two fingers to tap them. Kicking off his shoes, Arthur decided to hang over the room's ceiling to play with the notes he had thought off.

He can't fly until he graduates but simple wing flap exercises are a must for most bats.

Little did he know, some animals who have completed their Environment hour has heard him playing but figured it was just the bat playing music on his phone. They weren't sure if it's prohibited but since he's the only bat, who knows.

"I'm not staying around while the Vampyrum is here," one of the female carnivores whispered.

"That song he's listening to sounds like he's out for our blood," another commented.

"Weird, he only smiles everytime we see him. But there's no reports or news about any animal getting their blood sucked off."

But that doesn't mean that the student shouldn't take precaution. Most herbivores will feel tension around carnivores but with this bat, it might be something to unite of the animals to watch out for each other.

Once the hour was up, Arthur had completed his homework and was planning on meeting Legosi at the poolside. Again, using his clicks, he found his way to the location without any trouble.

"You came," Arthur smiled when he used his clicks to find the grey wolf's presence.

"Of course," Legosi growled softly. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

Arthur sat on one of the benches close to the wolf and told him about finding some wood and some paints to decorate it. Legosi was confused by this bat's strange request. "Arthur, why do you need wood and paint? I don't want to sound rude but can you see colour?"

"No, I wouldn't even understand it if you explain it to me," Arthur laughed. "Need wood so that I can carve it into a pencil or a stationary holder. It's for a friend of mine."

"Is it Aoba?"

Arthur shook his head. "No, it's for a female friend. She likes to design outfits and clothes so I thought a perfect present for her would be something to hold her stationary."

Now the grey wolf was curious. Who was the girl that Arthur is talking about? He had noticed before this, he was very much like the grey wolf himself with only limited female friends. Ever since he met Haru, he has been feeling intense emotions around her but he wondered if Arthur felt the same towards this female friend of his.

"Is she a herbivore?" asked Legosi. Arthur nodded. "Oh yes, she's a harlequin rabbit."

Legosi almost choked on his egg sandwich. Arthur likes someone who is a rabbit as well?! He has so many questions to ask the bat and yet, he barely talked to him due to his work in the drama club along with certain things he's been doing with Haru.

"Arthur," Legosi tapped the bat's two fingers. "Since when, how, and all the other things."

Arthur smiled his dreamy smile, his foggy blue eyes looked like they were shining under the sun's reflection. "Oh, it's crazy how we met. It all started with me accidentally stepping on her foot at the cafeteria on my first day..."

So Arthur retold the whole story of how he met Mizuchi. He told every detail including the outing he had with her at the movies. Legosi was amazed at how easy it was for Arthur to slowly form this sweet friendship with the harlequin rabbit who was also in third year like Haru.

"But Legosi," Arthur's ears drooped a bit. "Can you please not tell anyone about this? It's not because I am ashamed or the herbivore-carnivore tension. It's just that the both of us are in different years and we both have our own group of friends."

"So the both of you will meet if there's no other animal around?"

"Precisely. Because the both of us want to focus on our lives and our little meetings are something the both of us will cherish. Well, I would but she is a mystery. But it's nice that she was at first hostile with me but slowly she is relaxed and we can talk. I like how she talks about certain designs and even us sharing the same interest in movies and certain stories."

Legosi wondered if he should be doing that if he wants to spend more time with Haru.

"I don't know if the school's store sells special paint or decorations that might sell what you are looking for," said Legosi. "But I might fine some wood in our production crew. But I'll have to ask Dom if it's okay."

"That is fine with me," Arthur poured a cup of tea from his flask before offering it to Legosi. "I can plan a trip to town to find the decorations and paint."

Legosi wagged his tail, feeling relief that there is another animal who has some care for rabbits beside him. "By the way Arthur, how do you know how to carve wood?"

The Honduran white bat twitched his ears. "Back in Gryphon Cross, we had this subject called Living Skills where we can get our hands on woodwork, cooking or electrical mechanics. We can only select two so I did cooking and woodwork."

"That sounds interesting," sighed the grey wolf. "You guys get to learn some things that might be useful for survival and I think we all should have a bit of that."

Arthur smiled and then the both of them bonded over the female rabbits they had become friends with and their so called 'adventures' they have experienced in town.

Arthur was happy that he got to spend some time with Legosi since he knew the wolf has a busy schedule, whether with the drama club, for himself or even homework.

...

The next day after all of his classes, Arthur decided to go to town on his own.

He would try to find the stationary or bookshop with his clicks or else he could ask for directions from the town's watchful police force.

Then again, he wasn't sure if the animals would be friendly but he has to tell himself to listen and understand. But even in town, he could hear some comments about him.

"Why can't he cover his eyes? No one wants to see those bug-eyes gawking everywhere."

"Is that the bat that almost became a meal at the Black Market?"

"Look at his funny walk! He thinks he's a penguin!"

But as usual, the bat shrugged it off because he knew that ever animal, herbivore and carnivore were always associated with specific traits to define their species. But he knew that from experience, they are more than what biology and history would labelled every animal as.

"Hey!" Arthur almost stopped his tracks. 'That voice, it sounds familiar!'

"Oh, I am sorry if I almost bumped into you," Arthur raised both of his hand wings in defence. "I was just looking for a stationary shop. Could you please tell me how to get there if you know."

"Sure," the voice replied, with a hint of a growl. "I can take you there. Do you know who I am, by the way?"

Arthur shook his head. "No, but you sound familiar. But thank you for guiding me, if it's no trouble at all for you."

"Don't worry," the voice chuckled as the both of them walked to what Arthur assumed was the stationary shop. "You are an interesting animal. By the way, do you have time after this?"

"It depends. Why?"

"I just want to understand something but I need your input."

This was making the Honduran white bat uncomfortable. "Well, I don't want to sound rude but who are you? Do you know me?"

There was silence except their footsteps. But then, the voice answered back:

"Yes, I'm Agata, from the Shishigumi."