《Cat Degeneracy》 Chapter 1 Where am I? That was the first question that entered my head. A blinding white light clouded my eyes as multiple lights danced in my vision. That¡¯s right, I must¡¯ve been in an accident. Not the weirdest as I can¡¯t seem to remember what happened before. White silhouettes gathered around me, doctors in white clothing. They looked like giants. Slowly, I took out my hand to block out the blaring lights. My nails were sharp, unusually so; almost like they were claws. The beeping from the machine made focusing hard, more so to my ears which I sensed were in a different position than normal. My hair looked to be white, so long that it wrapped around my eyes. It wasn¡¯t the white lights deceiving me either, my hair is white. My hands went above my hair to find a pair of animal ears where normal ears should be. ¡°Nya?¡± I let out a shock in surprise. Feeling my ears was the most intense sensation that I¡¯ve ever felt. So sensitive that it felt like torture and unstable that I let out a meow, I never did that before. A sudden wave of emotions came crashing open. Tears welled up in the corner of my eyes. But why am I getting so worked up? It was fear, indecisiveness, and somehow guilt that are all supporting each other. All I could do was let out a small whimper as tears rolled down my face. The men in white checked my body with strange instruments. The muffled voices made it hard to listen in. I''m having a panic attack. Guards came through the door when the doctors seemed satisfied. The guards¡¯ bodies are obscured by a set of a green bulky helmet and vest. The 2 guards took my body to lead me away. My breathing obscured any words they said. The tears never stopped. I let them take me away, any place is better than here. I just want to go home, I hate it here. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª I lay in my room for the end of days. A white sterile room with only the window to look at, and my thoughts. My dinner sits on the table beside the door. It went cold long ago. One of the guards in bulky armor came, they took the food out; probably to throw it out. The food was there for a while after all. It was when I heard a gentle knock coming from the door. ¡±Pardon, but would you mind if I intruded upon you?¡± A male voice resounded through the door. ¡°No, go away!¡± I said in an outburst. ¡°I have been receiving reports that you haven¡¯t been eating. I came here to check up on your health.¡± ¡°I said go away!¡± I yelled back. ¡°I¡¯m only here to talk.¡± Shame washed over me. Here I am acting like a jerk to the only guy who is here out of the kindness of his own heart, I thought. Such actions are deplorable, I know how terribly I¡¯m acting. As I was busy burying my head under a pillow, he continued, ¡°You¡¯re not going to respond? Well, I¡¯m not leaving until you come out, and I¡¯m not talking hyperbolically either. Either I can stay here, or we can talk in person, have a little chit chat. I opened the door with bated breaths, there was no lock on the door anyway. The man was behaving in more of a sign of goodwill that he didn¡¯t open it and invade my privacy. What I saw was a striking appearance, a remarkable appearance. It wasn¡¯t the same armor as the other guards that he wore. It was a metal plating draped over with a duster. His eyes are as silver as his hair, neatly cut. Wow, so cool! My eyes briefly flashed upon his uniform. No, it¡¯s my emotions acting up again, if I admired him more, I''d I might seem too needy. He leaned on the door frame, like every human, he was taller than I am; much so. By the way he stood, it seems like even a tsunami could have hit him and still have the same resolution from before. What a true gentleman should be. ¡°Come on, sit up. Lets talk,¡± he grabbed the chair to take a seat beside the bed. ¡°This all appears scary to you, and that¡¯s okay, it happens to the best of us. I like to know where you¡¯re at at this moment,¡± the man said. ¡°No, everything is fine,¡± I said through my teeth. ¡°I can tell a fabricated lie when I see one, I won¡¯t get mad if you tell the truth,¡± he said. My head lowers to the ground, ¡°you can be brave.¡± Tears formed up in my eyes, ¡°It¡¯s just that everyone so mean *Sob*. I don¡¯t know where I am. I want to go home. I hate it here,¡± I rub my eyes. I can¡¯t even look at the man as I whimper. I wailed for a while, he put his hand through my hair while making sure to avoid my animal-like ears. ¡°It¡¯s okay to feel sad. I know that you don¡¯t feel safe, that¡¯s okay as well,¡± he said in a calming voice. ¡°You said that you don¡¯t know where you are only in jest, did you? I wiped the tears off with my hands, I weakly shook my head. That made him pause for a second, ¡°that¡¯s a big claim to be making. You surely know what country we are currently residing in.¡± ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t,¡± I said. That gave the man a pause, his smile stiffened when he heard that. ¡°Nya?¡± I instinctually recoiled back. ¡°Sorry, it was out of my expectations. I am not mad at you. It''s alright I''m calm now. I believe that you have retrograde amnesia. Before you get too confused, it is best to recall your own identity. My full name is Donovan, what is yours?¡± ¡°You only said your first name,¡± I stated. ¡°True, I lost the right to my surname long ago.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°I can''t disclose that information.¡± ¡°I''m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Don''t feel bad, it was over 20 years ago. It is only a bitter reminder.¡± The more I thought about it, one name came to mind, ¡°Mekiko O¡¯ Zaar,¡± I said with confidence. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°I see,¡± he nodded. ¡°You are a first born son. Your mother has a beautiful name,¡± he smiles. ¡°How, how do you know that?¡± ¡°It''s a lot to take in, let''s say that the information is in your name for now.¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I am your mentor, I never told you before.¡± ¡°..No, I mean who am I for you to be here.¡± Donovan clenches his fist before loosening his grip, ¡°You and I are cut from the same leaf. We are part of the IMPERIAL program. You¡­ we went through anima treatment. You were given enhancements to improve your body¡¯s capabilities. I¡¯m sorry¡­ anima treatment is a difficult process to go through, that explains your amnesia¡­ No IMPERIAL comes out the same person.¡± ¡°Is that all that you can say? You¡¯re going to have me believe that my body has been enhanced with anima? You know how high on shit you sound right now! Oh god, I¡¯m nothing but a tool for them.¡± ¡°Mekiko, you¡¯re being hysterical, calm down, I can guide you through this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m being hysterical?¡± I screamed at him. ¡°I¡¯m being hysterical?¡± I muttered more softly. The sun dims in the afternoon, it was getting dark outside. I did what Donovan taught me and did breathing exercises. My mind eases up, although slightly. ¡°Donovan?¡± ¡°Yes, Mekiko?¡± ¡°What am I?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a strange question.¡± ¡°No, ever since I woke up, I have had animal ears and a tail. Everytime I touch them, they feel so unbearable to touch. I can''t take the feeling.¡± ¡°You are a nyancan, a beastkin more precisely. Your sensitivities are of no concern, it is a common trait for beastkin to have overly sensitive tails and ears.¡¯ ¡°Am I even human?¡± I paused before asking. That¡¯s a difficult question, if we¡¯re talking about philosophy or science there are different answers. Classification is a relatively new science and¡­¡± his voice trailed off. ¡°Looks like I lost you. What I mean is that you¡¯re as human as anyone here. Wait a second while I grab your food.¡± A knock resounded from the door. The fact that he noticed before any noise can be heard is impressive. Donovan took out the plate before closing the door. A waft of delicious meat enters my nose. It entices me to come closer. The hunger pains come back to me. Grilled fish under charcoal, which gives it that earthy, smoky taste. My mouth waters from thinking about it, That rich savory feeling. Yet Donovan is staring at me expectantly. My back went as straight as an arrow. I wouldn¡¯t be able to control myself. If he were to see me being unsightly, he would think poorly of me. I am going to turn out to be a savage. I turn away from my hunger. Water formed up from my eyes as I pushed the fish away. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± I said. ¡°Not even a little bit?¡± he asked, I shook my head. ¡°I ordered the foot especially for you. As a mentor, I am worried for you, and the food would get cold. Would you want to disappoint your mentor like that?¡± My determination drained from hearing this. If he cares, then having a bite might be okay, no he shouldn¡¯t see me for who I am, I thought. ¡°Okay, if that''s what you want. I¡¯ll be taking myself and the fish out with me then.¡± Below me, I felt my tail waving in the air as if to convince me. ¡°No wait!¡± I grabbed onto his duster. ¡°I want the fish! I will eat the fish. But could you¡­ could you close your eyes for me?¡± ¡°Sure, tell me when I can open them.¡± *Nom* *Nom* Nom* My eyes closed in ecstasy. It was everything I dreamed and imagined. My claws greedily grab onto the fish as I licked the plate. When I got to my senses, I noticed that Donovan was still closing his eyes. It would¡¯ve been shameful if I were to be caught, being unsightly. ¡°Okay, you can look now,¡± I said. What the man could find is an empty plate, licked clean. ¡°You didn¡¯t leave so much as the skeleton. Here I thought you were a fussy eater, and with the cutlery being ignored on the table,¡± he teased. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. I was, I didn''t have an appetite until now. Yeah, that¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Pray tell, why didn''t you have an appetite until now?¡± ¡°Well, the food made me feel uncomfortable. Just today, they gave me onion soup, and I couldn¡¯t bring myself to even look at it.¡± ¡°They brought you onions?¡¯ he sounded more demanding, almost as if he was going to raise his voice. ¡°Is that a problem?¡± I reluctantly asked. ¡°This is more than a problem, Mekiko, this is gross negligence. Onions are poisonous to nyancans. At first I was concerned when you were not eating, now I¡¯m only glad.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t eat onions?¡± I asked incredulously. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be here if you did,¡± he said as a matter of fact. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯ll handle it. There¡¯s going to be major restructuring.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to go that far, it isn¡¯t a big deal,¡± I protested. ¡°It is a big deal Mekiko, very much so. If word were to get out about the emperor¡¯s guards mistreating a beastkin, especially an IMPERIAL at that, it¡¯s going to cause a nationwide scandal. It would be letting chaos roam within the country. Sorry again Mekiko, this is one request that I can¡¯t grant you.¡± ¡°Is there no other way? I would be burdening you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, it¡¯s getting late anyway. I can tell by the way you¡¯re looking a bit sluggish. You must¡¯ve not slept well for the past few as well. I will be here until you¡¯re asleep.¡± He pets my hair, making sure to avoid my ears. It feels gentle, comfortable, and safe. My eyes start to feel heavy, I close them shut. My conscience nods off as my thoughts drift into bliss. I dream of the fish I ate. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¨CDonovan POV~ Emotion and duty goes separate. As a 1st class IMPERIAL, Donovan had seen his fair share of life-and-death battles and enough hardships for several lifetimes. He was already considered an ace among veterans, yet meeting with the beastkin was the closest that he lost his composure. Donovan pets Mekiko¡¯s hair, the nyancan purred softly while going around the cat ears. Donovan knew how sensitive beastkin ears are. Once Mekiko went to sleep, Donovan left pleased . He closes the door quietly so as to not startle Mekiko. It seems like I gained a little affection for the little nyancan, although he¡¯s not as meek as he initially appears, the man thought. He had to remind himself that any beastkin could have easily overpower the guards, and that is not factoring in the enhancements from the anima treatment. Every IMPERIAL anima treatment is bad, but Mekiko has the worst of the effects.The most intense form of anima treatment. Yet there¡¯s another variable that Donovan is factoring Mekiko¡¯s strength. It¡¯s in the name: Mekiko O¡¯ Zaar. It may seem like a normal name to the uninitiated, but that name bears a harsh truth. (Me, First son of Kiko from the Zaar tribe) The current prince of the Zaar tribe. Donovan''s dealing with the tyrant queen Kiko¡¯s son. That would be enough to send a shiver. Donovan steered his mind clear. To be as clear as water, he thought. Everything is a variable, if he didn''t know then he didn''t account for it. There will be order, there will be duty. He lost composure, he was aware of that now. His feelings were influenced by Mekiko. It was because the emperor''s guards grossly mishandled the situation, going so far as to mishandle an IMPERIAL and to be so incompetent to feed a nyancan onions. This made his blood boil ¡ª but he¡¯s calm now. As smooth of water, Donovan thought. Now, he was only concerned if Mekiko was having a nice dream. He realizes his mistake, he had treated Mekiko as an unknown variable. For what lies ahead, Mekiko will now be a part of Donovan¡¯s calculations. Heads are going to roll, and I will not stop until either the whole facility is reeducated or replaced, but that¡¯s for tomorrow. I have yet to do one thing, Donovan thought. He puts his hand on the beastkin¡¯s door before whispering, ¡°Good night Mekiko,¡± he smiled. He walks through the hallway without a doubt for the future. Chapter 2 To be able to broach the topic that I¡¯m originally from earth, that is impossible to achieve. If someone like Donovan were to hear this, they would link my behavior to the anima treatment. Most of my memories are lost, including my old name, so I lack the evidence to back up my claim. Besides, telling anyway would make me ill-favored. Such an idea makes me physically squirm. Like, what do I say? No, what I must do is have pride, I refocused myself. It¡¯s been a few weeks now and I''ve been too clingy. I have to be respectable, even with the heightened emotions. Yes, to act dignified as to act human, a known experience in my past life. I hummed in delight as I heard knocking from my door. ¡°It¡¯s unlocked, like always,¡± I yelled A man with striking silver features entered, he was my mentor, Donovan. ¡°Mekiko, nice to see you,¡± he said. ¡°I stopped by and was wondering if you like to have tea with me.¡± An odd request, even for someone like him. ¡°I would love to, but I have to refuse.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being worked up about going outside?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not getting worked up!¡± I protested. ¡°I¡¯m not prepared enough. My hair is a mess and I¡¯m still in my old clothes¡± I tried to dissuade him. ¡°We can drink tea in your room, that is what the table I recently brought to your room for.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you set up the table right in front of me? I thought you were being nice!¡± I was going to throw my hands up in the air. ¡°What? You think it being for a dining set would make it more chair-i-table?¡± ¡°Ok fine¡­ I would like to have some tea with you. You did interrupt me for me to drink leaves,¡± I stifled my laugh from his pun. I am a gentleman after all. He called the guards over to set up the table for tea. Their demeanor was different than before, different people entirely than before. ¡°What kind of tea do you prefer?¡± he asked. ¡°Chamomile is fine,¡± my heart skips a beat, to think if I mess this up. ¡°Careful, it¡¯s hot,¡± Donovan places a tea cup on the table. He poured hot water from a kettle to both of our cups. The mentor used his teaspoon to mix some sugar into his beverage. He sips on the remedy. I grabbed my spoon to put sugar in as well. I added a spoonful of sugar in, and another spoonful, and more sugar, and¡­ Donovan looked at me with a blank expression. I put the sugar away without saying a word. I clung to the hope that I can salvage my impulsive sugar intake. My hand grabbed on the teacup as I took a sip.. I will not lament! Hot! Hot! Hot! The cup went back down on the plate, in a dignified manner. I mentally gave myself a thumbs up, saved myself. ¡°I must say, you do have the proper elegance, like that of a royal,¡± Donovan laughed. ¡°Although, your face looks rather serious for a person who is supposed to be enjoying tea.¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m being serious,¡± my ears perked up in alertness. ¡°As a gentleman, I have to take this matter with the utmost respect.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Here I thought that my pupil was being nervous and putting on an act. All in an attempt to look good,¡± he teased. My face is going to redden, this is bad. It¡¯s just me and the mentor talking, I shouldn''t get so flustered. My hand laid on the teacup, and it was close to the edge of the table. Perhaps if I were to shove the cup closer to the edge it could¡­ Oh no, I¡¯m too committed. Donovan watched on as I pushed the teacup off the edge. It fell onto the floor. *Crash!* The cup shatters into pieces, liquid runs over the floors. Donovan remained silent as I stared in horror as the cup shattered all the pretense that I¡¯ve been putting up. ¡°-Nya!~¡± My face reddened as I meowed. ¡°Not that! I mean damn. No, I mean ¡ª no, there¡¯s no salvaging this...¡± I trailed off. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I wasn¡¯t here for the tea. We get some of the guards to clean that up for you,¡± my mentor said. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t look so sad, I got a special task for you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± He pulled out an object from his pocket, a deck of playing cards. The man shuffled the cards before laying them face down. ¡°See this deck of cards, I want you to look at the cards a bit more closely.¡± ¡°Are we here to go play Go Fish?¡± I snarked. ¡°Very funny. No, not that, but I do want to play a game of sorts. If you win, you can get a reward.¡± My eyes sparkled from hearing those words before tempering my expectations,¡±What is the reward?¡± I asked. ¡°It¡¯s a secret for a reason. I¡¯m going to flip the cards and you will try to tell me what each card is. If you win, you get your reward, how¡¯s about that?¡± ¡°Okay, this will be easy. You better not go back on your word!¡± I objected. ¡°Oh, I won¡¯t, but there¡¯s one problem with your assumption,¡± he flips over a card. ¡°Can you spot the card?¡± ¡°Wait, what,¡± I looked at the card, faced up. Yet the card is blank, there¡¯s nothing on it! ¡°It¡¯s a card with a number or a symbol on the paper,¡± Donovan played coy. ¡°You said that this would be an easy game. You surely can¡¯t be going back on your word now? Only a blind man cannot see what the card represents, right?¡± ¡°No, I can see what the truth lies! And you¡¯re nothing but a liar. Deceiving me into believing that they''re cards when every card is blank! When in reality all you did is set me up for failure, so that I can play into your sick little game.¡± ¡°I can assure you that these cards have value to them. My eyes can see the cards quite clearly, such as this one being an ace. And this one,¡± he flips another blank card, ¡°being a queen. Hmm, this is unusual.¡± ¡°What¡¯s usual?¡± I tilted my head. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Some superstition,¡± he quickly tucks the 2 cards back into the deck. ¡°What I mean to say is that you failed to see the cards. Although, I could give you another chance, on one condition,¡± he raised a finger. ¡°No, this is an unfair game, I don¡¯t see why I should play,¡± I huffed on him. ¡°But what if I were to say if this time there is no time limit, and you can do it on your off-time?¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°Inside the 52 cards, I¡¯ve hidden an extra card inside of the deck. I want you to find the card and point out what it is.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not fair, I cannot tell you for the life of me one single card, let alone the mysterious card that you happen to place.¡± ¡°It is more of a question of when than if you could. Any IMPERIAL can tell what is in there, it¡¯s a matter of maintaining the proper focus to see beyond the lines. Here, take the. I¡¯ll be gone for a couple of days. Look at it when I¡¯m gone.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to be safe, now are you?¡± I paused ¡°It¡¯s nothing too dangerous, just some rebellion that needs to be quelled. I¡¯ll be okay,¡± he reassured me. ¡°If that¡¯s how it is, Donovan. I take you up on your offer,¡± I pocketed the deck away. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª Well, it is the time of night again. I stayed up looking at the dark sky. I didn¡¯t sleep well, and I knew that I was going to stay up if left to my own devices. I should get up. I looked into the mirror to see white eyes staring back. They reflect into the half-light, cat-like as they are. My fair reflection mends with my white hair and triangular ears. I recall that everytime I touch them, I am hit with a wave of intense senses. I can¡¯t allow people to touch them, it was the weakness of a beastkin. Just what am I? My complexion looks back with tired eyes. Staying here isn¡¯t good for me, I thought. Getting fresh air would greatly improve my sleep. Yet, I am reluctant to leave. What if people were to see me? Perhaps another way then? The moonlight shines in the sky, dark as night time will ever be, so what if I were to sneak out? It¡¯s not like I was acting wrongly, or doing illegal activities, so it¡¯d be fine. All I wanted to do is to go out for a stroll without anyone seeing me. I steered my head clear, ready to leave. My reluctance still sticks onto me, that bedroom was the only place I knew since my transmigration, it is the world to me. Yet it is a band aid that had to be ripped off. It was nothing more than a festering dependency. My eyes adjusted to the darkness. A reminder of being beastkin now. I nevigated myself around the various rooms around the facility. The moment I heard footsteps, I paused. The sound seemed to be going away, good. My heart is palpitating in my chest. My heart can¡¯t take it if they catch me. I¡¯m in the clear, I¡¯m supposed to sigh in relief. Yet that never came into fruition. It feels like there are eyes staring back on my head. My animal eyes stared into the darkness, there¡¯s not a soul around. So quiet that all that is heard is the gentle wind blowing rustling through the trees. Unless humans can be quieter than trees, I am overthinking this, I thought. Yet the strange events are always kept on the front of my mind. The door leading to the exit is not far away. I am almost relieved to be done with this eariness. The stars illuminated above the sky. I breathed out a sigh of relief, the relief never came. The sky is still beautiful. The stars shine on my eyes, they soothe my emotions. Perhaps sneaking out here was worth it. ¡°To be a shroud in the darkness, I admire your dedication. Although your heart lacks the darkness to be around the shadows,¡± a hand touches me on my shoulder. ¡°-Nya!~¡± I exclaimed. ¡­yet nothing happened, no, I¡¯m not in danger. *Sigh* I should really get rid of the impulsive meowing. A woman touches me from behind. Her hair is like her eyes, black as the night abyss. Blending into the dark environment. She wore the same uniform as Donovan, although her armor was much bulkier. She wore an eyepatch that she wore an eyepatch on left eye. She looks so cool, but how dare she be so indulgent. ¡°You got a lot of nerve sneaking up on me like that. Explain yourself!¡± I demanded, ignoring the fact that I made a cute meow moments ago. ¡°Your ignorance precedes you,¡± the strange woman said. ¡°For my reasoning goes beyond mere means. While you are merely shrouded in the night, I am the power that envelopes in the darkness! I go way beyond, to %1000 of human limit,¡± she poses, posing for the world to see. ¡°But the percentages can only go up %100,¡± is this woman insane? ¡°I go beyond limits,¡± she scoffs, ¡°for I am the Phantom of the Night, The Power in the Shadows, and The Gloom in the Dusk, but most call me Thousand Cuts.¡± ¡°I didn''t ask your name!¡± ¡°Yet I know yours, Mekiko.¡± ¡°What?¡± I could barely keep track of the conversation. ¡°I¡¯ve been eavesdropping, and you¡¯re the catboy that everyone¡¯s talking about,¡± she stated. Yeah, It¡¯d be hard to mistake me for anything else, I reluctantly admitted. Thousand Cuts strikes another pose as if waiting for admiration. I blink at her, unsure of what to do or if I should go back to bed. ¡°I have decided, we¡¯re friends now,¡± she declared. "As much as friendship is appealing and all, it is getting late and I have to get back to bed,¡± I said. ¡°Nonsense, the night is nigh and we have barely begun the initiation yet. I can tell by the way you move that you are a fellow practitioner of darkness, although you have much to learn.¡± ¡°Okay, what¡¯s your authority?¡± ¡°Hmph, you don¡¯t know? See this insignia? I am a 2nd class IMPERIAL. And naturally, you should be showing respect to your seniors,¡± she showed me an insignia with 2 stars on her duster. ¡°I don¡¯t know what a 2nd class is and quite frankly I could care less,¡± I stated. ¡°You don¡¯t know? Like you¡¯ve been living under a rock? Everyone in this city knows what 2nd, 1st, and even 3rd class is.¡± ¡°Of course I don¡¯t know, I have amnesia!¡± I blurted out. ¡°Oh no, I said the quiet part out loud,¡± I softly said. ¡®Oh,¡± she paused. ¡°It¡¯s the anima treatment, it¡¯s always the anima treatment. No, I now can¡¯t let you leave alone. It is my job as a senior to guide their juniors.¡± ¡°There are other opinions that aren''t yours. Like ¡®how I want to leave¡¯.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be trusted alone, you need my guidance,¡± she declared. ¡°I don¡¯t need your guidance, you are untrustworthy yourself.¡± ¡°On what hubris you got to make such a misguided accusation?¡¯ ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know,¡± I said sarcastically. ¡°Could it be the fact that a woman has been invading my personal space? Or maybe the fact that her claims of darkness is over exaggerated nonsense? Oh I know, it possibly could be that her breaches have gotten too big for her duster.¡± ¡°You dare? I know that my power strikes as true as my blade.¡± ¡°I do in fact dare, and I say that you¡¯re nothing but a fraud.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make a wager then.¡± ¡°A wager now? I can barely understand what you are talking about half the time!¡± My eyes narrow. Although my body stays firm, my tail flicks rapidly side of side, damn tail. ¡°I had enough, you¡¯re all talk! You and your over the top dramatics! I don¡¯t have time for this, especially not for your weird ¡®initiations¡¯.¡± A slight breeze hangs out in the air. My mouth hung in the air, ¡°but¡­ what are we wagering?¡± My voice seethed in reluctance. ¡°Ah, so the catboy shows his claws after all,¡± she covered her eyepatch with her hand. ¡°The wager is simple, I dazzle you with a grand display of my ultimate power. If your heart remains firm then I will admit defeat and I will do anything you wish of me. But if I win, you must become my appearance in the shadows, learning the true arts of darkness. I swear I imagined her eyes flash under that eyepatch before her hands. ¡°Becoming your apprentice, You now want me to become your apprentice. I don¡¯t even know what that means!¡± I said out of exasperation. ¡±Although, if it gets you to leave me alone ¡ª then fine! And I could also make you get rid of those ridiculous poses as well.¡± ¡°Then it is decided! Our bout has been struck! Come on Mekiko, let¡¯s make haste. This will be the night where your arrogance has been tempered by Thousand Cuts!¡± ¡°Nya?¡± Thousand cuts grabbed a hold on my hand. Going off to an unknown direction. ¡°Hey, quit it. You can¡¯t touch my.. Wait, wah!¡¯ Although I protested, my resistance would be considered meek. Chapter 3 Calm down, she¡¯s not going to woo my heart, I comforted myself. Sure, swordsmanship is impressive, and I saw impressive videos on the internet in my previous life, but that shouldn¡¯t be enough to sway my resolve. It¡¯s going to be Thousand Cuts who will be the one embarrassed after our wager. I would firstly get rid of her silly name, I nodded. The woman took me to some courtyard with various loads of training equipment and targets. Thousand Cuts placed a watermelon on the post far from me. ¡°You shall bear humility when you witness the might of my %1000 human potential. Beyond the scope of my limiter!¡± Thousand Cuts exclaimed. ¡°Does at least %100 of that human potential have anything to do with subtlety?¡± I retorted back. ¡°Ha! Speaking out of nervousness that I see?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not nervous!¡± ¡°Your ears would say otherwise.¡± Damn ears. I would press them, but that would hurt. I instead glared at her. ¡°If you repent now and sincerely accept me as your teacher, I can save you from embarrassment. You will never learn of that time your hubris underestimated Thousand Cuts.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my own hubris now? As a gentleman, it would take more than a few fancy tricks to sway my heart. Especially if all that''s done is cutting fruit.¡± I nodded to myself. ¡°Fool! For what this watermelon represents is more than just fruit!¡± She adjusted her posture to put on an act ¡°It is a showcase of my overwhelming power! Watch how I subjugate this fruit with all my might¡± She poses in the nighttime air, this time it was out of confidence. Is she being serious? The crazy woman was trying to be intense, but she failed on that accord. If I won, that all that mattered. The wind stood still. Thousand Cuts smile faded away as she grabbed onto the sheath of her sword. She positions herself as if ready to strike, yet far from the watermelon. No, there¡¯s no way, I steered myself clear. ¡°Greed, sin, corruption, those are the folly of man. My heart has long adjusted to the shadows, yet my resolve is being tested. I will not submit, will not relent, I will remain when the world is overcome with darkness,¡± she whispered out her speech. ¡°Final Destination: Phantom Blade,¡± She whispered. The world darkens as my eyes betrayed me. The aura coming out from the sword made my irises dilate. She drew out her sword to cut through the air. Light swirled outside of the blade. The steel has an eerie darkness. The fruit laid bare on its post, nothing happened. Okay, good, I was worrying for a sec¡­ I was mistaken, the watermelon split directly in the middle, yet she wasn¡¯t near finished. She dashes toward the split melon suspended in air. I was on my toes, my eyes never looked away. It was like she vanished. Coming back, she did a flurry of cuts, each one a blur. With a smirk, she stepped away from the incoming exploding. Bits of melon exploded into juice, not one drop getting on her clothes. The woman looked at more before twirling her blade and putting it back into the sheath. Her narrow sword turned back into dull steel color. My eyeballs were bursting out watching the spectacle. It was amazing, it was the reason I lost. My tail and ears were high up in the air, it was impossible to mistake the reaction for anything else. ¡°Ha! Mekiko I won! Have you seen how amazing I¡­ Hey Mekiko, are you alright?¡± she asked. ¡°My life is over. Why does everything have to be a cruel joke?,¡± I got onto my knees with my head hung down. ¡°It¡¯s okay Mekiko. I would be too devastated if my opponent is also Thousand Cuts,¡± she tried to comfort me. ¡°You¡¯re not helping!¡± ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª Outside of the courtyard, we waited near a corner covered with a wall. ¡°Now that you¡¯re my apprentice now, we can now start the initiation. You have much to learn before we can begin,¡± she said. ¡°Fine let¡¯s get this over with,¡± I sighed. ¡°You don¡¯t sound so enthusiastic. It¡¯s not every night that one can learn from Thousand Cuts.¡± ¡°Excuse me if I lost a wager that cost me my peace of mind. The faster that I can get through your ¡®initiation,¡¯ the faster I can be done. And can you please stop referring yourself in third person,¡± I sighed ¡°Your heart has yet to adjust to your surroundings. Let¡¯s begin with the first part of the test,¡± she deliberately ignored my question. Thousand cuts stripes off her clothes. ¡°Wait, it¡¯s not time for that! You shouldn¡¯t be doing that or someone might call the news,¡± I waved my claws. ¡°Call the news for what?¡± she asked innocently. Underneath her armor was a white t-shirt. The same of what I¡¯ve been wearing, although mine is much smaller in size. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was expecting¡­ uh, why did you even take off your armor?¡± Of course she had something under that armor. I stuttered too for no reason. Why did I think she was naked? ¡°We are going to sneak out of IMPERIAL Barracks,¡± she said. ¡°Sneak out, you know how many guards there are watching for us?¡± I was incredulous to hear her going crazier by the minute. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°That what makes it the perfect time to be sneaking out,¡± The woman hid her duster under a hollowed out rock. ¡°There has recently been a huge shift in guard structure. Some of the more incompetent guards were outright fired, but most were sent to beastkin sensitivity training. All that''s left is a skeleton crew to keep order here.¡± I have a sense that it was me who caused such a shift in the guards. It was so disheartening that this all started because of an onion mishap. I did not have the heart to tell her. Hold on, why should I care about what Thousand Cuts thinks? ¡°Come on white shroud, darkness waits for no one.¡± ¡°We are now giving out affectionate pet names?¡± I asked, but she made no comment. She motions me to stay close to her, I followed. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª The flowers were beautiful this time of night. The white roses caught my attention as we passed by the pedals. We were located inside a garden. Thousand Cuts interrupted my sightseeing when I bumped into her. She motioned me to stay quiet, we crouched down. For me to gotten a better sense, I pivot my ears. A guard passed by, he had his gun unholstered while making the usual rounds around the buildings. Unaware of us, the guard went past us.. Thousand Cuts and I beelined towards the tree in the garden. She climbed the tree and I tagged behind. She dropped over the wall through the concrete landing. I steered my breath before making the jump as well. I made a landing as I rolled down to make a safe landing. ¡°I have to say, you are a natural at this,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t need your approval,¡± I said. ¡°Your tail and ears would say otherwise.¡± Not again, those damn traitors! ¡°See these buildings over there?¡± She ignored my sulking, ¡°To be in the shadows is to be unseen, like a shroud under moonlight. We are going to be hidden in the dark corners of civilization, starting with that roof at the top,¡± she pointed at one of the roofs. ¡°This sounds like a fancy way of doing parkour.¡± ¡°That too,¡± she nodded. ¡°Where are we going to anyway?¡± I inquired ¡°It¡¯s a secret.¡± ¡°Is it a secret? So, you can be subtle if you want to.¡± ¡°Subtlety is only for the blade,¡± she said. ¡°Can you at least tell me where we are passing through.¡± ¡°The recesses of human civilization, The Iron Graveyard,¡± she smirked as if I knew.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know what that is.¡± ¡°...Pordan, I have yet to be forthcoming about your amnesia,¡± she cleared her throat. ¡°The Iron Graveyard is a section of Newcity abandoned after The Last War. Not even vagrants would come over there since the area is overrun by monsters and malfunctioning machinery after the war.¡± ¡°Doesn''t that sound dangerous?¡± ¡°We are only be passing through the outermost area. Anything that gets to you, I know that I can take them on. Mind the debris though.¡± She scales up a building. I use my claws to get a slight boost while leveraging buildings. We leapt from building to building. Being a Nayancan made traversing the cityscape much easier, although I am lagging behind Thousand Cuts. Although the buildings appeared old, they look habitable and some were well maintained, an odd beauty. The Iron Graveyard although I knew what It was when I saw it. A habitation of what once was; enclosed spaces, huge industrialization sections. It was nothing more than a jungle of collapsed concrete. We navigated ourselves to an overpass, it looked cleaner, at least compared to the rest of Iron Graveyard. ¡°White Shroud, we are here,¡± Thousand Cuts bathed under the full moon. ¡°*Huff* ¡ª we made it? you had me worried for a sec,¡± I panted. ¡°White Shroud, are you¡­ are you alright?¡± ¡°Yeah *Huff* just give me a minute,¡± I leaned on the rusted railing. ¡°The opportune time to strike is not right. You¡¯re correct, we should rest,¡± she looked up into the stars. The stars were ever so brilliant. Back in my previous life, they never had the luster to what I¡¯m gazing at now. ¡°Hey, Thousand Cuts you never really told me why you wanted me to come here,¡± I sat on the ground beside her. ¡°It¡¯s a secret, I can¡¯t tell you if I could,¡± she places a finger on her mouth. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I¡¯ve long prepared for this. Uh, for the initiation that is.¡± ¡°Hmm, by the way I¡¯ve seen you prepared, I¡¯d say that you long planned this. I would go far to say that this is more than some spontaneous spur-of-the-moment kind of thing.¡± ¡°You are correct with your assumption, I have long since planned this. This is why I decided to not speak with the guards before leaving.¡± ¡°We could have just asked if we wanted to get out? You had me worrying my head off for nothing!¡± I sounded dubious. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t understand, they never do. This initiation is what we¡¯re doing, it means more than the world to me, more important than others opinions.¡± ¡°It sounds like you have a lot of unanswered hostilities towards Imperial,¡± I said. ¡°No, I don¡¯t have any impure thoughts about IMPERIAL.¡± She paused, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have changed it for any career choice in the world. I only wish that my teammates would be more supportive in my choice to go out alone. This is what makes the night significant.¡± ¡°Here I thought that you would be a more brooding type,¡± I stared up into the stars. A rumbling resounded above the overpass. The ground that we¡¯re on shakes. ¡°It arrives,¡± Thousand Cuts interrupts the somber atmosphere. *Squeak* The rumbling of wheels on tracks sound out. The hum of an engine resounds with the warning blasts of the horn. A train goes by the underpass with a blistering speed. ¡°We went here to see a train?¡± I screamed over the noise from the train. ¡°It¡¯s our destination,¡± she yelled back. ¡°What do you mean destination?¡± ¡°Heads up, you¡¯re up first.¡± Her hand pushed me down, I went falling down towards the train. Midair, I adjust my body to a more natural position. It felt like my beastkin instincts were crying out to me. The legs bulked under the pressure when I landed on the train. My legs give way for my arm to fully stabilize me. Thousand Cuts landed beside me. Wind blew on my face, body, and animal-like ears. The breeze assaulted my sensitive ears. It was as if hundreds of hands were pushing past my ears. The sensation made it unbearable to go further, yet pushed on. The wind stopped me from speaking, the pressure on my ears made it impossible to think. I covered the breeze with my arm as we went. Thousand Cuts opened the door towards the train, I jumped in. She closed the door, the pressure had ceased. What I saw was a train housing seats similar to that of a subway. The grab rails overhead swung from the speed that the train was pushing. Not a soul was here besides us, probably for how late it was outside. I sat down on one of the seats with my head hung down. Time passed as I stared into the empty seats. ¡°Fuck,¡± I whispered. ¡°Mekiko, are you alright?¡± she used my real name to ask. I look up at Thousand Cuts. Droplets of water fell onto my pants which confused me. My fingers brushed around my eyes, they were watery. Am I crying? The shock came to the woman quicker, ¡°Mekiko, I didn''t mean it to be like this.¡± ¡°No, I understand perfectly. I ignored all the red flags, and let you lead me near a cliff,¡± I seethed. ¡°Mekiko, I¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it. I have given you my full trust, and you trampled all over it. This is beyond acceptable. My ears hurt ¡®Thousand Cuts,¡¯ you know damn well how sensitive beastkin ears are,¡± I paused. ¡°You betrayed me when I was in your care.¡± We stand in abject silence. Thousand Cuts avoided eye contact. ¡°I understand,¡± she shakily said. ¡°We should return home, I won¡¯t cause you any more trouble.¡± I sighed, ¡°No, we should keep going. I have set out to be with you, and I am going to see it through.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m nothing but a troublesome burden.¡± ¡°If you make one promise, then I will forgive you,¡± I decided for myself. ¡°...¡± ¡°Can you promise me that when you go with your next spearheaded plan, that you would tell me ahead of time? And that you will protect me when I¡¯m feeling the lowest of lows?¡± Then I remembered, ¡°With absolutely no ear touching. Can you guarantee me that?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded, ¡°To the bottom of my heart, I wholeheartedly agree. I will keep the promise to my grave. I will keep my word, I am Thousand Cuts¡± ¡°You really know how to ruin a moment. Nevermind, it¡¯s fine, we will move on,¡± I said. ¡°Yes, let''s.¡± We got settled down, I wiped my eyes with my hands. My finger is damp with droplets. Damn, I¡¯m still crying. Chapter 4 When it came to Thousand Cuts, I knew she meant not to harm me. I needed some time to be alone, to have figured out what she was to me. Thousand Cuts took heed of my discomfort. She sharpened her blade with a whetstone while sitting at the other end of me. Nothing better to do, I fished out a deck of playing cards, the very same my mentor gave me. Thousand Cuts finished polishing up her sword, she looked at cards lying on the table. I decided to let her forward with caution to the way I glanced. ¡°This is an unusual deck that you have here,¡± she hopped over to the table. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that this is mine. More of one that my mentor lent to me in his infinite wisdom,¡± I answered her inquiry. ¡°Mentor? That¡¯s strange, who could you be talking about?¡± ¡°Donovan,¡± I stated. She rubbed her chin with her finger, ¡°Donovan huh? Well this set is weird, .¡± The woman picked up the deck. She took one of the cards and examined the illustration. ¡°Well, these aren''t supposed to be used for playing,¡± I said. After some thought, it wouldn¡¯t hurt if I told her the truth, ¡°What I¡¯m supposed to do is to train my vision; to get the clear picture in a way. All I can see is blank scraps of paper.¡± ¡°Is that what it is? What are you supposed to do with them?¡± ¡°Find the odd card in the bunch,¡± I responded. ¡°Let me see here¡­ Oh, nothing but a parlor trick for Thousand Cuts. The odd one out is plain to see.¡± ¡°Really? That fast!¡± My mouth was wide agape. ¡°Yup, I can tell you exactly which one it is and what the odd card¡¯s supposed to be,¡± she grinned. I stop to think about her proposition. Me getting the task done early would get my reward, with the admiration that I need. But, ¡°I can¡¯t have you interfering. This is a task that my mentor entrusted to me and one that I must do alone,¡± I shook my head. ¡°I couldn¡¯t have said it any better.¡± *Buzz* [The 1.05 Serpent Railways will now arrive at Mamba Station.] A female voice resounded on bulky loudspeakers. Huh? ¡°We¡¯re almost here,¡± she claps. ¡°You never did say where we were going,¡± I said. ¡°Look out and see for yourself.¡± Okay I¡¯ll bite, I did what Thousand Cuts suggested. My palms pressed against the glass while my eyes adjusted to the lights. Wow! My eyes dilated from the spectacle outside. While most cities were giant, they had a moment of relapse. This however never ceased to expend energy. Lights spreaded across the sky to an endless sea of colors. Green, red, yellow, white; I haven¡¯t kept track. They stretched on into the abyss, into the unknown. ¡°I haven¡¯t been thoughtful, the location we are going to is Snakewater,¡± she told me. ¡°I wanted to bring you is to Mamba Market, the heart of the slums,¡± ¡°You got me into the center of the slums?¡± ¡°The heart of the slums,¡± she corrected me. ¡°It¡¯s a relatively safe place, with tons of security. Although, It might be best not to stray too far. Besides, everyone and their dog goes here. This is all nothing for Thousand Cuts to handle,¡± she puffs out her chest. ¡°Here take this,¡± The woman threw a vile full of blue liquid. I caught it mid air. ¡°This will mask our appearance of being IMPERIAL,¡± she continued. ¡°It is for the best that nobody questions what we are doing here. Confidential business,¡± she put her finger on her mouth. ¡°There¡¯s no way that I¡¯m going without you telling me where it is first. You made a promise.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, I did make a promise¡­ Now did I?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going back on your word, are you?¡± ¡°I never take back my word!¡± she said defensively. ¡°Then tell me where we are going, I need to know what you are planning before I can decide if I want to follow you.¡± ¡°We are going to the amusement district,¡± she muttered. ¡°We are going where? Speak up, I can barely hear you.¡± ¡°We are going to the amusement district beside the machinery and music,¡± she averts her gaze. ¡°You have to be more specific. I don¡¯t know if I can trust you right now,¡± I glanced up to her direction. ¡°We are going to the amusement park to go on the rides!¡± She squirms before calming down, ¡±It was my personal dream to come here, I never did until now.¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. I stare at her, puzzled. This was the most nervous that I have ever seen her. ¡°You made up an excuse to come see me. You betted your dignity on a wager, and made a whole spectacle at that. All for me to come to the amusement park with you?¡± ¡°...¡± Her silence was all the answer I needed. ¡°Sure, I would love to go to the amusement park with you,¡± I stifle a chuckle. ¡°Really?¡± Thousand Cuts face brightens up. ¡°Ha! I knew my apprentice would accept my initiation. To go in the shadows is to be unseen. We will be blending with the crowd. Unknown to what lurks beneath.¡± ¡°Here I thought that we were here to go on rides.¡± ¡°Please White Shroud,¡± she used my pet name at that, ¡° We are here to test your subterfuge. Everything I do is a plan within a plan, and if that means that we¡¯re going onto rides, then we shall.¡± The woman took a gulp out of the vile. The swordwoman¡¯s black-as-void hair changed to the mundane, her eyes turned from black to brown. She got out another eyepatch to replace her previous eyepatch, to a much cheaper, more ordinary look. I went along with her example, I took a gulp out of my vial. My face scrunched up as if I was sucking on a lemon. Ah, so bitter! I resist the urge to spit out the vial liquid as it moves down my throat. ¡°I never said that it would taste good,¡± Thousand Cuts responded to my displeasure. ¡°Look at you, I never thought that a catboy would make such a face before, although I had never seen a male nyancan before.¡± ¡°Can we go now?¡± I deliberately ignored her teasing. ¡°This should be our stop. Take your first step and we should be on our merry way,¡± She walked beside me. She moved her head to focus on me, ¡°Weird on how the potion affected you. You kept the same white hair, there¡¯s no surprise there. It is your eyes that I can¡¯t put a finger on. They are still white, although not glowing as brightly. I can chop it up to a recessive trait to genetics, possibly linked to nyancans perhaps?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± I rhetorically asked. It is disappointing that there is no way to hide my bestial traits. It''s going to be a pain to never hide who I am, I sigh to myself. I never wanted to go out with the crowd, rather preserve my dignity. A shadow loomed overhead as I paused at the exit. Thousand Cuts noticed my behavior, she grabbed my hand to get me off. I can only meekly reply. The music blared to life and mixed with the multicolored lights. With the size of people this big, it could be said to be misanthrope''s nightmare. My heart was pounding as I was getting second thoughts, but I already backed myself into a corner. I couldn''t go back on my word, that¡¯d be the dishonorable action to do. Thousand Cuts kept her promise, I had to act on mine. What might she think of me if I don¡¯t? ¡°Mekiko, you seem pale, are you okay?¡± she stopped to ask. ¡°Yeah, it might have been the bitter concoction that is getting to my head, that¡¯s all,¡± I lied through my teeth. ¡°Uh, yeah, of course. Must be the energy that you have expended today. I get that nobody can be as amazing, except for me of course. We can stop over there.¡± ¡°Huh? Yeah, yeah, we can go there,¡± I almost choked under my words. She pointed at a stall housing various glass jugs containing juice. The man who ran the stall, I had a bad feeling about him. People passed by the busy streets, yet he stared at me. Although I couldn¡¯t put my finger on it, this guy gave me an overwhelming sense of dread. His gaze was heavy, trying to bring us both down. ¡°Thousand Cuts, I think that we should be going to another stall,¡± I hastily said her name. ¡°Nonsense, we should get something quick to eat before we go, this seems like a nice place.