"Please, take good care of him." Kiira said as she bowed to the nurse, who said she would, before closing the door and leaving the two hybrids on the hallway, both still recovering from what just happened.
"So... we go back now?" Kiira asked and, as if on cue, Legoshi received a message from Bill on his phone.
"They cancelled club today."
"On the first day back?" Kiira said, "That's not good... I was so looking forward to seeing everyone again..."
"We can see them again tomorrow." Legoshi reassured her. "It is all fine. Those things happen, as bad as they seem. Kibi's wound is not that bad. Believe me, I already saw herbivores have their limbs ripped off accidentally." Legoshi fought back the shiver that was trying to creep up on him. "His arm was ripped cleanly, I am sure that he will be fine. They will surely patch him together back in the hospital. No need to worry."
Although Legoshi said those words, truth was that he was not sure. He didn't lie about the part where he saw scenes like that before. Twice. However, from what he could see from Kibi's arm, he seemed just as bad as those types, even though there was a lot less blood. So, even though he was sure they would be able to re-implant his arm, with how much the technology around such a thing progressed, he was not sure if it would be smooth and easy.
However, he acted as if it would, because that was what Kiira needed now.
And it worked, as Legoshi could see a lot of tension wash away from her beaked face as she looked at him, and then noticed something.
"Senpai you got blood on your shirt." Kiira said, and Legoshi looked down, seeing the small patch of red in there. Before he could do something about it, Kiira had already picked up a handkerchief from her pocket, placed it on her beak to moist it with her saliva, and started wiping the red spot, telling him to "not move much", and Legoshi did stayed still as she did her best to clean the spot.
Blood was not easy to clean, as Legoshi found out, but Kiira still did her best, and she managed to make the spot a lot less noticeable. However, Legoshi was pretty sure it would take a lot more than a moist tissue to get the blood off the jacket they used to wrap Kibi's arm.
Legoshi was suddenly keenly aware that he was not wearing his jacket anymore. His extra arms were safely hidden as a volume under his shirt, but his mane was still on full-display, and the male hybrid was about to hide it, when Kiira announced to him that she had finished, and apologizing for not being able to clean it better.
Legoshi looked at her smiling beak, which, despite what others might say, he thought composed surprisingly well with her leonine features.
"So, what do we do now?" Kiira asked, "I mean, without club we basically have all the afternoon free."
Legoshi thought about it.
A free afternoon during a weekday.
That... nearly seemed alien.
His weekday afternoons had, as general rule, been swapped with work at the club, as there was always preparation for an upcoming play, or an event coming that the club was required to work together to prepare for, or some light fixture the needed fixing.
The fact that those things were so old did nothing to help the fact that they were always breaking.
And with someone like Louis as their leader who would never allow anyone to slack while on work, if Drama Club was working normally, then you were obligated to be there to work and do your part. Only in the rare occasions like that, when the club truly stopped for a day, is when you could go and do as you wanted.
And now was one of those days.
"I... honestly don't know..." Legoshi rubbed the back of his head, his fingers running through the thick fur of his mane. "We could go to the cafeteria? I mean, it is a little early for dinner, but we can have a snack, and maybe take a walk around the park... or maybe see some... flowers..."
As he mentioned flowers, his thoughts instinctively went to the image of a white rabbit crouched between them.
"We could go to the biology rooms." Kiira offered. "I would love spending some time with you there."
She said that enthusiastically. Legoshi, however, told Kiira that she would not feel very comfortable on the Wolf Room.
"Actually, I was thinking of us both going into the Lion Room." Kiira said to him, causing Legoshi to blink.
"The... Lion Room?"
"Yeah, I mean, we are both half-lion, so I thought... I don't know, we could enjoy it there? I always feel good when I go there, and everyone was nice to me." Kiira then looked down. "Of course, I've not been there ever since everyone found out I am a hybrid, but I still want to go, it's nice there, don't you think?"
"I... I don't know... I've never been there before. I've only been on the Wolf Room." Legoshi admitted, looking down. "I mean, people only knew about my wolf part back then, so..."
"I see..." Kiira said, looking at the male hybrid. "So... you want to go there together?"
Legoshi only more caught himself looking at a face that looked back at him that nearly seemed to be anxiously waiting and hoping for his answer.
And his answer was, to himself a "what the hell", and to Kira a "I guess I can try it out", which seemed to make the female hybrid happy.
Soon, they were walking down the hallway, attracting a lot of looks and, much to Legoshi's dismay, whispering.
"Is it them, right?"
"They are really back. I was sure they were going to drop out and hide."
"I'm never getting used to those two. They are so weird..."
"Think they are together?"
"As in 'together' together?"
