The Stopping
What good would throwing a tantrum and acting shamelessly do here?
How ugly.
The white snake shot it a sharp look.
So noisy.
And all this dust was filthy.
Don't let it get on Lord Xiao Xiao.
The white fox's tail swished lightly.
The dust scattered in all directions.
The red-eyed python froze.
All movement abruptly ceased.
The drastic shift from extreme motion to utter stillness left the onlookers a little dazed.
What happened?
"...Why did it stop?"
The crowd outside the glass window shut their gaping mouths.
Their faces were full of confusion.
"Has it calmed down?"
"Is it tired?"
"...I don't know."
"But at least it's stopped thrashing around."
"Actually, I started getting a little worried earlier..."
"If this python kept going berserk like this..."
"Would it be... put down?"
"Huh?"
"That old lady would be heartbroken, wouldn't she?"
"That python's been her friend for decades."
"It's the one that gives her flowers and lets her hold it... It's an important... friend to her..."
"That's true."
"If it keeps going berserk like this..."
"It'll be put down..."
"Is that so?"
"That's..."
"There's no choice."
"It's too dangerous like this."
"It could easily hurt someone."
"For everyone's safety, they can only..."
"Oh my god."
"...If it's calmed down now, does that mean it's fine?"
"Hard to say."
"After all, it has a 'history' of doing this."
"Nobody knows whether it's really done going berserk..."
"Or if it's only calm for the moment."
"It's a ticking time bomb."
"It all depends on whether the zoo is willing to take that risk..."
"...Can't they just keep it locked up?"
"It's not like it can break the glass."
"It'll scare the visitors."
"Anyone who comes here must be brave, right?"
"How could they be scared that