¡± Thousand Cuts shifted her head. ¡°Hey you there,¡± she said without missing a beat. ¡°Welcome to Mamba Market young lady,¡± announced the rotund man. He was intentionally not addressing me. ¡°I see that you have made amenities with this place,¡± she said. ¡°Only the freshest fruits of all of Pland, nothing less,¡± he said in his most 70¡¯s sleazy used car dealer¡¯s voice. ¡°I¡¯ll take the watermelon then,¡± she said. ¡°Sure, here you go, miss. Say is that Beastkin With you by any chance?¡± he scoped the drink with pudgy fingers. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s with me.¡± ¡°Oh nothing, here, have another one for your Beastkin friend,¡± he used his ladle to pour out purple liquid into a paper cup.¡± ¡°It¡¯s grape,¡± she glared at the man. ¡°Are you trying to poison him?¡± My heart dropped. It was another food that I learned I can''t eat and now I was getting into trouble again because of it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong,¡± the obese man said. ¡°I eat grapes all the time, and my liver is fine as the day that I was born. Unless that beastkin over there has a genetic defect?¡± ¡°Drop it,¡± she said. Of course,¡± he puts the grape juice back inside the glass jug. ¡°That will be one shilling.¡± ¡°Your fruit isn¡¯t worth a shilling, it¡¯s not even worth it to mix it in with cheap booze!¡± she retorted back. The racist fruit guy and Thousand Cuts argued back and forth while bystanders listened. Out of apathy, they quickly lost interest. ¡°You want me to call the guards?¡± the racist fruit guy asked. Thousand Cuts held onto the hilt of her sword, she glanced at the racist fruit guy, narrowing her unbandaged eye. I looked at the paper cup on the stall to focus on something more distant. The cup was over the edge. My instincts were already committed before I could have processed. The paper cup fell to the ground, and a puddle of juice forms on the ground. Both the rotund man and Thousand Cuts ceased their arguing. The Swordswoman promptly let go of her sword. She bundled the glass jars and threw off the stall. They shattered into shards. ¡°Guards! Guards! This bitch is destroying my property!¡¯ The racist fruit guy screamed so hard that I saw out from his gullet. ¡°The guards won¡¯t be here until 5 minutes, asshole!¡± she yelled back, but ran before the pogy man could yell back. I booked it with Thousand Cuts as a mob was chasing us. ¡°You will pay! You and that dirty cat, mark my words,¡± we took no heed to his words as we sprinted past.¡± ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª I panted heavily while on a roof. Distant voices reverberated away. They won¡¯t be getting us, nobody ever looked up while searching. I realized that Thousand Cuts been holding my hand the whole way. To have her behave like this, It was both reassuring and disheartening to see. ¡°Sorry about what I did back there,¡± My head hung low. ¡°I didn''t know how much me being here would have affected you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say sorry,¡± she turns to face me. ¡°Forget that idiot, we were supposed to go to the amusement park, remember? ¡°I don¡¯t think that I can forget. Everyone was apathetic at best, and were quick to take his side when everything turned to be the worst. Nobody is going to accept me, I can see that now¡± ¡°I accept you, does that matter to you?¡± ¡°It matters to me a huge deal,¡± My mouth closed. I am saying the silent part out loud again, aren''t I? ¡°See, everyday can be great when you have people that care for you. So, how about going to the amusement park?¡± The corners of my mouth tug into a slight smile, ¡°Sure let¡¯s go see what this place has in store.¡± We jumped off the roof to go into the entertainment district. Where the lights were brighter, the music louder, and the people rowdier. I forgot my worries and was caught up with the thrill of the night. Chapter 5 I went to the amusement park with a spring on my step and food in my hand. A kabob from a stall ran by a wolfish beastkin, unlike me, who had more feline features. Thousand Cuts probably bought the food on appearance alone. The meat was underdone, it gave normal humans sickness if consumed. With spices that could overwhelm the senses. It was unappetizing, unless accounting for the beastkin¡¯s palette. To me, this was absolutely delicious which made me hate my diet. I couldn¡¯t eat onions, and apparently grapes, but could eat undercooked foods that a British TV chef would scream at. 90% of my diet had mainly consisted of meat with the little vegetables sprinkled in. I sank my canines into the meat, a pang of frustration hit me. Stupid tasty meat, why does it have to be so appetizing? Thousand Cuts eating the kabob was going to make her sick.. The last piece of meat fell into my mouth as I threw the skewer into the garbage. ¡°That was okay,¡± I said. ¡°I feel much better now that I had something to eat. Now I am ready,¡± I dusted off my clothes. Thousand Cuts sat on a bench eating a slice of watermelon, ¡°Good, now we can resume the festivities. You held onto the tickets?¡± she asked. ¡°Of course.¡± The woman brought out a map of the park,¡±We are here,¡± she pointed at the entrance. ¡°If it¡¯s okay with you, I think that it would be best if we go to Falcon''s Reach first.¡± ¡°It looks like a roller coaster from what I can see.¡± ¡°Not just any ordinary roller coaster. It is only the most intense ride of Mamba Market! This is the ultimate attraction for the die hard thrill seeker. The perfect way in testing your resolve. Unless you¡¯re scared that is, that¡¯d be okay as well. Falcon¡¯s Reach means nothing to me, so I¡¯m fine with whatever you choose.¡± ¡°Me, scared? Ha! Never. I would be glad to join Falcon''s Reach with you,¡± I assured myself. ¡°Then let¡¯s make haste, white shroud; while the night burns on!.¡± ¡°Huh?,¡± I struggled as she grabbed my hand. ¡°Not again. Unhand me this instant!¡± She ignored my pleas as we headed straight to Falcon¡¯s Reach. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª I stood at the base of a massive steel frame. The roller coaster raised high from where I was standing. Thousand Cuts practically bounced in line as she stared up in wonder at the metal structure. My ears twitched at the coaster dropping. Screams echoed and distorted from the large frame. Oh, that¡¯s a big drop, I thought No, there¡¯s no way that I am getting on such a questionable ride. ¡°You''re not having second thoughts, are you?¡± The swordswoman asked. ¡°We can start with something smaller for your first time. There¡¯s no shame in backing out.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not thinking of getting off¡­ I told you that I would come, and here I am,¡± I said. We went onto the cart, there¡¯s 2 people per seat. I sat next to Thousand Cuts. My tail thrashed in the seat. A response that gave myself away. Quiet down you traitor! My tail simmered down, this however didn¡¯t ease my worries. The roller coaster¡¯s bars fastened, it¡¯s too late to get off. The pulley system roared to life. The cart jerked in motion. *Click* *Click* *Click* The coaster went up the steel frame. My inertia was felt from the speed, it was sickening. My face turned ghostly pale the higher we went up. Near the peak, we saw the entirety of Mamba Market above the noisy machinery. I can do this, I thought between breaths. I can do this. No, I can¡¯t do this. My hand tightly clasped onto the woman. ¡°Open your eyes, Mekiko,¡± Thousand Cuts pierced through the clutter. ¡°You would want to experience thrill to its full extent. Besides, we haven¡¯t got to the best part,¡± we had yet to reach the drop. The cart slowed down, teetering off the edge. No, no, no, nooooo! The roller coaster dove until the cart reached its peak speed. The gravy weighed me down. The wind pressed down on my ears, I felt every hair. Butter flies are coming from my ears rather than my stomach, a strange sensation. It was unbearable. Thousand Cuts laughed as we went through the first loop, and every twist and turn. She waved her arms high in the air as the force made my face pale. My ears flattened themselves down due to the pressure. The cart slowed down at the last bend. Okay, it¡¯s finally over, I thought. It wasn¡¯t as bad as I initially thought. It wasn¡¯t great, but not terrible. At least I did nothing embarrassing, I thought Thousand Cuts looked satisfied as we were getting off. More satisfied than what she should be. Why is she like that? That¡¯s when I noticed that my arms were wrapped around her. I¡¯ve been hugging her this whole time! Even now, I¡¯m still holding her tight! my ears and tail shot up as I rapidly let go from my grasp. I coughed to relieve the tension. ¡°That was amazing, White Shroud! You were astonishing back there. To see such breathtaking heights, what a night!¡± she hummed. I tried to speak, but the words refused to form in my tongue. I wanted to bury my face ¡ª but not into Thousand Cuts, anywhere but her. My face burned up from thinking of such thoughts. I spent the next 10 minutes covering my face. ¡°I bought a memento for this occasion,¡± she held out black-and-white photo of us going down. ¡°Look at your face, I would say that you look rather cute holding onto me like that.¡± ¡°Nya!~, it¡¯s not like¡­ give me that!,¡± I reached towards the picture, but she raised the snapshot as I clawed at the photograph. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. My small stature made it impossible to reach without jumping. No, I¡¯m far too dignified to be acting desperate. ¡°Hmph, be like that then,¡± I cross my arms at her. ¡°Yeah, we should probably stop for now. When important activities hang in the night, we have other places to cross.¡± ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª I shifted my fingers in the various items for sale, knick-knacks; and junk alike. To put it nicely, these items weren¡¯t worth the tag stamped on them. ¡°Hey, White Shroud, try them on,¡± Thousand Cuts snuck up to set a commodity on my face. My vision darkened as the world became less vibrant. The dim glass that I was looking through made the world less intense, the people less crowded. I pulled the object from my face to see sunglasses. Its round and big frame gives a friendlier appearance. Styled in White as in purity ¡ª that also describes my hair, oddly specific. ¡°These glasses look great on you. I say that you look cuter than usual,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not cute, take that back!¡± I pointed at her. ¡°Ha, I always keep my word!¡± ¡°When don''t you ever do you ever?¡± I retorted ¡°Never, that¡¯s how,¡± she leaned in closer. ¡°No offense, but your eyes give you away. It''s okay when you''re currently unknown, but it''s going to become a huge problem when you become popular. In the future, I see if getting contacts will be better rather than the potion¡¯s abysmal effects. ¡°You make it sound like it¡¯s a question of when,¡± I paled. ¡°I guarantee it. Even as we speak, you probably gained the attention from valuable interests,¡± she nodded. ¡°Like who?¡± ¡°The Department of Propaganda.¡± Of course they have a ridiculous department, I sighed. ¡°...Look, as much as I am flattered that you¡¯re willing to buy me this; I have to decline,¡± I gave her back the glasses. ¡°Even I know that the stores in these places are always overpriced.¡± She turned her head, ¡°you¡¯re telling me this, like I don¡¯t know. The sunglasses look good on you. It''d be a shame if I didn''t get them for you. Besides, I''m an operative, remember? I have enough crowns on me to last a lifetime.¡± ¡°If you say it like that¡­ Then okay, I guess that I can keep them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! You¡¯re not going to regret this¡± ¡°I¡¯m regretting my choice now,¡± I muttered. ¡°You do know that you are smiling right now, right?¡± God damn it. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª The rides, stores, and scenery were impeccable for what is called ¡°Heart of the Slums¡±. There was not a can in sight. There was a priority when it came to cleanliness. After our verbal bouts had passed, we entered the section with the amusement park games. Ring toss, lucky ducks, and the likes; yet I was looking for a game less fluke dependent. One such game caught my eye. A ladder made of rope that the participant had to traverse. It was right up my alley. ¡°No beastkin allowed, read the plaque,¡± a muscular man pointed at a wooden plate. ¡°Who are you to dictate what I can or cannot do? I demand to know your reason,¡± I accused him of racism. ¡°Look, I have nothing against you. It is that if I let every beastkin in, I would have long gone out of business. Facts are facts.¡± That was a¡­ perfectly reasonable answer. Reasonable as in its perfectness. Perfect as if reasonable. ¡°White Shroud, why are you sulking,¡± Thousand Cuts sat on the bench, next to me. ¡°I''m not sulking! I''m, uh, being pensive,¡± I said softly. ¡°Okay, what got you so ¡®pensive¡¯,¡± she teased. ¡°It is about the games. There¡¯s nothing good that I could participate in, besides the obvious games of chance.¡± ¡°If you wanted one of the prizes, I could easily buy you one at Mamba Market.¡± ¡°Getting a prize has nothing to do with my plight,¡± despite how much I wanted a stuffed animal. ¡°I had a chance to express my skills, and that was taken from me before I could try.¡± ¡°Eh. even the luck based games become trivial with enough skill. I wouldn''t overthink this if I were you. I say do not muddle your mind with such trivialities.¡± ¡°And I would say that your mind is filled with delusions.¡± ¡°Please, my mind is as clear as my blade.¡± ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª Back at the entrance, Thousand Cuts left with a sense of joy, and I held onto my sunglasses closely. She spun around, she raised her arms in the air. ¡°Rides, roller coasters galore. What a time to live, and laugh,¡± she said. ¡°Yet with all good moments, they will never last. So, without ado, we must wave goodbye with a heartfelt farewell!¡± ¡°Soliloquy, Thousand Cuts is ruining the moment for me and the entirety of Mamba Market.¡± ¡°I blend in the shadows, stalk in the far off minds of society. There will never be a way for you to change Thousand Cuts¡¯ revolve.¡± I stopped to stare at her, ¡°it¡¯s a soliloquy, you''re not supposed to hear me. I would expect with all your theatrics that there was some overlap.¡± ¡°I didn''t know that you liked theater so much.¡± ¡°Please, I enjoy the fruits of all high culture.¡± ¡°I will make sure that we go to the theater in the future then.¡± ¡°no, no, no, that won¡¯t be necessary,¡± My hands waved in the air. I resisted the urge to cover my face. I felt my face heat up the more she looked into my face. Hide my face or not, reading me was easy. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to go?¡± She smirked. ¡°You said you liked high culture.¡± ¡°It''s that, uh, I prefer going alone,¡± my tail twitched. ¡°Why? You don''t like me?¡± As I was about to say yes, water forms in the corners of my eyes. ¡°I¡­ I don''t mind being around you,¡± I reluctantly let go of lying to her. ¡°Ha! So you do see me as a friend!¡± ¡°But I didn''t¡­ fine, whatever. If I go to the theater with you, will you promise to drop it?¡± ¡°I will never go back on my word,¡± she smiled. ¡°And I have to say; white shroud, seeing you squirm like that makes you look¡­¡± ¡°Don''t you dare say it! Don¡¯t you dare!¡± I stomped my feet. ¡°I think you look¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m warning you.¡± I pointed to her. ¡°Cute.¡± ¡°¨CNya!~¡± I closed my mouth with both my palms before I meowed again. ¡°Hehehe, so you were threatening to meow at me.¡± ¡°You have to be so mean to me!¡± ¡°Aside from that, there is one more place that we¡¯re going to last.¡± As I heard that; I took a deep breath, ¡°I refuse.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I refuse, simply as that. Spending one night with you isn''t going to make me fully trust you. What you did back on the train is unforgivable. You can either tell me where we are going, or bring me back home,¡± I told her. That made her pause. I watched as she deflated her body. ¡°... I want to go into a bar,¡± she said. ¡°It seems more than a bar from how you¡¯re saying it,¡± I walked closer to the woman. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s more. The location is on the edge of Mamba Market, ¡ª a place I haven''t been to in a while,¡± she said in a somber tone. ¡°So, you want to go there to drink.¡± ¡°More of a way to catch up with old acquaintances I haven''t seen in a while.¡± ¡°Do they mean much to you?¡± To my surprise, she shook her head, ¡°No, just one person, the bartender. To bury the hatchet as a way to speak.¡± ¡°No, I can''t go with you. I am out of my depth with this one.¡± ¡°Yeah, it was a stupid idea now that I said it out loud. It was awful of me to force you to come all the way out here,¡± she lowered her head. ¡°Thousand Cuts,¡± I placed my hand on her shoulder, ¡°my time with you wasn¡¯t all that awful, I had fun at the park.¡± ¡°So you do admit that you enjoyed my presence,¡± she said with a passion. ¡°You passed the initiation, and now I can say that you¡¯re my apprentice. White Shroud, you are going to go far into the path of darkness. Sigh, ¡°Always have to ruin the moment for me. Just take me back home before you give me another migraine.¡± ¡°I wouldn''t have it any other way!¡± she beamed at me. Chapter 6 The light was bright, it matched the sterility of my bedroom. I remembered events that led me here, after Thousands Cuts brought me back here to get sleep. Donovan found out. To paraphrase what he said: you know how much risk you made with your little stunt? You know well that Mekiko is in recovery. Even the slightest move can have a lasting impact on his mind.¡± Thinking back, how Donovan treated me then made more sense. Knowing there¡¯s a recovery period after the anima treatment made me hate it. I hated lying, but I have to lean onto the amnesia story. It makes too much sense, so there''s no risk in seeming naive. Which left me with this predicament. ¡°Greetings, sir!¡± a guard saluted me. The guard was a hefty man. Beads of water formed over his forehead. He was much taller. I was unarmed while he had a lowered gun with him, yet he was the one sweating bullets. It''d be an odd sight for an outsider to see. ¡°At ease soldier, and stop speaking with the formalities.¡± I told him. ¡°You are creeping me out. Calling me Mekiko is fine.¡± ¡°Understood sir, I mean Mekiko!¡± He stuttered. ¡°Grubbs is it?¡± I started the conversation. ¡°That is correct,¡± said Grubbs. ¡°You are firm, yet sloppy, more in a confused jellyfish sort-of-way. Please use your casual speech, before you embarrass us both.¡± I stare at Grubbs with a puzzled look. While he is fat, I am hesitant to voice my full grievances. I don''t belong in Imperial, so who am I to judge Grubbs for being unfit as a guard? I cleared my throat, ¡°so, why are you standing next to my door.¡± ¡°I was told to stand by the door and tell my superior when you leave.¡± ¡°Does your superior so happen to be Donovan?¡± ¡°I''m not allowed to say,¡± he shifted. Yeah it''s him, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t try to stop me if I leave, are you?¡± ¡°I wouldn''t dream of it sir, uh, Mekiko. It would be a great offense for someone of my status to put force on you.¡± ¡°So, I outrank you. Solely on the basis that I''m Imperial?¡± I was incredulous. ¡°By a big deal, yes,¡± he nodded. Damn nepotism, I sighed. ¡°At ease, or something¡­ Whatever, I wish to speak to my mentor, radio him in. I''ll be in my room for the time being.¡± ¡°Yes, of course, I''m on it.¡± I went back to my desk while looking out the window. My mind thought about Thousand Cuts. I haven¡¯t seen her for a while. It made me sick to my stomach that she''s out there getting punished. Objectively, she deserved it, but I desired stimulation; no matter how annoying she was. The boredom was getting to me. Like, I could handle myself, I didn''t need protection. My body squirmed in my seat. It was because of the recovery process, from the anima treatment. I pulled out the deck of playing cards again, it kept my mind at ease. I saw Blanks as if nothing was there. I tried focusing on seeing the bigger picture, but I didn''t get there. ¡°I see that you were working hard while I was gone,¡± Donovan spoke from the back of my neck. My hair stood up from my head. I resisted the urge to meow. I sensed a noise going down my throat, but I suppressed making any feline noise. ¡°Welcome mentor, how have you been doing? Nya!~¡± I only delayed the meow. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Yet Donovan didn''t react. ¡°I''m doing well, thank you for asking,¡± he smiled. ¡°You requested to talk with me? That¡¯s odd for you to lead the conversation this time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the guard outside. I''m not sure that I¡¯m comfortable with being watched all day.¡± ¡°That''s not happening. You got to understand that ¡®Thousand cuts,¡¯ as she likes to call herself, made a reckless move. By bringing you outside when you weren''t ready,¡± he sat down on a chair ¡°I understand the implications, but ¡ª can you be more lenient to Thousand Cuts for me? She didn''t mean any harm. I don''t hate her, and it would be unjust if I never see again. Can you make a promise for me?¡± ¡°I''ll think about it,¡± he responded. ¡°That is not an answer. She may not be the most dear to me, but I deserve the truth all the same,¡± I looked up at Donovan. He gave me an expressionless look,¡±alright, I will be more lenient. She does seem to matter to you after all.¡± I was relieved when he assured me, then thought about what implied about me and Thousand Cuts. ¡°I said no such thing!¡± I exclaimed ¡°didn¡¯t you?¡± He teased. ¡°No, I said that I didn¡¯t mind being around her¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°Words do mean different things depending on how you say them..¡± ¡°I meant exactly what I said. Don¡¯t get any wrong ideas.¡± ¡°That has yet to be seen,¡± Donovan said. ¡°Hmph, shows what you know,¡± I pouted ¡°There was another reason why I came here other than hearing your request. I need you to go to the training hall for some training. Nothing too strenuous, light practice to see where you¡¯re at with your combat expertise¡± I swallowed my saliva ¡ª nothing was ever as simple as it seemed. If skills were what I needed to show, I had none. ¡°Mekiko, you don¡¯t have to be scared. It''s okay to feel that way, but you have to bear with me for a moment.¡± ¡°I''m not scared¡­ But can I hold your hand? To make sure that you¡¯re with me when we get there. I don''t want to get lost, that''s all.¡± ¡°Sure you can.¡± I nodded as I followed him. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª The training hall was the same as when Thousand Cuts and I had our wager. In the daytime, other operatives were practicing. Some wore their duster uniform, and others casual wear. I had on a white t-shirt. My eyes avoided the gaze of other operatives as I held onto Donovan¡¯s hand. He took me to a secluded area. ¡°I will be watching you all the way through,¡± he said ¡°The first step is to grab a weapon, so that I can get a sense of your form.¡± ¡°That defeats the purpose as I had no form to speak of,¡± I responded. ¡°That''s the point, to see your skill at its most raw essence.¡± ¡°What exactly is this ¡®raw essence¡¯ supposed to be?¡± ¡°Anima, the innermost part of the soul. The inferior function that the mind represses, the soul.. It gives mercenaries, IMPERIAL, and wildlife abilities beyond the norm.¡± ¡°Look, as much as I love to hear boring lectures all day, I¡¯m going to grab a weapon and test this ¡®raw essence¡¯.¡± I let go of his hand to go to the stand holding all the equipment. The weapons on display were numerous. I moved my claws on the swords, spears, and¡­ That¡¯s odd, ¡°why aren''t there any weapons with wood? With the metal around, someone could get hurt,¡± I called Donovan. ¡°You need to get accustomed to metal when fighting, wood will never work. Besides, the armory is dull for a reason,¡± my mentor said. ¡°That inspires confidence,¡± I said sarcastically. Again, I shifted my eyes on my choice of selection before picking up the gun, simple, deadly; effective. ¡°I recommend starting with a sword,¡± he shouted. The gun would¡¯ve been so useful, ¡°why do I need to swing a piece of metal when I can just shoot lead?¡± ¡°I believe that your skills are more suited for melee rather than ranged. Guns are complex to work with.¡± What the hell is that supposed to mean? I pick up gun, pull trigger; other end go big boom, bad guy goes away. There¡¯s little complexity to understand. I begrudgingly picked up a sword. A sword that others looked at as normal. For me, it was oversized for my body. ¡°You decided on a sword?¡± He asked. ¡°Go up to the arena so we can begin with the test.¡± I walked to an elevated platform made of concrete. Scribbling sounded behind me, I looked back to see Donovan writing on a notebook. I stared at him, he ceased his writing. I resumed going to the platform, the sound of ink on paper resounded. My eyes planted themselves on Donovan. ¡°I''m ready when you are,¡± my mentor said. ¡°Keep going, you shouldn¡¯t stop for me.¡± ¡°It is hard to start with your constant writing,¡± I muttered. ¡°I am taking notes,¡± he continued writing. ¡°These notes help me focus, don¡¯t mind me,¡± he pointed at a dummy. See that target over, strike the target with all your might.¡± The dummy was made of metal with a shield. It vaguely looked humanoid. I took a stance, feet flat over the concrete. My sword cut through air with an overhead swing. The size of the sword tapered my balance as the blade went down. Unruly was the weight. The sword struck the dummy. *Clink* Yet, only a dull thud sounded out. The sword bounced back and I stumbled, almost losing my grip in the process. I took a step back to avoid falling over. The blade made finding my balance harder as it weighed me down. The dummy stood strong. Nothing was as easy as initially seemed. Chapter 7 I veered at the dummy. It appeared more of an effigy, crude in the shape of a person. I steered my thoughts, there was no time for doubts. The training hall was full of operatives, yet Donovan focused on me. He had some expectations for me. My lackluster strike changed his perception of me. ¡°You need to strike with more fever this time,¡± my mentor called out. What do you think I''m doing? My eyes narrowed at the metal dummy. I was tackling my next strike at a different angle, and I meant that literally. My legs spaced apart as I took a deep breath ¡ª and exhaled. I grabbed the palm of my sword. The handle¡¯s size made the sword awkward to grip. I slashed the sword sideways, the weight brought the blade down. The dummy had the same effect from before. I leveraged the blade instead of almost falling flat. I wavered all the same. Another lusterless strike by me. ¡°I''ve seen enough,¡± Donovan said. ¡°Mekiko come here,¡± his tone was neither of disappointment, nor approval. Donovan scrawled on his notebook. His writing was the most manic he ever was. Each line lingered in no way. Each stroke had a purpose. A work of inspiration, yet confusing. He was writing about my actions, they elicited less. ¡°Here, use this for the time being. You find this more serviceable.¡± He held out a short sword. He flicked the small blade in his hand. The handle faced me while he held onto the metal part. He wasn''t belittling my skill, yet the gesture felt the same. What he said was unspoken; I couldn¡¯t handle a weapon of normal size. I took the short sword. I studied Donovan¡¯s reaction and my own. His face was unreadable while my tail and ears drooped. The silver-haired man was about to speak, yet was interrupted. ¡°So, you are reigning in the new 3rd class, huh?¡± A woman¡¯s voice coughed my attention. She wore the same armor as my mentor. Nothing resembled the bulky armor like that of Thousand Cuts. Unmistakably 1st class, the same as Donovan. Her green hair made me believe that odd hair and eye colors are a feature for Imperial. How the only effect was that my eyes glowed was a mystery to me. ¡°He¡¯s unranked, but I don''t have to say; because you know that,¡± Donovan retorted. ¡°You should have a little faith in your operatives,¡± The woman said. ¡°He¡¯s going to great heights. Nice to meet you.¡± she extended her hand. ¡°I''m Dolores, but everyone calls me Lorry,¡± ¡°You probably know who I am,¡± I shook her hand. ¡°An apt mind this one. You¡¯re the catboy that everyone is talking about.¡± ¡°So I heard,¡± I replied bitterly. ¡°The amount of effort to squash the curiosity of others. It''s not everyday that we get, uh¡­¡± She trailed off. ¡°Beastkin? I''m aware,¡± I looked around to see normal humans, Imperial and guards alike. ¡°Yes,¡± she nodded. ¡°Having to get the other operatives off your tail is a handful, but that¡¯s worth it to see you here. You are much cuter in person than anticipated¡­ Hey, Mekiko, you¡¯re doing alright?¡± ¡°I''m not cute,¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°Mekiko and I should resume our practice,¡± Donovan chimed in. ¡°Time is limited, maybe discuss this with tea some other time?¡± ¡°Don''t be hasty now. I do have time on my hands after handling that 2nd class after her little stunt. Speaking of her, did she hurt you; be honest.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about Thousand Cuts?¡± I asked. ¡°No one else fits the description like her. No, she didn''t hurt me in any way.¡± ¡°Thousand Cuts, is it now?¡± She sounded surprised. ¡°Must be a new development. Haven''t expected her to change her alias so soon.¡± ¡°Out of all the names, my personal favorite is Dark Sword Master,¡± Donovan responded. ¡°Hahaha! don''t remind me,¡± she laughed. ¡°I am here to get my mind off that woman, not indulge in her fantasies. Is that what people think of Thousand Cuts? To think of her as ridiculous is unsurprising, but Lorry dismissing her seems cruel. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°What are you proposing?* He asked. ¡°Onto the real question? You know the latest IMPERIAL recruit?¡± ¡°Lyle was it?¡± ¡°What if he and the catboy were to have a little bout?¡± ¡°You are suggesting a sparring match?¡± ¡°In a way, yes. Some back and forth, here and there. See where they are at in terms of skill. What do you say?¡± Donovan planted his eyes at Lorry, ¡°No. I know what you¡¯re trying to do, and I¡¯m not having any of it.¡± ¡°I will owe you a favor if you do this one thing for me. One spar. That''s all I ask. Besides, don''t you want to see him in action?¡± ¡°No, like I said before.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I have a say in this?¡± I interject. ¡°Mekiko?¡± Donovan turned his head. ¡°I said that I should have a choice,¡± my heart beats rapidly. ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice in this,¡± he looks back at me. ¡°I am capable of making my decision, Donovan. Don¡¯t I have a right to speak my mind? You guys can¡¯t talk to me like I''m in the background,¡± I tighten my hands. ¡°I am a person, what right do you have to decide for me?¡± ¡°Mekiko, you are out-skilled, out-powered, and out-geared. Your choice was over before it began.¡± ¡°No, this is my choice that I must make.¡± Donovan paused before losing the luster in his eyes. ¡°This was never your decision. To let yourself be at the mercy of fate. Mekiko, you are making a mistake. I can only hope that you recognize your folly when it¡¯s not too late.¡± That''s what he had to say. Although I stood by what I said, it felt like I only dug my own grave. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¨CDonovan¡¯s POV~ Donovan sat next to the bleachers. Mind clear as his silver eyes, blood cold as ice. He lost his temper yesterday, now he was steady; he had to be. Today was the sparring match. Dolores drank a Fresh Cola, ¡°So, how do you feel about Mekiko¡¯s chances?¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to lose,¡± there was no doubt in his mind. He didn''t factor in their abilities that deeply for such a conclusion. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t be like that. Don¡¯t you want to see the catboy win.¡± ¡°We both know the reason why you are here,¡± he raised his voice to make a point. ¡°You wanted to see the nyancan¡¯s potential for yourself. So you poke and prodded him then resorted to manipulation to get your way.¡± ¡°Manipulation? He came out of his own volition,¡± she took a sip out of her can. He thought if he should tell her his opinion, but decided against it. What Mekiko did was shortsighted, but such was the nature of beastkin. Mekiko being irrational? So as all beastkin. The intense emotional and mental problems was what Mekiko shared with his race. Mekiko was going to lose, there was no doubt within Donovan¡¯s mind. The opponent sparring with the nyancan was Lyle. While Lyle may be inexperienced and reckless for Donovan''s liking, he still had respectable skill. Mekiko, on the other hand, began swinging a sword yesterday. There¡¯s no doubt. Mekiko would never learn unless he saw his mistake. The best Donovan hoped was in minimizing the damage. And after the match, Donovan planned on pulling him out early and lecturing Mekiko about duty and fate. Nobody got hurt from sparring, not in the physical sense at least, yet the mentor sensed like he¡¯s missing one key detail. ¡°Donovan,¡± Dolores snapped her finger, ¡°you are spacing out again.¡± ¡°My apologies, we should start soon,¡± he woke up from his daze. My worries are probably baseless, he thought. I have to protect Mekiko and keep my mind clear as water. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¨CMekiko¡¯s POV~ Donovan and Lorry sat on the bleachers to watch the spar. Yes, I was already second guessing myself, yet some slights were never worth ignoring. So, I stood firm. Over there was the opponent that I was supposed to be sparring. Lyle, an Imperial third class. He looked young, the same age as myself, yet I wasn¡¯t sure how old I was. I knew the sensations in the body however. More of a half-sense, a shiver. Lyle was radiating such a sense. He didn''t act outright hostile. He sat there, eyes to the clouds, mumbling in his breath. He would rather be anywhere else. My mind froze, yet I steered my body. ¡°Hi, uh, I''m Mekiko,¡± I took out my hand to greet him. He was a head taller than me with hair that is a passionate red. He stood up to meet me eye to eye. ¡°I know who you are,¡± he denied the handshake. ¡°So does all Imperial apparently,¡± I said. ¡°I''m not here to make conversation. The faster I''m done the quicker I can get this over with.¡± ¡°Huh? What did I do to you? I haven met you,¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about you. I only want to get this over with. Why don''t you hide behind that 1st class? You seem to have that going for you,¡± the distain is clearly evident. ¡°We are starting soon,¡± Donovan said. ¡°Are you two ready?¡± I nodded, Lyle grunted. ¡°Mekiko, a moment of your time,¡± my mentor led me away from the area. ¡°I can tell when you¡¯re nervous. You can draw out now and we can put this mess behind us,¡± he said in a gentle voice. I considered telling him about my discomfort, I wanted to tell the truth. No, that would be proving everyone right. Besides, going now would ruin the point of why I''m here. ¡°I''d rather stay,¡± I shook my head. ¡°¡­ I understand, keep your head up high, remember that,¡± he remained soft. Out of all the responses that I imagine Donovan, this is the least expected. Knowing how I¡¯m behaving burns a hole through my stomach. Chapter 8 ¡°Keep alive people!¡± Lorry said. ¡°Relinquish all your weapons. Remember, you both choose one of the blunt weapons in the armory.¡± I took the short sword. The blade was big enough to hold with both hands Lyle on the other side gave his sharp blade to Lorry. He went to the armory. His weapon of choice was the same as mine, except he carried his with one arm. ¡°I said relinquish all weapons,¡± she directed at Lyle. Lyle pulls out a revolver from out of his sleeve. He handed the gun to Lorry as well. While Lyle was busy with Lorry, I spotted a knife jutting out of the armory. I pulled out the knife and hid it while the two weren''t looking, it felt right. Donovan noticed right away, but he turned the other way when we met eyes. ¡°Good on you both.¡± she said. ¡°You both go to the other side of the arena. When I raise my arm, you both can begin.¡± We waited for the signal. He flipped his sword in the air to catch it. I tried remembering how I was to swing a sword. Lorry paused before thrusting her arm up. Time to begin. I did not take the initiative, my legs planted themselves on the cement. My hands held onto the blade, looking for a chance to strike. Yet the opportunity never came. Lyle propelled his blade with a one-handed strike. My energy took a blow to block the attack. He responded with a slash. I rolled down on the ground, into safety. There was a distance between me and him. His calm demeanor turned into a scowl. He rushed this time around. A barrage of blows went my way. Each was as strong as the last. My arms went numb from deflecting. Lyle didn''t break a sweat. There was no opening. I was on the defensive. I leaped from Lyle''s final strike. He ceased his relentless assault. ¡°I was supposed to go easy on you.?¡± Lyle said. ¡°I was only going to give you a light beating. Me letting you crawl back to that 1st class of yours,¡± his tone sounded of disappointment. He raised his sword, ¡®Your stubbornness wouldn''t allow even that¡¯. I''m done playing games, hold onto your sword so we can fight properly.¡± He''s waiting to make sure I''m ready. I raised my short sword in turn. An aura radiates from his blade. I sensed the same feeling like from Thousand Cuts, albeit lighter. The origin of anima, that is what It meant. An intent that he was using throughout his body. His behavior clicked in my head. The pure aggression, the lack of care. He sought to humiliate me with an utter defeat. That¡¯s why he wasn¡¯t allowing me to trade blows, or learn from the spar. I gave myself a reality of what situation I was in. I must win. Lyle saw me as lesser. Give up now, that was no longer an option. Think, I have to think. Put his guard down, let him slip up. I re-held my short sword closer to my body, I gave up on attacking. Lyle closed the gap. He swung with one hand. I deflected the hit. Both my arms went numb from the impact. If I block again, there won¡¯t be a next time. My body overextended, that my legs gave out. My bones felt like they were lead. Lyle attacked again. I no longer had the energy. There¡¯s no opening. Lyle corrected his blade with the broadside aimed at me. The metal slammed into my body. I launched into the concrete, far from the arena. My head rested on the floor. My body sent signals of pain and refused my response. I gritted my teeth as my arms tried picking me up. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Stay down, you have nothing to prove,¡± Lyle said. Donovan was getting up to break up the match. He saw the writing long ago. Strength? Skill? Stamina? I have none compared to Lyle. Fighting him was only hurting me. Giving up would be the best for me, however¡­ My hand waved to Donovan. ¡®I''m fine¡¯ was what I signaled. I got up on both feet. They shook, but I must move on. ¡°I wasn''t asking for much,¡± I held myself up. Have a little back and forth. you wouldn''t allow me even that. Assholes like you always have to go out of their way. I''m not standing here while you make a mockery of me,¡± my wobbly hands gripped the sword. ¡°You were always going to drag IMPERIAL down,¡± Lyle stabilized his stance. ¡°Dependency was always a weakness. The way you acted proved that.¡± This wasn''t a spar, this was a fight for our pride. Lyle was going to win, I had no doubt. I sharpened my attention to the knife hidden under my clothes. Why am I weighing to use such an underhanded tactic? Wasn''t I the one who hid it? My mind went back to the knife each time. Keeping the knife was an act of intensity My heart pounded. I took a desperate swing as I stepped. My sword flew in the air. If I couldn¡¯t create an opening, I made one. Lyle met my blade head on. There was no power behind both our attacks, yet he was stronger. My sword fluttered away, leaving me defenseless. The blade landed on the concrete. This was the fated outcome. I was outmatched, Donovan knew it too. I barely had the energy left to pick up the sword. Now unarmed, my chances looked grim. ¡°You''re done, you¡¯re through, go hide behind Donovan.¡± He kicked the ground ¡°For you playing such games, all you had to do was stay down.¡± Lyle¡¯s words cutted harder than any attack. Donovan was calling the match. I knew it was happening. Lyle lowered his blade like the spar. The outcome was a foregone conclusion. Lyle relaxed his guard. Why? Pure arrogance, servere underestimation. A chance for an opening. I felt the knife under my clothes. Cold to the touch as with the numbness of my hands. It pained me to pull the small blade out, yet I was at my breaking point. my mind went blank. The instincts kicked in. Nothing, there was nothing I wanted more than seeing Lyle¡¯s face twisted with my final act of revenge. One hit, that¡¯s all I ask. Lyle waited for Donovan and Dolores, expecting a response. I clenched my teeth and grabbed the knife out in the open. I can''t have it. Short, rapid breaths. My pupils dilated from focusing on one. central. Point. I used the last of my last energy for a sprint. The last of my strength held onto the knife. A last desperate charge, and a move that caught Lyle off guard. He turned his head. his expression warped into shock. Lyle twisted then stumbled out of range I struck a nerve. He readjusted himself back to me. With Lyle¡¯s leg, he kicked towards my gut. I was already spent. *Thud* My ears rang as I heard Donovan''s muffled footsteps. There was another pair of feet. I opened my eyes and saw a silhouette. The ringing and blurring made thinking hard. I noticed that the silhouette standing before me was Lyle. ¡°You ingenious coward!¡± Lyle exclaimed. I crawled away on my back as he followed. ¡°You can''t fight me fairly? Use cowardly tactics on me? There¡¯s no honor, you fucking cat!¡± He dragged me by my ears. They hurt worse than when Lyle kicked me. The worst torture I could have possibly got. I felt every single finger wrapped around my ears. His other hand curled into a fist, tightly clenched to the bone. I longer recalled why I was scared. The instincts took hold. My ears, my ears, my ears, the voice repeated in my mind Lyle¡¯s fist bore down on my face. I stared at him, wide eyed. lost in the moment, I closed my eyes for one last time and anticipated¡­ Nothing, Donovan caught him mid swing. ¡°Lyle, you are way out of line!¡± Donovan screamed. An actual scream The pressure released from my ears. Lyle''s hand was bruised, the hand that held onto my ears. My body shook as I wept ¡°Donovan I¡­¡± Lyle fought pain, but Donovan interrupted him. ¡°I''m not going to hear it! You caused irreversible damage to your own ally. You were supposed to be IMPERIAL. Only if I saw how little that meant to you,¡± he whispered. Lyle looks at me with a kind of realization. My sobs were low, a hum to not be heard. ¡°Do you have the indecency to defend yourself?¡± Donovan sounded disgusted. ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough. You get a hundred slashes. Maybe I can begin to know how to deal with you! Dolores, deal with Lyle for me, I have to be with Mekiko.¡± Dolores was somber. She grabbed hold of Lyle, I stopped paying attention. My arms wrapped around Donovan in a hug. I pressed my head into his chest. ¡°My ears ¡ª they hurt,¡± I said between sobs. I told less than the whole truth. My body was also in pain. Donovan comforted me. My tears flowed onto his coat. I don''t know if I can look at Donovan the same way. He definitely won''t treat me the same. In the end I lost everything. Cheated, tempted fate. I lost what¡¯s important to me, my respect, my reasoning; my honor. Weak, pathetic, feral. Everything has always been different. Chapter 9 Lashings had many facets to Donovan. The surface area of the leather caused extreme pain, yet left no scars. That pain gave a lasting impression, and yet they would recover the next day. Those factors made lashing a popular form of discipline, but for the extreme cases of insubordination. Thousand Cuts as she liked calling herself, Donovan wouldn''t dream of subjecting her with such a cruel punishment. With Lyle, he held no qualms. Donovan spoke with the higher ups. The Empire made a decision. Lyle had another chance on account of his potential. IMPERIAL were a rare occurrence. Donovan knew how infrequent Anima Treatment was. The treatment was required for becoming an operative. Only problem, it did not not screen for skill, talent, or determination. If that were the case, every Elite Guard would have some form of Anima Treatment within them. What was required was actually simple ¡ª Genetics. Not many had the gene, the number were fractions within fractions. If Lyle were anyone else, Donovan would dishonorably discharge him with no hesitation, yet Lyle stayed because he had the gene. That was the true privilege of being IMPERIAL, status immunity. Yet there were other ways Donovan planned on punishing him. Ways which involved function and pressure that he could still follow orders without affecting his combat capabilities. If Lyle so much as breathes in the wrong direction, it will be his head, Donovan thought. Which brought him to a hospital. He was at the edge of Newcity, Sector One; on the opposite side of Snakewater. The place smelled of sanitation. Staff ran with impeccable timing. Donovan held onto a boutique of flowers and had a bag with him. He waited in the reception room. The receptionist squirmed in her seat at the sight of him. The clock ticks kept sounding *Tick* *Tock* Tick* The subtle noise interrupted the silence periodically. ¡°D-Donovan, you can s-see the patient now,¡± she stutters. ¡°They''ve been panicking since I got here,¡± he muttered. ¡°Serves me right for coming here without calling first.¡± ¡°S-sir?¡± The receptionist stuttered. ¡°Oh, of course, don''t be so nervous. But where¡¯s my manners? My reputation precedes me. I¡¯m not here to harm you. Protecting citizens is always my duty. I apologize that you find me so scary,¡± he bowed. ¡°I¡­ It''s an honor to meet The Ace in person,¡± she replied. ¡°Here, for your troubles,¡± he hands the receptionist a flower. He walked off before she reacted. The receptionist was surely going to be unsettled for the rest of the day. All he could offer was a smile. Donovan went before a door. Knocked on the wood for a heads up and entered the room. White cat ears twitched from under a white bed. The beastkin showed his face, revealing white hair and fair skin. The sterile room added a feeling of purity to him. Mekiko glanced at Donovan and averted his eyes away. His behavior was like this since the sparring incident with Lyle. ¡°Oh, Donovan!¡± Mekiko''s face brightened up. Donovan anticipated the meow, ¡°What have you been doing here? Nya!¡± Nyancans express their surprise by meowing, a normal reaction. ¡°I stopped to come see you of course,¡± he ignored Mekiko¡¯s disappointment. ¡°Well, I haven''t got the memo that you were coming here. I wonder why you showed up unannounced,¡± the beastkin said. ¡°I didn''t come here formally per se, I wanted to spend time with you. If I went here formally, there would be eyes on us. I wished to speak with you in a more private setting,¡± he said in a half truth. The real reason Donovan showed up was to keep the hospital on edge. Some staff in their head already had the idea of mistreating Mekiko with him being a beastkin. Donovan''s intimidation eliminated the problem. Him seeing how the hospital functioned while unprepared also helps. The nyancan shifted in his bed, ¡°You didn¡¯t have to come see me. The doctors say I am fine. There is no permanent damage, I''m okay, really,¡± Mekiko stood up in his bed. He winced from the pain. ¡°The doctors say your body¡¯s under stress from overexertion. You have to wait until you¡¯re medically discharged.¡± ¡°A hospital of this magnitude keeping me here seems like overkill,¡± Mekiko muttered. I''m not taking the chance for something less than the best. Especially for men of our status.¡± The mentor placed the flowers into a vase, next to the window. While Mekiko appeared okay, there¡¯s no telling the amount of trauma Lyle inflicted on him. Donovan needed to be sure that Mekiko was genuinely okay. ¡°Have they been feeding you well, Mekiko?¡± The mentor asked. ¡°Besides the meat that they gave me? The beastkin made a sarcastic retort about diet. ¡°Perhaps they should supplement my meat with more meat. How does that sound?¡± ¡°I keep that in mind. Tomorrow, some fish will be good,¡± he teased. ¡°I didn''t ask you for fish!¡± He puffed out his face. ¡°So, you don''t want fish?¡± Donovan feigned ignorance. ¡°I won¡¯t get you the fish if you¡¯re so adamant. ¡°No, I want the fish!¡± ¡°You get fish tomorrow then,¡± Donovan¡¯s face softened. Mekiko could never resist fish. Fish was his favorite food despite all his protest when Donovan brought the dish up. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°I brought you a gift,¡± Donovan said. ¡°Really! Uh. I mean, your present better not be another deck of cards,¡± Mekiko feigned indifference. Yet Donovan notices a twinkle in his eye, ¡°It¡¯s a chess set, each piece has been hand crafted out of wood. The carvings are more simplistic, so to handle roughly,¡± Donovan pulls out the set from his bag. He showed each chess piece. ¡°Thanks Donovan, this really means a lot to me.¡± ¡°You know how to play chess? He nodded, ¡°of course! Chess is a gentleman''s game, but too much time spent perfecting the game is wasted potential. ¡°Well said, although I can''t help to think that you are quoting somebody. ¡°Nope, no quote, you wouldn''t be able to find it if you searched anyway.¡± Probably my imagination, Donovan thought, ¡°how about a game then? 10 minutes per person, I got a timer for the occasion.¡± ¡°Sure, I''ll be glad to.¡± ¡°Say, what role do you prefer the queen to be in?¡± Nyancans typically like to have the king and queen swapped,¡± Donovan thought. ¡°The queen goes in 8 directions, and the game ends with a checkmate on the king.¡± ¡°Of course, you be white and I''ll be black.