Just for being Different

S

Selenite

Guest
Original poster
It was dark. It was cold; the wind howled, as if with that it announced the snow storm that was about to break anytime. The pine trees shook vigorously; despite the cold, down in the valley, some were burning in flames.The secluded building was burning, too, a thick column of dark smoke ascending from it, darkening even more the sky.

Jade had no idea how did that happen. All she knew was, that she was free. Free from that prison, free from the scientists' abuse; as soon as she saw the thick glass of her cell opening, she didn't think about it twice. She ran, she knew her life depended on it. Turning into a mountain lion, the shapeshifter made haste and was soon out, her paws sinking in the snow. She would have kept going, if it wasn't for what she saw just there; laying on the snow, a figure. Someone.

Turning around, Jade ran towards it, transforming back again into her human form. She didn't want to scare away whoever that was... she only prayed it wasn't a scientist or a guard. She wasn't feeling like killing at the moment, but she would if she had to defend her life.
She held her glossy brown hair with one hand, to prevent the wind from blowing it over her purple eyes. With the other hand, she pushed the body that laid there on the snow, afraid of basically anything.
 
"You`ll die before I let you go,boy. I don`t give a shit for the Head anymore." Aryn heard him through the haze of drugs and pain, only semi-consious from the pain. "Fuck...you," he gasped, his voice far below a whisper. He knew now what to do as the guard kicked him. He closed his eyes and searched for a memory. Any memory. He found one and grimanced. He was going to die anyway, so he used the last of his strength to focus. The energy built up slowly inside him, a tight ball of fire that he fed with every inhale. Finally, finally, just as he was ready to give up, it burst from him, killing him so quickly he had no time to scream. To register the pain. His fire consumed the building and the other cages were opened automatically, a never-used precaution. Aryn himself, his soul, wandered, lost. A woman appeared before him, beautiful and hideous in her beauty. "I am called Lilith," she told him. "You are not ready to leave yet. So much in store for you..." she snapped her fingers with a smile, sending him out of the valley to lay facedown in the snow. -Alive?- was his broken thought, his only thought as someone turned him over, eyes locking. Suddenly, a searing pain ripped through his back, wrenching a scream from his lips as his wings erupted from his back, black as most of his hair -his fringe was bloodred, a sign of what he was- and without looking he knew the bottom of his wings were red. His blood boiled, turning to gas as it gained energy from somewhere-Lilith?- and his heart beat a thousand times faster to compensat. He hurt all over, his nerves regenerating. "Help..." he rasped.
 
Jade's purple eyes widened, as soon as she recognized the soft feel of feathers under her palms. This was no ordinary person- this one, was different, just like her. And he was alive, barely conscious but alive. Jade was not going to leave him out there, at the mercy of the weather and the fire. Ash and debris were falling closer now, as the wind had, so suddenly, changed direction; they had to move on if they did not want to be engulfed by the flames as well.

The shapeshifter carefully helped him up, placing one of his arms across her shoulders. She started to walk, leaving the building behind. She was freezing, so she turned her skin into that of the mountain lion, which offered much better protection to the snow than that of a human's.

''You okay?'' she asked, as they started to move along.
 
He winced as she stood him up, biting back a moan as he tried to walk with her, his feet dragging uselessly and sending sharp pains through his body as his new blood moved. "I'll live," he replied grimly, his vocal chords repairing themselves. He looked over at the burning buildings and twisted his mouth to the side, his feet finally obeying his commands and walking, although it hurt more with each step. He leaned heavily on her; he was weak and he didn't know how long he would hold up. "You have me to thank for that," he mumbled. -I'm supposed to be dead,- he thought in confusion. Who was Lilith? Why did she save him? His wings twitched and he winced again, this time in surprise. He had forgotten about them. Could he fly, now? He wasn't sure.
 
Jade's brow curved, showing her confusion. She stopped, fearing that walking might have been hurting him more after all. In any case, they were safe from the flames now, so she could allow herself to do so- but she didn't lower her guard. She didn't know if there were any humans about that could mean trouble.

