Construction Fight

"Leslie?" Perry asked. A woman with her red hair in a braid stared at him.

"Perry?" she asked, pushing up her brown-framed glasses. The man stared at her with big eyes.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I'm here to discuss with the Animal House owner about construction plans," she said. He blinked once.

"Construction plans?" Perry asked.

"That's right," Leslie said. "I work as a consultant with design."

"You work in construction?" he asked.

"That's right," she said. "What have you been doing with yourself?" Perry shifted his gaze away.

"Uh... well..." he said.

-----

Boy, does news get around fast.

"Mosh!" Noiz shouted. "Get up! You have to look at this!" She jumped onto the bed with a flyer in her hand. Mosh sat up.

"What is it?" he asked. The mouse boy read the bright orange piece of paper.

"Coming soon: New high rise dorms. Glitter and glam into the twenty-second century. All people are welcome," he read. Mosh looked up at his girlfriend. "What about it?"

"How come we weren't warned about this before hand?" Noiz asked.

"I don't know..." the mouse boy said. The kitty narrowed her eyes.

"I don't like this," she said. "That rat is plotting something again." The mouse boy raised his eyebrow.

"What? You think Artemis did something again?" he asked.

"Yes!" Noiz said. "And I'm going to find out what it is. You are welcome to join me if you want." She leapt off of the bed and walked over to the closet. Mosh tilted his head as he had a guess on where this was headed.

---------

Around noon, Perry and Leslie had lunch together. They chose a small cafe downtown. Perry couldn't take his eyes off of her. The sun shone in her red hair just like in the old days. He wished that he was painter so that he could capture her beauty in this moment as they waited for their drinks.

"How have you been?" he asked.

"Great," she said. "And you?"

"I'm fine," Perry said. When was the last time they talked like this? Everyone could burst into flames around him and he wouldn't care.

"So how long are you in town for?" Perry asked.

"About two weeks," Leslie said. "I have to make sure this construction deal goes through."

"What is it about?"

"The owner of this dorm house wants to upgrade the building and have the richer students live there."

Perry gave her a strange look. "What about the poorer ones? Where will they go?"

"I wasn't told much. I was just to meet with them about the plans."

"I see..." Perry hid his concerns as their meals arrived.

---------

Around three o'clock, the members of Animal House gathered as Artemis stepped forward to make the announcement. His secretary stood by his side at the podium. The house owner cleared his throat.

"My fellow animals," he said. "I have an announcement to make."

"Are you going to throw yourself from a cliff?" Noiz asked. The house owner rolled his eyes.

"No," he said. "We're going to tear down this dorm house and replacing it with a better dorm house." Silence filled the room.

"What's the catch?" Mosh asked.

"There is no catch," Artemis tried to lie.

"Bullshit!" Noiz yelled. "You're trying to kick us out for your rich friends, aren't you?"

"Don't be silly!" he was quick to say. The secretary turned her head.

"Bullshit!" the kitty yelled again. "Tell us the truth! I already asked around!"

"Tell us the truth! Tell us the truth, Artemis!" the other animals started to shout. "Tell the truth! Tell the truth! Tell the truth!" The house owner looked around.

"Uh... well... I..." he said. Artemis turned and ran away as the crowd irrupted into booing. Mosh turned to Noiz.

"There's your answer," he said. "Now what?"

"What else?" Noiz asked. "We prepare for battle?"

"And how do we do that?"

"We go to the council to counter their argument. I have the schedule right here." Noiz pulled out her phone and showed the calendar to him.

"I wish you luck," the mouse boy said. The kitty gave him a quick nod.

---------

As Perry and Leslie were getting closer again, Artemis, Noiz, and Mosh met with the Academy board. Both sides presented their arguments. Outside, Perry turned to Leslie.

"What do you plan to do if this project is rejected?" he asked.

"I guess my company moves onto the next project," she said. He gently took her by the hands.

"Please... stay..." the man pleaded.

"Perry..." she said. They looked up when the doors opened. Artemis walked out, scowling. He took one look at the pair and snorted.

"Oh," Leslie said. Noiz and Mosh walked out in the hallway. Perry stood up.

"The project is canceled?" he asked. Noiz flashed a V-sign.

"We can't afford it at the moment!" she said. "Animal House will stay for the time being."

"Oh..." Perry mumbled. He turned back to Leslie with a sad look on his face. She looked at him with the same expression on her face. Noiz raised her eyebrow as the idea for a new plan formed in her head.