metamorphosism

"Your sympathy is much appreciated." Natsumi mumbles dryly to herself as she stands up.

Out of nowhere, she runs out of the cave and begins sprinting on all fours towards the town. "To hell with this! This is what I get for trying to get friends! I was perfectly fine with my lion pack, but nooo! Humans just had to come in and ruin everything!"

Natsumi stops in front of the gates of the city, turns back towards the direction of the cave, and says to herself, "I was better off cutting myself off from people. You don't get hurt that way. Friends just make things harder and more dangerous. I don't need them, and I don't need this. Being probed by scientists is better than the pain I'll receive from friends. At least this way ... I'll be able to buy you all some time."

She deactivates her +anima and walks into the city. She spots the nearest royal guard, taps him on the shoulder, and says, "I'm Natsumi, the army's newest experiment. Take me to Jason, the head of research for the army of Sailand. I'm ready to return." The guard's eyes widen, obviously recognizing her from possible orders to keep a look out for Natsumi, and grabs her arm. They walk in silence, until Natsumi realizes that they are headed directly for the King's castle itself.

.... Kaaya stayed silent for a while, watching the whole event take place while she pretended to be asleep. As First Maela stormed out, then Natsumi, Kaaya woke herself, and reached towards the flowers, lying on the ground. Sliding her proboscis into the heart of the flower, she quietly slurped on the succulent nectar inside. First things first, she had to eat, and think. Natsumi had run off, presumably to turn herself in, and Maela, was somewhere, probably cooling down. She needed to figure out a plan, fast. One thing was for certain, There was no way that she would leave Natsume, whether she chose to be alone or not. Kaaya had seen the yearning in her eyes, the happy weariness of finally escaping, and the chance at a new life, with others like her. Even if she didn't know herself, the red head, and probably many others could see that. Finishing her flowers, Kaaya stood up, calling back her +anima powers as she did so. Combing through her hair with her fingers, she let her long hair wave around her shoulders. Kaaya said a small apology to the group, and left the cave. She would have to find Natsume, but she had to go alone, at least for now. Because, the only way to get back in the city would be to disguise, and if she was seen with one of the ones who had escaped with her, she might be discovered. So she traveled to the city, wishing to fly high in the deep blue skies, flipping and wheeling, but refrained herself. Kaaya would have to get used to keeping her +anima hidden, if she were to succeed. Finally she made it there, sweating and panting. As she entered the large city, she thought about her course of action. Well, before I can look, I need to get a better disguise. I'm still wearing the same clothes. And changing my hair colour will help too.

"Well, well, well." Says a cruelly familiar voice from behind me. I draw in a very shaky breath and try to keep myself from going insane. Sitting on this cold floor with my hands tied behind my back didn't help much, either ...

"You thought you could escape, but - oh no wait! Let me guess! You realized you had no where to go without me?" Jason says as he walks in a malicious circle around me.

"That's one way to put it." I say as I try to fit that puzzle piece into my situation.

"Well, no matter. That is just another three days you won't have fresh air. We'll just start back onto the schedule, as planned." Jason says as he regains his happy facade.

"Which would be?" I ask as I struggle to keep the dread out of my voice. I feel Jason's hands hoisting me up from the ground and pushing me out the door, into the palace courtyard. He didn't need to say anything; I already knew where we were going. The King's courtroom; the place that would make things go back to "normal".

If there was ever a time where I was ever completely dumbfounded and relieved at what I had discovered, it would be in the next few seconds, when I smelt a wonderfully familiar scent near Jason and I.

Kaaya wandered through a clothes store, looking at the wares. She did so hiding between racks of clothing, for she still wore her fancy dress from the +anima exhibit. She spotted some simple clothes, a plain white shirt and a tan skirt with simple patterns around the hem. Finding an especially large rack, she pushed the clothes aside and squeezed in. Changing in this concealing place was perfect, because as she finished, she carefully hung up the clothes she had worn for so long on the bar, she easily walked out again, with new clothes. She was a bit sorry she couldn't pay, but she had absolutely no money. On her way out, she saw a pile of wigs, and couldn't help herself snagging a long realistic looking black wig on her way out while the shopkeeper had his back turned. Finally her mind turned towards finding her new friend. She slipped the wig over her head,tucking her real hair under the wig and using transparent string provided to fasten the wig to her head. She recalled Natsumi saying something about the army having captured her, and having to talk to the king about continuing their research, so the reasonable place she would be was the palace. She walked through the town, heading for the palace, while contemplating ways to get in without using her +anima, and ways to get to natsumi and convince her to come with them.

