"Wait, what do you mean the cell is empty?!"

"Did it j-just leave? No...! No- If it escapes-"

"Don't. Panic. Signal everyone here, we need to establish level four security. If that...monstrosity escapes...it'll be worse than the last. We can't let it out of this facility."

"W-Worse...? Oh god- we just have to, to-"

Hearing a dark giggle from behind causes both guards to freeze. A cold shiver runs down their spines, fear paralyzing them. They couldn't move (whether out of fear or denial, not wanting to confirm their situation) and barely had the muscle to turn their heads towards each other. Both gulping almost simultaneously.

"You weren't talking about me just now, were you?" It asks with a grin on it's face. A smirk forms as it's gaze rests upon their trembling figures. They had always been afraid of it, it had known for a long time. (It was feared by many here and it took great advantage of that fact.) Yet, there was always something in between them, a glass, a cage, a barrier to protect their delicate human lives. Now, there was nothing.

"P-Please..." One guard begs, breathing quickening as he turns to face this monster. It was a mistake to look at the thing and he wishes he never had. (The monster may have a human appearance, but it was from one.) The other was trying to keep his cool, somehow managing to find his hand to his hips, right where that specialized taser was.

"Don't bother begging or trying to fight. I don't plan to spare either one of you," the monster hisses, tone turning dark. It notices the more...confident one already beginning to pull out his gun. It flashes it's teeth, smiling and raises a hand, pointing towards him. Before the human can react, the monster's flesh from it's arm begins to bubble, something underneath pushing at it's skin- vines sprout forth, tearing the skin. The monster winces, it hurts, stings; it can handle this pain.

The vines from it's arm grow at an alarming rate, even branching off from the main root, rushing towards the (currently deemed) dangerous human. Just as he manages to aim the gun at it, one vine is wrapping around his arm, playfully teasing to simply pull back his arm and break it. The other vine was already slithering around his waist, now beginning to poke at the human's back.

"Did you seriously think you could stop me?" The creature asks with a joyous tone, enjoying the look of terror upon his face. He finally must have realized his time was up. As for the other human...he was still cowering in fear, though now backing up to the nearest wall with wide eyes as he watched the scene before him. Perhaps the monster should kill this one, it would be a better show for the other.

"I've already alerted security! You won't-"

The human doesn't get to finish his final words, the vine from behind penetrating right through his back and extending out of his abdomen, red painting the vines that have come forth. He chokes, trying to speak but only coughs up more blood. The life in the human's eyes is a faint light- it has to wonder how long will it last? An unsettling grin, a look of interest and curiosity displays on the monster's face.

It would have enjoyed this moment longer if the living human hadn't let out a high pitched screech. A sigh escapes from it's lips, raising his other arm. Again, there's a slight pain that strikes him as more vines wiggle free from underneath his skin, growing and extending to reach for it's second victim for the night. It decides the best thing to do would be to silence this one. Choke him to death to stop his screaming. It never saw a death like that before.

Although it's already imagining the (second) wondrous look of fleeting life before it's very eyes, opening doors from behind bring this kill to a sudden halt. Turning it's head, there's more guards at the door, all with weapons (mainly flamethrowers) and shields, ready to stop it from killing, from doing exactly what it was created for.

It pulls it's vines off the corpse and other survivor (it leaves this one free, intending to return for the kill once it disposes of the higher threats), before facing them completely. So many humans in it's path, they wouldn't be alive for long.

"I've always wanted to see how many of you guard dogs I could get rid of. Practicing on taking actual lives will be more fun than playing with those artificial dolls."

(It's a shame that it never expected the one that was unluckily spared to be the one to be it's close downfall.)

~...~

Yugo lets out a tired sigh, rubbing his eyes as he gazes up at the night sky. The mechanic was lying upon his back on the rooftop, arms returning behind his head to pillow it, a leg crossed over a propped up one. Aqua hues staring into the dimly lit sky above.

He shivers slightly, a cold breeze blowing and he regrets in being only a tank top and some patched up jeans (he had considered bringing a sweater out tonight but figured he'd go in before the cold had gotten to him). The reasonable part of his thoughts begin to usher him into going inside and heading to bed. He was tired and should get some sleep, but the other half refused to listen. It told him to stay out here, enjoy the sight for just a while longer.

If his childhood friend, Rin, where still living with him, she would have definitely scolded the mechanic into coming down. She would have forced him into a bed and told him to sleep. But, alas, the girl wasn't here. (She had gone to live closer towards the city due to having an internship under someone- he couldn't recall the name. Apparently they preferred her to live closer and offered an affordable living space. It was an offer she couldn't refuse.)

