Chapter 80 - Reunion

Sunday, the day before classes resumed again, saw most of the student body of Cherryton return. The atmosphere was somber, and most of them spent their day unpacking and staying in their dorms.

Legosi went up to help his friends in room 701 unpack before going back to Louis' room. He knocked the knock to identify himself before stepping in, seeing everyone dressed in their casual clothes. He pulled his phone out of his pocket. "Kai and Dom unpacked all their stuff and went into the city. They said they're going to be at the mall food court."

"So do they want us to meet them there?" Louis asked, smiling a bit as he came in. He was always happy to see him return no matter the interval he was gone.

Legosi looked over to Louis. "I think that's what Kai is implying here. He's never direct, though. It's confusing."

"Alright, guess we're having a fun day at the mall, then." Pina leaned against Bill.

"All the way to the mall," Louis sighed.

"I'll warm you up." Legosi nuzzled his fiance.

"I know. Why did they have to go all the way there, though?"

The wolf shrugged. "Maybe they're on a date."

Pina looked at Bill expectantly after Legosi's declaration to warm Louis.

"Why would they want us to meet them there?" the deer continued to ask.

Legosi rubbed Louis's shoulders. "Well, we're meeting up somewhere outside the school to discuss everything, remember?"

"But all the way in the city?"

"If anything else, it'll be safe," Pina suggested.

"I guess you're right."

Bill looked up. "We can make a plan."

"Yep, now with six animals." HIs boyfriend looked over all of them. "Even though I'll still probably do most of the work."

"Well, Louis will, considering he's probably gonna be talking to the killer." Bill stated.

"Well, I'm backup if that goes wrong. I'll use my charm," Pina winked.

"Just not too much…"

The herbivore rubbed Bill's cheek. "Don't you worry. I'm not gonna go ruin this good thing we have going."

"Good thing..." he repeated.


After a few minutes of preparation, the four set out. The sun was out that day, coaxing puddles from the piles of snow everywhere. The two couples left the premises on their way to the train station.

"What do you think they will think?" Louis asked his fiance, their hands gripped together.

Legosi hummed thoughtfully. "Probably that we're crazy. But Kai said he was going to try to find all those social media pages for us, so we'll have that at least."

"I'm sure Dom isn't as interested."

"Yeah. I wonder how their relationship is going."

"Me, too. Last I heard he was having Kai do something involving a rubber band."

"Sounds kinky," Pina chimed in.

"I don't know what it's about," Louis shrugged.

The four entered the train station.

"Hope it's not crowded. We have a bad track record with trains.", Legosi mumbled.

The deer frowned. "Very true..." He was already looking around.

They all swiped their cards and went to the waiting area, which was bustling. Legosi sighed.

Louis turned his head to Pina. "So...any ideas of a meeting place?"

"Probably just going to meet them at the mall food court. That's where you said they were, right Legosi?" The wolf nodded, and Pina continued. "I hope you all have money cuz I'm not paying for anyone's lunch." He glanced over at Bill, and added quietly, "Well, maybe yours."

The tiger smiled, gratefully. It was a small and cute one.

Louis shook his head. "I meant instead of our place."

Legosi cocked his head. "Fountain?"

"I guess. Kind of out in the open, though?"

Pina grimaced. "Yeah, I'm not too comfortable with that."

"Oh..." Legosi thought again. "The drained out pool?"

Bill looked at him. "Pool?"

"Yeah. Jack and I used to go there whenever we wanted time away from everyone. It's on the roof."

"You think the killer would find out about it?" Louis asked.

"If they find out we're all gathering there suddenly, then yeah. That's only if one of us gets followed.", Pina said, pacing back and forth in a small area, his boots squeaking on the ground.

Bill frowned. "This just sucks."

"BIG sucks. I'm buying nails to hammer into my bat at the mall."

The cat looked at him. "I don't think that's a good idea, babe..."

Pina harrumphed. "Why not?"

"You could get hurt!"

The sheep's expression turned soft. "Aw, that's sweet of you to worry." He cleared his throat. "But I'll be fine. I built a desk before."

"You have?"

"Yeah? Like, from Zookea, y'know?"

"For what?"

"For your room?"

"Yeah. Well, my room at home."