¡± Donovan set up the board while conversing. Mekiko made the first move. He began with a gambit which surprised Donovan. The silver-haired man was familiar with openings. The beastkin planned on sacrificing 2 pawns from the start. An extremely risky play that gave a strong early position. Donovan denied the gambit. The game would be more interesting to see how Mekiko reacts, Donovan thought. The nyancan adapted his game strategy. His expression turned serious as he refocused on the board. Mekiko went on the attack while developing his other pieces. Donovan noticed that Mekiko handled the queen more delicately than the rest. Donovan believed that was more of a subconscious action. Mekiko was still a prince after all. His shoulders carried the weight long before it touched his head. Donovan could tell by the nyancan¡¯s mannerisms, the way he conveyed himself. Donovan spent his youth carrying favor with other houses. He knew what status looked like. Mekiko¡¯s feelings for his mother were there, even with his lost memories, kept onto the responsibilities. ¡­ Donovan caught himself from spacing out. ¡°You know your openings well,¡± he redirected to the game. ¡°I know my chess,¡± The beastkin smiled from the praise. ¡°Let''s see how you deal with the mid game, different knowledge entirely. Donovan had to admit, Mekiko was solid at chess. A good game sense and no obvious blunders. The beastkin had solid experience. Donovan had a tougher time than what he expected. The mentor and the student took turns pressing their respective clock, dragging the clock¡¯s hand to the flag. It seems like anyone¡¯s game. Donovan paused. Mekiko dropped a price as he winced in pain. The mentor held Mekiko¡¯s arm, ¡°We should stop the game. You¡¯re in pain, you need to rest up.¡± ¡°You''re worrying too much.¡± Mekiko said. ¡°We are playing chess. You¡¯re acting like I¡¯m bashing my head against the wall. I can rest when we¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Let''s end the game early then. The game will reach its conclusion soon.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see the end.¡± ¡°Because you aren¡¯t looking with your eyes.¡± ¡°This better not be another one of your analogies.¡± ¡°Indeed it is,¡± Donovan said. ¡°More on aggression. You overextended yourself and I meant more than chess. Sacrifices must be made. For you Mekiko? There were other options, always other avenues. One without needless sacrifices. Look at yourself, look at the position you¡¯re in.¡± Donovan gestures at the board then at the hospital; the place where Mekiko wore a hospital gown. The beastkin hung his head low. Donovan considered stopping, yet he knew that Mekiko needed to hear the reality. *tap* Donovan moved the knight, ¡°Mate in 4,¡± he said. ¡°You wanted to win, but blinded yourself. You did the ultimate sin by Ignoring your responsibilities. Never saw how much your actions truly hurt until it blindsided you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ I should get some rest,¡± his ears lowered. ¡°Mekiko, you don¡¯t have to hide your feelings from me,¡± Donovan said softly. ¡°I''m not hiding from you,¡± he said back. While Mekiko''s lie was evident, Donovan pierced his eyes on the beastkin. Mekiko grew more tense when their eyes met. It was a matter of concern, something was eating away at Mekiko since Donovan got here. Donovan¡¯s stare heightened, Mekiko¡¯s eyes watered. Mekiko softened his shoulder in defeat. ¡°I rather not tell you,¡± Mekiko almost cried. ¡°You can tell me, Mekiko, look at me, I''m not mad. I want to help you.¡± ¡°It''s about Imperial. I¡­ I don''t think I belong here.¡± ¡°You''re having doubts about IMPERIAL?¡± ¡°Aren''t you disappointed?¡± ¡°No, I am proud.¡± ¡°Proud? I have failed you¡­ and I''m going to fail everyone else.¡± Donovan placed his hand on the Mekiko¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Mekiko, being IMPERIAL is more about being the strongest. It''s about a sense of justice, the will of determination. The fact that you care at all says way more than what you perceive yourself.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m good enough, I''ll always won''t live up to what''s expected of me,¡± he sniffled. ¡°I accept that you are having doubts, Mekiko. These fears you are having? But they¡¯re just that, fears. I''m here to guide you, to help you find strength. You¡¯re never alone, You are my responsibility.¡± ¡°I don''t know what to believe in anymore. I have nothing to give.¡± ¡°Being honest tells me more than words ever could. By running to your fears, you are far braver than you think,¡± Donovan got up, but left the chess set. ¡°Like I said, you should get some sleep. When you have the energy, we can play more chess then. I''m going to bring tea and pastries for our next visit. ¡°Sure, I would like that.¡± ¡°See you tomorrow, Mekiko,¡± Donovan closed the door. The silver-haired man''s smile faded when he left the room. He now knew the severity of Mekiko¡¯s condition. Donovan was relieved actually. Mekiko saying nothing would''ve turned out far worse. Mekiko was having doubts. The fault was on Donovan. His failure as a teacher was to blame. The man grabbed out his journal to write alone in his thoughts. Donovan had to rectify his faults. He took out his pen. Donovan neglected Mekiko¡¯s feelings. He treated Mekiko like he didn''t have the instincts of a beastkin. If Donovan tried better, accounted for irrationality; this would have never happened. The mentor lowered Mekiko¡¯s training date to as soon as possible. His hand ripped through the paper. He held the crumpled paper in one hand. *Snap* His finger snapped as the paper went up in flames, a simple incantation from anima. He revised what he set ablaze. Those papers were the methods for Mekiko¡¯s training. Donovan now focused on controlling Mekiko¡¯s beastkin instincts. Donovan¡¯s first mistake that he ignored. The nyancan had to focus on moment to moment division making. There was no purpose in strength training. His mentor saw Mekiko fight, the beastkin relied on precision and speed. Mekiko¡¯s fighting was based on how his anima worked. I got the perfect weapon picked out for Mekiko, Donovan smiled at the thought. The mentor walks to his parked motorized carriage. A hefty guard patrolled outside the carriage. Guard saw Donovan and went stiff, he saluted. ¡°Sir!¡± Grubbs said. ¡°As you were,¡± Donovan said. Grubbs with the guard¡¯s Civilian Branch. A good man. If every guard had half the dedication as Grubbs, maybe Snakewater could have been different. A shame, Donovan thought. Grubbs was an inspiration to all. Grubbs was the first on Donovan¡¯s list when the mentor did the restructuring since the onion incident with Mekiko. Donovan was sure to give the guard a letter of recommendation when his service with IMPERIAL was up. ¡°Uh, permission to speak, sir?¡± the guard asked. ¡°You can speak your mind.¡± Donovan said. ¡°Why are we here? You never said.¡± ¡°To play chess,¡± he gave a purposely vague answer. ¡°Grab the hand crank and start the car. I wish to go back.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ on it,¡± Grubbs didn¡¯t press further. ¡°And Grubbs.¡± ¡°Yes, sir?¡± ¡°You and I are going back here in the morning. I gotta keep that hospital on edge. Tomorrow, I am pressuring them into cooking fish for the patients.¡± Chapter 10 6 nights at the hospital, 6 days of eternal boredom; and I was finally done. To taste that sweet air again was refreshing. During these days, I was playing chess with Donovan, but had yet to win a single game. Thousand Cuts came to visit, more to annoy me. The thought almost made up for her intrusion. Almost. My newfound freedom wasn¡¯t without restriction. I still had duties to follow. My mentor and I had to train together, and right after my medical discharge. I¡°I am surprised that you came here to me this time,¡± Donovan leaned on a tree. ¡°Usually, I have to go to you to talk,¡± I felt that Donovan knew of my full reluctance in going with him. ¡°Well, I decide following you on my own turns is for the best,¡± I said ¡°So, you got tired of meowing out of surprise when I show up,¡± he teased. ¡°I don''t nya~ every time I''m surprised¡­¡± I paused. ¡°You know what you did.¡± He chuckled, ¡°You understand why we¡¯re here, right?¡± He got up from resting. ¡°Shouldn''t we talk about why I¡¯m here so early out of the hospital? I''m not trying to get out of training.¡± Even with how much I want to, ¡°but I should get a day¡¯s rest after getting some medical attention.¡± ¡°We are having an easy session for that reason.¡± He pointed at my ears. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tuck them away from me. Are you scared of what I will do to you, Mekiko? I assure that under the Degenerative Behavior Act, touching of beastkin ears is a criminal offense.¡± Touching a beastkin¡¯s ears is a jailable offense? This is too incredulous to¡­ Wait, why dwell on the act? Degenerates should go to jail for ear touching, I crossed my arms. ¡°So, am I training with swords again?¡± I asked, feeling more confident. ¡°There are differing perspectives on how to treat weaponry, Mekiko,¡± he said. ¡°You won''t be needing a sword, you lack depth in that field; or any large weapon.¡± ¡°I don''t understand¡­ What are you talking about?¡± My breath tightened. ¡°The reasoning is behind your anima. Your force in the blade was simply never there. Not enough power, over reliance of balance.¡± Not enough strength, was the implied way of telling me. ¡°This would be more suitable,¡± Donovan gave me a knife. The knife looked small in my hands. An insignificant piece, a tiny blade that was my weapon of choice. A knife was a weapon that hides, one that was deceitful in its presence. A blade that would forever be weak. ¡°I know how disappointed you must feel, but I decided after careful consideration. A knife was always the perfect weapon for you. Nobody in IMPERIAL would consider your weapon a setback.¡± Yet to be proven, is what I wanted to say, yet I choked back my words. ¡°Keep it, make the knife serve you well,¡± my mentor said. ¡°The blade is sharp. You should handle the knife with care. Keep it with you. As with strength, that¡¯s no longer required.¡± ¡°What, why can my strength be no requirement?¡± ¡°Strength has different qualities. Brute force is a dead end for you at least¡± he walked. ¡°Come with me. We are doing an exercise, come follow me. it¡¯s either strenuous or easy depending on your next response,¡± he waved off. Donovan purposely gave me a vague answer. His mischievous self was acting up again. I squeezed the knife in my palm. I have to at least try, I thought. Even when weak, I refused to sit idly. To let people like Lyle spit in my face, never again. I had nothing to lose, everything to gain. What I lacked in skill, I made up for with dedication. ¡°Mekiko, are you coming?¡± My mentor yelled. ¡°Yeah, I was checking on the knife, I¡¯ll be there!¡± I sprinted. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª Donovan took me to the same place where I spared with Lyle. With the same concrete flooring. Cooler now that the time was in the afternoon. ¡°Mekiko, eyes over here,¡± my mentor said Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Huh? Oh yeah. Why bring me here of all places?¡± I asked. ¡°Do you see what I¡¯m holding?¡± Is it what I think it is? ¡°A laser pointer?¡± I asked in disbelief. While the laser pen was more bulky and unwieldy than what I expected, the pointer was unmistakable. ¡°A device that emits a low-powered beam to produce a dot on a non-transparent surface. Yes you are correct,¡± he said. ¡°Whilst, this is the first time I heard it being called a ¡®laser pointer,¡¯ the name has a ring to it.¡± Did I almost give myself away? My ears twitched. ¡°You see, a laser pointer projects a visible beam by scattering radiation through dust particles in the¡­ Oh, I lost you again.¡± The only time where Donovan seemed lively was with his lectures. ¡°Anyway, your task is to focus on the beam emitted from the laser pointer,¡± he said. ¡°Focus on the glowing dot? That¡¯s it? Is the training difficult in any way? I interrupted. ¡°I was getting to that part. Yes, all you need to do is to focus on the dot emittes throughout.¡± He held out a finger, ¡°But, you decide whether to chase the dot or stay. What you choose has little importance. You only have to focus on the dot,¡± he smiled, he actually grinned. ¡°Do you expect me to chase the laser dot? You should expect more from me than a simple task!¡± I beamed. ¡°Is that so? Let¡¯s put your hypothesis to the test then.¡± There¡¯s always a catch when Donovan teased like that. He turns on the laser pointer. A red dot appears on the floor. My pupils dilated instantly and ears perked up, with my tail swaying by my side. The dot swayed within arm¡¯s reach. My claws protracted as I resisted the urge to claw at the crawling, red, spot. Grab an intangible light? I¡¯m better than that. Don¡¯t chase the laser pointer, that¡¯s what cats do. Beads of sweat dripped down as my head darted at the dot. ¡°N-nya,¡± I meowed under my breath. Look away from the spot, and I can back away from my urges. No, my one task is to focus on nothing but the laser pointer. There is a catch, and I fell for Donovan¡¯s trap. I swallowed my saliva. My canines bared at the light. I must resist, yes, I can do it. Donovan expects me to give chase, I can win this little game of his. I¡¯m not giving chase, nope, not now, not ever. But the laser was so close to me¡­ ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¡ªMultiple POV¡ª Donovan held up the laser pointer. Mekiko gave chase to the red dot. ¡°Nya!~¡± The catboy pounced on the red spot. The dot scurried away. Donovan directed the laser side to side. He directed the dot away from Mekiko¡¯s claws. The catboy scattered his hands on the pavement. No matter how hard he tried, the red dot never gave purchase. Dolores stopped by to see the beastkin and Donvoan playing with a pen emitter. Both were tense in their own way, an odd sight. She took a puff out of her cigarette, admiring the disbelief. The air reeked of tobacco. ¡°So, what are you guys up to,¡± she initiated the conversation. ¡°Training,¡± Donovan gave his usual vague answer. He moved the pen emitter. Dolores halted from thinking before coming to a conclusion, ¡°I see, how devious of you, Donovan. Using the catboy¡¯s instincts against him,¡± she clicked her tongue. ¡°To have him focus or to give in with the chase. Either option is quite challenging. I can see that his footwork is being tested, even now. I¡¯m truly impressed.¡± ¡°You can say that,¡± he briefly acknowledged. ¡°Hey, eyes up here,¡± she snaps her fingers. ¡°You should be wearing your raincoat, since you are spacing from the gloom¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± he looks up at her before resuming with the laser-powered pen. ¡°You¡¯re not still mad at me ¡ª are you?¡± She questioned. ¡°Indeed I am.¡± ¡°Donovan, are you holding me accountable for actions I have little control over? I could never predict that Lyle would go that far with Mekiko. I¡¯m not mincing words this time. Lyle is a traitor, you know it, I know it. The only reason he holds breath is nothing but privilege. I swear, when he makes a slip up, and not if, there won¡¯t be any saving him,¡± she takes a long drag from her smoke. ¡°Dolores, we were both going to do that. You think I''m a fool?¡± ¡°Then why are you mad then?¡± Donoan swayed the laser pointer, ¡°could it be that you took advantage of Mekiko? Manipulated his innocence and naivety? When he went outside of his comfort zone when he wasn''t ready? Lyle had it easy, I know; but you have the indecency asking without tact.¡± ¡°Holding Mekiko¡¯s hand is never going to work, Donovan. He needs the freedom to grow. More in ways that you¡¯re holding him back.¡± ¡°How did that work out for him with his freedom?¡± He raised a rhetorical question, a tone as cold as ice. He was perfectly calm compared to Dolores. ¡°Terrible,¡± she admitted. ¡°Yet you can¡¯t protect anyone from misfortune ¡ª Do yourself a favor, and don¡¯t control the impossible,¡± she snuffs out her cigarette onto the pavement. The sparks on the paper died out. She flicked the smoke to the side. Dolores watched the catboy chasing the elusive red dot. How much energy the nyancan had was indeterminate. ¡°Yes, I do have uncertainties about fate,¡± Donovan said ¡°My worries are within reason. Mekiko is having doubts, he told me himself. He needs to be ready, he has to be. Not now, not here. When the time is correct, when his mind is ready.¡± ¡°It might be sooner than later, who knows? Make sure that you push him the right way. You don¡¯t want the catboy going soft before he gets the chance to fight.¡± Mekiko caught his breath. He glanced down at the light. His cat-ears twitched in frustration as he couldn¡¯t pin down the intangible dot. Dolores watching the beastkin run made her ask the question, ¡°Hey, you think that Mekiko overheard us?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s busy in his own way.¡± ¡°Nya!¡± The beastkin screamed. The red spot appeared on the ground once more. His eyes darted with a newfound vigor. The nayancan¡¯s claws stretched out as he prepared to pounce. ¡°Nya!~¡± ¡­ ¡°Nya!~¡± Chapter 11 The sun went below the horizon. My legs almost gave out. I painted in exhaustion. My body was taxed, but not to the point of hospitalization. I checked my body to make sure. Yeah, my limbs were responding fine. I sat down on my bed inside my room. Being back in my room felt nice, away from the hospital. I had privacy for a change, and some rest for a long day. I sighed while swaying my legs on the bed. I completely lost myself back there, I thought. I gave in to my urges and chased the tantalizing red dot. I lost control and meowed. The same sadistic training method was happening tomorrow, I know it. The damn laser pointer! Has to be all laser, and so pointy. What happens if I give in to my desires again? Has someone seen me? Lorry already seen me. She watched me while I barely registered her presence. I was so busy chasing the dot. A realization struck me. She heard me meow. What if she thought I was cute? Worse, What if she called me cute? My head buried into my pillow. Suffocate me now! I rolled around in my bed. I shouldn¡¯t be acting like this. I was a gentleman, my breathing slowed. I couldn¡¯t lose to my instincts again. I had to at least minimize the embarrassment. The time wasn¡¯t now. I needed energy for tomorrow. The next day, I wasn¡¯t giving into the urges. My head rested on a pillow. As I was about to get all comfy, I noticed something unusual in my. A stuffed animal the shape of a fish layed on my table. I never bought a plushy. Thousand Cuts! She did this! I figured as much. I remembered my time in Mamba Market. Thousand Cuts and I went to the amusement park. I recalled wanting a stuffed animal at the game stalls, but I only thought that. The stuffed fish looked like the one I wanted at the stores. I only glanced at that stuffed fish. How did she tell my intentions so easily? To buy the stuffed fish and then sneak until my room, for the sole purpose to fluster me. That was the Thousand Cuts I knew. I picked up the plushy, and opened the window. I aimed to throw the plushy out, yet I hesitated. It¡¯d be a shame if the stuffed fish is gone, I thought. There¡¯s little in my possessions, a pair of sunglasses, a chess set, that damn invisible deck of cards. I closed the window, placed the plushy back onto my bed. Thousand Cuts trying to fluster me didn''t matter. Her gift was wonderful. I snuggled into the plushy¡¯s embrace, and went to sleep. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª The red laser dot appeared, out of my reach. My cat-like eyes darted from side-to-side. My claws swiped at the ground. ¡°Nya!¡± I screamed. I sprang at the red dot, but it scurried away. Me and the dot play a game of, well, catboy and mouse. I relentlessly chased the red dot. The stimulation drove my instincts to the forefront. That was until Donovan turned off his laser pointer. ¡°We¡¯re done here, get some rest,¡± he said. I leaned against a tree. The supple leaves left some shade to sit in. A place that''s cool on the skin and away from the heat. My head hung as I cooled off. My body slumped down on the tree. My desires won out. I avoided Donovan''s eyes, ¡°Why did you stop?¡± I asked. ¡°You¡¯re at your limit, Mekiko. A layman can see that.¡± ¡°I have you know that I am just fine,¡±I panted. I stood up, my body tensed in exhaustion, ¡°Fine, you made your point,¡± I rested. ¡°Here, drink some water before you get heat stroke,¡± he gave me a bottle. My mouth drew big, greedy gulps. Droplets of water fell onto my white t-shirt as I gulped down the metal container. ¡°Thank you, Donovan,¡± I gave the bottle back. ¡°You have overexerted yourself, Mekiko. You need more than water to fix your predicament.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not being helpful, Donovan!¡± I protested. ¡°At least allow me practice with weapons!¡± ¡°Like I said, the laser dot is only as hard as you make it. Focus on the laser and don¡¯t give into the chase.¡± ¡°3 weeks I have been at this, and nothing has improved!¡± I screamed which surprised me. ¡°Do you have more unorthodox training, Donovan? Maybe next time I should paint your fence; better, wax your motorized carriage!¡± ¡°I know following the laser dot can be tedious, even tiring.¡± He sat down next to me, and patted my shoulder, ¡°You need to understand that learning focus is most important right now. You can¡¯t have yourself losing¡­¡± he trails off. ¡°To my instincts again,¡± I finished his sentence. ¡°I understand,¡± and I sincerely meant that. I thought about Lyle, never again. ¡°That,¡± he refocused. ¡°When your focus has improved to a point, we can lessen the time for the laser dot. Have some combat practice you can try.¡± ¡°Donovan¡­ Can I ask you another favor?¡± ¡°Sure, What¡¯s bothering you?¡± ¡°Well, I remember you talking about the Degenerative Behavior Act,¡± I fidgeted. ¡°I am wondering if ¡ª- I can learn more about the law.¡± ¡°The law regarding beastkin ears? There are more important priorities that you need to concentrate on.¡± ¡°But this is important, Donovan! I need to know my full rights if I want to live. What if a degenerate pets my ears. That would be horrible. I must know how to protect myself in accordance with the law.¡± The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. I stopped myself from folding my ears. Me talking about my ears made them uncomfortable, yet was necessary for my well being. Donovan studied me with a blank expression. He paused, ¡°Sorry for my misjudgment. Knowing your rights is a substantial matter indeed. You need to learn the law better than anyone else.¡± Huh? He continued, ¡°As a non-beastkin myself, I overstepped in my assumption. I¡¯ll have guards get you information on the Degenerative Behavior Act and other laws involving beastkin.¡± He accepted my proposal so readily. I thought that he was going to deny my request like the others, like eating fish every day. Can¡¯t believe he denied that request, it was reasonable. But that¡¯s not my priority right now, ¡°There¡¯s other laws for only beastkin in particular?¡± I asked dubiously. ¡°Of course, how would there be a way to rectify discrimination otherwise?¡± Keeps getting better and better, I paled. ¡°I got to go check on that later,¡± I told him. ¡°Us resume training is for the best. ¡°No, you already spent yourself. Any more exercise would be benign. Ease yourself for tomorrow and we will begin again.¡± ¡°Then what do you suggest we do?¡± I was baffled. ¡°I got some spare time. I¡¯m feeling tea and chess to pass the time.¡± We played chess. I lost yet another game. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª I check the deck of cards, more out of habit. This time I wasn¡¯t paying attention. I long ago gave up on seeing the hidden card. The odd card that hid from me. Some days, it felt like I was never never going to see, like I was not good enough. I thought about swatting the cards on the cards, to tear them into shreds. How much I wanted to end this charade, yet I stopped myself. Put the deck back onto the table. I was more refined than that. My mentor gave me this deck for a reason. There had to be a reason, but my faith wavered from countless failures. I left the cards alone and went out. ¡°Hey Sir, uh, Mekiko,¡± Grubbs greeted in an awkward salute. ¡°You know, you can stop being nervous around me.¡± I responded. ¡°We know each other on a name to name basis.¡± ¡°I am aware, sir.¡± ¡°Nevermind; I can go out anytime I feel like, right?¡± I asked. ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t call myself a guard if I disavow orders, especially from IMPERIAL.¡± ¡°Okay, tell Donovan that I went outside to go to the courtyard, I feel like having some fresh air,¡± I told a half lie. ¡°I only report to my higher ups that gave me the task,¡± he vehemently denied. ¡°Then let go tell your ¡®higher ups¡¯, whatever,¡± I waved my hand. When the guard was gone, I sighed. The reason I told a half truth was simple. I accepted that I was easy to read. My heightened emotions from being a beastkin always gave me away. So, why stay with methods that never work? Adjust and use more advanced tactics of deception, I say. I wasn¡¯t sneaking out like the time I went to Mamba Market. No, I was at the courtyard to see an annoying girl I promised to meet. And¡­ She isn¡¯t here. The moonlight illuminating the courtyard made scanning difficult. The place was eerily quiet, like a phantom is lurking. Yet all the lingering scent of pine was all that lurked. Maybe she isn¡¯t here, I thought. A hand grabbed me from the back of my shoulder. ¡°Got you,¡± Thousand Cuts whispered in my ear. My tail and ears shot up. I rested my arms on my chest, as my heart palpitated. I calmed myself down. Her grip felt like a phantom. The courtyard was dark and empty. Thousand cuts and I were there alone, only me and her. ¡°You got a lot of nerve showing up like that!¡± I exclaimed. ¡°If I were anyone lesser, you would have given me a heart attack. I demand an apology this instant!¡± Yet she said nothing. She crossed her arms in a grin. She expects me to say it, to meow. Well, I¡¯m not going to, I¡¯m not going to give her the satisfaction. My face hardened, as I stood my ground. The urge to meow came out of my throat. I suppressed That urge. I held my breath out of desperation. Thousand Cuts watched as I bloated my face. I glared at her. I¡¯m acting cute again, damn her. I have to breathe. My mouth took a gulp of oxygen. ¡°Nya!¡± *Sigh* I hate her so much. She giggled. ¡°You should keep better wits about your surroundings. Look around, feel the darkness swirling around. Who knows what vermin of the underworld lurks beneath. Take the initiative! That is the true way!¡± ¡°Great, you¡¯re posing again,¡± I deadpanned. ¡°Only to bask into the moonlight, to revel in the atmosphere.¡± I am not going to dignify that with an answer, ¡°A promise is a promise after all and a gentleman always keeps their honor. Why meet at the courtyard? Or the veil under moonlight as you put it. ¡°I always keep my word as well,¡± the swordswoman pointed at me. ¡°Now that I have been released from the grasp of Lorry and Donovan, I wish to resume our apprenticeship together.¡± ¡°You never told me what happened to you while you were being punished.¡± ¡°Nothing too bad, mostly hard exercises and hard labor. I did have to go through beastkin sensitivity training.¡± ¡°How come it always comes to that?¡± I muttered. I was relieved that she wasn¡¯t disciplined too hard. ¡°So, what did they exactly teach you there? I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°Oh, you know, the basics,¡± she waved her hand. ¡°Don¡¯t treat beastkin like children. Not to pet them on the ears, or squeeze their tails without consent ¡ª Ear touching is a big no-no according to the degenerative behavior act,¡± she smirked. Beastkin sensitivity training sounds less about understanding and more about appearing to care. My ears flicked, ¡°appears they''ve been treating you fine. Maybe next time you can learn not to sneak up on people who are minding their business.¡± ¡°You need to learn vigilance. You never know when fiend would strike from behind¡­ or a friend¡± ¡°There¡¯s a difference between teaching diligence and wanting a beastkin to meow,¡± I stated. She shrugged, ¡°Who said I can¡¯t do both. Besides, I¡¯m sure you meowed for other reasons.¡± She leaned in close, ¡°Like maybe you wanted to see if I was doing alright. Does the catboy have some affection for me?¡± She whispered in my ear. My tail twitched and my ears perked up. My face turned all shades of red as I whimpered to make a sentence. I pushed her away, ¡°No, I don¡¯t have affection for you! Take back your accusation! It was a curiosity¡­ yeah I was curious about you. I don¡¯t have feelings for you!¡± ¡°Oh? Who said anything about underlying feelings?¡± She smiled the widest I saw her. ¡°N-nya!¡± I stammered. ¡°You ¡ª you implied that with your deceptive tongue. You''re the worst! I¡¯m not letting you slander me!¡± I accused her with my finger. ¡°I remember you saying that you liked me before.¡± ¡°I said ¡ª that I don¡¯t mind being around you. I liked you as an acquaintance, not the other way. Don¡¯t get the wrong idea!¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°Alright White Shroud, I humbly accept your ¡®acquaintance¡¯ request, she quoted with her fingers. ¡°Fine, be that way,¡± I pouted. ¡°You know the other reason why I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°You wanted to teach me to go far beyond %1000 human limit?¡± ¡°White Shroud, don¡¯t be ridiculous. ¡ª We start out with %100 human limit.¡± ¡°Regret that I even asked,¡± I resisted the itch in my eyes. ¡°So, are you going with me or not?¡± As much as I wanted to say no, I bit my tongue. Training with Donovan had lackluster results. Despite the annoyance Thousand Cuts can be, she was the real deal. Maybe, Maybe she can teach me actual combat. My reasoning has nothing to do with spending time with her. Absolutely nothing. I was not hiding my feelings from her¡­ I was only conflicted about how I felt, that¡¯s all. ¡°Yes, I will go with you,¡± I expressed. ¡°It is decided! Let¡¯s hasten our arrival!¡± she grabbed my hand. She held me with both her hands She was going to drag me off, but glanced back. Look within my eyes. The woman let go, and walked away before I processed why she stopped. ¡°White Shroud, are you coming?¡± Thousand Cuts yelled. ¡°Uh, yes,¡± I followed. Thousand Cuts I knew was overbearing. Maybe her change was her way of saying sorry, or her respecting my commitment. Perhaps I was thinking too hard and she¡¯s being unusual to fluster me. I could never tell. She hummed as we went together. I¡¯m getting too comfortable around the crazy woman, I¡¯m sure of that, but I also know I can¡¯t let her go. Let her be by my side for now. The more she is with me, the less chances she could sneak up on me. I refused to voice another meow. Chapter 12 Me and Thousand Cuts turned from a casual stroll, into a sprint. The swordswoman took the lead. I lagged behind her. The wind pressed down against my ears. I tired myself out from chasing the laser pointer, so I had less energy. ¡°This should be the place,¡± she halted. We were at the training hall, the same place where the spar happened. I sighed, nothing good happens at this place. ¡°White Shroud, don''t look so sad, you did great. You ran well.¡± ¡°I had weeks to practice,¡± just not the practice I wanted. ¡°You mean with the pen that emits a beam? I heard how you reacted. I¡¯m tempted tempted to buy one myself,¡± she teased. ¡°Does everyone know?¡± I whitened. ¡°No, I asked Lorry how you were doing. She told me how enthusiastic you were at chasing the red dot. That''s not all she said ¡ª she called you cute.¡± ¡°Nya! I don''t want to hear it,¡± I cover my face. My hands blacked out my eyesight, yet I knew she was reveling in my embarrassment. How could she? I released my hands. She leaned closer than last time. ¡°You¡¯re so adorable when you get flustered,¡± she grinned. ¡°I see what you''re trying to do,¡± I calmed my nerves. ¡°You are attempting to fluster me, so that I meow! There¡¯s nothing about training. You know what? I''m not giving you satisfaction now, to you or your plot!!¡± I exclaimed while my ears twitched. ¡°When I said I''m going to train you, I meant it. I keep my word. What I¡¯m doing is more for ¡ª motivation. Seeing you stumble always makes you so cute.¡± ¡°Nice try! But I¡¯m not falling for your attempts. You have to do better than that, and I¡¯m not cute!¡± I stomped my feet. ¡°Oh? Is that a challenge that I hear? The catboy shows his claws once again, yet you were not careful enough! I will hold you to your provocation, for I, ¡®Thousand Cuts¡¯ do not back down so easily. ¡°But I didn¡¯t challenge you!¡± ¡°Alright, Alright, we can begin the apprenticeship. As more than a practitioner of the shadows, your weapon needs to be laid bare,¡± she opened up her arms. ¡°I, for instance, choose the path of the blade. A tool that is merely a means of an end. I summon the powers to lurk beneath. The blade of the phantom. Like me, you also have a tool that guides you along a dark path. ¡°You want me to show you my weapon?¡± I asked. ¡°In a way, yes.¡± ¡°What happens if I don¡¯t have one on me?¡± I deflected. ¡°White ShroudI can tell that you are hiding a weapon by the way you move. Your way of concealment is amateurish. There is so much for you to learn.¡± It comes to this, ¡°I don¡¯t want to show you¡­ It¡¯s embarrassing,¡± inadequate, weak. ¡°Y-you are going to look at me differently,¡± my tail flattens. ¡°Mekiko, don¡¯t say such awful words to yourself. You know that Donovan sings such high praises for you.¡± ¡°Really, Donovan? That sounds implausible.¡± ¡°Okay, you got me. He does mention you from time to time, although briefly. I had never seen him so animated before. He must think rather highly of you.¡± I sighed, ¡°If you say it like like, then fine,¡± Might as well get this over with. She was finding out what the weapon was at some point. I handled my knife out from under my shirt. The knife twirled in my fingers before giving her the hilt. I was ready for the disappointment that came with such a weak weapon. No, I wasn¡¯t ready, not from a person like her. My hand tossed the hilt of my knife to Thousand Cuts. I had to rip the band aid off early. She analyzed the small blade that I was sporting. ¡°Not bad, good craftsmanship on the metal as well,¡± she nodded. She¡¯s trying to cheer me up, as predicted. Maybe she¡¯ll lose interest in me¡­ ¡°No, rather impressive! The perfect weapon, as expected of you,¡± her smile widens. What? ¡°While others pick up a gun in battle, they lack a certain savoir faire. The ability to do the right action,¡± she clarified. French doesn''t even exist in this world. Where is she getting her information from? I stared at her dumbfounded. ¡°For you, this knife fits like a glove. No power, no strength with the size of a knife. Speed, subtleness, precision, that''s what''s needed. Many have fallen because they couldn¡¯t wield their weapon with grace. You have romanized my dear apprentice.¡± Subtlety? Grace? I chased a red dot this morning, like an enthusiastic beast; and she wants to praise me? ¡°I heard enough,¡± I said. ¡°You better stop before you get carried away.¡±Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Yet she never listened. She twirled before posing, covering her one eye. ¡°To go into deceit, to rely on outmaneuvering the opponent in order to overpower them. That is the way. The one who waits within the shadows and strikes anyone who gets in your way. You go far, White Shroud.¡± ¡°Fine you win Thousand Cuts, you managed to fluster me!¡± I covered my face. ¡°Now can you stop it with your constant teasing?¡± ¡°I have yet to make you meow, so we call this one a tie,¡± she relaxed her posture. We sat down. My turbulent emotions cooled off. She held me closer with her arms, an awkward feeling, but not terrible. ¡°You thought that I mocked you back there, be honest,¡± she said. ¡°With your teasing, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised,¡± I told her. ¡°I meant what I said.¡± ¡°Truthfully, I have a hard time believing it.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be too hard on yourself. I saw the way you handled that knife. You have a knack for shorter blades. All you need is more style, and you could be a pro.¡± ¡°What I need is more than knife tricks,¡± I muttered She flicked her finger towards my head. ¡°Nya!~¡± I blurted out. ¡°I will not allow you to slander yourself. For once, I¡¯m pulling my authority over you. Stop criticizing yourself. Take the compliment. If I hear anything other than ¡®thank you¡¯, I¡¯m not having it. Do you understand, Mekiko?¡± She rested her finger on my head. ¡°N-nya~,¡± I paused. ¡°Yes, I understand. Thank you,¡± I deflated my ears. ¡°Hey, put those ears back up. You have to stop being negative about yourself. At least don¡¯t voice your thoughts out loud. You¡¯re slouching, straighten up,¡± she bumps my shoulder. ¡°You earned your place in IMPERIAL, so don¡¯t belittle yourself. My ears were lowered. Thousand Cuts was right. I had a position to uphold. All of Imperial was brought down because of me. I was to blame, the sole reason. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I lowered my head. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say sorry, Mekiko. ¡°I¡¯m not acknowledging any apology,¡± she shook her head. The swordswoman got up. She extended her hand. I grabbed on, and she helped me up. I expected her to tease me about meowing earlier, yet nothing came up. The tension behind us was always there. Her words of encouragement felt different. She actually cares about me, the thought ran through my head. My heart fluttered, a warm sensation. My tail straightens up, my face reddens as I could turn into a puddle. I realized what made me act this way. General affection. Even from a person like Thousand Cuts, I was so desperate for warmth. My emotions were uncontrollable. I¡¯m going to lose myself if she touches me. I backed away from her. ¡°Mekiko, you''re acting weird. Are you alright?¡± Thousand Cuts asked. She leaned forward in concern, so I stepped back. My tail twitched in her presence. The woman reached out in an attempt to comfort me. I closed both my eyes with my palms.I dodged out of the way in my haste. There was no way to see. I tripped and then stumbled. I released my hands to balance myself. Thousand Cuts reacted. She tried to catch my fall. My heart beated faster. My body twisted away from her. I could have caught myself, but my mind went in multiple directions. I would lose myself if I allowed physical contact. The air released from my lungs as I fell onto the grass. I stabilize myself to the best of my lung capacity. I refocused to see again. Thousand Cuts crouched down. She had her hand on my cheek. ¡°What has gotten into you? You have to tell me,¡± she looked down I darted upwards, with my arms spread out. I hugged her closely. ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered in her ear. My eyes were shut, I was blind to the reaction she made. The swordswoman squeezed me in response. I heard a soft buzzing noise while holding onto Thousand Cuts. I realized who was making the noise. It was me. I was purring. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª The sun hung onward. I was at the spot from last night. The red dot crept in striking distance. My claws were ready, but my mind wasn¡¯t. I still clawed at the laser pointer despite my turbulent emotions. Donovan turned off the laser, and put it away. ¡°Good work, Mekiko,¡± he said. ¡°However, I can tell that you¡¯re acting off. You''re not staying focused today.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Is that a lack of denial I see?¡± My thoughts were concentrated on last night. Donovan teasing was a lesser form of discomfort. I glanced into his silver eyes ¡°No,¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m okay. In fact, I will give you my full attention.¡± ¡°I heard from the guards that you went outside last night.¡± ¡°You mean from Grubbs? Yeah, I wanted some fresh air, so I went to the courtyard. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that.¡± ¡°You know the woman? She calls herself ¡®Thousand Cuts¡¯. I paused, ¡°Her name is Thousand Cuts. At least respect what she likes to call herself,¡± I deflected. ¡°Alright, ¡®Thousand Cuts¡¯, know what she did last night?¡± He restated his line of questioning. ¡°No! I don¡¯t know what she was doing. Not like I hung with her last night!¡± ¡°Well, you dropped this,¡± he held out my knife. ¡°-Nya!~¡± I blurted out a meow. That traitorous tail betrayed yet again! It swishes back and forth. Hiding my tail back would only prove Donovan right, damn tail. I forgot I gave Thousand Cuts my knife and never asked for it back. That woman, she gave the blade back to Donovan, specifically to fluster me! ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be so careless for your knife to slip up,¡± Donovan¡¯s voice was calm. ¡°Did you do anything with ¡®Thousand Cuts¡¯ last night?¡± Donovan asked again ¡°Yes ¡ª I was with her last night.¡± I admitted. ¡°Is that so?¡± he responded. I comforted myself. Donovan never saw me hugging Thousand Cuts, but I felt he somehow knew; in his own way. ¡°A bit of affection can do you good, but never let that get into the way of your training,¡± My mentor said. Affection, is that what it was? I blinked. ¡°Mekiko, you are as white as a ghost,¡± my mentor said. ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­ Everything is so complicated¡­ She¡­ No! I,¡± am digging a grave. Donovan already knew. I sighed ¡°She is important to me,¡± I admitted. ¡°You don¡¯t have to speak if you don¡¯t like, but try to understand. There¡¯s a difference between desperation and need. You need to look within, set priorities in what truly matters. Classify what matters. Mekiko, define if she¡¯s worthy of respect. Set some boundaries when not.¡± I nodded, too embarrassed to speak. This was not what I expected my morning to go. ¡°You had enough rest. We begin with practicing knife combat.,¡± Donovan said. ¡°Really?¡± My ears perked up, ¡°are done with the laser pointers?¡± ¡°No, I judged that you improved. We can focus on more combat. You need more focus on the ¡®laser pointer¡¯, but the training is less of a focus.¡± I deflated, It seemed like everyone was getting under my skin. ¡°Mekiko, is there a problem?¡± he asked. ¡°No problem, a knife is ¡ª a fine weapon,¡± I said My grip on my knife tightens. I must try. Chapter 13 The knife twirled in my hands.. What I practiced had no combat application. I merely performed to look cool. I was inside my room. There were no prying eyes, especially from people like Thousand Cuts. My knife flipped up into the air. I avoided touching the sharp edges. There was a couple times were I cut myself on accident. More accidents and I would look like that guy. I prefer to keep away from awkward conversations, especially if scars appear on my wrists. Knife Tricks was what I call what I was doing. I took inspiration from video games and movies back on earth. There was a lack of practical knowledge, I was aware. But that never stopped me. I remembered what Thousand Cuts said about Savoir Faire: the ability to make the right action. If physical strength was my weakness, there was strength in other ways. I couldn''t believe I was listening to her out of all people. If she saw what I¡¯m doing, Thousand Cuts would tease me to no end, ugh! That¡¯s enough of playing with the knife. I set the blade down. My claws picked up the same deck of cards again. I gave up pulling out the cards from the cover. I was met with nothing every time I checked. Thousand Cuts saw through the illusion with ease. Months I trained. months of hard work, and there was no progress. Months of nothing. I ceased from thinking to prevent myself from breaking down. I must meet with Donovan this morning, and I had to focus. I took my knife, and made sure it¡¯s in my grasp this time. I couldn¡¯t afford another slip up, like last time. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª I stood on a wooden peg from above. My balance teetered on the edge. I was doing one of Donovan¡¯s odd training exercises. A blindfold covered my eyes. ¡°Defensive: reverse grip,¡± he yelled from my blindfold. I repositioned myself. The knife went to the back of my elbow. My body trembled from the lack of support. I adjusted to a more desirable stance. This exercise was more about precision than execution. The allotted time I was allowed made balancing difficult. ¡°Traditional: saber technique,¡± he yelled again. I switched my knife. The knife curved upwards, a sloppy execution. When I was about to fix my stance¡­ An object hit my head. ¡°Nya!~¡± I yelled I fell from the peg. A pair of arms caught me before I landed. I took off my blindfold to see Donovan cradling me. Him carrying me was unsurprising. I was short. wait that¡¯s not the point right now. He heard me meow! I promptly stood up. My ears and tail flickered. My hands dusted off my clothes while I cleared my throat. I had to save my dignity. ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡± I pointed my finger at him. ¡°You didn''t say anything about stuff being thrown at me!¡± ¡°Well guess what?¡± Donovan said. ¡°Life isn¡¯t exactly fair. You lost your concentration. I threw a rubber band to test my hypothesis, and I was proven right. You have to run laps around the training hall as punishment.¡± ¡°You didn''t have to catch me. I could have caught myself,¡± I muttered. A fat guard approached us from a distance. The guard was Grubbs. Sweat glistened on his skin. I felt relief when he wore bulky armor; away from the smell. Terrible for him, good for me. I had never seen a man run so fast. ¡°*Huff* *Huff* a letter for you sir,¡± he held an envelope with two hands. Donovan took the letter, ¡°Thank you, Grubbs. As the letter doesn''t look to be urgent, I¡¯ll make sure to read it on my own time,¡± my mentor stowed the envelope away in his duster. ¡°I have matters regarding my pupil, as you can see.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to interrupt you both,¡± the guard said between breaths. ¡°I also have to be going. I have my duties as a guard. Wasting more of your time would be dishonorable, sir,¡± he saluted. ¡°Hold on,¡± my mentor stopped Grubbs in his tracks. ¡°Y-yes, sir?¡± ¡°You know our newest unranked IMPERIAL for a while, am I correct? Feel free to speak your mind.¡± The silver-eyed man''s smile widened. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware. He¡¯s standing right next to you, sir. Mekiko is what he¡¯s called. I know him on a name to name basis.¡± ¡°I have an idea. Mekiko¡¯s training went off without a hitch, yet he¡¯s lacking combat experience. You are a good acquaintance. How about a one-on-one spar with Mekiko?¡± What did he just propose? I asked myself. Donovan was right when he said I wasn¡¯t ready. I wasn¡¯t ready with Lyle, that scumbag. I knew the man in question was Grubbs; the guard who sweated like a pig when he ran, but¡­ ¡°Sorry, but I have to object,¡± Grubbs said what I hoped for. He was probably looking out for me. ¡°Like, what if either of us gets hurt?¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°Any injury gets you two weeks of paid leave when the damage is caused by IMPERIAL. Although Mekiko isn¡¯t an operative, I will take full responsibility as his mentor. There¡¯s no problem there, I assure you.¡± Was Donovan that confident in my strength? This is going to end terribly if nobody objects. Say something Grubbs, Please say something! ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m only good with a gun. I can¡¯t substitute a weapon like Mekiko can,¡± the guard said. ¡°What if I accidentally hurt him?¡± I Was glad to hear Grubbs say that. Yet Donovan never relented, ¡°That would pose a problem,¡± he rubbed his chin. ¡°There is another idea. I say we leave the weapons for now, and go with an unarmed match.?¡± ¡°Well, I am somewhat proficient in martial arts,¡± Grubbs admitted. ¡°And how about you, Mekiko?¡± He pointed to me. I paused to mull Donovan¡¯s question. He asked me about my unarmed combat ability. There was a way to dissuade him. I deliberated on my words, ¡°I have no skill in unarmed, fist, or any martial arts. While I have claws, I can blunt them using my knuckles. However, not using claws would severely cripple me, like losing a limb.¡± Donovan nodded, ¡°An excellent answer, Mekiko. Spars are more interesting when evenly matched. We will begin soon, unless anyone has objections?¡± ¡°¡°No,¡±¡± me and Grubbs said in unison. I wanted to scream yes. I almost did, yet had second thoughts. To object would make me appear weak. My ears perked up as I swallowed my saliva. ¡°I¡¯ll get the tournament ready. Mekiko, run laps around the training hall in the meantime. ¡°What, why me?¡± I asked. ¡°Don¡¯t think that I forgot so easily,¡± he looked at me. ¡°You had a duty to fulfill when you fell during the training exercise. If you can protest, you can run.¡± I grumbled. Damn Mentor, had to cheat to get me doing exercise. I ran around the hall. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª ¨CThird Person POV~ Guards gathered around the tournament grounds to watch the spectacle. What a puzzling sight this spar was. Mekiko O¡¯ Zaar and Civilian Guardsman Grubbs were going head-to-head in unarmed combat. Little was known about the newest IMPERIAL recruit, other than he was unranked. Mekiko was undergoing intense training. Oh, and the fact he had cat ears; that too. On the other hand, there¡¯s Grubbs. A guard who got a letter of recommendation from The Ace of all people. Grubbs was moving into the Elite regiment after his time in IMPERIAL. He had a good grasp on anima and honor. Although, he had a weight problem. The catboy observed the crowd. He positioned his ears to hear the different noises. His action gave the guards one thought, cute. Granted, They would never share their impression of him. Each guard went through beastkin sensitivity training since the restructuring. They were wary of Mekiko. Anything from staring at his ears for too long was a great offense to beastkin. Bets were passed among the guards. The general consensus was that the spar favored Grubbs with Mekiko being the dark horse. The smarter guards noticed the disadvantages the nyancan had rather quickly. Two other IMPERIAL operatives were here, yet they didn''t quell the gambling. That was their way of telling them, ¡®go ahead, I¡¯ll look the other way¡¯. The Ace, Donovan sat there with an unreadable expression. He picked up his pen, and wrote in his book.. Donovan sensed around him. The place was full of guards. They seemed eager for the match. They¡¯re treating the spar like a sport, Donovan thought. No other IMPERIAL operative showed up, other than Dolores that was. Donovan regretted making Mekiko run all those laps, not because he was being hard on the beastkin. No, Donovan regretted not holding the nyancan¡¯s punishment until after the spar. He was correcting his mistakes for the future. Dolores stood by to the opposite side of Mekiko. She gave Grubbs a bottle of water. The guard drank from the container. ¡°This goes without saying,¡± Dolores said, ¡°but I am telling you since it¡¯s important. Any touching of ears or tail, no matter how brief, will earn you an immediate disqualification. Repeat what I said,¡± she demanded. ¡°Touching the ears or tail, no matter how brief, will earn me a disqualification, maam,¡± Grubbs replied. ¡°Good, remember that Mekiko strength lies in speed and precision. Don¡¯t let the catboy go on the offensive, or he¡¯ll overwhelm you.