"I'll be fine on my own," he mutters, as if responding to one of Rin's concerns. "I'm not a child anymore." He huffs, responding to this imaginary, one-sided conversation. He knows what she would say, it never changed much. Always concerned for his well-being, while he would argue she was worrying a little too much.

Yugo pushes himself up, pulling his legs close and wrapping his arms around his knees. His gaze never once left the sky as he shifted. It's getting colder and he needs to go inside soon. Just a couple more minutes out here. Enjoying a cloudless night with a starry filled sky was a rare gift that he wanted to appreciate.

A frown forms as he recalls some 'advice' she had offered the other day. Something about how he should be going out and trying to socialize more. (Yugo argued that he did enough of that. He interacted with people on a daily basis, he was friends- acquaintances with most people. She had argued that he needed people he could talk to, someone he could ask beyond the simple 'how's your day going'. While he could always turn to her for help, she wouldn't always be around, her move had been a prime example.)

"It's not my fault I'm busy..." He grumbles with a pout forming. The mechanic had his own shop to run, his own bike to build, and some classes he was trying to take. (They weren't exactly classes, but he did study under other mechanics. Maybe he could consider them an apprenticeship or an internship? He wasn't sure, all he knew was it felt like a school sometimes.)

Through his mental arguments, something causes him to pause, eyes widening for a moment and even blinking furiously to what he had just seen. Surely he was imagining this. He wasn't lucky enough to catch a shooting star of all things on such a perfectly clear night, was he?

There's a silent pause before realization hits and he nearly panics. A wish! He had to make a wish on this, right? If luck was on his side tonight, maybe even this wish would come true to! (Maybe that was too much hopeful thinking but it didn't stop him from believing.)

"I wish for..." More parts, more money, a financially stable life, a home in the Tops fit for him and Rin. There were so many things he could wish for, there were so many things he needed in life and yet, Rin's words echo in the back of his mind, now sounding louder than before. "...someone who won't leave my side. But they won't replace Rin. Never. I guess, someone who can just be a friend." Yugo tries to clarify his wish, as if someone was listening in on it so they knew what he was trying to get at. (Wishing for some money would have been easier, he thinks.)

Another yawn escapes from him and he figures he should head back inside now. He has to carefully maneuver his way down the roof, sliding down onto the shambled shed before hoping to the ground. (Yugo made it look easy, he had done it a million times. Yet, there were times when even he fumbled and landed on his face.)

Just as he's about to turn and head indoors, a sudden bang against the other side of the shed startles him, causing him to yelp. His mind instantly reels to the fact this might be some mugger, a thief, a robber, someone who wants to try and break into his home in the middle of the night. It doesn't take him long to be defensive (and he's definitely not going to admit that he might be just a little bit afraid).

"Who's there?" Yugo tries to sound big, threatening, though it comes out more like an angry shout. With no response, he begins to take slow steps. Maybe this wasn't a person, but an animal (cats were pretty common and he did occasionally feed one even if Rin had told him not to). It wasn't an animal. It was a person.

The stranger looked about his age, had violet and pink hair, narrowing purple eyes, a tired look on his face (he tried to hide the tired look on his face, but he was hunched over, breathing heavily). He wore a faded grey tattered shirt, matching shorts to go with it, parts of it looked scorched, burnt, while red spots decorating his clothing. (Those red spots seemed to be splattered almost everywhere, he notes as he takes a closer look. Most of it seemed to be on his clothes, smaller splatters against his skin looked as if they were hurriedly wiped off. The thought of it being something other than paint is one he dreads but doesn't consider.) On his arms and legs, there were some spots that looked like bruises. He seemed to be just barely managing to stand, legs shaking and using the building for support.

"You're hurt..."

The unknown male clicks his tongue to the response, uttering something but the only thing Yugo manages to catch is an 'obviously' (and was it him or did it sound sarcastic?). The stranger moves, forcing himself away from the shed and nearly falls, just barely managing to press himself back against the shed.

Yugo bites his lower lip to the sight, a hand reaching out. "Let me help-" He's stopped by a dangerous look in the other's eyes. He doesn't speak but the mechanic understands the unspoken message, 'I don't need your help'. And he does consider listening to him. (This guy practically screamed trouble, like one of those criminals that landed in the compound within the city.)

Against his better judgement, Yugo took a step forward, slowly putting an arm around the other's shoulder. He ignores the low growl he hears from the other and helps him to his feet. "I know you don't want my help, but you're getting it." There isn't a response and he swears the other is just glaring daggers at him. Maybe he'll regret deciding to help him out later, for now he can't turn a blind eye.