"I didn't know you built your own furniture." Bill sounded amazed.

"What, it's just parts that come with instructions. I'm sure Legosi and Louis have done that before..."

The wolf slowly shook his head.

Louis nodded. "Yeah, when we ordered the new furniture for Legosi, it came in boxes."

"O-oh yeah. You built them while I was in class," the canine remembered.

"Mhm. Had a little trouble, but Zookea makes it pretty easy to understand how to do it."

"Damn, too bad there isn't a camera rolling. This sounds just like an advert," Pina mused.

Louis chuckled. "Yeah, we really need to stop."

"Really, though, Legosi is the best one at building here. I mean, it's part of his job in the club," Pina pointed out.

Legosi just kicked his feet, bashfully.

Louis nodded. "Yeah. watch, all of our furniture is gonna fall apart one day."

"No it won't!" the wolf exclaimed.

All four of the animals eventually found space on a bench to sit on, which they all barely fit into, each couple squished into each other with the carnivores on each end.

Louis grabbed Leogsi's hand as always. Animal looked at them as they usually did when Legosi and Louis sat on the bench.

Pina looked at how Legosi and Louis clung to each other, and he proceeded to do the same with Bill.

The feline smiled softly. "Maybe I'm..."

"Hm?" His mate leaned into him, trying to catch what he was saying.

"A little into guys."

"You are dating one."

"Really? Didn't notice."

Pina shoved him. "Alright, wise ass."

"Me? Wise. No."

Pina rolled his eyes.

Louis rubbed Legosi's hand with his thumb.

Pina looked around, seeing all the stares they were receiving. It was the first time he was outside the school with Bill. It was exhilarating, in a way. Even if all the stares were either of confusion or sometimes hostility, the sheep couldn't help but be excited.

Bill sunk a bit. "I bet they're judging us."

"Yep. They're all losers." Pina kissed him on the cheek.

"Maybe. I don't know them."

"...Would you still want to go out on dates, knowing we'd get stares like this?"

"Um..." He scratched his cheek. Pina sighed, leaning off him, slightly. "Not sure..."

The train finally pulled up, and the four piled on.


They arrived at the mall, Louis looking around at the big expansive space. "Wow, I've never been to one of these before."

"Me either," Legosi said, looking around the large interior. Pina looked at both of them with great concern.

"Bill, please tell me you've been to a mall before!" Pina pleaded.

"Cuz we're normal." Pina locked his arm with Bill's. "I guess it's off to the food court now. I definitely want to go shopping after the meeting, though."

"Mall day? I guess we aren't doing anything else."

"Yup! We can split off into our own lil groups after we discuss everything." He looked over at Louis after saying this, as if asking for permission.

The deer took a moment. "I guess that would be nice."

Legosi's tail wagged. "We can look at all the stores, hon!"

Louis nodded. "You always like doing that."

After a lookover of a nearby map, the quartet eventually found themselves at the food court.

"I'm hungry," the wolf announced.

"Good thing we're meeting them at the food court," Louis said.

"Should we get food and then find them, or find them and then get the food?" Legosi looked more worried about this than he should have been.

"Find them and get food, priorities first."

They all looked around the large space. It wasn't unlike the cafeteria at Cherryton, only bigger and louder and more crowded. Legosi kept an eye on Louis.

Pina pulled his phone out and started to call Dom.

The bird answered in his feminine voice. "Hello?"

"Yo, we're here now. Stand up and wave your arms or something."

The bird did so, waving his arms in the distance.

"Eyes peeled, boys. On the lookout for a flailing gay peacock." Pina put a hand over his eyes for emphasis.

Legosi squinted, knowing he had the responsibility of finding them since he was the tallest.

Dom jumped a bit. "Legosiiii!"

The wolf's ears perked up, and he looked across the large expanse of tables and mall-goers. "Ah, there they are." He pointed at the pair. "Let's go."

They went over to the two and Louis spoke first. "Hey, you guys."

Kai looked up, his face uncharacteristically dour. "Hey."

"What's wrong?" Bill asked.

The mongoose scowled, looked over at Dom, and then pinched the rubber band on his wrist and snapped it against his fur. "The murder. Also, I know what you guys are doing."

