DCW IRL Round 8: The Habitat

[Rukia Kurosaki 357]

Hex cursed under her breath and kicked out the door to the outside. Ignoring her first steps into sunlight she dragged the swift a few yards and knelt on the sidewalk. She took the waterskin from her pocket, unscrewing the cap, then set Lionel down gently and profferred the drink. "'ere, drink up."

 

   She glanced back at the building, urging him to drink the water. 'I have to get back in there an' save Vivi, Sakila an' Xero! '

 Or, her mind suggested, you could get in the control room, destroy it, and shut the building down. It would disarm any security measures and prevent this collapse you heard about. You could save everyone at once.And your regeneration would keep you safe. You can't die. 

 

'Yes, but who knows how long it would take to heal. It's painful and could take weeks. And if no one knew where I was I'd have to dig my way out once it healed. It's risky. I wouldn't make it out in time to save the others if the labcoats attacked with their own weapons... But it may be worth it.'

 

"'ey, Lion? You be okay 'ere if I head back in an' take care o' some stuff?" she asked, trying not to let worry touch her voice.

[tengaku squared 291]

"You heard them." Jae pointed the gun at the Director's head. "You're surrounded, doc."

 

The Director frowned, but didn't turn around. "Et, tu, Jae? You and your group of comrades would betray me? Especially you, who I gave new life to? Without me, you would still be vegetating!"

 

"Give me life? My life is mine alone, and you have no right to give what's already mine. As for these experiments, I've grown a bit attached to them. They suffered under your hands, just because of a pursuit to perfect mankind. These experiments have human consciences and hearts as well, doc. I'm like them: part-machine, part-human. Aren't I also just one of your experiments?"

 

The Director turned around in his chair. "You are not like them..." he began, but Jae cut him off. "I'll shed your curse and take what's rightfully mine!" He pointed the pistol...at his own neck, at the small machine imbedded in his neck, the source of his troubles, and his true enemy. He fired, and slumped to the floor.

 

The Director laughed. "Ha! Jae, you fool! Corrupted by them...huh?!" The last part was the result of Jae standing up, rubbing his neck. "Ah...that hurt. But I suppose baptism would hurt those of the devil, wouldn't it? I know what you're wondering: how is he standing without his machine? Well, doc, I've renounced my dependence from the machine, and now I'm no longer dependent on anything, not a machine, not you. Just myself." He pointed the gun at the Director and fired, witnessing the Director falling off his chair. "Sorry, doc, only one of us can live in this world." He turned around and walked to the exit.

[Kaitou Kid Legendary Thief 197]

As Vivi was flying around the facility, she heard a gunshot from the direction of the director's office. Immediately she turned and headed towards the facility. When she entered the director's office through the window, the director has already been shot and slumped over on the ground. Vivi could still hear the footsteps of the person moving away from the room. Immediately, she ran out of the room and went towards the person. However, just then, another set of footsteps could be heard. Both suddenly stopped. Someone else is there and has made contact with the person. Shortly after, one of them left and the other walked towards her direction. Vivi braced herself for whoever's coming as the footsteps got louder.

It is...

A figured appeared from behind the corner.

"Hunt!" Vivi jumped backwards immediately as the man pulled out a gun and pointed towards the girl.

"Oh. 99?" Hunt smiled sinisterly when he saw her.

Was it him who shot the Director? Vivi stared at the gun.

"Oh this?" Hunt smiled. "Got it from the guy I met earlier. He gave it to me as a memento."

Vivi furrowed her brows in suspicion.

"Well then, I'm going to take a last look at the director. You've seen his sorry state already haven't you?" He grinned.

"You planned to kill the director?"

"Planned?" He shrugged. "Not at all. But I do know that he would be killed. It would be more fun to watch all of this unfold from the sidelines."

"...When he was the one who took you in? Humph. Not only do you people treat the experimental subjects inhumanly, you also do that to your own kind."

"Our own kind?" Hunt laughed. "He was never with us in the first place. If anything, he views us as though we are his experiments as well. And you, of all people would sympathize with him? Hah! They say ignorance is bliss, but for your case, it's pitiful... And even after knowing the truth, your sister still calls him 'Dad'. Pitiful. Pitiful. Hahaha."

Hunt walked away laughing.

'What is he talking about? The... truth...?' Vivi thought. 'What truth?'

"Wait. Stop." Vivi spun around and followed Hunt. "Tell me. What do you mean by 'The Truth'? What is it that I should have known?"

Hunt smirked before replying. "Why don't you ask that 'dear sister' of yours?"

Vivi stopped. 'Lily... What exactly have you not told me?'

-------------

(And so the director died? :V)

[Sakila 88]

(Hahaha....Hahaha!....HAHAHAHA!!! XD *cough cough* Ahem!)

 

Sakila ran out of the room, the ID still in her hand. The berserk animal was right on her tail. Sakila wasn't sure what it was. It looked like a mix between a horse and a rhinoceros. It stomped toward her, it's bellow echoing throughout the hallway. Sakila released all her pent-up energy, shifting her features back to their normal mutated state. Silently padding down the halls, she turned a corner only to run into a certain someone.

