Masu sat at his keyboard, beginning to input the latest research he had for connecting real nerves to the synthetic ones. He casually glanced at the clock noting that most of the employees would be on lunch break. He reached over, picking up his customary cup of green tea. He paused, staring at the ornate design, wondering if he should apply copper or gold wire this next go.

Green Tea was truly a heavenly smell. Bitter, yet soothing and smelt like steaming forest. It was a delightful drink he was not so able to come across and loved to savor its taste whenever he had the chance. When he'd smelt the tea down the hall, his body forced him to follow it, his head swimming in drunken anticipation of the wonderful liquid. He silently pushed open the door, not disturbing the only occupant in the room. A somewhat small grey dog casually moved next to Doctor Masu, sitting on its hind paws and staring at the cup with wanting eyes.

Masu looked down curiously at the creature then glanced at his cup. Reaching into his file cabinet, he removed a shallow bowl from inside, placing it before the dog and filling it. He then set his own cup down, turning back to his work. Gold...silver hadn't worked and neither had platinum; perhaps the happy medium would.

The dog happily stuck its muzzle into the dish, drinking up the green tea with an unbridled vigor. The bowl quickly emptied of it, the dog licking its lips, trying to drink down every possible drop. "Thanks, it's been a while since I've had good tea."

Masu paused in his typing, adjusting his glasses. "I assume there's a good reason for an interruption from your kind." He refilled the bowl, sipping from his own cup.

"My kind?" The dog asks in mock surprise. "What ever do you mean? I'm simply a little doggy that just happened to smell your tea." He looked down at the bowl, taking another few moments to drink down the refill of green tea. "What ever gave you the idea?"

"You’re speaking, and unlike most of the idiots in Japan, I know you not a demon or some god bringing me news. So out with it; what do you want?" He refilled the bowl again and then began typing once more.

"Aw, kitty boy having a bad day? What, did some girl try and glomp you? I bet it was some guy in the mail room trying to feel you up."

"Out of my lab or I'll call security and have you sent to the pound."

"Oi, chill out man. I ain't a prairie dog." He scratches behind an ear absently, ignoring the threat. "You could call security, but then again, would they really believe you if you told them a talking dog was bothering you?"

"I'd just say some stray wandered into my office and I don't take kindly to the dander."

"Well fine, if you're going to be all cold and heartless on me." A small gold band of light ran from the bottoms of his back paws to his head, his body shifting from animal to human as he stood to his feet. "You know you've got a bit of a bark on you for a kitty cat. You sure you ain’t a werewolf at heart or something?"

"Oh ha ha, you’re so original. Speak your peace and get out, mongrel, I have important things to do."

"Didn't I already tell you? I was down the hall and I smelt your tea. I like the stuff, so I came to see if you had heart enough to give me a bit. You did and still do," he said, taking the cup and taking a very quick drink before setting it back down. "So you've got me here for a bit." He looked at the computer, not able to make heads or tails of the lights and numbers. "So what's kitty working on?"

"Important things that puppies like you couldn't possibly understand. Shouldn't you be in another lab getting dissected or something?"

"Dissections are for insects and frogs, kitty." he said, leaning onto the back of the chair Masu sat in. "I'm just your average werewolf scouting the streets of Kyoto and enjoying myself, and from the looks of it, kitty looks like he needs something a lot more potent then tea."

“‘Kitty’ has a lot of work to do, ‘Kitty’ doesn't drink, and ‘Kitty's’ name is Masu, not ‘Kitty’. Got it?”

"Well, then 'Masu', I'll have you know I fully understand you, but don't give a care. I'm calling you Kitty. You, on the other hand, can call me Hunter."

"Hunter..." He stopped typing and turned in his chair, taking the werewolf in for the first time. "Aren’t you Mr. Kusanagi's pet project?"