"Huh?" The tiger blinked.

Legosi walked away toward one of the food windows.

Kai continued. "Why else would you want me to dig up all of the social media accounts of the drama club carnivores? You guys want to find out who the killer is."

"I thought that was clear." Louis crossed his arms.

"Tell that to your freakin boyfriend!" Kai crossed his arms. "Makin' it seem like it was some big secret thing I shouldn't know about while being utterly transparent the whole time." The small animal sighed. "Whatever, I got the links. I put them all in a PDF that I can send you guys. But beyond that we don't want any more involvement."

"You don't want to help?"

Dom shook his head. "We think it's best if we don't. I'd like to keep my life."

Kai had moved his hand to his rubber band, but once Dom answered he moved his hand back and simply nodded. "Besides, there's not much else we could do that you guys can't, I imagine."

"Yeah, that's fair.", Pina agreed. "Let's get our lunch, Billy."

Everyone split off and went their separate ways. Louis joined his fiance and Bill and Pina went to get their own food, while Kai and Dom stayed at the table.

Kai sighed again. "I was right. I hate being right."

"I'm sorry. But what else could it have been?" The bird grabbed his small hand.

"Legosi revealing his true form as a creepy stalker dude. Would have been a better outcome, honestly."

"You wanted him to be a stalker?" Dom blinked.

"I said it'd be better. Still bad." The mongoose took a bite out of his soy patty. "I also don't want to believe it's one of the drama club guys."

"Might have to face the facts, dear."

"I know!" Snap.

"This sucks, though."

"Yeah. Fuck this." Kai squeezed Dom's hand.

"Huh?"

The feliformia took a few more nervous bites of his meal. He always ate when he was anxious.

His tall boyfriend just watched him. "We can't stop them."

"I know. But it's scary. Will this mean our game nights will be cancelled? The drama club is already out, what the fuck am I gonna do with myself now?"

"You still have me," Dom smiled.

Kai allowed a small smile to creep on his face. "I still have youuuu."

"I'm glad you don't want to be involved. Honestly, I don't think they should be either."

His partner grew quiet, looking down at his food. "If...if you were the one that got killed, I would be doing what they're doing."

"I know...Luckily, I'm not."

"Oh, y-yeah. Don't think about what ifs, right?" Kai looked down at his arm. "Do...do I get a snap for that?"

"Not this time."

"Heheh, make it snappyy", the mongoose said in a weird voice. He had a penchant for saying random shit.

Dom looked around. "I'm worried about them, though."

"Yeah, well, what're ya gonna do."

"Be worried."

"I'll join you."

"Hahaha. Do you think we should have stayed with them right now, at least?"

"What? To get food? We already have food."

"Yeah but we haven't seen them in a while."

Kai stretched his long neck to look around. Not as long as Dom's, of course. "There's a lot of food places to choose from. What, you think they'd ditch us?"

"Well, we made it clear we wanted no part, remember?"

"Oh..." Kai hunched his shoulders up. Was that really it? They take the links he scoured up and go? Would they not even hang out today?

"I mean, I'm not wrong, right?"

Another sigh from the mongoose. "You're not wrong. They're probably getting their food and eating it somewhere else and going back to school and not going to hang out with us again until they catch the killer or die, which, let's be honest here, at least one of them is gonna die, right? I mean-"

CLACK!

The duo jumped at the impact of the tray Pina dropped on the table. "Whatcha ramblin about?"

"...UH..."

Bill blinked. "You think one of us is gonna die?"

"N-no, I..."

"He's..." the sheep pointed an accusatory finger at Kai. "...the killer! That's how he knows!"

"Wh-what? You know I'm not the killer, Pina!" the small carnivore argued.

The cat's ears perked. "P-Pina!"

"Joke!" the sheep nearly shouted. "Joking!"

"N-not cool, Pina.", Kai groaned.

"Come on," Dom frowned.

"Fine. Forget I said it." The skinny animal turned his attention to his salad.

"Can we join you guys?" Bill asked.

Kai swallowed. "Y-yeah..."

Dom nodded. "Go ahead."

"Sho." Pina spoke through his food. "Whash you guysh do during break?"

"Oh, y'know. Family stuff," the mongoose said, dismissively.

