Hey guys! I living up to my promise and updating the second chapter! From now on, I have no idea how often I'm going to be updating. I will try to get out a chapter every week but when school starts back up I may only have time to write on The Blood Alchemist. But if I can't update every week on this I will definitely update every other week. I fully intend on finishing this story so bear with me!
Chapter 2
"I didn't think it would be like this." I murmured to myself. Whenever I had envisioned being free of that prison, I always pictured myself filled with joy. I felt no joy now. Only guilt and anguish. I had left behind the only person I had ever truly cared about. Serah and I, we had become as close as sisters during our time together. And I had just left her behind. True, she had told me to, but that didn't matter. There had to have been something more I could have done. Anything other than leaving her there. And now I didn't even know if she was alive.
"This sucks." I muttered to myself.
As if I didn't have it bad enough, it started to rain.
I looked up at the clouds with narrowed eyes, "I take that back. Now it sucks."
I had never liked the rain before I had become a chimera and turning half cat did nothing to improve my nonexistent love for rain. It was wet and only mad me colder.
Before long I was soaked and freezing. The only clothes I had on was a tattered shirt and shorts. I must have looked a sight, wandering around the streets of Central, water dripping from my clothes, hair, and ears. I had been sticking to the alleys to avoid confronting other people. Not many people were out and about this early in the morning. The sun was only just beginning to rise. But there were a few and they wouldn't simply look past a girl dressed in the wrong kind of clothes for this cold weather, with cat features no less. It was better if I remained in the shadows where no one could see me.
It had been months since I had been outside and on my own. I wasn't sure how to deal with it. There was nowhere I could go. No one I trusted. I was on my own. Heh, the story of my life.
I trudged through the rain aimlessly. Central was a big city and there were lots of alleys for me to wander up and down. But soon I got tired. This time it was more than emotional tiredness. I was cold, wet, and hungry and all I wanted to do was curl up in a nice warm place to go to sleep.
I decided to change into my other form. I never enjoyed transforming. It wasn't a comfortable process. But if I turned fully into a cat then I would be covered in fur and wouldn't be so cold.
I changed, my clothes falling limply to the ground. In my other form I was much smaller but the fur was very welcome. I padded away from my clothes and ducked under a nearby bench. Now that I was out of the rain I could lay down and get some much needed sleep. I shook out my fur first, droplets flying off of me. Then I circled around a couple of times and laid down. I didn't think I would be able to fall asleep so fast but I was out in seconds.
Three days…the thought drifted through my mind. It had been three days since I had escaped. It had been a long three days at that and I was not enjoying my freedom as I should have been.
Being out in the rain for so long that first day had mad me sick. I had been progressively getting worse too. I hadn't done much other than sleep in odd places around the city. I stayed in my cat form, only moving when I needed to find food. I'd go scrounge around garbage cans. Nasty, I know, but necessary for survival. It wasn't that bad. What was bad was how sick I was. I could barely do anything, my energy bar was so depleted. I'd sneeze every once and while. And I swore I was running a fever.
And then, as if the world wanted to see me suffer, it started to rain again.
"Why me?" I asked. My question came out as a pathetic meow.
Two people were passing the bench I was under. One of them must have heard me because they stopped. The other kept on walking. I stared at the one who had stopped through heavy lids.
I watched as their feet stepped closer, making odd clanking noises. Was it just me or were those metal feet?
The person kneeled down and looked under the bench. My eyes widened a fraction as I saw that the person was indeed wearing a suit of armor…Huh.
"Hello there." he greeted me with an echoey voice. "What are you doing out in the rain?"
"Sulking miserably. You?" I said back. Of course it only came out as meows.
"Come here." he reached under the bench for me.
I tensed up. I didn't know this person, therefore I didn't trust them. I'd actually lived most of my life on the basis of not trusting people. People, no matter how nice they seem at first, always hurt you in the end. Always. That's why I didn't want this guy touching me. But I was too sick to even move and was helpless to stop it.
He picked me up and stood. I shivered as the rain began to pelt my small body, feeling like needles as they hit.
"Let's get you out of the rain." he said as he opened up the chest plate of his armor to stick me inside. I didn't want to go inside. I was afraid I wouldn't come back out. But, again, nothing I could do about it.