The smell wasn't particularly close, but the wind was in her favor as it blew wiff after wiff of the very same Kaaya towards Natsumi's slightly oversensitive nose. On instinct she activated her +anima and began sniffing the air for more; anything her nose could tell her.

A light layer of dirt smell that Natsumi recognized to be on the clothes of the peasants surronded the main smell, and the perfume fragrance that normally accompanied Kaaya because of her elegant dress was gone. She had sold her clothes for regular ones, which meant she was in disguise. The smell was getting stronger, which meant she was coming closer.

Out of nowhere, a violent shock of pain goes through Natsumi as she snaps out of her daze and loses her grip on her +anima form. She cradles her now sore cheek and shouts at Jason, "What was that for?!"

"You know better than to activate your form outside of the facility. Goodness, Natsumi, you can be so very forgetful sometimes." Jason says with his happy voice.

Natsumi sighs as she can now see the red mark from where he slapped her. Was this what she was going back to? How could she have chosen this of her own will? How could anyone choose this of their own will? If someone really was coming to save her, would she do it?

"Come now, Natsumi. You must stop spacing out. We don't want to have to start using the shock collar, again, do we?" Jason says.

Natsumi's hands instinctively reach up to her neck and she slowly but solemnly shakes her head. "Good! Let's continue, shall we?" Jason says as he, rather violently, pushes her forward.

Kaaya managed to walk up to the main gate. Now the issue was how to get into the palace. Looking at the guards, she knew there was no way to get in through brute force. And she couldn't use her +anima, not if she wanted to stay hidden. So quietly she thought. Suddenly she thought of something. Walking up to the guards confidently, she addressed them. "Hello, I am here to see whoever is in charge with the research for the Chimera +anima" She tried to act important,and made sure to not mention Natsumi's name as if she had that knowledge. That and the fact that if she wanted to seem like some one who had something to do with the research, she couldn't sound like she thought Natsumi was a good person, and not a lab rat."Do you have any verification to see him?" Kaaya knew this would be coming, after all, only a bad guard would let a young girl through just because she said she had a message. "Why do I need a piece of paper to prove I'm 'important' enough to see him? Surely you don't think I'm an assassin out to kill the king, right?" The guard thought for a bit. "And if I was just an assassin, how would I know about the Chimera +anima you're holding in there?" The guard nodded, but didn't let her pass. " I guess it's okay, butsince it's a message, we'll tell him." Kaaya gulped. " Do you really expect me to trust you with a message this important? It's for the ears of the one in charge only. Take me to him, now." She said that firmly and coldly, in an eerily pleasant voice. Luckily, they bought it." Fine then" the guard said, somewhat angered, I will provide an escort." Kaaya nodded coldly, yet inwardly sweating in nervousness. "I would expect no less from an incompetant guard to give out spare soldiers needed to protect the castle to follow around someone who knows where they're going pointlessly." The guard growled under his breath. "Very well. Jason, the head of the research project is currently hearing from the king in the courtroom.Kaaya nodded to him, being sure to walk briskly by. On her way in the castle she heard him mutter "hmmph, Nobles. Think the world exists to serve them." As soon as she entered the castle, she sighed. The guards here didn't even give her a second glance. She saw some +anima slaves wandering around the halls. Looking around, she also spotted maids and servants cleaning and doing laundry. They seemed happier, kaaya guessed because they were there by choice, and were given pay for their work. And nobles seemed to give them at least a little more notice. That would be perfect then. She walked up to a lady taking clothes off of a line. "Umm... I lost my apron. Can I have another?" Kaaya pleaded to the woman. The lady smiled. "Okay, but don't lose it again or you'll be in trouble." Kaaya smiled, putting on the apron. Now she could search the castle completely unsuspected.

Ever had one of those moments where you just want to curl up into a ball and die? Yeah, well this would be one of the times where I would choose that over anything. The large doors close behind us as I stand behind Jason, research assitants, and a few guards. My eyes scan over the amazing, marble, grand room that is known as the King's courtroom. I cannot see the King, however, because Jason and his goonies are blocking my ahead view.

"It is a pleasure to see you once again, your Honor." Jason says gracefully as he bows.

"I would like to see the project that I am paying so generously for." The King's voice comes from ahead.