She looked around quickly, scanning the landscape- so far, nothing to worry about besides the fire and the snow. She stared at the young winged man, unsure of what he meant. Then she understood; her eyes widened, as she moved her head back.

''You... you caused the fire?'' she asked, almost not believing it. It didn't matter much, for now, at least. ''Can...can you fly? Do those work?,'' she asked, looking at his wings.'' Or would you rather... ride?''. She thought they would surely reach the forested area way sooner if she ran in her current animal shape, carrying him on her back.
 
Aryn nodded. "I caused the fire," he confirmed. "I don't know if I can fly, and I'm not strong enough to do so anyway." He groaned despite himself, doubling over at another attack of pain. He tore himself away from her, kneeling on the cold ground, trying to protect himself from it, but it still hit him mercilessly.

"Damnit.."
 
''What- what's wrong?'' she asked, her voice obviously stressed in concern. She was liking him already, if he had been responsible for blowing the damned place up. ''Come on... we need to run away... I bet that more people will soon arrive.... To put down the fire and catch anybody like... us'' she said, crouching beside him.
 
Aryn nodded, able to again stand, and move along with her. "I- I think I'm regenerating. I don't know..." It was hard to keep up with her, but he managed. "Damn," he swore, hearing people among the trees, very, very close. Scientists, out to claim their prizes. "Down!" he shouted, pushing her to the ground as a multitude of darts flew past them, barely above their heads. "Quick," he said. "Change into something really, really small, if you can."
 
If they had been under different circumstances, Jade probably would have trasformed into something dangerous and large to fight back. But as that was not the case, and all she wanted was to get away for now, she tried to remember into what she could turn, that matched that description. So far, the scientists had been experimenting with rabbit and dog samples, the mountain lion one being the newest addition to her genetic sources.

She flinched, sensing how close the darts flew past her skin. Still shocked and somewhat scared, she started to turn into a hare, not questioning much about it.
 
Aryn watched her turn, shrinking and growing long ears, fur, and a tail. Before she was done he was a hare as well, reaching out to her mind automatically.

-Come,-
he thought, hopping quickly through the trees. He knew the land in his mind, connected to the memories by the animals around them, and the scientists.
-We have little time.-
 
Jade stared at him, wide-eyed. Was he also a shapeshifter like her?Did they also experiment with the same rabbit samples on him? It was possible, for her at least; she didn't understand much, and, in any case, her priority was to get out of there, alive if that was an option.

The two ran faster than the wind, skipping and dodging the darts swiftly; soon they were lost in the darkness of the night, away from their persecutors. And now it was much harder for them to notice the two mutants- who was going to spot two hares in the middle of the dark forest, running away from the fire?

I'm following! Do you know where we're going?, she asked, in her mind, wondering if he was able to listen at her as well.
 
Yes, I do. Just trust me,

Was his only reply as he followed the mental trail of two other hares, knowing where the trail ended it would be safe. He showed her it, spilling it between their minds, so she could see it, too.

I am not a shapeshifter.
 
She staggered behind, suddenly shocked at the new experience that sharing information mind-to-mind was. But she soon caught up with him again, and now it was even easier for her- now she knew the way just as well.

Their run ended some minutes after, where the terrain started to become more rocky and less covered with trees. Turning her head around, Jade saw, through her purple eyes -because she just couldn't change that colour from her eyes- the shining orange spot in the distance, which was the building in flames they had just fled from.

Do you think we will be safe here, for now? she asked. Her hare ears picked up the faint echoes of ambulances and firetrucks, depending on the direction of the wind.
 
Yes,
He replied, finding a hole and hopping into it. He could still feel his wings, his human -though now, not really human; It never really was and he knew it wasn't now for sure- body, as if he were wearing a skin or a costume. It was confusing, being able to fit where he couldn't before. It felt odd, expecting to just get stuck in the hole when he had plenty of room. He soothed the occupying rabbits with his mind, assuring he would not do them harm in any way; they knew he wasn't like them.
Come down here. It's safe.
 
