It seemed that she had been weaker than she had known. Upon exiting the underground cave hole, weariness and fatigue over took her, causing her pass out with her head against Hellboy's shoulder.
Twelve Hours Later
The first thing she realized was that, when she opened her eyes, she was no longer in the forest. A bright, white, light barred down on her face, causing her to squint her eyes. She groaned as she let her hand press against the side of her head, which felt as though someone had dropped a rock on it.
Upon remembering that she was not in the forest, panic over took her. She pushed herself up from the bed fast, only to groan and clasp her head as the room began to spin.
"I wouldn't move so much if I were you, little one!" Her ears perked and her eyes widened, as an older man with slicked back salt-and-pepper black hair, pale skin, and blue eyes under half-moon specs stood in the doorway. He was tall and thin, and he wore a white lab coat over black paints and a button-up dark blue collar shirt. He had a warm smile on his face, as he shut the door slightly, and stood in front of her. "You gave us quit a scare, little Shilo. I had to beg with Mr. Hellboy to leave for three hours straight." The man chuckled, as he pulled out a seat, plopping himself down in front of her.
She-Shilo- stared at the man with a puzzled look, tilting her head to the side, her ears twitching. The man let out a light chuckle, as he scribbled something down on a notebook her produced from the front pocket of his lab coat. "Who are you?" Shilo finally asked, causing to man to give a twinkle of the eyes smile. "My name is Dr. Gabriel Hunt. But you can call me Doc." He held out his hand to her. Shilo leaned forward and sniffed the mans hand in confusion.
Doc gave a hearty laugh, pulling his hand back. Shilo watched him jot a few things down on his note book. As he was writing, Shilo suddenly noticed that she was not wet and she felt strange. Looking down, her eyes widened as she realized she was no longer wearing her cloak. Her ripped jeans and dirty red t-shirt were gone as well. Instead she was wearing a ten sizes to big black t-shirt that brushed just bellow her kneecaps, and a pair of fresh, clean, socks, bra, and underwear.
"Were are my clothes at?" Shilo asked, her tone slightly low and tense. The Doc, seeming to have caught the upset tone, raised his hands up. "Your clothing is being washed, little one. Hellboy and I found it impossible to leave you in those wet clothes. That's his shirt your wearing." Shilo felt her nose twitch, catching a faint smell of sweat, cigars, and... roasted peanuts. She nodded. It was his smell.
"If your worried about who changed you, I asked one of are female agents to change and wash you." Shilo felt her form fully relax. She had not been fully comfortable with the ideal of a male changing her. "By the way, little one? Is your tail real?" Shilo's ears perked up, as she reached behind her, grasping her soft and fuzzy chocolate brown tail. She pulled the twitching tail around her waist and smiled at the aw'd look on the Doc's face. "Astonishing! It seems you really are part cat!"
Shilo and the Doctor talked and discussed her health and how she should get some nourishment's into her system after their discussion, which ended with the Doc saying he had to discuss his findings to a Mr. Manning.
As soon as the Doctor left, Shilo found herself sitting alone in a strange and sickly smelling room. The room smelled of blood and sickness. Her stomach churned from the smell, causing her to wrinkle her nose. 'I've got to get out of here before I get sick.'Shilo thought as she slipped down from her spot on the sickly smelling bed.
Finally deciding that the smell was to much, Shilo pushed herself cautiously from her bed, and stuck her head out the door the Doc had exited from. Stepping slowly and completely out of the room, Shilo found herself in a two way hallway. Sniffing the air, Shilo decided to go the opposite direction of Docs scent.
She wandered down the hallway carefully, pulling herself to the shadows everytime she heard a sound. After finding her way down two hallways, she herself in front of a large, open, wooden door. Looking around, Shilo slowly slipped through the cracked open door as quietly as possible. Once through the door, her ears perked up and her eyes widened. She was in a large library like room! Books covered every inch of the walls!
Shilo, during her time on the streets, had learned to read from a kind old librarian, who would let her into the library after hours, as she finished filing, before teaching Shilo how to read. It had taken a good two years, but she had learned. The old librarian-Mrs. Freya had been her name- had been very proud of her. Shilo had cried when the woman had died of lung cancer a month later.
Shilo, eyes wide and tail twitching back and forth with excitement, made her way towards a large leather bound book with a thin gold strip down the side, when something blue caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Turning, Shilo found herself staring at a large tank filled to the brim with water! Tail twitching with curiosity, Shilo sniffed the air, making her way towards the tank slowly.
"Excuse me miss?" Shilo jumped back from the tank! Her claws retracted and her tail stood straight up, her ears pointed, as she stood alert. Shilo felt herself crouch down on her toes, her knees bent as someone, or something, swam towards the glass of the tank. Shilo felt the fur on her tail raise as she stared at what appeared to be some sort of fish-man!
The creature was blue, and covered in scales and gills were on his neck. "Do not be afraid. I will not harm you, miss. I merely wish to ask if you could you turn the page of the book, please?" Shilo stared at the fish-man with aw, before she looked to see a book stand with a large and old looking book on it. Ears twitching, and claws at the ready, Shilo slowly made her way closer to the tank and stand. Slowly, Shilo allowed her claws to retract back, as she carefully turned the page, trying not to rip the paper as she did.
The fish-man blinked its large black eyes at her, as he placed his hands on the glass. Shilo lowered her head to her shoulders, as she stepped back and watched the creature. "Thank-you, kindly. I've been waiting for hours for someone to come in. One does get tired of reading the same page over and over again." Shilo watched as he turned back to the book, his hands still on the glass and towards her.
"I assure you, miss. I am not eatable and I am not an alien. I am an icthyo sapien. A merman, I believe is more familiar." Shilo's eyes widened in shock. She hadn't thought she had said that she wondered if the fish-man was eatable, or questioned him on whether he was an alien or not. The man let out a bubbly laugh at her confused and surprised look. "I am what is called telepathy and psychometry. I have the ability to transfer information on thoughts or feelings between individuals by means other than the five classical senses." Shilo blinked at the man, confusion even more evident on her face.
"I can sense the thoughts of others. And, I have the ability to obtain information about an individual through paranormal means by making physical contact with an object that belongs to them." Shilo slowly nodded her head, somewhat understanding what the creature was talking about.
"My name is Abraham Sapien. Abe or Blue for short." He said with a light, happy, tone. He seemed to like having someone to talk to. Shilo liked that. She had never had anyone to talk to but the rats and stray animals of the street. "My name is...Shilo. And I'm afraid I don't have any super special mind abilities." Shilo said with a smile, earning a bubbly chuckle from the blue icthyo sapien.
"That's alright, miss Shilo. Not many people do." Shilo felt herself completely relax, as she stepped closer to the tank. Slowly, she reached her left hand out and placed it against the glass, miming Abes left hand. Her ears perked up completely, and her eyes widened briefly as a jolt of energy touched her hand, showing a vision of her standing in front of herself. She was seeing through Abe's eyes.
"Whoa!" Shilo breathed, laughing lightly. Abe blinked a few times, before joining in her laughter, as the door to the Library like room opened.
And I leave you wondering who it is that has walked in on Shilo and Abe's fun.