After Jin had his well deserved bath and preened himself as his master had shown him, the buck would have had a feast of delectable fruits, nuts, berries, and more natural foods than he’d ever seen. The note that had come with it from his new Mistress read simply “Going back to the roots of your species.” That night, he slept like the dead. Pampered, gorged, and sleeping in his own bed? He may as well have died and gone to heaven for all he cared. He had his worries, and fears, but for now they seemed so far away. 

This was not to last.

Jin awoke in a different room, his vision changed somehow, text scrolling across the periphery of his vision stating something about ‘First Boot Complete’ and some scrolling confirmation text that seemed to be a system’s check. It was then he noticed he could not move at all, and his body felt so oddly heavy. He was panicked but,... his heart rate and breathing where not changing. Noted not just by himself but by the read out on his vision, and the sound of an external heart rate monitor. He did find though that he could speak if nothing else “H-hello?! Where am I?! What’s going on?! Why can’t I move?!”


The only thing he could see was a sterile white featureless ceiling lighting on it, looking like that of a hospital. He was left a moment or two like that before there finally came the light padding of feet on the hard floor of the room and a light jingling of jewelry as into his vision came his Mistress Kiri. She smile and pat his cheek gently before saying “Don't worry my little slave. All is well. I promise. I am sorry to not inform you beforehand; but I too have my own orders to follow.” She moved the bed he was laying on so that he was sitting in a comfortable position facing forward. It was then that she reached behind him, inadvertently shoving her cleavage right up against his face.


As she did so there was a loud [Clunk!] And he was able to move again, his breathing coming back under his control with a deep harsh gasp as his vision whited out for a second as his mind was over stimulated. She pulled back and placed her paws one over the other as she bent forward to look him in the eye. “Better?” She asked with a smile.


The buck took a moment to first look down and inspect himself, he was dressed in his slave silks, and all of his bits and bobs, odds and ends, seemed to still be there. Two antlers, ears, eyes, arms, legs, and hooves. And ten fingers as well as his chest and stomach, he all felt just fine. But he noticed his vision seemed somehow sharper, more clear than it ever had been, much higher fidelity. “Wh- what,...” He muttered out before the tigress put a finger over his lips. “Do not change the subject when asked a question. Are you feeling better?” The buck grumbled to himself and gave a nod as he looked to her face. 


She smiled and pat his cheek lightly once more. “Good boy. Now, i’m sure you are curious as to what is going on. We didn't want to worry you with anticipation or fear so we surprised you with your reward for passing the initial induction and training. You have been given the latest in cybernetic enhancements. You have a neural interface in the back of your skull now, and your eyes have been upgraded. They look just like your old ones, we took great pain to preserve as much. But you now see the world as a predator does. Nolonger do you see all around you as a herbivore as motion. You can clearly focus now on what is in front of you. In fact with the optics you have been given, as we unlock more potential in your cybernetics you will be able to see infra-red, ultra-violet, and even sense things that others cannot like air pressure differentials, gasses, and perhaps if deemed needed EM fields such as the signals most electronics give off.”


He looked at his hands and then tried touching fingertips to his thumbs and noticed that it was true what he’d heard about the cybernetics implants. He could feel things in a greater detail, able to feel the very ridges on each fingerprint. “I,.. I see Mistress. Thank you for the explanation. B-But may I ask some questions please?”


The tigress held up a finger and then walked away only to follow back over a stool she’d kicked to roll in front of him. She set down and crossed her legs in a ladylike manner. “You may ask questions about the implant. You have a few moments before we hook you back in and finish running tests to make sure everything is working properly. So far it seems to have been a perfect success, as we have much skill with such things, but testing is a way of life here.”


The buck nodded asking perhaps the most burning question “Why? Why did you give me this? I-I mean, I know you had orders to, I assume from... him... But do you know why?” She nodded and rather than respond turned in her stool so her back was to him where she lifted up her lovely golden hair to reveal a gold and silver engraved cybernetic jack cover in the base of her own skull. “The Lord requires us all to have them. It is given to those who have taken their first steps to accepting our way of life. Consider it,... Your cybernetic collar of sorts!”


She swiveled herself back around and beamed that smile at him that bordered very closely to creepy with how large and sharp her teeth where when observed by an herbivore like him. “I-... So why? And why not tell me you where going to do it? I didn't want this... I mean,... I don't think... I never agreed to this. I didn't want to be altered.” The tigress held up a paw to stop him from going on. 