"I heard they did it together."
"They are part lion, I heard they get riled up when they form a group."
Legoshi once more cursed his canine-like hearing, and he wished that he had been born with the ears of a lion. Not as sensitive but also of a decent capacity. Kinda like his dad.
"Did you hear the news?" Someone else said, "Apparently his dad used to devour people when he was younger."
"Guess apples don't fall too far from their trees, do they?"
Legoshi closed his eyes while he fought the urge to cover his ears. Or to go there and say some things to whoever was speaking about his dad. He just allowed Kiira to lead the way until they arrived on the circular room with several doors all around, each one leading to a specific habitat.
His on instinctual memories nearly led him to walk straight to the Wolf Room's door, when Kiira reminded him they were going to the one right by its side.
"Oh, right..." Legoshi said, and he was soon standing by her side as she opened the door with a figure of a lion's head on it.
So far, Legoshi had only been inside of the Wolf's Room, even though he caught glimpses of a few others as the other students went in or out of them. For the first time, however, he entered the Biology Room that was meant for lions.
And it was quite different from the one made for wolves.
The Wolf Room was basically a waiting room with a giant lamp on top shining artificial moonlight on them. The Lion Room, however, was far more elaborated. The room was illuminated by a light like that of the mid-afternoon sun, with a ceiling made to imitate a blue sky. The ground was covered in a yellowish, artificial grass on thigh height, with a clearing on the center. Around the place, a few rocks so big two or three lions could lay down on them. And, by the corner, a dry-looking tree with a thick trunk and twisting branches that reminded Legoshi of Louis's horns.
And, of course, there were lions instead of canines there. Some of them were crouching or sitting among the grass (mainly the females), a few of them were laying on the rocks, and some were even on the top of the tree, resting on hammocks hanging from them. And all of them turned to look as the two hybrids made their way into the room.
Legoshi felt nervous. He was still not used to having so many eyes on him. Kiira was also nervous, as Legoshi could tell from the way she reached for his hand and held it quite tightly.
He looked at her, and she noticed him looking at her and looked back at him, before blushing and apologizing. She was midway in letting go of Legoshi's hand, when he was the one who started holding it.
She needs my support. She supported me back on the Meteor Festival, now it's my turn. Legoshi was thinking as he said her that it was okay. She blushed even harder as the two of them made their way into the Lion Room. The lions looked at them for a while, before going back to what they were doing. Some kept staring, and some even whispered among themselves. However, no one, in any moment, tried to make them leave.
Legoshi was not sure what to do on that room, so Kiira was the one who told him how things went. She taught him to kneel on the ground by the grass, standing still in it while letting his own fur blend into the grass.
"Your fur is darker than mine though... well, it is more of a girl thing, anyways. Try the rocks, they are comfortable."
And they were. They were actual rocks, nowhere near as soft as a bed, but laying on them was surprisingly comfortable, especially if Legoshi laid on them the right way, sprawling himself while allowing the artificial sunlight to shine down on him. It reminded him of the times when he was a cub and would lay on the ground while the sun shone through a window to take a nap...
And, when he got tired of that, Kiira taught him how to climb on the tree so they could occupy two hammocks as two other lions left so they could go to class. They laid there, swinging slightly on the hammocks on the artificial warm breeze of that room while Kiira shared with him videos of cubs doing funny things on her phone.
This felt... nice.
Like, really nice.
I think... I like the Lion Room better than the Wolf Room. I wonder if it's because I'm mostly lion...
Those two hours passed in a blur to Legoshi, and he and Kiira eventually jumped off their hammocks, landing on their feet on the artificial soil and walking out, still drawing some looks, but both barely noticed, as they felt much calmer after spending a while there.
"So, it is nearly evening now." Kiira said as she looked at the sky, seeing it had started changing hues. "Wanna go for that walk by the square? Maybe we can see those flowers still..."
Flowers...
"Uhhh, actually, I'll have to decline." Legoshi said, "Sorry, but I have to go do something. I have to check on someone. Maybe we can go another time."
Kiira was, once more, disappointed, but she nodded, understanding that Legoshi had something else to do, and accepting his offer for them to take a stroll another time.
She would be looking forward to it the rest of the week.
And Legoshi was soon taking on the familiar route to the Gardening Club.
He stopped before the door, hesitating for a moment, before knocking and opening it a few seconds later.
He could feel her smell. He felt it before even opening the door, mixed among the floral scent as if it belonged with it in a unique composed fragrance, just like his mother's perfumes.
She was there, standing by the flowers. Legoshi smiled as he approached, a hand raised. However, he soon realized something was wrong.
Haru was sad.