"Same here," Dom spoke. "I didn't like being away from Kai, though. We texted almost the whole time."

"And thus, my alibi." Kai sighed, and snapped the rubber band on his wrist.

"What's with the band, anyway?" Pina asked.

"Oh, uh, Dom gave it to me. I snap it whenever I feel the need to be negative."

"Why'd you snap it just then?"

"Cuz I don't wanna talk about this murder stuff! I just wanna hang out with my friends!"

"It's kind of the thing right now," Bill said. "Sorry."

Soon, the wolf and deer joined them.

Louis looked around. "Good to have all of us back together."

Legosi held his one hand out, two fingers pointed downward, while positioning his other hand above it, pinky and thumb poking outward. He connected them with the vocalization of, "Chaw-ching!"

Everyone at the table stared at him in confusion.

Legosi blinked. "It's...like we all come together to form a...giant robot...", he stated quietly.

Bill's eyes sparkled. "I know exactly what anime you're talking about!"

The wolf looked over at him. "Ah, w-well Miguno is the one who'd always watch it..."

"It was really adorable, though.", Pina admitted.

Louis nodded. "The cutest canine." He pet Legosi's head, affectionately.

The dog's fur bristled a bit in embarrassment as he smiled and stirred his ramen with his chopsticks.

The deer got a smaller bowl of ramen with extra cooked celery inside. He sipped it graciously.

The six boys ate silently, the weight of the recent death still hanging like a specter over them.

It was Bill who spoke up. "Why are we all acting so weird?"

"Would you like to start a conversation?" Pina raised an eyebrow at him.

"About?"

The herbivore shrugged.

"Um, me and Louis volunteered at a daycare for hybrid kids with my grandpa during break," Legosi ventured.

"Oooooh? I've always wanted a kid," Dom cooed.

Kai's eyes bugged out as he continued to eat.

Legosi looked over to his fiance for permission to continue. The deer's eyes told him he could.

"Oh, hybrids, huh? Don't think I've ever met one..." Pina mused, chewing on the prongs of his plastic fork.

The wolf held a fist to his mouth and coughed into it. Everyone grew silent, staring at him.

Louis smiled a bit. He had totally forgotten his friends didn't know.

Kai blinked, his cheeks puffed up from the food he had suddenly shoved into his mouth.

The buck raised a brow, wondering if he'd say more.

Pina's expression grew blank as he stared at Legosi. "...Wait..."

"My grandpa is a komodo dragon."

Louis smiled. "Boom."

Dom raised his head. "Ahh, so that's why you're in the drama club."

Legosi blinked. "I'm in the drama club because I like it there."

Kai nudged the bird. "See? I told you he didn't believe me when I told him how the onboarding process goes." He turned his head back to Legosi. "I never would have guessed that, though. I'm like, sort of a hybrid? Like, in the brain, cuz I was raised in a hyena family."

"I...guess?" Legosi ceded.

"You were?" Louis asked.

"I didn't know that," Bill said.

"I've mentioned it before." The mongoose pouted.

"Must have forgotten," the deer shook his head.

"Got a kick out this rubber band, that's for sure..." the adopted animal muttered.

"You actually used it at home?" Louis' brows furrowed.

"I know, right!" Dom exclaimed.

"I-it's nothin." Kai scratched the back of his head.

"Why?" Bill asked.

The mongoose looked down at it. "Uh, cuz it's kind of a habit now. I think that was the point, right Dom?"

"It was to stop a habit," the bird said.

Kai blinked. "Y-you're a habit!"

Bill blinked. "Huh?"

Pina patted the big cat's shoulder. "They're just being themselves."

"But it doesn't make sense."

The wooly herbivore rolled his head in a 'I don't know either' motion as he sipped his soda, fluttering his eyelashes and looking pretty like always.

Louis swallowed a bite. "I guess it kind of makes sense...I guess..."

Legosi slurped up his ramen. "What kind of stores are here?"

Kai answered first. "Uh, just regular mall stores. There's a pet store with all sorts of bugs that you'd probably like."

Legosi's ears perked up at that.

Louis raised a brow. "Malls have pet stores?"

Kai looked at Louis in disbelief. "You...you've never been...to a mall?"

The deer shook his head. "Oguma never took me."

