The infirmary of Rormund Academy was built with minimalism in mind. The less clutter, the emptier the mind gets; the emptier the mind gets, the more the body gets to focus on fixing itself back to shape. The tall, bleached white walls and the white tiled floors were constructed for that very purpose. The high ceiling was meant to give space and air so that the occupants will never feel confined. As opposed to the corridors outside, windows are aplenty here. There was at least one between each bed, heavily tinted and filtered. There was nothing to see from the inside but the filtered sunlight coming from outside. Curtains sat around each bed, offering adequate privacy; it meant that silence was reduced to a mutual understanding of social formalities between patients. The bitter smell of antiseptics hung over the air as a constant reminder for that silence, lest one wishes to have a prolonged pang of sharp pungency fuming their tongues for days to come.
The beds hugged the walls, their feet all facing a collection of dull, empty brown desks and medicine-filled cabinets piled in the middle for ease of access. The students of the Academy rarely ever met accidents, to both the credit of the Academy's precaution and the students' rationality. That meant most of the time, the desks would remain empty and the cabinets are seldom in need of a refill.
It also meant that if there were ever any desks occupied, or cabinets emptied, it'll be for cases where the cause is the student's own volition.
"I suspect an indirect fracture," Bara said, seated on one of the desks, pointing towards the side of his jaw, "It's highly likely to be broken along the mandible."
Beside the sun bear, across the table, sat Jorge the gorilla. His head hunched over his shoulder, his elbows supporting his massive frame on his thighs. His mouth was open and slacked to one end. Dried blood decorated the path down his two nostrils, all the way to his lips. His teeth were tainted with viscous blotches of red. Some weren't even there, replaced with fraying rolls of cotton, stained to a dark crimson. His gums swelled from a muted, carmine-pink to a raging, ballooning red. He was stripped of his uniform jacket, sporting a white shirt underneath that too, was caked with his fluids.
Behind him stood the orangutan, looking towards the gorilla, his perpetual worrisome demeanour hanging off his grey face as always.
"Your condyle is still intact, fortunately," the bear said, "You can still bite, though I'd advise against it."
Jorge didn't respond. He had an empty gaze in his eyes as he looked towards the ground. It was uncertain if he was even listening or not.
"I can administer Penicillin for the pain," Bara continued anyway, "But we have to run a Panorex or a CT scan, just to be sure. If it is a fracture, you might need some minor surgery; wires or fine screws to realign your jaw. I'm not qualified to do so; we have in-house professionals for that. I can only do preliminary diagnoses."
He turned towards the orangutan.
"How long was he unconscious for?"
The orangutan was reluctant to answer, opting for a silent, anxious stare towards Jorge.
Without looking back, the gorilla spoke.
"Juh' 'ell 'em."
His voice was low and devoid of any emotions. His words were driven by necessity without an ounce of shame or anger behind them. They weren't words spoken from a made decision, but sounds created from a hollow mind simply reacting to its environment.
The orangutan hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"He came to after a few seconds."
"I need you to be specific," Bara demanded.
"I-I don't remember," the orangutan replied, "Maybe five to six seconds. Maybe seven. That's all I remember. He recovered that. He couldn't get up. The others had to-"
Bara cut the orangutan off, "And when was that?"
"A-An hour ago," the orangutan answered.
Bara glanced towards Jorge for a moment before replying, "That's all I need for now.
Jorge didn't seem to react to anything the orangutan said. It was hard to tell if he was even listening.
Bara wrote something into his notepad and tucked it into his white coat, draped over his usual black uniform. He pushed himself away from the desk and towards the cabinets on the side.
Just as the sun bear got up, somebody barged into the infirmary's entrance. The boom that came was frightening; the infirmary architecture was designed to be spacious and relatively empty for the most part, which meant sound travelled exceptionally well.
