This is an idea that was inspired from a talk on Reddit with a fellow fan. We wanted to explore the life of Michiru Kagemori before her transformation and her arrival to Anima City.
I do not own BNA: Brand New Animal, nor am I making any money in writing this. BNA: Brand New Animal is the property of Trigger studio and directed by Yoh Yoshinari. This is purely for fun and I hope you all enjoy it.
Michiru could only stare at her newly transformed paws, unable to fully absorb what had just happened right in front of her.
'This can't be!' she thought desperately. 'I-I-I must be dreaming! I must have dozed off! Or I'm daydreaming! Or something!'
But to her dismay the prickling sensation continued up her arms, followed by a wave of heat like she was blushing. As the sensations traveled up into her chest and shoulders, she felt tickling under her shirt. Looking down, her eyes grew wide as she saw brown fur sprouting up like weeds, their long, thick fibers brushing up against her shirt and white sports bra.
Feeling the fur climb up her neck, Michiru instinctively scratched at the area only to recoil as her claws nicked at the border between her fur and her still-human skin. Brushing the area with her hands, or rather paws, she felt the fur spread under her jaw with her surprisingly soft and sensitive pads.
'I-I am NOT dreaming this!' she realized as the fur continued into her cheeks and face. 'It's gotta be a-a rash! Some kind of allergic reaction! Something I touched! Or something in the air!'
Then, her hearing grew muffled as a sharp pain hit where her ears were. Reaching up, she felt for her ears with her paws, only to discover that they had been replaced by solid flesh. Almost as quickly, she felt a pressure at the top of her head before it suddenly stretched upwards. Her hearing suddenly cleared up and the sounds started coming in louder and clearer than ever before, like someone had suddenly removed her earphones at a rock concert. Clamping her paws over her head, she felt some relief as the noise died down, only to panic as she felt some soft velvety fur covering firm cartilage at the top of her head.
'What the-?!' she wondered. Retracting her paws, she felt the shapes perk upward as the ambient sounds came in louder and clearer. Rubbing them, she felt a warm, fuzzy feeling roll over her, like the world's finest massage or an energy drink after a long, grueling workout. For a moment, she forgot all other things as she kept rubbing them, eager for that warm, fuzzy sensation again.
'Wow! That feels so wonderful!' she thought blissfully. 'Just five more minutes, please.'
But in the midst of her bliss, she felt a pressure pushing out from her nose and upper lip. Feeling the pressure spread to her jaw, she clamped on her face and felt her nose push outward under her paws, along with her upper and lower jaw. Rubbing the area, she found her face had grown into a short muzzle, complete with a wet nose like a dog or a raccoon.
'Or a fox!' she realized, her dread returning. Pulling her paws back to her head, she discovered that what she had been rubbing before was a pair of triangular ears covered in fur. 'This can't be a rash! I-I must be hallucinating! Yes, I'm hallucinating!'
Suddenly, she doubled over as she felt a sharp pain in her lower back. Grabbing her stomach, she felt the fur spreading out over her abdomen before she felt a pressure in her backside followed by the muscle and skin being stretched outwards. Soon, she felt something push out against her underwear, the garments being stretched tighter and tighter to try and contain it. Reaching back, she felt a furry mass with a hard core bulge up from under her shorts as her underwear gave an ominous ripping sound.
'Oh no! Please no! No, no, no!' she pleaded, terrified at the prospect. Looking around to confirm she was alone, she took a deep breath and pulled down her shorts and her underwear. Once they were low enough, she felt the object clear the top and begin wagging behind her. Grabbing it with her paws, she felt a furry mass covering a bony core that wriggled under her grip. Following it upward, she felt it connect to her body right above the cleft in her backside, just like she felt with Nazuna.
'A tail,' she realized, frozen in shock. 'I've got a tail. A TAIL! No, no, no! This can't be real!'
But before she could react, she felt a rather familiar pain flare up once again, this time in her feet. Prying off her shoes and socks, she saw fleshy pads protruding from the soles and heels, just like what had happened with her hands. But no sooner had the pads fully erupted that she felt pressure in her toes, like the bones were being compressed. Staring in mute horror, she watched as her nails thickened and elongated into black claws, just like her fingers.
For a moment, Michiru simply stared in silence, unable to move or speak as she tried to grasp what had just happened.
