Chapter 88

While Arthur was listening to Deshico's information, he couldn't help but eavesdropped a few chitter chatter amongst the vampire bats. They were still miffed about being beaten by a Komodo dragon so he assumed that Isaiah's presence brought back some unpleasant memories for them.

'Children of Zotz will have a hard time adjusting to the light,' Arthur thought to himself, smiling since ironically he couldn't see the light but could feel it. He felt a tug on his wing at the front. Deshico must've told Louis a secret because now he could hear the civet cat padding over to where he stood.

"Well, I believed your large carnivore friends are done fighting to wear off the effects," Deshico told him cheerfully. "Though I might recommend not getting close to them for a while. My coffee triggers their bloodthirsty instinct to devour you."

"As always," Arthur sighed, turning his head to where Louis was. "Louis, have we done enough? I believed you have all of the information about Melon."

"Arthur, you worked for him," the red deer Arthur imagined pointed out. "Surely you know bits about him that we don't know. Unless you have something to hide from us."

He turned his head to the sound of Louis' voice. How dare he accused him of hiding anything!

"I wouldn't hide anything. Even if I did, you can easily sniff it out! All I know is that Melon is starving the Shishigumi by feeding them melons without a drop of blood. Of course, it is ironic coming from me, who will vomit at the scent itself but I think it's torture to let a pride of lions becoming a shell of their former shelves. I can't believed that I'm saying this...."

Arthur imagined Louis would either be smiling or remained as stoic as he was.

"Well, I think you have all of the information you need," Deshico commented, hearing him taking a sip of his drink. Arthur's fur immediately fluffed up, sensing something. "Tell me, Arthur.....Do you have someone special in your life?"

Arthur smiled and nodded. "Of course! Though it wouldn't be something I would talk about with a group that does not approve of inter-species relationship. As much as it is fascinating to know more about hybrids, I think I want to make my argument."

He could hear a swarm of chitters and protests above him. Clearly, none of them were expecting him to argue with their boss. Arthur smiled, wondering if his transfer to Cherryton and the adventures he had gotten himself into was making him bolder.

"What kind of argument, bright-eyes?"

"Some hybrids from my old school can have a sense of taste despite their dual identities," Arthur explained, his wings gestured every word. To be honest, he was nervous so moving his wings could distract him from jittering. "They are omnivores just like us bats- Except for those that need a special diet like you or the flying foxes."

He could REALLY use a cup of tea at the moment!

Thankfully, Louis had called quits and scooped him gently in his arms. It was odd, considering the first time they had met, Louis had accused Arthur of murder and nearly crushed two of his fingers.

"So what are we going to do now?"

"Well, aren't we a team?" Louis asked, Arthur could detect his tone to be shaky but was masked by his determination. However, their carnivore friends were silent. Arthur opened his mouth to sense their postures.

Very jittery....

"We don't want to come near you until the effects of the coffee wears off," he heard Isaiah hissed through his mask. "If any of us come near you, there MIGHT be a chance that we may have the both of you as an appetiser and the main course."

Arthur wanted to launch himself to fly but was pulled back by Louis' strong grip. "It can't be! Agata, the Shishigumi, Isaiah and Legosi helped us. It would be rude if we don't bid them good night. Can we just do that for a bit before we go our separate ways?"

Arthur wasn't sure if he had the right expression to convince the red deer but he could feel him moving towards the salivating carnivores. His ears picked up the hissing sound of Isaiah's mask and the low rumbles from Agata's throat. Tentatively, he reached out his wing to pat their claws, feeling rough fur and pebbled scales in contact with his fingers.

"Please take care," said Arthur with a small smile. He wondered if it was possible to hear someone smiling but he could definitely sensed his carnivore compadres reciprocating his gesture. He was then pulled back by Louis.

"They'll be fine by tomorrow, Arthur," the red deer told him, placing him on his back. The Honduran white bat had his ears perked up while his mouth moved to use his clicks. "So, are you heading back to Cherryton?"

