Seeing spots: ( Story and art Commissioned by Siegmar )


Ash had to concede that the view was indeed incredible. From the veranda on which she sat the rolling hills of Southern France unfolded in front of her like a Van Gogh painting, gently dipping into the azure waves of the Mediterranean. The storybook town of St. Tropez was but a speck at the intersection of land and sea, little lights sparkling like stars in the early dusk. The innocent hills surrounding her was one of the most coveted swathes of real estate in the world, dotted with the stately mansions and tuscan villas of Europe’s wealthiest individuals. Ash was wearing a simple yet elegant black gown, made from a single hand-woven piece of oriental silk. She could smell the perfume emanating off her body. X by Clive Christain, one of the most expensive perfumes in the world. It was a gift from the owner of the villa, the man now sitting across from her delighting himself with a bottle of expensive French wine. He beamed with pride, gesturing towards the vast expanse before them.

“It’s quite a view, is it not?” His Southern drawl was obvious as he spoke. He wore a gold suit, gold bolo tie, and had at least two golden watches on his wrist. No doubt to boost his massive ego.

“ I must agree, Mr. Gould.” Ash replied dryly. He was her patron, but she couldn’t stand the man. Even amongst the douchey rich types she frequently fraternized with, he was a special specimen of sin. He waved his hand, and a smartly dressed waiter poured him another glass of wine.

“You’ve done quite well, Ms. Sandberg. I’m quite impressed with the initial test results.” Internally, Ash let out a sigh of relief; Mr. Gould was in a good mood. When was upset, he liked to shoot anything that moved.

“I’m glad you think so.” She replied, trying not to show emotion in her voice. “ My compatriots and I have worked very hard to achieve these results. “

“Yes,” Warren agreed. “ With the preliminary tests complete, I believe it’s time to move on to bigger things. The people I work with are very... impatient as it is. They want what you’ve made, and I think it’s time we give it to them.” Ash drew back in her chair, trying to hide her surprise.

“They want it now?” Mr. Gould laughed at her surprise.

“Of course. Mr. Cliff was very satisfied with our beta version. And word of mouth advertising spreads very fast. “ He pulled out a piece of paper from his coat pocket, a map of the Wildworld zoological theme park.

“However, that’s not what I want to talk about.” He pointed to several of the exhibits, marked with a red X. “ Thus far we’ve only worked on expendables to avert the risk of something going wrong. I’m ready to promote this to more systematic use. “

Ash was deeply offended by this statement, but held her anger in. Her targets had been carefully selected, those who were unhappy with society and needed a new chance at life. She worked hard to make sure those she experimented on enjoyed their new lives and lived them to the fullest. They were not mere expendables.

“ I mean,” he took a sip of his wine before continuing, “ there happen to be some friends of mine that could use a ‘new take on life’ so to speak. I want you to take care of them. “

Ash was taken aback. And despite risking his anger, she let him know it.

“Warren, I’m not some thug to do your dirty work! “ she cried out, slamming her fist on the marble table. Her face flushed with heat as she felt her anger rising. She knew she was losing control but he was pushing it too far. To her surprise, Gould merely chuckled, unnerving her with a dangerous glint in his eye. She had seen it before, in predators about to make a kill.

“ Ash, my dear, you work for me. Unless you’ve forgotten the millions I’ve donated to your research. “ “Ash opened her mouth to retort but instead plopped back down into her chair. She glowered as she took a second sip of her drink.” Warren’s expression changed from smug to apologetic.

“Don’t worry, the target I’ve chosen is far deserving of your efforts. Or at least, his father was.”

Ash stared at him in shock. “You want me to kidnap and experiment on a child?” Warren laughed.

“No, not exactly at least. He’s twenty years old and is the son of a Senator that rubbed me the wrong way. His parents are… tiger food to say the least.”

“You murdered them?!” Ash couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Warren nodded, feigning sadness. His lower lip stuck out in a pout.

“It wasn’t my fault,” he whined like a toddler explaining a broken mirror to his parents. There was just a hint of sarcasm. “They decided to interfere in my little overseas tiger trading business. So I fed them to one. It was a fitting end, really.” He took another sip, with a pouty look still on his face.

“But their welp is still alive, with a lot of money and no parents. It’s gotta be tough living like that. One could only hope he doesn’t take up his parent’s vendetta against me. “ He leaned in closer, and she could smell the stench of alcohol on his breath. His muscles tensed as his wrinkly hands clenched the table. Instantly his demeanor changed, his voice icy and violent.