¡± ¡°Dolores, may I ask what you¡¯re doing?¡± Donovan interrupted them. ¡°Playing the coach,¡± she smiled. ¡°You got to root for the underdog somehow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the only game you are playing at. I¡¯m starting to suspect that you were behind the crowd out here today.¡± Dolores delved into her duster, and pulled out a cigarette. She ignited the smoke with anima. She took a puff, ¡°Who knows?¡± She dismissed the argument. ¡°IMPERIAL stands for something. I overheard the guards. They were in favor of Grubbs. ¡°There needs to be a push,¡± , ¡°to remind them who we are. You know, send a message. to the mercenaries, gangs, ¡®the Elite Guards¡¯,¡± she emphasized. ¡°Manipulative as always I see,¡± Donovan said. ¡°And you need to see the broader perspective,¡± she took another drag from her cigarette. ¡°The catboy must prove himself more than others. You know this, why is he here otherwise? You said he isn¡¯t ready, yet the catboy is having another spar. If you were like before, you would have completely objected to the spectators.¡± ¡°I made a judgment on Mekiko¡¯s capabilities, and I determined that he¡¯s prepared. nothing more, nothing less,¡± he observed Dolores. ¡°You changed Donovan.¡± ¡°No¡­ I changed since I lost my name.¡± ¡°No IMPERIAL comes out the same person,¡± she somberly said. While Dolores and Donovan were busy talking. The energy in the room was felt. *Fwoom* *Whiff* *Fwish* Grubbs practiced punches in succession. The guard recalled what he learned during boot camp. He switched his jabs for kicks. His leg blurred as he attacked the air. The bulkiness of his body made his attacks oppressive. Mekiko stretched on the other side. His feline-like body stretched easily. His physique bended in ways that made Grubbs look stiff in comparison. Mekiko did what Donovan taught him, warmups that made humans sore if they tried Donovan walked up to the stage. The spectators simmered down. ¡°Ready¡­ Begin,¡± his voice cut through the silence. The nyancan¡¯s ears twitched. Mekiko and Grubbs took their respective stances. The battle was about to start. Chapter 14 Grubbs and I already took our stances from the concrete flooring. The sparring match began. We stared each other down, seemingly with inaction. The Guard stripped from his bulky armor, showing his large underbelly. His heavy frame gave him force I failed to notice before. He had to be the muscular type of fat. I saw him practice his punches earlier. The attacks had a weight behind them. The guards gawked on, enough that my head turned. My ears folded, with my feet planted on the comment. Grubbs naturally prepared as well. We were waiting for whomever made the first move. I was more than content to wait. I could hold back until Donovan called the spar. Grubbs could do whatever he liked. No, I can¡¯t make the same error like with Lyle. Grubbs has an opening. strike now before he is guarded! My body went into position. Grubbs wasn¡¯t prepared. I was confident.I punched his chest, and tucked my claws within my palm. Just like that, he blunders over. I knocked some air out of him, yet I lacked the strength. I didn¡¯t have the toughness for a follow up. My hand felt the soft tissue, cushioning the blow. Grubbs was recovering. I aimed for his stomach with a kick. He blocked my leg with his arm. Crap, crap, crap, crap. My body lumbered back, as my strength was put in my leg. Grubbs supported himself. He got up, and swung. My two arms diverted the blow. I expected pain, for my arms to hurt, but my arms only stung. I saw him practice his unarmed strikes before, he was much stronger before. Grubbs was stronger than that, yet he blundered like an idiot He allowed me the first hit. Slow on the followup. How dare he! ¡°You got so much nerve pulling what you just did!¡± I puffed my cheeks. ¡°I¡­ you hit me first!¡± Grubbs exclaimed. ¡°We are supposed to be a spar. Why do you think I¡¯m here!¡± ¡°I think you should fight me like an equal. I command you to stop pulling your punches, hit like you mean it!¡± I pointed at him. ¡°Pulling my punches? I am here trying my best! It is your amateurishness that is tripping me up.¡± ¡°Amateur? How come you have to say such horrible things?¡± I yelled. Yes, Grubbs was technically correct. I wouldn¡¯t even call myself a beginner. His actions spoke the truth on how he thought of me. He was going easy on me. My fist was doing the talking for his offense. I tried my hardest to resist pulling out my claws. Grubbs countered all my attacks. Neither of us were committed to sparring. Just two men fumbling around. The guard went for a haymaker. I hastily dodged. His fist whizzed through the air. His other hand did a follow up. I was in mid fall. His fist went past my body, past my head. Right by my ears. I narrowly avoided the impact. The room grew quiet, dead silent. That man was only one hair away from touching my ears. I caught myself by crouching by the ground. My pupils dilated, my claws restricted. There was nobody I could focus on except for the guard. Grubbs stepped back from me. My emotions were reeling. I bore my teeth, almost in a hiss. Not a soul spoken up. Grubbs almost touched my ears. He was the person who caused so much pain. I went closer from the man backing up. Yes, escalate it, get closer. My legs crouched, and then I sprinted. My palm targeted his throat. Don¡¯t, there¡¯s something¡¯s wrong with me. I adjusted my hand to hit his body. Grubbs toppled easily. I approached him with my claws out. I realized how I acted, I caused a scene. My eyes stared deeply at my claws. They were still out. Grubbs was on the ground. I knew what would happen if I proceeded with my aggression. Grubbs would be disqualified, and I declared the victor.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. I glanced at the hushed faces, onto Grubbs. They were afraid to look at me. How I managed to knock Grubbs over was due to fear. I wasn¡¯t powerful enough to use force. I saw myself in him. How defenseless he was, like me with Lyle. Fate was terrible when at the mercy of another hand. Grubbs was no different than me. Two people who were fighting, not wanting to embarrass themselves. Two men who have the weight of responsibility on them. This match was supposed to be a fun spectacle. I retracted my claws, turned my hand into a fist, and raised it in the air. I made the spectators believe that they misinterpreted the situation. All for Grubbs¡ª. And the crowd cheered, they roared louder than before. I went up to Grubbs, ¡°I know how you feel,¡± I said among the noise yet my voice was clear. ¡°Pretend that everything is fine, don¡¯t cause a scene. Win or lose, we are going to finish this match with dignity,¡± I offered Grubbs my hand. He obliged. The guard propped himself up, although slowly. Donovan was about to call the spar, but I waved at him. My hand signaled I was fine. I then gave the man a thumbs up. Donovan gave me the clear. I carried myself back to the corner. Grubbs did the same. I took my stance. His aura, his being, they were different. I knew he was going all out this time. Our fight was a matter of respect. We waited for each to strike, yet there wasn¡¯t hesitation between us. Grubs stared at me in anticipation. There was a lack of hype for me, a strange focus overcame me instead. We approached at a steady pace, then charged. Grubbs went for a straight jab, there¡¯s pressure behind it. I withdrew and moved further back from my position. I had certainty instead of hesitation. My body was solid. I have the vigor. All I needed was a little savoir faire. Grubbs jabbed, yet he was out of range. I weaved within the fight. He responded with a left hook. My hand firmly pressed on the guard¡¯s arm. A little push sended the jab off projection. Grubbs¡¯ leg twitched. He planned to kick. My reaction was faster. I needed not to use my claws. My knuckles drove into his chest. His skin is much tougher this time. He was much more guarded than before. He leaned back. Grubbs gasped for air, that was what I needed. A simple kick? No, that wouldn¡¯t work. I receded a few steps back. Repositioned myself, went on all fours, then jumped. I brought my leg into an arch high up in the air, let gravity do the work. My kick made contact with Grubbs¡¯ belly, using my entire might to add impact. I used my feet, and caught myself. When I steadied myself, I looked to see how Grubbs was doing. Grubbs clutched onto his stomach. He laid on the cement ground. Donovan went on the tournament stage, he studied Grubbs. The crowd simmered down. ¡°The winner is Mekiko,¡± Donovan declared. The spectators thundered. Their cheers reverberated. There was no denying who won. I glance at Grubbs. The fight was finally over, I let out an internal sigh. I went over to Grubbs. I extended my hand, he could use some help. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to lose my lunch,¡± Grubbs said with a pale face. No, wait! ¡­And he vomited over the pavement. I withdrew my hand ¡ª he¡¯s going to need a lot more than personal attention. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª The paramedics had a difficult time lifting Grubbs on the stretcher. I watched Grubbs get strolled out. Donovan and Lorry accompanied me. The guards slowly left the room, they seemed happy with how the match turned out. My ears swivel on the various conversations. The guards were speaking from far away, although my cat-like ears can eavesdrop with ease. ¡°Have you seen how that beastkin flew in the air? He came down like an axe!¡± ¡°Grubbs wasn¡¯t bad either. He put up a good fight, until the last part. But hey, he can swing a mean haymaker.¡± ¡°Uggh! I betted on Grubbs! How am I supposed to explain to my wife that I lost a month¡¯s salary?¡± Everything was in order As for the puke ¡ª Someone else can deal with it. Lorry¡¯s words discourage any curious guards from seeking me. Back to work, as usual. Donovan wrote in his book, ¡°Unrefined, but that¡¯s expected,¡± my mentor said. ¡°I figure having more exercises would temper for your shortcomings,¡± he scribbled with his pen. ¡°What Donovan meant to say is that you did well,¡± Lorry chimed. Donovan cleared his throat, ¡°You lost yourself back there, Mekiko. You have to go back to the ¡®laser pointer¡¯ full time again.¡± ¡°Nya!~ How come you have to be so mean?¡± I shouted. ¡°This is for your own good. You had your claws out. I¡¯m proud that you stopped yourself at the moment, but you could have caused an incident.¡± My arms crossed while listening to Donovan¡¯s explanation. ¡°That ought to do it for today,¡± Lorry said. ¡°We should resume with our daily scheduled routine.¡± ¡°No, I still have some business,¡± I said. ¡°What could you possibly mean, Mekiko?¡± Donovan asked. ¡°It¡¯s about Grubbs¡­ I want to see him at the hospital,¡± I looked down at the ground. ¡°Grubbs is going to recover, I say with certainty that he¡¯s fine. You; on the other hand, have lots to work on. I shook my head, my ears twitched, ¡°But I am worried about him. I¡¯m the one who injured Grubbs, I am the one who should be taking responsibility. There is a duty to liability. What person does ignoring him make me? ¡°I appreciate the catboy¡¯s dedication,¡± Lorry said. ¡°That may be so, but I¡¯m afraid that there¡¯s so much that needs doing. I can¡¯t take Mekiko out to the hospital,¡± he told Lorry. ¡°That¡¯s fine, I got a motorized carriage. I can ride him there,¡± she waved her hand. ¡°If you are willing to help, then I see no problem,¡± Donovan said, even so, he glared at her before walking away. There was a chance for me to meet Grubbs again. I only hoped I didn¡¯t do too much damage. Donovan wasn¡¯t showing. He left me alone with Lorry. I could wait and see. Chapter 15 Lorry snapped, a flame appeared on her finger. The trick had something to do with anima, I figured. The green-haired woman lit the cigarette with the flame. The training hall was empty since everyone left. ¡°Don¡¯t dwell on what Donovan said,¡± she puffed. ¡°He actually has some endearment for you. ¡°You know that smoking is bad for you?¡± I rhetorically asked. ¡°Smoking is bad for me? That is the first that I¡¯m hearing this,¡± she stated. ¡°There''s evidence behind my claims.¡± ¡°Oh, what evidence?¡± Evidence, there had to be evidence ¡ª she got me there. There was proof back on earth, but I was in Pland. A place with little documentation on tobacco. I have to make something up; or else she¡¯ll get suspicious. ¡°You tell me how inhaling black smoke is healthy?¡± I thought of a good enough reason. ¡°Tobacco is known to be addictive, smoking will only cloud your mind.¡± ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like Donovan,¡± she threw away her unfinished cigarette. ¡°You know, these cigarettes aren''t cheap. Quite the opposite really. For your sake ¡ª I won¡¯t smoke in your vicinity.¡± ¡°A gesture of goodwill? I honestly doubt your honesty. Donovan had never been so tense as when he was around you.¡± ¡°We have a ¡ª complicated history together. As team team members, rivals, and as lovers.¡± ¡°Wait, as lovers?¡± My ears jerked. ¡°Yeah, as lovers. We were so different back, so young and impressionable. But that was a long time ago. He never made a move on me since, or would look at me in ¡®that way¡¯. Our relationship is strictly professional. The past is the past, catboy. I moved on. Besides, shouldn¡¯t you be handling your own love affairs?¡± ¡°I have no relationships that need caring about,¡± A certain woman came to mind, ¡° and for your information, Thousand Cuts and I are not dating!¡± ¡°Who said anything about ¡®Thousand cuts¡¯, hmm?¡± I recoiled from Lorry¡¯s question. ¡°But that''s none of my business. You ought to come to the stable. Follow me, I can show you around.¡± ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª The stables were more like a garage than a barn. It housed motorcycles, vehicles, and anything with a motor. All those rides made me realize how out of touch I was with the lingo. They called them motorized carriages. I called them cars. There was a motorized carriage right in front. Lorry unlocked the one door, and I meant one as in singular. That was the only entrance to getting in. Like all the other technology in Pland, the vehicle was a massive heap of metal. The vehicle was similar to the first commercialized cars. She opened the door. I half expected the smell of tobacco, yet I only picked up a fresh scent. The leather seats were slightly worn, seating for two. The exterior had a wax coating. So she can take care of her belongings, I approved. ¡°Here,¡± she tossed me a metal lever from inside her motorized carriage. ¡°Huh? What am I supposed to do with this?¡± I asked. ¡°That is a hand crank. You use it to start the carriage by twisting. The ignition is located outside, to the front end.¡± I pinpointed the spot where the ignition was, I stuck the hand crank inside. My hands twisted the arm, nothing happened. I studied the lever, then twisted the ignition harder. The engine humed to life. ¡°You got it working?¡± she asked, I handed her back the hand crank. ¡°I thought you would have some trouble. That part is always the most difficult the first time. Here, how about you sit in the driver¡¯s seat?¡± I guess she fancies me to drive, ¡°L-like this,¡± I get into the seat. My feet just touched the pedals. I was so short that my ears were the most prominent part from the windows. ¡°Have you ever ridden a motorized carriage? Scratch that, stupid question,¡± she referred to my amnesia. ¡°I feel like it¡¯s the perfect opportunity to learn how to operate a vehicle. I can guide you along, and give you directions if needed.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I need a license to ride?¡± ¡°License? Oh! I got the proof of ownership in the storage compartment. You should be fine.¡±Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Riiiight,¡± that wasn¡¯t what I meant! My ears twitched as I pulled the stop lever. The gear had two shifts, a forward and a break pedal; no reverse. Seems simple enough. I can drive safely. Oh, there''s no seatbelts. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª The motorized carriage drove through the pre-built highways. I passed by the dirt roads of Snakewater, and the grandiose pavement of Sector One. We went down Banana road, which was unremarkable in comparison. Lorry and I cruised by the other carriages. The carriage took a bend when I saw the hospital. I parked the car. There were over vehicles in front of us. Lorry got out, she locked the door behind me. I touched my beating heart through my chest. ¡°That was an ordeal,¡± Lorry said. ¡°I expected you to ride slowly. I guess I was mistaken. With such a valuable piece of equipment too. you never slowed down for the other carriages.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t going fast. The problem was everybody going slow,¡± I crossed my arms. ¡°Remember to go slower next time.¡± ¡°Next time? You say it like I have to ride for you again,¡± I pouted. ¡°Don¡¯t forget why we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, I know.¡± We got out to the health center. I noticed the institution wasn¡¯t as good, nor prestigious as the hospital I went to. There was less sanitation, with a moderate amount of grim, though respectable. The staff were definitely more timid. which allowed us to waltz in Grubbs¡¯ room. Their reaction had to do with Lorry''s status as a 1st class Imperial. ¡°Alright, this should be the guard¡¯s room. I¡¯ll be out for a smoke. I can wait outside until you¡¯re finish¡± she said. ¡°Outside the building, right?¡± ¡°Nah, that¡¯s too far of a walk, I¡¯m going to the waiting room.¡± ¡°...Of course.¡± I felt that the hospital wouldn¡¯t even attempt to stop her. Donovan was probably correct, I should be careful around her. Dolores¡¯ footsteps echoed through the hallway. I peeked through the door. Grubbs laid on the bed. I steered myself, and knocked on the door. The guard looked up. A can of soda labeled ¡®Fresh Cola¡¯ was on the table. ¡°Mekiko, I never expect you¡¯d be here so early,¡± Grubbs sat up. ¡°I rode all the way here, and barged in with the help of a 1st class,¡± I told him. ¡°As weird as that sounds, your story checks out. But, you didn''t have to go out of your way to see me.¡± ¡°Nonsense, I injured you, so I¡¯m the person who has to see if you¡¯re doing alright,¡± my tail swayed. I ¡ª didn¡¯t hurt you, did I?¡± ¡°You hurt me plenty,¡± he smiled ¡°I fractured both my ribs while fighting you. I have about 6 weeks before I recover. You did well, Mekiko.¡± ¡°No, you should feel angry. I¡¯m the one who did this to you!¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired of feeling angry¡­ So tired,¡± he shook his head. ¡°I let my preconceptions get in the way. No words can ever apologize for how I treated you. I judged you based on your appearance, and in turn acted like a bumbling fat fool.¡± ¡°I never said anything about you being a fool.¡± ¡°Mekiko, I¡¯m not going to mince words. I am morbidly obese. You¡¯re probably thinking how this fat middle aged man could possibly pass the bar minimum to become a guard.¡± Of course I think about it, I never had the guts to ask out loud. ¡°Do you want to see something?¡± Grubbs asked. ¡°Sure,¡± I responded. He took a black-and-white photograph from his breast pocket and offered it to me. The photo was well worn with creases. Water damage was on the frame. someone was crying over the pictures. The photograph showed a normal family captured in time. A wife, a husband, and a daughter who couldn¡¯t be older than 7. All 3 were grinning. I squinted and noticed that the man in the picture is Grubbs. He looked so young and skinny. ¡°What is this?¡± I tentatively asked. ¡°It¡¯s a picture of my family,¡± Grubbs said. Grubbs¡¯ family huh? ¡°You have a beautiful wife and daughter,¡± I returned the picture. ¡°They were declared missing 13 days after taking the photograph,¡± he stated That was¡­ horrible of me. I opened up a wound. There was nothing I could say that was appropriate. ¡°...I¡¯m sorry,¡± I lowered my head. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare apologize, Mekiko. You¡¯re a good person. You would never lay a hand on them. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Grubbs stood up from his bed. He clutched his ribs. He groaned in pain, yet he straightened his back from determination. He continued, ¡°Believe it or not, I was once a factory worker. My employers had to let me off. I was so resentful, indigent for justice that I lost myself in the grief somewhere. I ate myself until there was nothing left. Allowed myself to grow to this, obese,¡± He gestured at his body. ¡°They say anima is gained through training or intense emotions, I gained mine from sorrow.¡± ¡°A broken man picks up the courage to dream.¡± I whispered. ¡°He defied to look up into the stars, which brought him so low,¡± ¡°Dare to fantasize when there¡¯s a void, because it¡¯s noble to fight for what you believe in.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a good friend, Mekiko.¡± he said. ¡°Better than what I deserve¡­¡± He looked down, ¡°Thank you for believing in me. You taught me what true respect means. It definitely had damn all to do with saluting or using honorifics. I looked back at myself stuttering in front of you and it all seemed ¡ª I don¡¯t know. ¡°I also let my own biases get in the way, Grubbs,¡± I said. ¡°I should have never thought of you as a silly fool. If only I haven¡¯t been so ignorant ¡°Mekiko, listen, I told you all this for a reason. Don¡¯t make the same mistake I did. Pride comes from other people. When for yourself, there¡¯s no virtue. You have people that love you. I hate to see you throw that all away. Find what matters to you.¡± We hung out for a bit while saying little. I was content to spend the time with Grubbs, my friend. Chapter 16 I returned to the waiting room. Lorry promised that she was there and waiting. Like I predicted, nobody stopped her from smoking. The other patients seemed uncomfortable around her presence. ¡°So, are you satisfied with visiting the guard?¡± Lorry flicked her cigarette on the floor. ¡°Yeah, I had a chat with him and we hung out. We shared some stories.¡± I purposely gave her the curated version. ¡°That¡¯s good that you rectified your issue. We should head back inside the motorized carriage¡­ Hold on ¡ª what¡¯s that in your hand?¡± She pointed. ¡°A can of Fresh Cola. I snatched it from Grubbs when he wasn¡¯t looking,¡± I held the can up for Lorry to see. ¡°I see, so you can be mischievous, Mekiko.¡± ¡°Grubbs is overweight. Him not having a sugar-filled drink would do him some good,¡± I explained. I sipped the soda out of curiosity ¡ª and promptly spat the liquid out. I would¡¯ve meowed in public right here and then, if I hadn''t tempered my expectations. My eyes darted around. There wasn¡¯t a soul around. I held in my breath I spoke when I was sure nobody else was around, ¡°what did they put into this slop, nya~? Is this what they call soda? No, this is an abomination! I rather wash my mouth with rubbing alcohol. This¡­ this is rotting my teeth.¡± ¡°Mekiko, I understand your beastkin sensibility; and yes, other beastkin share the same opinion. But you shouldn¡¯t sound so offended. Fresh Cola is a popular drink. In fact, a lot of people¡¯s favorites. You should at least try being a little more nuanced,¡± she told me. ¡°...Just pass me the hand crank, Lorry,¡± I sighed. Nice to know that my taste has changed so that I can no longer enjoy an ice-cold cola, I sarcastically thought. Lorry drank the Fresh Cola I refused to drink, while I put the motorized carriage in drive. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª I arrived at the dead of night. I thought about what Grubbs said. I thought about Thousand Cuts. We haven¡¯t talked since I hugged her. As much as I hate to say it, and boy do I hate to say it ¡ª she is my friend. When I get the chance, I¡¯m going to converse with her, I nodded to myself. My hands opened the door. There was another stuffed fish on my dresser. The fish was silver in color. God damn it, Thousand Cuts. You somehow found a way to ruin my mood. She must have found out that I slept with the other stuffed animal. She hadn''t teased me thus far. She¡¯s playing a game. That must be it! If I throw the plushy out now, that would be admitting defeat. Nice try Thousand Cuts, you might be clever, but not clever enough! I placed the silver fish on my bed. I was giddy, but giddy from triumph. yes that¡¯s what it is, triumph! I laughed, then looked at the deck of cards lying on the table. Curiosity made me pick them up. There was no reason for me to hold onto them. I had a long day, and the cards were only a source of frustration. Yet my mind was clear. I analyzed the cards. My tail didn''t even twitch, nor was there movement in the ears. I was focused, condensed to one focal point; the cards. My hands pressed on the cover, an action I practiced many times. I felt raw conviction this time. I took my hand ¡ª and flipped the first card over. Then, I saw it. (Ace of Hearts) The card was as clear to what Donovan or Thousand Cuts saw. The card was a little blurry. I refocused my sight to keep track. The card that perturbed Donovan. Although I wasn¡¯t sure of the suit, I had a hunch It was the same card. Do I dare see what the other card is? I cautiously flipped another card over. (Queen of Hearts) I stared at the drawing. There was a picture of a catgirl ¡ª no, a catwoman.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. She looked matchless. The woman had white hair with snowy eyes. I reached down to my own porcelain hair and thought about my own eyes, which were the same as the queen¡­ I was getting too emotional. I wasn¡¯t tearing up, was I? My heightened emotions were acting up. My eyes were watery from seeing the image. I put the queen back into the deck, though carefully. The cards were what irked Donovan. I suspected he also drew the Queen of Hearts. There was no way of knowing, I sensed that I was missing something Probably some superstition, like Donovan said. Wait ¡ª that¡¯s not the only thing strange about the deck. I skittered the cards around. All the symbols were normal, but the face cards¡­ Donovan, you did that on purpose! All the face cards were beastkin, specifically nyancans. The triangular ears were unmistakable. He planned this as a way to tease me at my final moment. Well, I wasn¡¯t going to allow him. I earned that achievement, and I had the right to gloat. I studied over the handful of cards. This card is the odd one out, I picked a tarot card out from the deck; strangely stylised. The drawing made discerning the specific card hard. I should show the tarot card to Donovan, that is proof enough. I thought about the Queen of Hearts. I was keeping the deck. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª I went to the training hall in the daytime. Donovan waited for our usual training routine. He wore the same duster and uniform armor. Today was going to be different. I strode towards my meteor. Donovan swerved his head, ¡°Aren''t you the talk of the town? And before training. What had possibly riled you up so?¡± ¡°Nice try, Donovan, but it would take more than a few words to fluster me!¡± I chirped. ¡°That¡¯s not going to work? Here I thought you were trying to get out of chasing the ¡®laser pointer¡¯.¡± ¡°O-Of course not! What I found out is more important. More important than catching a laser!¡± I beamed. ¡°You found something? What can it be?¡± he asked. ¡°Well, uh, see for yourself,¡± I held out the deck of playing cards that I was keeping on me. I was reluctant to let go of the cards that I kept for so long. I regretted Parting with them, yet I knew I didn''t have the pride I once held. I was ready to relinquish what I once grasped. ¡°Here you go,¡± I took a deep breath, and handed him the deck. ¡°You¡¯re right, this is more important than training,¡± he said. ¡°The challenge that I have given you has been completed? ¡®You did well, Mekikko¡¯, truly.¡± There wasn¡¯t a hint of surprise in his voice, almost like he expected me to succeed. Did he believe in me this whole time? We Stood in the training hall.The silver-eyed man shuffled the deck while nodding. A way to say that he acknowledged that he praised me moments ago. My ears twitched as my feet kicked the ground. He always believed in me. ¡°You can tell me first of what was the card that I hid,¡± He interrupted my thoughts. My mentor tested me, despite believing my word. He¡¯s trying not to let his bias show, behaving like what any mentor should. I shifted through the cards. They looked cloudy, so I altered my focus. I got a better glimpse of the illustrations. My claws plucked the tarot card from out of the deck. ¡°Can you tell me what this card is?¡± he questioned further. ¡°I can''t tell you that much other than it¡¯s a tarot card. The depiction makes it hard to tell as I know little about tarot cards,¡± I said while holding the card. ¡°Then can you describe it for me?¡± ¡°Sure, a man hangs from a tree. He¡¯s upside-down with a rope tied on his ankle. A hollow glows from his head. Despite all that ¡ª he¡¯s smiling,¡± I squinted. Yes, you are correct,¡± my mentor smiled. ¡°The card is called the hanged man. I chose this card especially for you.¡± I tilted my head, ¡°Really? Another teaching moment from Donovan. Who would have expected that?¡± I sarcastically remarked. ¡°You, of course,¡± he responded. ¡°I couldn''t throw such a perfect opportunity. Do you see the deeper meaning behind the hanged man, Mekiko? Look at his expression. He''s here on his own accord, by his own choice.¡± I observed the card. The hanged man was nothing compared to the gruesome name. Perhaps I expected his neck hung at the gallows? No, that would be too horrendous of a scene. ¡°What I do know is that the card shows a new perspective on life,¡± I told him my thoughts. ¡°Exacally,¡± he inclined, ¡°The hanged man is about letting go, and the importance of surrendering. Although past sacrifices for you haven¡¯t offered the expected result, they still yield lesions. By taking time for patience, and learning, you can lay down the illusion of control¡­¡± His eyes went from playful, to dull. He¡¯s spacing out spacing out again. Donovan would get like this sometimes. Strange, silver, and sterling was what he meant to me. ¡°You promised you would give me a reward if I completed your challenge,¡± I broke his thought. ¡°Yes, yes I did,¡± he refocused back to me. ¡°And I intend to keep my promise. With such a short notice as well. Here take this to cover your eyes.¡± ¡°A blindfold?¡± My ears twitched. ¡°I intended for the reward to be a huge reveal. Originally, the blindfold was supposed to be used for training, but it can be used for other purposes all the same.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like having my eyes draped over with cloth, you know that.¡± I looked at him. ¡°Mekiko, I know, but you have to swear that you will never take off that blindfold until I say so. No matter how much curiosity gets in the way, or how blind you feel. This is important, more of a right of passage. ¡°For you, fine, but I¡¯m not enjoying this, Donovan,¡± I put on the blind fold. The world went dark. The buildings disappeared as Donovan led the way. Chapter 17 The blindfold blinded me, as I sat in stillness. My mentor left, but promised to come back. Even with how much I hate sitting here, Donovan trusted me, and I had my pride. Footsteps echoed in the distance. ¡°You can take off the blindfold now,¡± my mentor said. I took off the mask, and saw a boardroom with many chairs. I went away from Donovan, over to the table. My hand caressed over the wood. The wood chipped over my claws. The chairs however were high in craftsmanship. There was a mishmash in quality. ¡°What is this place?¡± I asked. ¡°This is the IMPERIAL Council,¡± he said. ¡°We don¡¯t let just anyone in here.¡± ¡°That explains the lack of carpenters.¡± ¡°The chairs were easy to get here, but the table you see? Operatives built that themselves. This room has a special meaning, no guards, civilians or unranked ever went inside. Only full members of IMPERIAL set foot in here.¡± ¡°You said full members of Imperial, do you mean¡­¡± I turned my head. Donovan held onto a duster alongside armor to match with both hands. ¡°This coat is made from bullet-proof weave, with armor designed to be lightweight. Let them serve you well,¡± he set them on top of my lap, ¡°For you to wear.¡± ¡°Is this ¡ª really all for me?¡± I knew the answer, but I was unprepared. ¡°No, not all for you,¡± he grinned. ¡°I forgot to give you one last item.¡± he held out a metal badge, an insignia with the image of 3 stars. ¡°You are an operative now, welcome to third class.¡± ¡°Donovan, I¡­¡± only expected a reward for a task well done. I steered my breath, ¡°Can I try it on?¡± ¡°Of course you can,¡± he gave me permission. To become a fashion statement, that was my dream since I saw the uniform; now mine. I slipped the plate on, and wore the duster. Both fit smoothly on my waste. They were meant for me. My body spun around. I imitated one of Thousand Cuts¡¯ poses. Donovan glanced at me with a straight expression. Oh, I¡¯m acting out my fantasies, I stopped myself. ¡°So this is why a stranger came to give me those measurements. I thought you were only buying me clothes,¡± I remembered. ¡°If the clothes make the man, then the uniform should fit perfectly,.¡± ¡°Thank you, Donovan. This means so much to me.¡± ¡°I knew that you would like the uniform.¡± Was I being too obvious? My mentor reached inside his duster, ¡°I was going to wait after training, but seeing as you are at this place, here. It¡¯s an envelope from your mom.¡± I recognized the envelope. The letter was the one that Grubbs¡¯ gave Donovan before our spar. The envelope had sealing wax, a way to verify that the letter was unopened. The wax seal displayed a crescent moon; unopened. My hands removed the seal to reveal the letter¡¯s contents. The note was written with calligraphy, a marvelous style of writing. I noticed that the words were in English. I haven¡¯t heard the language in a while. Pland spoke many tongues and English was the exception. How did English end up here? That was like asking about the chicken or the egg. Best not to dwell too hard. What I read was undoubtedly English. The consonants from the alphabet were different, but the syntax were all the same. Donovan observed behind me. I knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to understand the words. My eyes darted across the page, line from line. When I was finished, I set the note down.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I don¡¯t grasp of nyancan,¡± he admitted. ¡°You mind telling me what the letter¡¯s about?¡± I took a breath, ¡°The letter is from my mother. ¡®She wishes me a happy birthday¡¯ ¡ª I¡¯m now 19 years old,¡± I clenched the envelope. Guilt washed over me. I had no right feeling that emotion. She was a person who I never knew, yet I felt a strong connection when I read her own writing. Kiko was her name. I knew that because she was a part of my name; a sense of identity. ¡°You don¡¯t remember your mother, do you?¡± Donovan asked. ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± I replied. ¡°You had a birthday, perhaps we can celebrate? Do you still want to do that?¡± He placed his hand on my shoulder. ¡°No,¡± I said, ¡°I don¡¯t feel like enjoying any party right now,¡± I glanced at him. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. This time I¡¯m going to be okay. I want to be alone with my thoughts.¡± My meteor respected my wish, he left the room. I stared at the note that my mom left. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª I twisted my knife inside my room. A knock resounded on my door. My eyes glanced at the locked door. I was glad that Donovan decided to install a lock. I was greeted by a guard when I opened the door. This time the guard wasn¡¯t Grubbs, he was recovering. ¡°Is there anything you want?¡± I looked up to the guard.¡± ¡°I was told to give you the message. The other IMPERIAL operatives need you to see them, sir,¡± the guard saluted. Donovan and Lorry wanted me to go meet them at the Imperial council. The guard knew little information on the reason, not even the name. ¡°Anything else?¡± I asked further. ¡°I wanted to tell you that I¡¯ve seen you at the tournament. Your Flying Axe Kick at the end was really amazing.¡± Flying axe kick, is that what they¡¯re calling it? ¡°Just get out of here!¡± I exclaimed. ¡°Right away, sir!¡± He scampered off. Ridiculous, naming a move from me kicking in the air, I grumbled. I made good sure my duster was smooth and the armor shined. I was an operative, and must act my part. My knives were sharp as my mind, although I wasn¡¯t prepared; that¡¯s fine. I only have to do well enough. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª I went back to the Imperial Council. Donovan and Lorry were the first ones early, as expected. The other operatives trickled in as I waited. Thousand Cuts sauntered by and gave me a wink with her one eye. She leaned against her chair. I¡¯m not sure if I should acknowledge or ignore her. Lyle came into the room. To have him walk free after what he did and so blatantly. My anger that I once had, seethed into contempt. I wanted nothing more to do with him. On his neck was a red collar, made to demean him. He glared at me, yet I ignored him. We were in a room full of operatives. There¡¯s no nothing he could do; nothing to be scared of. ¡°Daring today, Lyle,¡± Donvan said. ¡°Since you¡¯re so eager, how about you sit next to me,¡± Donovan¡¯s smile never reached his eyes. Donovan''s suggestion sounded more like a demand. ¡°I did say that I should keep you on a short leash, when you should be wearing blinders. Looks like I¡¯m mistaken,¡± My mentor continued on with his one-sided conversation. I studied Lyle¡¯s expression. Lyle was trembling. Lyle¡¯s collar made me relieved that I could never experience the same humiliation. The Degenerative Behavior Act protected me from wearing animal accessories. Imagine how shameful wearing a bell would be. When every operative appeared, Lorry stood up. Murmurs from conversation could be heard. ¡°Okay, everyone simmer down,¡± Lorry yelled. ¡°We¡¯re here to talk tactics, not whoever can one up each other. That goes for you, Wade.¡± A man shifted in his seat who I assumed was Wade. Like other operatives, he wore a duster. However he had no armor. He left his bare chest to show. He does have nice abs, I admitted. Thousand Cuts leaned in her seat while grinning. Lyle looked like a statue while seated next to Donovan. My mentor was as impassive as usual. ¡°Gang activity is on the rise,¡± she continued. Dolores shifted her head to the room. ¡°Guard corruption increased and even the dubious houses even stopped pretending. Cases of missing people are at a record high. These may seem unrelated, but the intel doesn''t lie. The rebellion is plotting something big, they have been off the radar for far too long.¡± Most of the operatives nodded their heads in agreement, what Lorry said came to little surprise. Lorry spun her attention to me. ¡°But before that,¡± she said, ¡°I like to congratulate Mekiko O¡¯ Zaar for becoming third class and being here with us today.¡± Eyes stared at me. I sank down in my seat, my ears drooped from the watchful operatives. I was the center of attention. ¡°Give the catboy some space, you know how easily timid he gets,¡± Lorry said. There were murmurs of acknowledgement as the operatives moved their gazes back. I had a moment of relief, then a moment of sheer disbelief. I¡¯m not easily timid, I pouted. I wanted to tell Lorry that, but I would be stared at again, my tail swishing. ¡°Let¡¯s go through the debriefing, shall we? see what we learned so that we can revise or make new plans,¡± Dolores said. I had a duty to fulfill. I am Imperial now, and I must act my part. No, I have always been IMPERIAL. There are friends that I can rely on, even if one of them is Thousand Cuts. After all, pride is other people. Side Story: Ace of Hearts 1/3 They called me Donovan Hart. The bugs sounded their courting rituals on a hot summer¡¯s day. I took off the rim of my top and wiped off my brow from the accumulation of sweat. The sun was oppressive, and I had no water to cool me down. I was full of exhaustion, yet I refused to leave from my spot. I adjusted my glasses to get a better view of the streets. horse-drawn carriages parked to let passengers off. Other areas were bustling with activity. I looked at the posters strewn outside the stadium. (Newcity Grand Tournament.) I rechecked my watch. I was waiting in the afternoon. Fights were happening inside. I haven¡¯t fought yet. My schedule was later. I have to focus. I¡¯m stressing myself out before I can enter the ring. What was it? Still as water? No, that doesn''t seem right. Do my best for the people I can depend on? That''s it. A Motorized Carriage rolled out from Banana Road. People, young and old gawked at the driver. A motorized carriage was a luxury that only the richest could afford. The rider parked before a valet and gave him a shilling before getting off. I was familiar with the rider who got off. My arms spreaded out to greet him, ¡°Ah, Noel! The myth, the legend , my self-proclaimed arch enemy; my friend. How are you doing on this fine day?¡± ¡°Been doing better,¡± Noel said. ¡°How are you and your girlfriend doing?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t we talk about more pleasant conversations? We have some time for tea. Why not chat with a long-time buddy?¡± I pushed up my glasses. ¡°You know that I don¡¯t approve of that girl of yours. She is only using you for your status.¡± ¡°And I said that was none of your business. Are we going to talk about philosophy? you know, I wasn¡¯t joking about the tea.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the time for that,¡± he said. ¡°My bracket is coming close, and the punishment is an automatic disqualification if I don¡¯t show. Don¡¯t you have some preparations to do yourself?¡± ¡°No, I want to meet with some people before I go to my bracket.¡± ¡°Sloppy as ever, Donovan. I shouldn¡¯t keep them waiting,¡± he waved before leaving.¡± ¡°Hey, Noel!¡± I yelled back. ¡°Yes?¡± I have to appear confident, ¡°This is not over, I will meet you at the tournament soon.¡± ¡°Yeah, aim high Donovan, but for now, this is goodbye.¡± I waited, and stayed in the heat. Me drinking or resting in the shade was out of the question. I long loosened my tie and took off my top hat. I stood by for my father. He wasn¡¯t here. This was intentional. The tournament was my last chance to redeem myself. Guess I was at fault for expecting the bare minimum. Perhaps staying here was the wrong idea, I thought. A carriage with my own family insignia on it strode by; The Hart family. I watched as the servant got off. My father wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Donovan, a pleasure,¡± the servant bowed. ¡°Unfortunately, Sir Roland couldn¡¯t make it¡° ¡°Right, he did promise me that he¡¯ll support me with such grandeur.,¡± I said through a fake smile. ¡°Say, how is my father doing these days? Did he send me a note perhaps? I¡¯m guessing not. He is out there doing important matters,¡± I quipped fervently as I suppressed my irritation. ¡°He¡¯s preoccupied with matters with the estate. You know how Sir Roland is with house matters,¡± the servant¡¯s smile stiffins. It was the same tired excuse that I heard a thousand times. My heart sank. I knew the simple answer was that my dad refused to be seen with me. Him and his status, that estate should burn down with the rest of him. ¡°Is there anything else that he wanted to say,¡± I narrowed my eyes. ¡°He grants you his best wishes, sir. He hopes that you will do well in the tournament.¡± ¡°Oh? How about the envelope in your coat pocket? Was he going to show me it before or after the tournament,¡± my smile dissipated. ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know what you''re talking about, sir.¡± ¡°The declaration for my disownment and a patience of compensation. I¡¯m talking about that, I want to see it.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°I don¡¯t want to judge, but aren¡¯t you sounding a bit paranoid right now.¡± ¡°Paranoid?¡± I scoffed. ¡°My father hasn¡¯t shown me support in years, and you think that I wouldn¡¯t be skeptical when he shows a little enthusiasm? How naive do you think I am? ¡°I¡¯m not saying nothing about you, sir,¡± he said a double negative. I put a hand on his shoulder, the servant winced, ¡°Okay, I apologized, I was being too paranoid. How about I give you some compensation?¡± I grinned, ¡°You empty out your pockets, and let¡¯s say ¡ª I¡¯ll give you 2 emperor''s notes for your trouble.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not appropriate for you bribing me in public,¡± he took a step back. ¡°That is a rather peculiar answer. A man in your position would¡¯ve been ecstatic to be getting notes, unless they really are hiding something,¡± I stepped closer. ¡°I would never hide anything from you.¡± ¡°Mind telling me your name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Sebastian, sir.¡± ¡°Well, Sebastian, ever wondered what your head would look like pressed against cement?¡± ¡°Pardon me?¡± The servant shifted between the bustling crowd. ¡°You heard me well, Sebastian. Give me the envelope,¡± I walked up, and tightened my arm around his shoulder. ¡°But¡­ No, you can¡¯t, there¡¯s so many people around.¡± ¡°You¡¯re underestimating a man with nothing to lose, My body can always be experimented on with anima, remember? Who knows? I might just slip up. They are always willing to find new participants after all.¡± ¡°Anima experiments? Have you gone mad? You don¡¯t know the far reaching effects!¡± Sebastian exclaimed while I held onto him. Anima experiments, or as the emperor recently called it: anima treatment. I was one of the potential participants that could receive such a treatment. not had the genes for anima treatment. I knew that any action that made me a convicted felon would get me involuntarily sent off for experimentation. I was aware of the risk. But the betrayal I felt, the disappointment, and years of neglect weighed heavily on me. I felt Sabastan¡¯s pulse quicken, despite my hand being nowhere near his heart. What I did was dangerous, reckless even, but I was at the point of no return. I took a deep breath, ¡°I am prepared for the consequences, can you say the same? My father wouldn¡¯t hesitate to throw you under the carriage. When word gets around that you got into an altercation with the Hart''s heir, not even a ruined house would glance at you. You¡¯d be lucky to live the rest of your life in Snakewater. How does that sound?¡± ¡°Fine, fine! Here, just take it,¡± he pulled out the envelope. ¡°It¡¯s been a displeasure,¡± I bowed to him. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I hate more than liars, get out of my sight,¡± I waved him off, and Sabastian ran. I deliberated my next action. In my hand was the declaration of disownment. Sealed and stamped with my own family¡¯s ring. Although the envelope was unopened, it was all the evidence I needed. I didn''t need to read the contents, it probably contains uninspiring words some lawyer wrote. There¡¯s no doubt that my father hadn¡¯t bothered to take the time of day to sign the document. Only an impersonalized stamp at the bottom. I clenched on the letter. In all likelihood, this was meant to be given to me after I did terribly at the tournament. The only difference was that I intercepted the letter. The writing was on the wall. The Hart family had more than enough evidence of my debauchery. The constant drinking, and partying; a disgrace to the Hart¡¯s name. That would have all been forgiven except the degeneracy I showed when fighting with the sword. This was my one and only chance for redemption, but that was alright, all I needed was one chance. One chance to set things right. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª I checked my watch near the locker room. The time was in the afternoon and my bracket was about to begin. I watched around, as others had the same hopes and desires as myself. There were so many that I barely distinguished them apart, yet I noticed one face. A saw woman with chestnut hair with a. Who smells of service berries. I pushed the people away. ¡°Lorry!¡± I exclaimed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that you were here.¡± ¡°I wouldn''t have missed you for anything in the world,¡± she responded. ¡°As corny as ever. Still, I¡¯m glad you came, Lorry.¡± She was in the middle of smoking a cigarette. She gave me the other half, and I obliged. A puff of black air entered my lungs. ¡°Have you heard of the new proposed law that the empire is enacting?¡± Lorry interrupted my smoking. ¡°The Degenerative Behavior Act?¡± I asked. ¡°Frankly, I don¡¯t get why the beacrates are so obsessive about what happens to beastkin ears. They definitely have better things to do than to take care of a bunch of mutts and cats. For such an inferior race, the guys on top sure do love expanding their resources on them.¡± What Lorry said was the rhetoric going around the houses. There was nothing personal against beastkin. I felt like it wasn¡¯t my business speaking about the matter. I nodded my head as I followed along. ¡°Donovan, you¡¯re spacing out again,¡± she snapped. ¡°I could tell that you¡¯re not doing well.