"Kusanagi," he mused trying to hear any bells ringing. "Sounds familiar, but then again," he placed a hand on the back of his head, "I'm not very good with names." Hunter stared at Masu for a second, before crossing his arms. "You know, if you're going to stare, it'll cost you." He motioned to the fact that wasn't wearing anything, save for a collar.

Masu stood, removing his lab coat before tossing it onto Hunter. "Put something on before a co-worker comes in and gets wrong ideas." He walked over to a closet, pulling another lab coat out and putting it on.

Hunter wrapped the coat around him with a bit of a pout. "Yeah, say it like it's my fault my clothes don't change with me." He took another look at the screen, picking out simple shapes for fun. "Really, though, Kusanagi does sound familiar. What was he working on?"

"Research on Anthropomorphs, like yourself. He's downstairs in Lab 167 if you think you can offer services. As for clothing when you change, I've developed a suit that converts to a collar when you change."

Hunter paused for a moment. "It's not lime green, is it? I once knew about this one guy who had to wear a lime green suit, he looked awful; even if he did look all muscular and stuff. It was like watching some kinda weird comic book super hero." He looked to Masu again. "So if this guy's working on things like me...does that mean Kitty may be one of his play toys, too?"

"No. I'm superior to you; and the suit is transformable into anything you can program it."

"First, where's the collar? Your lab coat is as stuffy as you are," he said, grabbing the tea and taking another drink. "Second, care to explain how kitty is superior to me? In cats vs. dogs, it's the doggy that comes out on top, you know."

He walked over to a filling cabinet, removing said collar and handing it to Hunter. "I was created for a purpose; you were merely some freak of nature."

"I am no freak. I am beautiful and sexy," he chanted, putting the collar on, but making sure to transfer the tag. "You, on the other hand, are a stuffy and boring kitty cat that only has your sexy ears and perhaps a tail to work for ya. Have you even had a date?" Hunter sighed slightly. "But whatever," he leaned on the chair again, wrapping his arms around Masu. "So what? Are you gonna take me and introduce me to your Kusanagi fellow? Don't wanna see if he might be this werewolf's long lost daddy?"

"Get off me, and no, I have wasted enough time. I have work to do."

A grin crept up Hunter's face. He placed a hand on the keyboard, quickly punching in the auto-save shortcut before using his other hand to shut off the computer Masu was working on. "All done. Now pull the stick out of your ass and be a nice guide."

Masu reached forward, grabbing Hunter’s hand, twisting his wrist painfully around. "If by some CHANCE you fucked that up, I WILL be taking it out of your HIDE."

"Ow," he muttered, a sharp pain spreading from his twisted wrist. "Your file’s fine. I saved it onto the desktop so all you need to do is find it and open it. No big deal, now will you let me go?" he asked a small sense of urgency in his voice.

He twisted the wrist further. "I don't like things on my desktop, because if someone happens to get my password then my life’s work is right there for them to steal."

"Ow, damn it let me go!" He tried to pull away from Masu, though not wanting to damage his wrist further. His eyes shifted to deep amber as his fangs grew a bit. "Listen, jack ass. Let me go or I'll bite you, and I'm sure you know what happens if I do."

"Absolutely nothing, but your slobber gets on me and I bleed a bit. I'm immune to that, thanks. I was the one who created the vaccine for it; now if you don't want me to use it on you, you'll calm down, sheath those, and apologies for what you've done... or do you want to be human?"

Hunter flinched, his eye still amber and canines still lengthened as he almost let out a whimper of pain. "Okay fine, I'm sorry. Now let go of me!"

Masu threw the whelp’s wrist from him. "You should have realized I'm the same Shini Masu that has developed over 90% of the world’s cures in the era. Some people don't like to be furry." He reached into a desk, pulling out a first aid kit. He began to wrap the kit’s wrist, popping two aspirin into his mouth.

"Yeah, the people who hate being natural," he muttered, not resisting in the slightest as his wrist was bandaged and the two aspirin where near shoved down his throat. He didn't want to evoke the temper of the person treating him, even if he did feel like punching the guy for screwing with people's lives.

