Emeral sat in the uncomfortable chair within the main office. The chair was plastic and had no arm-rests, just like the ones at their desks. Comfort was not a luxury a student would have in the main office. It was meant to be uncomfortable; if you were here, your privilege of comfort was revoked.
The main office was only a little smaller than the nurse's office. Long desks surrounded two walls. The front wall which had a window on it, where people walked up to talk to the receptionist. The other wall had the secretaries for Mr. Pretty and Mrs. Gauss.
One of the secretary's phones rang, not for the first time since she had arrived.
"Hello, this is Mrs. Vaughn speaking, how can I help you? Oh, hi Terry! Really? So the party is back on? That's wonderful! Of course I'll still come. Yes, I can make the punch..."
Emeral let the conversation go. She shifted in the chair, her left leg falling asleep. She had been there for over fifteen minutes, now.
The bell rang; the fifth-grade lunch, that had been pushed back an hour, just started.
She brought up a hand to rub her forehead.
"Hello Mrs. Panesia, how is the boy?"
She opened her eyes to see the nurse at the receptionist's window.
The ferret's fur was frazzled, she looked like she had just gotten out of bed.
"I called his parents, they're at the med clinic right now," she replied. "At first no one replied, but then his dad called back and he started yelling. I tried to calm him down but he shouted that he was on his way and hung up."
Emeral saw the nurse glance at her.
"Has the principal seen him yet?"
”Mr. Pretty is talking to him right now,” the receptionist replied.
"What about her?”
Emeral didn't look up when she was mentioned.
”I think she wants to talk to Mr. Pretty also. She was around when... When things happened.”
”There were others around, too,” the nurse mentioned. “Just a heads-up, I think we're about to hear it from the dad before the end of the day, so be prepared."
The receptionist nodded and the nurse very quickly darted away. Things returned to normal, as if Emeral wasn't even there. The phone rang again and Mrs. Vaughn picked it up, and started another chit-chat.
The door to the tigress's left clacked. Her heart raced.
Mrs. Gauss stepped out of the threshold and went to the other secretary. "Mrs. Willow, can you make two-hundred copies of this for me please?"
"Yes ma'am."
Mrs. Gauss thanked her secretary and went back into her office; before she shut the door, she glanced at the girl sitting in the seat for a second.
The tigress swallowed.
Comfort was not a luxury, and neither was sympathy from these adults.
To her left, the other door opened with a squeak. Her heart didn't so much as twitch this time.
Mr. Pretty stepped out, shutting the door behind him. He walked over to Mrs. Vaughn. "What's the status on the boys' parents?"
The receptionist butted in; "The nurse just came by. Mr. Piadus is probably on his way. He's angry.
”And the other parents?”
”I haven't been able to get ahold of his mother, yet,” the secretary responded.
”What about his father?”
”He... Only has one emergency contact. The home phone goes to voicemail. The other number is to the bank, and I haven't gotten through, yet.”
"Keep trying," Mr. Pretty instructed. He then turned to the tigress. "Hello,” he greeted, polished dress-shoes softly creaking with each step as he went to the door. “Why don't you come into my office," he said.
Emeral stood up. Although the principal started with a question-word, it was a command.
The door opened with another creak, and she stepped into the principal's office for the very first time in her entire life.
She glanced at Ket, sitting in the chair against the adjacent wall.
In the middle of the room, but more toward the back wall, was the principal's large, oak-wood desk. It had a polish that reflected the fluorescent lights from over-head. On each wall was a picture, except for on the wall behind Emeral, which contained the door and a window that opened to the reception area; the blinds were shut.
The principal went to his desk, and picked up a pen. "Please, have a seat," he suggest-commanded, pointing to the chair in front of his desk with the pen.
"Take mine," Ket offered, "I'll stand."
Emeral bit her lip. She saw irritation on Mr. Pretty.
The fox sat at his desk, sliding a yellow-paper notepad in front of him and resting the heel of his palm on it. "Very well." His other hand flipped up the cover of a manila file, and pulled out a sheet of paper. He examined it, straightening his tie.
His suit was black, and pressed. He was as crisp and sharp as any of her father's colleagues Emeral had seen.
Out of character, the principal made a sucking noise with his lips and let the sheet fall back into the manila folder. "So, Emeral: how is it you know Arkethius?" Asked to fox, glancing to the tiger that stood near the wall, opposite her.
Emeral flinched.
Never had she heard anyone else call him by his full first name, except his mother.
"Ket is... He's my friend." The tigress replied.
The principal jotted some notes down onto the pad. “And how do you know Richard?”