He placed me inside and, to my utter shock, there was no one inside. The suit of armor was empty. I looked around but there was absolutely no one.
"I bet you're hungry. We can find you some food later." he promised. The voice was just that, only a voice. The sound bounced off the interior of the armor, appearing to have to origin. How could that even be possible? Was the armor…haunted?
"Al! What's taking you so long?" another voice asked from somewhere outside the armor. The voice was that of a guy who sounded about my age.
"Sorry, Brother. I got distracted." the suit of armor, who's name was Al I concluded, apologized.
"Well, come on." the other said.
The suit of armor began to move as they began walking. It wasn't the most comfortable ride but I managed. I wanted to hiss at this guy to let me out, but I just didn't have the energy.
How did I get here? I wondered to myself. I had went from my prison in the labs to a pair of brothers, one of which was a mysterious empty suit of armor.
At least the suit of armor sounds nice, I thought. Then I chided myself. I drudged up the memory of everyone else I had met that had sounded nice at first. No. This guy was just like the others. People were cruel and that included this guy…if he even was a people.
"Stupid rain." the voice outside the armor muttered. "Can't it go rain somewhere else?"
I agreed with him on that at least.
"We need to get back to the hotel before you get sick." Al worried.
"I'm not gonna get sick over a little rain." the brother said confidently.
"You only got release from the hospital yesterday. You're still recovering. Don't push yourself, Brother."
Hospital? I wondered. Did the brother get sick a lot or something? Or had he gotten hurt? Probably, these brothers were up to no good and he had landed himself in the hospital of his own accord. My motto was to assume the worst of people. That way, you're not surprised when you find out how cruel they are.
"You worry too much, Al. I'm fine." the brother assured.
"If you say so." Al said as if he didn't believe him.
That was the last thing I was aware of before I went to sleep.
"Finally." someone said, waking me up.
I opened my eyes, confused. I was about to freak out when I realized what I was in. The suit of armor. I was still with those brothers.
"You should probably get some rest." Al told the other person who I assumed was his brother. "You don't look so good."
"I'm fine." the other said halfheartedly. Then he added, "But I guess I am a little tired."
I could hear movement. The armor moved too, sitting down somewhere.
Where are we? I wondered. The hotel they mentioned earlier? I should have never fallen asleep. I had no idea what had happened between then and now. That had been extremely careless of me. But I had been so tired. I was still tired.
Nothing seemed to be happening, so I strained my ears to take in my surroundings. There were barely any sounds. Just the sound of someone breathing. I listened as the breathing became slower and deeper. Someone, probably the brother, was falling asleep somewhere in the room.
"I think he's asleep." Al whispered. "You can come out now." The chest plate opened and a hand reached in. I froze up as the hand picked me up and sat me down on the floor. "Try not to be too loud or you'll wake Ed up." he said. I got the feeling that Al didn't want this Ed guy to know I was here.
As soon as I was free of his hold, I ran for the nearest cover I could find. The coffee table was closest and good enough so I hid under there.
The suit of armor leaned over to look at me, "What are you doing under there? I won't hurt you."
"I'm not taking any chances." I meowed back.
"I know!" he said and then he was gone. He came back a minute later and leaned over, "Here. I bet you're hungry."
I stared at the plate he sat down on the floor. It had pieces of meat and bread on it. My stomach growled just looking at it. No, I told myself sternly. It's probably poisoned. But then, why would someone want to poison a cat? I shook my head. People didn't need a reason to be cruel. Some did it just for the fun of it.
"Aren't you hungry?" he asked. "You can't eat from under there."
I stubbornly ignored him. I would have turned my back to him but I didn't trust him to be out of my sight.
He sighed and went back to sit on the couch.
That's it? I asked myself. He's not going to try to convince me further? Drag me out from under here? Strangle me? Cut me open? None of that?
I didn't know what to think. I sat there, staring at the food. The smell wafted towards me and I inhaled deeply. It smelled good.
I unconsciously took a step forward. Then I pulled back. What am I doing? I can't eat that! I can't trust him. I can only trust myself.
But it looks so good, my weaker side informed me. And I'm so hungry.
"Tough luck." I said coldly to myself.
Minutes passed and that plate of food got increasingly tempting. Was it just me or was it calling to me?
"Eat me." the pieces of food begged. "You know you want to."
