A/N: Hello~! Glad you are enjoying this still! This chapter helps explain more of the examination and our poor Acey falling back a bit with his broken self.
There was a couple questions I got that I will go ahead and answer.
The "fixing" is basically a vasectomy so he cant reproduce. They don't want to cross breed with humans and only certain humans are picked for the experimenting of the reproducing of humans with other humans (which will be mentioned some point later).
Also the "seal", it has to do with the family seal as it shows which family owns this certain human slave/pet. Its an easy way for their authorities to tell with a quick glance, plus if your pet misbehaves in public it comes back on the family which can cause for another evaluation depending on pet background (Ace being just off the Alter list makes him still on the 'watch' list if he reverts).
Hope that all helps! Enjoy!
The following morning, I was still just as sore and woke because Marco had to move. He felt bad but was able to get me on my side to face Sabo, who pulled me carefully closer. I accepted it while eyes were lingering hooded as I take in the familiar atmosphere of resting in their nest. Marco usually got up first anyways, most likely for breakfast and Sabo would lay with me until he thinks its ready or Marco sing songs from down the stairs.
After a short bit of time and smelling food, a tune lingers, and Sabo rumbles a bit with displeasure while holding me. Though, it takes a minute to soon whine lightly and shift a bit to help me up. I whimper, the sores still throbbing with each movement and he soothes me with his soft growling.
"I know, love… Just to get you moving a little… I don't expect you to do the stairs…" Sabo reassures while helping to pull pants on me, my arms around his neck to let him pull them on. When clothed, he cradles legs to one side and begins carrying me downstairs with soft growls. I feel relaxed along him, noticing as we pass the living room and down to the kitchen. "Some fresh air, love." I give a shaky breath while burying my face as it does sound good and trusting they put something to accommodate me outside.
Clacking of talons is in my ear, Marco in the kitchen most likely as we move out onto the deck as I feel the morning rays lingering on my skin and the light cool of the morning. A noise is made before Sabo is shifting to lower, getting me to notice the cushion that is like in the living room. It's fluffier, the cushion heaven as I carefully move against it. Getting curled into it more, something large sets on my head and startles me as I turn tense.
"It's just me, son." The voice brings a stinging to my eyes as I shift to notice Pops sitting in a chair specifically next to mine. Worry lingers in his eyes, but his hand continues to move along me carefully. "You boys put cream on him?" Eyes are dragged away to my lovers as I slowly let myself relax and curl back how I was.
"Not this morning yet…" Sabo mentions, and a soft cooing is near me as Marco lingering next to the cushion with a plate of food.
"That's why I am expecting Izo again soon. I… I hadn't expected so much to be used, yoi. Or… the extent." Marco is strain with cooing and sure to help as I get my body to the edge to eat myself.
"We didn't know that Ace was… that my Ace was going to be beat." Sabo growls angrily, the rumbling deep in his chest that matches to the time with Rakuyou first appearing.
"Every Alter list individual is marked different. If Ace had been so high on it, they try to make sure it's not a farce." Speaking of the person, my body stiffens at the familiar tone and hearing a cooing of comfort from Marco. "We will not come closer… We know Ace is not comfortable with us." I find Rakuyou on the other side of the table across the deck, a solemn look that I can tell by the light on them. "It is just, when we heard of what happened, we wanted to give insight… No matter how much we do not agree of it now." Pops continues to pet along me, having me slowly relax with unsure eyes before going back to the food that is mostly good for hand picking.
"Are you saying people get abused more than that?" Sabo asks in disbelief with another ragged growl as Rakuyou is facing him before looking to me.
"We are sure Ace could tell you the extent of that." The mentioning has me slouching with food finding my mouth as I could feel eyes on me. "It's an examination done after returning to the pound and when to a new owner. It is how Ace was close to being that of a fighter if you had not taken him in, Marco." The clarifying is the same as I understand, and I take a few more bites of food before burrowing into the cushion to hide.
"It's disgusting," Sabo growls once more and it trails closer before movement on the cushion. The body curls behind me as he carefully settles to pepper kisses to my shoulder blades. "I'm going to heal these all and make sure never again."
"Not exactly," Rakuyou starts up and I wish I could cover up even more. "Sadly, at Ace's level, he will need to be seen again in a year and after that, when he passes, he would be seen two years… and so forth with adding a year."
"But why, yoi? If he passes the first one fluently, why another?"
"Because the higher ups want fighters, and Ace…" Rakuyou trails while making a small gravelling noise. "We looked on his profile, an old buddy favor returned, and… Ace was on the list. The list for the top fighters, a place that select the strongest and most feral for training to block out their humanity." They explain while I notice tension behind me and chatters heard from Marco.
"Do they not know most just need actual affection or attention?" Marco is irritated, giving his small chatters of how he felt over this, and I can only melt into the cushion.
"Yes… Why do you think that we truly stopped? We were trained blind, to gather humans as if they were homblins to make them mad. Humans grow violent when angry, pushed to the limits when given no purpose in mind. We were taught to do that and set them to the Alter list."
