Cat Degeneracy

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 — 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.

“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.”