I like Louis' character in this more. Please Enjoy.
-MalMetal
CHAPTER 35: Hunting Lion and Deer
"Are you ready, sir?" Micha asked his feline boss who shook out his shoulders, adjusted his glasses, and then straightened his tie. His paws brush back his mane, and the few strands of fur sticking out fall in line with the rest.
"Yes." Cherryton's Headmaster, Gon, answered before both left the waiting area, going separate ways. He entered the main chamber of the building where he was greeted by an attendant and the imposing structure of the room. Circular rows of seats ascending upwards at a forty-five-degree angle for about twenty feet or so. Several other Headmasters from neighboring prefectures with academies of differing prestige filled each seat. Name tags were in front of each animal present. He'd seen this room hundreds of times during his tenure at Cherryton but that would never reduce that stabbing pain of anxiety whenever he entered. For him, something amped that anxious feeling when he looked directly in front of him.
At the center of the room was a rectangular table where a few carnivore Headmasters sat. A female black-backed jackal, male southern alligator, male snow fox, and female bald eagle sat in four of the five seats. Two on each side of one seat placed at the center of the table. They all looked at Gon as he sat down in the place with his name tag. Before he sat down he went up to a rather large jar on the left side of the room and dropped a strand of his mane into it. The blue liquid inside disintegrated it completely, this ritual is used to ensure that no one discussing any part of this arrangement is disclosed outside of the room. Gon sat down shortly thereafter.
"You've taken quite a while to arrive." The bald eagle said, her voice was rather deep.
"It wasn't an easy morning, being told to come here last night caught me off guard."
"All of us were called here late last night as well." The eagle responded much to Gon's surprise. "The other Headmasters in the country were notified two days in advance from what I heard."
"A miscommunication?" Gon asked.
"Execution is more like it." The male alligator on Gon's left spoke up looking straight ahead. Gon took another look around, herbivore Headmasters were sitting in every single seat from the first to the last row. Eyes were watching all five of them so Gon didn't speak another word. He reached for the water provided but the bald eagle kicked him underneath the table. His hand drew back before centering himself again, waiting stoically before another six animals entered and sat at a wide wooden desk elevated off the ground. Six herbivores made up the six members who headed the country's high school-level education system. Heading this group was a small chipmunk who stood on the hand of a zebra that lifted him to his chair and closer to his microphone. Once his colleagues were seated he cleared his throat and spoke into the microphone.
"The meeting will now begin. I'd like to thank the Headmasters and my fellow Board members for being able to come here today. To keep this meeting as short as possible let's begin. The first order of business is the current concerns shared by us all regarding two things happening at the top country in this nation Cherryton Academy. Headmaster Gon."
"Yes," Gon responded a bit timidly.
"We all know how difficult things have been since the year began, although the murder of one of your students may be overshadowed in the media as of recently, that does not mean your school staff and local police are looking into the matter, yes?" Gon cleared his throat for a brief moment before leaning into the microphone provided in front of him.
"Of course. The authorities are doing their very best and all staff have been cooperative with the police thus far. Unfortunately, students tied to the murdered herbivore have not been interviewed, so the student body isn't pushing rumors or animosity of any kind towards large carnivores. Well more so than they have now." Gon answered in full confidence with his words.
"I'm glad to see measures are in place to ensure the mental and emotional health of the student body. However, what are the measures you've taken to ensure herbivores feel safe on campus? They don't know who the killer is if they're on campus, or if they'll strike again now that media attention has shifted eyes away."
"As we speak, a police officer of respectable status is currently keeping a keen eye around the campus' borders and in the campus itself. She is constantly on the lookout for any strange or suspicious behavior."
"Only one? Is that why no major breakthroughs have been made in this case?" The chipmunk's tone was backhanded.
"Of course not, not to mention that it is a school, not a crime scene that has to be studied. My students need a place to learn that makes them feel safe and secure despite the murder, especially after living in quiet fear the month after it happened."