"Everyone is violent when angered enough!" Sabo retorts back with tail heavily on my waist and brings comfort through this all.
"We are aware, but how many on this planet think that of only humans?" Rakuyou asks, earning a small silence as they knew they were right on the matter. "It's a matter that will always linger on every subject, but most have two sides while this one is only set to one because of the war." They explain, everyone knowing how true that can be and even I knew that was true for Earth as well. "The reason Ace passed was because he knew you two were waiting for him…" Rakuyou brings up and has me wiggle slightly as I enjoy Sabo along me. "That, to us, is rewarding enough, we would think…" They mention to lighten up the atmosphere and I hear a cooing with a hand moves through my hair and I know it's from Marco.
"I just wish it wasn't so much on him."
"It will be lighter each time, even though we know it's not too comforting, but it should help in bringing some expectation."
"Highly a dubious expectation for such a sweet thing," hearing Izo is nice as I already know she will be trying to help me herself. "I knew I should have planted you, they would have never known where you were." A smile is on me while my lovers snort at the humor and I feel as cream is beginning to rub into my back, having me whimper.
"We shall go, as we are not needed anymore." Rakuyou remarks as I hear a chair and I raise my head up with a small shake of my head.
"Thank you, Rakuyou…" I mention lowly to them, seeing as they pause to look in surprise before they smile.
"We help family as family would help us." The words linger as they soon turn to walk away into the home to leave.
"You really are a sweetie~!" Izo states while vines move under my chin with them curling to rub along a cheek next. "Maybe I should make the finest of fruits tea, the chill will soothe you to the bone!"
"No paralytic, Izo." Marco states quickly as I notice him still there with plate of food, not bothered how he rests.
"Oh! That was only once and on accident because of Haruta and Thatch!" Izo complains with a haughty huff and pointing a vined finger to Marco who coos.
"Which left Jozu, Vista, and Jiru paralyzed for three passings, yoi."
The two began to banter like the siblings they are, and I am coaxed by the rubbing and rumble of Pops chuckles, having me doze off easily.
-o-o-o-o-
I awoke with a small groan, lingering on a cushion in the living room and giving some shifts. It's been four passings—they mean for days—since that Alter exam and it's been awful to deal with all the lingering wounds. They had to use so much ointment on me that Izo offered to mix in a numbing petal into it, so I wouldn't be aching and throbbing.
Flickering eyes around, I am confused as I don't hear Sabo as he is usually on a cushion, walking around, or at his desk. It's quiet, having me slowly shift to stand wobbly, wincing at the stings it brings. Most things are fine now, just the deeper tissue is hurting along with the throbbing between my legs that there was no preventing.
Walking to the window, I gaze upon the many collection of houses expanding and what they stand for on the creatures. Some have normal windows where you can glance within to see a bit of their furniture or even them. Sadly one of the houses has a human outside cutting the odd grass they have with hedge clippers, knowing it was going to take them some time. I knew I had been lucky getting Sabo and Marco, apparently extremely so.
Turning away, I move through the house and find no one around while peeking to notice the car is still gone as Marco had work. Sabo usually leaves a note or tells me if he has to see someone, but nothing is left on the fridge as I stare to it once more. Moving, I go look in the fridge to pull out one of those vitamin waters they have for me and start to drink it.
Spending the time, I move about the home and pick up around while doing some cleaning to busy myself, though at some points I have to stop. It was a mere rest at certain points while getting more things done so they could come home relaxed as surely they were working, Sabo probably had to see his editor or something.
Finishing what I could, I find the living room window and stare out once more as the galactical suns are setting. A twist is brought in my stomach with a burning ache in my chest as they still weren't home yet. They would say something if they possibly be late and I worry something happened. Taking in breaths, I calm as I make sure the home is locked up and head upstairs to lay in the nest to sleep with blanket curled around me.
-o-o-o-o-
Waking cold and alone brings that burning back as I move carefully along the nest with loud creaks and slide out. Doing a morning routine, I carefully make my way through the home as no sign of them returning is apparent. A flaring confusion is in me while moving to the fridge and still see nothing as the notes are digital, so they could appear any moment. Swallowing thickly, I carefully get another vitamin water to take in while trying to calm my nerves.
If you think on it, I was a lot of effort to put into. Not only do they have to deal with my mistakes I make, but I really do take up space. I have no problem them going on outings, it was understandable as they are together and though they say to include me… I will never be their type of together. We could never truly be together, humans aren't allowed to be with others of this planet. Not only that, how much time do they have to put into me? Surely it will be too much, over time I think it will be become more apparent that the attention and time put with me will not be worth it.
Rakuyou had mentioned I was close to being transferred over to be a fighter, I am a perfect fit for such a thing. Looking to my hands still held the dexterity to fight back and not stand down to anyone. I toned it down for them, to hope on never being some type of slave and instead still bowed my head to the beings of this planet. No one will come for the humans on this planet and even so, I probably wasn't worthy to do so.