“ I want him out.” he hissed in Ash’s face. “I hope you know I’m being very courteous here. I could have killed him like the others, but I’m willing to make an exception because of his youth. However, if you should refuse this assignment…”

He didn’t need to explain it further. Ash gulped as she realized the implications of his threat, setting her glass back down upon the table. Her teeth clenched together but she made no outward expressions as she stood up to leave. She had seen enough.

“ I hope you understand, I’m being quite charitable.” Warren was all smiles again as he stood up, beckoning for a servant to clean off their table.

“It’s clear as crystal.” Ash spat. She hoped he could detect the venom in her words. “I’ll get right on it.”

And that was what ultimately led to the black sedan pulling up on the drive in front of the zoo’s administration building. A Jaguar. “How fitting,” she mused to herself. The back door opened up, exposing the plush tan leather and wood trim of the vehicle, as well as an ashen-faced young man dressed respectably in a suit and tie. It was obvious that he had tried to prepare himself for this encounter without the aid of his parents, and failed. His hair was brushed into place but the amateur strokes and outlying wisps suggested self-grooming, a rushed attempt at that. His suit was a respectable brand name but wrinkled and the jacket mismatched with the trousers.

He turned and walked up to her as the car pulled back towards the main road.

“ Ms. Sandberg, I presume?”

“ You can call me Ash,” she reached out and shook his hand. His handshake was strong, but weary. “And you’re Mr. Howard?”

He laughed, a warm and pleasing chuckle that she could only describe as bubbly. “Since we’re on a first name basis here, you can call me Arthur.” His demeanor was charming and polite, but Ash could see pain deep within his eyes, a somber aura that hinted at previous tragedy. She brushed it off, all smiles as she led him past the Administration building towards the park.

“I understand you plan to donate a considerable sum of money to the park.” she said, trying to appear flattered. Arthur nodded.

“My family and I are huge supporters for the ethical treatment of animals. My parents are…” he paused briefly, a cloud of sadness hanging low over his eyes. “ Well, they were constantly fighting against the illegal fur trade in these parts. Apparently it rubbed a lot of rich folk the wrong way.” He looked down solemnly, before gesturing to the park in front of them.

“ But I am happy to see my family’s legacy in good hands here at the park. I’ve heard about how Mr. Gould has promised to spare no expense to ensure that the animals here live in safety and comfort. “ Ash’s stomach tightened in a knot as she heard this. Did he know Warren was the architect of his parent’s murder? Did he know about his involvement in the very crimes Arthur’s family fought against? She had to swallow her emotions as she offered him an extensive tour of the park. To nobody’s surprise, he readily accepted, his face smiling for the first time since she saw him. After a brief vaccination against animal borne diseases they came to the gate leading into the park.

Arthur was as impressed as anyone as Ash took him on a walkaround of the pathways and trails delicately bounded by lush exotic flora and numerous still empty exhibits. He seemed curious in everything she pointed out to him, even slight details. He reminded her of the park supervisor, Mr. Gross, with the way he commented on every aspect of the park and what could be improved.

“The artwork on this hot dog cart is quite asinine.” He pointed at the image of a googly-eyed cartoon wolf joyfully offering potential customers an unnaturally red hot dog on a plate. “Nature’s Bounty Concessions.” it read, the letters bouncing about the top of the cart. “The yellow background provides quite a poor contrast with the red typeface and gray pelt of the wolf. Are you trying to blind the customers with this color choice?”

Ash really had no response for this sort of thing. Those matters were handled by the park’s design team, more of Warren’s corporate types. It was designed to elicit as much money as possible, and if a bug-eyed cartoon wolf did it, then that was that. Still, Ash had to admit she was impressed. The young man appeared shy and inept at first glance, but he really had an eye for detail, as well as good taste. She wondered if he was even aware of his talents. She remained silent when he talked, she really had nothing to say to him. Just nod politely and keep on moving. The real spectacle, of course, was still to come.

They finally arrived at the grand spectacle of the park, big cat mountain. She led the awestruck young man to their initial destination, the Jaguar exhibit. It was a lush, open space filled with trees, rocks, and net bridges to spend hours climbing on. A babbling brook ran throughout one side of the exhibit to another, culminating in a small but deep pond. An exact recreation of the amazon rainforest in which they lived. A black Jaguar snoozed contentedly on one of the rocks overlooking the stream, blissfully engaged in whatever a feline dreams about. She stopped and pulled Arthur over to observe the magnificent beast at rest, sunlight sparkling off its luxurious black coat.

