The Beginning

It was a hot June day. The streets of New York City were crowded more than unusual with tourists and visitors wandering the Big Apple without a map or a sense of direction. Zeroing in on a book shop, few people wandering about the shelves as the cashier looked on with disinterest. He wasn't much to look at nor was he too unsightly to avoid, with average height, brown shaggy hair, and slim build. He was undoubtedly bored as he dazed out into space and fiddled with a business card.

Suddenly, he gaze sharpened to a point outside of the window as he watched a female specimen approach the store front from the next door ice cream shop. He watched as she entered with a small smile and short glance in his direction through slipping rectangular glasses before immediately browsing the shelves. He gazed at her small petite figure in jeans, a blouse, and a miss matched bag/purse, figuring she must be at least fifteen years old. She was rather short, probably five foot two inches and heading towards the adventure/fiction section.

The cashier gave a slow cruel smile filled with odd yellow needle pointed teeth as he darkened the windows with blinds and locking the door. He ignored the confused humans. Instead, he triggered the mutated poppies growing in the ceiling to spread their sleep pollen. He watched on as the humans started to panic when the first collapsed. He could possibly make use of those for his less important customers, but his prize should be asleep in the fiction section. Upon reaching his prey, he found her slumped against the shelf with the front of her shirt tugged up with her hand limp in her lap in a futile attempt to not breath in the pollen.

Crouching down, he fingered a lock of long curly dark blonde hair. It was silky though its appearance was a bit frizzy and flyway. Leaning closer, he noticed the sunburn tan, sunspots, and small, scattered pale scars. He scowled but hummed in thought. It'll take a bit of work, but he can fix her appearance for his important client. Letting go of the specimen's hair, he stood and whistled sharply for his help to haul the other meat bags into his work areas. After instructing a goblin to carry his prize to his work station so he could start immediately when he returns, he went about shedding his disturbing skin to show an extraordinary being.

He was taller with smooth light green skin and corn silk hair reaching his shoulders. His eyes enlarged and squinted into two solid yellow blinking ovals. His nose has disappeared and the mouth stretched to either side of his stalk head. His appendages lengthen into three fingered ends. His body had grown large leaves to cover his front and back. He very much looked like a walking plant that could eat you.

Straightening to its full height, it sighed in relief of being relieved of his confines. Now that he has no more use of the infernal thing, he can leave.

A day later

Camera flashes, pollen being swiped for examination, and book shelves being scrutinized. Men in dark suits have secured the area for Agent Blue to come in and have a closer look. With the blinds shut and other windows covered, an aquatic man onto the scene. Blinking through special goggles, he took off his gloves to sense the area with his webbed hands.

He swayed and ape walked about the floor until he came upon a green purse with brown leather like straps. Picking it up, he gave a small noise. Then he looked over at the pile of rotting skin nearby, the reason he was even here. Placing down the purse where it was, he stepped over to the decaying organ. Touching it lightly, he dazed at the bookshelf as he has his vision. If he had any facial muscles, he would have frowned deeply. Standing quickly, his strides long to get to the nearest agent.

"We need to move quickly! I need contact with Dr. Manning please."

"Yes, sir"

Two days later

Deep underground, a dark cavern was lite dimly by bioluminescent fungus and moss along with the pods containing the human specimens. One particular pod was getting extra attention from Mr. Beanpole. With skillful vine like fingers, he was almost finished with his most profitable product. Just in time too, the northern ogres have been getting impatient with him.

She was now peach skinned without blemishes or scars or that tattoo he found on her left shoulder blade, pores have been cleaned and reduced. All the unneeded hair has been removed, leaving her in her peach fuzz baby hairs. The hair on her head was already thick, just a tad more to bring out her curls and brightening it from a dirty blonde to a honey blonde. Her curls were more numerous and a couple tightly coiled. Anything else done to the hair was unnecessary since it was in perfect condition. Her lips didn't need anything done to them as well.

At the current moment, he was fixing the yellow-gold ring around her pupil. He didn't like how they are shown as little scraggily line borders between two blurred shades of blue. Just as he was carefully thickening the gold ban, a crash startled him, letting his prize sink back into her pod. He turned just in time to just have his shoulder blown off. With a screech, he retaliated at the big red monkey with the little cannon. The heavy hitter BPRD agent crashed into the far wall. Quickly turning to see if his prize was unharmed, he watched in horror as she started to wake up, activating the spell he placed upon her, per the request of the northern ogres. Then Mr. Beanpole was smacked over the head with the right hand and crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

The red giant grunted at the easy win, but was distracted by a vibrating moan. The girl in the pod was waking up. Blowing a billow of smoke from his cigar before putting it out for later, he used his right hand to pierce and dig into the membrane and jelly like substance for the imprisoned nude girl as human agents flooded the area behind him. As they took care of Mr. Beanpole, the red giant with the stone hand finally freed the limp and waking girl.

Sudden static filled the red giant's ear. He winced as he started to hear Agent Blue babble incoherently about the species of the creature Red just knocked out. Red shook his head and was about to reply to Blue when he heard a gasp and sudden shift in weight had him using his left hand to getting a better grip on the slimy skinned girl. Looking down, he was met with one blue eye and a golden eye squinting and then blinking wide eyed at him. The girl had curled up like a stretched taut coil had been released to attempt to cover herself.

She flushed to a point that her skin was almost the color of his skin, from the tips of her ears to the top of her chest. Her entire weight of what he assumed to be about one hundred and twenty pounds was sitting on his right hand and one of her hands pressing on his lower chest for balance. His left hand had reached for her waist, just below her arms covering her chest for better grip. She tensed to a point it felt like he was carrying the squishiest rock ever. Then he could feel her shivering as she frantically looked around with squinted eyes, a deep furrow creasing between her manicured honey blonde eyebrows.

"Look kid, no one is going to hurt you. Now, I'm going to put you down now to help you cover up, alright?"

Slowly, she calmed down to nod and look back at him. She must have partially seen the other human agents helping the other kidnapped out of their pods or at least the ones not turned into fertilizer. Once on the ground with wobbling but sturdy feet and the hand she had used to balance still there but on his abs, Red took off his trench coat to cover her. The heavy fabric enclosed around her and pooled excessively around her feet. Getting agitated at being stared by the girl, Red motioned for one agent to take her to a medic before turning to leave.

Pausing at the groan, he turned to look down at the girl who clenched her jaw and squeezed her eyes shut, as if in pain. She had somehow fitted her arms through the sleeves that bunched up thickly in her elbows, hands keeping the front close. She doubled over with a cry, crashing into his legs as her legs failed her.

Red kept one arm around the tiny female to keep her steady as she twitched and whimpered with some unknown pain. She curled against him in a fetal position, hands pressing into her abdomen. Using his left hand, he tilted her face to see into pain glossed, contracting eyes. She breathed heavily as if it would alleviate her pain. Her eyes flitted about his face before setting on his golden eyes before her rolled back in a faint. Red huffed and swished his tail in aggravation. Then the field doctor and Blue came to pick her up right in the nick of time.

After that, she was taken away, and he went back to his job since Mr. Beanpole decided to wake up in the agents' custody and was misbehaving very badly.