Jason and his group step aside, revealing me to the King. Not that I expected a reaction, to royalty I was just a peasant with a gift. To researchers, I was a lab rat. To society, I was a monster. I could just imagine how I looked right now; hair a mess from sleeping on the ground, hands bound in front of me, a leather collar around my neck, and my cloths grimy and dirty.

"I wish to see her other form." The King requests, more like demands.

Everything is silent, and nobody moves. I didn't care if they killed me on the spot, I wasn't going to display the one thing I had left to myself to the man who took everything away from me. Jason tugs me collar expectantly, but I don't budge a centimeter. He glares daggers at me, but I ignore him.

He yanks my collar. Hard. I gasp and take my +anima out in a second, turning to glare at him. My blood boils and in a second I am charging at him with the deep throated growl of a predator after its prey.

BAM! I slide across the slick, marble floor as a throbbing in my stomach swells. Man, those guards were strong! I curl up into a ball as my+anima deactivates and I groan in agonizing pain. Just then, the doors to the courtroom open.

((wow it's been SO long since i posted lol))

Kaaya opened the doors carefully. But then she saw all the eyes staring at her, and natsumi gasping on the floor. Crap, wasn't expecting to find her so soon. And not to mention in front of the king, she thought nervously. In the confused few seconds of silence, she reviewed her situation. So many guards, and they could easily call more within a few minutes. Natsumi injured, and probably unable to battle for the moment. The most she could hope to do was to trick them, since she had no weapon and her +anima wasn't exactly a good one for fighting. Quickly whipping off her apron, she stepped forward, attempting to bring about an air of calmness and superiority. Swiftly kneeling to the king, she addressed him. " My apologies for the interruption, majesty, but my master sent me to tell you urgent news." Slightly irritated, the king replied "May it wait? I have issues to deal with here." Standing again, kaaya continued. " It has to do with the chimera +anima. You see, we finally tracked it down. The money you are giving to the military is to fund the research of a stolen +anima" Shocked murmurs coursed through the room. The king glanced at the man in charge. "I assure you sire, that we captured this +anima living with a group of lions in the wilderness, not from some other person." Frowning at the information, kaaya quickly thought up an ecxuse. " We were researching it in it's own habitat. We had surveillance all over it, without it's knowledge, to make research of it's +anima form easier. Until they burst in and stole our subject." The man flinched slightly. "Well, if you were just watching it without the knowledge of anyone else, you deserve to have it taken from under your nose!" With a sligth grin, kaaya glanced at the king again. " When they stole the subject, they also ruined our surveillance hideout, and with it, the documents that were made entitling us to the rights of that +anima! It took us all this time to track it down." The king growled at the other man. " All this time I have been funding a stolen project!?" He countered. "Why is such news being brought by a little girl anyways? I'm quite suspcious about that. Seems to me it's some random research group trying to get their mitts on our project." A bit of sweat dripped from Kaaya's forehead. "I was sent because my master did not want to enter the castle himself and he didn't trust his guards. My master is the owner of the +anima museum." With that, the king started to broil. "You stole from them!? They're the most respectable company in the capital, not to mention the most famous! Get out, now!" He then added, "Girl, you may take the subject, i am tired by it's presence already." Hiding a huge smile, Kaaya gruffly tugged Natsumi to her feet, careful to not let any more suspicions arise. Walking through the door, she heard the king address the researchers again. "You had better come up with some compensation money for this whole event. I do not tolerate stealing, you are lucky i don't imprisonate you." The doors shutting behind them, Kaaya started making her way to the exit of the palace, and as she saw the main doors once again, she flashed a quick, triumphant smile at nasumi.

((O.O Wow, sorry for being so late. Busy, busy, busy.))

To say I was shocked would be an understatement. Kaaya had just smooth talked her way through setting me free. From everything.

She offers me a grin as the front gates are in sight, and I simply grin back. I grimace as a shockwave of pain shoots through me. That punch had taken more out of me than I thought. "How do we get out of here?" I ask as I hug my gut, still a little winded.

((I'm BACK!))

Maela walked back to the cave slowly. As she relaxed in the pool, she had accidentaly drifted under and breathed in. The water in her brain hurt, but it brought her to her senses.

As she reached the mouth of the cave and put on her flats, she glanced up, and noticed that two girls were missing: Kaaya and Natsumi.

Crap (except she didn't really think "crap," but let's pretend she did) What did I do?

Maela hurried a note and drop it on the cavefloor and hoped the other two would notice it. Then she turned heel and ran to find the two.