He shook his head. "No. I want to visit my mum and sisters. If you could throw me in the right direction, I might be able to fly at a short distance. I need to practice my flight skills anyways."

Louis scoffed. "Arthur, if I toss you, you're going to end up in some carnivore's jaws. As much as I don't want to admit it, you're growing on me. However, I still think you are the most revolting thing I have ever seen."

"And you are the same buck who can't decide whether you like carnivores or not."

"Touché, bug-eyes."

The Honduran white bat fluffed his fur in embarrassment. Before he was thrown, he gave Louis a small hug and wished he could hear from him again. Arthur flapped his wings as hard as he could while using his clicks to avoid any obstacles.

'This way, I can pass my flight test,' he thought excitedly before colliding with something silky and fluffy. Burying his face, he caught the scent of jasmine tea and a some sort of spice. Using his wings to trace the face of the figure, his two fingers caught the grainy surface of an eyepatch.

"Hi mum. I'm here."

...

Ten was surprised but glad that her fluffy son was here. She knew he had a lot to do because of his final year at Cherryton and heard about his outside responsibilities. There were rumours about him working with Melon, to which she had to confront him about it.

For now, she nuzzled her muzzling between her son's ear. Arthur was so much like Dr Kirk in terms of his mannerism. She was tempted to ask if he still talks with that rabbit he was dating. Despite the news of interspecies couples coming out in public, the red vixen wasn't so convinced.

She believed that the couples on the news were following a trend and once a trend dies down, so will the couples.

"How have you been, mum?" Arthur asked, his cloudy blue eyes reflected the dim lights from the lamps. How Arthur could face her at her eye-level was still impressive. She ruffled his fur affectionately, giving him a kiss on the head.

"Tired as always, Arthur," said Ten with a yawn. "Your father stays over every night but leaves in the morning after we have breakfast together. I don't know how he does it but both you and him are good bats."

Arthur fluffed his fur in embarrassment. "Dad taught and helped me a lot since I was small. He told me to rage against the dying of the light. A poem my grandfather taught him and one day I can teach my sisters too."

Ten smiled a sad smile. Her daughters are small and yet she worries about them. From the whole fiasco with Melon, she feared for her daughters to face discrimination as hybrids. Yet, she was told by Dr Kirk that back at his old home, there were plenty of hybrids, whether herbivore-carnivore or carnivore-carnivore that gave her a bit of hope.

"Have you eaten anything, Arthur?"

"I just had coffee made by a civet cat but I'm okay! It tasted alright but my carnivore friends had urges after drinking," said Arthur in a nonchalant tone. This made the vixen raised a brow. She knew where her son could've consumed that sort of beverage.

"Are you still working for that psycho?" she asked, earning a sudden jumpy reaction out of the Honduran white bat. Arthur immediately wrapped his wings around himself, ears drooping down. Ten gathered him into her arms and rubbed her paw across his back.

"Arthur, I'm not angry," she told him gently. "I don't want you to get killed or worst. But you are the very same bat that came to my hideout during the Day of Depravity just to appease all four gangs without bloodshed."

"And you made me wear a dress," he reminded her, his eyes held a bit of mischief behind the cloudy veils. The both of them exchanged some laughs before Ten stroked his cheek affectionately. There was a pang of guilt from where she had struck him during their first encounter. But the Honduran white bat smiled at her direction.

"Is there anything I can do to help? I actually came because I want to make something for Mizuchi when I visit her at her university," Arthur explained bashfully. "I know she is busy but I messaged her to plan our meet-up and it would be rude of me to not make her a gift. She made me a comfy sweater that suits us bats..."

Ten guided him to the kitchen where other members of the Inarigumi were. Some were playing mahjong while some were sipping jasmine tea and eating the deep fried tofu in miso broth and seaweed flakes.