¡± ¡°Tell me what else is new, it never was a recent development.¡± ¡°My love, I''m serious. You''ve been outside in the sun all day, haven¡¯t you? You are exhausted, you look like shit. Not a day goes by where you haven''t been neglecting eating. I can tell that you haven¡¯t gotten any sleep for days.¡± She tightened her, fist. ¡°You¡¯re scaring me, Donovan¡­ When will you let go?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let go now. If I take a rest now, I¡¯m afraid that I''ll never recover. The tournament is important to me,¡± I thought about telling Lorry about my estrangement, yet the words never came. ¡°The bracket is more important than the matter of pride. For once, you have to trust me okay. See me in the ring, support me, whatever you think is best.¡± ¡°Donovan, swear to me that you are going to relax after this is over. For your sake, not mine,¡± She rested her hand on my hair. ¡°I can promise you that, Lorry. There will be a moment where I can finally sleep. How about we go to Mamba Market after this? I heard they were building a new roller coaster there. We can be the first ones on,¡± I stared into her eyes. ¡°Sure, that would be lovely.¡± Dolores leaned over and I closed my eyes, we kissed. When I opened my eyes, I found the determination to go on. ¡°I have to go to my bracket soon,¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t wait up for me.¡± ¡°See you there, Donovan.¡± Side Story: Ace of Hearts 2/3 I went to my designated locker inside the locker room.There was a limited time that I got to keep the locker, but I had more than enough time. I stripped off my burdensome coat and hat for sports clothes. The jacket I wore had a rigid enough collar with a t-shirt that couldn¡¯t be ruined easily. I was prepared as I¡¯d ever be.I waited with the other competitors, sword in hand. For once, I was not asking to do good, nor I wanted to do okay. I was never talented in swordsmanship. All I asked for was mediocre results. I wasn¡¯t asking for much. There were people that could rely on, there had to be strength in that. In my hesitation, I never checked who I was going up against. That had to change, my eye scanned the list to spot my name. (Donovan Hart, Kiko Zaar) I observed the placement. Kiko Zaar was who I had to fight. I assumed that the combatant was a beastkin by the exotic name. That was going to be a problem, as they were much stronger than humans despite the rhetoric that said otherwise. ¡°Donovan, you¡¯re up,¡± the organizer said. ¡°Be with you in a few minutes,¡± I responded. I grabbed my sword and headed out for the ring. The stadium was big, housing many souls.Their voices distorted from the distance. I wasn¡¯t ready; but then again, I never was. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª There was a tunnel covered in concrete. I heard the distant echo from the walls from the participants. The announcer hyped everyone up with a booming voice. The distortion from the distance made everything hard to hear. A card blew onto my shoe as I was entering the tournament. It seemed to stay there. I picked up the card to see what looked to be a tarot card. (The Hanged Man) The tarot card was upside down when I picked it up. The man looked to be standing instead of hanging from the rope on his ankle. I stared at the card. It was unusual for anyone to carry tarot cards, let alone drop one, and on the tournament grounds at that. My world was set on hold by a strange phenomenon. ¡°Hey, you shouldn¡¯t be dallying here. You still got your bracket to do, remember?¡± The organizer screamed from the hallway. ¡°Sorry, I was caught up in some superstition,¡± I said. The organizer was confused, but I wasn¡¯t going to explain. I threw the card back onto the ground. I couldn¡¯t afford to dwell on such frivolous circumstances. My name was on the line. I have to do more than my best. I have to do fine. The organizer led me through the end of the tunnel, I was blinded by multiple lights. There were too many faces to tell who was who, but I knew Dolores and Noel were there in the crowd. Everyone was absorbed in the festivities while I noticed my mind wandering. There was an elevated concrete slab in my way. I climbed the stairs and reached the top. My eyes scanned the other end. I adjusted my glasses and aired my jacket. That must be her. She had to be Kiko Zaar, the opponent I was facing. The beatkin sized me up from the other end, or from what little size she had. I stood a head taller than her, yet she was the one who was willing to challenge me. What irked me was her white eyes that I sensed despite how far away I was. Her white hair gave her a refined look.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Nyancans were easy to read, supposed to be; yet I saw no signs of distress from the beastkin. Not a single twitch from the ears, no tail fluttering. Meanwhile, I resisted the urge to whip off the sweat from my brow. The weapons were dulled, they reduced the injuries caused by the blows during the tournament. I carried a falchion, a single-handed, one-sided blade while Kiko used a rapier. Rapier prioritizes style over function, how impractical. Wait for her to make a flashy move and then punish accordingly. Repiers bend easily, so she can¡¯t guard well. When I attack, that would be the opportune chance to seal a victory, I comforted myself, yet seeing the beastkin in person waned my resolve. *Swish* *Swoosh* She practiced her sword, disregarding the strategy I had in my head. She sliced the air multiple times within the second. My sword felt so inadequate in comparison. No, function over style, I reminded myself. I watched how she used her rapier. I knew I had a chance. I prepared myself for the upcoming bracket. My arm tossed the sword into the air as I attempted to feel the weight, and¡­ oops. The falchion fell onto the ground. I swore that the nyancan laughed at me. I awkwardly kneeled down while picking up the sword. Lorry and Noel watched me make the blunder moments ago. I haven¡¯t started, and already I¡¯m making a fool of myself. The room quieted down as the referee strolled to the middle of the ring. I rearranged my stance while Kiko chose her stance. The way that she held her sword was over exaggerated. I kept my feet flat on the ground to prioritize defense. From what little I understood about swordsmanship, I had to find a solid state before I continued. My body was anything but steady, but this was enough. The bell rang. Kiko and I went into a sprint. I kept my legs steady as I focused on legwork. I took my falchion and went for a wide swing. My sword went away from her rapier, where if she tried blocking, I could follow up with another attack. Yet she never blocked. Her blade brushed against the broadside of my sword. My sword went off angle, sending me off course. Why block when you can deflect? It seemed so effortless to her. My sword was already so far from me. I overextended myself. I had no choice but to let go of my stance. The nyancan was now on the offensive, an undeniable fact. Kiko made countless slashes, each slash was a blur. I receded back further with each cut. She was planning on being relentless. I was already unbalanced, there was no point in letting me recover. The nyancan propelled me to the back of the ring. This all happened because of a single mistake. I would fall from the ring if she pushed me any further, an immediate loss due to ring out. I couldn¡¯t let that happen. She forced me to act in desperation. I lunged with my sword, an unusual move. The woman grabbed her rapier to deflect the attack, yet the strike was never my intention. All I needed was enough space to recover my footing. My hand reached out for her sword. I was threatening to grab hold of her blade, or at least tried. She aimed a kick towards my gut. I was too late to dodge. I shifted my body away from the edge so that I didn''t automatically lose. My body rolled on the ground from the impact. I tumbled away from Kiko, my shoulders and back getting most of the blunt force. I slid from the cement after I finished rolling on the ground. The referee ran out into the ring, and stopped Kiko with his arm. The spectators jeered as I went down. They were getting rowdier, but I knew it wasn¡¯t directed at me. All the mocking, the vitriol, they directed their displeasure towards the beastkin. I had to face the honest truth, I wasn''t at my peak. 2 days of sleep deprivation, mild heatstroke, and high enough blood pressure to burn a house down would do that. I¡¯m hurt. I have less fighting capabilities than before, however I have a promise to keep. To Dolores, I was going to take it easy after the match. And Noel, I had yet to fight him inside the ring. Most importantly, my honor for my name was on the line. Backing up now would be all for nothing. I wasn¡¯t asking for much. My body got up from the ground, and I gripped my falchion. The referee looked at me and directed Kiko and I towards the opposite ends of the ring. She held her rapier up high and I took my stance. I modified my stance for a more dynamic style, something I was unaccustomed to. Large attacks weren''t going to work, they were too predictable and easily deflected. I have to win, at least for a little while. When we were ready, the bell rang. We traded blows. Kiko deflected every one with a swipe. I used all my might to bombard her the best I could, yet her face looked different. In fact ¡ª she was grinning; no signs of ears being flat, touching the head, or thrashing of the tail. I was losing ground, a few more strikes from her and I¡¯m finished. Something had to change, or at least myself. Side Story: Ace of Hearts 3/3 Our fight is probably fun for Kiko. And for what? For me to struggle? We were still trading blows, and I was in mid thought. The nyancan was better than me. Better at swordplay, and better in strength. So why keep up with a dying charade? For pride? No, she had more of that in strides. I had nothing. I let go of my stance, I no longer needed it. My teachers told me that my swordwork was sloppy. What I was taught was useless, my family¡¯s style was worthless. The fight was for myself, I had no need for my name. Everything ¡ª was pointless without aim. So, I surrendered my balance, forgot what I was taught. The burden I was carrying was gone. The falchion only caused my grief. I realized how little the Hart meant to me. All those sleepless nights worrying, and for what? A father who wouldn¡¯t show up for his own son¡¯s tournament match. All the exhaustion, the deprivation, the damage came crashing over. I staggered on to the cement. Kiko was the first to take advantage of my state. She lunged with her rapier. There¡¯s the flashy move that I am waiting for. She was wrong. For once, my body was solid. I staggered away from the blade. There was no need to recover. I took out my sword and lunged back, disregarding form. She was too arrogant, and I punished accordingly. She jumped out of the way instead of deflection. My falchion rushed towards the beastkin. I lunged again. (Sideways slash, right side.) My eyes scanned her rapier, I predicted her next move. I moved my blade, following her swing. My blade twisted. The nyancan¡¯s blade made contact with the broadside of the falchion. The steel from the rapier bent. I swung my sword with all my might. There was little recourse in defense. Her ears twitched as the blade bore down. She took her palm and struck me, I barely saw what happened. The beastkin pushed me back with her free hand. My body fell back down. I slided across the ground. The referee came and broke off the engagement, with his arms near Kiko. The spectators were quiet. They watched on as a beastkin dominated the match. Some beastkin beating a human, has to be a ridiculous notion. I lifted myself from the ground, My touch warmed the cement. My hands stuck due to the sweat on my palms. She struck me for the second time. I knew something was wrong. Kiko¡¯s strength never laid in her rapier. That weapon was a way to hide her strength. Not for a moment had she treated me as a proper threat. I am going to lose because of her. My pride, my friends, dolores; the tournament meant everything to me. It is my last chance of redemption. And for her, a sense of vanity. I wasn¡¯t asking for much, I wasn¡¯t asking for much. My eyes stared at Kiko, it was for her, only her, nobody else. The referee gestured to start again, but I wasn¡¯t paying attention. The spectators, the match; none of them mattered. I started in a sprint. Kiko lifted her sword to counterattack. My falchion rushed in with a predictable swing. She parried the blade and countered with a lunge, her counter attack lacked its previous flair. The only problem was that I never dodged. My body twisted. The rapier impaled my shoulder. The beastkin¡¯s eyes widened as the sword sank in my flesh. The blades were dull for a reason, but I dove into the edge. The referee called the match. A win on her side, yet the result stopped mattering. I sank the blade deeper within my tissue, held the sword so that she couldn¡¯t recover it. I no longer had my falchion on me, the sword fell on the ground.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. My target was her ears. Kiko tried hard to pull free, yet my hand held firm. She wasn¡¯t expecting this, nobody had. The referee was screaming, but the words blurred in the background. My entire soul focused on her ¡ª those twitching ears, the subtle movement she tried to cover. This isn¡¯t about winning anymore. My hands went for her ears ¡ª those delicate, sensitive, nyancan ears. She jerked back, but my hand was faster. I felt the soft fur brush up my finger tips; the view I saw as she enlarged her eyes. Kiko reeled as my fingers grappled harder. She instantly recoiled from my touch. She hissed, a bestial cry. The elegance crumbled in my hand. The fighter I knew was gone. Her blade twisted in my body. We were at a stalemate. I saw in real time how her ego fell apart with each tug on her tufts of hair. Such a vitriol reaction. The response was primal on both our sides. The referee was screaming at the top of his lungs while this was happening. But what was he going to do? Disqualify me for using an illicit move? That ship had long sailed. Kiko and I both held onto the rapier. She pulled the sword from out of my shoulder. I lacked the strength to clasp on. My body went numb. *Drip* *Drip* Blood fell onto the ground. It was my own. My eyes stared at my stab wound. A narrow cut for a narrow blade. I released my hold on her ears. The once petrified nyancan gained back her poise. She glanced at the referee. That anger in her eyes, she was suppressing her rage. All she cared about was winning. Act out and be barred from the next bracket, a simple answer to her behavior. The beastkin aimed her sword. With a slash, she swung for my face. Her rapier brushed past my head. With a swipe, the glasses I was wearing dropped from my nose. ¡°Clink* The glass cracked from the frame. I knelt down while I clutched on my wound. My vision blurred with my missing glasses. The world was dizzying from my exhaustion. How did I get to this point? It seems so impersonal now that I look at it with such a bitter lens. The puzzle pieces were there. How can I be so blind? I asked myself. When I lost my glasses, everything seemed so clear. This was all done by fate, and I ¡ª played the puppet. Kiko should have never been in the first bracket. A woman of her strength was always put into the higher brackets so as to not interrupt the lower bracket. Having one-sided matches was boring. Seeing the audience¡¯s reaction was telling enough. This could be explained away as the organizers¡¯ pride and prejudice made a beastkin go to the first bracket. Then there was the referee. He was unbiased at first glance. He appeared neutral, yet his way of stopping the fight was tougher than most. The referee acted within gray territory, only pausing the fight when absolutely necessary. A way to favor the more powerful party involved. Those 2 aspects could be dismissed if it wasn''t for the last damning piece of evidence. The envelope for my Declaration of Disownment. My father knew well how sending a servant in his stead would affect me. All it took was a simple reminder from the envelope. I was meant to find the declaration. The servant handed me the letter with enough resistance. My father planned for me to see the declaration. I was so caught up with redemption that I let the emotions take hold. I performed worse because of it. My last chance? I never had one. My father set me up to fail. There was a realization that I was wrong, I asked more than nothing. I was asking for the world to change, when I neglected taking responsibility. I failed in my duty of what made me a person. Pride? Honor? Ego? Those were meager compared to my own obligations. What did I have to lose to care so much about the tournament? A father who wanted nothing more than to see his own son fail. I meant so little to him? His own flesh and blood? All those emotions, the anger, the resentment; the resentment, they all vanished. A familiar feeling arised, a feeling that I masked under the more vitriolic emotions. Emptiness. The tournament was pointless. Winning would¡¯ve bought me a few months at best. The promise that I made to Dolores? She was only a brief fling. I started to believe Noel¡¯s words that she was using me. I was truly a man with nothing left to lose. My knees buckled down to the floor. I used my arms to prop up my body. My lips quivered. I gazed at Kiko from below. She stood away with the referee between us. I couldn¡¯t find the hate I had for her. She was only a victim of the system. Kiko simply chose to fight without pondering the broader implication of a rigged game. I wanted to say sorry, to apologize. What I did was unacceptable. I grabbed her ears in a moment of rage, assaulted her, demeaned her. I was truly a degenerate. My arms gave out. I tried opening my mouth to speak, but all that came out was my breath. My head turned up, I looked at Kiko one last time. My arms wobbled as I used them for one last time. The dizziness finally got to me. My upper body fell onto the cement. I¡¯m so tired¡­ Tired of feeling nothing¡­ If I didn''t let the emotions, the attachments, or people get in the way; I would¡¯ve had a chance at winning. The fault lied with fate. If only I had a better grasp of control. Emotion and duty goes separate. But right now, I must sleep; for I have mistreated myself for far too long. My head fell back down. The world¡¯s a cold place. Chapter 18 I had little understanding of what¡¯s happening. The operatives and I sat next to the giant table. Thousand Cuts was confident, Donovan sat unwavering, and Lyle as white as a ghost. Lorry gave a brief report. Every person knew what was happening. I only kept track by word of mouth. The operatives had little expectations for me to understand, I knew that. Being a part of an ingroup was what I hoped for. But, I was an outsider looking in. I planned on having Donovan give me a low-down after. My ears spun to the bits I understood. Thousand Cuts infiltrated the Civilian Guards and acted corrupt. Donovan was going to a party next month. Dolores spoke the details with confidence. She looked at the operatives. Dolores asked Donovan to take the stand. ¡°I¡¯ll be glad to,¡± he said. ¡°Make sure that Lyle feels some hospitality for me,¡± Donovan patted Lyle¡¯ shoulder. Lyle flinched. Donovan and Dolores changed seats. ¡°You got some big balls you got back there,¡± she said to Lyle. ¡°Perhaps a rubber band will fix that, collar-boy.¡± The silver-eyed man cleared his throat, ¡°I spoke with the Department of Propaganda. Dolores and I looked at the data. Our approval rating is at a recent low. I speak for the empire, there must be changes. We are patrolling the streets, indefinitely; doing jobs meant for guards. Try and build a sense of community with the residents. Audible groans were heard from the operatives. Donovan quieted them with a hand, ¡°I know, but it¡¯s for the¡­¡± ¡°Dammmn iiiiiiit!¡± an operative screamed. A chair flew towards a wall. It smashed into little pieces. ¡°Wade, that¡¯s the 3rd chair you broke this year,¡± Donovan said with a straight face. ¡°That wood was of good, mahogany wood. That¡¯s coming out of your pay.¡± My mentor cleared his throat, ¡°Unless any of you have any objections, I can talk in detail.¡± Donovan went through the plan as I listened in. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª The devil was in the details. Donovan¡¯s plan was simple. The objective was to go around Snakewater. The operatives were charming guards, and locals alike. Maybe beat up some small-time gangs if they were daring enough. The difficult part came in the specifics. on how to go about achieving that goal. I wasn¡¯t knowledgeable enough in telling logistics. I had no say in the matter. I went into the locker room where all the other operatives were dressing and preparing for the patrol outside. Which left my predicament. I had my uniform on, yet there was one piece that completed the gear as a whole. Donovan carried that last piece. Donovan held a helmet that matched the armor and duster. My ears twitched as my eyes scanned the headgear. The helmet went above my head. I jerked backwards to prevent the headgear from going on my head, to my ears. My tail twitched as my ears flattened, ¡°Nya! I don¡¯t want to wear the helmet! You can¡¯t make me!¡± ¡°Mekiko, this is for your own protection,¡± Donovan said. ¡°I promise that I won¡¯t hurt you, so stop squirming. We have to talk through this. Tell me what¡¯s getting you worked up,¡± he pulled the helmet down. My tail raised, ¡°I¡¯m not getting worked up!¡± ¡°You already meowed 4 times, Mekiko.¡± ¡°Well¡­ My problem is that blasted hunk-of-metal. It would pinch my head. Who can make a helmet so tight anyway? Where¡¯s the savoir faire? The tact? It¡¯s like the makers are out to get me. Can I have some dignity around here?¡± ¡°I believe you are not telling the whole truth. When you were saying your grievance lied in your head, I believe you got the location wrong. Perhaps you meant up above?¡± A tremor resounded in my ears. I hated when Donovan teased me like this. I pouted, ¡°Fine, I don¡¯t want my ears getting covered! Are you proud of yourself?¡± ¡°Look, Mekiko,¡± he patted my shoulder. ¡°I understand having these expectations thrust upon you is hard. Having so much pressure to perform, but this helmet is for your own protection. I paused, stared blankly into space; yet broke himself out of his lull. ¡°Sorry Mekiko,¡± he said. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you getting a bullet to the brain. That alloy can protect so much. The discomfort is temporary, bare with it. The irritation will not last.¡± ¡°But the helmet will be touching my ears, Nya!~¡± ¡°Stop meowing and put on the helmet.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°¨CNya!~ Nooo!¡± I pushed my mentor the best I could. I wore no headgear in the end. I got my way from my constant meowing and bagging. I definitely lost some of my dignity pleading with Donovan. Other operatives had their helmets on while I was the person without. They had amazing visors that come with the gear. I was missing out. I let out an eternal sigh. The operatives and I waited for Lorry. We were assigned groups for patrolling target areas. I half-expected that Thousand Cuts was pairing with me today. The helmet¡¯s obfuscation made telling people apart difficult. Lorry glanced at her clipboard, ¡°Okay, the catboy is up next.¡± She called for me, so I got up. She scanned for my headgear, or what lack there was. She asked where my helmet was. ¡°I¡­ I prefer not talking about it,¡± I lowered my head. Lorry studied my ears, ¡°unstandable,¡± she dropped her questioning. She knew the reason alright. ¡°Disregarding your fashion sense, I picked out a place for you to patrol,¡± Lorry said. ¡°You are patrolling inside Snakewater, Hognose Street specifically.¡± ¡°Snakewater? You¡¯re assigning me to the slums? I just started, and you want me swimming into the deep end?¡± ¡°Unless you count an area that is beside Banana Road dangerous. You¡¯re going to the better part of Snakewater. I have enough faith that nothing can pose any meaningful threat. Besides, you have a teammate protecting you, remember?¡± ¡°You never mentioned who the aforementioned partner was,¡± I replied. ¡°Let¡¯s say that you are going to know that person well, intimately.¡± Please don¡¯t be Thousand Cuts, Please don¡¯t be her; I crossed my fingers. Anyone else was better. ¡°In fact, you know them quite well,¡± her words made me pale. ¡°Hey, you! Quit dallying and come over here, you know who you are!¡± She grunted. ¡°Yes, maam,¡± my hope dropped when I heard his voice. While the helmet made identifying hard, I knew at first glance. I take what I pleaded back. Please pair me up with Thousand Cuts. I go as far as meowing for her, please not him! I recognized that collar anywhere. A bright red that stuck out on his uniform. The tag attached to the collar stated the home, name, and owner. Dolores and Donovan went the extra mile for authenticity. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right, You are chaperoning Lyle for today,¡± Lorry said. I observed Lyle. He lowered his head. His behavior wasn¡¯t out of choice, but from external pressure. He was perfectly docile. ¡°Uh. Lorry, a moment of your time.¡± I tugged her duster. ¡°Can we speak alone?¡± ¡°Sure, Catboy, anything for you,¡± she said in a soft voice. ¡°You, collar-boy, stand here!¡± she demanded. She shut the door, leaving only me and her on the outside. The area was isolated from guards and operatives. Alone, she continued, ¡°I know what¡¯s on your mind. I can only say, your worries are misplaced. ¡°You know what Lyle did to me. I can¡¯t be friends with a.. With him. He went over the line. I am more than happy with Thousand Cuts.¡± I remembered every detail. The way he pulled my ears, how he belittled me. There was no going back. ¡°Aren¡¯t you so energetic to be with her?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ No, don¡¯t change the subject. Why is he with me?¡± I shifted my head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry your head. Let¡¯s say he had correctional behavior the last time he met you.¡± ¡°Correctional behavior? What did you do to him?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know?¡± She suppressed a laugh. Was Lyle the same person? Was he still the same threat? What did she do to him? Questions ran through my mind. Not one I wished to know the answer to. Donovan was right about her. My comfort slipped away from her. I kept my ears from flattening, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t like to know, Dolores. I¡¯m not in the mood anymore.¡± ¡°You¡¯re still skeptical?¡± She swung the door wide open. ¡°Hey, collar-boy, you have something to say?¡± Lyle had permission to speak, ¡°no, I have nothing of importance.¡± ¡°Alright, anything you have to say to the catboy specially?¡± She asked specifically. ¡°I made a major lapse in my judgment. I let my anger get a hold of me. What I did was reprehensible. I swear in my heart that I will never make the same mistake again.¡± ¡°Because that will be the only mistake that you¡¯ll ever make,¡± Lorry warned. ¡°Mekiko, do you see now? He has no choice, he must be on good terms with you.¡± I refused to respond. ¡°Mekiko,¡± She inched me closer. ¡°If Lyle ever lays a finger on you; never, ¡®and I mean never¡¯ hesitate to call me. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure he suffers for his actions,¡± she clapped, Lyle winced. ¡°Okay! I put some supplies into that locker of yours. You know how to use morse code, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, Donovan taught me enough,¡± I replied. I opened the locker and spotted a flask, rations, two maps; and some flairs. The provisions went into my duster. That¡¯s when I noticed an unusual device. It came with a dial, buttons and an antenna. ¡°I slipped in something special.¡± Dolores responded. ¡°The device is only the latest in high-end technology; A portable transceiver. This baby can send and receive Morse code from across the city. A marvel of technology it is. ¡°Is that so?¡± I replied. ¡°You seem unimpressed, catboy.¡± Of course, this is just a worse pager,¡±I don¡¯t see how the transceiver is necessary. Why not meet in person instead of relying on beeps?¡± ¡°For a lot of reasons. Your actions require immediate attention when out in the field. Like telling coordinates for backup, I gave you a map for a reason. I checked both of the maps. The first map was the official map for Newcity. It contained a list of street names along with buildings, parks, and waterways. The entire section of Snakewater was blank. Which left me to the other map which was more of a diagram. The drawings were more crude, yet showed Snakewater in full view. Despite the rudimentary drawing, the diagram had way more detail. I noticed several minute details with Mamba Market alone. Every ride in the amusement park was there, including Falcon¡¯s Reach. The map was hand-drawn. Lorry pointed at the map, ¡°we had outsider informants cartograph this map recently. The map lacks polish, but the information is solid. See the color-coding? It highlights the dangerous areas and places known for high gang activity.¡± ¡°I can see that all of Iron Graveyard is colored red, which is so close to Snakewater,¡± I rested my finger on the parchment. ¡°Exactly, Hognose street has none of the dangerous zones.¡± ¡°Yeah, I see,¡± I checked. ¡°You have everything to set off. Remember to use that device and report for every noticeable development. Dispatch will respond shortly. Always keep track of coordinates, and I mean always. You understand me?¡± ¡°Crystal,¡± I folded the maps back into my duster. ¡°I¡¯ll keep your advice in the back of my mind. Thank you, Lorry. I should be leaving. You know, to Snakewater.¡± ¡°Mekiko, one more thing.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Be safe out there.¡± Chapter 19 Me and Lyle were at a train station, Banana Road. We went in with our uniforms without paying so much as a fee. The security were reactive to see us, real reactive. They cleared space for Lyle and myself, bobbed us from prying eyes. We were the first in line despite the previous people who were in line. In fact, we were the only ones in line. The guards shoved any would-be passengers back. Lyle and I were going together, alone. I wasn¡¯t jumping on top of a moving train. I was taking the station ¡ª like a normal person. The routes in Snakewater weren¡¯t clear. I looked at the station''s map underground. All the routes from Banana Road directly lead to Mamba Market. Where the other trains lead was vague. I needed more information, yet couldn¡¯t check my map. Opening a map in a busy place was asking far too many questions that I was comfortable with. ¡°You¡¯re taking too much time,¡± Lyle said. ¡°Forbide that we are ever less than early for a scheduled ride,¡± I responded. ¡°What you¡¯re doing, that¡¯s incoordination. You¡¯re ignorant, catboy. There¡¯s nothing more to that.¡± ¡°Oh, what do you propose then? Since you¡¯re such an expert!¡± My tail arched. Everyone who lives in Snakewater knows that the trains in Banana Road only go to Mamba Market,¡± he threw shade at me. ¡°We go to Mamba Market Station and then to Hognose Street. ¡°You went to Snakewater?¡± ¡°Indeed, I have. And your leading is only going to slow me down. Follow me, and don''t get in my way.¡± I agreed reluctantly. I wasn''t going to argue with him. ¡°Hmm,¡± he stared at the train coming to the station. The train arrived as the guards shoved the passengers off the train, ¡°Okay, out, all of you. Extremely special guests here!¡± The strongest of the guards shouted. A bigger group of onlookers checked to see what the commotion was about. My ears swirled to the murmurs, ¡°Is that really an Imperial beastkin? I thought that the catboy was just a rumor.¡± ¡°Look at his eyes,¡± a bystander chimed in. ¡°His pupils are practically glowing. That''s not something a fraud can pull off.¡± A man in a suit walked up, he complained about being late. ¡°If you want to complain, bring it up with the emperor,¡± the strong guard said. ¡°I don''t have the jurisdiction here.¡± ¡°What is so important that they need to hold up a whole train?¡± the man said. ¡°That is classified information to both you and me. The next shuttle is in 20 minutes. You can wait then.¡± ¡°Do you know who you¡¯re dealing with?¡± ¡°You know what? Tell us ¡ª tell us all about the company that you work for. All in front of IMPERIAL. Because I really want you to make my day.¡± The man in the suit went quiet after that. The buff guard sighed and deflated. He apologized for our inconvenience. I studied Lyle. He wasn¡¯t saying anything about the matter. I sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. I am hard pressed to find fault in following your duties as a civil guard,¡± I told him ¡°Thanks, that means alot to me,¡± he said. ¡°Say, you must be Mekiko, right? I checked the IMPERIAL registry months ago, and only now you show up.¡± ¡°You are correct. So, who are you?¡± ¡°Constable Armstrong, at your service,¡± he extended his hand.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Of course his last name is Armstrong, ¡°Pleasure to meet you,¡± I shook his hand, his grip was firm. ¡°Who¡¯s the friend beside you?¡± ¡°Him? Don¡¯t pay too much attention to him. He won¡¯t talk much if I introduce him anyway.¡± I turned towards the operative, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right Lyle!¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Lyle responded. ¡°Hey, Armstrong,¡± I said, ¡°I notice that you are the only guard here without a gun.¡± ¡°The armor hides my weapons pretty well, doesn¡¯t it? Let¡¯s say I¡¯m packing some guns of my own ¡ª BOOM!¡± He flexed his biceps. ¡°Wow, those are massive,¡± I muttered and cleared my throat. ¡°I mean, uh, you must¡¯ve use anima with some physical conditioning. Care to explain your method of training?¡± ¡°As much as I like to you about my exercise routine, there is a train that needs catching. You shouldn¡¯t be late because of me.¡± ¡°Oh yeah!¡± My ears perked up. ¡°Thanks for reminding me, and no thanks to you Lyle.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Lyle murmured. ¡°I gotta go, Armstrong,¡± I said. ¡°Stay safe out there, Mekiko,¡± the guard replied. The door closed on the train¡¯s carriage. I watched the people fade from the distance. The train went to its destination. I checked for hidden passengers, stowaways. There was only Lyle and me on the train. I deflated on the seats. What happened back there was too much. I realized why Thousand Cuts disguised herself when out in public. My identity as an operative made subtlety impossible. I bulked under the pressure. Why did nobody warn me? Especially when people treat me as exotic. Donovan withheld the warning on purpose, I figured as much. Telling me wasn¡¯t enough, I had to see the consequences in a safe environment. Damn mentor. I pondered, while I studied Lyle. Why was I alone with him? Dolores went so far as to threaten the young man mid conversation. There was something I was missing. I believed that his lethargy was only an act. I steered myself, ¡°So, we are alone now¡­ Is there anything that needs saying?¡± ¡°Nothing to comment,¡± Lyle said. ¡°You¡¯re not the slightest bit mad?¡± ¡°No ¡ª not really.¡± I scoffed, ¡°Fear, pain, frustration is what makes up anger. You showcased all of them today. I¡¯m not accepting your lie. Either you go tell me the truth or I¡­ I¡¯m transmitting your deceit,¡± I followed Dolores¡¯ advice. Lyle breathed deeply ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be real honest with you. You hiding behind others for threats must feel real nice,¡± he seethed. ¡°But being angry needs a good justification.¡± He shifted his head, ¡° I met what I said back with Dolores class, I truly did. My assumptions of you were way off. When I believed in decency, you stood for nothing. I expected too much from you, from everybody. My anger was misplaced. Catboy,¡± he paused, ¡°you are a coward, and that¡¯s why you are not worth my anger.¡± I got up from my seat, ¡°Perhaps some things are left unsaid.¡± ¡°Perhaps they are,¡± Lyle agreed. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª We went through a different transport system. The train stopped at Mamba Market. Lyle and I took another shuttle to Hognose Street. I spotted the discrepancies in quality right away. The trains in Snakewater were run down. The station in Banana Road looked first-rate in comparison. The trains here had much more cramped seating, with the most bare metal to rest on. There was way more garbage on the floor. There were people here this time. They cautioned themselves from us. The fact that Lyle brandished his revolver didn¡¯t help. The passengers spreaded out from us, like the antagonists we were. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be brandishing your gun inside a train,¡± I said. ¡°Is what I¡¯m doing a problem?¡± He asked. ¡°Yes, you are waving that gun in everyone''s direction. I am asking you nicely, stop.¡± ¡°Why should I? I¡¯m not doing anything wrong. I resisted the urge to facepalm, ¡°Do I have to spell it out? Look at where your finger is pointing. Now look at the people. Make sense? That¡¯s called ¡®trigger discipline¡¯. Put that revolver away before it goes off!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so incompetent as to accidentally shoot,¡± he scoffed. ¡°Besides, what are they going to do? Call the guards on us?¡± ¡°Lyle, you are not a gang banger hopped up on uppers. You are an operative ¡ª act like one.¡± ¡°Catboy, you are so naive,¡± he lowered his revolver. ¡°Snakewater is going to eat you alive. That carelessness? That¡¯s getting you killed.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s pride,¡± I responded. The train reached a screeching stop. ¡°Looks like the destination,¡± Lyle said. ¡°How can you be confident?¡± I asked. ¡°There¡¯s little indication that we¡¯re in Hognose Street, or anywhere for the matter.¡± I am completely lost, yet I suppressed telling Lyle that. The stations didn¡¯t have the signs, like Banana Road. ¡°I just know where I am, okay!¡± ¡°Woah, that came out of nowhere,¡± I leaned back. ¡°Why are you getting so defensive all the sudden?¡± ¡°S-shut up. Just follow behind and keep quiet,¡± Lyle stood up. I went to the door, ¡°You¡¯re apparently the leader.¡± The passengers collectively sighed in relief as we stepped off the train. My eyes turned from the station and back on Lyle. ¡°How can you be sure that this is the place?¡± I asked. ¡°I''ve been to Hognose street before, let¡¯s go with that,¡± he said. ¡°You could have led with that when I asked you earlier.¡± ¡°I could have, but I won¡¯t,¡± he glanced back. ¡°You¡¯re hiding something from me,¡± I figured. ¡°Am I now?¡± He turned his head. I exhaled, ¡°Whatever, Lyle; keep your secrets. I can care less about you.¡± Chapter 20 Outside the train station was a cobblestone path. The path ended with a dirt road. Makeshift buildings piled up next to each other. The better places had gravel. There were a huge variety of lights that shined, in every corner, on every roof. All signs had a need to glow. Every neon light assaulted my vision from the streets. My claws grasped onto a pair of white sunglasses from my duster. I gazed back at the neon lights, they were less intensive. The lack of human ears made wearing the glasses awkward. I missed when I had normal ears, they were more convenient. Much less sensitive. ¡°Are those sunglasses?¡± Lyle asked. ¡°Yeah, a woman bought them for me a while back,¡± I answered. ¡°By who?¡± ¡°Thousand Cuts, if you have to ask.¡± ¡°Her?¡± He sounded surprised. ¡°Don¡¯t you find how you hang out with her strange?¡± ¡°Yes, there is a lot wrong with her,¡± I replied. ¡°I mean the way you let her lead you around. You do not find that weird?¡± He referred to the rumor of Thousand Cuts and I dating. The gossip started when others took account of our outings I must set the record straight, ¡°What can be strange about following Thousand Cuts around? She¡¯s a¡­ a friend. The woman is strong, skilled, capable¡­¡± I trailed off. I bit my tongue before I said beautiful. Yes, she is attractive; no, I shouldn¡¯t twitch my ears from admitting that. Looks and personality are different. I placated my swaying tail the best I could. ¡°You¡¯re letting a woman order you around,¡± Lyle interrupted my thoughts. Is that what it¡¯s about, ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you anymore¡± I waved him off. I took out the Morse code transceiver from my coat. I tried recalling the various abbreviations and phrases. There were many. Morse code was time-consuming without the shortcuts. I turned on the device *To station S1MB from station S2YZ.* *R, dispatch here. Hello Mekiko. What¡¯s your RST?* The Dispatch asked my location. *599, I¡¯m in SW HG. No further report.* I gave the area that I was at. *OK* *SK* I stowed the device away. I was to report when another development occurred. Little was happening anyway. Besides the fact that I was near The Iron Graveyard, Lorry was correct. Hognose Street had little in danger. Lyle was at least content with patrolling for the day. I wanted something different entirely. Like where¡¯s the excitement? Standing out here was tiring. All the residents avoided Lyle and I. I hardly blamed them. Lyle scowled at everyone that got close to us. The rest locked their doors from us. The operation was supposed to boost IMPERIAL reputation. What we were doing did the exact opposite. Something must change. We passed by the same apartment for the third time. I narrowed my eyes at the same person that I saw each time. I glanced while Lyle kept walking. ¡°Lyle, stop,¡± I said. ¡°Hmm, is there a problem?¡± He asked ¡°You don¡¯t find anything out of the ordinary.¡± Lyle said he didn¡¯t find anything suspicious. I pointed, ¡°that old lady by the apartments. She¡¯s the woman in the wheelchair, or the only woman. Everyone else left, yet she¡¯s the only person not wary of us.¡± ¡°She¡¯s old, the hag could have nothing better to do,¡± Lyle glanced at the old lady. ¡°Be that as it may, there¡¯s no ignoring her. I¡¯m walking right up to her and introducing myself.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± the old woman raised her head. She asked if we wanted to see her. ¡°Uhh, yes,¡± I closed the distance. ¡°You could hear us?¡± She wheeled herself closer as she heard confirmation. ¡°Sorry, I was barely listening. My hearing wasn¡¯t what it used to be.¡± ¡°Uh, did you hear our conversation back there?¡± I shuffled my feet. ¡°Of course I did, including what your friend called me.¡± ¡°He¡¯s ¡ª not really a friend.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s your relationship with collar boy. Ha! Sorry that I thought so little of you before.¡±This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°What did you say about me?¡± Lyle interrupted her. ¡°I called you collar boy,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not the only one who should check their hearing.¡± ¡°I will not be insulted by the likes of you,¡± Lyle reached inside his duster. ¡°What are you going to do? Pull that gun you''re hiding on me?¡± ¡°what if I do?¡± He challenged. ¡°Go ahead. Shoot the defenseless old widow in a wheelchair,¡± she spread her arms. ¡°Some hero you turned out to be.¡± The old woman struck a chord. Lyle¡¯s hand trembled before lowering his revolver. The woman rested her arms, ¡°I wish to speak with the gentleman for a change.¡± ¡°You¡¯re referring to me?¡± I asked. ¡°I''m definitely not talking about, collar boy. They call me Old Lady Carmen around these parts. Nice to meet ya.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Mekiko. Why do they call you Old Lady Carmen?¡± ¡°Well, they used to call me Carmen. I hope that you can take the hint. Not not I mind the name. There aren''t a lot of people my age around these parts.¡± I observed the rundown apartment, ¡°everyone who saw us has long since fled. I¡¯m taking your word at full value, sorry for my ignorance.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare apologize. I can tell at a glance that you¡¯re not around here. I go as far and say that I know who you are.¡± ¡°Really? My uniform, sure; but are you telling exactly who I am?¡± My tail swayed. ¡°Of course,¡± she put on the glasses hanging on her neck. ¡°Your white ears and tail says so much. I figured that you ¡ª are a catboy.¡± That? ¡°Please don''t get my surprise up before shooting them down.¡± ¡°What I observed holds truth, boy. You are equally baffling yourself. A lone male nyancan out here in Snakewater. What would your tribe think? What would the female nyancan warriors say to you?¡± I shrugged, ¡°not much apparently.¡± ¡°I know my nyancan culture well enough. Your tribe must have sent you something to bring you back.¡± ¡°Well, there is this letter from¡­ from my tribe. Who wrote the letter is none of your business anyway¡­¡± ¡°Mekiko, you have a community who supports you. Don¡¯t throw all that love and affection away for some ideal,¡± she straightened her back. ¡°Go where you feel safe, not in Snakewater. Never in Snakewater, boy.¡± I stared at the gravel floor. To go back to my tribe I never knew, it was tempting; felt right. I would be with my mother. I was all emotional thinking about her. She had left a pit in my stomach since the day I received the letter. However, I shook my head, ¡°No, leaving is too easy. I¡¯m not running away from my problems. There¡¯s duties that I need to uphold.¡± ¡°Go where you know home is. Returning is never too late, remember that.¡± I don¡¯t know where home is. Home, my tribe, mother; family. I breathed out, ¡°I¡¯m here for a different reason¡­ All we want is to gain some good reputation with the locals in Hognose Street.¡± ¡°Is that why you¡¯re here?¡± Carmen asked. ¡°There¡¯s definitely some hidden intentions, but I won¡¯t pry deeply. I am only an old widow in a wheelchair after all.¡± ¡°Look, nothing I tried worked. Everyone else avoided us. You¡¯re the only person who showed an ounce of compassion. I¡¯m on my last legs here. What I ask for is guidance.¡± ¡°You with that scoundrel, I¡¯m not surprised. He acts no different than a ghoul.¡± ¡°You old crone!¡± Lyle yelled. ¡°You have no right to call me that!¡± ¡°Prove me wrong, collar boy!¡± Carmen challenged. The old lady cleared her throat, ¡°You can say I know my way around these parts. There are so many woes, countless problems that you could handle. You know what I¡¯m getting at?¡± ¡°You lost me,¡± I replied. ¡°The job postings that ask for merc intervention. People will always be cautious of you, but who can refuse free work?¡± ¡°you¡¯re suggesting I become a mercenary for free?¡± Old Lady Carmen clapped,¡± exactly! You offer help. Some people may get skeptical, yet that matters little. Not like they would help themselves. Whaddya think?¡± ¡°You can''t be considering her proposal?¡± Lyle interrupted. ¡°I never asked for your opinion, collar boy!¡± She yelled back. ¡°Now your insult is getting old. How about you say something original?¡± Lyle said. ¡°For you collar boy. No, I call em like I see em. I glanced back at the lady and Lyle, ¡°I need more details before deciding.¡± ¡°There¡¯s problems all around us,¡± she leaned in her chair. ¡°But I recommend that you go a little ways down the road, by that orphanage over yonder. There was a monster problem not long ago.¡± ¡°A monster problem? And they are beside kids?¡± I asked incredulously. Carmen nodded, ¡°I''m afraid so. There were reports of monsters in the shape of rats. They nestled around The Iron Graveyard, like they all do.¡± ¡°So, the orphanage has an infestation. That sounds like the place has more of a rat problem than anything.¡± ¡°I said: monsters in the shape of rats. There¡¯s a difference, boy. The orphanage could hire mercenaries, but that¡¯s not ideal. The owner''s budget is already tight as it is. Cleanup is going to cause them financial strain. This is where you come into place.¡± ¡°I snatch their problem when they''re at their lowest,¡± I realized. ¡°What I thought. So, do I have to give ya time to think?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± I rubbed my chin. ¡°What I hear, and to translate: I like you to do a job, but I¡¯m not paying you a crown.¡± ¡°Are you doing the job or not, boy?¡± ¡°Indeed, I am,¡± I replied. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious, catboy,¡± Lyle interrupted again. Old Lady Carmen wheeled herself up a ramp, and went inside the apartment. I watched as Lyle ruined the only good conversation I had in Snakewater. I took a deep breath, ¡°okay, Lyle. Tell me ¡ª because I¡¯m all ears.¡± ¡°You accepted the witch¡¯s proposal so easily,¡± Lyle raised his voice. ¡°First she was a hag, and now she¡¯s a witch. Are you upgrading her to banshee next time you mention her?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t believe she¡¯s plotting something?¡± Lyle''s voice softened. ¡°Nobody gets to her age without an agenda, not in Snakewater. You see how that hag controlled the conversation from the start? Or how she left so suddenly moments ago? You agreed to her too quickly.¡± I paused, he gave me little time to think, ¡°Emperor almighty, Lyle. She is just being nice! People can be nice!¡± ¡°Catboy, what¡¯s with you and your inexplicable feminist agenda?¡± My inexplicable feminist agenda? Lyle left me speechless. ¡°You know what Lyle?¡± I exclaimed. ¡°How about you go make a better idea? Since you¡¯re so good at pointing out flaws, I want to hear input. You¡¯ll be the one to judge.¡± ¡°Gladly, we go to the orphanage, and we exterminate some rats.¡± ¡°But that''s what I was going to do!¡± ¡°What I did was consider the plan with deliberation. You accepted the crone¡¯s purposely impulsivity,¡± Lyle pointed at me. ¡°We are not the same.¡± Okay, fine,¡± my ears twitched. ¡°Carmen said the orphanage is down the road. We can start there.