 

"Sakila." It was muttered softly, but it was clear enough to her sensitive ears. Glancing at her palm, she realized she'd lost the ID card. She looked around desperately as the sounds of the berserk one came closer and closer.

 

"What are you doing here?"

 

"I'm looking... for...someth...." she trailed off.

 

"Were you looking for this?"

 

Sakila looked up to find the girl holding the piece of familiar plastic.

 

For a second, the girl seemed entranced by the card. She was lost in thought before turning around and starting to walk away. She was about to mention the card when she heard a familiar sound.

 

"Vivi! Run!"

 

A short fight ensued, ending with the berserk animal dead and Vivi slightly injured.

 

"Phew. You alright?" She extended her hand. Vivi placed the card in her hand instead and stood up herself.

 

"I'm fine. I need to go now."

 

"Wait!" Wasn't it better if they stuck together? " Where are you going?"

 

"I need to find that scientist."

 

"...Which scientist are you talking about?"

 

Vivi glanced down at the card before flying out through the window.

 

"...Is there...something...between... Hah! No way!"

 

She laughed to herself.

 

Sakila set off in the opposite direction, still relying on the card. She'd just opened another door when she came face-to-face with a familiar face.

 

"Hex?! What's wrong?"

 

(Contact~ Hope you don't mind~)

[Kaitou Kid Legendary Thief 197]

(Is it THAT funny Sakila? :V But even so, somehow, someone hasn't noticed that something yet. :V

Oh and forgive me for the LONNGGGGGGG and boring conversation... You can skip it if you don't want to know the past... :V)

==========

Vivi forgot about her looking for the Scientist named "Jae" and concentrated on looking for Lily instead. She needed to know what happened. Searching around through the air, she managed to find the girl - she was also flying around, looking for someone.

"Lily!" Vivi cried as she zoomed towards her.

"Lily!' Vivi managed to get close to the girl. "Lily stop! There's something I need to ask you!"

The other girl ignored her and kept on flying, in fact, she sped up.

"Lily! Listen to me!" Vivi tried to get through to her. "The director's dead! Did you hear me?"

But the girl did not stop.

"Lily! Hunt told me!" Vivi continued to probe, even though the other girl did not respond. "Hunt told me you knew the truth. What is the truth?"

The girl sped up even more.

"Lily!" Vivi accelerated at her maximum and managed to grab the other girl's hand. "Stop!"

The girl then changed her direction and headed straight for the ground at full speed, dragging Vivi with her.

"Wait... Lily! We'll crash! Stop!" Seeing that they are going to hit the ground, Vivi pulled hard on the other girl's hand at the last moment and they both crashed into the canopy instead of the solid hard ground.

Was that a suicide?

Vivi climbed up from the crash immediately with her wounds healing up pretty quickly. The other girl seemed to be perfectly alright as well.

"Don't run Lily. Because I'll catch up soon enough. You don't fly too much faster than me."

The girl turned back with an irritated look. "Do you think you're better than me for everything?"

"...eh?" Vivi was surprised. It seemed like something triggered within the other girl.

"You're always in the sun, always cheerful, everybody loves you the most, and you're good at practically everything, studies, sports... Me? I'm always in the shadows, YOUR shadow, no one notices me, and I will never do anything better than you... We are twins! Yet why are our treatments so different? WHY!? However, I never complained. I never did. Because even so, you cared for me a lot. You'll stand up for me. You will always give in to me. You LOVED me. You will always prioritise me even above your friends." The other girl forced a smile on her face full of pain. "It was dad's fault. If he wasn't a professor. If he didn't teach in that school... You wouldn't have known him. He was the one who took you from me. If not for him, you wouldn't have left me, and dad wouldn't have died... hahaha..hahaha...HahahHAHA!" the other girl started off with a cold laugh, then hysterically.

"Wha-whatwhat? Explain properly Lily. I don't understand!" Vivi tried to shake Lily out of her crazy state.

"What..." the other girl frowned. "What's so great about him? Look at him! He's like... like... a... robot! A spoilt radio! Hahaha~!"

"Lily! Snap out of it." Vivi shook her some more as she struggled to get free. "Lily!"

Vivi shook her head as the other girl staggered clumsily and squatted down beside a tree trunk.

"Dad died..." her tone suddenly sounded sad.

"Yes. The director di-"

"-no. I meant... dad." she cut Vivi off.

"... Huh?" Vivi realised what the other girl was going to tell her.

"Dad... you mean..."

"Yea..." she mumbled. "He was involved in a car accident..."

"Yea... go on..." Vivi probed.

"It wasn't an accident..."

"...huh?"

"It was me..."

"Lily?"

"I requested to kill him off..."

"...him? ... Wait you requested what!? Requested who-?"

"... he was in the car with dad..."

"...who? who was-"

"...but dad died... and HE didn't..."

"Lily, who was the-"

"... but it was an opportunity... the director offered me... a place... where both of us could be together forever..."

the girl giggled a little.

"Lily... you..."

"...he made you forget all of your memories... and start a fresh life with me... it was what I wanted..." the girl smiled.

"...and so I accepted... But I never imagined... " the girl suddenly paused.

"... never imagined...?"

"... the director actually planned to kill dad from the start..." tears started to flow down her face. "... I couldn't tell you that... ...that he planned to take over all of dad's research, take over all of his knowledge... and turned us into... into... this! ..."

