Chapter 21: Chapter 21: The Quarrel
"If they insist on taking me, I'll jump from here and become a pancake," Big White declared, pointing below. Despite his words, he had no intention of actually jumping. After all, as a panda, there would be many opportunities in the future.
"Well, I didn't expect you to know how precious you are," Gwen chuckled, patting his head. The panda's serious demeanor made his words amusingly endearing.
"I won't leave until those who want to capture me are gone. Those are my terms."
"No, it's too dangerous here. You might roll off while sleeping," Gwen worriedly protested.
"Just go and tell them my demands first."
"Can't you tell them yourself?" Gwen asked, puzzled.
"I need to maintain some mystery. If they find out I can talk, I'll be bombarded with endless questions," Big White explained. Indeed, if people knew he could communicate, curiosity would lead to countless inquiries.
"True," Gwen agreed, recalling her own flood of questions when she first heard him speak. Without his nap, she'd have stayed up all night out of curiosity.
"Say we have telepathy, and you're the only one I trust to communicate with," Big White suggested.
"That's clever. They'll have to consider it."
"I'll head back now. Be careful," Gwen said, glancing nervously at the height outside before carefully making her way back inside.
As soon as she entered the bedroom, George and the others eagerly surrounded her, demanding news about Big White.
"How did it go? Why didn't you bring him back?" the director asked, frustration evident in his voice.
"Calm down and let her explain," Adams interjected sternly.
"You can't see it yet?" George added. "This panda has intelligence and doesn't want to return to the zoo."
"If the panda displays a clear will, we should reconsider. Forcing it back could lead to depression," the Animal Protection representative suggested.
"Quiet! Let her speak," Adams commanded, silencing the director's protest.
Under their watchful eyes, Gwen relayed Big White's requests, adding explanations to ensure understanding.
---
"What!? It wants to be a police panda with me?"
"Jump off a building!? Refuses to return even if it means dying?"
"Telepathy? You can communicate with it?"
"It wants the Animal Protection Association to guarantee its right to freedom?"
---
Gwen's revelations elicited disbelief. The director, especially, looked skeptical, suspecting they fabricated this story to keep the panda.
"Yes, Big White said if the captors didn't leave, he would stay there forever. If they dared to raid while he slept, he'd find a way to escape or worse."
"That's all," Gwen concluded, sitting down as the group absorbed her words.
The room fell silent as they exchanged glances, unsure of what to say.
Finally, the Animal Protection representative spoke.
"I believe this panda has a high level of intelligence and a survival instinct. Returning it to the zoo could be fatal, causing the loss of a precious creature."
"Releasing it into the wild, back to its original habitat, might be best."
"What? That's absurd! A zoo-born panda can't survive in the wild," the director retorted angrily, pointing at Gwen. "This is just a child's tale. Why trust it?"
"Unless Big White speaks directly, who knows if this is a ploy to keep the panda," he continued.
George was incensed. "You think we orchestrated this disappearance? I saw the panda leave through the window!"
"You rallied all of New York for a search based on your claims," the director argued.
"Who's joking now? Are you saying I'm lying?" George fired back.
"Stay focused on the panda. The argument can wait," the Animal Protection member urged, trying to calm the heated exchange.
Gwen, feeling wronged, joined the fray, defending their account.
---
Adams frowned at the escalating voices and glanced outside.
He was taken aback to see Big White's face pressed against the glass, watching the commotion with interest. The panda quietly opened the window and reached for a snack Gwen had left in the corner.
Adams chuckled at the sight, solidifying his decision regarding Big White's future.
---
"Stop! Everyone, calm down!" Adams called, halting the argument.
"Mayor Adams, this is all too strange. Telepathy? It's unbelievable! The child must be lying," the director insisted.
"But you can't take him now, can you? If anyone approaches, the panda might jump," Adams countered.
"We've seen this panda's intelligence, from escaping the zoo to now. It's clear he doesn't want captivity."
"As for what the child conveyed, let's verify it through actions and time," Adams concluded, ready to approach the situation with understanding and patience.
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