"I'm sure that a Beastar would be perfect for aiding in the comfort of your students wouldn't it?" All eyes stared intently at him. Gon closed his eyes debating whether or not he should reveal his decision. However, he came to a decision only he could make.
"Yes, I have selected a female gray wolf. She is a first-year student who has shown a lot of promise."
"A carnivore after a murder by one?!" A Headmaster in the crowd yelled at him. Several others shared his sentiment voicing their disapproval at mass.
"Everyone please calm down!" The Chipmunk's voice spoke loudly into his mic silencing the mass of disapproval training to change his mind.
"Headmaster Gon, you must understand that the student Louis is the better of the two. His performances in drama club's performances have moved the student body. He's recognizable and a true unifier. The canid you've appointed is remarkable I'm sure but she cannot bring hope to the city or country!"
"She doesn't need to be a savior!" Gon started strongly. "Beastars shoulder a great burden in bringing herbivores and carnivores together, creating dissonance between themselves and their peers. Every year we see it! These young animals are forced to treat the problems we adults have left behind for them to solve instead of working to solve them ourselves. They are teenagers who will shoulder the hardship adults like us refuse to look at or solve. She may not be as mature or as experienced as Louis is but I believe in her ability!" Gon steadied his breath, he looked at a crowd of shaken herbivores.
"Felines are so emotional. How can you not see the problem with what you're proposing? Teenagers are our new generation and an inexperienced carnivore is the most dangerous of any of them!"
"All the more reason for a young carnivore to gain that trust going into this new generation! She's moved the city with her performance at the Meteor Festival and now will move the student body to see that one carnivore doesn't define them all!" Gon's words seamlessly countered the board member's. His fellow carnivores smiled at his burning sense of justice and heart to enforce it. Murmurs could be heard from herbivores all around. Gon had turned many of their disapprovals into actual discussion as to whether his point was actually correct.
"Please be quiet everyone. I think you make a valid point Gon, however, there is something else the board proposed for you to do when the murderer would be found." The zebra board member spoke up, nodding to his chipmunk associate.
"T-the board members came to a decision that the student if one does play a crucial role, would become a Beastar. After all, taking down a murderer is an adult problem, isn't it? They'll be a true upstanding animal in taking down such a beast, won't they?" Gon allowed worry to show on his face before taking his seat and letting go of the matter.
"Now that the matter has been settled let's move on to the other matters regarding the other schools." Gon sat through the rest of the meeting which took well over two hours when all was said and done. He stepped out of the meeting chambers without much energy and met with Micha. They swiftly exited and got inside their car, Micha sat in the driver's seat. He pulled off, stopping at a nearby traffic light, reached into his ear, and pulled out a small earpiece. Gon did the same after digging into his abnormally puffy mane briefly.
"You did great in there, sir," Micha lightly complimented.
"I'm just a good performer."
"Your last part was all from the heart. It was real."
"I can't be impulsive. Emotions are what get carnivores in those types of meetings." Gon's calm reply left Micha at a loss until something popped into his head.
"Sir, your wife's food was amazing." Gon's eyes lit up.
"You tried it already?"
"Yep didn't have much to eat last night so that was exactly what I needed. She was also lovely to meet for the first time after five years."
"I'm sorry she's not something many know about or I'm comfortable disclosing for good reason."
"No, I understand, it was just something that made me curious about my employment. Was it because of her that I got hired?"
"There were plenty of herbivores who applied, however, you were the one I and the staff thought was most qualified. That's what they all thought. For me an elk was preferable." Micha smiled to himself and drove on.
Louis sat down on the couch next to Ibuki, he mentally prepared himself for the meeting about to happen with Savon, Ten, and Miso. He calmly rubbed his brow, taking in all that he would have to say. He'd run through every single thing he could think of as to what would happen during it. Eventually, he closed his mind to any other possibilities except for two and both were significantly concerning.
"Ibuki." The lion turned his attention to his boss. "Will you accompany me to the end?"
"Yes," Ibuki responded confidently.