"What!? What? Lily!" Vivi grabbed the girl firmly. "How... how could you not tell me any of this! How could..."

"... I didn't know what to do... I thought... I thought that if I had you... everything would be fine... I will not abandon... you... will not abandon... dad's research... I will start over new... I thought... So I took over your personality... and pretended to know nothing and lived with you in that hut... Until..." she gritted her teeth. "That director... he took THAT GUY in knowing that I hate him... But he said... you lost your memories... so its... its fine... BUT LOOK WHAT HAPPENED. YOU STILL LEFT."

"Lily... Listen." Vivi lowered her tone. "I didn't leave for any guy... You have been mistaken... and we have been used by the director."

"..." the other girl rolled her eyes.

"The director told me that he examined you and felt that you have the best progression amongst the experiments and wants to use you in their experiments... But of course I rejected. I requested the director to never bring up this topic to you and continue to let you live happily even if only in this facility. In exchange, I will take over your place - there shouldn't be much difference since we're twins. This was the actual reason I left..."

"Vivi... you... I don't believe... no..." the girl shook her head while she sobbed.

"Lily... Did the director tell you if I could get my memories back? How did I lose my memories in the first place?"

"I... I don't know..." she sobbed. "He mentioned that he'd put a chip in your... somewhere... or something... so that it blocks... something... I can't remember..."

Vivi sighed... "Well, if anything, I think we should first get out of here... Lily, will you be coming with me?"

"... nggg..." She hesitated before nodding.

"But we will have to find the rest first before getting outta her." Gently, Vivi grabbed the younger girl's hand and both of them proceeded to search for the exit.

--------------------------------

()

[Sakila 88]

(I'm just gonna come out and say it, KKLT:

Back when Vivi was in college, SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH JAE.

And then lost her memories of him.

There.)

[Kaitou Kid Legendary Thief 197]

(LOL SAKILA. VIVI's too young to be in College! XD
AND WHY DID YOU HAVE TO SAY IT OUT LOL
IT WAS SUPPOSED.. TO BE AMBIGUOUS!!! )

[Rukia Kurosaki 357]

Hex glanced at Sakila, then at Lionel, who was still sitting and drinking from the waterskin. "Nothin's wrong." She watched the police barrier inch closer, the officers unsure if they could approach without resistance from the scientists. There were none in sight. "I gotta go back in. Xero's in there, an' Vivi. An' I gotta get Doc Jae too..." He saved Lionel's life... She walked past Sakila and patted her on the shoulder. "Take care of Lion for me." Turning back, she added, "By the way, the director is dead. I heard a gunshot and he can't be sensed. The police are plannin' on putting us in some foster 'ome, lettin' us older ones take care o' the little kids an' havin' folks come to take us home, adoption if our parents aren't... around." The wolf smiled at Sakila, then ducked back into the building. "Xero! Jae! Vivi! We gotta get the experiments out! Police are here! They know everything!" She added, for Jae's benifit, "I told 'em you were with us, Doc!" She sprinted past a couple of frantic experiments headed to the exit and found herself in the director's office. The man was lying on the floor, but she totally ignored the body. He no longer mattered. This is where he would have activated anything to 'cleanse' the place. She checked the wiring and felt along the keyboard in his desk. The bastard didn't get to start it! With a sigh of relief she chewed through the wires connecting the board to the security system, for once glad of her teeth. Every electronic cage and door hissed open, revealing to the outside world the creations of the true monster who had forced the habitat and mutations on countless children. Hex did activate one switch, which brought the walls down in a single motion, dropping them into the deep canals the self destruct system had meant to catch debris. Now sunlight touched the face of every being of the Habitat, and Hex finally gave a smile. She spotted Jae, and Vivi with someone who looked oddly like her. All three were headed to the 'outside', which was now milling with the remaining experiments. Everyone was alive.  She waved to Sakila and Lionel, calling, "'ey! Is that  everybody?" She stayed where she was in the office and glanced around, making sure no stragglers would be left behind as police began loading experiments, youngest first, into vans labeled with the name of the operation and foster home. 

[Sakila 88]

Poke.

Poke. Poke.

Poke poke poke.

Sakila stared at the swift unamused and he responded with a deadpan look.

Poke. She returned to poking his forehead.

"You're annoying."

"This entire situation is annoying."

"..."

"..."

"...If I wasn't exhausted to death right now...."

"But you are." Poke. "...This is annoying! I don't wanna be left behind. If Hex comes back, tell her I went back inside."

The security was tough in the front with squad cars everywhere, so Sakila snuck in through one of the back entrances the police had told her about.

"Hex! Anyone here? Vivi...? No one?"

"Hey! Can anyone hear me?"

That voice...

"Xero! Where are you?!"

"Sakila? The far door, near the director's office!"

She looked around but couldn't find anything. "Where is it?" She began randomly opening doors. Most of them were labs. Some were offices.

"Over here!" She heard a thud come from the room three doors down. Swiping it open, she found the fox sprawled on the ground. Looking carefully, she found he was missing his usual fennec fox characteristics.

"What happened?"

"I... I don't... know. Over there, in the far cabinet. The purple liquid."