"Ah..." He backed off, remembering the sensitive matter of Louis' family.

Legosi looked at his partner with puppy eyes.

"What? You want to go to the pet store?" the cervid cracked a grin.

"Yeah...after we're done eating."

Louis nodded, taking another bite.

Bill gulped. "I don't think I could ever own a pet..."

Pina nodded. "Yeah. Too creepy. I had a snail when I was a kid but I wouldn't want one now."

Dom blinked. "Creepy? What?"

"With the creepy crawly legs and stuff!" Pina shivered.

Legosi looked offended, but he refrained from saying anything.

Louis' hand rested on his thigh under the table. "They won't hurt you, Pina."

Bill shuddered as well. "Their features are still kinda scary..."

The bird laughed. "A big tiger like you? Scared of tiny bugs?"

The sheep put an arm around his boyfriend. "We're just the only sane ones at the table."

Kai looked at Dom. "No, I think that'd be us."

"And why is that?" Louis rubbed Legosi's leg a bit.

Pina looked at Kai with a deadpan expression. "Dom, can I snap his rubber band?"

The bird shook his head. "He has to do it himself."

"Yeah, and I'm just tellin' the truth. No need then," Kai smiled.

"I'll give you my tater tots if you snap yourself," Pina smirked, mischievously.

SNAP. Kai hungrily grabbed the sheep's food.

"You can sure eat a lot," Bill observed.

"Fuck yeah, I can." The small animal proceeded to pop his newly gotten food in his mouth.

"But why?"

"Why do you need an explanation? Are you intimidated by my abilities?" Kai raised an eyebrow at the tiger.

"What? No? I'm bigger than you!"

Kai simply continued eating.

Legosi's mouth went crooked in thought. "Louis, do I eat a lot?"

The deer shrugged. "I'm not really the best judge of eating."

Pina looked around the large room, noting that most of the tables had either only herbivores or carnivores. He also noticed a few animals nearby were glancing over at them. He turned back to the group. "If you asked any of the animals here, they'd probably think you carnivores brought us here to eat."

"To be eaten?" Dom asked.

Pina nodded. "Probably what they're thinking."

Kai scoffed. "If I tried to eat Dom he'd beat the shit out of me."

"Why would we do it in public?" Bill asked.

"That's what I was thinking," Louis injected.

"I don't know! You know how weird animals get with carnivores and herbivores hanging out. It's just something that popped into my head."

"Hmm."

Legosi looked over at the sheep. "Does it make you feel bad, Pina?"

"No, it's just an observation I had. I mean, we're already getting looks and they don't even know we're dating each other..."

"Three carniherbi couples," Dom spoke.

Pina laughed. "With the drama club gone, we should make a new club."

The peafowl tilted his head. "What kind of club?"

"Uh, queer-ass dudes club? I dunno, I was kidding..."

Legosi cocked his head. Would that be a bad idea, though?

"I think people would be too nervous to join," Louis said.

"Y-yeah," Legosi predictably agreed with his fiance.

"Which sucks. It'd be nice to get a nice LGBT club going on at Cherryton." Kai rested his cheek on one of his hands, mooshing it.

Pina made a small noise of surprise. "Didn't expect that from you, Kai."

"What? It'd be nice to know more animals like us."

"We're playing on hard mode, though. Gay dating and interspecies.", Pina mused.

Bill laughed. "Yeah..."

Kai pointed his utensil at Bill. "Still can't believe you and Pina are dating. The night he brought you to Louis and Legosi's place, I thought you were going to storm right out."

"I guess I kinda like it..." The big tiger mumbled.

Pina reached down and stroked the tiger's tail up and down. "Kinda?"

"Eheh..."

"What happened to your stripe fetish, Bill?" Kai laughed.

The tiger blushed. "Shut up!"

"He's got a horn fetish now," Pina stated matter-of-factly.

"I never said that!"

"Totally did." The sheep sipped his soda.

Legosi looked over at his deer. "It's okay. I really like Louis' antlers."

Louis smiled. "You too?"

The wolf lifted a gentle finger up to them. "You should wear those stars in them more."

"Maybe I will. It will be weird when they shed and you see it."

"Oh yeah..." Legosi had forgotten about that.

