Wooohooo! Schools out baby! You know what that means? Freedom for me, a chapter for you! Enjoy!
Honest Hearts
Busted. Was all I could think as the two officers forced us out of the elevator. They quickly slapped cuffs on each of us, sitting us down against the wall and began reading us our rights. If any of that even applies for us. I thought as I remembered the hostility shown against us since we got here.
"Four in one day, not bad huh Carrots?" the fox told his partner. His joy of catching us caused Samuel to mutter profanities underneath his breath. But we didn't even do anything! I wanted to tell them this and more but my mind went back to the tasing I received last time I tried to interact with the two cops, and I just kept my mouth shut.
"Not too bad, I'm going to the car to radio for a cruiser to pick them up." the bunny responded to the fox, turning and walking to the stairs that they used to intercept us.
"So..." the fox spun on his heel to face our group after the bunny left. "What were you four doing?" he cocked an eyebrow at us.
"Well officer, how about you undo my cuffs and I'll show you what I'm ABOUT to do." Samuel spat. If he wasn't angry about the discrimination from earlier, he was enraged now.
"Tsk tsk tsk." the fox shook his head at Samuel, pulling out what looked like... a carrot? He pressed a button on the side and a recording of Samuel played back.
"Well officer, how about you undo my cuffs and I'll show you what I'm ABOUT to do."
"You know threatening and officer is an offense?" he grinned. "Let's see... disturbing the peace, resisting arrest, and now making a threat against me. That make's three strikes bud."
"Sir please, don't mind our friend here, he's just a bit... upset. And we didn't mean to resist, we just panicked." Jack pleaded to the officer. "What did we even do for you to try to arrest us anyways?"
"Well a nice feline called us, said there was a very odd looking fellow driving away business and harassing him." HARASSING HIM? When the hell did asking for directions count as harassment? My mind flashed back to history class, where the same thing was done to anyone who wasn't Caucasian, mostly if they tried interacting with them.
"Sir I never harassed that mammal." I chimed in. "I was just asking for some directions! Please, you have to believe me." My pleading was almost sounding petty at this point, but I highly doubt we'd just get let off the hook, mainly after we made them chase us. The fox knelt down to make eye contact with me and set a paw on my shoulder.
"Look, I'm not saying I don't believe you, but we're going to take you to the station. We'll let you give your story there. Trust me, I know what it feels like to not have anyone listen to what I've got to say. I won't put you through the same." he said with a warm smile. Guess nothing else to do but sit back and see how this plays out I guess.
Twenty minutes passed before the bunny finally returned, two more officers at her side, an arctic fox and a wolf. Upon seeing us they held stares just like those the people on the streets gave us, but with less hostility.
"Take them to the station Naali." the bunny told the arctic fox who began to help us up. Upon being stood up Samuel began to look around the hall, trying to find a getaway. Unfortunately the arctic fox who the bunny referred to as Naali noticed this.
"Don't even think about it boy." he said sternly. Samuel sighed and just hang his head down as we were led down the stairs. We all remained quiet as we were brought out the doors of the apartment complex, all of us being put into the cruiser. I looked over and saw Joshua on the verge of tears and knew I had to comfort him.
"Hey bud, you haven't said a word since the incident in the alley." I whispered to him. He let out a choked sob before regaining his composure and looked at me, a forced smile on his face. I hate seeing him like this.
"It's... it's just I've never been arrested before." he told me.
"It'll be alright, I promise. We'll give our side of the story and be out before you know it." I smiled to him. My heart started beating faster just like it had done the last time me and him had a real conversation. Damn it, why are these feelings coming back at a time like this? I tried my best to ignore the pounding in my chest and kept talking. "We'll be fine, they can't keep us there forever."
"I'll trust you on this." he shook the last of the tears away and a faint smile made it's appearance on his face. "Pretty hungry though." At that moment his stomach growled, causing his face to redden a little bit in embarrassment.
"We're here." the wolf called to us. The doors opened and we were pulled out, although it wasn't aggressive. "This way please." We were lead into the lobby of the police station, an overweight cheetah greeting the two officers escorting us. They led our group down a few hallways and finally dropped us off in a holding cell, still cuffed. I plopped myself down on a bench, going over our situation in my head. This is just great.
"Wonder if they'll give us something to eat for our troubles." Joshua grumbled.