Sakila sat him upright and inspected him for a second. Blood covered the front of his shirt. The wound seemed to have stopped bleeding but he was definitely in extreme pain. And with his animal abilities gone, he was facing it all as a mere human. Sakila ran over to the cabinet and found various containers of a light purple liquid.

"What is it?"

"Poison," he replied through gritted teeth. "But... it's strange. It was just supposed to kill me, but... it reverted me back to normal... Something in that poison... it can help us become human again. Fully human."

"Xero, you know what you've done?! You've just succeeded in saving everyone! You found it: the cure! If we look into this a little bit, we might find something to help us become normal again. We can ask Webb or maybe even that scientist... Xero?"

His body lay still. His eyes were glassy.

"Xero...? Xero!"

Sakila ran over to him, not believing her eyes. She checked him for any sins of life. She found none.

Their leader had fallen. Fallen as a human.

[A L 217]

(LOL. You killed Xero )

 

"...if I wasn't exhausted to death now...." I would gladly twist your wretched finger. He watched as Sakila got up and left, saying something but his vision blurred, and her words seemed to be filtered from far away. His cuts had begin to itch now, a sign that they were healing.

 

"Tch, just what was that thing?" First time he'd gotten into a serious fight and this was the result. Sighing wearily, he got up, a bit unsteady and moved his sore body, following where Sakila went slowly. A door near the directors' office was ajar, a thin ray of light illuminating the outside walls.

 

He finally reached it, one hand on the wall using it as a support. He saw Xero on the ground, Sakila taking his pulse, a bewildered expression on her face. He looked at Xero's unblinking eyes.

 

Sakila caught him before he crashed to the floor. "Is he....?"

[Kaitou Kid Legendary Thief 197]

(NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo Xeeerrrrrooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! T________T

HE DIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS DDDDDDDDXX

But his death was awesome. :V)

 

=========================

 

"What...?" Vivi exclaimed as the ceiling of the fake environment crashed, revealing the actual sky. The real one. It was her first time seeing something like that though (due to her memory loss).

 

They were only a short distance away from the exit, but they stopped. Vivi stared at the sky, wondering what the outside world would be like. The feeling was... complicated. She wasn't upset but she wasn't happy either. It was a mixture. What will be waiting for them in the outside world? What will be installed for them? What will the world view them as? Vivi had no idea. She had forgotten everything from the other side. She could not have imagined how wide the world was. She has only heard stories. Sakila told her the real world was beautiful and full of people she may want to meet and many others has shared their stories. But Vivi has never once, felt anything towards those stories. Now that she is going to go out to the real world, all of these came to her. She was, in fact, scared.

 

Going into an unknown world scared her. She felt insecure. Just as when she awoke. She knew no one. She knows nothing. How she was able to speak is a mystery to her. She could understand the languages, but remembered nothing else. Nothing. Not even how she learnt the language. She couldn't remember how she learnt to walk, or eat, or recognize objects. She woke up in a foreign place, with many other people looking at her and examining her with cold eyes. Is she... going to experience that again? She knew she had to leave the facility now that the police had discovered the place. She had to, for Lily's sake, and for her own sake, but...

She hesitated.

 

"Vivi?" the other girl asked. "What's wrong?"

 

Just then, from the building behind, a few people exited. From the voices, it seemed to be like... the swift and the leopard.

"... Oh. Vivi!" Sakila called out.

Vivi and Lily both turned back in response.

"Oh s***..." the swift saw the both of them and cursed. He then mumbled some words under his breath which Vivi didn't manage to catch.

They both stood there until Sakila managed to drag the injured swift over.

 

"Xero died." she announced.

Lily looked a little shocked before replying sadly. "I see... I've wanted to meet him..."

Both Sakila and Lionel seemed to have guessed who the other girl was.

"So he did huh..." Vivi spoke, softly. Father, and son. Both had met their respective ends. She wondered what their feelings were when they died. Vivi was never afraid of dying, and had never thought about what she would be feeling when she was dying. She had never valued life in the first place. Not even her own. In fact, she had never valued anything. There is only one exception though. And that is Lily. Often, she wonders if she has any other things which she valued before she lost her memories, which was why she was curious about the man that Lily spoke of. It was a 'new' experience to her.

"Tell you more about it later..." Sakila continued. "Let's get out of here first..."

Sakila continued moving forward with the rest following. Even Vivi, who was hesitant at first, started walking. 'If her sun was with her, she'll be fine.' Vivi thought as she took a quick glance at the girl beside her. 'Could this be what she was thinking too when she first came here?'

 

The group started walking towards the exit.

 

 

=========

[Sakila 88]

Xero is dead.

Xero is dead, she thought.

Xero is... Xero is... XeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdead

It couldn't be true, could it? It couldn't be.

Xero. The one who taught her how to live in the Habitat.

Xero. The one who comforted her when number 8 had died in an experiment gone wrong.

Xero. The one who she considered family. The closest thing she had to family in the Habitat.

He was like the older brother of all of them. He was the smartest. The kindest. The most understanding. The most logical. The most popular. The most rebellious. If anyone, anyone, could have survived the habit, it was him.

But he hadn't.

He hadn't.

Xero was dead.