He could tell it from the way her ears were droopy, and from the look on her face.
"Haru?" Legoshi said, "Did... did something happened? Are you okay?"
He did not expect her to snap back at him:
"Why do you ask!? You wanna find out if you can just blow me over now or if you have to wait a bit so you don't seem like scum!?"
Legoshi retreated several steps, and he looked hurt. As if she had hit him.
"H-Haru...?"
The rabbit, seeing that big carnivore with a wounded expression on his face, relaxed. Anger leaving her features and being replaced with guilt.
"Legoshi... I... I'm sorry. That was uncalled for, I'm so sorry."
She kept apologizing, while the hybrid approached her again, kneeling to her eye-level.
"What happened?" He asked, and Haru, for a moment, thought about lying to him. About saying that nothing happened.
That just that morning, Louis said things to her she always feared hearing from him...
"What do you mean 'we should stop seeing each other'!?"
"Please, don't be so loud!"
Haru flinched when Louis snapped at her. He'd never done before, so she could only look at him in shock as he looked to the sides, checking if they were alone and if no one had heard those words.
She noticed how he had been paranoid about being followed ever since she approached him in the hallway to ask how he was, since she couldn't get through to him all summer, only for him to grab her wrist and drag her into a corner out of sight, hurting her wrist in the process with his mechanical arm.
"Is that how you talk to me after we not even seeing each other for weeks!?" The rabbit asked, this time in a lower voice, but still seeming outraged.
"While I do appreciate you being so concerned." Louis was saying that in a formal way, nearly as if he was talking to a stranger. "I believe we will have to put a definitive end to our previous situation. It is no longer favorable for either of us."
This was not happening.
This could NOT be actually happening right now.
Especially with Louis talking to her in such a cold manner...
"You mean you wanna break up?" She asked, "Then why don't you just say that!? Why are you talking to me like you are discussing some kind of business!? We are talking about a relationship, not a contract!"
She was starting to get loud again. She could not help it, with how frustrated she was right now. So much that her ears were starting to inflate.
However, much to her shock, Louis snapped at her again.
"Relationship!? Are you kidding me!? You were just my mistress! My sidepiece! You said that yourself!" He said at her. "And stop being so loud and just blurting things out! That was how you got us in this situation in the first place, you idiot!"
A gasp escaped from Haru's throat. She looked at the deer in shock, her ears dropping.
"Louis..."
The deer, seeing the tears starting to form on her eyes, blinked. His expression faltered, and sadness and guilt passed by his features, but he quickly recovered, straightening himself, and giving her a polite apologize, saying that his outburst was uncalled for.
"I guess... I cannot pin the entire blame on you." Louis said, "After all, I too failed to realize we were being followed back then. Also, I never tried to reject any of your advances, and effectively looked for you time and time again. So, it is not like I am innocent in this. I allowed myself to get caught up in such indiscretion."
What was he talking about?
Why was he being so formal and distant?
Why was he avoiding even looking at her?
Why was he acting as if she was no different from a stranger on the streets?
After everything they went through...
"I'm sorry for this, but this is the best course of action." Louis spoke finally. "This way we will be able to spare this scandal from getting any bigger for either of us. I did enjoy our relationship but, unfortunately, it was time to bring it to an end, so I'll no longer be visiting the Gardening Club. In fact, to avoid any kind of unpleasant rumors from arising, it will be better if we no longer have any form of contact."
She looked at him. Her mouth opening and closing as if she had forgotten how to form words.
"I've already erased your phone number from my contacts." Louis told her. "Please, do the same to mine and, in the future, avoid talking to me on the hallways unless if about a matter that involves both our clubs." He was turning to leave, and he cast her a final, cold look. "I wish you luck in all your future endeavors, Haru-san."
She watched him leave.
She wanted to go after him. She wanted to yell at him. She wanted to throw a tantrum while demanding him to come back there. However, she did none of that. She only looked at him as he walked away with firm steps, not even looking back once as he just walked out on her without giving her a second thought, all because he had his fill with her, and now she was no longer convenient.
Like every other guy on her life.
He was no different, in the end...
Maybe no guy was different...
"Haru-chan?"
She blinked and saw Legoshi looking at her. He had a tilted her and she could see the worry on his eyes as he looked back at her.
After a few seconds, she shook her head, slapping her cheeks with her fingers and wiping the few tears away from her cheeks.
"I'm fine." Haru said, her voice steady. "Just... dealing with some crap that happened earlier."
"Oh?" Legoshi tilted his head as he looked at her.
"Just some person who was rude to me."
"A person... wait, was it that harlequin rabbit?" Legoshi was suddenly alarmed. "Did she tried to attack you again!?"