"Please run away and live however you can, they're going to hunt you down. I don't care about anyone else's survival except yours." Louis' clear eyes were a sight to behold.
"Your heart's bleeding for me after one hug?" Ibuki placed a hand on Louis' shoulder. "I'll worry about myself after we're done here. Who knows maybe it won't have to end here just yet." Louis followed behind his friend and opened the door to a hallway of lions that bordered his walkway to a room where Ten, Miso, and Savon awaited.
"Welcome." Louis started.
"Give up your territory." Ten's voice was cold and direct.
"Are you sure that's how you want to start?"
"You killed one of my own, so my patience is thin."
"If I recall correctly she was sent to kill one of my own. You've got no reason to complain."
"You've got no land to stand on." Savon cut in.
"You all conspired against me. Working together to push me out, I thought you all hated each other?" Louis' mouth curved downward as his voice fell an octave.
"I hate them, these two are playing nice. However, we hate you more, aren't you smart enough to know that, little buck?" Miso scratched his neck and let out a laugh. "You know how this ends, so stop messing around."
"Get out of the Black Market. This is your last warning." Savon said.
"Is that all?" Louis' casual tone cut Ten's nerves in half. She threw a dagger at Louis' throat but Dolph countered it in the nick of time.
"Women are so damn emotional!" Ten shot a look at Miso who cackled amused.
"We're going to kill you if you don't accept. No more deals." Savon stated.
"Then how about tradition?" The three bosses' eyes narrowed at the deer. "Didn't think I'd know about your customs? I'm asking for an Honorable Feast."
The act of Honorable Feast is a Black Market tradition where a dispute no longer capable of being settled by speech can be declared between two factions with equal territory or influence. Honorable Feast is believed to have been how their ancestors, dinosaurs, solved very large disputes, it's a cutthroat tradition that many have enacted as a last-ditch effort. This agreement is based upon one's honor and desire to prove their right to their territory.
"My five best against your men together. So a five versus fifteen bout in rounds is what I was thinking. If we lose then we all die together and our territory is yours. If we win then we retain our territory so we can resume business as usual."
"I refuse." Ten responded quickly. "You're nothing but a stain that has to be wiped away, an affront to what the Black Market is."
"I'll go along with it." Ten cut her eye at Miso who chuckled at her. " Don't look at me like that you'll get my blood pumping down there. As much as I'd like to say I'm agreeing to fuck with the vixen, I'd actually like to be able to kill you all in one fell swoop. My men can't find a single one of your defected members, funny that you "superior" felines scamper and hide like the best of rats." Ten cut her teeth together for a moment.
"Savon! You're gonna go along with this are you?" She barked at the reptile who held his mask at his side.
"Nikushi has cost me a lot, I've tried my damndest to be logical, and accepting this battle isn't. I could lose men, allies, and friends. However, they swore to follow whatever decision I made and my decision is to see you run away or dead and buried, so another like you never pops up again." Savon's poison glands leaked an exceptionally strong drop of poison that melted through the floor like butter. He placed his mask on. "I'll accept these terms under the condition that you withdraw protection and/or services you are giving to any vendors or stores to the three of us until this battle has concluded. We will not be aggressive towards one another starting tonight, November 16th Sunday. The battle will be taking place on December 3rd Saturday. Either faction can back out any day before the 1st. Forfeiture prior to 1st for the Shishigumi means immediate disbandment, relinquishment of all territory, and you leave the Black Market, never to return under any circumstances. Forfeiture for us will result in the fulfillment of your stated win conditions. Do you accept?"
"Yes," Louis responded wholeheartedly without a single misstep.
"I'll consult the proper personnel to set things in motion. We'll see you on December 3rd, no sooner." Savon declared before peeling a scale from his face. Miso pulled a whisker and Ten reluctantly pulled a split end from her tail. Louis had Dolph slice a piece of his antler off and presented it.
"With this tribute, we swear to these terms and conditions." The four stated in unison before the meeting came to an end.