Sakila slipped, almost dropping the swift. He looked at her quizzically before seeming to understand. They continued on outside. Once they reached the Habitat, they found Vivi and 100. The four continued on together. Sakila clutched the swift with one arm and a box of the purple liquid with the other. Her eyes began to get blurry with tears.

Once they reached the exit, Sakila took a deep breath and stepped out.

Back... to the outside world.

Xero... I hope you're happy. You reached your goal, Xero. You set us free. But at what cost? ...What do we do now, without you here to guide us?

(XERO DIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIED ;_______________________; )

[Kaitou Kid Legendary Thief 197]

(Okay I know its supposed to be sad... >__< But your XeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdeadXeroisdead made me giggle abit... SORRY. >__<)

[Sakila 88]

(It was supposed to be xD I kinda went overboard with it. I was in drama class xD Dramatic)

[Rukia Kurosaki 357]

Xero... he was the father we needed here. Hex was rifling through a stack of papers in the Director's desk, looking for the records of the children he'd had abducted for his experiments. A series of large files labeled, "Burn" piqued her interest, and she flipped one open to a random page, finding a record of an experiment, she checked the next. And after that the following file... There was a detailed report on everyone who had been involved. She scanned each file and removed one she had to keep, then took the others outside to the police.After handing over the papers and explaining them, she sank onto the sidewalk, opening the file she'd kept. As she read, she heard Sakila, Vivi, Lionel, and one other exit the building. But she didn't look up. She was absorbed in the file she'd taken. 

 

   "Clara Erinson-

Came to us a housewife with a medical degree and in need of work. We obliged, and allowed her to join our testing facility. She appears a bit naive, and shows remorse for number 12 after her tests, but that can be tended to. Promote to full employment? YES."

   Hex scanned the pages, looking for the very information she was dreading. 

   "There was an interesting development today in the experimentation on one of our numbered experiments. 93 was sent for grafting after mutagens failed to produce the ears we planned on giving it. Erinson was again the foremost researcher for this treatment, and she dodged the questions given, refusing to take the surgical procedure we suggested. Instead we had 93's human ears removed on the spot, hoping to speed up the mutation by egging on the cells.

    Again, 93 and Erinson have proven interesting. 93's cells are now regenerating, and it has no reaction to the mutagens or poisons we test. Two toes have grown themselves back, and three bullet wounds have healed themselves. Erinson was against testing the properties of the blood, dismissing it as unimportant next to the new blood type exhibited by a few earlier experiments.

   We looked into Erinson's background to justify her favoritism and distance. Erinson is listed as the biological mother of 93. When we confronted her, she denied the relation, and we brought in her husband to verify it. When both finally admitted to being biologically related, we tested their blood for the mutations in 93's. They were not providers of any dysfunction in its cells. But they both had to be removed. 93's blood proved sufficient as a destructive agent. It turns out that it kills poisons and the cells of unfamiliar hosts, even in the same bloodline."

 

  There was a stamp on the last page of the file, and Hex stared at the wavering image as tears threatened to drip onto the paper. "DISMISSED." As though she'd been fired, and not murdered alongside her husband. Now Hex was free, she could be herself again. Her name was Hildegarde Erinson... She had had a family, a father who took care of her... But that was gone. The last name would be replaced by another, the father had been replaced by Xero, the mother for a while by herself as she watched over her in experimentation... But now they were gone as well. Now she carried the DNA of a Grey Wolf and couldn't die. Now she could watch over the other experiments, her true family. Now...

      Her name was Hex.

 

((Hex is moving on~ xP))

[Sakila 88]

"Hex!"

 

Sakila sat the swift down on one of the chairs set up for them and passed him a bottle of water. A nurse came over to treat his wound.

 

Sakila carried the purple liquid with her. It wasn't too conspicuous. She'd placed it in another cardboard box used for lab equipment. Once she'd reached the wolf, she saw what was  in her hands: a file. She had a content look on her face and Sakila didn't want to disturb it. Instead, she sat down next to her and looked through the extra files Hex had set aside.

 

One caught her eye.

 

This is... me.

 

She opened the file and read through it.

 

Name: Sakila [redacted]

Experiment No: Seven

Corresponding Animal: Snow Leopard

 

Sakila skipped the majority of it until she found something interesting.

 

Experiment was found at South-Gold Airport. Research shows experiment has a mother, father, sister, and brother. Experiment seems to possess an advanced memory. Despite her age, experiment is perfectly articulate.

 

Blah, blah, blah...

 

A missing person's report for the experiment has been filed in [redacted]. Police investigations revealed nothing.

 

A year later...

 

Search was recalled.

 

...And a bit more...

 

After careful monitoring of experiment's family, the subjects seem to have given up their search and overall attachment.

 

Sakila bit her lip... Even though it said that... Even though the file said that, it wasn't completely true, right? Her family remembered her, right? She remembered them.

 

She... she had to see. She had memorized the address. Maybe... she could ask... maybe she could ask the police officers to escort her there. Sakila checked over the other saved files. She went around distributing them.

 

Ah... that's...

 

"Uh, hey...you."

 

She couldn't exactly call him Frankenstein to his face. Not to mention he was... not he same anymore.

 

"Here. Your ID and wallet. Thanks."