A siamang; a black-furred gibbon burst through the door. She had short, shaggy hair, parted across her head, giving space for her dark, brown eyes. Her moustache was shaved, leaving a bald spot beneath her mouth. Her arms were long and dainty, almost as if she reattached her legs to her torso, save for her feet, which were replaced with huge palms and gangly fingers. She had a thin figure dressed under the usual uniform; a white, sailor-like shirt, tucked into a dark, navy skirt. A same-coloured ribbon was tied under the collar, pairing with the skirt with simplistic elegance.
Jorge looked to his back. In a surprise, he called out.
"Ho-Ho'rina-"
The siamang sped past the gorilla and went straight towards Bara.
She spoke towards Bara in great distress, "Doc, is Jorge o-"
She then glanced towards his coat, spotting the uniform underneath.
The siamang looked back up to Bara, asking, "Where's the doctor?"
"The doctor isn't here. I am, however, qualified as an assistant, and to answer your question" the sun bear said as he sifted through the cabinet, "I'll be doing some examinations on him in a short time. If my diagnosis is true, he will need some surgery. Nothing major; only to realign his- ah, there it is."
He brought out a bottle of pills, small enough to tuck within his palm like a toddler in a pile of pillows. He placed it on the desk with a slight rattle as he closed the cabinet doors.
"In short, he'll be fine," Bara said to the gibbon, "The most he'll experience is some light headaches and a numb jaw. He'll be fully healed in a month or two if he doesn't exert himself. For now, all he has to do is eat soft food, rest much, and stay out of trouble."
The gibbon glanced towards Jorge.
The gorilla was wrecked and dejected, reduced from a giant hunk to a deflating husk. His eyes seemed to be taking on a new colour. His pupils were staring far, not beyond, but into himself. His bloodied jaw yawned sideways. A pool of drool was starting to form under his swollen gums.
The gibbon reached into her chest pocket and pulled out a napkin. She crouched down and dove towards Jorge.
The gorilla put out a big palm and stopped her by her abdomen.
"Go 'hay," the gorilla muttered.
The siamang paused for a moment and stood back up, napkin still in her hand. The gorilla still had his hand up.
"It was a lie," she said.
Jorge looked towards the gibbon, his pupils widening.
"Someone made it up," she explained, "I don't know who or why they did it. But trust me on this-"
The gibbon held onto Jorge's hand. It was also a third of a size bigger than hers. One of his thumbs could easily plug her nostrils whole. She placed her palm against the gorilla's and entwined her fingers between his. It was like gripping a basketball for her. Still, she held on.
"I'll never cheat on you," the siamang proclaimed, "Not for whoever that Leo guy is, not for anyone. I'm yours, and you're mine. You know I put my faith in you-"
She squeezed onto Jorge's palm.
"So put yours in mine."
The gorilla didn't speak for a moment. His drool was starting to stream off his lips.
"I 'juh 'ant ta'-"
The gibbon cut him off as she pushed his palm away, pushing his drool back into his mouth as she wiped his lips dry.
"I know," she said, "You're big and stupid. You do things before thinking. You act before knowing the truth."
She looked back up towards Jorge.
"But at least I know you're doing it for me."
The gorilla stared at the siamang for a moment before giving her a solemn nod. Colours slowly returned to his eyes.
Bara voiced out as the gibbon wiped the remaining saliva off Jorge's jaw napkin.
"There's a sink at the front," he said, "Next to the entrance where you walked in."
The gibbon looked towards the sun bear as she paused for a quick second. She nodded.
"Thanks, Doc."
"Just an assistant," Bara corrected her, "And you're welcome, Miss-"
"Jorgina," she said, "Miss Jorgina."
Jorgina went back, tending to Jorge. As she flicked the napkin off his cheek, she glanced behind the gorilla where the orangutan stood.
She gave him a squinted gaze, lasting for no more than a second.
The orangutan noticed and gave a slight nod.
The gibbon made a furtive glance behind her. If Bara noticed her little stunt, she didn't show it.
"Ah," Jorge said, "Ah'ng 'horry-"
Jorgina held the napkin tight in her hand, balling it into a wet pile in her palm.
"I know," she said.