"Hey, no need to get all protective." Haru said, tranquilizing him. "No one attacked me, and certainly not Mizuchi. Although, she clearly has been having a field day now that she has something new to spread rumors about."
She sighed.
"No, it was... someone else... Look, you don't need to worry about that, okay?"
"I... just came to see if you were okay, and if you needed anything..." Legoshi said, "And also, to see if we could have a word. I mean, we didn't really spoke since the festival-"
"To tell the truth, I do need your help." Haru said, "I need you to help me with those new vases. They are big and I have been taking all afternoon to move them. So, since you are so big and have so many hands, just give me some help. Come on, chop-chop."
Legoshi was a bit surprised at how sudden that was. However, he didn't complain. He just helped Haru with the vases, picking and carrying a few of them at a time and carrying them near the other plants so they could be filled with dirt and then have something planted on them, and then they could be taken to somewhere they would get sun without being on the way.
"By the way, your mom is a great singer." Haru said as they worked. "I heard her from my stand back on the festival. I didn't really hear the Urban Beasts music before, but I gave it a try ever since, and they are pretty good."
"Yeah, they are, aren't they?" Legoshi said, happy for talking about his mother's band.
"They have been getting some heat online, though. It seems a lot of people don't like a band of hybrids making success."
This caused Legoshi's mood to drop. Haru noticed and apologized for saying that.
"They are very good, especially your mom. It must be really cool having a popstar for a mother."
"Yeah. I'm still getting used to the whole 'my mom is a popstar' thing." Legoshi rubbed the back of his head while carrying a vase with his lower arms, placing it near a few others. "One of my roommates asked me to get VIP backstage passes to her next show."
"Well, that's only to be expected." Haru said, "Wasn't that why you kept it a secret? So people wouldn't come asking for this kind of thing?"
Haru had assumed that this was the reason Legoshi never mentioned it. At least one of them. She was, however, shocked to hear that Legoshi himself didn't know his mother was the singer of the Urban Beasts until the Festival.
"She said it was because she didn't want me to grow up arrogant and bragging about her being famous, or something like that." Legoshi said as he placed the vase near some other ones. "I kinda understand her point. She didn't want me to be one of those entitle kids who think they can treat others like they want just because their parents are important or have money..."
"Yeah, those are the worse..." Haru said, looking down.
"Oh, by the way, I saw Louis at Drama Club today." Legoshi said, "He has a prosthetic arm now."
Haru's answer was glacial.
"I know."
The way she said that caught Legoshi off guard. Then, something clicked.
"Haru...?" Legoshi asked, "Was... was Louis the person who... made you upset this morning?"
Haru took a moment, and then sighed.
"As it turns out, he was not as different from the other guys as I thought." She said to the hybrid. "He walks away as soon as things get inconvenient. Honestly, I was stupid for thinking he wouldn't."
"Haru..." Legoshi said, taking in all of this, and feeling a myriad of emotions.
Sadness for Haru being like that. Anger at Louis for making her feel like that. And, much to his surprise, some kind of... hope?
"I would not walk away on you."
Haru looked at him in surprise. Legoshi was looking at her as he spoke those words.
"I would not stop hanging out with you just because others were commenting or anything like that." He said again, and she looked at him with wide eyes. "You believe me, right?"
Haru looked at him for a moment, and then she said:
"Those vases are too close to the evergreens. Better out them a little closer to that corner, they will get more sun this way."
"This is just worrying..." Said one of the present animals, a donkey. "First a predation incident, and now a student ripping off another's arm? Both incidents within a few months from each other and both involving members of the same club? This is enough to worry."
"And Drama Club is supposed to be a club that shows Cherryton's ideals of coexistence and cooperation." Said a canary on the room as well. "This is a blow to the whole school."
"Indeed, it is quite upsetting." Said the tiger with a scar on his face after a sight. The headmaster wiped some sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. "Is barely been a day since this second incident and I have already received three calls from herbivore parents who heard about it from their children. They are questioning if Cherryton is a safe place. One of them seemed really upset."
"Well, can't really blame them." Said a red deer who was siting on the table, one of three on Cherryton's Academy board. "I mean, they sent their children to this school where they would study side-by-side with carnivores believing that this kind of thing would not happen."
"And it has not happened for years." Gon said, "The school has always been a safe place for all students to gather and learn together."
"Well, that's not what it has seemed since the devouring of Tem the Alpaca." One of the present teachers said, "And the culprit of that original crime has not even been caught yet. As far as we know, they could still be out on the loose, plotting to eat another unsuspecting student."
