Choices
Chapter 1
She hasn't quite been the same.
Ever since Alley's new form burst its way forward, in public, stripping her naked before a crowd, no one could really blame her for not wanting to go out anywhere for a while. It took her a month to try and get over the notion to what happened and yet, she couldn't. She could recall everyone staring at her, the strange glares, some of them even gawking since they knew she was in the nude. She swore he heard one person throw up in disgust.
She has had moments of rage, anger and resentment for what she became. She destroyed a desk, two scouter robots and a small portion of the lab out of anger. Her strength grew, that was certain in her moment of destruction. Yet, she still couldn't quite grasp the concept. She had done countless tests on herself, nothing in her genetics or blood indicated she was going to have much of her father's characteristics. She assumed she would grow a few more scales if that and take on more of her mother's appearance. Only to be proven wrong.
In the month, she began to study herself once more. Strangely enough, despite the multiple dragon like serpents her brothers and father possess, Alley didn't have as many. There were two rather large ones that coiled around her core and two that remained behind her back yet hidden unless she calls for them. She shared the smaller ones they possess around her arms, yet the first two she developed became thicker and far stronger than before. She wondered though, as these things lived off of her, they do possess minds of their own. Question was, why are they so complacent to listen to her? She wasn't going to argue with the notion, yet she wondered.
By the end of the month, she was asked once more by Suiryu to go out on the town. He wanted to take her to City Q, the Watchdog man festival was underway. "We went last year and had a blast! Come on, it's only a week long and it ends soon!" he pleaded.
She wasn't ready yet to go out, despite Suiryu's attempt to entice her. "Suiryu, I'm still embarrassed for what happened… I don't want it to happen again in public like that. The carnival was bad enough…"
He wanted to say something, but held back and nodded to her. "Oh… okay… if you change your mind…"
"I know where to find you." She said.
He left a defeated man, yet before he did. He approached her. Alley was lying on her desk, just trying to figure things out when he left a single rose for her. "You know, I don't care that you changed. I still see you as a young and very beautiful woman."
She forced a smile but took the rose into her hands. "You say that to all the girls."
He didn't utter another word, but left her alone. She didn't know what to do, where to go from here. There was a part of her knowing, in the back of her mind, if given the chance. If Suiryu were human again, he wouldn't think twice in leaving her for a more attractive woman. He could do better. She knows that. But, did he feel obligated to be with her, because of what he is? Was this the whole reason why they were dating? She wasn't going to tell him just yet, but she has a possible cure for him, Max and Snek. A protein she developed is capable of devouring monster DNA and yet can repair and expelling healthy human cells. When there is no monster genes left to devour, the protein self-destructs. She has tested it twenty times and found all the tests to be the same results, a possible cure. But, she needed to see for certain if it would truly do its job.
There was one person she could use as a lab rat.
#
The Hero Hospital.
"Are you certain about this Miss Brawler? We are still having a hard time keeping him under control."
"Yes Doctor, I am. I have the wavier signed by his brother."
The doctor nodded as he led Alley to the subbasement of the hospital. There they had a special containment unit built. Inside, pacing like a mad man was Tank Top Tiger. His body was covered in short orange fur, his hands and feet more animal like than human, his face was relatively the same except for his fangs, eyes and whiskers that grew out. Even on his head there was a small reminisce of the tiger ears that shifted from the side of his head to the top of it. As he paced, he went from walking on two legs, to walking on his hands like the beast of his name. The moment his eyes locked on to Alley, he charged the glass, and attempted to smash it open. "BITCH! WHAT DO YOU WANT!" he roared.
Despite the charge, the doctor cowered. Alley didn't even flinch. "I see the aggressive nature has not faded the least bit."
"We have kept him sedated for some time, but now he has developed and immunity to it. We have no way of settling him down."
"Doctor, I need to get in there if you don't mind…"
"Miss Brawler?"
"I think I can get this remedied for you, but I have to get inside the containment unit. Do you have the key?" He nodded his head. "Good. When I say so, unlock it and lock it up again after I enter."
"Are you certain?"
Alley began to glow green, her eyes locked on to Tank Top Tiger and send him flying into the farthest wall from the door. "Very certain, now, the door please."
The nervous doctor reached for the keypad and unlocked the containment unit. Alley walked in fearlessly yet kept Tiger pinned to the wall, he couldn't move. Yet, as she approached, there was a smirk on his face. "Ooo, come to pay be a visit sweet little thing?" his voice went from aggressive to a flirt.
"Are you seriously hitting on me? After calling me a bitch?" she demanded.
"Some girls like to be treated like shit" just for that, she slammed him hard into the ground.
"Yeah, and some men like it rough." With the wave of her arm, she threw him to the other side, bashing him once more into the wall. When he dropped, Alley took out her serum and injected one of her serpents.
As Tiger peered up he smirked. "Ooo, giving me a bite now? I do like it rough!" he snickered.
"Shut the hell up," with that she struck. The serpent injected Tiger with the cure right into his neck. She dressed the wound before calling the doctor to let her out. The moment she did, the esper hold on Tiger vanished. He could barely get to his feet. He walked into the walls a few times before passing out. "It takes about 24 hours for it to take full effect. I'll be back within that time frame. It make work faster since he doesn't have as much monster DNA in him to clean out of the body."
The doctor made notes as he nodded to her. "We look forward to seeing if your tests works."
"You and me both."