She turned towards Bara, "Next to the entrance, right?"
The sun bear gave a polite nod. She reciprocated and around Jorge, going towards the sink. As she went, Bara began speaking to the gorilla, giving him further instructions for his jaw. The orangutan followed, just as Jorge was distracted.
Jorgina spoke when they were out of earshot.
She asked the orangutan, "What happened?"
"He was socked from the jaw," the orangutan answered, "He punched first, but the other guy dodged and knocked him out. He was fast. I didn't even see-"
"Okay," Jorgina stopped him short, "What about the cronies?"
The orangutan paused for a moment.
"They helped him in and left," he answered.
The gibbon asked with a stern voice.
"Did they look like they're coming back?"
The orangutan gulped.
"N-No."
Jorgina sighed, "Good."
They reached the sink. Jorgina flicked open the tap and the faucet began running. She dipped the napkin into the water and rubbed it against her palm.
As she washed it, the orangutan asked.
"W-Why are you doing this?"
Jorgina looked towards the orangutan, "What?"
"You heard me," the orangutan said.
The gibbon shot back, "You don't see what those lackeys are doing to Jorge?"
"No," he said, "I'm asking why you're doing this for him?"
Jorgina paused for a moment. She dropped the napkin into the sink and turned off the faucet.
"You think I'm doing this for the money?"
"You brought it up yourself," the orangutan replied, "Not me."
"He just lost his inheritance," she said.
"You knew him when he still had it," the orangutan said.
"And I'd stay with him even if he never had it," Jorgina replied.
The orangutan then asked, "So why did you still do it?"
Jorgina didn't answer the question. Instead, she threw the orangutan an inquiry.
"Why did you agree to it?"
The orangutan was stunned by her words.
"W-What?"
She asked, "Why did you agree to do it? You still spread the word; told Jorge and everything."
The orangutan didn't answer.
"Those lackeys are poisoning him," Jorgina said, "Inheritance or not, they need to go."
The orangutan remained silent.
"You knew that," the gibbon said, "It's why you agreed in the first place."
"I agreed because I knew Jorge for life," the orangutan replied, "I only knew you for two years. You knew why Jorge lost his inheritance as well as I do. Y-You could be doing this just to get his name back in his father's will."
Jorgina asked back, "Then it wouldn't matter, would it?"
The orangutan couldn't reply.
"I did what you couldn't. Whether I did it for the money, you still needed me," the gibbon said, reaching for the napkin in the sink, "You don't trust me; I couldn't care less. Jorge lost a fight. That's all that matters."
The orangutan threw out a lanky arm in haste, grabbing Jorgina's wrist. The gibbon turned towards him in shock, only to find a dark expression looking back at her.
"Jorge changed. That's g-good," he stammered, "But I still don't know why you did it."
"You can do things for others without thinking of benefits, you know," Jorgina replied.
"W-Whatever. You can do what you like," the orangutan said, "B-But if you try to hurt Jorge-"
He paused for a moment, tightening his grip.
"You kn-know what I'm capable of," he threatened.
Jorgina stared straight into the orangutan's eyes.
"I know what your family's capable of," the gibbon retorted, "But I'll take your word for it."
"Y-You better," the orangutan stammered.
Suddenly, a voice boomed from the other side of the infirmary.
"'AY!"
The voice caught both Jorgina and the orangutan's attention in an instant. They glanced to the side, finding Jorge turned to his back, glaring at the two of them with blazing rage in his eyes. His slack jaw was being tended to by Bara before the sun bear was interrupted by the patient himself.
The orangutan soon realized what the situation looked like and took off his hand from Jorgina's wrist in a panic.
The gorilla boomed, "Wha' are ya 'oin 'a 'er?"
"Nothing," the gibbon answered swiftly, "He found something on my have, is all."
Jorge still seemed sceptical.
With that, Jorgina threw a curveball, "Are you jealous, Jorge?"
The gorilla's eyes widened, "O-o, 'oh…"
She picked up the napkin from the sink and wrung it dry. She folded it, still somewhat wet and stuffed it into her chest pocket.
