“Since the activation was a forced one,” The elf said in a lecturing tone to my parents ”Your core is in a partially active state that is only keeping you stable and conscious,” the healer was pacing a little “And we need to activate it fully for it to heal you completely.”

What?! Bear Core!?I don’t understand? I was having trouble processing what the healer said to me. I was blinking and humming trying to get his attention and to explain it to me better.

“Has this happened before Healer?” My mom asked with concern. My dad frowned, but let her take the reigns of the discussion. "What about the side effects?”

“Oh yes! the Beastmen does this regularly.” The Healer assured my mother and he completely ignored me. “Perfectly safe.”

Beastmen!? I was turning into a Beastman? I quickly stared at the few bare patches of skin. I was looking for signs of brown fur or long hair. I tried feeling teeth with my tongue but the bastard won’t move.

”...” ”...” ”...” C’mon. Notice me Healer!

The elf looked at me and he smiled when he saw my distress. I sighed in relief.

“It is very exciting, right? The first human and beast core union” The elf was now smiling widely and his eyes stared at me hungrily.

No! He totally misunderstood me! It’s the opposite! I redoubled my efforts, my eyes were blinking faster and the humming got louder.

”....” ”....” ”...” ”...”

“Oh. I forgot. I assumed you applied for the special activation request” The elf asked both my parents ignoring me again. They both nodded.

“The FCB agent’s fifteen minutes late.” My mother said a little annoyed checking her watch.

”...” ”...” ”...”

“Ah. It is unfortunate that you cannot speak right now” The elf said looking at me with pity and interest.” I need to do a lot of experime.. tests. Yes. Tests to look for any side effects. Odd. My translator is having a little problem” He said frowning. He shook his wrist and tapped it with a finger. “Must be a sunspot.” He shrugged.

You just want a lab rat! God! Please help me! I wailed internally. I sighed This is useless. I stopped struggling and ignored them thinking dark thoughts about furs and tails.

“With your parent’s permission of course. I will be taking over as your healer.” He looked at my parents for confirmation and straightened his lab coat.

“Um. I don’t know if..um. our insura..” My mother was worried about the cost. We’re not a wealthy family. Just your average middle-class folks.

“I will work for free of course. My healer’s vow cannot allow me to ignore your son’s afflicti...situation” The elf said humbly lowering his head.

“Oh. It will be our pleasure Healer” My mom consented. She smiled shyly elbowing my dad sharply. “We know you’re a very busy man..err..elf” acting demure all off a sudden.

“You got it doc” my dad answered glancing at me and shrugged.

“Think nothing of it. Your son should be our only concern” the elf said magnanimously smiling. I was staring hard at his face and I found that smile very troubling. I also didn’t miss that “our” part.

Knock...Knock...Knock

Everybody looked at the door and a tired looking woman was standing by the door. Fortyish with black hair she was wearing a slightly wrinkled pantsuit and carrying a medium sized metallic case.

“Is this Brian Hunter’s room?” The woman asked tentatively, a little embarrassed for interrupting the conversation.

“I’m from the FCB” She identified herself. I looked at her and perked up when I heard the initials. FCB. Federal Core Bureau. They’re the people that activate cores.

“Ah. Yes. Please come in. We were waiting for you” My mom said raising a single eyebrow at the agent. She can be a bit bitchy sometimes with late people. I think it comes with the territory being a professor at a college. “This is Healer Athlan. I’m Prof. Janice Hunter, Brian’s mom” “I’m his dad” “I’m Agent Claudia Gates” Handshakes all around.

“My supervisor already briefed me, Healer Athlan,” Agent Gates said placing the case flat on the table “May I have your Identification please, Healer Athlan.” The agent asked politely raising her wrist and was looking at an invisible screen.

“Of course.” the elf said slightly annoyed muttering something I can’t hear. He raised his wrist, fingers tapping and made a swiping motion toward the agent’s general direction.

“Thank you, Healer Athlan” The agent looked at her screen then glanced at the healer’s face. Satisfied with the Healer’s ID, she pulled out something from the case.