The tigress's lips fell ajar. “Uh...”
”Ritzer,” Ket said, softly.
”Oh,” she chuckled nervously, then caught herself. “He... He's in our class,” she gestured her hand to point between her and Ket a few times.
”But, he's not your friend?” The principal asked.
”No,” the tigress said with a slight hint of disgust on her tongue. “Not at all.”
”How long have you and Arkethius been friends?”
Emeral's fingers fidgeted. "S-Since... Since the beginning of the year.” She replied. “And, sir, his name is pronounced ar-ket-thee-us; there's a tuh and then a thuh.”
”Emmy,” the tiger growled.
”Hm.” The principal looked up after scribbling a note. “My apologies, Arkethius,” he said, pronouncing the name as Emeral had taught him to.
”It's not important right at this moment,” the tiger muttered, glancing at Emeral.
She went from a look of sheepishness, to a bit of agitation.
”Could you tell me what happened?” The principal asked.
”I told you,” the tiger responded, “Richard grabbed me from behi—”
”Arkethius, I was speaking with Emeral,” the principal admonished, in a raised voice to silence the tiger. He took in a breath and let it out. “Step outside, please.”
The tiger was stolid for a full moment, before he turned. He opened the door, and made to leave in one motion, but in the middle of doing so he glanced to the white tigress.
She saw it. The flash in his eyes.
She had heard it, too. He had said just enough.
The door-jamb clicked softly as it closed.
Another few seconds of silence settled the room.
Emeral gripped the edge of her seat with her far hand.
The fox's chair creaked like his shoes, as he rolled it out from behind his desk, to sit beside. He brought the near foot up to rest the ankle on his left knee, black socks peeking out between his shoe and hem of his slacks.
”Right now,” he said, “I'm just trying to gather information. I'm going to ask you some questions; will you be honest with me, and answer as best you can?”
The tigress swallowed without making it obvious. “Yh—” She tried to say, but it came out airy. She cleared her throat. “Yes... Sir,” she replied.
”Perfect. So, let's back up a bit. Were you with Arkethius during the fight?”
The tigress nodded.
”And where were you both?”
”Out by... By the portables. That's where we were being led for... Because of the fire-alarm.”
”What were you doing, when you first heard the alarm?”
”I was at my booth, f-for Market Day.”
The principal kept jotting down notes with each response.
”Where was Arkethius?”
”Across from me.”
”And Richard?”
”Behind him. They were in the middle of the room, me and some of my other friends were by the teacher's desk. There was a lane, it—”
”I understand,” Mr. Pretty said, holding up his hand. “You and Arkethius stayed together, during the evacuation?”
Emeral nodded, wiggling her foot as inconspicuously as she could to get circulation going in her leg.
”Relax, I'm just getting information,” the principal reminded her. “Where was Richard?”
”He was—” The tigress began, but faltered. “Wh-When?” She asked.
”Let's start with when you were leaving the building,” Mr. Pretty suggested.
”I dunno,” she said, sitting straighter as she replied. “Me and Ket left right away.”
”You left before Richard?”
”Yeah—Yes,” she stated, correcting her casual answer. She was still getting used to the new name for the lion.
”So then, now you're out by the portables. Where are Arkethius and Richard?”
”Ket is... I'm still with him, and Ritz—Richard, we don't know.”
”'We?'” The principal asked.
Emeral's felt her fur rise. “I'm sorry?” She asked.
”You said 'we' did not know—”
”I-I mean, neither of us saw him, I don't think—I didn't, but—” She faltered from re-re-reclarifying her statements, as she watched the principal take notes.
”But what?” He asked.
”B-But,” she took in a breath, giving herself just a second to think. “I mean... I guess... I guess now, I know where he was.”
”And where was that?” The fox questioned.
”W-Well, I dunno for how long, but... Nearby, somewhere where we couldn't—where we didn't... See... Him.”
”Okay.” The fox set his pen down, looked at the tigress, and folded his hands together. “Now... Tell me what happened.”
Emeral closed her eyes, and took in a breath.
”We were outside, by the portables,” she began. “Waiting to go back inside.”
She and Ket stood at the back of the crowd of kids standing on the asphalt, having made their way to the outskirts.
”Why were you so far back?” The principal asked.
They looked to one another.
”Well, it was a fire-alarm... We... We wanted to be far away, and safe.”
The scribbling of the pen against the paper caught her ear.
”Go on.”
”When other kids started to go in, we waited a bit, just to avoid having to be crowded in, you know?”
They stood, watching the crowd of kids that had just spewed from the doors slowly get sucked back in.