Rushing through the town, Maela didn't know what to. But what did I expect? The two of them standing on a roof with a sign saying "Here we are Maela!"? Jeez, now I'm talking to myself. Hey, who's that?

Maela watched as a girl ran out of a store, fastening a balck wig to her red hair. For half a second, she looked behind her, and she saw who it was - Kaaya.

High five, self.

She ran after her, but didn't dare call her name for fear that somebody from that zoo would recognize the name. Or worse - someone would recognise Maela who was from the palace.

Being short was extremely hurting this chase. All these tall people were crowding into her, dampering her process. Eventually, however, she got to an open area and looked for Kaaya. There! Entering the...palace?

Maela felt an iron hand griping her stomach and heart, squeezing 'til it hurt. She approached the guards with a terrified look of her face.

"What do you want, tiny?"

Slowly, like she was approaching the noose, but continously telling herself it was for her kin, she raised her right hand, revealing the bronze circlet.

Kaaya smiled, and answere natsumi. "Just play the part of submissive +anima slave, while I play the stuck up, cruel master" She whispered. They were just exiting the front gates when they saw Maela reveal her bronze bracelet. Quickly, she improvised a way to avoid her being taken. "Olivia! There you are!" She exclaimed, running to Maela, and snatching her wrist down. "I told you already, to wait for me!" Maela looked at her wierdly, noticing it was Kaaya, but not following on her plan. The guard interrupted them, "Hey, wasn't that bracelet the sign of a +anima palace slave?" Kaaya looked at the guard, and rolled her eyes. "No dimwit, its a sign that she's aloud access to the castle. If she was a +anima slave, i doubt she would return to captivity on her own." He scratched his head. "But i saw the symbol. Let me see the bracelet again!" And Kaaya had no choice but to lift Maela's wrist nd show him the bracelet. "It is! Return the +anima now!" But kaaya countered. "Its not! Very similar, but not quite. See the ribbon over the crown on the insignia? The +anima slave bracelets have a chain design instead of a ribbon." The guard, having not closely memorized exacty what the slave bracelet looked like, dumbly shook his head and let it go. "uh.. sorry there. It IS very close. Forgive me and be on your way then." Kaaya nodded coldly, and left the palace, dragging natsumi uncerimoniusly with one hand, and holding Maela's regularily with the other. When they got for enough away, Kaaya apologized. "Sorry! I ad to pretend I was bad to get you out of there! I honestly didnt want to drag you!" And to Maela, "Sorry for leaving like that. I had to rescue Natsumi!"

Maela shook her head slowly, as if to clear away the thick fog in her brain. Then, "Thank you!" MAela wrapped her arms around Kaaya, and then, hesitantly, she hugged Natsumi, too.

"That was amazing," she said, to Kaaya, "My village always had improv stuff like that, but I was never any good." Then she turned to Natsumi again, "I'm sorry for snapping at you like that," she apologized, "Can you fogive me?"

"hehe, thanks. I'm not good at a lot of things, but I can act on the spot" Kaaya said, blushing a bit. "But we should really get going somewhere other than here, it's too risky to stay around any longer. The king's bound to find out I lied." She whispered. As that statement passed her lips, she scanned the streets carefully. "And also, I'm dying to put my hair back in pigtails, it's frustrating having it down like this, feels so off." Of course she couldn't put it back into it's normal position when they were on the same city that she escaped from, where hundreds came to see her, the "fairy princess". She would rather be a labor slave than spend more time in that glass cage, posing and smiling for countless gawking strangers for her meals.

Unbelievable.

Tara read the note Maela had left, shaking her head the entire time. "These kids are idiots. Am I the only one who actually makes a plan?"
Tara slumped down on the ground near the cave entrance, the sun just peeking over the morning horizon. I can't believe I didn't wake up. I guess yesterday's events were more tiring than I thought.
There were three options. One: chase after those kids in a futile attempt to find them in either the forest or the city and probably be captured in the process (WAY too many people had seen her face in the museum riot). Or two, do nothing and wait for them to come back. If they were captured, they wouldn't be able to come back. Tara would give them 3 hours before making a new plan.

She sighed. What's wrong with waking the others up to discuss a plan? Who knew where they were by now...

Oh well. There was enough breakfast left in the meantime.

"C'mon, let's get out of here before it's too late!" Kaaya said, peering around nervously. People were starting to stare. She nudged the other two. "We should hurry. This town holds too many bad memories" I can't wait till we move on to another town...