 

With that, she took one last look at her home for the last decade or so, before beginning to walk away.

[tengaku squared 291]

Jae held the wallet in his hand, then placed it in his pocket, and walked away from the experiments. Though he said he'd grown attached to them, it'd do them no good if he stayed around. One act of goodness doesn't redeem a person...just because I helped them in their time of need, doesn't mean they'll accept me. Besides, they found their path back to humanity. But I...

 

Jae extended his hand, and concetrated. He felt a tingling sensation run through his fingers, and electricity coursed through his fingers. Apparently, part of my body fused with the machine, allowing me to generate electricity and exert it outside my body. But it also serves as my lesson, my curse: that I will never become fully human, because of my past sins.

 

I guess I'll always be a freak, huh? Director, you always get the last laugh.

 

But deep down, Jae knew. The Director didn't win. Not completely.

 

Enough with the philosphical talk, Jae. It's not like you. Jae turned his thought to his family, his only living sibling: his sister. She called him a freak after the accident, and Jae guessed he was, and still is. But Jae had no where else to go. He had to find somewhere to live.

 

==============================================================

 

(My concluding post. Let's wrap this up, guys. Great round, huh?)

[Sakila 88]

Jae extended his hand, and concetrated. He felt a tingling sensation run through his fingers, and electricity coursed through his fingers. Apparently, part of my body fused with the machine, allowing me to generate electricity and exert it outside my body. 

 

(Sounds like a superhero. Frankenstein-man? )

[Kaitou Kid Legendary Thief 197]

Jae held the wallet in his hand, then placed it in his pocket, and walked away from the experiments. Though he said he'd grown attached to them, it'd do them no good if he stayed around. One act of goodness doesn't redeem a person...just because I helped them in their time of need, doesn't mean they'll accept me. Besides, they found their path back to humanity. But I...

Jae extended his hand, and concetrated. He felt a tingling sensation run through his fingers, and electricity coursed through his fingers. Apparently, part of my body fused with the machine, allowing me to generate electricity and exert it outside my body. But it also serves as my lesson, my curse: that I will never become fully human, because of my past sins.

I guess I'll always be a freak, huh? Director, you always get the last laugh.

But deep down, Jae knew. The Director didn't win. Not completely.

Enough with the philosphical talk, Jae. It's not like you. Jae turned his thought to his family, his only living sibling: his sister. She called him a freak after the accident, and Jae guessed he was, and still is. But Jae had no where else to go. He had to find somewhere to live.

==============================================================

(My concluding post. Let's wrap this up, guys. Great round, huh?)

(Wait... was it supposed to be conclusion already? O.o)

===============================

Vivi stared over at Sakila who was giving out the documents. She knew hers and Lily's was somewhere hidden in the facility far out of reach of any scientists. The remaining documents would only be those documented experimental copies which she already knew.

"Vivi..." Lily called out to her.

"Hmmm? Yea?"

She directed her view to someone behind her.

Vivi turned and saw Sakila approached somebody. It was the scientist.

Vivi watched as the girl passed the ID and wallet back to the man and they parted ways.

"Go over?" Lily asked.

Vivi watched as the scientist walk away. She then smiled back at the girl. "There's no need. I don't have anything to say to him anyway... Besides... I don't need anyone else besides you."

The other girl smiled.

"But Vivi, don't you want to get your memories back? He may be able to help you, you know..."

Vivi sighed. "If it is not my fate, I will never get my memories back. If it is, it will come back on its own. And besides... we were the ones responsible for his mishap. I don't think we should ask him for any help..."

"Don't worry Vivi, if you want your memories back, I will do whatever it takes to get it back for you." the girl replied seriously.

Vivi giggled. For the first time. "How are you going to do that?"

"Well... I forgot to tell you this but..." the girl looked down guiltily. "...actually dad left an inheritance."

"...huh?" Vivi lifted an eyebrow.

"...yea... and errm... well... but we can only get it after we reach 16..."

"... are you joking with me?"

"...well... that is the exact reason why the director wants to adopt us actually. We are the ones listed for the inheritance... but if we were adopted, our guardian will help to manage our inheritance. He was eyeing on this for a long time and has passed the documents to his lawyer well ahead of time... If we can find this lawyer... Well our documents are with him... and yea... we could... well... yea... you understand..."

Vivi's jaw dropped. What kind of family were they in?!

But money wasn't in her list of 'wants'.

"Lily..."

"Yea?"

"Do you want to go live in a foster home?"

"I dunno..."

"...or do you wanna... go live with me? We can... find a quiet spot in the mountains, a place where there are beautiful flowers, a place where you can see the skies, the stars, the rivers... We can live there. We can live alone, far away from humanity, with no one to disturb our peace. Once in a while, we can fly up high and see the scenery from the top of the skies. A place where we can find serenity, tranquillity, freedom, where nature is at its fullest..."

The other girl smiled, "or once in a while, we can come here, to visit your friends, and have a party, and I can join in. We can talk and have fun and we can be like a normal girls, forgetting all those horrible things that happened in the past..."

Vivi smiled. "Yea. Sure." she patted the head of the other girl. "So... where shall we go now?"