Some voices came forward in reluctant agreement. That was when the deer teacher spoke once more:
"Gon... I already brought this before, and I know your opinion on it." The deer said, "But, maybe we should start reconsidering implementing a full separation policy in Cherryton."
Those words passed over all gathered personnel. They all understood how serious it was, and they all understood what it could mean for the entire school and the students. And that was why they all felt them so heavy that they were even considering it.
"It might be our best option to keeping the students safe." The deer said, "Especially with the killer is still on the loose. This might be the only way to ensure no one else will lose their lives."
Gon, hearing those words, could not help but look down.
That was when a new voice joined in:
"So, your solution is to segregate your mixed education institution?"
The school's board members all turned to the person who stood. A red deer, but not the teacher. This one was younger, and he should not even be there, considering he was a student. However, he was in there, considering he was their current and only beastar candidate.
"How interesting that this is something the adults of this institution immediately think of doing once things get though among students."
"Watch it, boy." The adult red deer said to Louis. He had always been one of the few members of staff who disliked the younger red deer, having always seem him as a spoiled brat who was too big for his own boots just because he was raised in a rich house.
"Just pointing out something that bothers me a bit." Louis said, "After all, for the heads of an institution that prides itself in its' unification of herbivores and carnivores to so quickly suggest the abandonment of this model in favor of segregation is somewhat troubling. Should I take this as meaning that you don't really believe in coexistence in the first place? That's interesting, considering you are sitting right by the side of an alligator and not seeming to have any problem with it."
The adult deer didn't have an immediate answer to that, and he just sulked down while, on the seat by his side, the mentioned alligator shifted a bit uncomfortably.
"Cherryton is one of the few mixed-education institutions still in activity." Louis said, "One that prides itself for still being, and for offering the students a chance to have a taste of the unsegregated world waits for them once they graduate. I have to say, it does not look good on you to so easily give up this ideal."
"Well, it also doesn't look good for us if the parents start suing the institution for their children losing their limbs and being eaten." The deer teacher said back, glaring at the student. "It might not be an ideal solution, it is the safest one. And you, of all people should know that, considering that you had your arm eaten."
A lot of the presents shifted uncomfortably, with some even glaring at the teacher. Louis retained a poker face, despite the fingers of his robotic arm flexing involuntarily. He then said, his voice perfectly even:
"And yet, I am here, advocating against the students being divided and ruining all that Cherryton, and my Drama Club, are supposed to stand for. Guess I am passing a better example than you, ain't I?"
"Why you little-" The teacher started getting up, but he was silenced by Gon, who told him to stand down and sit. He did, but he kept glaring at Louis, who looked back at him with a smirk of his own.
Oh, how he hated that stupid brat... as much as he hated all the other deviants and freaks of that snobby theater club...
Louis, on his end, was indifferent to the adult's animosity, and just continued his case by saying that segregating the school would only make the students be less inclined to coexist, and that would ultimately lead to them leaving the school and finding a world where they would not be able to properly live in society.
"Yes, we agree with your view, Louis. Believe me." Gon said, "However, this does not change the fact that we still have a killer among the students, and that the herbivores could be at risk of becoming the next victims. As much as we want to keep the students united, in such a case separating the carnivores from the herbivores could be the only option to prevent any more devouring incidents."
Louis said nothing for a few seconds. For a moment, it even seemed that he had been defeated by this argument. However, he was about to surprise the staff.
"What if someone could find and capture the killer?" He asked, lifting his eyes, the corners of his mouth showing the faintest, most imperceptible smirk. "What if I could find the killer?"
This, naturally, caused a ripple among the board, with Gon being the first to firmly refute the very idea of Louis going on a manhunt for Tem's killer, under the argument he would be putting himself in danger.
To that, Louis lifted his shirt, revealing something he carried on his belt.
"I have been allowed by the school to carry those, with the promise they would serve exclusively for self-defense." Louis said as he showed the gun. "They will come in handy now."
"Wait, you are not planning to go around threatening to shoot the carnivores if they don't confess being the killer, are you!?" The alligator said, clearly alarmed. Louis was quick to answer:
"I'll find the killer through proper investigation. I am smart enough for that." The deer said, "When I find them, I'll make use of the gun to apprehend them safely. I'll try to avoid lethal force if possible, of course."
Gon shared a look with the other members of the board. He was greatly against it, of course. After all, it was absurd for a mere student, a child, to try and find a murderer by himself. However, he was shocked to see, from the looks on the faces of many of the members, that they seemed to be considering it...