¡± He jogged down the dirt road, and I tagged along. We went past the dilapidated houses and shops. At least I was now being productive. Chapter 21 Lyle and I lightly ran. The neon lights were more the same. I wasn''t blinded, the sunglasses helped. The running wasn¡¯t nearly as intensive as running laps with Donovan or following Thousand Cuts. I assumed Lyle was going easy. We were out in the field after all. There was no point in wasting energy. My breathing was steady. The orphanage was down in the distance. The brick walling was intact. There were modifications however. The building had wood and scrap metal. Makeshift tables were at the front. ¡°This should be the place,¡± I stopped in my tracks. ¡°That¡¯s a little jog to get my blood pumping. Care to investigate?¡± ¡°Jog? Is that what you call a jog?¡± Lyle exclaimed. ¡°umm¡­ is what I said a problem?¡± I stared at Lyle. ¡°No, there was never not a problem!¡± ¡°Okay?¡± My ears twitched. ¡°Nobody said that there was a problem¡­ Besides the monster infestation that is,¡± I reminded him of why we¡¯re here. ¡°And I''m keeping it that way.¡± I had nothing to say as I was too dumbfounded. What has gotten into Lyle? Other than his on brand¡ª everything. Best not to dwell. We arrived in the afternoon, so there must be kids nearby. I knocked on the door. *Bang* *Bang *Bang* ¡°Hello?¡± I called out. There was no response. I waited, and knocked again. *Bang* *Bang *Bang* ¡°Come on, I promise I won''t bite if you answer,¡± I called out. ¡°Huh, guess nobody''s here,¡± I said, to the surprise of no one. My first lowered from the wooden frame. ¡°You don¡¯t say. The door over there is unlocked. You can barge your way in.¡± ¡°How do you know that the door is unlocked?¡± I asked. ¡°I ¡ª just know, alright!¡± ¡°Whatever, Lyle,¡± I opened the door. He was right for once. I went in. The floorboards were worn. They squawked with each step. Near me was a staircase that was long replaced with plywood. To treat kids with such living conditions. It was horrendous, it was¡ª ¡°Beautiful,¡± Lyle whispered. His hand hovered over the cracked wood, and on the water damage. ¡°Lyle, there is a door to the back,¡± Not to ponder his behavior, I pointed at the door. ¡°oh? Yeah ¡ª we shouldn''t be bothering for too long,¡± he lifted his hand from the railing. ¡°Yeah, let''s do that,¡± I opened the door. The previous dimness faded. I saw a couple of children playing with a ball. The murkiness assaulted my nose. The kids stopped what they were doing. Their ball dropped to the floor. I sensed their eyes looking past Lyle. Their gazes landed on my ears. Lyle is the one with the intimidating visor. Why are the kids staring at me specifically? Because of my cat ears? They''re only kids, I reminded myself. I gestured at Lyle to come closer. He obliged ¡ª without complaint. He seemed ¡ª rigid. Lyle wasn''t making the situation easy, despite his new attitude. Looks like I was doing the talking. I cleared my throat, ,¡±hello there¡­ Kid, I want to talk with you for a second,¡± I reached out There was an older boy I chose out of the kids. He appeared as the most mature out of the children. The boy hesitated back when I tried initiating contact. I opened my palms, ¡°hey. Hey. Hey. I''m not here to hurt you, see? I only need to ask some questions.¡± The boy glanced away from my ears. ¡°our caretaker said: not to talk with beastkin.¡± Well, your caretaker is a bigot: is what I would say, but he was only a kid. He probably reacted to what he was told. ¡°See this insignia here?¡± I gestured at my duster, ¡°I am with IMPERIAL. You can trust me.¡± ¡°Wow! You really are Imperial?¡± A child said. The orphans gathered around me.¡± I nodded, ¡°yes, indeed. Me and my¡­ partner in the visor are out hunting monsters.¡± ¡°You mean you¡¯re here to kill rats?¡± A girl from the group asked. ¡°Rats in the shape of monsters,¡± I corrected her. ¡°I¡¯m exterminating monsters, since I have a sense of duty to uphold.¡± ¡°Do you fight often?¡± Another kid asked. ¡°The Imperial talked with me first,¡± the boy said. ¡°I''ll get to talk with them.¡± ¡°Who said that you were the boss,¡± the children responded. Another came out, ¡°yeah who said Greg?¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t playing a game,¡± the boy who I assumed was Greg. ¡°Do you see the armor? See the badge?¡± Greg pointed. ¡°You need to leave, unless you guys want less food on your plates.¡± ¡°Awe, whatever you say,¡± the children seemed dejected. Was Greg pulling the orphans away necessary? I focused on Lyle. He nodded in approval. Although, Lyle wasn''t exactly the best role model.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. I''m an operative who holds knives. Do I qualify as a good role model? Perhaps I was too hasty. I asked if the boy knew about the rats beside the orphanage The boy nodded, ¡°yes, I know. I can even show you. There are not a lot of adults who go here. You seem busy, I don''t want anyone to interrupt your work.¡± Lyle, me, and Greg walked through a broken fence. We trekked through the mud. ¡°Not many adults show up?¡± I asked. ¡°Your caretaker didn''t bother to show. I doubt there is that much safety, when I can barge in here.¡± ¡°My caretaker is out getting food. She means well. All of our money comes from strangers, not much from herself. Here is the place,¡± the orphan directed. I was met with various debris as I slid my fingers over the corners; an entrance. The kid gestured and we went through. Greg followed me with ease, Lyle had a harder time. The tight space reminded me of my light frame. Lyle never had the displeasure of being short. I slowed my pace for his sake, that or the fact he was willing to scratch his armor to catch up. The light shined on my sunglasses when I saw the other side. There was an abandoned playground. Metal bars were around the park, and some old swings. I noticed the cardboard boxes. I stepped in the park, ¡°so, I guess you played here often?¡± I asked Greg ¡°How did you know?¡± The boy asked. I glanced all around me, ¡°the boxes, the chairs. Even the furniture, which I am not sure how it got through such a tight space. There are signs that there was activity.¡± ¡°You are right, adults aren''t allowed here.¡± ¡°How about a compromise then?¡± I placed my hand on his hair. ¡°A compromise?¡± Greg squirmed under my touch. His reaction, he didn''t fully trust me. He was afraid because I was a beastkin or that I was an authority figure, maybe the sharp claws? His reaction was a combination of the three. What have Greg¡¯s caretaker been saying to the orphans? Whatever; I removed my touch, ¡°I briefly go down the area, with you showing me around. How does that sound?¡± The boy nodded, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª On the inside was undoubtedly The Iron graveyard. The area was closed off with a fence and a lock at the gate. Debris filled the other side from a bygone era. A warehouse loomed from the distance, off on a winding hill downwards. The location left a bad taste in my mouth, ¡°you and your friends play so closely towards The Iron Graveyard out of all places?¡± I asked Greg. ¡°Even people like me have to tread carefully before coming here.¡± ¡°The Iron Graveyard is still far away,¡± The child defended himself. ¡°We are on the very edge from danger. Monsters and robots are farther in. We never play near the gates.¡± ¡°Be that as it may, what¡¯s with the change of heart?¡± I looked down at Greg. ¡°You suddenly felt that monster infested territory was too risky? I saw a lack of activity on the playground.¡± ¡°Our caretaker hadn¡¯t let us in since we saw the rats near the gates.¡± A glimmer appeared on Lyle¡¯s visor, ¡°This should be the entrance,¡± he held onto the lock. ¡°My crowns is that the rats are inside the huge building down there,¡± he pointed at the warehouse. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware,¡± I responded. ¡°I can see with my eyes, and think with my brain.¡± ¡°Hmm, the lock is rusted from decades of misuse. There is no guarantee that it will open, even with a key,¡± Lyle pondered out loud. He reached out inside his sleeve. ¡°You know that there are other ways to solve problems that don''t involve pointing a gun, Lyle? Security is only as good as its foundation. Surely, there is another way to pass through that doesn''t involve shooting.¡± He gripped his revolver, ¡°Shooting the lock? A ridiculous suggestion, catboy. There is no security response for breaking a lock, not in the edge of Iron Graveyard at least. What I have in mind is much simpler.¡± Lyle swung with the butt of his revolver. *Crack* He tossed the lock aside. The gate opened. ¡°Hey, brat,¡± Lyle said. ¡°You¡¯ve been admiring Imperial for long? I can tell that there¡¯s something with the look in your eye.¡± Greg shook his head, ¡°I used to. Everyone else wants to be an Imperial when they grow up. I know the truth. I¡¯m not lucky enough like you guys,¡± he lowered his head. ¡°Telling others will only ruin their mood.¡± ¡°Of course, I never thought that I would be an operative. Not for a person like me,¡± he cleared his throat. ¡°What are you planning to be, kid?¡± ¡°I uh¡­ going to be a mercenary in a few years when they kick me out. There were some dojo classes I have taken, but shillings are hard to come by.¡± ¡°Here, take it,¡± Lyle reached into his coat. two coins clattered in Lyle¡¯s palm. ¡°Are those crowns?¡± The concept of a crown was alien to Greg. ¡°Yes, me compensating you for helping us is only fair.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a lot of money, are you sure that I can keep them?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make due,¡± Lyle waved Greg off. ¡°I suggest that you leave before I change my mind. You¡¯ll only hinder us if you get any closer.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mister,¡± the boy bowed. ¡°Yeah, yeah, out of my sight; you brat.¡± The boy never held a crown in his life. I was loaded with them, however. Third class operatives like me earned about 56 crowns a week, 8 in a day; double a guard¡¯s salary. Lyle obtained about the same. ¡°Stop gawking, catboy. We have a task that needs to be finished,¡± Lyle said. ¡°I got a better idea,¡± I raised my voice. ¡°How about we stop what we¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°What are you saying,¡± he stared I spread out my arms to meet his gaze, ¡°I don''t know. Birds are flying. The sun is shining. Today is the perfect day. You could enjoy the fruits that nature has to offer.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust you, that¡¯s why.¡± ¡°Same song and dance, Lyle?¡± ¡°My dislike goes beyond grievances, catboy. Especially from a beastkin who doesn''t know where their loyalties lie.¡± ¡°What? Wait ¡ª my duty is with Imperial,¡± I defended myself. No, my responsibility is with IMPERIAL, right? ¡°I saw how you reacted back there when that witch mentioned your tribe. You thought about betraying us for your own kind, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°My own kind? Do you think so little of me?¡± I shouted. ¡°You have no right, Lyle! I am here, aren''t I?¡± ¡°The seed of doubt is already planted in your mind. Betrayal requires only a little doubt. If not today, then tomorrow. Let¡¯s see who sings the same tune. You were always impulsive, catboy; but I expect less from a beastkin.¡± ¡°Watch. Your. Tongue,¡± I said between hisses. My claws retracted from my hands. I was subtle enough that Lyle hadn¡¯t noticed. Lacerating him was easy, however I knew that was my instincts talking. I retrated my claws and clicked my tongue, ¡°I tried being nice, really attempted; you know? You forgot who was in charge. And you seem to be fond of beastkins, but who can expect less from an ear-grabbing degenerate? Follow me, stay here, insult me again; I don¡¯t care. Your next move will be on your head. Is that clear, Lyle? Am I getting to your head?¡± He nodded and apologized. Those words were hollow. I ignored his empty promises. My feet picked up the pace towards the abandoned warehouse. Our shoes gathered dust as we made our way downhill. I jogged faster than before. Lyle was slower than what I initially thought. As long as he is following, I dismissed the man. All I want is to clear my mind. Light exercise and fresh air, that always makes me feel better. Betraying IMPERIAL for a tribe that I have no recollection for. I will never throw away my loyalty for the Zaar tribe, right? Right? Hypothetically: if I were to make a mistake so bad that it¡¯s irredeemable, running to my tribe wouldn¡¯t be the worst option. They definitely will not treat me like an exotic animal on display. Speaking with Lyle soured my mood. I once sought validation from him. I realized now how little his opinion mattered. There were always people like him. People that would stomp on my dreams and wishes. Damn Lyle, damn the monsters. Cleaning out the rats was only for me, nobody else. My mind was a bowl of mashed potatoes. I had to get rid of the lingering thoughts for my tribe. Monsters are close. I had to blow off some steam. Chapter 22 Lyle and I passed through the gate. The warehouse took a few steps. Fog clouded me from seeing the distance. The path leading to the factory was stone. I saw the other end was just dirt, The same as Snakewater. Nature reclaimed most of the factory. Weeds and moss sprouted on the cracks. An elevator led to the end of a cliff. ¡°Catboy, stop,¡± Lyle said. ¡°Are you speaking with me?¡± I asked. I did what he said. ¡°I¡¯m only talking with you, aren''t I? There shouldn''t be a problem with that.¡± I glanced at him, my ears twitched, ¡°No ¡ª shouldn¡¯t be a problem with that.¡± The elevator creaked when he stepped on it, ¡°See this lift? We can use it to go down. Just go in before you take too long.¡± My tail swayed while listening, ¡°That¡­ That¡¯s the stupidest suggestion I¡¯ve ever heard! You know how old the equipment is? How would it even start up?¡± ¡°There is a high likelihood that the lift will start. Don¡¯t ask me how, I don¡¯t care enough to understand.¡± I guessed when there¡¯s robots and monsters, there¡¯s a fair share of anomalies. I threw my hands up in the air, ¡°Alright fine! Go ahead and operate 50-year-old dilapidated machinery. Let¡¯s see how that goes for you.¡± ¡°Suit yourself,¡± Lyle turned the elevator¡¯s crank, nothing happened. ¡°Huh, there must be an electrical problem. A breaker panel nearby. Catboy, you can search for it down that cliff, can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, we can go down the ladder over there,¡± I pointed at the worn out set of steps. Lyle looked at the ladder, ¡°Sure, we can climb down. You go first ¡ª I¡¯ll wait.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± I titled my head. Lyle wasn¡¯t telling me, and I wasn¡¯t prying further. I took a step on the ladder. A metallic odor came from the bars. The colour blended to a red and brown, the metal was rough to the hands. The ladder creaked with each motion. There was a long way down. My boots rang a dull thud when they contacted the bars. *Groan* Flakes of rusted leaves fell onto my head. My head looked up to see that the flakes settled along the air. I firmly planted my legs and feet into place, my body stationary. My eyes scanned on the hinges. *Creak* *Bang!* ¡°Shit,¡± I muttered. The sound warned me. My feet lept on their own, towards the highest spot from the ladder. Half of the ladder collapsed. My hands touched the nearest bars. I watched below as the metal fell into the cliff below. Only my arms prevented me from sharing the same fate. I felt the tremble as I hung. My upper body propped me up with each step until my feet found a solid foundation. The rattling intensified. I scanned the area, and found a ridge. I jumped to the nearest safe spot. My body twisted mid air. I allowed my instincts to guide me. My feet landed on the ground. The cliff almost made me stumble as I was so close to the edge. My legs stopped me in one fluid motion. I steadied, and watched as the entire ladder crumbled from its weight. The now scrap echoed from the sheer volume. Dust raised up and blackened my vision. Lyle glanced down as I cleaned off my sunglasses. ¡°Can you still walk?¡± Lyle shouted ¡°Well, this isn''t the first time something pushed me off a cliff!¡± I yelled back ¡°I take it you go with my plan then?¡± ¡°No shit, Lyle!¡± I paused and cleared my throat, ¡°Sorry¡­ I shouldn¡¯t swear. It¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯ll look for the circuit breaker down there.¡± I scaled off the cliff while my boots skidded off the dirt. I landed at the bottom with one last jump. I made my way over to the wall, where there is most likely to be a breaker. The wires converged to one area, a box. Beside them was a skeleton.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. A skeleton? I saw the remains of a human. I didn''t want to look, but a morbid thought crept on me. A let out a breath; Okay, that¡¯s not a skeleton of a child, not one of the orphans. I pushed the bones from out of my vision, and opened the box from its cover. The hinges loosened from my grip and slid off. The metal crashed onto the floor. I analyzed what was inside. There were cables and switches. The wiring was loose Seems simple enough. My finger flipped off the breaker. I pushed the cords back in. My hands turned the breakers back on. *pfft* Sparks flew out of the circuit panel. I receded back from the box, before I received the brunt of the force. Inhale, and exhale, I did the breathing exercise Donovan taught me. I wasn¡¯t letting out a noise, not here. I breathed deeply. Alright, I¡¯m fine now. I wasn¡¯t going to¡ª I saw the remains of the dead, and all I¡¯m worried about is meowing when nobody¡¯s around. ¡­ Might as well call the degenerate and get this over with, ¡°Hey, Lyle! I found the power box. Try the elevator now!¡± The lift rattled to life. Lyle made his descent. The machine cried out in pain as it screeched to the bottom. The elevator gave Lyle some minor blowback from the sudden stop. I said my hellos, Lyle said nothing. We both agreed to move forward into the large warehouse. There was a likelihood that the rats nested inside. The fog dampened the building. I imagined that the inside was no better. The place had the same, metallic smell. The mist heightened the decay. Sturdy was a warehouse made of brick. I had confidence in the construction. The only stable construction in Iron Graveyard wasn''t from iron. We were at the corner of the building. I checked to see on the side. Moss overlapped the concrete and brick. A broken fence encased the area. A robotic eye loomed over the distance. The robot had a pair of wings it used to hover off the ground. I saw how the flying eye illuminated the surroundings, it looked away from me. A hand grabbed me and pushed me behind the corner. I turned my head. Lyle clasped around my mouth. His back and I leaned against the wall by force. A red light passed through the spot I was at. I breathed through his palm as the area flashed red. The light dissipated. Time passed, Lyle let go from his grasp. He peaked around the wall, ¡°looks like it was after the circuit breaker and not us.¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± I breathed out. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°An eyedrone,¡± he said. ¡°The robot seemed stationary until you turned the power on.¡± I peeked at the corner next to Lyle, ¡°you know how sweaty your hands are?¡± I asked when I was sure nothing was around. ¡°You were licking me the whole way. You got a rough tongue, you know that?¡± ¡°What I¡¯ve done has nothing to do with your actions! You pulled out like some child. You saw me handle myself back at the elevator. Don''t you trust me? Or am I just another beastkin that needs to be reared?¡± ¡°No, it''s not that,¡± Lyle stared through his visor. ¡°Then what is your excuse?¡± ¡°Nothing ¡ª I just don''t want you to hit the bucket when I¡¯m here ¡ª that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Did you have a change of heart?¡± I studied his visor. He glanced back, ¡°I hate your guts. I''m not saying that to insult you, but to state a fact.¡± I restated my question. ¡°I say what I mean, and mean what I say. There doesn''t have to be a good reason,¡± he replied. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª The iron doors swung open. Lyle and I entered. The electricity powered the lights, yet there were still dark spaces. My ears picked up various footsteps on the cement, they chittered. A small silhouette goes by in the dark place. Lyle pulled out his shortsword and held it with one arm. I spun my knife before gripping the blade. We slowly walked towards the middle of the room. Lyle motioned for me to stay close. The chirping grew intense. They spotted us, whatever they were. The creatures buzzed around us. My ears swirled and found a specific sound. I flipped my knife to reverse grip. I sprinted towards the source. A bug flew out from the shadow. I struck the creature mid air before. My eyes watched as my blade pierced the bug¡¯s exoskeleton. Its wings fluttered on the ground. I swore I felt Lyle swore under his visor from my first strike. 3 more giant insects appeared from the cracks. Lyle was busy on his own side. Well; If there was one thing I learned from him, being on the defensive never worked. I rolled into the incoming insects, and sank my blade into the nearest creature. Another insect opened its mandibles in response. I stabbed its soft insides. I watched as the last insect spreaded out its wings in preparation to attack. Do these bugs have any self preservation? I threw my knife. The bug went down without much hassle. Lyle¡¯s side wasn¡¯t any different. He swung and cut off 2 of the insect¡¯s legs. He stomped on the bug while it was whirling on the ground. No accounting for style, I suppose. The overall kill count was 4 for me, and 7 for Lyle. ¡°That was easier than what I was expecting,¡± I said. ¡°I thought this would be a tougher fight. ¡°Don¡¯t get too arrogant,¡± Lyle responded. ¡°What you fought was barely a colony. Cretins fight in bigger numbers. It is just that the queens know to stay out of human civilization.¡± He kicked an insect that was still twitching, ¡°rats are more troublesome¡­ Bloody cretins,¡± he muttered. I pulled the blade from out of the carcass, and wiped it down with a handkerchief. I noticed Lyle¡¯s sword, ¡°so are you going to clean or¡­ No? Okay, go ahead and do whatever you were doing with that stained weapon¡­ Sure.¡± Chapter 23 The dust that crawled through every space, so the warehouse was less than palpable We both agreed to keep searching. I stabbed another bug with my knife. Dull creatures they were. I sensed more life coming out from that robot than any cretin. Lyle stomped down on another insect. He asked if I found anything, I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m done with this chicken-chasing shit,¡± he stepped on top of a cretin. ¡°Catboy, there¡¯s a hidden entrance. Let¡¯s find the place before we can call this journey a bust.¡± ¡°What, why me?¡± My tail swayed. ¡°The bloody cretins got here from somewhere, and they definitely didn''t enter through the door. Look for a tunnel. If there¡¯s a source of food, there¡¯s rats.¡± I nodded, Lyle¡¯s reasoning was sound. I went back to the collection of insect corpses. My boots swept around the rubble. There was no progress until my nose picked something musty. My hands removed the debris, and I spotted hinges to an open door. I called Lyle over, and opened the covering. The wood sponged up. The hatch creaked as I pulled it aside. The pathway led down with a ladder adjacent, but I knew better than to trust rotten wood. Lyle and I tied a broken cord down, and we descended into the tunnel My feet clashed on the murky ground, where fungi flourished. We went around the inbuilt tunnel. And I said inbuilt. The tunnel was big enough for Lyle, and I to fit in there naturally. ¡°These tunnels used to be a smuggling den?¡± I asked ¡°The path is too straight to be naturally forming.¡± ¡°With all the paths leading to Mamba Market, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised,¡± he stopped me with his arm. ¡°Hold on, I hear something.¡± My cat-like eyes adjusted to the darkness, while Lyle turned on his visor. I heard the noise before Lyle. The rocks scratched just slightly beyond. Lyle brought out his revolver. It shone despite the area being dark. A light in shining darkness: darkness can never put out the light, and the light will always be there. I thought about how my eyes always glowed. I saw them, Monster in the shape of rats indeed. They were grotesque under the dim light, with the shape of a jumper mouse, except for the elongated legs. They went into a frenzy as they hopped around. There were 5 monsters in total. Lyle grabbed his blade and rushed to the nearest creature. I followed his example. My feet picked up on the stone. I sprinted past Lyle. I thrust my knife at the closest rat. The creature jumped under my attack. The rodent leered forward while bouncing. I leaped back. My feet slid on the wet ground. The rat leaped back in. We both met up. The rat opened its mullers, and I met that attack with my blade. My fingers trembled as I pierced the monster¡¯s leg. It cried out a high-pitched shill. I felt Lyle looking at me. My eyes sensed 2 more figures appearing from the dark. I raised my knife, guarding myself in the process. There was no opportunity for a killing blow. More rats charged in my direction. The rats developed a wariness for my knife. The 2 monsters gathered around the injured rat until the damaged rat recovered. All 3 circled around me. I receded back. Lyle had problems of his own. He swung his shortsword in a large arc. The jumper mouse sprang from sideways. Lyle exerted much force, yet that mattered little. He used a revolver. and pointed it at the rat mid-direction. ¡°Got you,¡± Lyle whispered. *Bang!* Light dazzled the walls. The smell of powder went off from his revolver. Loud enough that the sound rang to my ears.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. No, the damage wasn¡¯t enough. The bullet sprawled the rat onto the ground. Lead nestled on the outside of the skull. A point-blank shot to the head was only enough to cause a concussion. Another rat kicked Lyle''s chest piece before he could respond. He flinched before changing to a more aggressive stance. I focused back on myself. The 3 rats surrounded me. They bounced in a circle. The monsters worked better together. I attacked, and another one increased its assault on me. The weakest rat limped from the stab wound however. A hiss escaped my lips. The creatures lunged 3 consecutive times. I sensed the presence of those red eyes. For such a creature, they were clever. I knew that going on the defense never worked, yet the rats kept me locked up. I peaked at Lyle. He was faring better. The rats had multiple cuts on their bodies. If what I need is brutality, then fine. I started with the weakest link. The monster limped around. I crouched as the jumping mice kicked in the air. I used all my strength, and pounced at the nearest rat. My knife sliced in the air. I felt the metal meeting with flesh. I buckled my hips and rolled on the ground. There was a shriek as I got back up. I breathed in heavily as blood dripped over my knife. That put the other 2 rats into a frenzy. My body turned from the onslaught. They reminded me of all the rubber bands Donovan threw at me. I did a leg sweep during their barrage. The beast¡¯s body hopped away. They got too predictable. I swing, the rat¡¯s body twisted. I used my palm and struck the creature in the ribs. The beast fell, I drove my blade into the rat¡¯s neck. I turned to see a rat charge at me. My claws reacted faster than my knife. I wasn''t using an open palm this time. My nails sank into the rodent. Biting with my fangs was tempting. I snapped back to reality. My knife went into the rodent. It squeaked. I felt a chill behind me. I completely forgot about the other rat. Yet lyle kept track, he held onto the last rat¡¯s tail. The operative slammed the monster on the ground. I heard the impact. His boot pressed firmly onto the rodent¡¯s head. Lyle brought out his gun, and pointed his revolver into the gnashing teeth. The rat¡¯s teeth chittered as it did so. ¡°Lights out,¡± he pulled the trigger. The rat spasmed before going limp. I noticed that Lyle¡¯s sword was nowhere beside him, it was on the ground. Lyle went down and picked the metal up. Looks like I lost myself back there, yet again; I sighed. At least I didn''t meow, although I could do without the tail swaying. I gave myself a 3/10 overall for performance. I walked over to Lyle ¡ª over the many corpses. I felt the bile raise through my throat. Cold sweat trickled down my forehead. My arms learned on the wall to support me. I retched in place. My lungs took in a huge gulp in the air. I think I¡¯m going to¡­ No, I¡¯m going to be okay. I can get through this. My wobbly legs picked up strength, and I stood up, ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, Lyle. You don¡¯t have to say anything, since your opinion doesn''t matter,¡± not anymore. ¡°Come on, there¡¯s another entrance. We can explore there.¡± Am I flustered? Yeah, a little. More for me rather than Lyle. He doesn¡¯t deserve my respect, not for a person like him. I will ignore the corpses for now, I had a feeling that there was more to the tunnels than what initially seemed. We went into the room to see an underground warehouse full of mismatched crates. They clumped together into a mess. Hmm, there wasn¡¯t a hint of rot, dare I take a look? My hands flipped over a crate and peaked over the lid. ¡°Lyle, stay back!¡± I yelled. ¡°Catboy, what is it?¡± he stood unwavering. ¡°The crates, they are full of nitroglycerin¡­ dynamite. We should leave before the tunnel blows up.¡± I said more softly. He moved past me, and observed the crate, ¡°Old yes, but they are not from here. The storing conditions are too poor for this dynamite to look this good in condition. The bloody cretins must have dragged the explosives down here.¡± He picked up a stick, ¡°While not ideal, they¡¯ll hold.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that these bugs are intelligent enough to handle explosives?¡± I paused. Lyle spat on the ground in disgust, ¡°Unless you call a baby at their best smart. The bloody cretins know how they explode. Yet they wrap their tiny insect brains why storing them in damp places is a bad idea. There''s a queen nearby,¡± he looked beyond the cave walls. We checked around until I found a room housing copper tubes. ¡°A distillery,¡± I muttered. ¡°From the time before The Prohibition Act. What could this be doing here?¡± ¡°Probably was here before The Iron Graveyard gained its name. Hmm, what do we have here?¡± He studied the tools around us and grabbed an oil lamp. ¡°Help me, or not. I have a better idea.¡± He lifted a burlap sack of long-dead barley and carried it over toward the dynamite boxes. I asked what he was doing. ¡°What does it look like? I¡¯m getting rid of the nest of rats, and killing that disgusting queen. You better get out of here, quick. I¡¯m sure not showing my face around here. *Snap* *Snap* *Snap* Sparks flew from his fingers. The oil lamp lit up. He stood at the dynamite, the light illuminated his face. I climbed the cord, away from him. Chapter 24 Lyle and I loomed over the warehouse, up the nearest mountain. Minutes went by. We waited in silence. The building erupted into a pit of fire. The windows crackled from the noise as the flames poured across the bricks. Cracks formed, and the warehouse slanted from the cave-in underneath. I stared as the explosion lit up my skies. All that was left was a pile of smoke, and the destroyed remains of a warehouse. The eyedrone I saw earlier soared from the blast radius. It landed as nothing but a ball of molten metal. The red eyes flickered not far from where we were. Lyle opened his revolver to replace his spent cartridges. He didn''t even look at the explosion! ¡°Would this be enough to satisfy the witch?¡± Lyle asked himself. ¡°One can only hope,¡± he muttered. ¡°The powerline got caught in the blast,¡± I said. ¡°We have to take the long way back,¡± not like I wanted to take the elevator anyway. Not having to step foot on that death trap was relieving. I suggested that we jog back, he agreed. I talked about my time with Donovan, all my time training ¡ª and Thousand Cuts. Lyle responded with only slight acknowledgement in kind. He wasn''t broaching the subject of his past, that was fine. I had no history to speak of either, besides my name. I can''t remember who I was, even on earth. There were other small topics of conversation. Lyle went quiet as we spoke, more sluggish. His feet lagged behind me. The man stared at me, then dropped to the ground. I stared at his unmoving body. I silently swore to myself. My hands pulled his collar as I felt his pulse. He¡¯s still breathing. I dragged him to the best my weak body could allow. We went under the nearest pile of rubble, away from the sun. I took the visor off his face. His face was out for me to see. Cold, wet goose bumps covered his skin. ¡°Lyle!¡± I waved my hand. ¡°You¡¯re not fainting on me, not here.¡± Lyle opened his eyes and shifted his head, ¡°you are pestering me again, catboy,¡± a weak chuckle escaped his lips. He smiled, yet his expression languished. ¡°What the hell was that back there?¡± I yelled at him. I watched him, he seemed so weak now. ¡°Lord, I am so naive,¡± I whispered. Back at Hognose Street he got offended when I said that we were jogging. He picked up the pace, afterwards he was so hesitant to go down the ladder with me. This whole time¡ª ¡°Lyle, why didn''t you say anything?¡± I shook him. ¡°We could have slowed down, I thought we were going slow.¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t need your¡­ pity,¡± he said. I gave him my flask from under my coat, ¡°arguing is pointless. Drink some water. Not for me, but for you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t accept handouts,¡± he drank the liquid anyway, with big gulps. ¡°Whatever Lyle, do as you like; but I¡¯m the leader. And I say that we are taking the rest of the day easy until we return back to IMPERIAL Headquarters.¡± The operative scowled, but nothing he said made me change my mind. Lyle insisted that we can go on. He stood up in order to prove his wellness. I had doubts. My indirect actions pushed Lyle to exhaustion, like he did to me back at our spar. Did I feel some schadenfreude? No, I¡¯m not a sadistic beast who seeks pleasure from harm. I wasn¡¯t speaking from my pride. Lyle was a sick beast that nobody had the will to put down. He put on a brave front, yet snapped and snarled. I looked back at his red collar. ¡°Let¡¯s meet back with Carmen,¡± I told him. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª We returned back through the tight entrance, away from The Iron Graveyard. Neon lights assaulted my eyes. The time was later in the day. I put my sunglasses back on. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re back,¡± I said. ¡°What a shame,¡± Lyle responded. ¡°I can do without hearing that banshee wail.¡± ¡°I can hear what ya sayin¡¯, collar boy!¡± an old lady wheeled her way up. The operative bit his lip, ¡°You''re here?¡± ¡°You left a smoking crater, and all ya spout is dribble. Maybe you should take some notes from the gentleman you follow around, collar boy.¡± ¡°I''m not wearing a collar!¡± He yelled, but lowered his voice. ¡° What''s around my neck is called a choker.¡± ¡°Look, we¡¯re getting off topic,¡± I put myself between them. ¡°You can''t be here for just any reason, right?¡± The old lady wheeled in my direction, ¡°oh, yes; dear me. I was here to check up on you.¡± ¡°I exterminated the monster in the shape of rats, and I did you a little extra. There were cretins, we took care of them.¡± ¡°But did ya have to give myself a scare?¡± ¡°Well, if I want to get rid of some hornets, I''m not hitting the hive with a stick.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Carmen exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, boy. Say what do you say in goin¡¯ to the pub with me? I may be short of crowns, but seeing what you pulled off today; I can splurge.¡± ¡°Carmen¡­¡± I leaned on her wheelchair, ¡°I¡¯m not short on coins. You don¡¯t have to spend a single penny on me.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°I insist. If I¡¯m not paying, somebody will. This isn¡¯t a matter of wealth, but a matter of pride. For me and the community. You went above and beyond what a mercenary would do, and for nothin¡¯. A merc would ruin us, giving you some friendly hospitality is nothing in comparison. So, are you accepting a wish from an old lady?¡± My head swiveled as I studied Lyle. I figured he would disapprove whenever I agreed with the old lady. I rubbed my chin, ¡°offering an operative alcohol during prohibition. That¡¯s some huge guts you got there.¡± ¡°Are you coming to the pub with me, or not, boy.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided,¡± I said. ¡°I will come to the pub with you,¡± Lyle growed at my words, however Carmen smiled. ¡°Say, what¡¯s the pub?¡± ¡°Ouroboros, it¡¯s the place with the snake eating its tail; near the train station. Ya¡¯ can¡¯t miss it.¡± ¡°Great!¡± I clapped. ¡°I¡¯ll go down later. My partner and I have business that we need to attend to first. Carmen and I said our goodbyes. ¡°Are we going to talk about what you just accepted?¡± Lyle finally said. ¡°No, I thought that we were going to talk about the weather,¡± I crossed my arms, yet leaned in closer. ¡°That hag has something¡ª¡± ¡°Lyle,¡± I interrupted, ¡°if you''re so against coming, you can go. Nobody''s stopping you.¡± ¡°I can just leave?¡± Lyle asked. ¡°I¡¯m tired of hearing your lame excuses for being a terrible human. I even go as far to tell Lorry and Donovan that you leaving was my idea.¡± He left in the end. My eyes stared into the sky while I habitually sighed. Today is a beautiful day. I haven¡¯t forgotten my directive, the reason I was here. The pub had Carmen congratulating me with some other patrons. I was here to make IMPERIAL¡¯s presence known. I was going in with an ulterior motive, Carmen as well. Perhaps if things were different, if I transmigrated before the anima treatment. I could have been with my tribe. I watched the clouds as I pondered. There was plenty of time before I went to the pub. My back rested on a patch of grass, away from the orphanage. A thought crept up in my mind. I never choose to be Imperial. I was aware. The personalities of me back on earth, and the catboy from his tribe merged into one. I was aware that I ultimately committed myself to becoming an operative. The documents were in my signature. I made the decision before¡ª But, don¡¯t I have a say? Tears flowed down my face. I felt the water on my fingers. Looks like I made myself sad again. I wasn¡¯t wallowing in my own pity. My arms supported myself from the grass. Today was a pretty day. The flowers spread their scent. The orphanage was nearby. I decided on checking with Greg and the other children. I had to tell them that their hideout was safe. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª There Oroboros was beside the train station, like the old lady said. There was no wording, but I saw the sign. A neon snake eating its tail. I pulled out the Morse code transceiver. I transmitted my report. Seconds passed, I received confirmation. I exhaled when I went close to the pub. The door refused to open. A familiar face showed up while I was shaking the knob. ¡°Lyle, is that you?¡± My ears twitched from seeing him, ¡°I thought you left.¡± ¡°I never did,¡± Lyle replied. ¡°Why?¡± I tilted my head. ¡°There doesn¡¯t have to be a good reason for anything,¡± he shook his head. ¡°Lyle, you had every reason to leave, and you decided to come back despite those reasons!¡± ¡°Catboy, please be quiet,¡± he said. ¡°I don''t need to tell you what I think about the pub. Actions mean more than words anyway.¡± I let go of the door handle, ¡°sure, make demands, that''ll win my favor.¡± ¡°I said please, didn''t I? Look ¡ª if you were in my position, wouldn''t you do the same?¡± ¡°That''s a trick question,¡± I raised my voice. ¡°I would never be in your position.¡± ¡°...I messed up, okay,¡± he lowered his head. ¡°We were not doing the job because we''re offered, but as an obligation to ourselves. I''m not abandoning you, not over some ideological difference. Does that matter for something?¡± I looked at his visor. Was he trying to be nice? I sighed, ¡°fine, you can follow, but please stop talking.¡± ¡°You want me to be quiet?¡± ¡°I said please, didn''t I,¡± my mouth widened. ¡°Hmm,¡± was all he could say. *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* I banged on the door. The latch from the peephole opened up. A pair of eyes shifted in all directions before looking down. A gruff voice asked me who I was. The voice referred to my operative uniform. ¡°I¡¯m not with the guards, if that''s what you¡¯re asking,¡± I responded. ¡°Uh, huh, so; what¡¯s the password?¡± the voice asked. ¡°The password?¡± My ears twitched. ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of Snakewater, who cares about a password?¡± ¡°No password, no pass.¡± ¡°Fine, the password is: open up, you spiffy-eyed degenerate before I tell Old Lady Carmen why I couldn¡¯t show up.¡± ¡°Sorry, wrong password,¡± he shrugged. Wait, did I just hear a person shrug? ¡°Yeah, because I got nothing better to do than to run around all of Snakewater, taking alcohol from every dive pub around,¡± My tail swayed. I considered bursting down the door. ¡°Rules are rules, pal,¡± the man said. ¡°Can¡¯t survive without ¡®em, and you don¡¯t scream ¡®casual drinker¡¯ to me.¡± ¡°Oh, I wouldn''t wish to put a blemish on your fine establishment, good sir.¡± The latch was half-open before he slammed the peephole open, ¡°I ought to tie a cretin on a stick for conversation. For even they make more pleasant company!¡± I stomped my feet as my tail fluttered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± I yelled. ¡°I would come over to apologize, but there looks to be a door in my way!¡± ¡°Tough talk coming from you. How do you come over here and say that to my face?¡± he said. ¡°Say that to your face? You''re the one who is locking himself behind a door. I¡¯m out here in the open!¡± The door slammed so hard that it almost went off its hinges. My tail and ears shot up. The man stood above me. His muscles were massive. He¡¯s like the 3rd bodybuilder I¡¯ve seen. Is it me, but why do they seem related? Is there a society of strongmen out to get me? My tail singeled for Lyle¡¯s help. He stared at me with a straight face. I felt my face burning up. ¡°You¡­ you¡­ Nya!~¡± I screamed. The buff man recoiled back. The bar was rundown on the inside, ¡°no I didn''t mean to offend you.¡± He made me meow, ¡°you made me meow!¡± I accused him in indignation. ¡°I ¡ª I thought you were female!¡± My ears flickered, ¡°you thought I was female? What made you think such inflammatory remarks?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± he waved his hands. ¡°We just don¡¯t see male nyancan, and¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, I understand all right!¡± I pointed at him, ¡°you thought that I looked too butch, so you¡¯d assumed that I was into women.¡± ¡°What! You''re more angry about my biases than me mistaking your gender?¡± ¡°What seems to be the commission around here,¡± Carmen rolled up from inside the pub. ¡°Not one minute passes by, and you¡¯re tussling harder than my husband on our honeymoon. Lord, rest his soul.¡± She hit the giant man with her cane while speaking, ¡°Now get back behind the bar, and hassle people who actually deserve it!¡± ¡°Were you trying to intimidate him? Because what you were doing didn''t work,¡± he said behind him. ¡°I didn''t ask for your input, Lyle!¡± I yelled. Chapter 25 ¡°Perhaps you should go inside, boy,¡± Carmen waited inside the pub. The warm brushed on my skin. She got out of her wheelchair, and supported herself with a cane. I considered taking off my duster, but my armor made the endeavor impossible. The pub reeked of poor booze. All around me were tables and the drinkers who sat next to them. I could tell that the tables were terrible despite them being new. Many eyes stared at me. ¡°Hey, how about ya stop gawking, and welcome the Imperial for me?¡± The old lady chimed in. Carmen walked around while Lyle leaned against the wall. His gaze never left the room. Lyle¡¯s friendliness was less than palpable. I sat on the cleanest barstool I could find. My fingers tapped on the worn-out wood. I swiveled the barstool, ¡°guess I have to see you at some point,¡± I directed at the bodybuilder. He stood behind the bar serving drinks. ¡°Look, we got off on the wrong foot,¡± the barkeep said. ¡°No, you started off the wrong foot,¡± I said back. ¡°Not one point had I been aggressive, and you felt the need to push. You¡¯re no different than a bully with a modicum of power.¡± The bartender deflated, ¡°I am not that¡­ or at least don¡¯t want to be. Is there a way that I can make it up to you? I don¡¯t wish to become just another jerk in Snakewater.¡± ¡°I guess there have been too many jerks in Snakewater recently,¡± I muttered. ¡°The reaction you made isn¡¯t terrible, but is misplaced.¡± I leaned in closer on the table, ¡°never mistake compassion for naivety, but compassion leads to naivety. You need to know when to act kindly or when putting your foot down is the right answer. There will be people who will put you down, demean you, people who will pull on your ears¡­¡± My ears fluttered. I noticed that I was talking about myself rather than the barkeep. I cleared my throat, ¡°the point is that acting nice has its time and place. Know when degenerates are taking advantage of you, and when violence isn¡¯t the answer.¡± ¡°You gave me much to think about,¡± the barkeep said. ¡°I dunno ¡ª Snakewater long crushed any enthusiasm I had left.¡± ¡°A light in shining darkness: as long as there¡¯s hope, there¡¯s a way.¡± ¡°Look, if you need anything, you don¡¯t need to worry, got it?¡± Like Carmen, he offered free drinks as a matter of pride. The bartender wasn¡¯t taking no for an answer. I never thought that generosity would be so suffocating. I tapped my fingers on the wood, ¡°Old Lady Carmen offered me the same not long ago. I¡¯m afraid that I can¡¯t drink alcohol while on duty,¡± and honestly, I¡¯m afraid that I might do something stupid. Not like a single shot of liquor can get me wasted. Right? The barkeep cleared his throat, ¡°there are other drinks that I can make for you.¡± ¡°Like what, you¡¯re going to mix orange juice and grenadine for me,¡± I snarked. ¡°I can try something with milk in it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m lactose intolerant,¡± and so is every beastkin apparently, I sighed. ¡°How about Fresh Cola instead?¡± ¡°Am I a joke to you?¡± I screamed. There is now the disgusting phantom taste in my mouth thanks to him. ¡°Alright¡­ we can leave drinks for now. The kitchen is clean enough, I can make ya something quick. There has yet been a single rat in all my time here,¡± he said as a symbol of pride. ¡°Thanks, but I think there¡¯s nothing you could cook that could fit my palate.¡± ¡°Nonsense, I can cook you up a hamburger, some onion rings¡­¡± I glared at his words. ¡°Uh, how about fish and chips?¡± ¡°Did you say fish?¡± My ears perked up. The barkeep set aside a dish of battered fish and fries for me. My knife pressed on the batter. The sound made a nice crunch. Golden-brown was the texture. I put the first bite in my mouth. The batter was the right amount. Any more, and the fish would¡¯ve been soggy, or overcooked. I set the cutlery on the table. The tartare sauce had tart. I looked at my fries.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. The rats I killed came back into my mind, and I no longer had the appetite. ¡°Is there something you dislike about the food?¡± The bartender asked. ¡°No, nothing,¡± I shook my head. ¡°Your battered fish is delicious. I just had a big breakfast today. My diet doesn''t allow for much grain or starch; so too much chips is going to make me sick.¡± ¡°Oh, I see,¡± he took the plate to the back. ¡°Beastkin and their diets¡­ Uh, no offense to you, of course. Yeah, take the food behind, where you ¡®throw out the leftovers¡¯. Reality is a different story. The plate is empty by the end, so how should I tell? I grumbled in my barstool. I checked my flask, it was empty since Lyle drank most of the contents. I made a mental note to fill the flask up later. The barstool swiveled as I leaned on the counter. ¡°Hey, Old Lady Carmen!¡± I yelled out. ¡°I notice that you aren¡¯t carrying a beer with you,¡± Although that wasn¡¯t the only odd thing I noticed. Lyle walked outside the pub, probably from the cold reception he received. ¡°Are you under some obligation, or are you rethinking life choices?¡± ¡°I have lived for too long to be thinking about philosophy, boy¡± Carmen limped over with her cane. ¡°Besides, I long destroyed my kidneys drinking during my teachin¡¯ days!¡± She was lively, ¡°how bout¡¯ we listen to you, boy? Hear the story of how ya slayed the monster in the shape of rats. Everyone¡¯s wonderin¡¯ how the giant smoking crater ended up here.¡± Residents of Hognose Street packed the pub. They ceased their drinking as they overheard us. Carmen¡¯s words had an effect on the residents. Even when silent, everyone listened. I guessed the huge pit of smoke was hard to ignore. I was visibly shaken. ¡°Gather round, gather round, no need to get uppity,¡± The Old Lady said. The barkeep went back to the bar. He gave me a side-eyed glance from behind. He firmly leaned on the countertop as focused on me. I deliberated on his proposal, but I shook my head. I took in a couple of deep breaths. So many thoughts raced in my mind. Telling them about the truth was out of the question. Instead, I spun a tale of heroics. Made the cretins, rats, and robots more monstrous than they were, a more romanized version of the events. I purposely left out the part where the ladder collapsed, how I almost meowed. Every single mistake and blunder I remembered never left my mouth. My hands mimicked the story that I portrayed. Each fight sounded of valor. I copied from the stories of yore, like the story of Alexander The Great. But, I¡¯m no hero. I finished my tall tale, and the pub clapped for me. The atmosphere was bittersweet. I let out a sigh as others looked away. The pub grew more rowdy. I sat back onto the barstool. There was good cheer and celebration within the drinkers. ¡°I¡¯ll live forever!¡± A man said with a flushed face and a red nose. He carried 2 mugs before stumbling. He fell, and the mugs crashed; sending beer on the group. He was covered in his alcohol when others held him up. I focused my attention back onto the bar. ¡°That''s one hell of a story,¡± the barkeep cheered. ¡°Yeah ¡ª one good story,¡± I stared into my orange juice. ¡°Hey, you don''t seem so happy.