“Can you please sign this..this. and this ” the agent handling a couple of folders to the healer and my parents.

I ignored their bureaucratic rituals. While Glenville isn’t that rustic, Altech was still rare and low key. It didn't help that those displays were invisible except for the user. Maybe in the larger cities, they were more common. I made a mental note to research the different mods available at the traders when I got out from this place. Thinking of the traders made me wince at the wasted fur and core. But I still had the other cores from our previous hunts stashed in my safe. So it wasn’t a total loss.

I glanced at the two and apparently, everything was in order. The agent went beside my bed and placed a metallic disk the size of a small plate on my chest above my belly button. She stepped away to give the healer some room.

“I am going to modify the activation process, considering your condition.” The elf placed his hand on the disk and a blue hologram screen appeared above the disk. The room was slightly engulfed with a bluish light. Woah So cool. I was entranced by the display.

“Do not worry Brian you will not feel any pain.” the elf typing rapidly at the holoscreen. His fingers a blur to my eyes.

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“I will put you in an induced coma just to be sure.” When he noticed my parent's concern face. “It will be fine.” He assured them. After a few minutes, he was finished and turned to the agent waiting nearby.

”The codes please.” The healer asked the agent.

The agent placed her palm on the disk for a few seconds and went back to her position.

“I will start in 3 seconds” My eyes narrowed and I braced myself. I was a little afraid of the whole thing, to be honest.

The elf healer smiled at me greedily and counted down. ”In Three..two...one.” and tapped a single stroke on the screen. I immediately blacked out.

--

I was dreaming again. This time I was riding the bear hollering and laughing like a cowboy. The bear tried to throw me off but I held tight. Finally, the bear calmed down and allowed me to ride it. I leaned forward and scratched the fur behind the ears. The bear groaned with pleasure and dropped down to its side throwing me off. I laughed and scratched the bear’s belly and it groaned again. The bear sat up and I stood up looking at its eyes. We stared at each other for a few seconds and the bear grunted.

I awoke finding myself in the hospital room again. I felt sad leaving that dream. I recalled the scene and it was so peaceful and happy. I blinked my eyes and rubbed my face. I was shocked and stared at the hand. I also saw that the bandages and cast were removed.

“I can move!” I said my voice rough and low. I winced at the ache in my throat. I swallowed a few times and the pain dissipated.

“I can talk.” my voice returning to normal.

“Indeed!” Someone said in an amused voice.

I turned my head so fast my head spun and my neck hurt. After the dizziness fell away I saw the elf healer typing on his holoscreen. He dropped his wrist and turned his body facing me. I noticed we were alone in the room.

"You slept for a week,” He informed me “I was getting tired of waiting.”He joked and he was smiling.

“Where’s my mom and dad.” I asked my face confused.

“I sent them away for lunch. I wanted to speak to you alone.” I raised my eyebrows he chucked

“Oh nothing so sinister.” he said smiling. I beg to differ. I remembered his hungry look.

”I...” I tried to speak but I didn’t know where to start. I had hundreds of questions floating around in my mind.

“Take your time” He gestured at me.

“Am I going to turn into a beastman? You said something about cores uniting” I asked fearfully. “I got nothing against beastmen” I assured him “But I don’t think I’m ready for the whole... fur and tail thing” pantomiming a tail and ears my face twisting.

“I think I misspoke. I apologize.” He said fidgeting “I was just thrilled to see the first active human and active animal core... united... I think that is the wrong word to use.” He was grasping for the term and he nodded “Assimilate is the correct term”

“Is there a difference?” asked cringing.

“Oh yes. It depends who assimilated to who” “In your case, your Core assimilated the bear’s Core.” My eyes bulged out and my face was full of terror.

“Hahaha. Do not worry. Beastmen are born not made.” He explained laughing at my facial expression. “So no. You will not turn into a beastman “Do you understand?” I nodded sighing in relief.

“How does that work?What happened? the Assimilation I mean.” I asked. I was curious to the answer.

“Quite simple actually. We are sentient beings and the bear was not. There is a kind of priority who gets to absorb who.”

