After Gwen left, the house gradually emptied as everyone went about their day.
Mrs. Stacy took Little John to school, while George and Barry, the panda, got into a police car and headed to the Queens Borough Police Station.
They were picked up by a young, earnest-looking officer named Darren Eberstein. As Barry settled into the car, he couldn't help but glance between the front and the rearview mirror.
"No need to keep looking. He'll be your colleague from now on. Focus on driving," George advised from the passenger seat, noticing a recent scratch on the car.
"If something happens and they find out Panda Barry in uniform is in the car, it might make headlines with conspiracy theories," he added.
"Oh, sorry," Darren quickly refocused on driving.
---
Soon, they arrived at the police station, but this time Barry was there for work.
As soon as he stepped out of the car, flashes from cameras lit up his face. Barry squinted against the lights, gripping his electromagnetic stick while carrying a chemical backpack, then hopped onto his skateboard aircraft.
Publicity was crucial for his first day, both to introduce his identity and to display the company logos on his equipment.
"Barry looks quite sharp in his police uniform."
"I didn't think it would suit him, but it does."
"I think it looks great. Less cute, more heroic."
"Honestly, this feels like a scene from a cartoon. Imagine Panda Barry as a sergeant one day!"
"Panda Sergeant? Sounds fitting, considering he saved us from disaster."
"Being a sergeant requires responsibility and vision."
---
This wasn't a press conference but a simple announcement, so no questions were expected.
Amid the chatter, Barry followed George into the police station.
Inside, more surprised murmurs arose as officers gathered to see the new addition. All stood from their desks, curiosity piqued by the panda in their midst.
"Alright, let me introduce our new colleague, Barry," George announced, grateful for the crowd's attention without needing to call them together.
"As you can see, he's a young panda, but I bet he could take on ten of you," he joked.
Barry navigated the skateboard aircraft, carrying a white backpack, and surveyed the spacious, glass-partitioned workspaces—much different from the cramped environments he imagined.
"It's so cute! Are we really going to work with him?" one female officer admired, eyes full of affection for the panda, almost disbelieving.
"Does he really work? Can we see him in action?" asked another, curious about his skills.
"I think his skateboard is cool. As a colleague, he should let me borrow it sometime," someone joked, envying the high-tech equipment.
---
As the chatter continued, no one approached immediately.
"You can come up and greet your new colleague," George encouraged, nodding towards Barry.
The station fell silent, unsure how to approach a panda colleague.
Barry pondered for a moment, then extended his paw to the young officer who had driven him, Darren Eberstein.
Seeing the bear's paw, Darren hesitated briefly before grinning and shaking it.
"I'm Officer Darren Eberstein. It's great to meet you," he said warmly.
Barry nodded, pressing a button on his backpack to eject a small white ball, catching it in his paw.
"For me? Thanks!" Darren accepted the ball, surprised by its cold touch, and carefully stored it.
With Darren's lead, others approached to greet Barry. For each introduction, Barry offered a chemical ball from his backpack.
Luckily, there weren't too many people, or the backpack's chemical supplies might have run out.
---
The police station buzzed with joy at welcoming the new Panda Police, and officers, reassured by Barry's human-like intelligence, began to joke with him.
"Alright, back to work, everyone," George eventually commanded, ushering the officers back to their duties.
Barry followed George to the Sheriff's Office.
"Let's enter your information. From today, you're officially a New York City police officer—maybe the only panda police officer," George said, retrieving a file and ink pad.
Barry examined the document, certified by both the United States and the Dragon Kingdom.
Pressing his paw into the ink, he left his unique mark on the file, symbolizing his role as New York City's first panda policeman.
"Great, but you're still a trainee officer. It takes three months to become a full officer. After three years, you can be promoted to a first-level officer," George explained.
"Next are senior officers, requiring ten years of service," he continued.
"Then come sergeants, superintendents, investigating superintendents, and first-class superintendents."
"But you'll return to the Dragon Kingdom in a little over a year. Without significant contributions, you'll likely reach first-class officer status at best," George clarified. Barry's influence alone could secure him a first-class officer rank within a year.
Of course, a separate station just for him might also be a possibility.
Extra chapter avilable in PATREON
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