She hesitated once again, but decided to follow him anyway. She had a lot to ask.

Hopping inside the rabbithole, she approached him. There was an awkward moment of silence in which she stopped to observe the rabbit's place. She had never been inside a rabbit lair before, and she found it dark and somewhat smelly. Exchanging glances with other rabbits, eye-level, was also a whole new experience on its own.

But Jade quickly placed her attention on him again.

Who are you?
How do you do that?
What do we do now?
Where do we go?

If she had to ask that out loud, she would not have made so many questions at a time. But thoughts are processed at different speeds than spoken words, and she just couldn't help it.
 
I am Aryn,
He replied tiredly, his nose twitching. I was made a copycat, able to do anything I see. It was painful at first, when I changed my DNA and thought processes, but I got used to it. When I was back there, the Head was going to let me go to a better facility, one where I could learn to be normal. But my assigned scientist didn't want me to, and he was going to kill me. So I used the only power I could remember at the time and... I exploded. The fire came from my core, and I knew I had died. Yet here I am, talking to you, wings on my back and a stronger body. He sighed, the motion feeling odd as his hare self did so.
For now, we try not to get killed or captured. I don't know where to go. Most likely to another state or country, where they can't follow us. But we'll have to be on the run, for there is a facility in each state and country. Word will spread about this quickly, and we will be hunted.
 
Hunted like game, Jade thought, agreeing with him. It was stressing enough, to think about that.

But she felt comforted as well. I'm glad that I've met you, Aryn, she said, relaxing a little. My name is Jade... I'm a shapeshifter, she added, knowing well that he had figured that out already. And we will survive. We are going to win this. We are alive...

...and I'm so glad... but... Others didn't make it. And I know, I know as we hide here, somewhere in another state there are several more like we were before, trapped and tortured for no reason. Life isn't made to be a torture. I survived, you survived. It can't be coincidence. I couldn't stand living knowing what happens inside those facilities. I'd rather have died just there, in the fire.

We have to make this. We have to help them, she said, as her eyelids closed, finally allowing her to rest.
 
He nodded, although she couldn't see him anymore- she was asleep. He was too alert to sleep, too nervous, too tense to rest as she did, his mind on the others that were also in their facility. He closed his eyes and cast out his mind, spreading out to look into the scientists', too see if the others had been caught. They had not yet been found. A half hour passed as he searched the area for their minds but found...nothing. He retracted his mind, knowing those that had been with them had died in the fire. But they also needed to free those trapped like they had been, like Jade had said.Finally, it was morning and he hadn't slept at all.

Jade, wake up. We need to keep moving.
 
Jade opened her purple eyes slowly, slower than what it took to her remember what had happened.

She sneezed, and shook her head. The smoke from last night's fire still hung in the air, and she could smell it. That was enough to finally awake her completely.

Yes, you're right... Aryn, she answered, for a moment fearing she had forgotten his name.

I'll check what is going on, she said, as she left the rabbithole. With extreme caution she hopped into a clearing, from where the charred remains of the building were still visible. There were some cars and trucks, too, but the flames were gone. Then she saw something that raised the fur on her back. Quickly she hopped back in.

Dogs! They have dogs!, Jade said, looking at Aryn, her ears folded in fear. Soon a thought calmed her down. Well, they can't know how do we smell, right? So I guess we are safe, from them at least.

She paused.

I'm starving, she added.
 
Aryn transformed back into himself, jumping out of the rabbit hole to do so. His body no longer knew pain, and he stretched languidly, his wings uncurling and giving him an idea. He jumped, his wings automatically moving for him as he rose higher and higher upwards, practicing how he moved. Whoever Lilith was, he was thankful as he landed on the ground, crouching near the hole.
Come on out. Don't change back into a human- it'll be easier for me to carry you if you're a hare. We can get food in awhile. I would suggest rabbit, but that would most likely insult our kind hosts.
 
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