The mechanic takes slow movements, trying to help the injured stranger to the door, inside his home, and to his room. (It's a challenge, he's never had to practically drag someone inside his own home. Thankfully, this guy wasn't so heavy.) Yugo helps him to his bed, easing him onto it. The male looks as if he's desperately trying to stay awake (and stay glaring at him) but eventually his eyes close. Panic and worry run through Yugo and his initial thoughts are to check his pulse. Okay, he's still alive, nothing to worry about at all. He just fell asleep, probably from exhaustion (or whatever else was affecting him).

Yugo takes a step back, looking at the one he had just helped. He was wondering if he should just call the police, but wonders if this kid was like him. Someone from the outskirts of the city, someone they wouldn't care for in the slightest. He might be on his own, gotten involved in something terrible and just barely managed to get away, alive.

His eyes are drawn back to the red on his clothes, that's what worries him the most. He could have been in a fight, a rather...deadly one, but who was he to say? He could think up countless situations that were either for, against, or neutral for the stranger. As he yawns, he decides that he can jump to various conclusions in the morning.

Perhaps this meeting was part of a dream, a dream crafted to fill his wish in a rather...unusual way. (Was his wish really granted like this?) Yugo shrugs the thought off, grabbing a blanket to cover the stranger before taking a spare from his room and walking out with it. He leaves the door to his room open as he heads over to a couch in the small living room. He couldn't exactly trust this stranger to be alone but he didn't want to sleep on a hard surface either.

Falling asleep was going to be harder than he thought as his mind raced about the stranger and the questions that followed with him.

~...~

The loud thud and pain that courses through his body is what strikes him awake. He reacts quickly, sitting up and glaring around, thinking someone might have pushed him off his own bed, yet finds himself in the living room. On the floor.

"Huh?" Yugo scratches his head, fingers running through his messy blue hair, pushing some of his yellow bangs to the side. Oh, right. He forgot he had slept in the living room...why had he done so again? As he stands, he recalls the night before. There was some stranger who needed help and he had offered his home to him (even if he had never asked). To the memory, his eyes glance over to the opened door.

Yugo begins to step forward, trying to keep his guard up in this half-awake state. When he stands at the door, he notices the stranger is already awake, sitting up in bed and holding a flower in his hand. No, wait he's not holding it. The mechanic squints, taking a couple steps closer and telling himself he's imagining things. The flower was standing upright, almost stemming from his palm. Actually, it was.

He definitely must still be dreaming.

He doesn't even realize that he's by the bed, tired eyes scrutinizing the boy's hands. Part of him swears that his veins are a green shade and that something like a very thin snake is moving underneath his skin.

"Surprised?" The stranger asks, causing Yugo to jump. He looks to the boy in his bed, noticing how...alive he looks. Just the other night he looked ready to keel over and now he seemed refreshed. (Not in a terribly good way. This one wore an eerie grin and his eyes looked as if they were analyzing the tired boy before him.)

"Uhh..." Yugo shakes his head before stopping and nodding. "I mean, I've never seen that before." He pauses, figuring he should be talking, asking about something more important. "Are you feeling better? What happened to you?"

"Nothing that concerns you." The stranger turns his gaze away from Yugo and to his own palm. He raises his other hand, only to gently pluck the growing flower, a blooming pink camellia, from his very own skin, twirling it within two slender fingers.

Yugo ends up glaring to his response. The sound of his voice and the fact he ignored his other question (and didn't even seem to take interest in him) didn't sit well with him. "That's not how you respond to someone who helped you out."

"I never asked you to help me. You decided to for whatever silly reason that came into your mind."

"Yeah well...you don't have to...be an ass about it!" He had tried to come up with a better line, but he was too tired to think straight.

The stranger sighed softly, rolling his eyes before placing the flower in Yugo's hair, tucking the stem in so it could stay. "I don't, but it's fun to be one." He grins, amused. "Are you alone right now?"

"What kind of question is that to ask?" Yugo huffs while pulling out the flower and looking to it. It was still weird to grasp how this had been just growing from the guy's body. "I'm alone, but so what of it? If you're planning to mug me..." That's not something he should be saying when a question like that is asked.

The stranger shakes his head in response. "I would never do something as low as that." He chuckles for a moment, eyes glancing elsewhere as he goes quiet. "I just wanted to know before I...ask something of you."

"And what would that be?"

"Let me live here with you."

