Twenty-Four

The day of the Pet Auction gripped Midas in such a splendid frenzy, the convivial atmosphere escalating into even greater festivities as the scheduled date came, carrying with it an eager tourism and an even much more eager crowd - the flaunting rich and disguised poor alike.

The phrase it had been earlier ascribed with, the Pet Auction of the Century, seemed to have taken the seat back, viewed as an understatement, as people now believe the occasion to be even more than just that, fiercely arguing that it would go down in the annals of history as one of the grandest days on the planet, not only because the Academy breeds would be making their comeback (and this alone was highly anticipated), but because of how the Capital had survived its hardest year to date, now graciously about to be showing off its newly-revived might (to the Commonwealth's displeasure) in the form of the new god who now ruled over the metallic city of Tanagura.

With that, fierce rumours had been embellished by the masses regarding Neu-Jupiter, the Blondies' Iason Mink and his elusive attendance, a form of welcome to the Elite the of Elite of Elites grandly planned, sparing no expense to celebrate his more official return to the social hierarchies...even more than when he had been first welcomed to awakening at Eos Tower Two.

The superior classes and other such dubbed members of the rich from the nearby star systems have immediately stalked to the Pleasure Quarters, with money to burn and excited hearts ready to battle in numbers the purchase of the best Pet breeds, an underlying interest to discover what was likewise the biggest mystery this side of the cosmos: Neu-Jupiter's Pet.

Everyone of course has heard wind of the mongrel story, of how a nobody once begotten from the Slums turned Tanagura's seat of power upside-down when his Blondie master refused to dispose of him after his years had expired.

Then, the silence of a year, the year when Jupiter seemed to have capitulated to destruction after a great explosion in the deepest recesses of Dana Burn struck a vital cord in his programming, though the elites had been more than stringent on keeping all this scandalous loss of power under wraps, only letting it known to the populace when Jupiter's confirmed heir was found, Jupiter likewise confirmed as dead, and, lo!, here was the missing Iason Mink, rising like a phoenix from its ashes, his Pet ascended to the godhood with him for many obvious reasons including the rumoured capacity to control the System.

The thought alone fed interests and greed, some other shady intentions forming but undoubtedly entailed the same thing: waiting for the mysterious couple to make their debut in public.

Though there would have to be some disappointment in the last minute, something coming up, and that although the Master would certainly make the ball, it seemed that his Pet's return would have to be…missed…

--

Iason Mink had long forsaken the usual bodysuit particular to their class in favour of the more grander costume the Council had months ago decreed to symbolize his Jupitership. In high boots and a long, splendid azure cape designed to purposely fall down just one shoulder, a band of the purest Aurum with the rarest inlaid stones around his head, he was now dressed like a modernized emperor, prepared to meet his audience of men, citizens, the privileged and dignitaries, politicians and elites alike from all the corners of the Star System that would be present at the Pet Auction.

But then grand and extremely handsome as he appeared, royalty amongst his own brethren, the Blondie did not feel up to par with everyone else's excitement about the gathering, not at all when Riki was in bed and was for some surprising reason…ill.

Though he looked as cool and as serene as he always was, inside, the Blondie Master was troubled.

"How is he?" he'd asked Katron for the seventh time this hour alone, as his brothers finished brushing the coat tails of his regalia, buttoning the lighter-shaded vest of his garb, straightening the chains of his cape. After putting on his gloves, they handed him his Black Master's Ring - the only other ornament he chose to wear - from where he'd placed it momentarily in a crystal keep box.

Katron mirrored the same worry Iason had, only obviously, disappointed at himself for letting this come to pass. It would always reflect badly upon the Furniture if the Pet of the House fell into some infirmity, not to mention this was no average Pet but was the Exclusive he was assigned to dote over. How could he have overlooked this?

"He's feeling better. Though he's been half-awake then asleep again the last hours," said the Furniture, careful to pick through his words but making them sincere.

The master has developed a livid intolerance when he discovered coming home that Riki was ailing. He had already snapped coldly at Kantre earlier, thrice strict than usual.

"How did this happen? How could Riki have contracted an illness? Aren't his shots and examinations all in order?"

They were. As with the custom standards for Pet Ownership, and even more because of the Council's close watch over the Exclusive, Riki was perhaps the epitome of complete health in all of Tanagura and all the planet, but then it could be that this was because of yesterday's events that he had awakened with a slight fever this morning, and a migraine that refused to leave him be.

"Well?" Iason looked at the Furniture through the glass of the large mirrors he stood in front of, still being fussed over by Kantre and Katrice who every now and then cast each other a wary eye.

The Master's anger seemed to be slowly brewing to the surface over the sudden illness that struck the Pet of the House. This was never a good thing. For any of them. It meant they had been negligent. It was unbecoming of the Furniture of Neu-Jupiter.

"Well?" the Blondie repeated impatiently.

"Master Riki fell into the Pool of the third tier in the Court yesterday after a few flight laps around, and I think that might have given him the fever."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"He made me swear to keep quiet about it. I'm sorry Master Iason, so sorry," Katron gave a deep apologetic bow, very much nervous. "I've been slack. I should've kept extra watch."

With the confession, all three Furniture waited in dread, his twins both stepping aside in fear for their brother as their Master turned to single out his Pet's personal keeper, Katron expecting to get the full blast of the Blondie's beating and was indeed prepared for the punishment due this oversight.

But instead, to their surprise, Iason just stepped down from the dressing platform and headed out, accompanied by the graceful swish of his blue cloak and the quiet click of his slightly-heeled boots. He was a marvelously tall figure in Cerulean with the very colour of power in his hair. His Furniture feared him. As they should.

He stopped at the door.

"It's all right…" Iason spoke in his usual authority, casting the slightest of glances from over his shoulder. "...just call the doctor when Riki feels worse later. He hates them, and he has to be dead or dying to see one, but I leave that matter to your discretion."

The Pet has been given his medications, and he was now resting. He would count on Katron to keep him that way at least; when he gave voice to his order, the Furniture nodded diffidently, swallowing unconsciously and biting his lip, not a word, although Katron was thankful no proceeding punishment was given. Or was the Blondie saving that for later?

Satisfied that his commands would be carried out the same way as it had always been, the Master turned and was gone, leaving the three stunned Furniture to breathe a collective sigh of relief. It was another near-scrape, the twins agreed, surrounding their brother to give him their comforting hugs, the ordeal always near-traumatic especially with a Lord such as Iason Mink…

--

Iason was careful not to make a sound as he opened the door through to their bedroom, now wrapped in low light as his Pet slumbered in the midst of their massive bed. The temperature had been regulated, Riki having had a bit of a shiver earlier and was now in fact wrapped between the thickness of the sheets and a couple of even thicker comforters, without a trace of wakefulness, just heaving quietly as he stayed twined in his undisturbed dreams.

The Blondie leaned over, climbing to the side of his Pet, though careful as to not wrinkle the surface of his clothes in some old habit of vanity; however, he did deem it unimportant as he was even more cautious not to wake the other.

He gave Riki a loving kiss on his soft black hair, feeling the warmth emanating from him as a sign of the fever, mingling with the scent of antiseptics Katron must be using around to keep clean.

"You hard-headed fool," said the Blondie, with much affliction in his cobalt eyes, heart troubled.

"I'll be back from the Auction early so I may hold you through the night. Wait for me," he whispered, caressing through the mop of dark hair.

Riki stirred, inhaling, only to rest back into his dreams afterwards. Iason once more bestowed a kiss upon his sleeping prince and, with a last glance back, was off and out as quietly as he had come to be the Neu-Jupiter of the populace.