“As I understand, this is the exhibit I’m sponsoring.” Arthur said, a twinge of excitement in his voice. Clearly a lot of effort went into designing the place. And judging by the expression of the cat itself, they’d done a marvelous job.

“Yes, the Jaguar exhibit. Your gifts helped us construct this enclosure, as well as-” she gave him a subtle wink. “ -find her a loving mate. “ Arthur sighed longingly.

“At least I can help somebody find a partner.” He chuckled, then sighed again. “ Well, the preservation of our endangered species is of utmost importance. Would hate for a creature like that to disappear.” He motioned once again to the Jaguar, and Ash smiled. Perhaps he would adjust to his new life better than she thought.

Of course Arthur accepted Ash’s invitation to explore the service areas that led up to the exhibits. He seemed quite interested in the zoo’s infrastructure behind the scenes. Before he could, though, Ash plopped a pile of paperwork down on a nearby picnic table.

“What’s this for?” Arthur groaned.

“This is just to certify you as a donor. You have to sign it if you want to see the restricted areas of the park, otherwise my bosses get furious. They don’t want me letting anyone in back there.”

Arthur nodded, trying to pretend like he understood everything Ash had said. He groaned internally as he flipped through the large stack of papers dotted with writing you needed a microscope to see. “Figures there’s always a truckload of paperwork before anything fun.”


He quickly scrawled his name and handed the stack back to Ash, his face twisted in disgust. Ash hid a smirk as he quickly marched over to the service entrance to Big Cat mountain. With the “boring stuff” out of the way, now the real fun could begin.


They walked down the long damp service hallways, Arthur’s renewed sense of excitement quickly turning into one of regret and outright horror once he entered the service area. Already it resembled a war zone, with bombs of dirty water and bullets made of dust. The muck and mire instantly waged battle against Arthur’s Giorgio Armani suit, pelting it with numerous assailants until it too resembled the leaky pipes and cardboard boxes they begrudgingly trudged past. Ash repressed a giggle as she watched him attempt to navigate the tunnel without soiling his expensive new shoes, to no avail. Finally, he decided it wasn’t worth it and trudged along in a straight line, grumbling to himself.


Eventually they arrived at a series of cages, each one leading out to a respective exhibit on the mountain. She stopped at a rusty iron door marked “Jaguar”, typed the code in her keypad, and ushered Arthur inside. His mistake was assuming she would follow.


Arthur stepped inside the cage, gazing about the enclosure with curious eyes. He ignored the itching starting to build up on his shoulder as he focused his attention on observing the room.

The cage was largely bare, save for a king-sized food and water bowl along with an equally enormous heated sleeping pad for the resident Jaguar. The cage was surprisingly much drier than the service tunnel and he could sense a warm breeze coming from several vents in the vicinity. He was so busy observing the room around him that he barely noticed the cage door locking with an audible “click.”

He whipped around and saw that the door had closed, locking him and Ash inside. Except.. Ash wasn’t inside. She was standing outside of the cage, the stack of papers in her hand from earlier. He couldn’t read her expression, but it appeared to be a mix of triumph and sorrow. He raised an eyebrow quizzically.

“Aren’t you coming in?” he asked, finally scratching the feverish itch that had been developing on his shoulder. The humidity was really starting to get to him.

She sighed wearily. “No, I’m not.” It was a simple response and yet it set Arthur totally off balance. A sense of unease began building in his chest, like a case of the butterflies. He was unaware that the feeling was more physical than mental.

“ Uh… What?” was the only thing he could mutter out as he started to sweat. Something was definitely wrong here, and he wasn’t quite sure what it was. Why was he so hot?

His attention was turned from Ash, however, as his body grew hotter and his head began to feel faint.

“ Um, uh... “ he stammered, trying to get his bearings as he staggered around the cage. He absentmindedly took off his suit jacket and tie in an attempt to relieve the intense heat building around him. Did he have heatstroke? Or was it some other ailment that had seized him? He glanced towards Ash, expecting her to notice his peril and hopefully administer first aid. To his surprise, the fuzzy figure he saw made no motion to aid him, standing silently outside the cage. He tried to call out to her, but it came out as mostly disgruntled noises as daggers sliced through his head.

Finally caving in to the blanketlike warmth enveloping his body, he riped off his dress shirt, barely aware as the piece of cloth gently landed in the water bowl. Sweating feverishly, he glanced down at his exposed chest, as if he expected his heart to burst through his skin at any moment. What he found, however, is just as unsettling.

