It had been a month now and it was finally over. All the trials and tests, blood samples, X-rays, scans, exploratory surgery, mental ability readings. It was all done. Gone.

I sighed, letting my eyes roam the room around me in something very close to awe. The first thing that hit me was the warmth of the place, so beautiful in its rich gold's and deep reds, making me instantly feel somehow welcome. Shaking myself, I realised how girly I had just sounded, which wasn't like me at all. God, all that testing had gone to my head. Truth be told I was far more manly than a woman of twenty should be. I like fights, cars, guns, explosives and shots. Lots of shots.

After a few more moments of swimming around in my own thoughts, I remembered that there were two agents behind my, probably wondering what I was gawking at. Squaring off my shoulders slightly, like I was about to be addressed by someone very important, I strode into the room. Then I stopped again, because I realised I had no idea why I was here.

"Make yourself comfortable Miss Hawkins," said a voice from behind me. I recognised it as Agent Nuke, a man I had already learned to mistrust completely. If I was asked why though, I wouldn't be able to give a reason beyond, "Because." I would call it the animal side of me being...prepared for the worst. He continued when I didn't move from the spot I was in,

"Another agent will be here shortly to show you around, wait here until then," thankfully, he did not wait for a reply and both he and the other agent left the room without another word. Somewhat carefully I padded across the floor to a large sofa, glancing over my shoulder every now and again. Something was watching me, following every move I made extremely closely. I sensed no threat though, no malice towards me. But I still didn't like it. I put down the two bags I held, both of them carrying everything I owned in this world. Almost everything, I corrected myself quickly, surprised I had forgotten my baby. My motorbike had to be the best thing that had ever happened to me, I thought to myself. That never betrayed me and got me shoved into some underground lab/freak show type thing. Yes, I was defiantly still angry about that. Stupid so called best friends.

It was with that thought I heard a slight chuckle – at least that's what it sounded like – from somewhere behind me. I spun around, at the same time grabbing a rather heavy book from the table next to the couch, to use as a makeshift weapon.

"Oh, no please don't do that," I jumped at the small voice, the grip on the book tightening.

"Who's there?" I asked, my tone as low and as dangerous as I could make it. I hadn't noticed anyone come in, so it must have been the same person as before, the one that was watching me. But where was he? Then, as if reading my thoughts, he spoke up again.

"Over here," moving my gaze to the left, I found the voice had come from a fish tank, for lack of a better word. It took over most of the wall, from floor to ceiling. I smiled at myself, having not noticed it before I realised my powers of observation were getting worse in my old age. I moved closer to the dazzling blue water, letting my hand reach out and touch the tick glass. Yes, there was defiantly something inside there; I could feel its life force, almost wriggling under my fingertips. I closed my eyes and concentrated. Some kind of aquatic life, as to be expected of course... but ...what?

"An interesting talent you have there," I jumped again, opening my eyes. Before me was something I could only describe as a merman, he had his hand up to the glass to, exactly where I had had mine. His head was cocked to one side as if trying to work something out, but for some reason he was having difficulty.

"What?" I asked quite plainly, nervous under his quizzical stare. He snapped himself out of his thoughts and removed his hand from the glass, letting it fall to his side.

"Forgive me, I was merely curious, I wasn't told about any new comers," he apologized. I wasn't entirely sure of what to say, my eyes scanning the patterns of swirling blue that made their way across his body. I noticed him look down, as if to check if there was something on him that had attracted my attention. I quickly averted my eyes, realising how that might have offended him. I mean, people had stared at me so many times, every time hurting just as much as the last. Even if I didn't mean it in a bad way, in fact I would go as far as to say I was admiring those patterns, like they were some sort of art, he didn't know that.

"Actually, I do," He pointed out sheepishly. Momentarily confused, I frowned. Then, with a jolt I understood something. He was reading my mind. Never very good with words, the only thing I could bring myself to say was,

"Hey!" then I took a tentative step away from the tank, as if that would help somehow.

"Sorry," he apologized again, "I can't help myself sometimes, it just happens."

"Oh," I managed, again my vocabulary amazing even myself. He chuckled, the same noise I had heard before. "Are you laughing at me?" I asked, razing an eyebrow almost playfully.

"It would seem so." I smiled, extending an arm, then realising he couldn't shake it; I shoved it in my pocket quickly.