"Some weren't born into it, or submitted willingly, you know. I treated a girl that was raped and bitten; she just wanted her life back." He finished the bandaging, still holding his wrist, staring at it. "I apologize for my rashness."

Hunter’s eyes fell for a moment, that particular scenario having evaded him. He looked back to Masu, eyes still amber and fangs still grown. He wrapped an arm around the good doctor, pulling him into a hug. "Don't worry, I forgive Kitty." He replied with a grin.

Masu stood there, letting himself be hugged for the moment. "I... get touchy with that particular research."

"Well, now that you've got the rest of the day to yourself, how's about you show your Kusanagi friend and we can get down to business? Unless Kitty's in the market for a house pet."

Masu pulled away from Hunter, walking out of the door and down the hall, fully expecting Hunter to just follow him.

Hunter shifted back into his animal form, leaving the lab coat and the old ragged collar behind. He took pace next to Masu, making sure not to walk too much on the hurt limb. "This guys' not gonna be all insane in the membrane on me, is he?"

Masu stopped, picking the little dog up, taking care to cushion him and avoid the injured limb. "He's used to this."

His eyes glassed over in playful tears as Masu picked him up. "Kitty loves me!" He gave a playful bark, licking at his chin.

"Watch it, or I'll drop you; and hush ‘till we get there." He walked briskly nodding to a few people or ignoring ones he thought below him.

"Fine, fine," He lowered his head, looking at the random people that passed by as they went about their usual work. Some he recognized though none paid any attention to him, other's he didn't recognize.

Masu took a flight of stairs, then entered the previously mentioned lab, setting Hunter down on a table. A man dressed much the same as Masu appeared; he immediately began to fuss over Masu, asking him if he was well, if he'd been injured by a stupid mailroom clerk again. "I'm fine Dr. Kusanagi, really. I brought you a werewolf; calls himself Hunter. I injured him so go easy on him today."

Hunter had to suppress a laugh, as he was right about Masu being manhandled by a mailroom attendant. His head formed another plan, as he decided to do exactly as Masu said: Not say anything. Instead he looked to Doctor Kusanagi, then to Masu, then back, before gently walking over to Masu and licking at his hand.

Dr Kusanagi walked over, beginning to inspect him. He stood, scratching his head, two fox ears popping out through his rough black hair. "Seems rather odd to me Masy; is he a new one or is he messing with you for being a jerk?" Masu rolled his eyes and took a seat at the back of the lab.

He couldn't help the laugh that escaped him. "Masy," he giggled at the childish nickname. Still, forced from his cover, he looked to Dr Kusanagi again, a smile on his muzzle. "Hello, there!"

"Ah, it speaks."

"Constantly..."

Dr Kusanagi chuckled. "Well get on with the changing, boy."

"Hey, I'm not that bad!" he retorted to Masu's comment. He huffed, the band of light wrapping around him as he shifted to his normal human form. His figure was lithe, skin a gentle tan. He had rough black hair, but kept his eyes their amber color instead of their natural muddy brown. He looked down at himself, content with the 1999 "Skater" outfit the collar had given him. He turned to Masu with a grin. "Hey, this thing really does work!"

Dr. Kusanagi laughed and clapped Hunter on the shoulder. "You've never had a chance to be round Masy before have you? He's the single smartest person in the world; I think he could do anything he felt like."

"I dunno," he said in a bit of a challenging tone. "Seems like you couldn't get him to genuinely smile without the universe exploding or something."

Dr. K glanced at Masu before resting a heavy hand on Hunter’s shoulder, leaning in to whisper to him. "When a man looses his closest friend, it's hard to smile at anything,  Hunter."

Hunter looked to Masu for a moment, his grin fading as he tried to imagine how close the friend must have been for the kitty to be as gloomy as he was now. "Emo..." he said in a quiet, yet still singsong voice.

