Manta's memory fragments...

When Faust put that collar around my neck, I lowered my face with a very sad expression, staring at the floor crestfallen. But since there was nothing I could do, I sighed, saying nothing, and followed him out of the cell. He led me through a corridor and opened one of the doors, inside there was a lot of intriguing stuff, like a huge glass cylinder with a strange liquid inside, a metal table with devices to hold arms, legs and neck, and a closet full of medications and syringes, as well as a counter with a sink and other objects. I walked practically glued to the scientist, observing everything. As much as I was afraid of him, that environment terrified me much more, in my view it was like being in a torture chamber.

Faust took a metal basin and began to fill it with warm water, then placed it on the floor. He grabbed a soap and pointed inside: "Take off your gown and get in here."

My ears lowered again and I shrugged my shoulders. I didn't want to obey him… I was afraid to make him angrier and receive an electric shock as punishment, but I was terrified. I quickly shook my head, looking scared.

"W-Water is bad…"

Faust sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, looking disappointed that I hadn't obeyed the first order. He already started pulling that metal rod out of his coat again, glaring at me coldly.

"… Number 05, do as I say."

I widened my eyes just seeing that object, getting my face covered in sweat. I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling little tears leaking from the corner of my eyelids, and immediately took off my gown, dropping it on the floor. I really wanted to cry… I hated baths, the feeling of water on my skin and soaking my fur was terrible! First I put only my feet inside the basin, getting the fur on my tail and my hair all ruffled, I felt a strong shiver running through my body just with this simple contact with the water, and then, very reluctantly, I sat down.

"Good boy", said Faust.

He put back the rod and took the soap, soaked it in the water and began to rub it all over my body, lathering up a lot and splashing water on other parts of my skin to clean me up well. I kept my eyes closed tight and held with both hands on the edge of the basin, squeezing my fingers tightly. I felt a shiver every time he splashed water on me… It gave me a desperate urge to lick myself to get all that off. Then came the part of cleaning between my legs, he smeared the soap directly there and rubbed.

"The age of sexual maturity is already approaching, how will this manifest?" He spoke out loud, more to himself than to me.

I moaned softly when Faust's fingers touched my intimate region, taken by a very strong shiver. I had been noticing that I was more sensitive lately, but I had no idea what was going on. At that time, I was starting to enter puberty, as I would be thirteen next month, but I didn't even know it... I had never celebrated a birthday. I didn't even know what "birthday" meant. Faust was analyzing me while still touching me in this particular part, cleaning my sex organ and testicles, he even seemed to be doing it on purpose, as if to test my reactions.

"W-What is 'age of sexual maturity'?" I asked. I was extremely curious. As much as Faust ignored most of my questions, I was always asking him things. I wanted to understand the world around me, however limited I was.

"… Everything is going as planned, he should already be able to reproduce with others of his species or with humans… But we still need to test his semen to see if the amount of sperm will be enough."

Faust put a hand over my mouth and pulled my lips a little to see my fangs. I stared at him curiously, my brow furrowed in a slightly confused expression. I didn't understand anything he was talking about.

He picked up my toothbrush from the counter, smeared some toothpaste on it and started brushing my teeth. I hated that part as well, but the first few times it had been much more complicated to make me obey… At that point, I just kept quiet and let it go. When finished, he brought some water from the basin to my mouth, I rinsed and spat it out, but I ended up swallowing some of the paste too, as it tasted good like mint. Faust then started touching my tail, taking the soap again and rubbing it into my wet fur. I watched him silently and intently, until I realized something a little obvious… But no one had commented yet: "… Why don't you have a tail? And why are your ears smaller than mine and on the sides of your head?"

"… It's noisier than usual. It must really be that phase" Faust was looking at me from the corner of his eye, and suddenly he held the tips of my ears gently, observing them with an analytical eye, then began to move his fingers slowly, lightly stroking them with his thumbs.

My curious eyes continued to stare at him, blinking from time to time, but little by little I closed them, enjoying the feeling, as if I was receiving a nice caress. Faust's touch was very nice that day… I wondered why he couldn't caress me more often, instead of hurting me. Maybe I'd like him better if he did that…

He stopped touching, which even made me a little upset, I wanted him to continue… And he took the shampoo to rub in my hair. After the bath, he took me out of the basin and toweled me off completely, dressing me again in my hospital gown, and picked up his recorder again.

"Specimen 05 shows good behavior after being rubbed in the ears, I suspect he's able to purr… Tests will be switched to immunity and heat verification."