Pina jumped up in his seat and shook Bill slightly. "Oh, oh! We need to get things for my horns while we're here! It'd look so pretty!"

"Trying to copy me?" Louis smirked.

"Trying to outshine you, deer," Pina corrected, a playful competitiveness in his voice.

Bill huffed. "Hey, I'm your dear..."

"Literally, he is a deer. What, you think I'd dump you for Louis? Dear?"

Louis raised his ringed finger. "Sorry, you two. There's only one animal I belong to."

Kai leaned over to Dom. "How the hell are they talking like this when they're planning on literally catching an animal who committed predation?"

"Because even with everything happening, I'm still not afraid of him," the buck said.

"Um, I was talking to Dom? Rude."

"But I'm right here," Louis crossed his arms.

"Yeah, but contextually you should have known that you weren't supposed to hear it!"

Pina grinned at the mongoose. "Try lowering your voice."

"YOU THINK I DIDN'T?"

Everyone went quiet, and Kai grimaced. His hand went to the rubber band and he snapped himself twice.

Louis looked at Legosi. "No matter the case, he'll never hurt me."

Legosi nodded with a serious look on his face. "I'll protect you, Lou."

"Also Louis has a gun," Pina added.

Kai and Dom's eyes went wide.

The bird blinked. "Wh-where did you get a gun?"

"Yeah! What the hell!" Kai was equally incredulous.

"Don't worry about it," Louis said.

"Did you take lessons on how to handle it?", Kai asked, concern on his face.

"Oguma sort of taught me to defend myself. He told me I'd need it as a Beastar. And yet...I got kidnapped so I guess it was useless."

Everyone went quiet, unsure of what to say now that the atmosphere turned a bit sensitive.

Louis made a face and just looked down. Could he defend against this killer? Truly?

Eventually, Pina spoke up. "...I have a bat, but these guys don't want me to drive nails into it."

"Well, you want to catch the killer not be a killer, right?" Dom titled his head.

Pina scowled and crossed his arms as his back hit the seat. He looked away. No one was letting him have any fun.

"Why is it such a big deal?" Louis asked.

"Nothing." The other herbivore's voice was monotone.

Kai shook his head in disbelief. "...You guys are on a road straight to expulsion."

"I don't even go to school," the cervid argued.

"Okay, arrested, then. Better?"

Legosi hunched his shoulders up. "Kai, please don't say things like that."

"Why not? I'm just trying to be you guys' voice of reason."

"We have to do all of this without getting a criminal record," the deer sunk a bit. He could be separated from Legosi. Their future obliterated right then and there.

The wolf rubbed his knees. Was it too late to back out now?...No. They had to do this. For Tem and Els.

"Well, uh, good luck, I guess," Kai offered.

Dom nodded. "Sorry we can't be more help."

Bill sighed. "It kinda sucks. Aren't 6 heads better than 4?"

"Yeah, but we can't force them. We're lucky Kai even got us those links. Can you send them, by the way?" Pina asked.

"Yeah yeah, later. I have to get back to my laptop."

"Do it as soon as you can," Louis said.

"You got it." Kai turned to his boyfriend. "So, Dom, anything else you wanna do here before we go?"

Dom scratched his cheek. "Hm...Are we all splitting up?"

They all looked at each other.

Eyes fell on Louis, since everyone felt like he was the leader of the operation, with Pina being second in command. The deer shook his head. "It's been a while since we've all been together."

"You guys weren't followed here, right?" The mongoose looked around nervously.

Pina shook his head. "Nobody knows we're even doing anything yet. Now is the best time for us to hang out, if you're worried. Might not get a chance to later. Not until we get the culprit."

"Or if one of us dies," Bill added.

"STOP!" Everyone jumped at Legosi's sudden shout, including animals around them. The wolf was pulling at his ears, nearly curled up on his chair.

Louis put a hand on his arm. "Hon..."

Legosi shook and began to speak, although his voice was muffled by his arms. "N-nobody's going to die. Everything is going to be okay."

"We have to accept the risk," Louis said.

The canine stayed curled up in his ball.

"...Why don't we all go check out the stores?" Pina suggested.

Everyone agreed and they got up, throwing away their trash and moving on.a