I awoke the next morning before my master, and quietly left the bed, careful not to disturb him. A life of waiting on other men had taught me to function on little sleep, and even less food. Beyond that, though, the hours I had spent dozing the day before would have been more than enough to ensure an early morning for me the next day.

With any other master, I would have tried to sate his sexual appetite first thing in the morning, as many masters enjoyed that, but master Zechs had yet to initiate sexual contact, and I could not bring myself to do so.

Not that it was repulsive to me. I had belonged to many masters, and almost all of them had found me physically appealing. It was only once I had been given my scars that I was considered less of a commodity. I hadn't had a master since. Such being the case, I was uncertain if master Zechs could bring himself to want me, or if the scars would make him seek another slave for pleasure. I had seen many slaves discarded for less, I would not begrudge my master for not wanting my body in that way, and I knew he had already decided I would be useful for some other purpose. And, if that purpose turned out to be Collar, as I suspected, then I would need to begin a heavy workout routine to make sure I didn't fail my master.

Which is why, with dawn just breaking over the horizon, I walked into the weight room and began to work out.

Despite my current condition, I had, at one time, been highly athletic. I had always been slim, but my first master was a scientist and had used many enhancements to make my body strong and quick. He was hoping to enter me in Collar alone and let me take a high place in both the athletic and knowledge based challenges, thus driving my price sky high. He hoped that with the money he earned from selling me he would be able to fund his research for the next several years. Unfortunately, he died before Collar began.

My next owner had no interest in entering me in Collar, and had no notion of my training or value. He considered me a useless burden, and from him my position and health continually dropped. It was with him that I first began to feel the burden of my collar, and subsequently attempted to escape.

I worked out on the rowing machine first, to warm up, but quickly switched to the free weights. I knew that it would take some time to get back to my peak condition, but I also knew that my training and modifications would allow me to do it in a considerably short period of time, as long as I was well fed and could bear the stress it caused my muscles. To escape this pain, I had learned when I was young to put myself in a sort of trance, and it was a skill that quickly returned to me in master Zech's care. As I rapidly pushed the metal bar up and allowed it to come back down, I felt myself begin to pull away.

This, unfortunately, is the reason I did not notice my master when he entered. I actually did not notice him at all until he was standing directly over top of me, and even then only when he growled, "What are you doing?"

In retrospect, I'm actually glad he was standing there. I was so startled that I dropped the bar, which would have come down on my head with enough force to shatter my skull. Instead, master managed to grab it and put it back on the rack even as I, in my fear, was scurrying off the bench to kneel at his feet.

"Please forgive me, master," I pleaded, my forehead pressed against the mat-covered floor. After a moment, I dared to look up.

Master was leaning against the equipment as though he had, as I had, just been scared out of his wits. He took a deep breath to collect himself, then gave me a small smile.

"Do you even know what you did?" he asked. I tried desperately to think of something I could have done to annoy my master but, other than things I had already been punished for, I could not. Clenching my fists in fear, I shook my head.

"Honestly," he said, sitting down on the bench, "I'm not even sure now," he said, and motioned for me to sit beside him. I did so, but kept my eyes lowered.

"I'm sorry I snapped. I shouldn't have done that," he said, and I gaped at him. No master had even admitted being wrong to me before. "I woke up this morning," he continued, "and found you gone. I was afraid you had run away again. Next time you want to get up early, just tell me before we got to bed," he said, stroking my hair. I was relieved that I hadn't done something serious. My relief, however was short lived, as master suddenly stilled and forced me to look at him. He had a very serious, almost angry look on his face. "Do not use the free weights again without a spotter, ever. If you do, you will be severely punished. Do not come in here alone again until after we have you checked out by the doctor. Don't ever come in here again without telling someone that you're going to be here," he said, in a tone that told me just how severe the punishment would be if I disobeyed. It was the first time master had spoken so harshly to me, but I was moved that he was so concerned with my well being.

"Yes, master," I replied quietly, "and thank you."

"You're welcome," master said gruffly, giving me another pat on the head. "Let's get some breakfast."

The rest of the day went by very quickly. I was allowed to continue my work in the weight room after a large breakfast, under the eye of my master. At lunch, master called a halt to my exercises and sent me to shower while he ordered lunch. Once lunch was through, master asked me many things about life at Collar, preparing for his first time there. His questions were very specific and he delved into the smallest details, like eating patterns and social structure, but knowing my master's personality I wasn't surprised that he was thorough.

Once we finished talking I attempted to return to the weight room, but master wouldn't hear of it. I think he could see that I was exhausting myself, as many of my masters had asked me to in order to train for Collar, but he wouldn't allow it. Instead, he took me out to the pool, where he allowed me only five laps before he instigated a water battle and distracted me from my training.

Master had me get out around dinner time and asked me to read over a paper Collar had sent to him about the Collar banquet. I am almost positive, however, that he was merely trying to get me to sit down, knowing that I was exhausted and would inevitably fall asleep, as everything on the paper I had already told him. His mission was a complete success, and I slept until dinner, at which time master woke me, forced me to eat, then sent me to shower, and finally put me to bed. Still, I could not complain. No other master had ever taken such good care of me and, even if it was only because I was his first slave, I was grateful for it.