"Hello, everyone!" Arthur greeted cheerfully, earning a few chatters from her vixens. They sat at the table where he ate a few fried tofus and drank his tea, insisting that he wanted to wash the dishes. Ten felt something in her chest when she watched her blind son smiling and helping out.

'Kirk raised him well,' she thought to herself. If Arthur wanted her help, this will give the both of them the opportunity to bond as mother and son. As much as she wanted a wedding, a founded family of her gang and love for the bats had made her open a new chapter of her life.

Before she could take another bite of the tofu, she noticed Arthur's ears perked up and was facing at the direction of her room. "Mum, I think I hear my sisters crying. Can I visit them after I wash the dishes?"

"Of course you can!" Ten giggled, patting Arthur on the head. "Don't be afraid to ask for help if you need to familiarise yourself with the hideout."

With that, Arthur gently carried the dishes with one of her members guiding him from behind.

...

Mizuchi could hardly wait.

It has been so long since Arthur and her held each other after graduation. He voiced messaged her about his visit to the university and the harlequin rabbit was certain that she will be the one guiding him. It felt exciting since it would give her a new breath of air from her crazy university schedule.

She was thankful that her parents had not called her because of their busy life. It was selfish of her to think that way but ever since she met Arthur, she began to question herself about her life as a harlequin rabbit and her status among other herbivores.

Other herbivores were willing to give themselves up to be devoured when the time comes or live a life full of cautions. She was not going to be that with her dream of becoming a fashion designer and maybe one day travel around the world for a living.

"Hey, is that the white bat on the news?" one of the iguana students asked in disbelief. This made her leaped from her seat, rushing to meet her boyfriend before anyone else could get him.

"Wow, he sure is blind," she heard another commented. "How can he function without eyes? Does he have a girlfriend?"

"I wish I was blind so that I can have special abilities too!"

Mizuchi has had enough of all of these students talking in their little bubbles. She immediately rushed to where the Honduran white bat was, leaping into his wings for a hug. Arthur was shocked at first before wrapping his wings around her.

He was so soft and fluffy with a hint of coconut.

"It's been so long, Mizuchi," Arthur whispered, a tremble in his voice. Mizuchi wanted nothing more than to kiss him but they are in public. So it is best that they act as friends here while they could spend some time alone in her dorm room.

"I missed you too, Arthur," she murmured, petting his head. "Is it just me or are you looking older?"

"I don't know. I can hardly tell."

Mizuchi giggled and tugged his wing. She wanted to show him around campus and described the best she could about everything around them. Arthur, his beautiful cloudy blue eyes blinking but his ears were wiggling from every sound on campus.

"Oh, I almost forgot, Mizuchi!" Arthur halted in his step, fumbling with the backpack he had with him. He rummaged for something until his expression changed from worried to excitement. He took out a little box with a bow wrapped on top.

"Arthur..."

"Mizuchi," the Honduran white bat began, his voice quivering with excitement. "I thought of giving this to you. It's something I made and I hope you like it. It's not as expensive as other things but I had help to put it together."

Curiously, Mizuchi unwrapped the bow and opened the box. She gasped, holding out the gift for the curious students to see. It was a bracelet made out of pearls and a few colourful seashells. Placing it on her left wrist, it felt smooth against her fur.

"Arthur, it's beautiful!" Mizuchi hugged him, sneaking a small peck on his cheek when other students weren't looking. Of course, the blind bat was flustered to the tip of his ears. "I'm just glad you are here. Don't you have to go back to school?"

Arthur smiled, shaking his head. "Tomorrow is Saturday, isn't it? I was hoping to spend time with you and catch up before returning to my everyday routine on Monday. So I have all weekend, Mizuchi."

God, she wished she could kiss him right now!

Instead, she tugged his wing to guide him around campus. "In case if you are hungry, our cafeteria has a cafe with some pastries and tea. However, the melon buns and parfaits have been selling out lately."

Mizuchi wondered if it reminded her boyfriend of something because he suddenly stiffened up.