"I'll text you tonight," she winked towards Jorge.
The gorilla nodded his lumbering head with a dazed look.
The gibbon turned towards the entrance which she barged through and whispered to the orangutan, "We'll do this another time."
"I h-hope not," the orangutan replied.
Jorgina stepped out of the entrance and back into the white corridors of the Academy, leaving the bitter stench of the infirmary behind her.
She left the door closing behind her and took a turn to her right.
Just before she could take another step, she felt a vice grip grab onto her elbow. It wasn't just a simple grasp, but fingers digging accurately into her joints, holding her from moving away.
She turned to her back.
There stood Leo, standing just behind the door she just left. The leopard stood the same height as her, with his ever-present grin and toxic green eyes on his face, dressed in his signature open uniform jacket and a white tank-top underneath.
Jorgina gulped just in time, keeping her heart sinking her stomach.
"You," she spoke out.
"Good afternoon," the leopard grinned.
She tried to play it cool, "What're you doing here?"
"Meeting a friend," he said, "Then I heard some interesting words and couldn't help myself."
A silence trailed by between the two of them.
"What do you want?"
"To see if I should keep the farce," Leo replied.
Jorgina feigned innocence, "What farce?"
"That we've slept together," he said, "Even though this is the first time we've met each other."
The gibbon took a while before answering.
"No need," she said quickly, "I told Jorge myself. You're off the hook. Thanks."
Jorgina tried to pry her elbow away. It was like pulling a lamppost from a concrete floor.
The leopard asked, "You're just going like that? No strings attached?"
Jorgina asked back, "What can you do?"
"Hm?"
"I know who you are," the gibbon said, "An illegitimate son, raised out of an off-the-books marriage. You weren't even supposed to be here. You were sent here because your father needed his legal child in the spotlight, but he couldn't just leave you hanging, so he put you here, away from the outside world."
Leo kept his grin on as Jorgina spoke.
"You did your research," he said.
"I don't do things on a whim," she said.
She twisted her elbow again, attempting to leave. Leo didn't even budge for half an inch.
"I don't take you to be stupid," she snarled out.
"I agree," the leopard said.
"So what are you doing?"
"Showing you strength, my dear," Leo replied.
"You have no power over me," Jorgina growled.
"Not power; strength," Leo corrected her, "I can't influence the picture to my liking, but I can suffer the consequences."
The gibbon had no intention of listening to the leopard in the first place, "You lost me."
Leo didn't answer. Instead, he simply smiled.
The leopard switched positions, pinning his thumb straight into Jorgina's elbow. In an instant, she felt her back twisting towards Leo. He pulled a string between her joints and sent her forearm flying upwards. Her fingers twitched as they pointed towards the air. Her eyes widened in a flash. It felt as if her arm was pinched through the middle. She felt Leo's nails digging through her hide, piercing her skin, holding her tendons hostage. Blood began filling her tensioned veins, raging beneath her nerves as they boiled in pain.
Leo simply spoke of one word.
"Consequences."
She tried to struggle out of it. It was fruitless. Every move she made simply pulled her strings harder, straining her arm more and more. Her sight was turning blurry out of tears. She bit on her tongue and held on. She couldn't do anything but to relent and play it out, though she wasn't planning to take it lying down either.
She asked again, "What do you want?"
"To remind you of consequences," he said.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"You make great research, but have poor judgement. Maybe it's by virtue of your upbringing," Leo commented, "You knew my birth was off the records. You just never considered what it meant."
Jorgina's breathing started to grow laboured.
"What's your point?"
"I consider myself generous," he said, "But I don't like being used."
"What's your fucking point?"
"Don't cross someone you can reach, is all" Leo spoke with a smile, "Especially someone with nothing to lose."
"I can scream right now," Jorgina threatened.
"Oh?"
"I knew about that punch. It wasn't yours. It was some friend you had that was with you when Jorge came," she said, "First was that transfer, and this time that Doberman boyfriend of yours."