I didn't even have time to worry about the doctor who was scheduled to come the next day. That situation, however, was rectified early the next morning.

"Master," I whispered, shaking his arm gently, "master, wake up."

"Hmm? Wha?" he asked, not opening his eyes.

"Can I go work out? I don't have to go to the weight room, I can..."

"No, go back to sleep."

"But..."

"I don't want you all sweaty for Sally."

"Sally?"

"Mm-hmm. The doctor," he said, turning on his side and throwing his arm over me as I lay in bed beside him. I stilled in surprise. Master peaked an eye open and smiled. "Forgot, did you?" I nodded. "Well, that's probably for the best. At least you were able to get a good night's sleep. We'll get up in about an hour, kay?" he asked, then immediately fell back to sleep.

Master's arm was around me, so I couldn't move, but there was also no way I could go back to sleep after news like that. Instead, I curled down into the blankets and played with master's beautiful long blonde hair. Slaves didn't have choices, so it had never mattered before, but I actually had a thing for guys with long hair. I dared to run my fingers through it and twirl it around my fingers, but no more. Master was asleep, or I never would have dared such an intimate gesture without permission. Still, I was attached to this master more than I had been to any other. I guessed that this was the type of thing people did for the ones they cared for. Like master buying me a new collar just to make me feel better.

I must have drifted off, because the next thing I was aware of was master saying, "Heero! Shit! Wake up, we overslept!"

Instantly I rolled out of bed. Master was on his feet on the other side of the bed looking frazzled and still half asleep. It was only then that I noticed the persistent pounding on the door.

"Shit!" master cursed again, "Alright, I've got to brush my hair and change clothes. Can you get the door? Tell Sally I'll be down in a minute," master said, rushing into the bathroom. I stared after him for a moment, then, with some hesitation, moved to comply with his order.

As I neared the door, I saw through the window that the doctor was not a tall woman, small and slim and relatively pretty. She held herself well, with the commanding bearing that many doctors held. Quietly, I opened the door and knelt on the floor in front of her.

Most masters would have understood this invitation. Mistress Sally, however, stared at me for what seemed like a long time before entering. I attributed this to my being master Zech's first slave. Once Sally was inside, I rose and shut the door, then turned and knelt at her feet once again.

"Master asked me to tell you that he would be down momentarily. I am at your service," I finished. My last statement was a common greeting from slave to master, as a master was always aware that any slave that had not been ordered not to obey them would have no choice but to obey or face the wrath of their master. Of course, it was generally accepted that a slave would use their best judgement on who the master would or would not want to obey, but it was also better to err by pleasing one master instead of displeasing two.

"Thank you," mistress Sally replied hesitantly. Doctors, as I had known, could be either masters, slaves, or neither. Master had not mentioned directly which mistress Sally was, but from her bearing I had assumed she was a master. Now, after her reaction, I wasn't so sure. Either way she was my superior, as she was either a trained slave, a master, or someone outside of Collar. I was not even considered a trained slave now that my health had failed.

As the minutes ticked on, I became aware that mistress Sally was fidgeting. She was pacing and seemed nervous and I couldn't understand why. She obviously knew my master and I was in the most unthreatening position I could find.

I was relieved when, a few minutes later, master came down the hall. My relief, unfortunately, was short-lived.

"Shit, Heero!" he cursed again. Either this was a really bad day or my master had a serious potty mouth that I had not been aware of. Also, I realized that I had forgotten to tell him that most masters preferred to call their slaves by pet names and that we would probably have to find one for me. I sat up and looked at my master.

"Please forgive me, but I am unaware of my transgression. I accept any punishment that you may wish to inflict on me, but I humbly ask that you tell me of my wrong, so that I may avoid it in the..."

"Shit," mistress Sally cursed, "they've got him whipped."

At the mention of a whip I flinched involuntarily and laid my head back on the floor, curling into myself as best I could in a kneeling position. Certainly I had not done anything that terrible, had I?

I heard Sally gasp and master came and sat down beside me. I was shaken and, when he reached for me, I couldn't help but flinch. Still, master was quiet and gentle as always and didn't seem mad, despite his earlier actions to the contrary. He pulled me, unresisting but limp with fear, into his lap and stroked my hair, trying to calm me.

"She didn't mean that the way it sounded. No one's going to punish you. You didn't do anything wrong," he said softly.

"Then why is everyone so upset?" I asked.

"I wasn't expecting to be greeted by a gorgeous, naked young man when I came here today," mistress Sally said, but she was smiling, so I assumed that all was alright. Some master allowed their slaves to wear clothes, often the more jealous ones. It had only been master Zechs and I, though, so I had never even considered that my master would want me to wear clothes. As for myself, most of my former masters had wanted me naked at all times, so I had never been body-shy except perhaps my first few days with my first master, but I couldn't even remember that far back. It seemed that master Zechs had not thought about it either, which led to our current situation.

"Would you like me to...?" I asked, but Sally shook her head.

"I suppose it's no use anyway. I'd simply have to make you take them back off," she said. I threw a questioning glance to my master, but Sally caught it and said hurriedly, "For the exam. I mean... not that... I wasn't implying that... Why don't we get some coffee?" she asked, obviously flustered. "I'm sure we could all use some coffee," she said, turning toward the kitchen, then muttered under her breath, "Especially me."