Dr. K shook his head. "It was also his research partner, some things are best left alone; but you got him down here, that's rare in itself. If you get him outta the building you can use my company card to get lunch."

Hunter bit at his bottom lip; lunch did sound really good right now. Sure, he'd gotten Masu's tea, but that didn't satisfy his hunger. "If you're willing to stay true to that statement, I should warn you I eat a lot."

"If you can make him smile, I'll find you a nice home, too." Dr. K grinned.

The werewolf leapt up from the table, dashing across the room and grabbing Masu by the hand before forcefully pulling the doctor out the door. "We'll be back later!" He called to Dr. Kusanagi. Lunch if he got him out of the building and a home if he could make him smile! His eyes blazed yellow as he was determined to win that bet.

Masu tilted his head but let the pup drag him along. "Someone’s excited."

"Uh, yeah. Free lunch and a home? That's awesome times a million!" Hunter hit the elevator, pulling the doctor inside and pressing the button for the lobby. "So, where do you wanna go for lunch? I eat almost anything."

"Lunch? But, I have work." He stopped seeing the excited look on the pup’s face. "Traditional Japanese."

Hunter looked at Masu, a serious expression falling over his face. "Your computer will be there when you get back and you, good doctor, need some daylight." The door to the elevator opened again, the werewolf grabbing onto Masu again and pulling him out of the building and into the busy city street. "Now to find lunch." He sniffed at the air, trying to pick up the scent of any nearby Japanese restaurant.

Masu pulled him to a stop, grabbing his hand and walking in a specific direction at his own pace. "Calm down. I live here, I work here, I know where I am, I know where my restaurant is."

"So where're we goin'?" He asked, obediently following after Masu. "He said I get free lunch of I got you out of the building, so money isn't an option."

"I overheard… Kusagi was never very quiet at whispers." He led into a very expensive looking place with a Japanese garden and Geishas to greet them.

"Whoa," his eyes scanned the rather posh and expensive looking restaurant. "You must be loaded if you come here often," he said aloud, not aware of anyone else who might have been listening.

He motioned to a particular Geisha, who led them to a private area under a gazebo. "Banquet number 4, green tea for two."

"Hey," he whined with a bit of a pout. "You didn't let me order..."

"The Banquet 4 has two of everything on the menu." Masu relaxed a little, breathing in the deep smell of the flowers.

"Oh..." Hunter fidgeted, slightly uncomfortable and slightly awkward, looking so plain in the very formal restaurant. "So… do you come here often?"

"Whenever I feel like eating well. Don't look so awkward, men come here in  Bermuda shorts..."

Hunter looked at Masu with a curious look in his eyes. "Bermuda?" His eyes turned to the side, starring off into space as he tried to recall what that word meant.

Masu watched him for a moment longer, then turned Hunter’s chin so they were facing eye to eye. "If you need a home, live with me."

Most likely, for once, Hunter was speechless. His mind tried to process just exactly what he'd heard and if he was dreaming or not.

Masu let go of his chin as the tea arrived, taking a deep sip of it. "Dr. Kusagi would approve. He thinks my living alone is dangerous with my health. I tell him the maids have been trained but he refuses to take that as an answer."

He absently picked up his own tea, taking a drink of his favorite liquid with a smile, though still keeping himself fixed on what Masu was saying. "What's wrong with your health?"

"I'm prone to illness and the common cold could kill me." He took a sip of his tea once more.

Hunter almost dropped his glass. The common cold...kill him? How was that possible? "That...doesn't make any sense...why are you even outside if you don't have an immune system?"

"I take medication for it and I normally try to avoid being outside."

He took another sip of his tea, the taste of it completely lost as he focused on the situation at hand. He looked at Masu. "Can't you...I dunno...make yourself an immune system? Little robots or something? You said yourself you made cures. Make a cure for yourself!"