"The police have already closed the case, as they don't want to bring it about when the tensions between carnivores and herbivores on the city is still on the rise." Louis said, "They won't reopen it or come to investigate. We still don't know who the murderer is. If they are a third-year student, this means they will graduate by the end of this school year and go out on the world, and that would be bad now that they had a taste of meat. Colleges are less rigid when compared with high schools, and most of them aren't boarding schools, meaning that the killer would not only walk down school hallways with herbivores, but also walk free on the streets with many other herbivores who could potentially be their next victims, all of it because they were allowed to slip free. We cannot allow this to happen. The school cannot afford to have an open investigation going on in the middle of a school year. However, if a student investigated the case by themselves and managed to find and apprehend the suspect..."
Louis was laying the groundwork like a pro there. All the years his father taught him to speak in public and how to be charming and convincing were really paying off. His arguments were sound, and they managed to convince a lot of the members of the board. Even Gon seemed to be starting to crack, perhaps because he was worried about the upcoming reunion of the All-Organism Council, in which the killer would surely be one of the discussed topics.
"Alright." Gon finally let out a defeated sigh. "You are to proceed as you see fit, but please be discreet about it, and careful. We cannot afford to lose a beastar candidate. The decision of separating the students will be put on hold for now, but if there is any other incident of violence or of a devouring from a carnivore student against an herbivore one, then it will be implemented. Be sure to keep it in mind and tell it to the other members of Drama Club as well."
"You don't have to worry." Louis said with a smirk. "I assure you our carnivores will be more mindful of their strength after Kibi's incident. By the way, are you maintaining Tao's suspension?"
"Well, we had to do something to punish him, otherwise the parents would complain more than they already are. He's actually lucky he didn't get expelled." Said the adult deer bluntly. To that, Louis had nothing to say, other than he would be careful and not take unnecessary risks and promising to find and apprehend the killer before graduation.
"Oh, and one more thing..." Louis remembered just as he was about to leave the room. "Some rumors have been circling since yesterday regarding Kibi's accident, as well as the two members of club who helped him."
"The hybrids." The adult deer said again, and Louis nodded.
"Those rumors might affect them in a negative way. So, I'd like you to take some time to dismiss them, if possible."
"Worried about the members of your club?"
"Worried about fairness." Louis said simply. "Legoshi and Kiira went out of their way to help Kibi. It would not be fair if the whole school starts thinking they were the ones who attacked and hurt him."
Gon nodded. He absolutely agreed with it and said that he would be passing a message through the adequate channels to put an end to those rumors. With that said, Louis thanked then and went his way.
This will certainly help my case... Louis thought to himself. He was already set to become a beastar thanks to the good fame he got from "saving Legoshi from the lions" weeks ago. Now, he would be gaining even more renown by being the one who brought Tem's killer to justice.
And this time, it would be a real merit for him, not just something he was given a part of a cover story. Not an underserved fame and adoration given as compensation for a lost limb.
His mechanical arm twitched, prompting Louis to grab that arm to keep it from lashing out in erratic movement.
"I will not fail..." Louis said, suppressing his own body's shivering as memories of that night by the shore came back to him. "This time, when that bastard comes to me, I will not hesitate to pull the trigger, and neither will I miss. I am not a helpless fawn sitting on a cage waiting for death..."
With those mutterings to himself, the deer continued his way, not aware that a figure, who had been present on the room during the meeting and heard his offer, and then followed him after he left, had just decided that maybe having a student investigate a murder case was not a bad idea.
Now, it was not that the deer didn't seemed to have decent chances, but...
Legoshi had just came back from his morning exercises. He was sweaty and, in a rare occasion, he was eager to have a bath.
Like usual, he went on the bathroom without his phone, which was left on his bed. So, he was not notified when, as his roommates all woke up and waited for the hybrid to vacant their shared bathroom.
It was a notification sent by Headmaster Gon. About Kibi's incident on the previous day, and about the two hybrids who helped him.
Jack knew right away he could not let Legoshi see that.
That was why he snuck Legoshi's phone and deleted the notification from his feed before the hybrid eventually made it out of the bathroom to dry himself.
And he even went out of his way to make sure Legoshi could not hear anyone mentioning the message.
The message that their principal sent dispelling the rumors that it had been Legoshi and Kiira who had ripped Kibi's arm off. The message that explained that they had simply helped him after an accident during club, and that they had not caused any harm to the anteater, and that the rumors were to stop immediately.
They did not.
People were still whispering, and Jack could hear it, and he made sure that Legoshi could not.
His friend had already gone through a lot on the past few months, including just yesterday, on his very first day back to school after recess, and he did not need something like that happening now.
Now they are saying that he and Kiira were planning to eat everyone of Drama Club but changed their plan because someone caught them! Seriously!? Where is this even coming from!?
It was not easy, but Jack somehow managed to prevent Legoshi from hearing any of it until the time when he was supposed to go to Drama Club.
