When she awoke everything was at first blurry but she identified the color white first. Four corner of wall surrounded her on all sides, she could tell immediately that she was in a room. Feeling a little bit weak as she strained her eyes as she tried to focus on the source of light which was a single light bulb. No bars of metal were surrounding her this time but it was clear that glass trapped her within a small space. Cinder still felt tired and numb so she relaxed and rested her eyes for a moment. Only the sound of a door sliding open roused her.
"This is it," the voice said excitingly.
The sound of footsteps became louder and she felt more then one person enter the room. Shutting her eyes tightly as she wished for them to go away and leave her in peace she listened to each of them speak.
"What a odd colored Lugia…"
"I wonder where it originally came from…"
"Maybe changes in the environment caused this…"
"Do you think it possesses the same DNA and genetic structure a regular Lugia has…?"
When she blinked opened her eyes and made herself appear as though she was waking up from a long sleep Cinder raised her head and looked at each of the faces. They seem to be surprised at her sudden movements and stared in awe at her figure.
"They said it's female," one man said as he adjusted his glasses.
"They say it can talk as well, which is ludicrous," another man laughed.
"It's impossible for a Pokemon to talk," one female said with a nod and then tilted her head as a thought entered her mind. "It is a psychic type though, maybe it can speak telepathically."
Cinder snorted then yawned to reveal four sharp teeth. She shut her mouth and looked back at the humans, they looked like they were interested in that simple yawn.
"Amazing… maybe we should let it out," the man with the glasses suggested.
"Maybe that's not a good idea," the women muttered.
"It's a child, I bet it doesn't even know how to swim of fly properly yet, I doubt it can hurt us."
Let me out? Cinder smiled inwardly, maybe all she had to do was act cute and that would be the key to getting out of this glass prison. She opened her mouth and gave a small pitiful wail looking around with a slightly titled head. The scientist's gazes turned sympathetic and before she knew it a latch was undone and she was out. The floor was cold and flat so she had no problem walking along. She took a coupe of steps raising her wings to help her keep balance. When she finally did the motion right she folded the white wings and looked back at the professors. They were completely focused on her and Cinder couldn't help but enjoy the attention she received. Deciding to continue the young and cute act she approached one female and nuzzled her leg.
"Oh my!" The women flinched but relaxed and gave a nervous smile. "It must like people."
Cinder looked back at the other scientist and sensed that they were envious. She stifled a chuckle and looked around at the room. Was she going to be kept in here? That suddenly reminded her of what that scientist at the lab said. Was she at that place or somewhere else? A bit confused she looked up at the people in lab coats and tilted her head. Most of them crouched and one extended his hand to touch her muzzle, Cinder didn't flinch in response and accepted the warm touch.
"It seems tame, don't you think?"
"Is it use to being around humans? I wonder how they found it."
It
"Do you think we should return it to the wild, legends naturally belong in their natural environments."
It
"H-Hey, look at it's facial expression," one man said.
Cinder was quivering now with a look of barely controlled anger in her eyes.
"Back away!" One guy said and a few took a step back.
Cinder shut her eyes and soon she dampened her anger and covered it with the emotion of sadness. "I'm not a it…"
It was barely a whisper but most could identify it as English.
"Holy…"
Cinder then realized her mistake and shut her mouth, her gaze went down to her long feet. Her face
"Human-like expressions and emotions…" one said. "Maybe…"
"Impossible!"
"Phenomenal!"
I guess I am an 'phenomenal' case, Cinder thought and rolled her eyes.
"Can you say anything else?" one of them said with a smile.
"…yes," she muttered shyly.
"Do you completely understand what were saying?"
"Yes, sir," Cinder responded.
"Ah, it knows manners too! Good good… now if you would please answer a few more…"
The young Lugia sighed, knowing she was going to be here for a long while.
"So, your basically saying you use to be human and a mystical orb transformed you into…?"
"A Lugia," she finished.
They had bombarded her with questions each relating to one subject and another relating to something completely different. Yes, she felt slightly annoyed but didn't argue against being questioned. As she did this Cinder decided to move her tail around, fascinated on what exactly she could and could not do with it. Never had she once imagined herself possessing one so she tried to think up different uses for it. It definitely helped her when she was back at the lab, and it also helped her keep balance. She then started to survey her surroundings and the white room she was in, while talking and walking in her new body as she started up conversations with the scientist. They had a steady stream of words she would listen and respond to when she felt like it. After a hour or so of talking they thanked her and exited out of the white room, leaving her to roam around in it. Cinder was a little surprised that they didn't place her back in that glass cage that sat in the middle of the room.
As time passed she started to pace around, unable to lay down and do nothing as seconds ticked by. She became a little frustrated, growling and stomping her foot down occasionally to release it. Cinder then thought of what happened when she did turn into this creature.
Let's see, she thought as she paused in mid stride and looked up at the wall. I remember a pink light, and a voice… A voice! Yes, but what did it say?
Cinder tilted her head and looked at the wall in front of her. It said 'be free'…or I think it did.
But what could it have meant by 'be free'? She knew was being free was. It was being in the open air and going wherever you wished to go. To do what she wanted and to have a free will. To make decisions for herself. Cinder suddenly felt her head sending a sharp pain through out her body and her eyes rolled back before she fell forward on her stomach. She blacked out before she hit to floor.
She felt herself submerged by cool water, the waves engulfing her and transporting her whole being into another world. Cinder opened her eyes, greeted by the sight of a small blue Pokemon that swam toward her. It smiled with both it's eyes and mouth as it swam in circles around her. Eyes half closed she watched it and tilted her head.
"Who are you?" She whispered, her voice husky.
"Who are you? What are you?" The creature said, giggling. "But more importantly… what are you meant to be?"
"Who am I? What am I? What am I meant to be?" She blinked and stared wide eyed at the Pokemon.
"Yes, answer those questions for me! Please! Please! Please!" The creature said cutely.
I don't know…
"Wait, who are you!" Cinder asked, trying to avoid answering the question as long as she could.
"I am… Manaphy, the queen of the sea!" The creature replied, it then floated in front of the Lugia with a odd expression. "Your sinking…"
Cinder blinked and she felt her body started to drift downward. "W-what!"
Suddenly realizing that she was underwater bubbles shot out of her mouth as she panicked. There was no air! No air!
"Help! Please!" She continued to sink.
Manaphy shook it's head, a sad smiling gracing it's lips. "The beasts of the sea must learn how to help themselves. If not they are doomed …"
Cinder continued to fall into the dark depths… lost….
Cinder's eyes shot open and she raised her head, taking in the rich oxygen that seemed non-existent only moments ago. She glanced around and saw she was still in the room by herself. Panicked she gave a shudder then whimpered, tears starting to trickle down her cheeks as she gave deep breaths.
What the hell was that? She thought as she managed to calm herself down.
Her gaze then slowly slid toward the door which slid open. A single person walked in wearing a white coat. Thinking it was one of the scientist from before Cinder opened her mouth to speak, but shut it closed when she saw a smirk form on the person's face.
"Finally found you, Cinder Aurora Erna I believe," the person said, his voice obviously male.
Cinder's eyes widened and she watched as the person tossed the lab coat aside the reveal his true uniform. It had the logo of the ones who hired her to retrieve the orb on it.