'This is not possible,' she thought, some part of her mind desperately trying to rationalize it all away. 'I was born a human. My blood-type is human. I AM a human! Humans don't just turn into Beastmen at random! This can't be happening! I HAVE to be hallucinating!'
Falling backwards, she yelped in pain as an immense pressure ran up her spine. Pulling herself to a kneeling position, she reached out and felt her tail brush against her hands and backside, the fur now far longer and fluffier.
'Can I-REALLY be hallucinating this?!' she wondered, panic gripping her mind. 'This feels so…REAL! No! I must, MUST be hallucinating! Gotta get out! Gotta get out!'
Thoroughly terrified, Michiru looked frantically for an escape. Seeing the double doors, she kicked off with her back legs and bolted for them. Seeing them approach, she rammed into them at full speed, slamming them wide open just as she saw someone approach.
"What the-?!" they said right before Michiru bowled into them. Rolling over, Michiru found herself straddling Tsuku who merely stared up in shock and anger.
"How'd you get in here?!" he bellowed, making her jump off of him. Furiously, he pointed at her and yelled "This is a school for HUMANS! You need a card to enter! Who's card did you steal?! What'd you do with them?! Answer me!"
Terrified, Michiru turned tail and tried to run for it, but lost her balance as she tried to bring her foot up to her hands and rammed her knee into herself. Barely hearing a rumbling from nearby, she stumbled forward and landed in a heap. Looking up, she found herself surrounded by several students, all staring at her in shock and surprise.
"So Tsuku was right?" one of them asked incredulously.
"How'd a Beastman get in here?" a second asked.
"Did someone let it in?" a third offered.
"Who? And why?" a fourth inquired.
"Don't just stand there you dolts!" Tsuku bellowed. "Grab it!"
Hearing this, Michiru rolled over and bolted between the legs of her onlookers. This time, she managed to pull herself to her feet and began running like she normally would. Racing down the hallway, she frantically tried looking for an exit even as her pursuers chased after her.
'Which way?! Which way?!' she thought, trying to remember the layout but in her panic her mind had turned blank. 'Oh what do I do?! What do I do?!'
Turning a corner, she saw a familiar face and yelled out "Ren! Please help me!"
"Michiru?!" Ren asked, gawking at her in shock and confusion as Michiru raced toward her. "Is…is that you?!"
"Yes!" Michiru answered back, grabbing her friend by the shoulders. "I'm hallucinating that I've turned into a Beastman and now people are chasing me! Help me get out of this!"
"Michiru…" Ren began but heard the clamor of Tsuku and his band closing in behind them. Thinking quickly, Ren grabbed Michiru and yanked her into a closet just as Tsuku turned the corner. In the darkness, Michiru inhaled deeply to try calming herself, but nearly gagged as the smell of mildew assailed her nose. Clamping her paws on her nose, she felt the same protruding muzzle and wet nostrils from before in the basketball court.
'This again?!' she wondered, panic gripping her once more. 'How can this be?!'
"Ren!" Tsuku yelled, breaking her thoughts. "Did you see a Beastman come through here?!"
"A Beastman?! Here?!" Ren replied, shocked and surprised. "How could a Beastman get in here?!"
"That's what WE want to know!" someone responded. "But the only one who knows is that Beastman! So unless we grab it we'll never find out!"
"Uhh…" Ren trailed off. "I DID see a Beastman turn onto this hallway."
"Where'd it go?!" Tsuku demanded. "I need to know! If this happened once, what's to stop it happening again! And who's to say it won't be worse next time?!"
"Worse?! Was anyone hurt?!" Ren asked, concerned.
"That Beastman bowled me over and then tried to pin me down!" Tsuku replied. "It looked like it wanted to strip me or something! But whatever it was planning to do, I want answers! So where'd it go?!"
"I think it ran down that way," Ren replied. Shortly afterward, Michiru heard about half a dozen people race down the hallway. Once the running had faded away to silence, Michiru winced as the door opened and the light poured in, nearly blinding her.
"They're gone Michiru," Ren said. "You can come out now."
Stumbling out of the closet, Michiru took a few deep breaths and wrapped Ren in a tight hug saying "Thank you, thank you, thank you!".
"It's all right Michiru," Ren replied, patting her back.
"But it's not!" Michiru exclaimed, looking her friend in the eye. "Ren, this hallucination is worse than I ever thought possible! It's not just me that's hallucinating but everyone around me! They all think I've turned into a Beastman! But that's impossible! I was born a human! You know it, I know it, EVERYONE knows it!"