The Labrador caught himself trying to go with him, only for Legoshi to tell him it was only for members, and that he would meet with him and the others later to play video games. Jack watched him go, wishing that Legoshi would remain unaware of the rumors.
"Think he will attack someone in there?" Someone said, "I mean, he did attack the anteater with that female hybrid, no?"
Hearing this made something snap in Jack, who turned to the ibex who said that, and he was soon, in a fit of emotion, pinning both him and the rabbit with him to the wall, as he yelled at them it was not true and demanded to know where they heard that.
"A wolf is going around saying it!" The ibex said in fear. "Says he saw the whole thing! Says that the male hybrid is just like his predation offender father! I think his name is Maki or something!"
Maki...
Of course!
Why was Jack even surprised!?
After hearing this, Jack was on his way to find Maki, and it only took him twenty minutes to find him.
"Yeah, that's what happened." Maki said to the animals he was speaking with. "I heard the two freaks complaining how they were not able to eat the anteater like they wanted because someone came. But they said they wanted to try again when they had a chance. Guess this time they will be sure to drag the poor sod into some dark corner before they can eat him. Someone should do something about that."
Some people were nodding as he said that. Jack, who had heard part of it, marched straight to Maki and, as soon as he arrived at him, demanded him to dismiss all the lies he just told about Legoshi.
"Legoshi would never do that!" Jack said, "He is the kindest guy I've ever met! He is a good person, and he would never try to devour an herbivore! Ever!"
"Oh, yeah?" Maki asked, "And how you know that?"
"Because I've known him my whole life!"
"Oh, really? Then you probably knew that his father has many predation incidents on his record, right?"
Jack hesitated.
He'd... never heard about that.
To Maki, his face said it all.
"Well, guess you don't know him as well as you think then." Maki said to the Labrador. "You don't know his father is a criminal who probably taught him the best ways to stalk and kill herbivores. I can totally see it."
At this point, Jack recovered.
"Even if that's true, Ibuki is a good person now! And so is Legoshi!" Jack said, and Maki then said:
"Dumb dog, they posted his criminal record all over the internet. There's no 'if' about it. The lion is a lowlife who should have stayed in jail. And so does that freak he sired."
"Shut up!"
This back and forth was soon attracting some attention from the people around them
"I swear, if you say one more bad thing about Legoshi, I will-"
"You'll what, dog?" Maki demanded, closing the distance and standing before the Labrador as he bared his teeth. "You'll fight me? That's it? You plan to fight a wolf?"
"I do!" Jack said, "If it is to defend Legoshi, then you can bet I do!"
And he did. Jack was never the violent type. To tell the truth, he very much adopted Gosha's pacifist approach to problem resolution. However, if what was at stake was Legoshi's well-being, then he was not afraid of throwing fists. Especially since he had received some self-defense lessons from the lizard and from Ibuki alongside Legoshi.
Although he was nowhere near as strong as the hybrid.
"Well this is gonna be fun." Maki said, cracking his knuckles. "Although it is gonna be a bit fast, won't it?"
As the animals around realized a dogfight was about to start, they were already forming a circle around then. The carnivores did look like they were already getting riled up, cheering and even making bets on the result, even though they all already knew the Labrador was going to have his tail handled to him.
They were bred for brains rather than brawls, after all. It was only an expected result to everyone, including Jack, who still put himself in a fighting pose as he prepared to stand his ground the best he could against Maki, even though he knew he was no match for the strength of a wolf.
"Everyone keep your eyes open! This won't even last five minutes!" Maki said, smirking confidently as he got ready to give that dog a beating.
Just like he said, the fight barely lasted five whole minutes. However, it was certainly not what anyone was expecting.
Maki was fast, that was sure. However, his punches didn't even had half of the force that Jack had expected and braced for. For a moment, the Labrador even thought that the wolf was toying with him. At least until he started punching back.
One punch after the other, Maki took it and stumbled back. He yelped when Jack's fist connected with his snout, with the following punch to his gut causing him to double over while hugging his stomach. This made Jack blink, for a moment thinking Maki was mocking him.
Then, the battle continued. Maki's punches didn't make as much damage as expected, while Jack's punches hurt the wolf more than anyone thought they should.
By the end of it, Maki was on the ground, groaning as blood leaked from his nose as he stood on his hands and knees. Everyone around stared at him in surprise, including Jack, who never imagined he would ever bring a wolf down so easily.
Then, he remembered how Legoshi spoke to him about his meeting with Maki in the Wolf Room. How he knocked his teeth out, even though he was sure he had held back. He said he didn't want to use so much strength.