”There weren't many people around, when we started to head back in.”
They took a few steps forward, walking along the portable.
”That's when... Ritz—erd... He jumped out from behind.”
There was a flash of amber-yellow as the sun hit the lion's fur when he dashed out from the shadow around the corner.
”He just jumped out?” The principal asked.
The lion paused.
”No taunting or anything—”
”—Right—” she conferred.
”—Just—” The fox paused, his words interrupted.
”It… It was a surprise-attack,” the tigress clarified.
”That's what you'd call it? An attack?”
”He... He had his arm around Ket's neck, from behind.”
The tiger's chin lifted as the lion hooked his arm across his clavicle, and yanked back.
”He pulled Ket back from where he jumped out of.”
The two walked backwards, back into the shadows behind the other side of the portable.
”So... Explain to me how Richard wound up on his back.”
”Ket... He broke out of the headlock.”
The tiger's hand went up to the lion's, covering it. He yanked it down and bowed forward with as much force as he could, pushing his rear against the lion.
”So, Arkethius breaks out.”
The tiger stepped forward.
”Ritzer falls to the ground,” Emeral continues.
”He just... Falls?”
The lion started to stumble backwards, but paused.
”N—No,” the tigress said.
He righted up, and the tiger stepped back, to where he had just broken out of the headlock.
”Did Arkethius push him?”
The tiger turned about, and his palms shoved the lion harshly.
”No... Uhm...”
The lion caught his stumble once again, his head-locking hand returning to the tiger's hold.
”Ket tripped him, took him to the ground.”
The tiger bent the lion's arm into a chicken-wing, stepping behind. He grabbed the lion's other shoulder, and kicked his foot forward, pulling him down as he stepped out to the side.
The lion slammed onto the ground, jerking up from the force of the fall before lying flat and still.
”So then, Arkethius intentionally took Richard to the ground.”
Emeral's left hand went to her eyelids, swiping across them. “Uh-huh,” she confirmed. Then, corrected with a more formal affirmation.
The sound of Mr. Pretty's pen scratching across the paper was the only thing that broke up the next half minute of silence.
”The way you describe it,” the principal said, “I get the impression Arkethius knew how to... Take someone to the ground, so to speak. What I mean is,” he lowered the resting leg and leaned forward as he spoke. “There wasn't a struggle or anything, no back-and-forth. Richard went to the ground quickly, is that correct?”
Emeral nodded.
”How does Arkethius know that?” He asked.
She could hear the guidance in his voice; he already knew the answer. “He... He knows Ju-Jitsu.”
”That's a kind of martial art, right?” The fox asked, sitting back up.
”It is,” she nodded.
”How does he know Ju-Jitsu?”
She hesitated for a moment.
Did what he said go this far? Did that little bit carry through all the way?
She recalled the flash of his eyes.
”I asked, how doe—”
”He takes Ju-Jitsu classes,” she answered. Her throat tightened with anxiety and guilt even as she tried to get it out, closing up just as she finished.
The principal nodded. “What were you doing during all of this?”
She forced the coil to loosen. “I was... I... Just... Watched,” she responded.
The principal nodded. Then, he spent a moment flipping the pen between his orange fingers. “Would you have a reason why?”
”I'm... I'm not sure... What you mean?” The tigress asked.
”Would you have... any idea,” the fox's hands spread out in gesture, “why Richard would just... Attack your friend, as you said?”
”...N-N—No, I—” The words caught in her throat, tangled and trapped in the coil.
”No clue?” The fox asked.
The bell rang, ending lunch.
”I... I mean... I could...” She took in a breath, drawing inspiration from her father. “I could come up with some reasons, maybe, but that's just speculation on my part; I... Dunno that that's valuable information.”
”Hmm...” The principal brought the pen to his muzzle, the left corner of his lips curling up while the right was blocked by his hand.
There was a knock at the door.
”Yes?”
The principal secretary opened the door, came in, and gently closed it. “Mr. Pretty, I was able to get through to the bank.”
”Good, and you—”
”Well, sort-of able to get through,” the secretary interrupted, clarifying her earlier statement. “Um... His mother will not be able to come pick him up at the moment.”
”Why not?”
”Why is that?”
The principal exchanged glances with the tigress, who then receded in her posture.
”I should probably say later, but right now... We can't send him home.”
”Send him home?” Emeral asked.
”There's no one else you can get ahold of?” Mr. Pretty questioned, the tigress ignored.
”He has no other emergency contacts,” the secretary repeated, in an exasperated tone, since she had mentioned that before.