"There isn't anything I can do for myself. I was created without an immune system and the likelihood of absolutely sterile nano bots isn't something I’d like to risk my life on."

"You don't know that, it could be done..." he tried to sound encouraging, though found himself lacking in that regard as well. He didn't know anything about nano tech, or if it was possible to have them completely clean.

"Hunter..." He placed a hand on the young pup’s. "I've lived this long without dying; I think I'll be fine."

He nodded, feeling just slightly comforted when Masu placed his hand on his. The slight rumble in his stomach broke the mood as Hunter hung his head in embarrassment.

Masu couldn't help but laugh; he hadn't seen someone so awkward and caring in years. He shook his head and smiled at Hunter as the Geisha placed the banquet before them.

Hunter’s head snapped up when he heard Masu laughed. He grinned madly, his embarrassment forgotten, for the moment, as he was two for two on the offer that Dr. Kusanagi had made him. "I made you smile," he said in a singsong voice as he grinned at Masu. "That means you get to keep me," he laughed for a second before digging into his own meal with furious abandon.

Masu sat back enjoying the tea and watching Hunter scarf down his meal. As he began to melt into the peace, a man passed their table coughing. Masu calmly reach into his jacket, popping 18 different pills in one gulp.

Hunter glared at the man who'd coughed on his new owner. He closed his eyes, trying to act as nonchalant as possible... before grabbing a small plate and throwing at the back of the man's head.

Masu sighed rubbing his temples as then man began hysterically yelling at Hunter. The Geishas began frantically trying to calm the man down and at the same time relocated Masu and Hunter to a ‘nicer spot’.

Hunter calmly picked himself up, acting like he'd done nothing wrong. Before moving, he gave the man a cold stare, his eyes shifting to their vibrant amber and an inaudible grown forming in his chest, a warning but one only the random guy would see.

"Hunter, people cough," Masu followed the Geisha, coughing a little himself.

"Yeah, but he coughed on you," he replied, his voice sounding concerned again as Masu coughed. "If you're not feeling well, I'm taking you back to your office."

“Hunter, I haven't eaten and I'd like to calm down. I took the medications." He took a breather from his pocket, taking six quick puffs.

The werewolf sat down at their new table, keeping an eye on Masu, wanting to know for a fact that his new owner was going to be okay.

Masu took his place, eating his meal slowly but with purpose.

Hunter took up a bowl of rice from his meal, returning to his food when he was content with Masu's condition. "So, now that you're my owner," he said with a mouth now full of noodles, "where do you live, exactly?"

"Owner?" He paused in eating to stare at Hunter curiously.

He nodded in a reply. "Kusanagi said if I got you to smile, he'd find me a home and you offered to have me live with you, so I don't see what the problem is."

"Well yes, but I don't own you. You'd be more of a roommate… I guess..." He continued eating, mulling over how awkward this relationship could get.

"But you gave me a collar and even took me out to lunch," he replied, "Now that I'm gonna be living with you, seems like owning to me." A dog's logic was truly fascinating...

Masu sighed, shaking his head, then he doubled over clutching his chest. "Damn it… cell phone... left pocket… speed dial 4…"

Hunter leapt up from his seat, grabbing onto Masu's coat and quickly pulling out the cell phone. He pressed the number 4, and put it to his ear, his body shaking slightly as he had no idea what was happening to Masu.

"Dr. Kusanagi speaking," came the familiar voice threw his ear. Masu panted heavily, thrusting himself from the booth.

"Doctor!" Hunter cried, grabbing a hold of Masu, hefting his new owner onto his shoulder with werewolf strength. "Something happened to Masu! It's like he's having a heart attack or something!" Hunter crashed his way out of the restaurant, shifting his form, but just enough to give him more strength and speed as he made his way back to the office.

"Fuck, meet me in the infirmary!" Dr K hung up the phone and ran, grabbing his medical bags, tearing his way towards the infirmary. Masu gasped for breath over Hunter shoulder clutching to the werewolf’s waist.

