A/N Hey guys, I've had a reviewer tell me that it will be exactly following the Bourne Identity events before my character arrives at Cherryton, but the thing is that the Castel and the Professor fights will happen in different locations this time, not to mention that the Embassy scene will be changed to another area.
Basically, some scenes will be altered to fit in certain parts of the story while the program is shut down and the events of Bourne Supremacy and Ultimatum won't happen because the evidence of the existence of the program, as well as all the names of those responsible for creating it, will be leaked to the public by my character as the people responsible are arrested and the Japanese government is put under scrutiny by other countries.
Well, hope that helps ease your minds since my character will still recover all of his memories by confronting his past in the black market during the Melon arc, so sit back and enjoy.
After an unknown amount of time passed, I stirred and opened my eyes before discovering that I was laying in a hospital bed that was situated in a living room of some kind with bamboo in the middle, then I found myself looking around for any exits and discovered a door that was nearby before it opened and the panda entered the room until he saw me sitting up.
"So, you're awake? Shit, you were out of it while I brought you here," the panda told me as he walked over a chair that was next to a coffee table, and I could see a teapot with two cups on a tray as he took the pot and poured some tea into the small cups before he placed the cups onto the table.
"I've made some tea to warm you up since I'm sure you need it right now," the panda offered as he sat down on the chair, only I kept staring at him warily since I didn't know who this stranger is or if he had something planned for me.
"It's alright, the tea's not poisoned or anything so let me prove it," the panda reassured before he took what I assumed was my teacup and sipped from it once until he placed the cup down.
I kept looking at the panda and the teacup a few times before I slowly stood up and cautiously went over to the table until I sat down on a stool that was on the other side of the table and went to pick up the cup, hesitantly raising it and taking a small sip before I scrunched my face up at the really bitter taste while the panda chuckled at that.
"That would be my specially brewed bamboo tea so it's certainly got an acquired taste, doesn't it?" the panda quipped wryly, only I still stared at him suspiciously and found myself studying the panda for any weaknesses without realizing it.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked and the panda stopped smiling before gazing at me with a serious look.
"Honestly, you looked lost and scared so I decided to get you somewhere safe since it isn't safe for a lone human to be wandering around the black market, especially at night too, so understand that I don't do this for anyone because humans are a rare species and it would be a shame if a carnivore ate you or worse," the panda explained, but the part about a carnivore eating me got my attention.
"Wait, what the hell did you mean by a carnivore eating me?" I questioned with a look of disgust, then the panda sighed.
"Look, the thing about the black market is that it's a place where carnivores eat meat that is regularly shipped here from hospitals and funeral homes, not exactly legal but there are carnivores who get addicted to the taste of meat and go into a frenzy.
That's the reason why I saved you because even though carnivores don't particularly care for eating humans, the at-risk carnivores won't care and will try to kill you so they can eat you," the panda clarified, and I paled at the thought of being torn apart by a meat-addicted carnivore before I decided to confirm something.
"How do you know all of this?" I asked as the panda crossed his arm and leaned back in his chair.
"I'm what you could call a guard of the black market, though I'm also a doctor that treats and rehabilitates carnivores who are at risk of killing herbivores in public so my name is Gouhin, now what's yours?" Gouhin inquired, only I shook my head.
"I don't know," I answered, taking Gouhin by surprise as he stared at me in confusion.
"But everyone has a name so you should have one as well," Gouhin pointed out before I sighed.
"That's the thing, I don't remember my name or my past and the only lead I have is this laser projector that was in my hip and it shows the number of a safety deposit box that's in a bank located in this city," I explained, causing Gouhin to start stroking his chin thoughtfully until he began sending me a grim look.
"Kid, I don't want to disappoint you, but you should probably just forget about it," Gouhin told me, causing me to be taken aback.
"Why the hell should I?" I questioned in confusion.