I knew Sabo and Marco meant their affection, but I wonder if I truly was deserving in it. If anything, I felt of being a burden to them more than anything as I lost count on those mistakes. Now to worry about going back to the Alter exam is putting pressure to them and to me as I don't want to go. It's a force I can't fight, but to go every year or so with what they did to me—there was no way they wouldn't be as bad. No wonder most turn back to being aggressive as I have never been through a full session.
A soft whimper leaves me as I leave the rest of my water on the counter and head to a cushion to curl up in as I wasn't needed right now. Though as the passing went with the moons rising, I moved to lay at the door instead with a tight curl of my body as I try not to cry. No matter how much I think they would be better without me…
I don't want them to abandon me.
-o-o-o-o-
Noises are made while I feel a pushing and confused tones, having me move from the door. Marco steps in with a gaze down in confusion while Sabo groans about some others keeping them back. Seeing those blue-grey eyes, I begin to cry. A flood of emotion emptying from me at the sight of them and I can't contain myself. He looks startled by how sobs are leaving me from my shaking mess and closes the door with feathers ruffled as he seems unsure on what to do. My hands are doing a grabbing motion towards him, having him waste no time to swoop down to grip around me.
"I-I thought, y-you didn't wa-nt me!" Broken sobs leave me while trying to desperately get my body closer to him, ignoring the throbbing as I haven't bothered with the cream.
"Ace, calm, calm!" Marco is cooing in stress while I hear huffing with sharp whines as hands are behind me from Sabo.
"We left a note on the board, love. Shh, shh, no crying." Sabo growls in strains as he tries to wiggle up behind me with tail slinging around my waist, no doubt hitting Marco.
"N-noth-ng lef'!" I try to talk through my blubbering mess of incoherent words and bury my face into Marco, feeling the nuzzling to the top of my head from him.
"There should have, yoi…" Marco sounds confused while there is shifting to cup my face and let's me look to him as I try to calm. "Oh Maiden, Ace… You have been thinking this for these passings…" He looks stressed with a gurgling in his cooing and Sabo shifts me more to be curled in his hold. Tail is gripping me firmly while one hand moves to rub to my back as I am tucked into him now. Clacking shows Marco has moved, and I cough a little with shaky breaths to calm more at the feel of them looking to wanting me here still. "It's broken, Sabo. The note maker seems to have diffused, yoi…" I let a trembling hand making a motion out and Sabo quickly moves his hand to grip it with a nail pressing to my palm a bit.
"Oh no, love… We thought you saw that we got dragged into a meeting, a class required for 'owners' that we had no choice. It's something that surprises us, so we cannot prepare ourselves." Sabo is starting to explain with growls and nuzzles that bring me down from my wrenching. My body is moved, having me dart arms to go around his neck with low whimpers and legs wiggling. "Shh, I'm taking you to the living room to sit, okay?" I bury my face into his neck and grazing his scales while trying to hold back my desperation, but I couldn't help it.
They are so loving to me.
Getting up to the next floor, Sabo never once releases me as he gets to his side and my back to the cushion while coaxing me to relax. I slowly do with sniffles, rubbing to an eye as he curls fingers to rub along my chest and stomach with soft growls, tail rounding my legs to keep hold. Chest still shaking with my breaths, I look to those mixed eyes that show worry, but a reassurance that he is here for me.
"Ace," Marco coos as he comes in with a tilt of his head and I look to him while waiting for him to continue. "Have… Have you eaten, love?" Worry lingers as I begin looking down while curling to hide myself, hands moving to go around my head to nudge into Sabo to bury away. A hand lines along the side of my stomach and I shiver with a small whimper. "Let me get you food, yoi. You should eat…" A festering of chatters leaves Marco as he moves out of the room and nuzzles are to my head as Sabo continues back to his growling.
"Get the cream as well, Marco!" Sabo hollers after as he continues to comfort me, bringing so much elation that they were here. "We are home, love. We would never leave you," he soothes with hand rubbing my side, claws scrapping me and brings even more reassurance.
It wasn't long before I had food in my belly, a cold vitamin water downed, and cream applied to my aching body. They cuddled me into oblivion and I accepted it all with wiggles and small whimpers as my heart would ache. It never lasts long as they would console me and express how they should have had one of the family check on me—the board no longer seeming reliant. I would tell them how happy I was they were back—but not saying how I thought they would send someone to take me away like they didn't have the heart to be present for it.
Marco even talked with Pops while resting next to me, which showed us all. Though I was mostly shoved into the cushion with small trembles. He was mentioning of getting a couple passings off to spend time with me but keep up with work at home and I felt guilty. Pops sounded boastful about Marco needing to use his vacation passings, making me wonder if he really did or if Pops was trying to make me feel better. Sabo said he would still work on his book, but he would move it to the cushion to stay with me.
It all didn't feel necessary, but I gratefully appreciated it all.