Training Room (Animal Tamers)

[Fellen]

Upon entering, one will immediately note down the immensity of the hexagonal expanse. Its size defeats that of its companion training rooms for the purpose of holding a variety of both terrestrial and marine creatures alike. The rim of the six-cornered room is paved with solid, glass panes - purposely selected to fend off any who seek to disrupt the creatures outside their designated practice time. These little windows act as a peephole into the aquatic world below, where the main cage for the underwater creatures is set. You may expect sharks, eels and piranhas to coincide here. They may be outside of their comfort zone, but our organisation is above bothering for the care of such beasts.

That goes the same way for the land dwellers, which are treated in the same manner inside a secondary storage at the rear of the room... in large, steel-barred cages. These include the big felines, snakes and rough-neck bulls. Their training occurs in the very centre of the room, away from the edge. The glass panes and steel gates automatically open upon request of the animal tamers towards us scientists. Their training is strictly supervised by us - unlike the other rooms with their cameras - in which we are situated on ground level, looking down on them through one-way windows and sharper cameras.

Only a limited number of animals are allowed out at once, according to the tamer's skill. The land tamers will take to practicing in the morning and early afternoon; the marine tamers will take to practicing in the late afternoon and night. The equipment required to tame the animals are stored in an adjacent room located at the side of the hexagon. The animals who spin beyond the control of the experiments will be electrified via their respective collars, but those experiments who intend on using the animals to their own advantage will be severely punished.

- Quartz, the Ringmaster.

[Lute]

A person who loves performing for an audience…
Soel wondered whether being watched all the time will gradually sap the desire for attention. Maybe it did. Maybe it will.
But now wasn’t the time for such petty things. It was none of his concern whether the other experiments enjoyed being under surveillance 24/7, because as far as he knew there was no way anyone could endure being eyed for so long. It usually leads to…

What was that word again? It meant insecurity… Or something close to that. “Pa… ra… Para…”
“Paranoia.”

The only thing that he cared about was that the tiger in front of him was rebelling. The Bengal prowled around restlessly while its kin surrounded the tamer with assured ease. Soel eyed the fidgety animal with a cautious eye. It had been extra cranky even when it was still in its cage—Of course, new imports were always that way. He thought that after a day with the other Bengals the new one would have had adapted to its latest habitat, but—
Soel’s thoughts fluttered away when the skittish one growled. It bared its fangs and roared even louder this time—An alarm ticked in the tamer’s head when he remembered the audience. The new one had to be put under control.

“Sia, Mun, Daos,” He cocked his head to the side and the three tigers sprang to life. They were lying down in a circle around their trainer, idly watching as the latest Bengal wore himself out with all the grumpy snarls and growls, but now that Soel called them to attention they were obliged to obey. Oh, and by the way, the animals weren’t supposed to be called anything asides from their respective numbers (‘Joy oh joy, how creative,’ Soel thought just as this certain “rule” was being drilled into his head) but he didn’t do that anyway. It was one of the many regulations that he disobeyed behind the backs of the scientists. Sure, they might keep close tabs on all of the kids, but that doesn’t mean they can pry inside Soel’s “narrow, confined” little mind. Yes, sometimes being belittled has its benefits.

Soel carefully approached the unnamed Bengal. As expected it turned its large head towards the one who was about to violate its personal space and then, with much ferocity aimed at the said stranger, roared once again. The tamer sighed. Must the new ones be so … feisty? It’s so troublesome…
He started back in surprise as his own thoughts as the tiger stared curiously. ‘Feisty…? Troublesome…?’ Soel’s eyes widened when he realized the enormity of what he thought. He was turning into a control freak, wasn’t he…!?

Sighing these notions and pushing them to the furthest nook of his mind, the animal trainer turned his attention back to the neophyte tiger and then continued forward. He closed off everything about his surroundings, paid no heed to the time, and only concentrated on the animal in front of him.
Relax… I’m a friend.


But was he really?