Riki Catches a Cold

Streams of sunlight gently woke Riki from his dreams. Cracking an eye open, Riki noticed that he was alone in bed, which meant that it was past 9am, but not past 10.30am, which was the time Cal usually came to wake him up. Rolling over, Riki buried his head into the pillows as he contemplated getting up. A slight stiffness and dizziness ailed him, but he automatically placed the blame on Iason.

The night before Iason had held him until the very early hours of the morning. How the Blondie had such stamina amazed Riki; however considering he was a genetically engineered human created by the super AI Jupiter, Riki should have known better.

Opting to get up, Riki threw on some clothes and headed straight out onto the balcony, the desire for nicotine greater than the desire to curl back under the covers waiting for Cal to eventually drag him from bed. If he could, he would have lit up a cig in the room, but knowing Iason's keen sense of smell; he would have be caught and punished. The last time he'd tried getting away with a smoke in bed had resulted in a severe spanking, and continuous torturous rape for the next couple hours, without the ability to release himself.

Stopping at the sliding door leading to the balcony, Riki groaned as he watched the water lash against the window pane. His balcony which was his only place of sanctuary was now off limits to him.

"Cal!" Riki shouted, glaring through the glass to outside, "Why didn't you tell me today was going to be a scheduled cleaning?"

The furniture appeared at Riki's side, "I'm sorry Sir Riki, but the balcony won't be available for another hour. I assumed you would still be sleeping at this hour, considering…" His voice trailed off and Riki swung round to glare at the furniture.

"I see," Riki all but growled at Cal, his temper flaring, "Well I'm up aren't I? Where am I to have a smoke now?"

Cal bowed, hiding a small smirk on his face, "I apologise, but there is nowhere for you to smoke, and Lord Iason would know if you were to smoke indoors." With that, the furniture turned and quickly, yet quietly, left Riki at the balcony door.

"Great," sighed Riki, "nothing to do, and now nowhere to smoke."

Stomping off into the lounge, Riki flung himself onto the soft cushions decorating the fancy sofa. The cushions themselves were large, and very soft to the touch, perfect to relax on. Laying into the luxury softness, Riki curled up for a light nap, considering that he only had an hour to wait and he could feel a headache coming on.

An hour later, Cal strode into the lounge to find the mongrel sleeping soundly on the sofa, his body curled into the foetal position. Shaking his head at the sleeping pet, Cal moved around the room quietly, letting the mongrel sleep. From the sounds he heard during the night, he knew the usually loud and boisterous mongrel was shattered from his activities; and Cal preferred the penthouse quiet.

When Lord Iason had his previous pets, they were quiet and meek; and very easy to look after compared to the wild and untrained mongrel from the slums of Ceres. Or so he had heard from his predecessor, Daryl, before his termination. Having been told of the previous furniture's transgression, Cal knew not to become attached to the mongrel if he valued his own life. So he kept the pet at a distance, and even Riki, either knowingly or not, kept Cal far from a personal level; treating him like furniture as Lord Iason did. He probably figured out that Daryl had become too personal with him, resulting in new furniture; Cal.

Several hours passed, and as the twin moons became fully visible, Cal became slightly worried for the pet. He was still sleeping, curled up on the sofa. Just as he went to wake the pet, he heard the entrance chime informing him of his master's arrival.

"Iason, I really must protest in your obsession with mongrels," Sir Raoul Am said as he followed Iason into the penthouse, "First the furniture, and now having one as your own pet? I admit it was interesting at the start, but this is going on too long"

"Your point being?" Iason turned to face his friend.

Raoul shook his head, "People are starting to talk, and when it becomes out of hand, Jupiter will have to take action. And you know full well what her options are."

Leading Raoul further into the building, Iason headed to the lounge, "Raoul, quite frankly, you are worrying far too much. Riki is mine, and Jupiter has no control over my personal time as long as my work maintains its productiveness."

"That well may be, but the pet is becoming a figure which is seen at your side," Raoul waved the attending furniture away as he offered to take his coat, "and although you may not see it, he is an Achilles for you."

Laughing under his breath, Iason took the drink from Cal, "My pet is not a weakness, Raoul, he's just a pet, nothing more, and nothing less."

"Then why do you keep him?"

Reaching the lounge, Iason frowned, "Because although he is a mongrel, he never ceases to amaze me. Take now for example," Smiling at Raoul, he waved the other Blondie over, "Would you have expected to see my mongrel pet like this when you arrived?"

