Cherry Blossom Snow

Experiments

"I have to go now," said Leopold. "I'll stop by to visit you as often as I can. Be good and stay here with Akira."

"Fine," said Leona.

"Akira, no smoking."

Akira begrudgingly nodded. As Leopold turned to leave, another man walked by. Fifty year-old Simón Chavez had long brown hair and tan skin, as well as a thin, finely groomed mustache. Simón had two sixteen year-old tiny human/cat hybrids on his shoulders, a male specimen known as Santiago and an intersex specimen known as Untitled.

Simón turned to Leopold. "Why, if it isn't the embodiment of evil itself," Simón remarked. "Stay right here. I have to take Untitled to the infirmary. Santiago wants to go, too, by the way, to keep them company. May he be exempt from the usual routine today?"

"That's fine," said Leopold.

"Good. Seriously, don't go. I have something to talk to you about."

Leopold knew that Simón didn't have anything good to say to him. Still, he waited. Simón took Untitled in for treatment, and allowed Santiago to stay as well.

Meanwhile at the lounge room, two other handlers arrived. Malvern Windsor was a forty-four year-old pale, scruffy, blond man with tired, sad eyes. Sai Miyahara was a forty-two year old Japanese former veterinarian who kept her black hair in a bun and wore rectangular glasses. She and Malvern were longtime friends, having worked together for seventeen years, but only in the last few months did they grow to know each other more intimately.

"Oh, wow," said Sai. "Is that Leona? She's growing up so fast."

"Indeed," said Leopold. "She's already eight years old."

"I can't remember the last time I saw her," said Malvern. "Makes me miss my own children."

"Why don't you visit them more often?" asked Sai.

"Cherish your loved ones while you have them," said Leopold. "You never know what the future holds. You, of all people, should understand."

"I do," said Malvern. "I just choose to cherish them from a distance."

Simón returned to the lounge room, where Leopold was standing in the doorway.

"You prick, get out of my way," said Simón. "I want coffee."

"Did you actually have anything meaningful to say to me?" asked Leopold.

"Nope."

"So, did you just want to waste my time?"

"Of course." Simón proceeded to get coffee.

The time to begin the daily routines for the experiments was approaching, and Leopold was ready to direct the flow of events. Except for a few technical difficulties in the past, as well as the occasional misbehaving experiment, and one breach of security, everything ran smoothly day after day. It was always the same clockwork routine, with as little variation as possible.

Back in the lounge room, Akira and Armistice had sex while Leona took a nap. After she awoke, they played chess while she watched. She had watched them play before and was fairly confident that she knew how to play. She wanted to give it a try.

"I want to play against the winner," Leona declared eagerly.

Akira and Armistice nodded in acceptance of Leona's proposal. Akira won, and so he would play against Leona, who started by moving her kingside knight's pawn two spaces. Akira moved his king's pawn two spaces. Leona moved her kingside bishop's pawn one space, after which Akira moved his queen four spaces diagonally. Akira smirked smugly as Leona processed the situation, realizing that she had already lost.