"I'm Taya," I said with a grin.

"A pleasure to meat you Taya, I'm Abraham Saipan, but please, and I say this for the sake of my own sanity, call me Abe."

"Blue!" I think both me and Abe jumped slightly at the – as far as I could tell – random outburst from the doorway. "Sorry about the wait, I-"he noticed me then, the expression on my face obviously one of confusion. He was a red man, who looked quite like an ape, I thought to myself. This must be normal down here. I coughed, looking at my feet for a moment, again cursing myself for staring. But when I looked back up, he was still eyeing me. I frowned.

"Wow," he said.

"What?" I asked, now feeling anger making its way through my body. He was defiantly staring at my eyes. Defiantly.

"Your, like a cat or something?"

"Red!" Scolded Abe, "That's no way to greet our newest member!" Without replying he plodded towards me. I found myself looking up at the giant moments later, as he towered over me. He moved his head to one side, as if trying to see something behind me. I backed away, bumping straight into Abe's tank with a loud thump. At another time I would have said sorry, but I didn't want to take my eyes off the Red man, not until I knew why he was acting like he was. I mean, yeh I look kind of freaky, but he's not one to talk!

"What the hell are you doing?!" I challenged as he moved even closer.

"Do you have a tail?" he asked, suddenly realising how close we really were and backing off.

"No, I do not have a tail!" I hissed, folding my arms across my chest and pushing myself up off Abe's tank. There was silence for one long, dreadful moment, and then the ape-man scratched his head with a huge hand. It looked like it was made of rock...was that even possible?

"Err, sorry. Where are my...um...manners?"

"Not here, apparently," I heard Abe mumble to himself. My mood lightened up a little then, and I found myself smiling.

"I'm HellBoy. Or Red. Or, whatever you wanna call me I suppose," he shrugged his huge shoulders, looking anywhere but at me.

"He likes cats," said Abe, as if that explained everything.

"Yeh, sorry." I considered giving him a lecture about how that gave him no excuse to stare at me, or search for appendages I didn't have. But then, I remembered that I was going to live here now and friends would be far better than enemies.

"That's ok," I answered, smirking at how shameful he looked. "I'm Taya."

At that moment there was a spark of recognising in his eyes, then he cursed a few times.

"What's the matter?" I questioned, wondering if random outbursts of colours and swere words were common with him.

"I was supposed to show you around, but I promised Liz... and I only came here to tune his pages, then I was going to go..." He continued to talk, but to himself as far as I could tell. I watched him move around the room, slightly amused by the argument he was having with himself. Momentarily I wondered who Liz was, then decided I would find out soon enough anyway and I shouldn't disturb him form...well, himself.

"Is it Wednesday?" Asked Abe. I turned to face him.

"Sorry, no idea. Why?"

"Liz made Red promise to spend Wednesdays with her," he explained. With that I learned two things. One – HellBoy had a girlfriend, (This made me smile for some pathetic reason, as the thought even freaks didn't live their lives alone sprung to mind.) And two – the colours weren't random, they were nicknames.

"I see," I said, then walked to where HellBoy was practically leaping around. "Um, HellBoy?" He stopped and looked at me.

"Yeh?"

"I'll be fine for tonight, you can show me around some other time," for a moment his face lit up. Then he frowned again.

"But Manning's' gonna through a hissy fit at me. He wanted to me to show you around because...well he said something along the lines of – 'It encourages bonding and teamwork. Now stop arguing with me.'- I hate that man." I laughed, then shook my head.

"If he asks, I'll tell him you were the best chaperone anyone could have ever asked for." Without needing me to say another word, he thanked me and dashed off to see his Liz. I was left standing, feeling quite awkward. I bit my bottom lip, wondering what I should do. I didn't feel like wandering around the building, for the simple reason I was quite an anti-social person and the thought of meeting more people like Abe and HellBoy... well it was quite overwhelming.

I turned around, with the intention of going back to the couch, but I found myself walking straight into Abe who apologized immediately, a purple tinge suddenly appearing on his cheeks.