"...What?!" Yugo blinks, stares. He couldn't believe that he just asked- no that wasn't even phrased as a question. "First, you didn't even ask that and second, you're a stranger! I don't know you and you're just some...guy! Who- Who looks like they got into a brawl and- and you can grow flowers from your han-"

"Yuri," he interrupts. "That's my name. I cannot explain the full details of my disheveled appearance, but it was no brawl I was in. I do not wish to speak of myself nor what I can do. All I need, to clarify, is shelter. Let me live in this home of yours."

(He wasn't spouting this out at random, though it may have seemed like it to Yugo. He had thought long and hard about his options when he had come to earlier. To continue running, to hide, or to fight. The first two options were cowardly, but the last one would be a foolish mistake. As confident as he was in his abilities, there was a limit as to how much he could do and how many he could take on.

Laying low for a while might prove best, perhaps his pursuers would think him dead...that might be wishful thinking. Going to the city would cause alert, sticking to the outskirts, to a place that seemed almost deserted at night, it was perfect. He could gather his thoughts here and eventually move on when the time was right.)

"Seriously? You can't expect me to say yes to just tha-"

Something silences him. Something green is pressed against his lips. Something definitely not human shushes him with a single touch. Through his anger, he hadn't noticed something moving underneath Yuri's shirt, something wriggling from his back, sliding out under his shirt and now touching him. He guessed it was a snake at first until he noticed the lack of reptilian features. Was this...a vine? And was it beginning to wrap around his neck?

"I tried to ask nicely for once, but I suppose I must make this an order. You will let me live here or else..." There's a smile on his face during this pause, the growing piece scratching against his neck and it feels like it's just about to prick him. "I will kill you."

Yugo feels himself pale and instantly regrets ever helping this guy out. Why, of all people, did he have to end up saving some...freaky plant guy? This is the last time he ever helps out a stranger in the middle of the night, if he manages to live through this anyway.

He closes his eyes and raises a hand, beginning to pull the vines off his neck (which is surprisingly easy, he wasn't aware the other eased up on his grip) and pushing aside the one against his lips. "If you want to live with me, then don't threaten me!" His outburst is loud, angry. Probably not the best thing to do after this weirdo just threatened to kill him.

"Ugh..." Yugo sighs and presses his hand against his head. "I'd rather not have you live here with me, but fine. Just don't go ruining the place, okay? If all you need is shelter, than fine. It's not like I really have a choice to say no anyway..." He grumbles that last part. He'd rather be alive and keep an eye on him than let this guy have full access to his home without him here. "And don't...shed?" The mechanic points to the vines that are swaying before him. Yuri chuckles to such a silly accusation.

"I don't shed. I'm not a snake you know." The vine begins to recede back under his shirt. Yugo can only stare and watch as he sees it (and possibly more) moving underneath his shirt. "I'm sure we'll end up being wonderful roommates, don't you agree, Yugo?"

"You have a messed up definition of wonderful, plant boy," he growls, crossing his arms before pausing. "How'd you know my name?"

"Lucky guess. Also, this is, I assume, your room and I don't see why someone who lives alone needs to have his name sloppily scribbled onto certain belongings." Yuri ends up pulling up the side of the blanket, pointing at the tag that had his name written over it.

"I used to share this place with someone okay! And we had the same blanket!" Yugo defended as he swatted the edge of the blanket out of his hand. "You better not have looked at anything else in here."

"I'd never think to snoop around the place I'll be living in. Of course, I do expect a tour, unless if you want me to find everything on my own?"

Yugo lets out a tired sigh. Agreeing to keep Yuri here was definitely a mistake.


(From the desk of Leo Akaba)

*Experiment #EN038

Name: Yuri

Plant Hybrid

Reports: The subject was chosen to be fused with plantae. His body is able to produce and sustain nearly any kind of plant life within and is even able to have them 'grow' from his skin. Doing so leaves a bruise like mark once it recedes back or is cut off. It's a painful process, according to the subject, as the skin breaks and the larger the root that stems, the more painful it is. No blood is lost when performing such action. While the subject can control the vines that stem from his body, there seem to be some that grow on their own, protruding from his body at random, these are thin and don't seem to be lethal, acting more like decoration.

Notes: Subject is difficult to control and has been placed in solitary confinement. He has shown high levels of bloodlust and is more cunning than he lets on. Do not approach unless equipped with fire or taser to null his growth. Do not fall for his tricks. Do not let him taunt you.

IMPORTANT: #EN038 has escaped. Find and capture subject at all costs.