¡± ¡°I was expecting my time to be different, that''s all.¡± ¡°If you don''t like staying, then you can leave,¡± he said while cleaning a glass. ¡°I can just leave?¡± I leaned in closer. ¡°I''m not prying hard, you look to be in pain staying here. See what Old Lady Carmen''s doing?¡± He pointed, ¡°you can slip out before you¡¯ll disappoint her.¡± I watched as Carmen berated the guy who split the beer with her cane. I nodded my head at the bartender. I snuck out while the old lady caused a commotion. A cold breeze washed on my face while I opened the door. The sun lowered down the horizon, late in the afternoon. My breath visibly showed in the chilly air. Summer time was nearing its end. All the residents wore their coats. Lyle waited at the curb. He seemed unbothered by the cold. I was unfazed as well. Our condition reminded me about the anima treatment. How my physical capabilities were supposedly enhanced. There were some nuances that I didn¡¯t know. Lyle stared deeply at his revolver. He must¡¯ve heard me at some point. My eyes lingered on his gun, ¡°a left-sided revolver, how quaint. Do you happen to be right handed by any chance?¡± ¡°No, I use my right hand, like everyone else,¡± he replied. I sat down next to Lyle. The shouting from the pub could still be heard. ¡°Is there any particular reason why they would give you an odd gun?¡± ¡°They never gave me anything,¡± he looked up. ¡°I had it since I was young.¡± ¡°Who thought giving you a gun as a child was a good idea?¡± My ears twitched. ¡°Some things are left buried in the past. I don¡¯t like your questioning.¡± He went quiet before speaking again, ¡°why did you go away from that witch anyway?¡± His insult of Carmen no longer had the offence it once held. I disagree with him. Sure, but I don¡¯t hold any strong belief. I let out a habitual sigh, ¡°Old Lady Carmen is a nice woman, but she puts her community above my own sensibilities.¡± My ears lowered while I talked about her. I told him some of my doubts, and how she responded. ¡°Maybe you were right ¡ª all she had was her agenda.¡± Lyle was speechless. He never expected me to admit that he was correct. Honestly, I did think that he was partially right. I continued, ¡°you didn¡¯t deserve what Donovan and Dolores did to you. All those cold glances at the pub. What Carmen potentially said behind your back. Not even for a person like you deserves that. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say sorry to me!¡± Lyle yelled and everyone stopped, including me. He quieted his voice, ¡°nobody should care what happens to me ¡ª I don¡¯t.¡± He stood up, ¡°I waited for long enough¡­ And Mekiko, stop trying to understand, it¡¯ll be better for the both of us. Because you¡¯ll start expecting me to be more, and I can¡¯t be that.¡± All I offered was a sigh. Yeah, nothing more, I surmised. We were going back to our duties, as usual. We patrolled around Hognose street. Although, I had a feeling that something was wrong. Probably nothing. Chapter 26 There was a place so desolate that nobody was willing to go there on Hognose Street¡¯s end. The place would be lonely, except for a group that was. They wore rags. The wear on their clothing was as bad as the broken buildings around them. A bond fire sat next to them. 2 men, they stared into the flame, one¡¯s eyes danced onto the fire. A rat-of-a man hunched over the fire. The other man sat beside him, the flames briefly illuminated the man¡¯s face. Half of his face showed scars. The sparks revealed their disfigured vestige; burn marks. Crowley was left in silence. A stiff breeze sifted towards them. The fire kept them from the cold. The fuel for the flame was an inflammable ruble. A mystery to Crowley. Autumn was nearing its end. All that strange man was a paradox. ¡°Can this one ask who you are?¡± Crowley asked like he did hundreds of times before. ¡°...No one in particular,¡± the strange man stared into the flame. Since he came here, he did nothing, but stared into the sparks. Not that Crowley found any fault. The way that they stared at each other''s eyes ¡ª there was emptiness to their interactions. There was a lack of disgust, not even an insult. If the man found a rope tied to Crowley¡¯s neck, he''d be just as impassionate as the day they met. The Nobody and the Bastard had a nice ring. A stiff wind brushed against the man¡¯s scars. The scaring seemed painful, but the rat knew that the man¡¯s body was morphing, the same as him. The man was the only person Crowley wanted to talk with. ¡°Can this one ask what you think about snakes?¡± Crowley asked. ¡°Pitiful things,¡± he said. ¡°they crawl on the frigid¡­ ground. So cold¡­ blooded. And when they desire warmth¡­ they hide in the frozen¡­ ground.¡± ¡°Snakes are precious¡­ creatures. Beautiful¡­ patterns on their scales,¡± Crowley cleared his throat. ¡°Are you aware that snakes eat rats?¡± Crowley tested. ¡°I had enough of hearing about them. Talking about snakes is so cold¡­¡± the burnt man said. ¡°Why do you still decide to stay by this one!¡± the fire flickered harder. Smoke raised up from the debris. The man looked away from the fire, ¡°you ¡ª I sensed warmth¡­ from you, more than anybody.¡± ¡°I''m afraid that this one ¡ª doesn''t have the warmth that you¡¯re looking for.¡± ¡°Why? Did you do anything wrong?¡± The embers crackled into the air. Crowley started laughing. His hysteria interrupted the silence. The man by the fire never once flinched. He gave a look of indifference before focusing back on the pile of sparks. ¡°Are you mad?¡± the man raised his voice. ¡°Know what? Don¡¯t answer that. Let''s enjoy the fire.¡± Just like that, it was as if the strange man flipped a switch. Crowley''s previous mania seemed¡­ just lame. The flames were dying down. Crowley thought about stoking the fire, but the Kindle was an enigma to him. How did concrete burn so well? What was he supposed to do, poke the fire with an enigmatic stick:? Crackles in the night interrupted the still air. Until Crowley picked up on footsteps. The strange man¡¯s eyes stayed on the flickering light. The rat lifted his head. He sensed people were coming, about 10 of them. He checked for a dark place to hide, there were many in the ruined buildings. Crowley whispered about the incoming threat. The odd man nodded. They went around to a nearby wall for protection. They snuffed out the fire before hiding. The rat peaked through a crack. He saw men passing by. They wore bandanas with leather jackets. Crowley did not recognize the gang¡¯s signature style, drab colours. They were from a small-time gang. That, or a syndicate for a much larger criminal organization. Whatever they were, nobody dresses like that to go out for a stroll. ¡°Welly, well, well ,wells,¡± A man with a mohawk said. The warm ashes on his fingers, ¡°Looks like we have a live one here.¡± He swung out his arms, ¡°search and see if we can sniff out the rat.¡± ¡°Right away, boss,¡± a gang member said. A bandana obscured his face. They looked at the wall Crowley was hiding in. He reeled back from the peeping hole. ¡°Shit,¡± Crowley whispered. He pushed the strange man aside, ¡°You got to leave. Find a place, stay here, here isn¡¯t safe.¡± The man nodded again. They crept out from the wall. Both of the disfigured men went their own ways. Crowley watched as the man hid from sight. The rat waved his hand to try to get the man to move. Crowley was too late. He silently swore to himself as he slinked into the shadows. There were plenty of spots for him to shift to, only one place to stay for the strange man. This wasn¡¯t going to end well. The crooks spread out. Crowley sensed eyes leering at his location. He slowly relocated to another area entirely. The rat waited in silence while the hoodlums caused a ruckus. It was as if they were asking not to catch me, Crowley thought. Or so he assumed. ¡°I found myself a straggler, boss!¡± A voice exclaimed. Did they find what they were looking for? The rat¡¯s body stiffened. He awaited for the worse, yet nothing came. Crowley peaked out. Nobody was searching for him, and that was what he was afraid of.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. The rat watched as mobsters dragged the man who shared a fire with him out from under a corner. The odd man went limp. They threw jeers at him, and berated the man. The strange man had a straight face the entire way. Crowley was aware that nobody was on the lookout for him. He could have made a break for freedom, and nobody would¡¯ve been the wiser. The odd many definitely thought less of him. The rat found no fault with his logic. A beast only looked after their own interest after all. However, beyond all reasoning; Crowley kicked the ground. Pebbles dispersed across the ground, each one audibly scratched and tumbled. What got into him? ¡°Looks like we caught ourselves the rat!¡± A man with sharp cheekbones called out. He dragged Crowley away by the hair. ¡°Well,¡± the gang''s leader said. ¡°Looky what we have here. The rat and the burned man came crawlin¡¯ out from the muck.¡± ¡°If this one can be so inclined, can you let us go, Mister?¡± Crowley lowered his head. The boss smiled so wide that his gums showed, ¡°now why would I want to let you go? All I see is 2 vagrants in our territory.¡± He stared into the sky, ¡°However, I can let you go your merry way, if you do this one little thing.¡± ¡°Hehe, yeah boss,¡± the mobster in the bandana closed in. ¡°Make demands of the rat¡­ Uh, what are we demanding of him?¡± ¡°Reconciliation!¡± The boss pointed up. ¡°For them stepping into our territory.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah! You have to pay a fee for stepping on our territory. For uh¡­ conciliation?¡± The gang leader pushed him aside, ¡°No, not conciliation you cretin! I said¡­ What did I see?¡± The boss whispered. ¡°I believe you said reconcilement,¡± the man with the sharp cheekbones spoke up. ¡°Reconcilement!¡± The boss spoke up. ¡°No, not that either!¡± They huddled up as the 3 gang members whispered to each other. Crowley and the burnt man stared at the men while that happened. The other thugs prevented them from leaving. ¡°You have to pay us for reconciliation,¡± the gang leader spun around close to Crowley¡¯s face. ¡°Yeah, some re-conciliation,¡± the bandana said. ¡°Uh¡­ what does that word mean, boss?¡± ¡°Reconciliation means¡­ uh¡­ agreement!¡± the leader snapped his finger. ¡°Yes, naturally. Shake down the vagrants from any valuables.¡± ¡°We found nothin¡¯, sir,¡± the sharp cheekbone said. ¡°Nothing of value, eh? Now that won¡¯t do,¡± the boss rubbed his chin. Cheekbones shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to expect, they¡¯re bums. There is only one thing to do when ya can¡¯t mug ¡®em.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that we take care of ¡®em?¡± The bandana asked. The other mobsters glanced at each other, seemingly unsure if they wanted to go through with what they were suggesting. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m the boss here!¡± The leader screamed. ¡°What I say goes, we should¡­ Shit, what can you do when ya can¡¯t mug as muggers. Yes ¡ª I say we beat up those migrants.¡± Crowley was deep in thought. They were going to pummel both him and the burnt man if Crowley said nothing. An idea popped into the rat¡¯s head. A scheme so stupid that only an idiot would fall for it. It just might work against those fools however. Crowley¡¯s beating heart slowed down as he talked, ¡°that¡¯s a good idea, Mister,¡± Crowley gravelled at the ground. ¡°Shut it!¡± Cheekbones yelled. He sent a kick. Crowley watched as the foot flew towards him, yet there was a gleam in the rat¡¯s eye. Crowley jumped when he sensed the foot pressed on his stomach. What should have felt like a kick, was more of a hard press on his skin. Crowley hit the wall before planting face first on the floor. ¡°You call him boss, and nothing else!¡± Cheekbones exclaimed. ¡°What has gotten into you?¡± The leader asked. ¡°You have to tell me before wackin¡¯ someone.¡± Cheekbones leaned on the wall, ¡°Just on edge is all. The burnt man and the rat creeps me out.¡± ¡°Take a breather, nothin¡¯ is waiting for you here.¡± The boss redirected back, ¡°You there, rat,¡± he pointed.¡± ¡°You think he¡¯s still breathin¡¯, boss,¡± the bandana asked. Crowley pretended to cough. He studied the gang¡¯s reactions. The burnt man was doing fine. ¡°This one is sorry for my earlier rudeness, boss,¡± the rat said; his voice smooth. ¡°I could have never comprehended your greatness, I misspoke before.¡± ¡°Enough with the compliments,¡± the leader said; however, his voice grew softer. ¡°Now, what to do with you.¡± Their patient was growing thinner by the minute. But Crowley thought about what was in their hearts. How people only listen to what they want to hear. An intense fervour shaped inside Crowley''s words, ¡°Perhaps you are mistaken. I can offer you more than just the clothes on my back.¡± ¡°Welly, well, look at the rat trying to call out of its predicament,¡± The gang leader said. He snapped his finger. His thugs cornered the rat. They trapped Crowley on all sides. ¡°This one has nothing to offer, but he can tell you information worth your time,¡± the rat coward in his shadow. The guy with the mohawk pulled back his hand. The mobsters stepped back. ¡°Oh?¡± the leader asked. ¡°So the rat can be useful after all. Then tell me ¡ª why should I spare you?¡± ¡°Are you aware of a beastkin named Mekiko?¡± Crowley asked. A stiff breeze blew past them. The air whistled through the torn-up buildings. Crowley waited, wondering what was going to happen to him. The gang boss studied Crowley, then the leader rubbed his chin, ¡°go ahead, I¡¯m listening,¡± the boss said. Crowley told about a Nyancan that he¡¯d seen in Hognose Street. That rat told about a fraud who scammed people by impersonating Imperial. How much the residents got suckered in by 2 men¡¯s lies for weeks. Crowley told how they obscured the supposed Imperial traits with sunglasses and helmets. The gang members fell deeper into Crowley¡¯s words. Some were skeptical, but greed held an argument of its own. People only listened to what they wanted to hear. ¡°That is a tell for sure,¡± the leader said. He asked how Crowley knew about the beastkin. ¡°This one came and went for Hognose Street for such a beautiful¡­ outing, boss,¡± Crowley said. He told how the Nyancan came here every day. ¡°This is valuable information, indeed,¡± the leader leered in closely. ¡°But we haven¡¯t finished our Reconciliation, you see,¡± he smiled. ¡°This one means nothing about leaving, boss.¡± ¡°The rat and the other man with the burns go with us!¡± the gang¡¯s boss demanded. ¡°How about you show me and my buddies around?¡± Crowley watched the burnt man. A cold breeze swept across that man¡¯s face. He shivered from the weather. Crowley knew that the odd man did not have the heart to move forward. Crowley spoke up, he had to, ¡°Pardon for this one¡¯s intrusion, but he only met the man not long ago. This one¡¯s giving you everything as it is. This one will be glad to help you, boss, but that man will bring you nothing. You wouldn¡¯t want to bring deadweight with you, right?¡± The leader¡¯s eyes lingered before gaining back its clarity, ¡°yeah, he is deadweight¡­ Alright, the rat goes with us!¡± He decided. ¡°Let¡¯s pay this little cat a visit, shall we?¡± the gang boss rubbed his hands. Bandana nodded a little too quickly. Cheekbones shoved the rat toward the middle of the group. Crowley laughed the entire way. He played his whole hand. The rat awaited to see how this was going to play out. Cheekbones pulled on his hair the entire way. Crowley was going nowhere, but Hognose Street. Chapter 27 The sun shone brightly through the windows. My face froze as I got up from my bed. Damn sun, have to be all bright and sunlike. My hands closed the blinds. The morning frost settled from outside. I went for my usual routine, until I remembered an important detail: Grubbs was being discharged from the hospital. I went into the mess hall, where the guards are located at the moment. They ate their lunch inside what seemed like a cafeteria. A whiff of various foods entered my nose. They shovelled their food down their mouths. They eat like pigs. My eyes scanned for the heaviest guy around. All the other guards noticed my presence. They looked away, as to not be the focal point, yet there was a difference in appreciation than last time. They¡¯re all bigger than me, how could I be so scary? Is my uniform intimidating them, or the fact that I am an operative? The whole place is a mess. I spot Grubbs from the crowd. He chatted with a small group of people, enjoying his breakfast. I eyed him from a distance. The sound of metal on ceramic clattered. I felt that walking up to him would be too jarring for the other guards, but not for Grubbs. The chattering died down when I entered. The guards were enthusiastic, but were hiding something from me. Grubbs waved off his friends when he noticed me. He got up from his chair, I gestured at him, away from the mess hall. Outside was much cleaner, although some food lingered in the air. ¡°Mekiko,¡± Grubbs rubbed his head. ¡°It¡¯s uh¡­ nice time see you. What are you doing with the guards? Aren''t you supposed to be eating with the other IMPERIAL operatives?¡± ¡°No, I came here to talk about the weather,¡± I patted the man¡¯s back. ¡°Nice to see you back in one piece. Wait, is that a bag of chips I see?¡± I pointed at the fancy paper bag of fried potatoes. ¡°Chips? He asked. ¡°I¡¯m not eating any until lunch. Oh! You mean my bag of crisps,¡± he held up his bag. Is that what they call them? ¡°Crisp, chips, whatever,¡± I sighed. ¡°Were you eating them during breakfast?¡± Grubbs nodded while stuffing chips in his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m going to take that as a yes,¡± I said. ¡°Are you going to at least share some with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that I can¡¯t, Mekiko,¡± Grubbs replied, face full of food. ¡°May I ask the reason?¡± ¡°It¡¯s uh¡­ Sour cream and onion.¡± ¡°Of course it is,¡± my tail swayed. ¡°Give me that,¡± I snatched the bag of chips when Grubbs wasn¡¯t paying attention. I checked the contents, ¡°really Grubbs, a full size bag of crisps?¡± Although the packaging was decent. He rubbed his head in response, ¡°You know ¡ª funny story¡­ Can I have my crisps back?¡± ¡°I refuse,¡± I shook my head ¡°Come on, Mekiko. I don¡¯t have to beg, do I? The bag is only going to the rubbish bin if you take them. This is my only breakfast for the day.¡± ¡°This is your breakfast?¡± I waved the bag of chips in Grubbs¡¯ face. ¡°By the lord, Grubbs. I¡¯m not standing here and letting you eat deep fry with salt! You already have enough on your plate. And that plate is full of lard and disappointment. Do you understand, Grubbs?¡± ¡°Oh man,¡± Grubbs deflated. ¡°I understand you crystal clear.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re okay,¡± I finally said. Grubbs and I said our goodbyes. I held onto the chips. I wondered what I was going to do with them, probably throw them out. ¡°Ay, Mekiko!¡± Wade called out from afar. He wore the same shirt and a wide smile, ¡°How¡¯s my main catboy doing? You know? Don¡¯t answer that. Glad to see you, good to see you.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it I handed him the bag of chips, ¡°Here you go, no time to explain.¡± ¡°Mekiko, can¡¯t let you go so easily,¡± Wade blocked the door to the outside. ¡°Where are you going so early, my catboy?¡± ¡°Where do you think I¡¯m going? I¡¯m going to Snakewater with Lyle,¡± I said. Although riding on a rollercoaster with Thousand Cuts sounds more appealing, I have a duty to uphold. ¡°I am already late as it is,¡± not to mention distracted. ¡°Ay! Not so fast,¡± he snapped his finger. ¡°Here¡¯s the Dealio, Donovan noticed that you were late for breakfast. Therefore, he sent me to look for you. So, I,¡± he pointed at himself, ¡°have to make sure you¡¯re eating well.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll eat while going out,¡± I replied. ¡°No can do. You¡¯re my responsibility, my catboy friend. Donovan got some fish, and you eating it outside is going to get pretty messy.¡± ¡°Did you say fish?¡± My ears perked up. I was already late, so staying to eat couldn¡¯t hurt; I couldn¡¯t go on an empty stomach. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stay for fish,¡± my mouth watered. ¡°Are you going to at least tell me how you got the chips?¡± Wade asked. ¡°No,¡± I replied. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª There are words better left lost, yet they embedded themselves in my mind. The way the racist fruit guy treated me, how Lyle told me that I was pathetic¡ª How Thousand Cuts called me cute¡­ The point is that today was no exception. Wade said to me: sometimes you need to keep a cool head, you don¡¯t have to take the heat for others, you dig? And I never understood what he meant. I was IMPERIAL. I had an obligation to uphold, for the citizens ¡ª and for my friends. Stopping now meant losing my pride, it meant leaving behind everything dear to me. I didn''t want to lose, I refused to let go of what I grasped. The Mekiko from the past was no longer there, the anima treatment fried his brain. Who was Wade to judge character? Instead, I pushed further; and took Lyle along with me. We went back to Hognose Street. The place was the same as any street in Snakewater. The grim was so thick that I tasted dirt in the air. My knife stabbed inside a plant monster, an overground Venus fly trap. It spitted acid from out of its mouth. Water sprayed everywhere as I cut off the monster¡¯s stem. ¡°Always with the first strike,¡± Lyle muttered under his breath. ¡°What is this about first striking?¡± I asked. ¡°Nothing of importance.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± I replied. ¡°Now that we¡¯re whacking weeds, are we going back?¡± ¡°Whacking weeds. You say that as if we¡¯re gardeners.¡± Lyle gestured at the monstrous plants, ¡°please, look at them. All they are is overgrown, insignificant weeds. I could tell you that your mind was on different subjects while fighting,¡± he spreaded out his arms from the plants. I pointed at Lyle¡¯s chest, ¡°Look, Lyle,¡± I said. ¡°Just because the monsters aren''t as tough as the rats, doesn''t mean that we¡¯re not making a difference.¡± ¡°A difference you say?¡± Lyle scoffed, ¡°all we¡¯re doing is putting a bandaid on a festering problem. The monsters will be back and in different numbers. Unless we somehow find a way to reclaim infested land, monsters are bound to happen.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that we do nothing? We¡¯re making a difference in people¡¯s lives! Doesn¡¯t a human¡¯s life mean anything to you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to believe anymore ¡ª what I do know is that all I¡¯m doing is weeding out plants, and I¡¯m no gardener. All around us were vegetables; carrots, tomatoes, and the likes. I agreed on clearing out a vegetable garden for a woman. ¡°Well, guess what? ¡ª We¡¯re not heroes either,¡± I said. ¡°I know that this isn¡¯t glamorous work, but you can¡¯t forget why we¡¯re here. Come on, we got more work that needs doing.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± he groaned in response. We trekked back to the closed fence near Hognose Street. 2 people armed with guns guarded outside. They called themselves The Neighborhood Watch. No formal training, no proper equipment, and equipped with only a dream; a better tomorrow. I was familiar with them. The Neighborhood Watch patrolled around the streets. They guarded the more dangerous parts from monsters. They had their fingers off from the trigger, and guns on standby. The vigilantes nodded while I passed through. Lyle was less friendly. We went out of the guarded gate. ¡°Oh goodness! Did you get rid of the monsters in my garden?¡± A middle-aged woman asked. ¡°Indeed I had,¡± I said. ¡°Thank you so much!¡± She shook my hand, ¡°You don¡¯t know how much it means to me now that you got rid of the menaces. I can finally go back to growing my crops!¡± I downplayed my actions, all I did was kill monsters. What I did wasn¡¯t any different than yesterday. Lyle only grunted.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much crowns, but this is the least I can give you for helping me out,¡± she carried a bag of vegetables. I gently pushed them away, ¡°Lyle, stop judging!¡± I cleared my throat, ¡°I appreciate the gesture, but I¡¯m a beastkin. If you want to repay me, give them to the orphanage. They¡¯ll appreciate your efforts,¡± I waved her off. Lyle muttered something about weed whacking and gardening as we circled back to the apartment complex. I could almost understand where Lyle was coming from. Almost. I haven¡¯t gotten into any difficult fights since the rats. The last few weeks got easier. I caught myself losing track of the monsters I killed. The process was effortless ¡ª something was wrong. Perhaps I¡¯m over the edge, but nothing was ever as simple as it seemed. Chapter 28 The apartment was the same mess as it always was. Carmen sat near the building with nothing but her wheelchair and a jacket. I punched in Morse code through my transceiver before talking with the old lady. ¡°Fancy meeting you here out of all days,¡± I said. ¡°Now, isn¡¯t this a pleasant surprise to see the catboy this early?¡± Carmen said. I told her about my time with the garden, about the monstrous plants. I spoke about how trivial the flytraps were. We then went through more mundane topics. I asked about the lack of difficult tasks. The old lady rubbed her chin, ¡°Normally I would think up something, but my noggin¡¯s coming in empty. You did anything and everything that needed helpin¡¯. I¡¯m afraid that there¡¯s nothing left for ya.¡± ¡°Are you insinuating that there¡¯s nothing left? There certainly has to be something,¡± I challenged her. ¡°Don¡¯t sass me, boy!¡± She waved her cane, ¡°A tongue like that could earn ya a beatin¡¯ if ya not careful!¡± She exclaimed, then calmed down, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I¡¯m sayin¡¯. Unless you considered pruning along with whackin¡¯ weeds. We appreciate what you have done, but we don¡¯t get you to do the mundane. You don¡¯t get a sledgehammer to hammer in a nail either. Making sense to ya, boy?¡± ¡°No¡­ You¡¯re making sense to me,¡± I said after deliberation ¡°I meant that you worked when nobody would. Take the day off, rest for a while, enjoy the sights. You don¡¯t have to worry about everyone''s hassle..¡± My head spun in multiple directions. I haven¡¯t fully trusted her since the moment back to the pub. What did she know what a hassle was? I was an operative, my duty was for other people. Who was Carmen to pry into my life? My face puffed up in displeasure. I crossed my arms while I looked away from the old lady. Carmen got the message. She wheeled herself back inside the apartment. Take a break, they say. It¡¯ll be fun ¡ª they say. Well, I¡¯m not understanding the fun part. My mind was a mess of thoughts. I stomped around the main square to clear my hand. ¡°Are you still sulking, Catboy?¡± Lyle asked. ¡°I''m not sulking!¡± I exclaimed. ¡°And shouldn''t you keep your mouth shut, and minding your own business?¡± The autumn breeze brushed past us yet again. Unlike others, the cold breeze felt gentle. The distance between them was the same. ¡°This is my business,¡± he said. ¡°Any assumption I could make about you, that¡¯s none of my business. You¡¯ve been on edge since you got here.¡± ¡°Am I on edge?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, you are,¡± his words cut through all those feelings that were building up. A strange clarity washed over me, ¡°Lyle, say that again.¡± ¡°I noticed that you are on edge?¡± ¡°For once, what you made sense, and all you said was another judgment. Yes, there is a touch of forbidden out there,¡± I rubbed my chin. ¡°We should go back soon, but not to rest! I should have a strategic meeting¡­ I could bring Thousand Cuts along. We both can have fish.¡± ¡°Mekiko, you¡¯re acting hysterical,¡± he grabbed my shoulder before letting go. I shoved him aside, ¡°Don¡¯t bother, I¡¯m not listening,¡± I told him. ¡°No, no, no,¡± I repeated. ¡°You¡¯re not coming anyway ¡ª although I can make due with Donovan. Have him bring a laser pointer along, for focus purposes of course.¡± ¡°Mekiko, can you listen to me for once?¡± ¡°For what, so that you can call me a cat again? Life is one problem after another. I had it easy for far too long. Something is going to blindside me when I am paying the least attention.¡± ¡°Fine, we can go back, but first, I have to go out and refill my canister.¡± ¡°Yeah, and what for?¡± I pointed at his chest, ¡°I did not at all see you take a sip.¡± ¡°I forgot to fill my container up on the way there. I¡¯ll be quick.¡± ¡°And I say that you¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°You can never trust me,¡± he left without a word. I reached out my hand towards Lyle, but I stopped. Whatever he was doing didn¡¯t concern me. My tail distracted me from worrying. It consistently thrashed. Previously I heard Lyle clearly. Now the main square was a mess of noise. A place of cobblestone, it was located near the train station. They gathered on the outside of a station. A man stood tall. A milkcrate perched him up. ¡°And to the ones at the top of the emperor, the one percent,¡± he yelled. The speaker scanned the crowd before placing his eyes on me. ¡°They don¡¯t care about Snakewater!¡± Snakewater deserves better, I was lost in thought. He continued, ¡°The bourgeoisie would try to deceive you, and for what? Not to avoid hardships, or to break even in that case. Because they¡¯re afraid of being seen as less rich. You there,¡± he pointed at me. ¡°You¡¯re making demands of me?¡± I asked. The speaker looked at me up and down. ¡°A male Imperial nyancan, folks,¡± he seethed. ¡°What, betraying your own kind wasn¡¯t enough for you? You also have to be a lap dog for our oligarch friends.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°You have the gall to say those slanderous remarks to my face,¡± I challenged. ¡°Glady,¡± he stepped down from his crate. ¡°You are a treasonist beastkin, a class traitor who betrayed his own kin to become part of the oligarchs.¡± ¡°What have you done?¡± I went forward. ¡°This question has no bearing on our argument.¡± ¡°Really? Because all that I see is a man bitching and moaning about slights that have nothing to do with him. I blew up a cretin¡¯s nest and saved an orphanage from financial ruin.¡± There were some murmurs. The man spoke up, ¡°do you really believe his lies? Don¡¯t listen to his misinformation, people. This is how the ruling class keeps in power. By dividing us with deceit and disinformation.¡± ¡°Ask anyone here, and you would have got your answer within 30 seconds. But no, you rather parrot a manifesto to lecture us with your best high school interpretation. But I expect less from someone who can''t tell a guard between an operative.¡± ¡°You are up to something, you got to be,¡± he stammered. ¡°You people are all the same,¡± I simmered. While I was quiet, everyone else was silent. ¡°Carrying ignorance and generalization like they are a sense of pride. Are you aware of the operatives sacrificed for you to spout nonsense with that stupid red hat? The sacrifices I made? ¡ªOf course you don''t.¡± The speaker growled. He swung a sucker punch. I watched as his fist sailed over. So slow. The attack was slow, there was no need to dodge. *Slap* The man fell over in an instant. I slapped him across the face with my backhand. My hand was faster than his fist. I watched how cold he was out. So pathetic¡­ ¡°Guy¡¯s fierce with his tongue; but put some resistance, and he folds,¡± one of the residents said. ¡°C¡¯mon, I¡¯ve seen enough.¡± The people who watched our conversation left. I observed the passed-out speaker. He wasn¡¯t going anywhere. The crowd dispersed. I wondered what I was going to do with him. The speaker said so many talking points from The Rebellion, but seeing him fight made me reconsider. He was probably nothing more than a Rebellion sympathizer, capturing him provided no useful information. I stared at him in disgust, ¡°next time, don¡¯t push your luck against a person with a sliver of anima,¡± I said. ¡°Although this was your smartest move, saying that you finally stopped that trap of yours.¡± ¡°Catboy, what did you do?¡± Lyle asked. He grabbed my arm from behind. I shoved his hand away. ¡°What did I do?¡± I scoffed. ¡°What did he do?¡± I pointed at the passed-out man. ¡°I don¡¯t need to explain myself. Not for a person like you, Lyle.¡± I thought about Lyle while I glanced at the man on the ground. Lyle was no different than the sympathizer. Sure, their methods differed. Lyle was much smarter, but there were different aspects to put me down. Lyle¡¯s disrespect came in the way he said catboy. Everyone else also called me catboy, sure. But nobody used that word to undermine me harder than Lyle, the way that he refused to acknowledge my position. Lyle was never here by choice. The sympathizer on the ground made me tempted to kick him. That was until a man with a mohawk came from the alley. He wore a leather jacket with a cudgel. ¡°Looks like the degenerates came out to play,¡± I said. Nobody dresses like that to go out for a stroll. I stepped away from the unconscious man. Beside the man with the mohawk were 3 other people. 1 had a bandana that covered his face, and the other sharp cheekbones. The last man stood out, but not because he was noticeable; but because he was unnoticeable. He wore simple rags; a vagrant. He hunched over to below my height. ¡°Perfectly beautiful¡­¡± the vagrant rubbed his hands together. ¡°Shut it!¡± the sharp cheekbones smacked the vagrant upside on the head. ¡°Is this the cat that you keep talkin¡¯ bout?¡± ¡°This one is aptly aware of the nyancan, Mister,¡± the vagrant ignored the pain. ¡°Welly, welly, well,¡± the mohawk said. ¡°Looks like we found the cat and its cohort. With eyeglasses to hide what a big fraud they are,¡± he spread his arms out for us to see. ¡°Information worth its weight in gold indeed. ¡°Are we goin¡¯ to scrap ¡®em for valuables, boss?¡± the bandana said. ¡°Not yet; how bout we talk with them first? Everything came together. Of course something was bound to happen when I had it easy for too long. Might as well get this out of the way. Lyle went towards the forefront, ¡°If you¡¯re going to talk, then talk; or get out of our way,¡± he clenched his fist. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re takin¡¯ alright,¡± the leader said. ¡°I got a proposition for you so that you both could walk out with your lives.¡± ¡°Yeah, and I don¡¯t listen to criminals,¡± Lyle seethed. I sensed that his arms were ready to grab his weapons. ¡°A feisty one we have here!¡± The boss spun around before meeting with Lyle¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t hurt that pretty collar of yours. All you need to give us in return is some ¡ª conciliation.¡± The bandana laughed, ¡°Yeah, boss give ¡®em some of that¡­ Wait,¡± he leaned in closer to the leader. ¡°Didn''t you mean to say reconciliation?¡± ¡°No, What I said was reconcilement, you bumbling fool!¡± ¡°I heard the boss say reconciliation,¡± cheekbones added. Lyle and I watched as the 3 gangsters bickered at one another. They appeared tranced in their little world of ineptitude. A voice escaped my throat, ¡°great, here I thought we were getting mugged, but instead I¡¯m in a bit; featuring the 3 stooges.¡± ¡°Uh, boss,¡± the bandana interrupted. ¡°What is the cat implying?¡± The gang leader smacked the back of his head, ¡°he¡¯s calling us stupid you dolt! Although ¡ª you can see that there¡¯s more than just the 3 of us,¡± he snapped his fingers. The main square was empty. Destitute as the areas that surrounded Snakewater. Living beings had a way to avoid danger that way. Thugs, ruffians, and hoodlums replaced the once lively square. They held a multitude of weaponry. The boss pointed, ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you one last time. Would you, or would you not hand over everything you own?¡± ¡°Everything I own?¡± I asked. ¡°Everything you own,¡± he repeated. He wanted all that I owned that had value. The money in my hand, the maps, and the transceiver that Dolores entrusted me with. I recalled the duster and armor that Donovan gave me, more than just granted, it protected me. Then there were the sunglasses that Thousand Cuts personally bought me. My ears lowered as my fangs were on full display. ¡°Oh~ is the little cat afraid?¡± The gang leader asked. ¡°Are you going to meow for us?¡± Cheekbones spread his arms, ¡°how about you bring a leash for that collar boy of yours? Put on a show while you¡¯re on it?¡± Laughter was heard, some of the mobsters seemed unsure. ¡°Because they are both animals, right boss?¡± the bandana said. He nudged the leader. ¡°And¡­ you somehow ruined the joke,¡± the boss said. He nudged bandana and cheekbones aside. I wasn¡¯t sure of much, but I was absolutely certain that only with my dead body, they were getting through my belongings. Lyle met face-to-face, ¡°you want my crowns?¡± Lyle asked. Long gone was his mocking tone, ¡°alright, here¡¯s everything I got.¡± Lyle reached into his duster, he pulled his coins into a fistful. The clumps of metal shattered into the air. Crowns, shillings, and pennies; they flayed the flesh. I watched as the coins pelted the gang leader¡¯s face. Now Lyle was speaking my language. Chapter 29 The coins scattered in multiple directions. ¡°Now you done it,¡± the leader looked up with his bruised and bloodied face. He used his hand as a cloth to wipe off the red smear. My blade revolved in my fingers as I used Knife Tricks to hold the steel steady. Lyle brandished his revolver while holding his shortsword. The other gang members held their weapons closer. They were no stranger to violence. The familiar autumn breeze brushed by; still as we all were. Lyle sprinted in, I leaped towards the gang member. The coins clattered on the ground as we picked up speed. The gang leader bore down his cudgel, I sidestepped out of the way. My senses acted up, that''s when my instinct took hold. I ducked down. A machete whizzed past overhead, past my ears. My breathing quickened as my pupils dilated. My claws retracted. I looked at the man. Cheekbones was the one who held the machete. I repositioned my knife in reverse. Bandana held a pistol, nestled firmly in his hands. He steadied his aim. Cheekbones swung with abandon. I stabbed the thug¡¯s arm to meet his attack. My blade left a wide scar. Cheekbones clutched on his arm while he receded back behind the gang leader. I rolled onto the ground. Bullets pelted the ground as Bandana took pot shots. Lyle fought his own battles. A mobster guarded with a club, yet Lyle¡¯s blade overpowered the wood. His sword splintered the hoodlum¡¯s weapon, to the point where Lyle made a shallow cut. The gangster dropped to the ground. Another mobster ran towards Lyle. *Bang!* The operative shot the gangster without looking in his direction. The ruffian toppled down. There was no time to ponder if he was still breathing. Not an ounce of anima do they share. ¡°Shit!¡± A gangster yelled. ¡°They¡¯re the real deal. The rat tricked us!¡± Panack struck half of the gang members. The other half glared at the vagrant, ¡°Yes, this is the rat¡¯s fault,¡± another mobster said. The vagrant slammed his foot into a thug¡¯s ankle before they could catch him. The vagrant kneeled over, ¡°Sorry, but this one is done playing your games. Have good luck with your precious¡­ fates!¡± Like that, the vagrant ran off, unseen as he was before. I refocused my attention back onto the three stooges. They were as still as the other gang members. They were the powerhouses, and Lyle picked off the stranglers, and those stranglers were close by. I dashed towards the nearest mobster. His eyes widened as I sank my knife into the thug¡¯s leg. I felt a tingle in the back of my head. I looked back to the bandana, he pointed his gun at me. A club swung at me from behind. My body pivoted as I grabbed onto the arm of the would-be attacker. I used the momentum to flip over the brute. A bullet went off, it tore through the attacker¡¯s shoulder. ¡°They¡¯re pickin¡¯ us off!¡± the gang leader yelled. ¡°Gather here, and fight together.¡± Yet the warning fell on deaf ears. Lyle and I destroyed their morale. The group scattered in multiple directions, the leader included, bandana and cheekbones also ran away with him. I looked in the direction where they escaped. We fought for far too long, so they¡¯re probably long gone. Catching them now was an impossible task, I sighed. Just when I thought that fate hadn''t screwed me over enough. I checked for corpses when they were still breathing. Some injuries, but they¡¯ll live. The previous bile in my throat washed away. All was still, except for Lyle and my twitching tail. A body twitched and raised from the corner of my eye. The body was animated, like strings attached to a puppet. I watched as the man stumbled for a weapon in a sea of bodies. Lyle put away his revolver with delicate fingers. He faced his back at the man. ¡°Stay down, you should accept your defeat with grace,¡± Lyle said. The man shuffled on. Lyle threw his sword on the ground, he was unarmed. ¡°I tried giving you a chance. Now I see that you don¡¯t even have that much honour. You vile scum are all the same,¡± he said. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. The gangster charged at Lyle with a simple knife. Lyle swung his arm as the knife struck out. He grabbed onto the man¡¯s arm and twisted out of some sadistic pleasure. The knife went out of the man¡¯s grip. Lyle threw the thug onto the ground with his other hand. ¡°All. you. had. to. do. was. stay. Down!¡± The operative brought his fist down with each word. ¡°Lyle, stop!¡± I yelled. ¡°You want to kill him?¡± ¡°Why would I do that? The world would be a better place without them.¡± People trickled in to watch from the sidelines. People who carried guns, lowered as they were; The Neighborhood Watch. They were waiting for how this was going to play out, seemingly in inaction. Lyle tugged on the man¡¯s shirt with his bloodied hand. I jerked at the operative¡¯s arm. He put up little resistance, I lacked the strength. ¡°Lyle, are you killing him?¡± I asked again. ¡°Do you see his face? He¡¯s just a kid, younger than us.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not a kid,¡± Lyle said. ¡°He¡¯s a criminal. They tried to kill us. He ran at me with a knife, they''re not good people.¡± ¡°They are only human, Lyle. Humans who made mistakes. We made mistakes before, I made decisions that I am not proud of. Who are you to play judge, jury, and executioner? You''re no different yourself, Lyle. You see that constraint of yours every day you wake up in the mirror?¡± The operative slammed the kid on the ground, ¡°you¡¯re making a big mistake,¡± Lyle said. ¡°Fine, if you won¡¯t tie up loose ends, that¡¯s on you. And ask your vigilante friends what they do with criminals.¡± ¡°You are right ¡ª I am not tying up loose ends. That is because I am not wrapping my problems away with bloodied hands. There might be a psychopath who deserves what they get, and I admit that, but every one warrants a chance. Not the blood covered in your hands.¡± He raised his shortsword from the ground, ¡°Suit yourself, catboy. You¡¯ll learn at some point. Not today, not tomorrow, but you haven¡¯t seen the worst humanity has to offer. And when it does, I¡¯ll be there, here as always.¡± Lyle pushed a neighbourhood watch aside as he was leaving. The member jerked towards Lyle before a hand stopped the watch. ¡°Friend of yours?¡± A woman asked. She displayed her armour with pride, a shine and sparkle that the rest of The neighbourhood Watch had no access to. ¡°More like an unfortunate partner-for-life,¡± I replied. ¡°Sad to hear,¡± she extended her hand. ¡°I¡¯m Sofia, leader of this platoon they call the watch.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡± ¡°Mekiko O¡¯ Zaar, a 3rd class Imperial operative.¡± I took good care not to scratch her with my nails while I shook her hand. ¡°You know somewhat about me, although that was already public information.¡± ¡°You can say that¡¯s true. You are a person of interest. You met my grandma on multiple occasions after all.¡± Wait, there¡¯s only one person who fits that description, ¡°You¡¯re talking about old lady Carmen, she has a granddaughter?¡± ¡°Of course she hasn¡¯t mentioned me, that sounds just like her,¡± Sofia laughed. ¡°How bout you come with us? Come for a little chat? I rubbed my chin while I glanced at the direction where Lyle left. Know what? Screw him, ¡°Alright, I can¡¯t say that the granddaughter of Carmen would be a bad person ¡ª Where are we gathering?¡± ¡°Nothin¡¯ too fancy, a warm place with some hot tea for starters.¡± Anyplace better than here. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª We huddled around the fireplace. The wood crackled as it gave off a scent, of burnt pine. The other watch cozied beside us, they chatted as they laughed. Metlle clammered as a man rearranged his rifle for a routine cleaning. I watched as the tea leaves darkened the water. I resisted the urge to rub my temples. The steam raised to my face, an earthly scent. As I stared, and studied, the teacup looked rather knockable near the table. I pushed the cup to the middle of the table, as to stop my instincts before they happened. Sofia noticed my behaviour. Something here is very wrong. Being here was to relax, to rest. Yet I am tired; not in the way of insomnia, but in the way if I stopped now, there''ll be nothing. The emotions from the battle wore me down. I listened while Sofia prattled on about The Neighborhood Watch, How they dish out their form of vigilante justice, the streets they protect in Snakewater. They are all noble causes, however¡ª ¡°So, Mekiko, whaddya think of our little group?¡± The watch leader asked. I scooped another teaspoon into my concoction of a drink, ¡°hmm?¡± ¡°I asked you what you think about The Neighborhood Watch,¡± she repeated. ¡°I think they are fine,¡± I swirled more sugar in my pot. ¡°Come on,¡± she bumped my shoulder. ¡°That''s not an answer. I rested my teaspoon on the table, my plate clinked, ¡°Alright, you want me to tell you what you like to hear, or what I actually think?¡± ¡°Pardon, you have something wrong with The Neighbourhood Watch?¡± She asked. The ebb and flow of conversation died down. The wood blistered over the fire. ¡°Not in particular,¡± I replied. ¡°Nothing I said implied any disdain for your cause.¡± I tapped on the table. ¡°Then what do you hate about us?¡± My ears twitched, ¡°hate, hate is a strong word. I am hurt by the fact that you brought me here for your personal gain. What would Carmen say if she heard you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you bring my grandmother¡¯s name into this!¡± The table slammed, tea spilled over the floor. ¡°I brought ya here out of my goodwill, away from the mayhem that happened outside. ¡°No, you picked out an IMPERIAL operative while they were at their lowest, had an ulterior motive the entire way; and I fell for your false sincerity. You told stories about honourable causes, thought of me as the weakest link. You''re no different than everyone else in Snakewater with an agenda,¡± I growled. The room stilled. Not a noise left Sofia¡¯s mouth. ¡°I¡¯m done here,¡± I got up from my chair. Chapter 30 The door slammed, and opened. A watch hurried in. He hunched over the door frame as his breathing was heavy. There were a lack of weapons on him. ¡°Leader ¡ª leader!¡± the watch said between breaths. ¡°It¡¯s an emergency, a real bloody emergency!¡± He screamed. ¡°Calm down,¡± Sofia said. ¡°Breath with me for a sec. Tell me what''s up.¡± ¡°A monster¡¯s out there, a demon!¡± The watch studied his breathing. Sofia shook the man, ¡°Are you absolutely certain?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen the demon with my eyes, I swear it on my soul,¡± he nodded frantically. ¡°Shit,¡± she muttered. ¡°Where have you last seen the creature?¡± ¡°I ¡ª I saw it near Hognose Streets. My buds and I were at the pub. We were out having a drink until one of my friends veered off towards the fenced off area.¡± ¡°You were out drinking while on duty? No, that¡¯s not important. What did you see?¡± ¡°When we came to get our bud, I came to my senses,¡± the watch breathed in. ¡°That¡¯s when I saw IT ¡ª the demon. I backed away, we managed to escape. We warned everyone we could. I ran here as fast as I could.¡± Sofia rested her hand on the man¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I know that remembering is hard, but you have to tell me; this is important. What did you see when the demon looked at you?¡± ¡°Emptiness, a void into the abyss¡­ There was no humanity left in IT. ¡°Okay, we have time, the demon is still docile. How many of our men set up a barricade?¡± ¡°About half our men, the other half are here.¡± Sofia put on her coat, grabbed her machine gun, and stowed her pistol, ¡°we¡¯re leaving now,¡± she declared. ¡°Wait, where are you going?¡± Sofia held out her arm. ¡°I¡¯m going with you, I have to.¡± ¡°No, someone has to stay here and man the telegraph. Reach out to anyone who would listen.¡± I watched as Sofia journeyed for the cold. As for the argument I had earlier, that could wait. My feelings went secondary, before my duty as an operative. Various watchmen stormed out, their footsteps scraping the floor. I heard the rhythm of frantic beeping, and a press of a button as I left the house. The Neighborhood Watch made no conversation. Their mood was so somber despite their desperate steps. The watch was everywhere. They raised their guns at the horizon, ever vigilant for the demon to appear. They all waited with pale faces. Lyle was there. ¡°I¡¯m sucha asshole for drinkin¡¯ on duty. I¡¯m sorry for letting you all down,¡± a man said, leaning on the fence. Another watch patted his shoulders, ¡°Get some rest, okay. You did your best.¡± ¡°No, I almost got myself killed, almost got ya killed¡­ I¡¯m too drunk to fight.¡± I passed by the other watch, the conversation was just as bleak. Sofia closed in to the nearest watch member. ¡°How are the locals?¡± she asked. ¡°Not great,¡± the person said. ¡°Everyone on Hognose Street dismissed our warning as the ravings of a drunkard. ¡°Ignorant bastards!