"I found the healed up bullet wounds on your back while I was checking to make sure you weren't injured so the fact that you were shot twice, and lost all memory of yourself while having an object in your hip that leads to a safe deposit box, means that something very traumatic happened for you to develop psychogenic amnesia and that you might've been involved in something serious.
If you want my advice, you should drop it and use this as an opportunity for a fresh start since I'm not sure you'll like what you find once you open that safety deposit box," Gouhin stated.
"I know I might not like what I'll find, but at least I'll have answers as to who I used to be since it scares me...not knowing who I am," I said quietly, then Gouhin sighed while rubbing the back of his head.
"Shit, I can tell already that you're going to be a pain in the ass, but if you're that determined to find out who you are, then I won't stop you so make sure to watch your ass since I have a feeling that something's off about this whole thing," Gouhin admitted before I nodded.
"Don't worry, I'll be careful," I said as we stood up and shook hands.
"Also, since you're still a kid, I contacted the headmaster at Cherryton Academy and he agreed to take you in so you can finish your education, not to mention that you could make some friends there since you look like you need some right now," Gouhin notified me suddenly, and I was a bit annoyed that he did this without asking me first, but the man had a point and there was a good chance that I went to school there before I lost my memory.
"When you put it like that, you're right so I'll head to the bank to see what's inside the safety deposit box and then I'll head to this academy after that," I agreed as Gouhin nodded.
"Good, now it's almost morning so you should get some rest for tomorrow and I write down directions to the academy so you won't get lost," Gouhin told me before he left the room, then I let out a sigh as I thought about what he told me.
A few hours later, it was morning and Gouhin gave me a slip of paper detailing directions to the bank and the academy before I left his clinic and started my walk to the bank, leaving the black market and following the directions on the paper until I arrived from across the bank.
I crossed my arms and was shivering from the cold since I was only wearing a sweater, jeans, and boots as I continued walking to the bank and entered through the front doors, then I timidly approached the front desk while I was nervous before the female gazelle looked up and widened her eyes slightly when she saw me until she put up a professional front.
"(What can I do for you?)" the gazelle asked, causing me to clear my throat awkwardly.
"Yeah, I'm here about a numbered account," I said shyly, and the gazelle nodded as she slid over a piece of paper.
"If you just enter your account number here, I'll direct you to an appropriate officer," the gazelle instructed in English, and I went to remove the nearby pen from its holder before writing down the account number that had been on the laser projector.
I finished and handed the gazelle the paper, then she passed it off to a tiger security officer who took the paper and walked off while I had to wait, just before the officer came back a few minutes later and I was guided to an elevator until I went inside.
I waited for a short while when the elevator stopped at my destination, the doors opening and I walked out to see security keeping watch while I noticed a handprint scanner in front of me a couple of feet away, then one of the security officers stepped forward and told me to use the scanner so that it could confirm my identity.
I walked over to the scanner and placed my palm on it, then it scanned my hand and the scanner confirmed who I was before the security officer gestured for me to follow him, prompting me to walk alongside him as he led me to a room that had a red curtain covering it until he slid the curtain open and had me wait so he could have an employee open the safety deposit box.
I waited for a few minutes until the employee came back with a large metal box and set it on the table, unlocking it and the herbivore sent me a nod as he left the room and I slid the curtain closed, then I turned to look at the box and hesitantly went to open it until I saw different objects inside with an American passport and opened the passport to see my picture and a name that said Eric Miller on it.
"My name is Eric Miller...and I live in this country," I muttered, feeling relieved that I know my name now and that I live here as I went to put away the passport, only I noticed something was off with the box and fiddled with the inside until it popped out of the box easily.
I was surprised by how there was a hidden interior when I lifted the false bottom out of the box, then I was shocked to discover more passports for different countries, stacks of different kinds of money, and a handgun with a single ammo mag resting inside before I went to pick up the passports.
I looked through the passports and was rendered speechless when I saw that they each had my face inside them, only there was a different name whenever I looked at another passport and found one that said James Ludlum on it, then I filed it away for later as I picked up a trash can with a red bag inside and removed the gun with the ammo mag from the box.