”He walks home,” the tigress stated.
”Emeral,” the principal turned to the girl, “your mom and dad know Arkethius since he's your friend, right?”
”Of course,” the tigress nodded. “He... We hang out at each others' houses all the time,” she mentioned.
”Can we call your mom or dad to see if they can come pick him up?” Mr. Pretty asked.
”Uhm...” The tigress blinked. “Mom... She's usually not able to get off cuz she's in the ER... Dad... You can try, but he might be in court right now.”
The principal and his secretary exchanged glances.
”He's a lawyer,” the tigress stated.
The principal stood. “Try her father, see if he is able to.”
”Why can't we walk home?” Emeral questioned, standing up. “We walk home every day,” she told Mr. Pretty.
”Emeral,” the principal leaned over, resting his hands on his knees, his tie dangling down. “I don't think we can allow Arkethius to walk home with another student right after he got into a fight.”
Even as the principal talked, Emeral pulled out her phone. She tapped the button and held it to her ear.
The principal stood up, watching as she turned to the side.
After half a minute, she pulled the phone away. “Dad's not answering,” she said, and held up the phone to show the call history, just to prove she hadn't faked the call. “If he could, he would've answered right away for me.”
The principal took in a breath.
”Me and Ket walk home every day,” the tigress said. “We walk to school, too.”
”I still don't know if—”
”He was just defending m—” The tigress started to say with a raised voice, but cut herself off.
”Defending...?” The principal asked.
”It was... It was self-defense,” she managed to choke out.
The principal motioned for the secretary to open the door.
They left his office, and Emeral approached her friend, who was sitting in the chair she had sat in.
Mr. Pretty went to the microphone stand against the wall. The fox pulled the microphone up, and punched in a number on the console.
”Yes?” Came the teacher's voice, amidst some shouting and loud ruckus. “Qui-et,” the teacher told her kids.
”Ms. Hupp, will you please come retrieve your students?”
”I'm... I'm watching two classes at the moment,” the teacher explained. “Can I send some students?”
The principal let out an agitated breath. “Please send at least three,” he instructed, before putting the mic back. “Arkethius,” he turned to the tigers.
The boy stood up.
”You are to remain in your classroom until either we call you, or Mrs. Vaughn comes to get you—even after the bell rings.”
”Yes sir,” the tiger replied. “Sir?” He asked.
The principal gestured for him to go ahead with his question.
”Emmy missed lunch,” the tiger informed him, motioning to the tigress.
”I'm not hungry,” Emeral said.
”When you do get hungry,” the principal told her, “you can see the nurse and let her know you were in my office. She can get you something.”
”The students are here.” The receptionist announced, as she saw them approach.
The door to the main office opened, and Emeral saw Rini, Bitty, and Betty gathered around it on the other side.
”You're from Ms. Hupp's class?” Mr. Pretty asked.
”Yup,” the rat replied with a nod.
”Please walk your classmates straight back to class, understood?”
”Yup,” the rat replied again with a nod. She motioned for them to follow.
The tigers emerged from the office, and they started walking. Every few steps, one of them would look back to see the tigers were still following.
When they turned the corner, out of sight from the view of the main office window, Rini stopped, and pivoted about.
The tigers paused.
”So... How'd it go, Ark?”
The tigress tensed right away. “None of your business.” She snapped.
”I think this kinda makes me a business-partner.” She reached into the purse that was hanging on her shoulder, lifting up the blue butt of an object both tigers recognized. “It has Ket engraved on it, so...”
”So what,” the tigress snarled, “you're going to make us do something to keep your mouth shut, is that it?”
The rat closed her eyes.
Emeral's hand was held.
”First rule,” her boyfriend said, softly.
”I'm keeping this, for now,” the rat said, letting it drop back into her purse. “Does Mr. Pretty know about it at all?”
Ket looked to Emeral.
”I didn't say anything,” she told him.
”No, why?” He asked; curiously, not rhetorically.
”So that way Goren doesn't screw up your story when he talks to Mr. Pretty,” Rini replied. “Lyza packed up your Market Day stuff,” she told them. “She also has your money. Surprisingly, I don't think many people got robbed.”
”Wait,” the tigress held up her hand, “what do you mean about Goren not wanting to screw up our story?”
Rini shook her head. “C'mon Em,” she softly clapped a few times, as if trying to startle the tigress to attention. “Between me, Goren, Lyza, and Panda—we all know what's going on. And...”
The rat looked to the side, and turned about, readjusting the strap of her purse. “Just... I want you to know I'm on your side,” she started to walk. “It's... The least I can do.”