“So I get powers or something.” I asked hopefully. Maybe I can get my final form.

“Something. Hahaha” The elf laughed at my greedy face and he turned serious. He moved closer to the bed.

“I want you to try and think about opening your Core status holoscreen in your hand.” he said changing the subject. When I didn’t. He smiled assuringly “Try it. You will not be disappointed ”

I stared at him a little suspicious. Then I shrugged and I thought hard. I looked at him annoyed when nothing happened.

“Try gesturing with your left hand when you think.” He said staring at my hand. If he’s trying to make me look like a fool I’m going to punch the sonuvabitch.

I thought activate and flicking my wrist at the same time, when an empty blue screen appeared on my hand. Woah! I was mesmerized. I moved my hand side to side and the screen followed without any lag of delay. I probably looked like an idiot waving my hand. I looked at Athlan trying to show my success but he was typing furiously muttering at his holoscreen. I frowned suddenly getting suspicious again.

“You didn’t know this would happen.” I stated flatly staring at the elf. He was silent and ignored the question. When no answer was forthcoming. I sighed and experiment with the holoscreen.

“By the way. Why can’t I see your screen and how does this thing even work?” I asked. That question bugged me the first time I saw it.

“Hmm...Because the screen is inside your cornea.” He looked up from his typing “And the wrist flick is just a way to focus your mind.” I stared at him skeptical with the reason. “Have you heard of the term hand-eye coordination?”

“I’m not an idiot y’know.” I said reproachfully. I searched the screen for the X button but there was none “Uh. How do you close the screen?”

“Do the same but think deactivate or close.” I tried it but it didn’t work. I thought harder and It was still there.

“C’mon” I did a few more and I was starting to get frustrated. I emptied my mind took a deep breath. Finally, it closed.

“It will get easier the more you practice.” Athlan said helpfully.

“I feel like a lab rat” I muttered.

I did it again and it was a little faster this time. I promised myself to practice later.

“Why is the screen blank?” Where are the stat attributes?

“Ah. You don’t have any mods installed yet.” Athlan said clearly enjoying teaching a dumb monkey.

“Ooh.” Finally understanding how the holoscreen work. If I added mods, the screen would display them.

“But why do I have this and mom and dad doesn’t have one” I didn’t notice them using one.

“It doesn't usually show up unless you have Mods installed...Hmmm.. Maybe because you have a larger core than the basic one. More nanites more processing...There were a couple of cases like this..” He his forehead bunched up in contemplation and his hands tapping his screen.

I then remembered about my bear dreams but realized it was a bad idea. He might try cracking open my brain so I decided to keep quiet.

"I have a proposition for you,” Athlan said his face serious. I stopped playing with the holoscreen. “I need to perform some tests on you. First human and all.” I nodded. This place was as good as any.

“I want you to come to Seattle at my laboratory.”

“In Seattle? I don’t know?” Seattle was 4 to 5 hour drive. ”It’s a bit too far for me”

“Your parents agreed to my terms,” He said and his eyes narrowed. When I didn’t reply he sweetened the deal “I will pay you 2,000 GalCred for your time.” I converted it into dollars and I was flabbergasted by the amount. “And what will you do to me.” I asked warily. It was too good to be true.

“Oh. Nothing painful” He assured me avoiding my eyes.

”Hmmp you’ll just put me into a coma again” I retorted.

“What? No. That unetacal!” He said horrified. I must admit he’s a good actor .

“It’s unethical” I corrected him

“That is what I said” He slapped his wrist “Broken translator.”

“You said the wrist thing wasn’t necessary!”

“Do you want the job or not?” He said suddenly “I could remind your parents of our earlier deal..” he said ominously.

An elven healer resorting to blackmail! Shame!

“Okay. okay!” I threw my hands up in surrender

“I knew you are an honorable man” He stood up and did an elaborate hand gesture.

“What’s that hand wiggly thing?” I asked. I tried copying it.

“That means if you break our deal I’m honor bound to kill you.” His smile looked damn near homicidal.

I rubbed my face with my hands in frustration.