"Michiru," Ren said, eyes flickering back and forth. "I…I don't think this is a hallucination."
"But it HAS to be!" Michiru exclaimed. "What else can explain this?! Either I'm dreaming this, or I'm hallucinating, or I've…I've REALLY turned into a Beastman! And that last one's impossible!"
"What?!" Tsuku's voice rang out from down the hallway.
"Sounds like they're heading back," Ren said. "Look, focus on getting out of here. We'll figure out what happened to you later, but right now you gotta go."
"But-!" Michiru started, only to freeze when she heard Tsuku yell out "Double back! Find it!"
Hearing them approach, Michiru turned to Ren for a quick embrace and ran back the way she came, Tsuku's footfalls echoing behind her.
'Okay, gotta get out, gotta get out!' she thought, furiously racking her brain for ideas. 'I got it!'
Racing back to the basketball court, she burst in through the double doors and tied them shut with the socks she discarded earlier. Thinking quickly, she ran up the bleachers and jumped up to the window. Gripping on with her fingers, she tried pulling herself up but the ledge was too narrow and she slipped back down. Digging in deep, she tried pushing off with her feet and to her surprise she managed to get halfway up only for her paws to slip out from under her.
Losing her grip, she fell hard onto the bleachers below. Yelling in pain, she bolted up and rubbed her backside to alleviate the pain as her tail flicked up and down under her paws. Hearing a commotion from outside, she turned back to the double doors and found them bowing inward, straining against her socks before rebounding slightly.
'Glad I thought of those,' she sighed. 'But they won't hold forever. Now what do I do?!'
Looking around, she saw the other set of double doors leading outside and jumped off the bleachers. Hitting the floor, she rolled forward and started running down the court just as Tsuku and his band broke through the doors.
"Got you!" he yelled but Michiru barely heard him. Ramming her shoulder into the doors, she burst out of the basketball court and found herself facing the parking lot outside. Barely catching her breath, she ran out and ducked behind one of the vehicles as her pursuers burst out of the court.
"Now where did it go?!" Tsuku yelled furiously. "Search the place!"
"Tsuku Takoshima!" a new voice, a teacher she realized, interjected. "What are you doing?!"
"Shiranui-sensei," Tsuku replied, his tone far more deferential. "We have a Beastman loose in the school. We saw it come out this way not one minute ago so it must still be close."
"A Beastman?" Shiranui-sensei repeated skeptically. "How could a Beastman enter Reiwa High School grounds?"
"We know it is incredible," Tsuku admitted. "But we saw it with our own eyes."
"And instead of informing the teachers," Shiranui-sensei said, grilling them further. "You decided to forget your responsibilities and play vigilante?"
"No Shiranui-sensei," Tsuku objected, but the teacher was not finished.
"For this, you will see the headmaster," Shiranui-sensei decided, brooking no further debate. "In the meantime, I will inform the police, while you all march back to class immediately."
"Yes, sensei," Tsuku and the others replied, marching back inside. Hearing the door shut, Michiru poked her head out from behind the vehicle and confirmed she was alone. Sighing in relief, she leaned against the door and tried to clear her mind. Catching a glint in the corner of her eye, she turned and saw light reflecting off the car mirror.
'Glass looks rather dirty,' she thought, looking closer. 'My reflection is all smudged up.'
Wiping the glass with her hand, she expected to feel dirt and grime under her pads but found only smooth, cold glass. Holding her paw to her face, she looked it over for any sign of contaminants but came up empty. Bringing it to her nose, she inhaled deep and long, but despite her best efforts she only smelled herself with a faint tinge of rubber.
'It's…clean,' she realized, her dread returning. 'Do I dare…?'
Slowly, fearfully she turned her head toward the mirror and found herself looking into an alien face. The being had dark blue hair with black tips, and stared at her with teal eyes surrounded by a dark-furred mask. The cheeks and forehead were covered in fur covered a light shade of brown, and the nose projected outward in a small muzzle, and to top it off, rather literally, were a pair of cat-like ears sticking up from the head.
'So alien, and yet so familiar,' she thought. Looking closer, she could see the face bore the same bob-cut she had always sported, and the face still had the same round shape she remembered having. Moreover, the eyes conveyed the exact same feelings she herself was experiencing: fear and confusion.
