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.

— — —

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

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“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…

— — —

—Multiple POV—

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 — 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 — 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!~”