I placed the gun and ammo mag on the table before proceeding to fill the bag with the money, passports, and everything else until only the gun and ammo mag was left as I placed them back in the box and covered them up with the false bottom, then I closed the red bag by pulling the black strings before I slung it over my shoulders and made sure it was secure on my back as I took the box and left the room until I headed over to the employee's desk to hand back the box.
"(Thanks, and how long has it been since I was here last?)" I asked in Japanese, causing the employee to look at me.
"(I'm not sure...maybe three weeks?)" the employee wondered in confusion.
Either way, I thanked him again before leaving the bank and decided to make a quick stop back at Gouhin's clinic in the black market so I returned and the large panda was waiting for me as I returned, then he greeted me with a single nod as I placed the bag down.
"Do me a favor, would you look after this while I'm at Cherryton Academy? I don't want to lose this since the items in this bag hold the key to unlocking my past," I suggested as I opened the bag and showed the passports, money, and more while Gouhin widened his eyes in shock.
"Damn, kid, just what the fuck were you involved in?" Gouhin questioned in disbelief.
"I don't know and there was also a handgun with an ammo mag inside the safety deposit box, which is why it's essential that I don't lose this since there's a good chance I might remember something if I study those passports," I emphasized as Gouhin blinked at that and frowned.
"Kid, I think you need to stop digging," Gouhin stated and I sent him a puzzled look.
"Why?" I asked and Gouhin looked at me like I had two heads.
"Why? Kid, do you not understand what you just showed me?! These are passports with your face on them under different names, different kinds of money from other countries, and you also mentioned finding a gun with an ammo magazine in the safety deposit box!
I don't know what you got yourself into before you lost your memory, but I sure as hell don't want to get involved in whatever it is because this looks serious, and it might stir up a shitload of trouble for the both of us!" Gouhin exclaimed in disbelief.
"Maybe, but this is creating more questions than answers, so I need to figure out what the fuck is going on," I said stubbornly, then Gouhin sweatdropped as he sighed.
"In that case, just try to lay low at Cherryton for now since you showing up at the bank is bound to gain the attention of whoever provided you all of this," Gouhin pointed out in exasperation, and I nodded.
"Don't worry, I won't cause trouble unless trouble comes looking for me," I reassured, only Gouhin stared at me unamusingly.
"Kid, with what you just showed me, it wouldn't surprise me if trouble came looking for you," Gouhin countered dryly as I took a stack of yen to hold me over for a while.
I left the clinic and used a ballcap to hide my face since the police would be looking for me after what I did last night and made sure to buy my own backpack and school supplies at a convenience store during my trip to the academy, reaching the subway station and using my new card to pass through the toll booth but I decided to do a quick phone call to see if I could find out where I lived in Japan.
I went to a payphone and called the operator, who directed my call to the house phone of where I supposedly lived before I heard my voice speaking on the answering machine and was a bit uneasy at how I was far too calm I was, giving me the impression that there was something seriously wrong as I hung up and hurried so that I could catch my train.
I took the hybrid train car and found out how crowded it was as I sat on a bench and ignored the stares as the carnivores whispered to one another about me, though it didn't bother me as the train eventually arrived at its next destination and I got off with everyone else before studying the map to figure out where the academy was located.
I compared the directions on the paper to the map in just a few seconds and put them away before heading to where the academy was located, feeling surprised that I was able to figure out where I was able to go so quickly just from studying a map and a piece of paper with directions on it in just a few seconds but I continued walking while I saw birds flying around while carrying their belongings until I came to a stop at a large gate.
I was amazed by the sight of the academy, which consisted of a massive boarding school with vibrant colors as I gazed at the huge building before entering through the small metal door at the side of the gate, then I walked up to the academy and went inside before approaching the front desk.
"(Excuse me, I'm looking for the headmaster's office so do you know where it is?)" I asked in Japanese, then the receptionist looked up at me and widened his eyes.