White hair-no, fur had begun growing all over his chest and stomach, winding around to his back. Large black splotches appeared throughout the chest fur, turning into rosettes on his sides and shoulders. It brought a whole new meaning to the term “seeing spots.” He let out a gasp, convinced he was hallucinating. Was this some sort of drug, or…

He had little time to ponder his circumstances as a pain ruptured through the itching sensations, coming from his abdomen. He barely managed to keep his footing, gasping as he saw the changes to his fur-covered torso. New muscles were forming underneath the coat of spotted fur, muscles that no human ever had. His chest had started to barrel out, and he could feel the wriggling sensations of his organs adjusting within him. It was like slithering worms, expanding and shifting to new parts of his body, some organs disappearing completely. It confirmed to him that this nightmare was indeed real.

He let a cry of distress as the changes hit his legs next, stumbling as the muscles pulsed and throbbed beneath him. He had to lean against the bars of the cage to support himself as his thighs and calves began to reshape themselves into something feral, the bestial stance of a predator. He had to fight back tears as he felt the very shoes he’d worked so hard to protect shatter against his expanding feet. Why was this happening to him? What had he done to deserve this?

Suddenly he found himself face to face with Ash, standing on the opposite side of the bars. He clutched them tightly as he cried out.

“What the hell is going on? What’s happening to me?” He was almost crying as Ash gently brushed a hand through his brown curly hair, sending it scattering to the floor.

“Shhhh,” she said, her voice soothing and calm. Why was she not helping? Did she not see what was happening? He winced as he felt his pelvis shift, his lower body adjusting as his stiffening hands grasped at the bars. “This is the best for both of us.”

Arthur looked up from his sobs, his face a flurry of emotions through the tears. “What the hell do you mean? How could this be good?” he spat. He briefly let go of the bars in an attempt to save his loosening pants, which only caused him to lose his footing and tumble to the ground, spine twisting like a serpent as he fought to save his undergarments. Alas, despite the increased flexibility of his spine, his efforts were in vain as his hind legs finally won against the strips of cloth, exposing his changed scrotum to the world. Arthur growled in both anger and embarrassment as he tumbled about on the floor, desperately trying to cover up his shame.

It was at this moment when Ash pressed a certain button on her remote, opening up a sliding door on the side of the cage. This one didn’t lead into the service tunnel however, rather it led right into WildWorld’s jaguar exhibit. And lo and behold, the black Jaguar sauntered into the cage, walking right up to Arthur.

Arthur froze, his body paralyzed with fear as the big cat beelined right for him. He had learned about Jaguars back at Loyola Prep, and the deadly threat they posed to humans. He ignored the fact that he was nearly one himself, as a nub of a tail began snaking its way out of his rump. His focus was on the streamlined prowler pawing up to him, perfect muscles rippling underneath the midnight-colored fur. It could behead him with one swipe of its paw.

However, the Jaguar did not eat him as he had expected. Instead, it spoke.
“Hiya! You must be my new mate!” Arthur stared at the cat above him, flabbergasted. Had it just spoke to him? And called him her... mate? She seemed to ignore his confusion, answering his questions for him.

“If you’re wondering why a Jaguar’s talking to you, it’s because you can understand cats now.” she piped cheerfully. “One of the perks of being one I’d say.” Arthur was still paralyzed with fear and surprise at how this was all unfolding. But as he listened to her talk, it was increasingly obvious that she wasn’t speaking a human language. The way her ears and tail moved, the mews and chuffs themselves, and even her scent seemed to be part of the way she communicated. But how could he understand her?

A tugging at his ears seemed to answer his question, as they began the changes to his neck and head. They grew rounder, yellow spotted fur covering them as they moved to the top of his by now hairless head. Even now, they began to convey Arthur’s fear and trepidation as they flattened against his skull. By now the fur had covered the rest of his body, a golden spotted pelt on his back, legs, and side and white on his chest and belly. He started coughing, and to his shock and horror, he saw his bloody human teeth lying on the ground. His gums burned as if they were on fire as new predatory fangs, sharp as swords, filled his new muzzle. His mind raced with thoughts as his head finished changing into that of a Jaguar.

The first thing he thought was “What would my classmates think?” Here he was, displaying himself in front of a female that was looking more sultry and attractive by the second. Not by choice, of course, but nonetheless it was so. He bet if his classmates saw him, he’d never hear the end of it. What would they think if they saw his fingers thickening, thumbs becoming useless as they shifted upwards towards his wrist, palms calousing into leathery pads? How hard would they laugh if they knew his career had been relegated to zoo exhibit?