'Could it…really be…?' she wondered. Taking a deep breath, she rubbed her cheek and found her reflection doing the exact same thing. Moving her hand across her face, she began dancing it around and watched in mounting disbelief as the reflection mirrored her every move.
'It…it…' she trailed off, her hand dropping to the side. 'It cannot be…yet it is…'
Checking the outside of the mirror, she probed and prodded for something, anything that might explain the trickery before her. Tapping the mirror, she listened intently for any hollow spaces but heard only solid metal. Running her finger along the grooves and furrows, she tried to pry apart the mirror but found only solid metal. Looking closely, she saw a distorted version of the same reflection in the metallic surface.
'I have to snap out of this!' she thought manically. 'I HAVE to snap out of this! I NEED to end this…this…hallucination!'
'I don't think this is a hallucination,' Ren's words came echoing through her mind.
'But it HAS to be!' Michiru insisted, refusing to believe any other possibility. 'What other explanation IS there?!'
'But why this hallucination?' another part of her brain interjected in Ren's voice. 'Why would you hallucinate about being turned into a Beastman?'
'Because…' she started but trailed off as she tried to rationalize it all away. 'I saw Nazuna turn into a Beastman and I've been feeling so bad about her disappearance that I've started…longing to be with her, so much so that I'm…fantasizing about the same events happening to me.
'Do you really believe that?' she heard herself reply. For once, her denial came up short and she began looking more intensely into herself.
'No, I…I really don't,' she admitted, looking up to the sky.
'Also,' her analytical brain continued. 'How could multiple people have experienced the same hallucination that you did? And who saw you as a Beastman? Tsuku, Ren, and four others. Why would they have the same hallucination about you?'
'They…wouldn't,' she admitted. 'Tsuku is not exactly my biggest fan, and Ren's one of my oldest friends. If anything, they'd have different hallucinations. And their reactions seemed genuine.'
'And if they WERE hallucinating,' she heard herself add. 'Why would they have THIS one? What's the common factor linking them all together? You. You were who they were interacting with.'
'Couldn't some kind of disease have caused it?!' she yelled to herself frantically. 'If we were all infected with the same disease, then we'd have the same symptoms!'
'What kind of disease could cause this?' her analytical brain interjected, stopping her cold. 'Even if it caused hallucinations, what are the odds that they would have the exact same hallucination?'
'It's not impossible!' Michiru insisted, desperate to hold on to her theory. 'A human transforming into a Beastman IS impossible! You're either a human or a Beastman! You can't be born a human and then just randomly change into a Beastman!'
'But you can,' her brain interjected. 'Nazuna turned into a Beastman right before your eyes. You saw it all happen. You felt her fur, her tail, her ears. You saw and felt it happen then, and you saw and felt it happen right now. Either you're crazy, you're dreaming, or you turned into a Beastman.'
'I'm not crazy!' she thought furiously.
'So you ARE dreaming?' she asked herself.
'It-it DID hurt when I nicked myself with my…,' she trailed off, dreading to complete the sentence.
'Your…?' her mind prodded hard. 'What did you nick yourself with?'
'My…my claws,' she admitted, her mind going blank with the realization. 'So I was…not dreaming.'
'So we've ruled out insanity and dreams,' her mind pushed. 'So what is left.'
'I'm…a….Beastman,' she realized, the truth of her transformation slowly but surely dawning on her.
As the full weight came down on her, Michiru did the only thing she could do.
She screamed, loud and long.
Collapsing to her hands and knees, Michiru squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to stem the tears she knew were coming. Soon, warm, wet tears flowed down her cheeks, the tickling sensation against her new fur providing a brief moment of relief in her distress.
"Who screamed?!" someone yelled, making her blood freeze.
Panicking, she ducked under the car and curled in as tight of a ball as she could. Listening hard, she felt her ears twitch at the crunch of boots on asphalt. Hearing them grow louder and louder, Michiru tried edging toward the opposite side, hoping to avoid them. But to her terror, she heard them approach the car she was hiding under.
"Who's there?!" they called out. "Where are you?!"
As slowly and quietly as she could, Michiru raised her head up and looked outward. On the other side of the car, she saw someone wearing heavy boots with blue coveralls.
'Machi-san, the janitor,' Michiru realized as a brief moment of relief washed over her. 'Machi's always been so friendly, even when Nazuna and I were fooling around. Oh Nazuna.'