"(Oh, you must be the new student I was informed to keep an eye open for, and I know exactly where the headmaster's office is at,)" the receptionist told me and I smiled gratefully.
"(Thank you, so do you think you can help me out?)" I inquired and the receptionist nodded before giving me directions to the headmaster's office.
I thanked the cougar at the desk and followed his directions as I traveled through the academy and marveled at the architecture during my trip to the headmaster's office, then I eventually arrived at the top floor of the main building and came to a stop at a door that said 'headmaster's office' on it before I knocked on the door and waited.
"(Come in,)" a deep and slightly hoarse voice responded in Japanese from inside the room, prompting me to enter the office and I saw a middle-aged tiger sitting at his desk while he gave off a friendly aura around him, then I saw an engraved name on his desk that said Gon on it while the tiger showed me a welcoming smile.
"Ah, you must be the new student I'm supposed to take in, so it's a pleasure to meet you," Gon greeted in English, and I was taken aback by that.
"You speak English?" I asked curiously.
"Of course, most of the students and the faculty here know English and can speak it fluently to prevent any language barriers for any transfer students that are from the western countries," Gon explained.
"Well, that will make things easier for me so good to meet you, my name is Eric Miller," I introduced politely.
"And I'm Headmaster Gon so I would like to welcome you to Cherryton Academy, now your school id should be ready once you get your picture taken and your uniform has already been prepared thanks to Gouhin informing me of your height and weight," Gon explained as I nodded.
"What about my classes or my dorm room?" I asked.
"Don't worry, you'll have the day off so you should have plenty of time to get your school id and get familiar with the academy, and as for your dorm room, we have studied human behavior before and know your species old relationship to canines so we picked out a room for you in the carnivore male dorm that should be perfect for you.
Also, fair warning, this is the first time a human has become a student at Cherryton, so expect to be stared at a lot since humans normally live in closed-off communities and it's also rare for a second year to transfer here during the middle of the school year," Gon told me.
"Thanks for warning me, so I'll get my school id and get to know the area before heading to my dorm room for the rest of the school day," I said as Gon stood up from his desk and shook my hand.
"Good to hear, now I have your schedule ready for you to look over before you go to get your id so have a look," Gon informed me as he took out a slip of paper and handed it to me, then I read through it and saw what my classes were and when they started while also seeing that my dorm room is 701 until I was finished and handed the schedule back to Gon.
"Thanks, I'm good at memorizing things so it shouldn't be hard to find where everything is once I study a map of the place," I said thoughtfully, then I thanked Gon and he told me that I should spend some extra time at the drama club as a stagehand since everyone there is unique in some way and that I looked like I was good with my hands.
He also talked about something called biology hour, an activity where carnivores and herbivores go into a room that fits their respective species so that they can ease the stress of their regular lives, but he informed me that I would have to pick one of the canine rooms since the academy didn't have one for humans and biology hour would help me get adjusted to the school since I could socialize with others during the activity.
Thanking Gon for the information, I left the headmaster's office and began heading to where I could get my school id.
Once I had gotten my school id, I spent most of the day walking around the school to familiarize myself with it as classes ended and students ranging from carnivores to herbivores left their classrooms to relax and enjoy the rest of the day until they started staring at me before whispering to one another in astonishment while I ignored it.
As soon as I was done memorizing where my classes were and the academy's layout, I grabbed a quick bite at the kiosk and headed over to the male carnivore dorm as I was lost in thought about what I had learned about myself earlier this morning.
I didn't know why the safety deposit box had something like that and why it was hidden under a false bottom, but it made me uneasy and I started wondering about what kind of person I was before I lost my memory since it seemed like I was involved with something serious just before I nearly collided into a male alpaca who was wearing a school uniform.
"Oh crap, I am so sorry about that so are you okay?" I asked and the alpaca nodded.
"Don't worry, I'm fine..." the alpaca tailed off once he got a good look at me and added, "Whoa, you're a human? I always wanted to meet one."