"Aw," Leo said, "Dove would probably blush inside if he heard you."
"You had other people do the work for you," Jorgina said, "All you did was instigate fights and keep your friends close. You never lifted a finger."
"I was right," Leo said, "You do make good research."
He paused for a moment before speaking.
"Want to test that claim?"
Jorgina was ready to raise hell with her lungs. She was armed and prepared to let loose at any moment. She spoke in soft and light voices as she stored her breath. She was ready to scream. She was ready to yell. She was ready to howl. She was ready to holler.
She couldn't get her voice out.
There was something inside her that pinned her lungs to her ribs, choking the windpipe with a solid grasp.
Leo knew what it was.
The leopard loomed in close towards the gibbon's face.
"There was a reason you chose me as a scapegoat," he said.
Jorgina kept quiet.
"I'll admit it," Leo continued, "The system is horrendous; filled with arbitrary rules and held to awfully high standards by everyone that doesn’t understand it. The whole thing plays like a kids' game-
"But that doesn't mean anyone could simply stumble and win it.
"I am where I am for a reason," he said, "Perhaps it's because you and Jorge are still Juniors. The stories will come to you soon, don't worry."
"What do you want," Jorgina asked once more.
"To remind you of consequences," Leo repeated, "But don't take this as a threat; take it as advice. If you want to use someone as a scapegoat, make sure they can't come back to you.
"It only happened that your stunt served mutual benefit," the leopard said, "They don't align, but they're benefits nonetheless."
Leo finally released his grip. Jorgina fell to the side. She managed to hold herself up by her knees, barely. Her elbow throbbed in stinging pain. The blood burst through her joints, sending a numb spiral of signals across her muscles. Her legs remained rooted in place, unable to move.
"It pains me to see something like this," the leopard said, "You're someone willing to take personal risks for people you care for. It's a lottery to find others like you. Just have to be thorough next time, hm?"
Jorgina kept her silence as she shot a sharp glare towards Leo. The leopard reciprocated with a squinted smile.
Jorgina shuffled away from him as fast as her legs could carry her, walking down the corridor as she rubbed her elbow. Leo took off in the opposite direction as she disappeared into a turn.
As he strolled down the corridor, he pulled out his phone from his pocket. He checked through the Academy forums. The latest update concerned Jorge's short-lived position as the third occupant down the Academy rankings, his place having reclaimed by Dove in just half a day. The event was documented through a shaky video of the gorilla's confrontation with Leo himself taken far away before the Doberman came into view a few moments later. It was followed by a collection of blurry, close-up images of a now groggy and bleeding Jorge hoisted by his shoulder by his former squad of primates, dragging him towards the infirmary.
Leo quickly scrolled past the post, ignoring the exploding replies and reactions from the common members of the forum. He wasn't interested in those. He shut his phone and slotted it back into his pocket.
He felt his phone vibrate a few minutes later. He stopped at the side of the corridor and checked it.
Something new came up in the forums. It didn't gain as much traction as the previous update, but it piqued Leo's interest so much more. It was another video with a new title. It was taken in the cafeteria he just sat in an hour ago. The camera sat a fair distance from the subject with a sharp quality and consistent framerates to boot. From the thumbnail, Leo could recognize his back, along with Dove's. There was someone else sitting in front of the two, his face obscured by their figures.
He played the video but skipped ahead in time as soon as it started. He only resumed the moment he saw himself leaving the frame entirely.
There, Shiro the mixed wolf sat, eating his taco lunch within the backdrop of the cafeteria.
Leo felt his heart race as soon as he saw the canine in the video.
Dove's back then returned to the lens, and Leo watched the video down to its final frame.
He didn't realize his grin turned to an open smile, stretching across his snout from ear-to-ear with his whites exposed.
It was stretched to its extreme when the wolf's stunned expression came into view, looking up towards Dove unseen face beyond the frame as he gave the Doberman his crumpled juice box.
He was a presence that keeps on giving.
