Music of the Night

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Arthur felt like he was in a surreal atmosphere with the presence of this lion. He may not recognised him or interacted with him during his capture with Bill but when he mentioned the organisation was enough to make the Honduran white bat tremble like a leaf.

But the lion didn't make any attempt of dragging him or even led him into another direction which Arthur used his clicks to confirmed with where he was at the moment. So, the smell of paper and shuffling of books on the shelves indicated that this lion, Agata had indeed guided him to the bookstore.

He was about to ask if the lion wanted anything but decided to focus on his task of finding the right paint and decorations.

The problem was that all the cans of spray paint felt identical and it would be embarrassing to ask the animals working in the store for help because he had a gut feeling that they would think that the Honduran white bat was wasting their time when they could be doing something useful such as ringing able costumers or sorting out new items.

"Agata," Arthur called out meekly. "Do you mind helping me? If it's no trouble at all?"

Agata smiled. He was watching from one of the shelves on how the bat was handling himself. The young lion was impressed at how he could locate the stationaries that he wanted just by moving his mouth and his ears wiggled. Seeing the bat at the aisle full of paint, can spray paints and water colour, he understood why the bat needed him.

"Not at all," that was a mrow of amusement in the lion's tone. "So, you're at the paint aisle. You are planning on making something?"

"Yes," Arthur nodded. "Problem is that I can't and will never understand colours even if other would associate it with something or it symbolises something. So, I need your help to pick out a colour for me."

"First of all, what are you making?"

Arthur explained to him that he was making a pencil cup for his friend who loves to design and craft clothes. He figured a pencil cup would be useful for her and he admitted that he's not the best at colouring unless there was an animal next to him to tell him.

"Alright, I can pick out a colour for you. So, what are you thinking of when you want to paint?"

Arthur's ears wiggled to listen to his surroundings while his mind was wondering at how was he going to pick a colour when the word itself never made sense to him. Then, an idea popped in his head and Agata saw his foggy blue eyes becoming wide and full of excitement.

"A colour that matches the universe!" Arthur tapped the lion's paw excitedly. "Something that resembles the unknown galaxies, the whole different world above our stratosphere! Maybe, even an unknown language that has yet to be spoken of-"

"So, something that's like the night sky and the stars," Agata interrupted the bat from rambling on. "You like space or something?"

Arthur rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment of his little rambles. "Yeah. I believed it to be like music with its theme of the universe and wonders."

"Okay, okay, let's see....how about midnight blue?" the Congo lion suggested. Arthur tilted his head. "What does it represent?"

"Well, I don't know," Agata shrugged. "But it's pretty and I guessed mysterious if you're going with that. Isn't outer space full of mysteries itself?"

Arthur nodded slowly, his voice was already in a dreamy tone. "Yes...I guessed it is. Okay, let's get this and I found some of these stickers that felt like they are shaped like moons and stars."

And right he was! Little did he know, those stickers can glow in the dark.

...

Arthur was not off the hook the minute he stepped out of the bookstore with Agata.

He wanted something from the Honduran white bat himself so he folded his wings across his body to form a protective barrier as they walked. It was common to hear passerby animals calling him a Vampyrum from how he protected himself.

"You wanted my opinion or help on something?" Arthur inquired as they walked.

"Yes, it's just some knowledge if you know of some groups."

"Groups?" Arthur tilted his head. "If you mean any crimes or anything involving bats, I don't think so. At least, not here from what I've heard."

Satisfied by this indirect answer, Agata led him back to the Shishigumi hideout. He was told that the boss wants to speak to him and the rest of them wanted some knowledge from him. Despite that they are adults, they are aware that the younger animals, especially those outside of this country have some information that they don't.

"So what crimes or stories have you heard of organisation involving bats?" asked Agata as the both of them stopped at a traffic light.

Arthur recalled old news when he was about thirteen years old about secret meetings that occurred at the witching hours where are no other animals around. Most of those Chiropteras he has heard in the news were mostly light-hearted but this one particular group...

It made him shudder just by thinking of it...

"I don't remember the group's name" Arthur lifted his head to where he assumed was Agata's face. "But all I know is that the crime they have committed was far worse than anything I could ever imagine."

"And what would that be?"

"...blood sacrifice."

'Ah, so there are actual Vampyrums after all!' Agata thought to himself. Well, the boss would be pleased to know that the bat had cooperated to share some stories. He was starting to like this odd creature that society would deemed as undesirable.

Arthur knew something was wrong the minute they stopped, not a single footstep was heard and his gut was saying what he was thinking. He moved his mouth a bit to listen to his surroundings but no other animals except the both of them.

Suddenly, Arthur was tackled from the front and he barely had time to react.

Thankfully, the figure that ambushed him didn't tear off his ears.