Raoul raised a brow, "I expected a growling beast as per usual, Iason," he strode over to the sofa, and exclaimed softly, "Why can he not be like this all the time?"

Before them, the small mongrel was still curled amongst the soft cushions, sleeping soundly. His bronze skin clashed with the velvet reds and blues of the material; black leather wrapped round him, hugging his body in all the right places. But what caught their attention the most was Riki's almost angelic face; the innocence. His black hair fanned across his bronze skin, almost like a dark halo framing his childlike, yet stunning looks.

Iason smiled, "This, my friend, is one of the many things I like learning from my little pet. Every day he surprises me with something new," moving around the sofa, Iason seated himself next to his pet's head, making sure not to touch the sleeping mongrel, "best to let sleeping mongrels be."

Raoul moved to the opposite sofa, a smirk matching Iason's on his face, "I agree with you there."

After a lengthy discussion about the new trade being offered by a newly built company from another system, Raoul bade Iason goodnight, "Remember what I said Iason; the pet must be dealt with eventually."

Returning to the lounge where his pet still slumbered, Iason went to wake his sleeping beauty.

Knowing that his pet would react offensively once awoken, Iason prepared himself for an attack; "Wake up my pet," placing a hand on Riki's shoulder, he gently shook him, "come now, you have slept long enough."

Riki cracked an eye open, and stared up at Iason. Any other time, he would have tried to sock the Blondie for waking him, but this time he couldn't muster the energy required to verbally attack the damned Blondie. Even so, if he could, he wouldn't have, not with the pounding headache and the slight nausea he felt the moment upon waking. Breathing in deeply, he groaned and buried his head into the cushions.

Perplexed at his pet's behaviour, Iason was immediately worried when Riki groaned and tried to curl into a tighter ball, "Riki, what's wrong?"

Ignoring the Blondie master above him, Riki took stock of his situation; his throat was raspy and sore, he had a pounding headache, he could feel that he was overly warm, and the dizziness and nausea almost confirmed it. He had caught a cold.

Taking hold of Riki's shoulder, Iason turned is his pet, and studied his pet's face. Instead of rage, there was a tired look on the mongrel's face, "Riki?"

Wanting to push the Blondie away, but knowing in in current condition, Riki sighed, "Let me sleep, I'm tired." Closing his eyes, he felt soothing relief from the blinding lights.

Iason frowned, and stroked his pet's face, "Tell me what's wrong, pet." As he stroked his pet, he realised that the warmth permeating through his glove was warmer than usual. Swiftly removing his glove, he felt his pet's temperature.

Standing abruptly, Iason sought his furniture who appeared at his side before he could call, "He's burning up, what has caused this?"

Cal stepped to the mongrel, and checked his temperature. He then felt the pet's throat; it was as he expected. Turning to his master, Cal bowed low, "He has caught a common ailment which most mongrels catch when they are weakened."

"A common ailment?" Iason asked, "What ails him?"

"A fucking cold! Now shut up!"

Stunned at the raspy voice which was followed by a horrible cough, Iason stared at his growling pet, who had sat up, his head in his hands.

"A cold?"

Struggling to his feet, Riki raised his head, "Yes, now leave me alone!" He stomped off to the bedroom, seeking peace and quiet so he could sleep most of the cold off. As he left, he sensed Iason start to follow him, spinning on his heel he snarled at the Blondie, "Alone!" As soon as he had done so, he instantly regretted it as a wave of dizziness attacked him, and his lost his balance slightly. Panting heavily, he growled at Iason, "Just leave me alone!"

"No pet."

Reaching out to his now very fragile looking pet, Iason caught Riki as he completely lost his balance and started to collapse, "Shhh….it's okay."

Gathering his weak pet in arms, Iason carried Riki to the bedroom, laying him down gently. During this, the mongrel didn't even resist; allowing his master treat him like a meek pet. Instead, as soon as he was on the bed, he snuggled into the covers fell asleep.

"Cal, call a medic," Iason ordered the hovering furniture, "And then explain to me of this so called cold."

Nodding, Cal swiftly left the room to make the call, and then returned with warmed blankets from the airing cupboard and a glass of water. He paused when he saw Iason tenderly stroking his little mongrel pet; never had he seen such tenderness from his Blondie master.

"Master Iason, Sir Am will be returning shortly," Moving towards Riki he covered the pet with the extra covers, "Also, it would be best to make him drink this glass of water; he sounded dehydrated."