==================

(No. I don't want this to end yet... D:)

[Rukia Kurosaki 357]

  Hex set down the file and gave a sigh. She supposed with no relatives she'd end up with the rest of the experiments who stayed behind, even though she was already 18. She stood and noticed quite a few people walking away. Among them were Sakila and Vivi... "Bye," she mumbled, wondering if they were headed off on their own. Now she was alone again... She hated that as much as the times of testing. Especially when she was healing alone... She convinced herself that she had the others at least, and that comforted her for a while.

 

   She spoke with one of the officers, who told her she could technically not be adopted, nor could she stay in a foster home for children. But she had no one, no property, just her name... With a slight nod she turned away, running a hand through her short silver hair. "Now what...?" She thought for a while, and decided she'd join the police force. She was in good shape, and her alterations could only help her in that respect. But she'd have to work on getting approval and money for the schooling. She'd talk to the police again later, when they interviewed her on the director for the records.

 

  ((I just remembered Al keeps getting left out and behind xD I'm bored and left too, so here's some non-fight interaction))

 

   Hex spotted a familiar experiment sitting alone on the sidewalk, the only of the group she knew to have remained. Her tail wagged a bit, and she manually stopped its motion, not wanting to appear desperate for company from another experiment. "Oi, Lion!" she called, walking over to him and poking him in the wing. "You alright? They're loadin' up the cars ta take the little ones for health tests and to the homes. You goin'?" To be honest, she wasn't sure how old Lionel was. She figured he was at least old enough for the teen house, but not so old that he would be left behind.

[Sakila 88]

(Er...pretty short round. We have, like...two weeks...)

[A L 217]

"Hm? not going. Really." He said to a dumbfounded Hex.

"Can they force me to go?" He asked her. She shook her head. "Well, with Xero I would have been sneaking away elsewhere, but there's been a change of plans. You can go on ahead. Tell me where you will be, I will contact you later. If it's not too much trouble you could then tell me where the others are going to be." He told Hex in a commanding voice. He couldn't stay now, that person might be long gone.

 

He could walk on his own pretty much now. He still had an obligation to fulfill. Getting away from everyone, he reached an empty corridor which lead to the exit. Empty except for one person.

 

"Yo, Jae?"

 

"No more 'Frankenstein' I see." he replied, turning to face him.

 

"Not actually afraid to call you Frankenstein, sir." He replied.

 

"Oh wait." Jae paused. "Happy Birthday. 18 now?"

"Trust you to know things no one does. Thanks and as for helping me before...thank you." Jae raised a hand up coolly.

 

"Don't mention it." Learned it from observing one....no, Xero.

 

"Where are you going?"

"Why?"

 

"Xero has well, passed away. I need to get somewhere today and you would be the most suitable option. Basically, I'm asking you for another favor, but I can repay you after we get it done." Lionel said.

 

"What is it?" Jae asked.

 

"I need to get to London somehow and fast, before this day is over. There I need to talk to dad's best friend who also happens to be his lawyer. If he is alive maybe I can restart my life with his help. What do you say? maybe we can also help you."

 

=====

 

(Jae, why you so awesome? play more!)

[Kaitou Kid Legendary Thief 197]

Vivi and Lily held hands as they walked, admiring how the great cities looked. The tall towers and skyscrapers were magnificent and the streets were crowded with busy people. Vivi loved some of the fountains they passed by and took some time to sit around. She saw couples enjoying ice cream, people with prams, vibrant life, children, balloons, nice clothing, fashion, groups of girls chatting happily...etc. It was a warm sight. Smiles were everywhere, unlike in the habitat. She wondered what it would be like if she had not been brought to the habitat. Would she be like the girls she saw around the corners, would she be happily falling in love with some other guy in the class next door, would she skip happily to school with Lily right about now?

 

Slowly, the girls walked away from the area, towards the mountains, leaving the robust and vibrant city behind. The skies started to drizzle, but this rain was warm, unlike the ones she has ever felt. Walking in the drizzle, the girls moved down the desolate path towards the mountains. Lily told her the forests surrounding the mountain is well known for its dangerous and confusing pathways where unknowing travellers may stumble upon unknown cliffs or pitfalls, or get lost in the surrounding forests never to be found again. Previously, pathways were cut into the forests for visitors as the place has been known to be a paradise for nature lovers, with rare and beautiful flowers growing in random locations and crystal clear rivers and lakes. However, when people started to veer out of the safe pathways into the restricted areas and the numbers of missing people increased dramatically, the government reduced the areas where the travellors were allowed to access. After news of this 'killer paradise' spread throughout the world, many people, single or couples, who seek a perfect place to end their lives, went there. Soon after, the government banned the access of this location, and transport, even only to the edge of the forests, were also stopped. To the people of the country and the world, this beautiful place, once viewed as nature's paradise, is now viewed as a place of the end, a place of afterlife, a place of death. Government officials placed security measures around this place such that no unsuspecting travellers would enter the forests and also prevent any emotionally unstable beings from intentionally  sneaking themselves in.

 

The girls passed the quiet plains where there is not a single person in sight, reaching the edge of the forest. As they got closer, there were signs everywhere asking travellers to turn back. There were also many boards displaying different methods of help people can obtain and numbers which they can call to solve their problems - an example of such board reads "This world is actually more beautiful than you think. Don't miss your chance to discover. 033-052-6444-3333.".