Hunter’s eyes shifted amber as he transformed just slightly more for more power in his movement. "Hold on tight, okay?" He said to Masu, anchoring his new owner to himself with his own strength as well. The werewolf jumped up from the sidewalk, easily scaling the nearby building and landing on its roof. He tightened the muscles in his legs again, launching himself up further as he began leaping from one building to the next to make the trip shorter. It was only a few seconds before he made it back to the building, lumbering through the front doors, into the elevator and near collapsing the panel on the controls for the floor he remembered Kusanagi was on.

Dr. K quickly set up the infirmary to handle this emergency situation. He pulled the syringes, out filling them with the special medicines. Masu gripped even tighter to Hunter, shaking with the effort to breath.

The werewolf couldn't tell if the shaking was him or Masu, and not about to start trying to figure it out. His kitty was in a lot of trouble, he had no idea how much, but his heart nearly skipped a beat when he heard the sound of the elevator beep as the door opened. He dashed forward, trying to find Kusanagi. "Doctor!" he called out in a slight panic.

Dr. K stuck his head out the door, eyes widening. "IN HERE!"

Hunter dashed forward, carrying Masu into the room with him. His breathing was rapid in his panic.

Dr K motioned for Hunter to put him down on the table. "Hold him still, he might go into shock."

He set him down gently, placing a hand on each arm, Hunter's arms shifting slightly to give him enough strength to restrain his new owner, just as Kusanagi ordered.

Dr. K lifted Masu's sleeve, finding the vane easily enough and began administering shot after shot into his arm, a cloth in place to catch the blood. Masu eyes widened at first and he struggled but then gradually, as the shots wore on, he relaxed, as did his breathing.

"He's gonna be okay, right?" Hunter asked, his voice filled with worry again as he watched Masu's relaxing form.

"I think so, this has happened before. I keep telling him to stop going to that damn restaurant."

It was the restaurant’s fault his new owner had an attack?! Hunter's eyes shifted fully amber and his teeth grew to their full length, his ash grey fur began to spread as he felt an anger rise in his chest.

Dr. K reached over and thapped Hunter hard on the nose. "Don't even think about it. He needs you here and destroying some restaurant won't change anything. That happens to be the cleanest place he can go in town, I just hate the customer clientele."

He shifted back to his normal human form, calmed down, though slightly annoyed at the stinging feeling in his nose. He let go of Masu, content with how much his new owner had calmed down. "Um...how'd you know he wanted to keep me?"

"Because he brought you to me. He usually just points to a receptionist without speaking."

In a weird way, it made sense. Ever since they met earlier, Masu acted like he hated everyone and, now anyway, it seemed slightly off that he'd personally take him to Kusanagi, even though Hunter had pestered him about it. He smiled slightly at the idea. "By the way..." his attention shifted to Kusanagi again. "When you said free lunch...do doors come with that?"

"If it help saved his life, anything would come with it, Hunter."

"That's good, because I kinda put a hole in the front of that restaurant when we left," he scratched at the back of his head, slightly embarrassed at the situation.

Dr k laughed, but his face became solemn as he turned back to Masu, feeling his forehead. "Instant cold… went straight for his heart..."

"Hey doc," Hunter began, his feeling of worry falling over him again. "Can't you...like...make an immune system for him? He said he's made a ton of cures for other people, isn't there some way of making some kind of cure all pill or nano thingies for him?"

“No, Hunter… there's some things even God himself couldn't fix…"

Even Hunter could catch the logical fallacy in that, but it was enough for the doctor to prove his point. "So how can I help him?"

"Stay by his side… stay clean… and remember my number."

He gave a quick nod to the doctor, looking back at Masu. Hunter shifted back into his wolf form, sitting at the side of the cot, his head laying on the padding as his nose rested softly by Masu's hand.