¡± The leader clenched her fist. ¡°We¡¯ll find a way ¡ª we always do.¡± AGGGGHHHHH The whole world froze over. A scream bore through my core, all the other watch had the same feeling, but they fared worse. A demon cry petrified The Neighborhood Watch. They trembled from the noise. Lyle and I moved freely. Sophia was the first to break free from the demon¡¯s grasp, ¡°fuck,¡± she whimpered. All the other watch gave out, it was as if the demon flipped some sort of off switch. ¡°I can¡¯t go on, Mekiko¡­ I can barely stand,¡± she leaned on the fence. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Why wasn¡¯t I or Lyle affected? Is it because of our anima that shielded us from the demon¡¯s cry? We were fine, and that was what mattered. Sophia handled herself well, better than the rest. The Neighborhood Watch recovered. I observed what was beyond a little further. To fight the demon, that was my duty. Running away was what a coward would do. I couldn¡¯t hide, I wasn¡¯t that; a cute little cat. I had a duty as an operative, to put myself in front of people. I felt a weak grip in my arm. ¡°Mekiko, you¡¯re not thinkin¡¯ of fighting that thing?¡± Sophia asked. I am alone in this matter, ¡°yes I am. You are too weak. You should rest. I am going to get everything handled.¡± ¡°That¡­ monster is goin¡¯ to get you killed.¡± ¡°You think that I don¡¯t know that?¡± I pointed at her. ¡°Look at you. You''re a walking liability. I can''t let anyone get hurt ¡ª not here. You can¡¯t even stop me if you tried,¡± ¡°You should listen to the vigilante,¡± a hand crept on my hand. ¡°What do you know, Lyle?¡± I jerked. Lyle showed me palms while backing away, ¡°I know enough,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re going in there with little information, or a plan. You think yourself a hero, when you¡¯re an operative? What are you doing? That¡¯s not strength, that¡¯s foolishness. To have everyone put weight on you until it crushes you. Is that how you want to be remembered? As a timid little kitten?¡± ¡°Do I have to remind you that you are wearing that collar of yours?¡± I snapped. ¡°You never stood for anything. All you do is sit back, and make judgments while acting passive. You never had to make a choice. All you are is a mad dog who they couldn''t put down. Lyle¡¯s face darkened, he lowered his face, ¡°A mad dog¡­ Is that what everyone believes that I am?¡± He tugged his collar down while he chuckled. He paused, ¡°I''m a mad dog who should have been put down alongside my parents¡­ So tell me lionboy! You think today¡¯s a good day to die? You think you are a beast? I too can bark alongside you!¡± Lyle''s previous lunacy died down after he laughed. He lowered his face, ¡°I know who I am. What can you say?¡± ¡°I¡¯m no hero,¡± I said. ¡°But I¡¯m also no husk who stands behind a wall of cynicism. That¡¯s why someone has to go out there, because no one else will.¡± The headache I had grew stronger. Thinking had that effect on me, from just determining what was going to happen. If I ran now, that would be betraying myself; as a human. Instead I trekked alone on my path. I went down to the demon. I wasn''t some cat. Even as claws attracted and my tail swayed. I refused for others to see me as unsightly. My ears twitched, ¡°Lyle, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Agreeing or disagreeing with you had nothing to do with me being here,¡± he walked up. ¡°I promised that I wouldn''t let you hit the bucket while under my watch, and I meant that. My mind isn''t going to change with that hare-brained plan of yours. I gave Lyle an obscene gesture with my middle finger, he saluted me back in kind. For that one moment, the migraine that built up waned, although slightly. Even with a person like Lyle, I wasn''t alone. The demon was up ahead, I couldn''t even call it a monster. Moss overthrew the structure until there wasn¡¯t concrete. We were in a valley of trees. The branches danced. The leaves rustled in the wind as the trees prepared for the stress of winter. Each step resounded a crunch. A sea of orange in a field of grass. The leaves brushed on my face. For once, I felt the cold. That was when I saw it ¡ª the demon. It was once human. The monstrosity laid into the shade, body bloated and warped into a vestige. The demon waved its arm up and down in a rhythmic fashion. The eyes were closed. The thing was lost¡­ but not in the way of thought. All I saw was an empty abyss. Slowly this time, we went forward. I gestured at Lyle to move back. I slipped out my knife while Lyle slinked out his revolver and sword. I considered moving away. That demon, it still in the tree except for its repeating arm. I thought about the places I¡¯d rather be as I stared. The Iron Graveyard and the tunnels now felt like good places in comparison. However, I cannot leave the men in Snakewater behind, and not to have myself trample on my honor. All that there was is Me, Lyle, the chirping of birds; and a husk of a man. *Crunch* The demon jerked to life. The leg dragged the thing towards us. Birds flew off from the danger. My boots flattened themselves on the ground. I wasn¡¯t taking any chances. I waved my knife around the demon and then back, a probing strike. The monstrosity was lost in the abyss. Lyle sunk his blade in flesh. The demon put up no resistance as it lay there. Metal on flesh, metallic on metallic. He flayed the skin with his shortsword with his constant attacks. The demon thrashed its arm. Lyle raised his sword in defense. The monstrosity struck past Lyle¡¯s defences. Lyle launched into the air with the thing¡¯s brute strength. He landed onto the ground a distance away. The trees surrounded me between me and the mutant. Lyle was somewhere in the shrubbery. I lost him in all the panic. Tears flowed down the demon¡¯s face. Its smile was wide agape. A gurgling hiss escaped its mouth. I circled the mutant. The arm waved back into the same rhythm. My body leaped into the air. A huge gash rippled along the mutant¡¯s back. The demon murmured. It barely acknowledged that it was in pain. Although the nerves must¡¯ve warped along with the body. Every ounce of my body screamed at me to back away now! Even still, I obliged as I was too shaken to do anything else. The thing¡¯s hand blurred. The arm brushed past my face. I slid on the ground, the crunchy leaves scattered all around. I breathed heavily while crouching on the grass. A breeze blew past me. The sounds of movement from the thing ceased. Do I dare look up? An obsession hit me. I had to. I must. A sensation was crawling up my spine and into my head. The demon¡¯s eyes opened. I recognized those eyes when I saw them¡­ They were the same. Chapter 31 A drunken man enters the pub down in Snakewater, Oroboros Pub. He orders two beers from the bartender and drinks one from a lost memory. He rambles on about a girl, yet not a soul listens. Nobody lends an ear to a rambling drunk, as there¡¯s nothing to harken. Her once vivid face is now a blur. Nobody cares for who she is, so why should he? All there''s to his name is some beer, a shilling, and a poor; and a sorry mug of sorrows. He could no longer recall the times with her, and how could he? He filled the abyss with cheap alcohol. Perhaps the drunkard isn''t meant for this world when the world ceases her existence. The patrons at the bar cheered. They listen in to a different story; a nyancan¡¯s. And the drunkard smiled to himself. He is a broken man, society tosses him aside so that others can be happy. The smell of alcohol tells his story. There is a way for them to join together. A way for him to no longer feel. Go deeper into the abyss. Lose all sense of his humanity. That way, he is invincible. ¡ª ¡ª ¡ª The very same man. That was the man I saw. When I looked, the end stared back. Lyle tackled me away. Moments ago, the demon breathed in deeply. The monstrosity¡¯s maw gaped open, I looked at all the sharp teeth. It chomped down, what sounded like lightning echoed. My legs and my legs went limp as I stood back up. I noticed that Lyle wasn¡¯t wearing his visor. It broke at some point when Lyle flew. The operative¡¯s gun went off. His revolver smoked at the end of the barrel. Lyle put his hand on my back as I balanced myself. The demon coughed up blood while I grabbed another knife from out of my duster. The other one slipped out of my hands from the chaos. Lyle helped me up. Black ichor went down the demon¡¯s mouth. Its bloated body waved in the wind. The maw again grinned, yet there was no twinkle in those eyes. Lyle and I circled the thing. A relentless assault occurred, cuts and slashes appeared all over the demon¡¯s body. It wrenched its eyes at me as the monstrosity breathed in and out. It glanced at me. Lyle¡¯s revolver went off. *Boom!* The demon closed its eyes as the piece of lead went over. Uggggghhhhhhhhh We both lost ourselves in the noise. Stunned in one place, the burden weighed on my arms and my legs. I thought about the lack of any past, how I could never see my mother. I could almost see her face. Anima seeped back into my body. My previous flushed face looked as the demon swung its arm in a devastating strike. Lyle was the first to react, I was the first to respond. I leaped out of the way. The initial whiplash breezed past me. The arm struck Lyle right across the stomach. A mouthful of blood flowed out from his mouth. The operative fell limp. I laid face first on the ground. My head went fuzzy for some time. I supported myself with my arms. I came to my senses when I saw the mutant slowly creeping onto Lyle¡¯s unconscious body. It loomed over Lyle as it pressed its arm against his red hair. The demon hissed as it opened its mouth. The reason why he was here was my fault, and my fault alone. I was the one who was supposed to die, not Lyle. My reckless behavior got me into this, and I had a duty to get him out. When Lyle asked me if I was ready to die, I now knew what he meant. I stood up ¡°hey, demon!¡± I yelled. The monstrosity swiveled its head. ¡°You are going to be with her,¡± I said with deliberate words. The monstrosity released its grip from Lyle. The mutant looked at me with lifeless eyes. Its measured movements stopped. Water flowed, then poured down the irises. Out of an emotion that wasn¡¯t emptiness. Yes, the demon bawled. My feet kicked off on the dead foliage. Leaves hit my face as I dug deeper into the forest. The demon tugged not far behind, a mess of footsteps. It shuffled closer. To a desolate canopy far from civilization or Lyle, this was as far as I could go. The pointed branches twisted from the dead trees. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. I looked back, and handled my knife. My palms shook as I got a hold of my grip. I wasn¡¯t prepared, nobody ever was. However, nobody was going to die because of me, that¡¯s what mattered. There was one quote that I recalled from an old play in my previous life. Readiness is all. Although I was never ready to face my fate. The moment alluded me when I started down the mutant¡¯s face. I couldn¡¯t escape my fate, yet if I did nothing, fate came sooner. I planted my feet below the dead shrubbery. The demon screamed. All was lost, and yet I stood. I placed my blade below my body. One final strike. That was all I needed. The demon struck with its arm. I jumped, and soared above the mutant. My body twisted. I bore my knife down onto the demon¡¯s arm. The limb split cleanly, it landed away from the morphed body. My body took most of the battering while I rolled from the impact. The monstrosity closed in. The maw groaned as it opened near my head. I was too late to dodge. So, is this how they are going to remember me? At least I didn¡¯t bring anyone down with me. Did I buy enough time for Sophia to evacuate everyone, or was everything pointless at the end? A beam pierced the air and descended into the demon¡¯s skull. The focused light cried before dissipating into space. What the beam left was a hole into the monstrosity¡¯s eye, and punctured wood behind the demon. No heat, no coldness, or pain, only power. An anima break. Smoke formed at the end of a barrel. Lyle clutched on his arm, nothing but a tremble in his gait. He sported his revolver for fate to see. My claws tore into the thing¡¯s back. I climbed through the flesh before the monstrosity could respond. The demon¡¯s teeth crackled. I flipped over the thing. My knife tore down into the flesh. The mutant lingered at the spot of the beam¡¯s impact. It was at a loss; more so than before. Lyle grasped at his stomach. We were at eye level with my short stature. ¡°You should have left me to my fate and run when you had the chance,¡± I growled. ¡°You¡¯re not dying under my watch,¡± he replied. I watched as the demon twitched its vestige, ¡°So then tell me, you think today¡¯s a good day to die.¡± He looked at the husk, and nodded, ¡°We make a final desperate charge. I¡¯m heavily injured¡­ out of bullets, and broken. A deserving end for me.¡± He caressed his revolver with the remaining strength he had. His pale, shaky fingers touched the cylinder, ¡°May I rest with them,¡± he stowed the gun away. Lyle lunged at the monstrosity. His sword dulled from the many cuts he inflicted. The attacks grew less purposeful, more primal. I ducked under the thing¡¯s still intact arm. It glared at me. I thought of all my time with IMPERIAL. I was frozen in place, however I made one last move. A knife embedded itself inside the thing¡¯s eye. UGGGGHHHHHHH The demon screamed. Lyle and I toppled from the noise. It stumbled on the ground, looking for me. The arm felt my boots, then gently brushed past my body. It gripped my head. The demon pressed my hand against the cold, hard grass. My eyes turned sideways into the trees. A tongue slid across my face. I held back a shudder as the vile liquid seeped across my face. The monstrosity¡¯s warm breath touched my skin. The demon inhaling grew shallow. Its teeth clattered while it opened its mouth. I closed my eyes, and held everything about myself; repressed the tears down my eyes. The demon¡¯s shattered teeth echoed in the air. I awaited for oblivion, yet nothing came. My eyes opened. A barrier surrounded me. It refused to budge no matter how the thing clawed at the magical shield. ¡°Sorry, Mekiko. I couldn¡¯t come in time, in your need,¡± a voice resounded. The demon no longer pressed my head. I was free, so I turned my head. A silver-eyed gentleman stood when no one could. He held a tome with a silver quiver. ¡°A demon? Mekiko, what have you gotten yourself into?¡± Donovan asked me. He stared past the monstrosity, and onto me. My mentor scrawled on his tome. His writing was so fast that his pen blurred on the pages. Donovan tore the page out of his book. The paper dissipated in the wind. A curved broadsword descended from the sky. The blade chopped off the last of the demon¡¯s limb before disappearing. The monstrosity screamed, yet my mentor didn''t even so much as flinch. He wrote more words in the pages. The demon ran towards Donovan, despite its lack of eyes. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Donovan clicked his tongue. A flick on the page, and chains appeared from the ground. They wrapped around the demon. Donovan looked down at his book. The monstrosity gaped at my mentor, yet no sound came out. Not an ounce of sorrow, or anger. It pulsated while tied to the chains. The demon shrilled almost as if to say a word. Bile rolled down the mutant¡¯s sockets. A sword from the air beheaded the demon. It smiled, even when its head rolled. My mentor lowered his book and quill, ¡°a demon not welcomed in life. There was nothing left for the thing to lose as there was no longer humanity left to give,¡± he looked at the huge corpse. ¡°Piteus things.¡± Donovan tossed his book and pen. They vanished into dust. The particles swept by the leaves. ¡°Donovan,¡± I stared at the man with widened eyes. ¡°How did you come here?¡± ¡°Lyle transmitted it to me. He mentioned your strange behaviour on multiple occasions. I went there as fast as I could.¡± My strange behaviour? Yeah, I see it. Lyle cared about me at least that much. Lyle dropped to his knees when he saw that I was doing fine. Sleep washed over him. ¡°Donovan¡­¡± I said, my voice shook. ¡°Can you hug me? I need you to hug me.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± he wrapped his arms around me. I shook in his embrace. ¡°Did I¡­¡± my tears covered his duster, ¡°did I do well?¡± I couldn''t hold all that I bottled up. My throat constricted, It felt like the air tightened. I tightened my chest to fight back to tears, but the pressure on my heart relented. Pressure to act, the strain to worry, and the tension to perform; they all weighed on me, and formed into an uncontrollable sob. Donovan said nothing. He pushed me further in, and rubbed my back. I don''t know if I can move on, but I also don''t have much of a choice. I couldn''t hold myself back, no matter how much I wanted to. Chapter 32 Ever since Crowley was young, he perceived the sky as ugly. Crowley didn¡¯t know how, when, or why; but the once vibrant sun washed into a dreary mush. The colourful blue sky lost its colour. He went to his mother; his single parent with a glass bottle in her hand, and smelling of cough syrup. Crowley told her of the gloomy weather, about how dark the day was. ¡°You hideous thing,¡± his mother once said. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Today¡¯s a sunny day.¡± Crowley lost interest in the sky after that. There was no time to worry about frivolities, such as the weather. The sky would never change for Crowley. Grey clouds loomed over the drab clouds. Today was no different. The rat picked up his feet through the wreckage. The buildings whistled the same tune from before. He went to the area from where he last met the burnt man, before pulling a fast one on the gang. Here wasn¡¯t safe, still; tricking them was worth seeing that beastkin¡¯s beautiful face for one last time. A small thread seeped across Crowley''s senses while he thought about the nyancan. He glanced in the direction where he ran. Something happened to the beastkin. However, that wasn¡¯t Crowley¡¯s concern. The rat¡¯s nose picked up the scent of smoke. He went back to the destroyed buildings and went inside the most familiar one. The burnt man stared at the same pile of burning, inflammable rubble. The strange man leered into the flames. So close that the fire should¡¯ve scorched his head. ¡°You¡¯re there?¡± the weird man''s head moved slightly. ¡°From where you are standing, you can say that,¡± Crowley nodded. ¡°However there are different reasons. Why be here out of all places?¡± ¡°Everywhere else is so cold¡­ Right here is cozy¡­ You''re warm ¡ª You could have run away far from here, and yet you stayed; how peculiar.¡± ¡°They¡¯re going to be looking for you soon. That is a truth that you should know.¡± ¡°How can you be so certain? What about all of us?¡± He slipped his focus past the firepit. Crowley clenched jaw. The worries for his safety never reached his mind¡­ The rat came all this way for the burnt man¡¯s sake. Crowley told of how he deceived the gang. The fact that he made the catboy operative do the fighting for him. Crowley noticed that the gang were spared. Soon, an influx of gang members were going to look here. That was the first spot that Crowley would¡¯ve checked if he was in their position. ¡°Is that so?¡± the burnt man asked. There wasn¡¯t any emotion behind his words, ¡°why don¡¯t we hide for a while?¡± Crowley shrugged, ¡°the burnt man, and the rat hiding out,¡± he pointed out. ¡°You playing it safe isn¡¯t going to make a difference, now ain¡¯t it? Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯ll find a way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired of worrying,¡± The strange man decided. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Crowley asked the man. The burnt man flopped on the cement, ¡°giving up,¡± the strange man replied. Sometimes Crowley felt the same way. Crowley didn''t care if he was going to die, the burnt man felt the same. The gangs that bullied the weak, The state of Snakewater ¡ª the unchanging weather; they weren¡¯t changing. To sink into deeper depravity. Lose all sense of humanity. That was the way, and the burnt man wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. Maybe giving up on the strange man was the right choice? There were worse ways to go. Dying as a beast with nothing was better than living as a monster with desperation. Such was the sin of vanity. However, the rat laughed. A chuckled so audibly that he wheezed. Crowley smiled, the man deserved better, more than Crowley at least. A man who was more than a beast, and shouldn¡¯t die without a name, ¡°Your name shall be Embers,¡± Crowley declared. ¡°Tell me, do you think today¡¯s a good day to die?¡± Embers sat back up from the cold ground. His hands brushed past his scars. He looked at Crowley without a word. The burnt man¡¯s eyes were as lifeless as the day he meant Embers, Yet there was a spark beneath all the cold. Kindling that was so faint that they could only make ¡ª embers. The rat continued, ¡°There¡¯s no need to say anything. You''re never going to live in such a *subline* life. Everything was bound to say the same, don¡¯t you think? We can, however ¡ª conceptualize.¡± ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± ¡°You live despite all the shit anyone throws at you. Give the Lord one last middle finger before you leave this precious ¡ª world,¡± Crowley looked away from the sun. ¡°This one would not hold anything if you give up. However, he begs for you to reconsider. There is one place that could accept you.¡± ¡°A place of acceptance,¡± Embers trailed off. ¡°Yes,¡± Crowley said in his sweet words. ¡°The Rebellion, you go there. This one knows where they are. You may seek protection there. He can follow you.¡± ¡°No¡­ you were never following me. There¡¯s nothing more to that,¡± Embers responded. Crowley never knew why he helped the burnt man. Honestly ¡ª he couldn¡¯t think of a good reason, yet that was nothing of Crowley¡¯s concern. To Crowley, the strange man was more than a monster, more than a beast; better deserving of cherishing than himself. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Being deceitful was no better than being a monster. Vanity was a sin But didn¡¯t Crowley¡¯s lies and trickery get him out of the gang¡¯s grasp? They also got him here. An answer came to the rat. He didn''t use trickery for brevity. He never used his actions for his own sake. People only listened to what they wanted to hear after all. Perhaps the bounds of what was a sin could be pushed? There was not the only spot where Crowley spread his lies. But in another place as well. A place where the part of the Rebellion resides, and where truth is laid bare. ¨Co¡ª0¡ªo¨C The bells rang in the center above the church. People in rags amassed in communion. Crowley and Embers gathered around the table of various wooden bowls and spoons. The Wood warmed from the soup that the wood held They grabbed bread hard to the teeth and the scent of rooted vegetables. ¡°Freak,¡± The other vagrants insulted the rat and the burnt man behind closed doors; where the nuns weren''t listening. Not that Crowley paid them much mind. Hating required energy. A Strength that could be spent on eating. Before the food was the daily sermons. Nuns lit the cinnamon, like incense. They preached about the wholeness and the Lord. A story was then told. A time that Crowley never knew. About an era of dwarves, elves, and a dragon. But all of them were just that, tales that told moral lessons. Little evidence showed that these creatures existed. Yet Crowley knew those stories by heart. His mother used to make him go to the ceremonies with the best suits money could buy. How she would lock the rat up in his room until Crowley learnt every single word in the scriptures. Today''s lesson was how the hero resisted the demon¡¯s temptation and never fell into the abyss of despair. Everyone deserves a chance of redemption. Redemption. Crowley wasn¡¯t a praying man, yet he stared at the word; longer than what he intended. The Lord, so cruel that he had to pray to them for forgiveness. He couldn''t even forgive himself. The rat scoffed at the idea, yet perfectly recited the scriptures. He finished reciting the story and went to the mass table. The food seemed filling, but there was a lack of spices. Would adding salt kill them? Crowley set the wooden spoon down. Embers finished his bowl. The water was scolding hot. Crowley had no idea how the burnt man finished the food. ¡°The soup¡¯s so warm¡­¡± the strange man said. ¡°How come you¡¯re not eating?¡± ¡°Simply not so hungry,¡± the rat said. He ate 3 days ago, in fact ¡°If you are not going to enjoy the hot¡­ meal. Then can I?¡± ¡°No!¡± Crowley shoved the bowl towards himself. The soup sloshed as it almost spilt, ¡°the soup is not for you,¡± he suppressed a hiss. Of course, Crowley and Embers were here for other reasons than just food. The church was a front, a hotbed for ideals. A man looked over the church that called over the overly huge and warn table. His hair dropped over his face in a mess. That wouldn¡¯t be unusual if it weren¡¯t for the mask on his face. A mask that plastered a smile. ¡°Crowley, Crowley, Crowley,¡± he said in a rhythm. ¡°Back again I see,¡± there were no eye sockets in his mask. ¡°Where have you been? You never go here unless something¡¯s troubling you.¡± ¡°Yeah, and nobody told you that name,¡± Crowley said. ¡°I guess nobody ever did,¡± the masked man rubbed his chin. He placed his hand on the rat¡¯s shoulder, Crowley flinched. ¡°Crowley¡­ is that surname truly uncomfortable for you? You have enough literacy to read and write. Come from a good background. Never huffed bliss.¡± The masked man released in his grip, ¡°You don¡¯t belong here with the tramps. Society failed you, Crowley.¡± No, he failed himself, Crowley thought; yet smiled. The words straggled in his mind. Crowley was familiar with the rhetoric. The masked man proposed a world without unfair gaps, a city with a strong sense of community, like the beastkin tribes. The idea was an impossibility. It made his stomach churn so bad that he could laugh. He did just that. The rat wheezed on the splintering table near embers. The table shook as the masked man propped Crowly up by his shoulders. ¡°I apologize, I must have unlocked a painful memory,¡± his mask lingered away from Crowley, and onto Embers. The rat gnawed at his lip. The man with the mask was there for a reason. Crowley showed his deceit just yet. He told the man that he was going to be okay. The masked man glinted at Crowley, ¡°I sensed that your anima increased. Say, do you know anything about how you gained that?¡± ¡°Honestly, This one has no idea what the damnation anima is, and he has no intention of discovering anima, Mister.¡± The masked man loitered beside him. Crowley¡¯s soup grew cold, not like he had a desire to eat. The mask made distinguishing his expression difficult. ¡°I see,¡± he finally said. ¡°A tale as old as time. Tell me, who is your friend?¡± The masked man directed at the strange man with burn marks. ¡°Introduce me to him.¡± ¡°Embers?¡± Crowley asked. They watched as the strange man banged his bread. Wheat was so stale that it could break the table instead. We were having a serious conversation, and he was playing with his food. Crowley cleared his throat. He redirected Embers¡¯ attention. ¡°Embers, this is Noel, the one wearing the mask,¡± Crowley corrected. ¡°Noel ¡ª this is Embers, the man is with this one, he can assure you.¡± ¡°Embers¡­¡± Noel stroked his mask. ¡°That sounds like a name they give a mercenary. Tell me, Embers, what can you tell me about the houses?¡± Embers set down his bread. Crowley was about to speak for him. The rat was familiar with the talking points, and Embers was not. That was until the burnt man opened his mouth, ¡°you¡¯re speaking about the rich, am I correct? Let¡¯s call them by what they are, oligarchs from a bygone era, set in their ways. Maybe they would¡¯ve enacted different laws if they weren¡¯t so polarized in their ways. But who can expect from the wealthy? When they even have to redefine human rights.¡± Did¡­ did Embers actually say something insightful? Crowley stared at the strange man, dumbfounded. Noel was in the same boat. ¡°Talking about houses feels so cold¡­ I¡¯m done talking,¡± Embers went back to bashing his bread on the table. Easy come, easy go. Noel apologized that he doubted them, ¡°discussing here isn¡¯t safe. I have to demand something for you, Crowley,¡± he leaned in closer. ¡°We can discuss later.¡± ¡°Where are you going to meet?¡± Crowley asked. ¡°You know the place, and also bring Embers along.¡± ¡°How about we go now?¡± and away from the bland soup. ¡°No, I don¡¯t approve that you barely touched your food. Please eat your fill, and you can come to see me ¡ª and aim high, Crowley,¡± Noel left the same he came in. Crowley''s improved senses saw no evidence of the man in the mask. Crowey swirled around the liquid with a spoon. Colder now that he finished meeting with Noel. He came here with an agenda. He sealed his fate when he considered Noel¡¯s proposal. Crowley was joining an ideal he never believed in. He felt as if he made a pact with a demon. ¡°I can eat the soup, if you¡¯re not going to have it,¡± the burnt man offered. ¡°No, you can¡¯t have the soup,¡± the rat let out a low hiss. He pulled the bowl away and gripped the bread, hard as tack. ¡°You don¡¯t have to have to bash the bread so loud.¡± ¡°Oh, now you care?¡± Chapter 33 Donovan sized up the room. He took care of how the dining room was presented. The guards who stood by the door, the IMPERIAL operatives who ate and sat next to each other, and of course: the most important person. The beastkin who was next to him. Donovan¡¯s cold eyes softened when he glanced at Mekiko. The chairs were so tall that the beastkin¡¯s feet dangled above the wooden finish. Every operative watched as Mekiko¡¯s tail swayed. His ears twitched, as he yet again garnered attention. The very reason why Donovan seated him away from the other operatives and near people like Dolores. Every stranger Mekiko meets, his tail thrashed slightly more, his face reddened a little extra. The guards carried over their food. Donovan got gazpacho soup with bread that crumbled softly. Another guard handed Mekiko a steak. The tomato soup chilled the bowl. A cold meal for a cold day. The gentleman tasted the gazpacho with a spoon. A bit of too much salt, the man wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. Donovan snapped his fingers, ¡°Grubbs, I wish to speak to you.¡± ¡°Something''s wrong, Donovan, sir?¡± The guard went over. ¡°Yes, there is. This gazpacho made by the new cook I hired perchance?¡± ¡°I wouldn''t know.¡± I see. How foolish of me.¡± Donovan picked up the ceramic bowl, ¡°Tell whoever that the level of sodium is unacceptable, and bring me back another dish with less salt.¡± ¡°Donovan, if I can have a word?¡± ¡°Sure, feel free to speak your mind¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take what I¡¯m saying wrong, but the cooks are going to consider what you said as a threat.¡± ¡°I''m aware,¡± Donovan said. ¡°My reputation wouldn¡¯t allow for anything else. What I¡¯m doing is not about respect or honour. This is about negligence,¡± The gentleman cleared his throat. ¡°Just know that every man has their worth. I cannot accept food less than passable.¡± Mekiko dropped his fork, as well as his ears that lowered on his head. The nyancan¡¯s recent change wasn¡¯t strange to Donovan, he expected the outcome. The beastkin¡¯s antics disappeared mostly since the incident with the demon. Although, only mostly. I have to make sure that he¡¯s eating properly, Donovan leaned on the chair, so that he appeared smaller. He tried making eye contact, which the nyancan avoided. ¡°Mekiko, what is bothering you?¡± Donovan asked. ¡°Nothing is bothering me,¡± the beastkin stabbed at his steak. ¡°I can see the ears on top of your head.¡± The beastkin shifted his head, in an attempt to cover his ears, ¡°Fine, the steak is bothering me. I believe that they overcooked it.¡± Donovan glanced at the plate, ¡°really? Because from where I¡¯m looking, your steak is rare, cooked under my specifications. The meat used spices intended for the beastkin pallet.¡± Mekiko¡¯s ears twitched as they bent down, ¡°I am not hungry, am I not allowed to be full?¡± ¡°Hmm, is that so, Mekiko?¡± Donovan played coy. ¡°You were going to get fish after your meal, but seeing how you were¡­¡± The man waited for the beastkin to raise his ears. Mekiko''s ears perked up, ¡°Fish you say?¡± the nyancan trailed off. ¡°Just because I¡¯m not hungry, doesn¡¯t mean that I cannot finish my plate.¡± Donovan smiled at the beastkin while he leaned back, in that ¡®knowing¡¯ sort of way. The gazpacho took more time than he was comfortable waiting. The 1st class leisurely picked up his teacup. The leaves waft in the hot water, along with the earthy aroma. Mekiko picked at his wooden cup, ¡°Donovan, how come I¡¯m the only one without a cup made of porcelain?¡± The gentleman placed down his cup in one fluid motion, ¡°I told you before. You get your cup back when you can be trusted with not knocking them over.¡± ¡°But I haven¡¯t knocked any of the cups over!¡± Mekiko¡¯s tail thrashed as his feet dangled. ¡°...Well, not recently,¡± he trailed off. ¡°See, the cup¡¯s all in one place!¡± ¡°Mekiko, do I need to remind you why we removed all the vases inside the headquarters? Somebody knocked over an expressive vase, and right next to a table.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°About that¡­ I¡­ I¡¯m¡­¡± ¡°You don''t have to say anything. I understand that you didn''t mean to destroy anything, and that''s why I have to take away your cup.¡± Mekiko grumbled while he spoon-fed sugar to his tea. Donovan watched as the beastkin poured spoon after spoon into his cup. ¡°Hmm?¡± Mekiko tilted his head. ¡°I think that you should be adding some tea with your sugar,¡± Donovan teased. ¡°I wanted to sweeten my hibiscus tea. People are allowed to desire sweet tea!¡± The beastkin said ¡°Mekiko, you have to cool down your cup if you want to enjoy a sweetened drink.¡± The beastkin looked down at his steaming cup of liquid, ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°How about a guard getting some ice to cool that off for you? How does that sound?¡± Donovan asked. Mekiko nodded. The gentleman gestured for the guards to take the nyancan¡¯s tea away. The other operatives conversed with each other. They stuffed their mouths with food as they talked. Donovan was still waiting for his soup. Wade leaned with both feet on the table. Thousand Cuts sat on the other end. She chewed on a piece of watermelon. ¡°So, tell me, Dorathy,¡± Wade butted in. ¡°Please, call me Thousand Cuts,¡± the swordswoman said without missing a beat. ¡°The name has a certain ¡ª mystique, an edge that is sharp as a blade.¡± ¡°Ooh!¡± Wade leaned against the table. ¡°Is that how you want to play? Weren¡¯t you also ¡®Queen of the Night¡¯ at one point? Or was it ¡®The Phantom Blade¡¯? No, wait ¡ª ¡®Eclipsed Empress¡¯, am I right.¡± ¡°I believe her current name will stick this time around,¡± Lorry chimed in. ¡°Dolores, you¡¯re not being helpful,¡± Donovan replied. A guard handed Mekiko a cup of sweetened tea, now with ice. Still without gazpacho soup. Donovan drummed his fingers on the wood. The guard tensed up. The gentleman waved them away. ¡°Are you sure that I can''t have a proper cup?¡± Mekiko asked. ¡°You get one when I trust you,¡± Donovan rested his tea on the table. Thousand Cuts continued with her conversation, ¡°you should take how I choose to hold myself seriously. We all create our identity. Mine has a savoir faire to it..¡± Wade paddled the table, ¡°Lemme guess, you have another monacher planned up? ¡°Ha!¡± Nice try, Wade! But a magician never reveals their tricks.¡± ¡°Ay, I can call your bluff when I see them, however. You haven¡¯t said your name with the enthusiasm you¡¯re used to.¡± ¡°That¡¯s preposterous!¡± The swordswoman slammed the table, ¡°I, Thousand Cuts would never consider such important matters so hastily.¡± ¡°I see how you say your name, especially around your boyfriend!¡± Mekiko lapped up the sweet tea with his tongue. The nyancan stopped when he listened in. He deepened into a red. ¡°¡±We¡¯re not dating!¡±¡± Thousand Cuts and Mekiko said in unison. ¡°Who said that you two were in a relationship?¡± Dolores feigned ignorance. ¡°Everyone does!¡± The beastkin exclaimed. ¡°You think that I am not aware that you¡¯ve been spreading rumours about, with your vile words!¡± ¡°What do you have to say for yourself, Wade?¡± Dolores asked. ¡°You made the catboy flustered.¡± ¡°I didn''t mean to give you bad vibes, my catboy,¡± Wade said in a soft voice. ¡°You can sit this one out.¡± ¡°Hey, if we''re going to talk about dating preferences,¡± Thousand Cuts said. ¡°How has your girl-of-the-week been doing, did you break up too soon?¡± You''ve been picking up more ¡®broads¡¯ as you say?¡± ¡°Hey, give me a break, at least I can admit when I¡¯m committed to a relationship.¡± ¡°Commitment? Oh please, I bet my integrity as a swordswoman that you broke up because of a scandal involving another woman!¡± ¡°Whoa, whoa, hold up there,¡± Wade held out his hands. Let¡¯s not throw anyone under the carriage here. I say that I have my fair share of ¡ª dramatic relationships. But scandals, me? Come on!¡± Thousand Cuts laughed, ¡°Oh, that¡¯s rich, coming from the wannabe King of Polygamy.¡± Wade thumped his bare chest, ¡°Me, I¡¯m a muse for love. Sure, I sometimes go outside the lines, but polygamy is such a bad word. Scandals are for people with bad intentions. I prefer ¡ª to call them creative differences.¡± ¡°Cry me a river! Whatever happened to that baker¡¯s daughter you sang so much about?¡± ¡°Ooo,¡± he leaned down. ¡°Here we go! She broke my heart with another man. It was only natural that I opened up. I am a tragic romantic and a wandering soul. I have to open myself up to others. ¡°I personally saw her father chase you off with a broom, you lecherous pig! At least if I date the catboy, I can love him, like no one else can!¡± Thousand Cuts said. Mekiko sank deeper in his seat. Only his ears appeared above the table. ¡°Aaa! You want me to be quiet. I bet my talking made you real hungry.¡± ¡°Yes, I am,¡± she nodded. ¡°Your words are ruining my taste buds from eating this delicious watermelon.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. How about I make you something special to eat ¡ª and fix you up a knuckle sandwich!¡± Wade threw his plate on the ground, and it shattered. ¡°You dare?¡± She challenged ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t talk to Thousand Cuts that way!¡± An operative shouted. A cacophony of noises erupted around the room. Fists flew at one another. Food launched in the air as a brawl took place. Donovan watched as the chaos unfolded. ¡°Donovan, sir. Uh¡­ Is this a bad time?¡± Grubbs asked from behind. He held out a bowl of gazpacho soup. ¡°Yes, Grubbs. Your timing is terrible,¡± Donovan said with a straight face. ¡°It appeared that Mekiko knocked over his cup again.¡± Donovan looked at the ground. There it was, the wooden cup. Its sweetened contents sprawled over the floor. ¡°Gawk, he¡¯s pulling my eyepatch!¡± Thousand Cuts whined. ¡°Grubbs, get me my pen,¡± Donovan said in a steady voice. The gentleman pushed his tea aside. He repressed a sigh. Chapter 34 Nobody ever looks up. The motorized carriages lit up the streets as they passed by. The vehicle looked like ants from up above. I almost made out the lights from Snakewater. Out above the apartments made of brick. Up above had a lack of cleanliness. Dust entered my nose. Nobody was meant to be up here. But here, the roofs were cleaner than the streets in Hognose. I heard the distant sounds of combustion. Me being above looked so surreal. I saw all there was in the city from so high, the lights, and the buildings. I let out a sigh. Today was no better than the last day. When I felt no hunger, Donovan gave me more fish. I ate a lot of fish recently. When I hadn¡¯t slept all that much, Donovan and Thousand Cuts rested in my stead. Was I supposed to feel sad? They wouldn¡¯t let me feel that way it seemed. ¡°You should watch out from where you¡¯re looking. The shadows might envelop you if you aren''t careful,¡± a hand clasped on my shoulder. I felt the touch, yet I was unmoving, ¡°You know, Thousand Cuts. I¡¯m not meowing for you.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re no fun,¡± Thousand Cuts pouted. Well, from what I learnt was that when I wasn¡¯t surprised, I didn''t meow. My mood brightened a little bit more when I saw her defeated expression. ¡°Nice try, But there will always be another time,¡± she said ¡°No, there won¡¯t,¡± I responded ¡°White Shroud, I must have struck a chord,¡± the swordswoman leaned on the building¡¯s edge. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you this worked up since you cuddled with me last night.¡± ¡°What I did has nothing to do with affection! I was cold, so I decided to sleep in your room. You shouldn''t get any wrong ideas!¡± ¡°But you looked so so adorable, especially when you¡ª¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say it,¡± I begged. ¡°And you should tell such lies, I¡¯m not cute.¡± her smile burst out from her mouth in a sudden ambush, ¡°Thousand Cuts never say her words lightly unless they are to deceive, You were the one who purred while with me,¡± she finalized her attack. Of course, she put me on the defensive. I recoiled back, ¡°That¡­ purring has nothing to do with being friendly!¡± I defended, like how one counters an ambush. ¡°I purr when I¡¯m comfortable, that¡¯s all. How about ¨CNya~ mind your business, and tell me why we came all this way?¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± The swordswoman raised her voice ¡°What?¡± I tilted my head. I looked up to see that Thousand Cuts covered her face. My tail shot up, ¡°How about you mind your business: that¡¯s what I said.: ¡°Nope that¡¯s not what I heard,¡± she leaned in closer, ¡°How about you repeat before you stutter again, catboy?¡± My hair flared up, ¡°There¡¯s no way I am meowing for you!¡± ¡°But hearing you say those meows make you look so¡ª¡± ¡°Nya!~ stop saying that I¡¯m cute!¡± I clasped my mouth before I could say another word. Her ambush was a forgone conclusion. I resigned myself to my fate, ¡°Why did you make me meet you here this time?¡± Thousand Cuts relinquished her flamboyant stance, ¡°White Shroud, you remember, do you not? We¡¯re here for a rendezvous.¡± So this is how she wants to play it? Okay, I¡¯m game, ¡°Why take the effort to get up here? Out of the way from all the people, and away from prying eyes. She leaned in close, ¡°Funny that you should mention that. I fancied that we would go somewhere more intimate ¡ª where nobody can see what we¡¯re up to,¡± she whispered in my ear. *Lub* *Dub* My heart beat faster the closer she leered. Her voice sent a shiver up my spine. I could almost taste her presence. A *thousand* thoughts raced in my head. Was she ¡ª no, she can¡¯t be. Thousand Cuts, broke through my thought when she brought out an envelope. Wait, did I just¡­ No, that was only a moment of confusion, nothing more My hands reacted alone, as they snatched the letter from the crazed woman¡¯s grasp. Black wax covered the paper, stamped with a pattern because, of course, she did. My fingers struggled as I tore apart the letter. Her intimacy intensified my already heightened emotions. Not because of possibly romantic interest, no; definitely not that! Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Yet my tail kept thrashing, despite how much I calmed it, like the tractor it was. My mind was the same as my heart, turbulent. Then I saw the contents. My pupils dilated. They spasm on all the names, My eyes never left the page. ¡°Saintress of Sins,¡± I uttered. ¡°I wondered what names you find suitable¡­¡± Thousand Cuts trailed off. ¡°Mistress of Darkness,¡± I said louder. ¡°Can you please find me a good name? I picked these out¡­¡± She stopped. ¡°Bade Duchess,¡± I put the envelope down. ¡°You¡¯re not even married to a duke!¡± ¡°Can you stop screaming, and hear me out!¡± Thousand Cuts said while crossing her arms. ¡°Hear you out?¡± I asked in indignation. I paused. Maybe I was acting too flustered for my good. Perhaps she has a point, ¡°Alright ¡ª I¡¯m listening, but you better make a good point,¡± I crossed my arms. Thousand Cuts talked about when the chaos erupted in the dining room. Donovan outright dismissed the cleaning staff, and he gave both her and Wade a toothbrush. The other operatives who joined in the brawl handled a mop. Her scrubbing the floor with bristles gave her time to think. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you''re considering changing your name because you''re bored with it?¡± I asked point blank. No, that''s not what I implied,¡± she said. She looked down at street level. Nobody''s taking what I say seriously, like all I am is just one big joke. That''s why I must have a good name.¡± ¡°Don''t forget the fact that I already know how ridiculous you can be,¡± I titled near the edge of Thousand Cuts. We watched the cars pass by. I don''t understand, but I knew where she was coming from. ¡°Mekiko ¡ª can you not go near the edge,¡± she gently pushed me away. ¡°Why? I''m a nyancan, my balance is better than most.¡± ¡°Just¡­ Don¡¯t go near any high places. For me, okay?¡± I stepped away from the edge. I knew what she was implying, yet I asked anyway, ¡°Thousand Cuts, what are you talking about?¡± The swordswoman receded away quietly. I asked again, there was no response; only the sound of her delicate footsteps. Was she thinking that I was going to do ¡ª that? I don¡¯t know how I feel, but, ¡°I¡¯m hurt,¡± was the closest thing that came from my mouth. I sensed her tremble away in an unconscious response, she already put up a fortification between us. My advances wouldn''t work when she guarded herself away from me. ¡°I ¡ª I didn''t imply anything. I only wanted to check if you were doing alright.¡± This is how she shows her concern? My hand clutches the envelope, ¡°You think of me as pathetic?¡± ¡°Mekiko¡­ I didn¡¯t say that.¡± ¡°One bad thing happened to me, and already you assumed the worst? There was much that I could''ve done, but to look for the easy way out? Am I allowed to feel sad without resorting to the extreme?¡± ¡°Can we go down for a second? I know that you are in pain. Mekiko, how about we talk about this while not up here.¡± ¡°How about I don¡¯t?¡± I said back. My hands clutched onto her envelope. There was so much that I was unaware of. I am naive, and I am aware of that fact, but I also knew that I was not that meek kitten everyone pretended I was. I thought back to the note that Thousand Cuts gave me. I couldn¡¯t change how people perceived me, but I could control who I was. That letter that the woman handed me, there was potential for ample banter and silly debate. However, that wasn¡¯t me, like the possibility of me falling off the possibility of me falling from a building. My fingers snapped, sparks formed from the tips; a burning sensation. The paper engulfed into a smouldering pile. My eyes glazed over as the letter plummeted into the nighttime abyss. The embers festered into ash and ebbed through the air. ¡°We¡¯re not playing a game¡­¡± I trailed off when I was about to announce her name. ¡°Thousand Cuts, your name is ridiculous enough as it is. You don¡¯t need another stupid name.¡± ¡°Is this why you''re mad at me, Mekiko?¡± She glanced up. ¡°That¡¯s not why I¡¯m mad. We¡¯re talking about who we are as people. As a gentleman¡ª¡± ¡°White Shroud,¡± she pointed above my head, ¡°I saw your ears twitch! That proves that you do like my name as Thousand Cuts!¡± ¡°You can¡¯t tell intentions by looking at my ears!¡± I yelled. At the end, there was ample banter and silly debate. I watched as Thousand Cuts practiced her swordsmanship. She trained under the moonlight. She ebbed and flowed through each move, like a synchronized dance. Each step connected with her strikes. Each movement had a purpose. Watching her made me realize. There was so much that she did that got on my nerves, and yet I desired so much to be with her. She was a friend, and I regretted burning her letter. I wanted respect, but not like that. If I was going to gain dignity, I wasn¡¯t capturing my pride with fear and negative emotions. The reason for the sombre tones of midlight landed on me. Thousand Cuts was someone who deserved respect, someone special. I let out a width of a breath, ¡°Hey¡­ Thousand Cuts,¡± I stepped up. The swordswoman ceased her practice mid-swing., and asked what I wanted. My ears lowered. I considered what I wanted to say. Sorry seemed insincere. There was not a doubt that entered my mind, and yet a pit persisted in my stomach. Why was that? My lips trembled for a word. I couldn¡¯t let her leave. ¡°Do you¡­¡± I bit my lip, ¡°do you remember our time back at the Mamba Market?¡± I asked, she acknowledged. I said, ¡°You wished that we would go to the bar, and visit old acquaintances. ¡®Bury the hatchet,¡¯ as you said.¡± ¡°About that,¡± she put away her sword. ¡°I spoke on that a while ago. You don¡¯t have to go if you don¡¯t want to. I changed my mind, I could admit that it was a stupid idea to bring you along.¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± I pointed at her. ¡°That pub back you said all those months ago, I could tell that means more to you.¡± She asked what I meant, I said, ¡°what I¡¯m implying, is that we go there. I admitted that I wasn¡¯t ready, but now I am. There was so much that I saw in Snakewater that I couldn¡¯t take back. I¡¯m aware that the pub is an awful place. Don¡¯t bother dissuading me, I¡¯m aware, may you take my hand and go on another adventure?¡± ¡°White Shroud, how bold of you to tell a lady at this time of hour,¡± she pretended to gasp. Did she really call herself a lady? My ears twitched. Although I indeed called myself a gentleman moments ago. ¡°Alright, I accept your proposal,¡± she rubbed her chin. ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t take what you said so lightly, for I always keep my word.¡± ¡°If you are okay with us going. I got the perfect day to prepare.¡± My tail swayed hard as the swordswoman continued her dance. The vehicles crawled down below, like metallic caterpillars. The puffs they made with their combustion engines. Although they went by slowly in the night. Tomorrow was going to be more hectic.