"Jesus Christ will you stop complaining?" Samuel snapped at Joshua, startling him.
"Guys, please calm down. We're all tired I know that, along with sore and hungry but we don't need to be on each other's asses." Jack stated boldly.
"Might as well try to get some rest at least, we may be here for a little while." I said, laying down on the bench and trying to get comfortable with my cuffed hands. Everyone else followed my actions and found a spot to lay down, quickly falling asleep after the stress of today's events.
Two hours later, a booming voice awoke us from our slumber. Surprised at the sudden noise, I scampered to my feet and looked up to see the scowl of a water buffalo. The wolf officer and Naali were standing behind him, ready to move us. After we were all woken up the water-buffalo stood in front of us as we were lined against the wall.
"My name is Bogo, but you can and will call me by my official title, Chief Bogo. We're going to need some information before we can decide what to do with you." Chief Bogo told us. I, always being the persuasive and calm one, decided to try to take charge of the situation for the rest of us.
"Of course Chief Bogo, what would you like to know?" I asked, trying to look confident and keep eye contact with Bogo, which was surprisingly hard, as he was incredibly intimidating.
"Fitzgerald, get their names and try to find them in the system. If not, enter them into it. When you're done and there's nothing else to do, I want them out of my station. Naali, we need you to work with Hopps and Wilde with writing the report" Bogo said in a no-nonsense tone, obviously ticked off about having to be bothered with us.
"But Chie-." Fitzgerald began but was cut off by Bogo putting his hoof up, silencing him.
"I don't care." was all Bogo said before he walked out of the holding cell. The wolf sighed and led us by our cuffs down another hall to a small room, to which he proceeded to take out a sheet of paper and sit down, motioning us to take a seat as well.
"Alright first order of business, what's your names, please include last as well."
"Nick Yufher."
"Joshua Caroline."
"Samuel Wilson."
"Jack Hallmark."
"Alright, and where do you currently reside?"
"..." None of us said anything.
"Oookay... I'll just put not applicable right now... are any of you employed, and if so then where?"
"Does being in a band count?" Samuel asked.
"Do you make money from it?" Fitzgerald asked him.
"Erm... no not at the moment."
"Then no. I'll just put unemployed." the wolf said, scratching more words down. "Alright, that will be all and since technically we have no reason to hold you four other than suspicion, you know where the exit is." he gestured to us unlocking the door. We filed out one by one into the hallway. What now? It wasn't like we could interact with residents of the city a whole lot without the cops being called on us, as evident of the events from earlier.
We were led out the front doors of the station and left there, night beginning to fall on the city. I guess we find a spot to sleep. I decided now was a good time to say something as at this point we were just loitering in front of the station, didn't need to give them a reason to bring us back in as I was certain loitering, mainly in front of a government building, was against the law.
"Well guys I don't think we have any other choice except to find a spot to rest until sunrise. We'll think of something then." I announced to the group who all shared a look of defeat, even Samuel.
"Suppose we don't have any better options." Samuel closed his eyes and exhaled. We began to walk the streets which were mostly deserted, everyone at a night shift or home at this point. We found out way down an alley on the side of another apartment complex, this one looking a bit more... luxurious than the one we tried to ditch the cops in. I had just slid down the wall and closed my eyes when I heard the slam of a garbage can lid.
"Guys I know you're hungry but I don't think digging in a-" I was caught off guard as I opened my eyes, seeing a massive brown bear giving us a 'What are you doing here?' cock of his eyebrow. The large mammal slowly started walking towards us, and I wasn't sure if we should run or not. Surely we didn't have that much energy left and wouldn't make it far, so I decided to just stay still.
The bear stopped in front of me and bent over, lacing a large paw on one knee and extending the other to me. I was expecting the paw to strike me, thinking he was just another speciest animal looking to convey a message with brute force. Instead though, the paw stopped in front of me, fingers extended. I hesitated, causing the bear to lift his eyebrow again.
"It's goin' to get cool tonight, what'er you waitin' for?" the bear asked me, but clearly meant the question for all of us.
Alright guys, that's all for now :3 Huge thank you to Elements King for letting me use his OC, Naali. Also, thank you to Zaravan for letting me use his OC as well, which was the bear who's identity will be revealed in the next chapter!