"Yeah, I'm actually a new student that just arrived here so it's nice to meet you, my name's Eric Miller," I greeted with a warm smile, liking this guy already since I could tell he was decent.
"Nice to meet you too, I'm Tem and I hope to be friends with you," Tem said as he bowed his head, and I did the same out of respect for Japanese culture.
"I would like that, but I need to head to my new dorm room so I hope to hang around with you sometime," I said, then I continued on my way to the male carnivore dorm as Tem waved goodbye and I smiled slightly.
'Huh, he was a nice guy and it looks like I made my first friend here, so I hope to see him again tomorrow,' I thought just as I arrived at the male carnivore dorm.
I entered the building and followed the directions I memorized on the slip of paper when I eventually came to a stop at my new dorm room, which I would share with a bunch of male canines that consisted of a labrador, sheepdog, fennec fox, coyote, spotted hyena, and a gray wolf so I wondered what my new roommates would be like as I raised my fist.
I knocked on the door, unsure what to expect, only to be startled by a loud crash coming from inside and someone shouting that they were coming when the door was almost ripped off its hinges from excitement as four out of six of my new roommates squished all of their heads through the doorway at once and I sweatdropped at the same creepy joyous looks that were on their faces.
'Well, seems like my time at school won't be dull with these guys around,' I thought dryly as the labrador beamed at me.
"Hey, I'm Jack and it's so nice to meet you! I'm not going to lie, it's so exciting to have a member of an endangered species as our roommate!" Jack greeted excitedly as he and his friends were wagging their tails and the fennec fox was sitting on the sheepdog's shoulder.
"Yes, it's...wonderful to make your acquaintance," I replied awkwardly since I wasn't used to a bunch of guys looking so cheerful, at least I think I wasn't used to it since I had no idea what kind of person I was before I lost my memory.
One after the other, Jack's friends introduced themselves as Collot, Durham, Miguno, and Voss before they let me inside until I saw that the interior looked like a regular messy room that had a distinct musky smell to it, though I noticed that the sixth occupant wasn't here and turned to look at the others.
"Hey, there was supposed to be a gray wolf also living here so do you know where he is at the moment?" I asked and Jack blinked at that.
"Oh, don't worry about him since he usually doesn't show up until after he's done with club activities, and his name's Legoshi if that's what you're wondering," Jack told me, then I nodded as I started exploring the dorm room and found an empty bed that doesn't look like it had been used yet.
'This must be my bed,' I thought as I removed my backpack from my shoulders and set it down next to the bed, though I noticed that it and the others could be covered up by curtains for privacy while I saw the faces of the 701 canines drawn above each bed while they were situated as bunkbeds.
I noticed the face of a stoic gray wolf drawn above one of the beds and wondered if this was Legoshi as I turned to look at the others, who were watching me with warm smiles and I cleared my throat nervously.
"Um, there wouldn't happen to be a bathroom around here, would it?" I asked and Durham perked up.
"Yeah, there's a washroom down the hall and we have our own private one in here," Durham notified me, then I sent him a thankful nod before I let out a tired sigh.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm tired from all the excitement and it's starting to get dark, so I'm going to get some sleep early," I stated before I yawned.
"Sure, we'll see you tomorrow for breakfast and Legoshi should meet you once you wake up," Collot said, then I had the guys turn around to give me privacy and stripped down to my shirt and boxers before taking my dirty clothes to a laundry basket and putting them in it.
Once that was done, I climbed into my bed and shut the curtain before I closed my eyes and thought about how tomorrow will bring me as I fell asleep.
A/N Hello everyone, thank you for being so patient for the next chapter, and did you like the encounter Eric had with Tem? Well, the next chapter is going to start at the beginning of Beastars and Eric will get caught up in the events of the anime/manga while struggling to discover his past so I hope you're all excited since all hell is going to break loose in the second arc.
Well, let me know what you think and stay tuned.