He was about to cry at the thought when he realized, it didn’t matter. If they laughed, he could now slash them with 8-inch long daggers attached to his hands. If they taunted, he could chase them down with his powerful legs at 30 mph. He could hunt them through thick and thin if he so wished. It didn’t matter anymore what they thought. What mattered was….

His heart pounded in his barreled chest as he pondered. What did matter? His thoughts felt like marbles scattered across the floor of his consciousness, and he was trying to gather them together. Was he supposed to continue his parent’s work? It seemed like the most logical option as a human, but that path was about to be stripped away from him forever. Had he failed?
He thought about his parent’s legacy, and the noble efforts to save endangered animals that had led to their demise. How was he supposed to continue their efforts as a …

His face turned beet red as it suddenly clicked, snapping back to the black cat lighty pawing at his face. The red quickly became yellow however, as the spots finally reached his face, beginning the final changes into a Jaguar. He winced as his nose and mouth began to pull out into a feline muzzle with a split lip and pink triangle-shaped nose. The other Jaguar shuffled back, allowing Arthur space to complete his changes. He grew a fine set of whiskers on his new muzzle. His skull flattened as his head increased in shape and size. Muscles grew and bulged in his neck as it swelled to accommodate his new head position. He yawned, exposing new carnivorous teeth growing over the old human ones, as well as a long sandpaper-like tongue. His eyes grew rounder as they shifted in color, irises overtaking his eyes as his vision sharpened considerably. His brain was awash with sensory overload, briefly immobilizing him as his addled brain tried to sort through the new input. Finally he collapsed in a heap, utterly exhausted.

Ash watched the whole scene unfold. She saw Arthur collapse into a fuzzy heap, having finally completed his transition into a beautiful Jaguar. He really was quite a handsome cat, with a breathtaking golden and white spotted coat. Any female would be proud to have him as their companion. It would take some time, but she had a feeling that Arthur would adjust well to his new life. “It’s for the best.” She thought to herself as she dialed up Warren on her satellite phone. It was done.

EPILOGUE

It had been several months since Arthur’s life had completely turned upside down. After the murder of his parents, events had spiraled into utter chaos. But then again, things rarely go as planned.

He stretched out on the sun-kissed rock, yawning as he arched his back. The shimmering sunlight filtered through the leaves, reflecting off the sparkling water and his golden spotted pelt. The black Jaguar knelt down beside him, her muzzle brushing up against his whiskers. She purred with affection as her tail swished lazily behind her. Beyond them, countless throngs of tourists jockeyed for the best photo angles, pushing and shoving behind the glass wall of the exhibit. They were like hyenas fighting each other for the last scrap of food. But that was all noise to the pair of felines.

He had gotten to know the other Jaguar rather well after his transformation. Her name was Michelle, and she had once been a human like him, although from a completely different set of backgrounds and circumstances. He was the son of a senator, she was penniless and unemployed before coming here to WildWorld. They would have never met as humans let alone formed a relationship. So why was Arthur so content with this?

Arthur briefly wondered what his parents would think if they saw him like this. The thought had popped into his mind many times since he got here, and he had yet to find a cohesive answer. His whole career, his school life, and any potential aspirations had long since been dashed to pieces by feline claws. Funny thing was, as time passed, the question seemed to matter less and less. He was, in spite of himself, happy here.

Of course, it had taken him over a week for Michelle to coerce him out of a depressed lump of tawny and white fur and actually test the limits of his new body. But she had been there, from his first steps on four legs to his first sample of raw meat, encouraging him every step of the way. Even Ash frequently visited, always bringing a gift of meat or some toys for the new Jaguar pair. Sometimes she just brought smiles and advice, offering fun Jaguar facts to help them learn more about themselves. Despite everything, he’d found himself able to forgive her after all that she’d done to them both. She seemed like a genuinely nice person, and smelled nice. It seemed silly to dwell on grudges when you can just sleep and play the day away.

The two Jaguars nuzzled each other as they lounged in the rays of sun, Arthur gently nudging her growing belly. He smiled to himself as he felt the movement inside, an indication of the life anew within her. His parents fought hard to save endangered species, and he would too. Just in an entirely different way.



Thanks for reading! This story was commissioned by Siegmar. Thanks for commissioning me! A special thanks to Arishipshape for helping me edit.