"It's fine," I assured him, "No need to say sorry, you seem to do that far too often," he nodded in agreement, then spoke,

"Would you like me to show you around?" he asked, blinking at me a few times. I thought about it for a moment, wondering how much trouble HellBoy would get into if Manning thought he had pawned me off onto Abe. Then I decided I would make some sort of excuse to cover him if that did happen. Something like, 'Sorry me and Abe were already getting along like a house on fire. I asked him if he'd show me around instead.' Yep, that would have to do. Besides, I thought to myself, Abe is far more gentlemanly than HellBoy.

"Yes, if you don't mind that is?"

"Of course not! It would be my pleasure!" he exclaimed cheerily.

So, we spent the next few hours wandering around together. He showed me the sights and I asked him all sorts of questions about anything that came to mind really, but he was quite happy to answerer all of them. I felt a lot more relaxed now, understanding that the people here, (Some of them anyway,) acted more like family than 'work' acquaintances. I wondered if I would ever truly fit in, now that I was a freak amongst freaks...I was normal. I'd never been that before, never even considered it possible. But here I was, walking down a corridor in a building made for people like me, with a fish-man.

Abe truly was something else. I knew I looked different, my cat like yellow eyes, my pointed ears, my razor sharp talons, even the way I walked and held myself told all the people around me that I wasn't just human, that I had a little bit of something...more. But Abe, he had no chance of fitting in with everyday life. But that didn't seem to bother him in the slightest, he didn't seem to be in inner turmoil with the side that wanted to be human and a side that wanted to be a freak. He knew who he was, I sensed that straight away.

I looked down at my hand, No, I told myself, he doesn't hate himself like you do. He's proud of what he can do, not ashamed of it. He must have noticed how quiet I had suddenly become because he stopped and looked at me.

"What's the matter?" He asked me, concern clear in his voice. I clenched my hand shut and smiled up at him. Ignoring the question, I asked one of my own,

"What exactly is your power Abe?" We continued to walk, though I knew he still thought there was something wrong. I wondered why he just didn't read my mind to find out what was troubling me, but didn't say as much.

"I have psychic abilities. I am able to read minds at a touch, some minds from a short distance away," he told me as we turned a corner. I recognised that we were heading back to the library, its gold door only a few meters ahead. "If you don't mind me asking, what are yours?"

"I'm agile, quite flexible and I can sense peoples...feelings I suppose you'd call them. I'm still exploring what I can do, I haven't had much chance to practice, and I've always lived around humans. Always tried to be like them," I said the last part to myself, but he heard me and tutted slightly at my words.

"You should be happy with what you are," He said kindly, "There's nothing wrong with you at all." I laughed,

"Tell that to the rest of the world," I jibed.

"You have a point," he opened the door and we made our way inside. I glanced at the grandfather clock near the book selves. I was surprised at how long we'd been out.

"Wow, time flies when you're having fun, hey Abe?" I elbowed him playfully in the ribs, determined not the let our previous conversation dampen my happy mood.

"Indeed," he said with a chuckle. I yawned, realising that I was really quite tired. I think it was about then that both me and Abe thought of something. I had no idea where my room was.

"I'll go and ask HellBoy, he should know," said Abe and made a sleek about turn. I grabbed his arm before he could make a move to the door. He tensed at my touch and turned to look at me, head cocked to one side ever so slightly. He was surprisingly warm under my fingertips and his skin was smooth, not slimy...just smooth. I let him go.

"No, it's ok, don't disturb him," I said, finding my feet all too interesting. "I'll sleep on the couch, if that's ok with you that is?"

"Yes, yes, no problem, I'll fetch you a blanket," he moved out of the room and was back in a second, holding a thick wool duvet and a pillow. I took them and thanked him, headed straight for the couch. I settled down quickly and I heard a splash as Abe got back in his tank.

"Do you mind if I leave a light on?" I asked him, slightly embarrassed. Thankfully he didn't press for a reason and just agreed.

"Yes, "He spoke softly and I was vaguely aware of him saying goodnight to me.

"Night, night Abe, sweet dreams," I managed to mumble before I fell into a deep and well needed slumber.

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Humans. Abouves us. Everwere. Stink. Hate them all. All must die. Will Kill. Electricity.

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A/N : First Fic on the site^^ Not my best writing, mostly because its in first person but that will change XP

Before anyone asks, the last bit at the bottem is something to do with the next chapter (: Oh, and sorry about spelling, it's just...bad, I know XD