Now, however, Jack was suspecting that the problem back then was not that Legoshi used too much strength...
"You..." Jack said, looking down at Maki, "You are so weak!"
Maki heard that. He heard that, and he could not say anything in return. Not when he was on the ground unable to get up after some Labrador beat him up. And everyone around him had seen it.
"D-dammit!" The wolf said as he got up in a rush, turned around and ran as fast as his legs could carry him, leaving behind a bunch of shocked students, some of them already started whispering between each other.
"Dammit! Dammit!"
Maki fist collided with the wall.
"Dammit dammit dammit!" The wolf said, his fist colliding with the wall with each word he said, letting his anger vent at the cost of nearly breaking his knuckle bones in the process.
He was fuming, panting as he let air whistle through his clenched teeth, his face burning with humiliation.
And, as fate would have it, since it seemed to hate Maki with a passion, that was when Dupi said, calling his name.
"There you are!" Dupi said, "Maki, I was looking for you! I heard you got into a fight! Are you okay?"
Maki said nothing, instead he turned his head to face Dupi. He let his beat-up face be enough answer of this.
"Rex dammit, Maki..." Dupi said, shaking his head. "Maki, why did you do it? You know that you should not get into fights! You always end up hurt!"
At this, Maki snapped.
"I know I do, dammit!" He yelled at Dupi, causing the other wolf to flinch. "Because I am a weak sod who cannot fight properly to save his life!" Maki started punching the wall again. "I couldn't fight when I was younger, an apparently I still can't! Because I was so easy to push around that I could never win against the other carnivores! Every time I tried to stand my ground, they would beat me up! Even if they were smaller than me, like a fox or a weasel, I was still the one who got my tail handed to me! Heck, there were even times when I got beaten up by herbivore kids! I know well how my wolf muscles are just for show and how weak I am! You don't need to remind me of that, Dupi!"
"Maki, stop this!" Dupi said, as he noticed how Maki's fist was becoming bloodied from punching so hard. He stopped after leaving a fist-shaped blood stain on the wall, but he was still trembling in rage.
"That stupid dog... humiliating me in front of everyone, all because I insulted that freak who he calls his friend, dammit... damn both of them..."
"Wait, what?" Dupi said, "Maki, you... you fought Legoshi's Labrador friend!? Are you still trying to get to him!? Seriously!? I thought you had moved past that already! Just let it go!"
"I can't, Dupi!" Maki said, "I can't just let it go as long as that freak is walking around the school! I need to get him! I need to get rid of him! And of that other freak too! And of his friend! I need to get back at all of them!" He was panting as he finished yelling. "I'll talk to the group on the next meeting. Yes, that's it, I'll tell them about this whole crap. They will know what to do. They always know what to do."
"Maki, no!" Dupi sounded exasperated. "You will not be asking for their advice again! Every time you try doing things as they told you, you end up breaking your face!"
Maki said nothing in return. And Dupi, since Maki touched on the subject about that group, decided to say some things that he had stuck on his chest for a while.
"Maki, you can't just follow everything that group tells you!" Dupi said, "You started going to the meetings out of curiosity, but then you started saying those things. Things about hybrids. I never heard you say things like that until you started going to those meetings. And after the last one you made a complete one-eighty on your favorite band! You loved the Urban Beasts!"
"That was before I found out they were all disgusting freaks!"
"You didn't care when you first found out!" Dupi said back, "You still listened to their music, and you wrote a whole wall of text whenever you found some negative comment about them online! But then you went into another of those meetings, and when you came back you deleted all their songs from your playlist and started going to their forums just to bash them!"
"Because they opened my eyes!" Maki yelled back. "Because they made me realize how those freaks didn't deserved to be admired! That they spent years tricking everyone by hiding their hideous faces so they could pretend they were normal! That they need to disappear like all others! They helped me see the truth!"
"They are changing you, Maki!" Dupi was in despair. "Every time you come back from one of those meetings, you are not yourself! You are angry, and edgy, and you say those things I never heard you say before! I don't even recognize you after you talked to those people! It feels like I'm seeing my best friend turn into someone else!"
"Maki, maybe..." Dupi hesitated, knowing that Maki would not like what he was about to say, but feeling the need to say it anyways.
"Maybe you should stop going on the Kopi Luwak's meetings."
Maki looked at him. Not a sympathetic look. Not a friendly look like the ones they always gave each other when they were younger.
This was the look of a person who Dupi almost thought to be a stranger.
"Maybe you should mind your own fucking business." Maki said, his voice dripping with hate, and then he turned around and walked away, not even giving Dupi a second glance, while the other wolf just stayed in the hallway, ears flat against his skull as he looked down.