Even though the world views this place as a place of death, this was the perfect place where they can reside. This is a place where they will be alone, far from humanity, a place where no one will discover them. Instead of a place of death, Vivi considers this place as a place of rebirth. The Vivi in the real world 'died', the Vivi in the habitat 'dies', now, she will live, together with her beloved sister, eternally, in the depths of the 'untouchable' paradise.

 

The two continued walking futher in and the signs stopped. In front of them is a tall fence preventing them from proceeding any further. This, however, will not stop the owl sisters from going in. The twins spread out their wings and pushed themselves into the air. The fence was never enough to stop them. No matter how high a fence is, it will never be able to stop an aerial bird (or human in this case), or their determination, from going across.  Vivi flew higher. Higher than the fence, and more. The entire stretch of forests emerged infront of her, the magnificent patch of green enveloping her entire vision.

'This is where we will be living from now.' she thought, as Lily flew up and joined her at her side. 

 

"Shall we go?" Lily asked.

"Mmhmm." Vivi nodded as she smiled and grabbed the hand of the other girl.

Suddenly, before they were able to fly into the restricted area, something unexpected happened.

 

*BANG*

 

Lily cried out in pain as a bullet pierced through her shoulder.

"Lily!?" Vivi frantically grabbed Lily as the other girl couldn't keep herself afloat due to the pain.

 

*BANG* *BANG* *BANG*

More bullets were shot. Vivi managed to dodge the next one that came but got scratched by the rest of the bullets which came again while trying to protect the other girl. Many other shots came after that, all trying to shoot them down.

'What the h*** is going on!? This... is an ambush!? No... It couldn't be...' The bullets came from all directions, even from within the forests, and with most of the bullets coming from within the forest. No matter how one thinks about it, the enemies had been waiting. 

 

Vivi descended to the ground where there are more tree covers which shielded them from the bullets.

"Can you run?" Vivi asked as the other girl nodded. "Let's go!"

 

==========================

(Sorry. Not ending yet. :V)

[Rukia Kurosaki 357]

Even from her path through the wooded area, Hex heard the startled whispers of those she passed as they stared after her, rapt with the sight of her silver hair, tail and ears as she ambled on with no goal or purpose. She'd flattened her ears to her head to try and block out the sound of society's rejection when she heard a faint crack in the distance. As they perked up, she caught more noises. Gunfire!  Hex raced through the brush, knowing there was no shooting range nearby, and ignored the branches and brambles that snatched at her clothes and scraped her skin. By the time she was clear of the woods and could see the fence, enough brambles were stuck in her tail to make it appear an organic, fluffy morning star.

 

She spotted Vivi and Lily, the latter falling as her twin dodged bullets left and right. Her eyes glowed yellow as she hauled herself over the fence and was cast into the chaos of the gunfire, barely managing to catch a glimpse of the fallen owl before a bullet tore through her leg. The wolf stood protectively, growling at the enemies and daring them to attack her, not the owl. She didn't cry out. She didn't try to dodge any bullets that came toward her. But she threw herself at any man who raised a weapon against her fellow experiments, tackling and taking them down one by one.

 

  By the time she'd brought down enough to make the others pause, Hex was holding a rifle in each hand and raised her head to glare with golden eyes at the few who remained. Her body was riddled with holes, and blood seeped through her meager clothing, staining her hair and dripping from her lips. "Put them down," she commanded, pointing with the firearms as wounds began to suture themselves. They obeyed, and she demanded each one leave within 60 seconds, after which she could not guarantee their lives. They paused. "One." 

 

   As the terrified men ran off, she chased after the two girls. "Are you alright?" she asked when she was near enough for them to hear.

[Kaitou Kid Legendary Thief 197]

"Hex!?" Vivi was surprised the wolf was there. She limped towards her while supporting the injured Lily. "What are you doing here?"

But before she could reply, Vivi kicked on something which caught her attention. It was an ID card which one of the men dropped earlier. She picked it up and read. "Oh...no..." She murmured.

"What's wrong?" Vivi asked.

Hex glanced back at Vivi worriedly before answering. "It seems like even the government is hot on our heels..."

Vivi's eyes widened in surprise as Lily gasped at the information.

"We'd better inform the rest abou-" Hex's sentence was cut off when an unfamiliar rustle of leaves was heard from the vicinity.

"DUCK!" All three of the girls yelled when they detected the abnormality in the surroundings, with a round of bullets firing at them. Vivi could hear unfamiliar sounds of rattling and weird roaring sounds within the distance.

"Those are helicopter and truck engines..." Lily told Vivi, who has never heard of those sounds I the habitat. "We'd better get out of here..."

Hex and Vivi nodded to the suggestion as they left the woods temporarily towards the city centre. There, den the government has to stop their firing. Vivi dropped a cloak on Hex before they moved. Her fur was too eye catching and easily spotted through the forest.

"Keep going and don't stop for us even when we are shot." Vivi said to Hex. "You have to keep going straight. We'll catch up somehow."

Lily nodded at Hex, while the wolf sighed.

-------------

(We are being assassinated!!!!! Die!!!! XD)