"Shut up." I glared at the food. "I don't need you."
My stomach growled as if to tell me I was wrong.
"You shut up too." I told my belly.
More minutes passed and my stomach was twisting painfully with hunger. I took another unconscious step towards the plate then stopped. I squeezed my eyes shut and screamed in my head, What should I do!
Eat it, my stomach growled.
And I couldn't take it anymore. I crawled over to the plate and bit down on the first piece of food I could reach. It was some kind of meat and was very tasty. I practically breathed it in and went on to devour the rest of the food.
I heard a soft chuckle and froze. I looked up at the suit of armor who was still sitting on the couch.
He poisoned it! I immediately thought. And now he's laughing in victory because I'm going to die soon.
"You look so cute." he said.
…Cute? That was why he was laughing? Did that mean he didn't poison it?
I looked at the rest of the food and decided I was done. Even if he hadn't poisoned it I didn't want to test my luck. Which was stupid because I had just eaten most of it. Curse me and my hungry belly!
Now that I had eaten something I felt much better. My eyelids began to droop as exhaustion set in. With the hunger gone all that was left was my tiredness.
I can't go to sleep here, I warned myself. There's no telling what they could do to me. Then again…I had fallen asleep earlier and was okay. In fact, this Al had given me food and had gotten me out of the rain.
I shook my head. There I go again, playing right into his kindness. I had to keep reminding myself that I had to stay on guard. I wasn't safe. I couldn't rest here.
My body thought differently. It wanted to jump up on that comfy looking couch and go to slumber land. I had to force myself to stay where I was while fighting off sleep.
All the while, Al watched me. What did he make of this strange cautious kitty sitting in front of him shaking her head?
I tried to distract myself by scanning the room for the first time. Definitely a hotel. The room was large enough to hold the couch, a chair, the coffee table, two beds, and a nightstand between the beds. That was about it. On one of the beds a figure lay. I could make out his dark clothes and light colored hair. The brother, I guessed.
"That's Ed." Al introduced me, noticing my staring.
I glanced back at the armor, eyeing him carefully. Why was he acting so nice? What was he planning? My tail twitched back and forth nervously as I considered.
"Do you have a name?" he asked me, not expecting to receive an answer.
At first I wasn't going to answer him but then I nodded.
Al gasped, "Did you-did you just understand me?"
This time, I didn't answer. I licked my paw as if his words were lost to me.
He laughed at himself, "What am I thinking?"
"I have no idea." I meowed at him. I licked my paw and ran it over my head and ear, like you've seen a million cats do. When I got bored of that I walked around the room, investigating my surroundings. The door leading out of the room was shut so escaping was a no go. I'd have to stay here until one of them opened the door.
I went over to the other bed and jumped onto it. I tried to convince myself that I simply wanted a higher perch so I could keep watch better but that wasn't completely true. The bed was too alluring. I couldn't resist. And as soon as my paws hit the cushiony surface I collapsed. I found myself rolling into the blanket, closing my eyes and allowing a low purr to escape.
A chuckle made me snap to my senses. I sat up and looked at Al who was watching me.
"Don't mind me." he said.
"How can I not." I said. I couldn't get comfortable, knowing these guys were around. Even if one was sleeping and the other was across the room on the couch. But then, that's just what I was doing. I was sinking farther into the blankets, my body relaxing.
I couldn't fight it anymore. I hadn't had a real bed in ages. I was warm and no longer hungry. I couldn't fight off the exhaustion any longer. I fell into a dreamless sleep.
When I first got the idea to write this I imagined Kayla completely different. When I began writing it her personality kind of came about on it's own. I didn't think she'd be so paranoid or have a split personality at times but I think being stuck in a lab for four months and experimented on would cause that to a person. And I know it didn't show in this chapter but Kayla will switch more in the future. I also never intended on Serah even being there but I threw her in on a whim. Now I'm glad I did because I like her character. Maybe I'll have to bring her back to life now, cause you just know she couldn't have escaped that explosion. Right? Or maybe...hee hee.
Please, oh pretty please, if you have suggestions for this story please let me know in a review. I'm open to just about anything. And if you review I will give you an oreo ball. No seriously, I just made two big batches of oreo balls yesterday and let me tell you, my oreo balls are beast. When you eat one it's like an explosion of chocolaty goodness in your mouth.