“You may not have agreed specifically to this, but you as a slave have agreed to trust your Master, our Lord. He will take care of you and improve your life. This is a gift from him you never could have afforded before. And it is as much a tool for your job and training as anything else. If at the end of your service you still do not want it, he will offer to remove it. But until that day it is as needed as the collar on your neck dear. Now. Relax, the doctor will be back in to hook you back up and finish the tests. You will be given instructions on how to handle yourself in the coming days as you and your body adapt to that new power you’ve been given. In the meantime... Close your eyes and think of something you want to watch, read, or listen to and your implant will bring it to you. It will help you relax and pass the time. Mind you it won't always be available. Only in your off hours.”


Though as she stood up to walk away, the buck called to her one last time with something she didn't expect. “M-mistress; our Master. What is his name? I heard him called Radzik by one person, Ze’uun by another, Seriah by another, but... I don't know which one is his real name.


The woman froze for a moment, simply saying “No one does...” There was a sadness to that tone of hers, and some harsh truth. He truly was unknowable even to those so close to him as her.

Kiri walked away leaving the buck on that medical table turned chair. And as he relaxed back as ordered, he would indeed try and use his new gift. But instead of looking up something new to space out to,... he decided instead to try and fall into his memories. He had so much he wanted to relive, and with this implant, it let him relive them as if he where there. Lunches with Nyle, The day he got  his own apartment, the day he got his job, his degrees,... but no further back. Those where not happy thoughts. And he avoided them at all costs.


And while Jin was once more busy being a space cadet; His nameless Master, the kirin, was in fact in space at this moment on his orbiting home far above the world. A place for just him, and his private interests. 


The kirin stood facing out a window that constantly was affixed forever on the horizon of the setting sun on the world below. His personal reminder that the end of his journey was just there. All he had to do was reach out and take it. Behind him came a voice, deep, synthetic, slightly robotic, clearly something someone had been enhanced to have. “My Lord, word has come that Jin has successfully awakened with his new cybernetics. Reports are that he is whole and healthy.” The kirin exhaled his characteristic plume of smoke tinged with lightning as he nodded, “Very good. Thank you for the report Lux.” The kirin turned now to face the Red-Deer Buck that stood before him. A Sculpted Adonis of synthetic body parts. The only original part left being that of his squirrel tail. The kirin sighed and looked him in the eye. “I know I ask this often. I know the answer. But; do you regret it?”


The buck shook his head lightly “No M’Lord. I live only to serve, and to please you.”   The kirin sighed and walked over to the coffee table and couch beside it before casually flopping down on that genuine fur couch covered in various fur pillows. “And in death; you wish only the same as well. As do all of those who have come before. As will most of those who come after. But I oft wonder at what point am I taking too much for myself.” The kirin petted over the soft fur of one of the pillows as memories of who it once was come flooding in. “Even in death.... Most of those who have served me keep serving. As is their own wish. For I would never force something like that on them.” He sighed and closed his eyes and for a moment was with her again, the woman who was now made into this plush pillow.


“Lux. Tell me, have they found the next sample yet? I wish this business to be over soon. I do not enjoy sitting idly by as you know.” A sharp reply of “No, M’lord. The next sample has yet to be found.” to which the kirin shook his head and growl deeply. “Very well. Go fetch Slade. They have some work to do then.” “Yes M’lord.”


Some time passed before a very unique chimera walked into the room. They had the head of a female cheetah, the upper body of what could only be described as a male looking furred dragon including tail to match, but the lower legs of a zebra. They where dressed in a nice skirt and an open button up shirt with a simple tank top with a picture of ygdrasil on it under that. “Heya master! You needed me?” Asked the effeminate voiced chimera who had happily stride over and now stood happily rocking on their hooves before their master. “Slade, I know the science team has not yet found the next piece yet. But it would be nice if you could start setting up for another extraction. It has not really been long enough that I feel recovered. But I also know that soon the option will not be there.”


This took all of the chipper cheer out of the chimera who stood there now in silence. They processed the request for a moment. “If you-,... Yes My Lord. Right away Sire.” With that, they quickly walked out of the room leaving the Kirin alone, petting that pillow as he looked down at the stripes that looked like a skunk’s tail. “I’m sorry Sasha. One day I will not be here to care for you as you did for me your whole life. And that time is coming sooner than I’d like. I only hope there is time yet to finish my job.”