Accepting the water, Iason watched his furniture tend to his pet, "You know of this ailment, explain it to me now."

Turning to face his master; keeping his eyes lowered in order not to make eye contact, "It is a common illness which mongrels contract when they are at their weakest physically and mentally, or when they are in contact with an already infected mongrel."

Knowing that Riki would have had no contact with other mongrels, it was the former, "So my pet contracted this illness due to being weakened."

Cal nodded, "Yes, master."

"How soon will Sir Raoul be arriving?"

"Momentarily," Cal breathed a sigh of relief mentally as Iason changed the subject from what had caused the mongrel to become ill, "He intercepted the call when I contacted the medical centre."

"I see," Iason turned to the door as the entrance informing them of Raoul's arrival.

Within seconds, Raoul was at Iason's side, examining Riki, "We should have known it was too good to be true that you boisterous pet was being quiet. I will run an analysis; mongrels catch different diseases compared to us elites."

"My furniture seems to recognise the disease," Iason motioned to Cal, "knowing his background as I do, I think you'd best speak to him for mongrel treatments, so that you can treat my pet."

Cal stepped forward, "Sirs, it is only a common cold. All Riki needs to do is sleep, keep warm, drink plenty of fluids, eat some food regularly, and have some medication to ease the pain."

Raoul frowned, "That is the treatment for the state this mongrel is in? Are you sure?"

Cal nodded, "You can confirm this with Riki if you want, but I doubt he'd appreciate being woken again."

"Cal!" Iason admonished his furniture, to which Cal bowed low and apologised, and then was then dismissed.

Checking the pet's temperature, Raoul scowled, "He's running a very high fever, glands are swollen, and from the looks, he is very dehydrated and in need of medical attention. If this is only treated with bed rest and drinking water; I am curious to know of the mongrel immune system."

"I will have Cal call Katze; he works with mongrels all the time. He might have better knowledge which could help you treat Riki," Iason stroked his pet's now sweat soaked brow, "It is strange to see him so weak," he muttered to himself as he left Raoul with Riki to get Katze.

Twenty minutes later, Katze arrived.

"You said it was urgent?" Katze asked Cal when he was not greeted by Sir Iason.

"Sir Riki is unwell, and the Master does not think it is the illness I suspect it is, so your opinion is needed," Cal led the ex-furniture to the bedroom, "I'm sure you know what it is when you see it."

"A mongrel illness…" Katze muttered, "Tiredness, raspy cough, high temperature?"

"Yes."

Holding back a grin, Katze was met by Raoul, "Katze, do you recognise this disease at all, and how to treat it?"

"It's a cold. Lots of bed rest, fluids, and pain relief."

Blinking at the bluntness of Katze's reply, Raoul looked to Iason, who in turn shrugged and tended to Riki.

Recovering himself quickly Raoul face Katze, "Are you sure? I've never seen an illness which can make a healthy person the day before lose all body strength and then become as weak as this. And you are telling me that bed rest is the cure?"

Putting on a smile, Katze nodded, "A common cold, now if you could excuse me, I'd like to leave before I get infected. I work long hours with little sleep, so I am more likely to catch it than Cal."

This caught both Blondie's attention.

"You can catch this disease because you have long hours of work?" Raoul asked, completely bemused by the thought, "I've never heard of such a thing."

Katze sighed, "It's because elites are genetically modified with an immune system to prevent illness disrupting your work. Mongrels on the other hand, don't have the ability to combat illness when their immune system is weakened either from physical weakness, or from catching it from other mongrels."

Stunned at this, Raoul studied Katze, "And the same is with Academy pets, I presume,"

Katze nodded.

"Iason, I request keeping Katze here, I would like to study this illness along with the immune system of mongrels. If this illness were to affect furniture, we would need to find a faster way of curing this disease."

Iason, who had been sat with his unwell pet, raised his brow, "I don't see why not. Possibly, in your examination, you can find a way to completely prevent this illness from ever occurring again."

Raoul nodded, "It is an interesting disease, and if furniture are susceptible to this disease, it is a preventive measure which we should look into."

Shaking his head at the two Blondies, Katze sighed, "May I be excused, I need a breath of fresh air on the balcony." Bowing low he started to back away.

Iason nodded, knowing that his ex-furniture was not actually seeking fresh air, but actually wanted the opposite. Raoul shrugged and faced Iason.

"I will be back with more equipment as soon as I can, " he paused, "Call me if his condition worsens."