But before she could sink too far into her depression, Michiru saw Machi's boots turn toward the front of the car. Thinking she was about to leave, Michiru wanted to reach out and grab her, hoping Machi would at the very least listen. But instead of walking away, she watched Machi's shadow grow larger and darker.
'She's going to look under the car!' she realized, fear and hope clashing within her. 'If she finds me here, will she help me? Or…turn me in?'
Seeing Machi's knee touch the asphalt, Michiru felt her panic overwhelm her and she rolled out from under the car. Skittering toward the rear bumper, she crouched down, using the tire to hide her legs from Machi.
'Please let this work!' she begged, squeezing her eyes shut.
After a moment, she felt intense relief as she heard Machi mutter "No one here", followed by the squeeze of rubber against asphalt. But to her terror, she heard Machi's footsteps approach the rear bumper where she was hiding.
'Oh no!' she thought and skittered toward the front. Desperate to stay hidden, she kept her head down and took as few steps as possible. But as she neared the front, she turned to check on Machi and slammed her head against the rear-view mirror.
"Ow!" she yelled, cradling her head as she crouched low.
"Who's there?!" Machi yelled out.
'Oh no!' Michiru realized, eyes widening in terror as she heard Machi approach.
Panicking, she bolted behind a nearby car just as Machi turned the corner. Crouching low, she looked under the car and saw Machi's feet slowly making their way toward her position.
"Come out!" Machi yelled out. "If you don't, I'll call the police!"
'What do I do?!' Michiru wondered, her anxiety growing. 'Can I trust her? Should I give myself up? What if I do? Would she believe me? Would she call my parents? Wait, if she does, will those men in black find me?! What would they do to me?! Would I see Nazuna again?! Or would something worse happen?! What do I do?!'
"Found you!" Machi yelled out, making her jump. Landing hard, Michiru yelped and thrust herself forward as pain shot up her tail. Fortunately, her sudden motion forced Machi to back off, giving Michiru a much-needed opening. Rolling under the car, she emerged into a crouch on her paws and knees. Not missing a beat, she gripped hard into the asphalt and bolted out of the parking lot.
"Stop! Stop!" Machi yelled out, giving chase. "I said stop!"
'Gotta get away!' Michiru urged herself on, never minding that she was running on all fours. 'Gotta get home! Gotta get help!'
Turning sharply out of the parking lot, she ran down the sidewalk, thankful that she was alone. But behind her, she could hear Machi running after her, frantically yelling "Stop! Stop!". Looking frantically, she saw a nearby alleyway and ducked down. Almost immediately, her eyes began watering as an intense stench assailed her. Fighting back a wave of nausea, she looked around and found the alleyway lined with garbage cans, some with lids propped up by the sheer volume of garbage being thrown out.
Hearing Machi coming in behind her, Michiru raced toward the nearest can and flung it open, releasing a swarm of flies and gnats as her nausea nearly overwhelmed her. Holding back her gag reflex, she jumped in and tried to burrow into the trash. Forgetting she now had claws instead of nails, she ripped open a bag filled to bursting and a foul-smelling yellow slime spilled out onto her paws.
'Ugh!' she thought, shaking her head furiously to try and clear her nose. 'What is that?! Smells like…rotten eggs and spoiled milk! Okay, how do I know that?!'
As she was fighting her way through the garbage, she heard Machi yell out "Last chance! Come out now or I'm calling the police!"
Eyes watering from the noxious stench, Michiru held her breath and ceased all movement, hoping that Machi would give up soon. But before long, her lungs began to burn as her body demanded fresh oxygen. Holding firm, Michiru felt her diaphragm spasm up and down, trying to force her to take a breath. Slowly but surely, the spasms grew more and more violent, and not long after Michiru started to feel light-headed and dizzy.
'Can't hold it for much longer,' she realized. 'Okay, here we go.'
Holding her clean paw over her muzzle, Michiru exhaled forcefully before taking in a slow, deep breath. Her nose screamed in agony under the stink but her lungs gleefully sucked in the much-needed air.
'I'm gonna be smelling that for a while,' she thought ruefully. 'Even if I shower nonstop.'
Suddenly, she heard a slam from outside, followed by a yell of frustration.
"Okay, you asked for this!" she heard Machi call out. "We could have done this the easy way but you refused. So now it's the hard way."
'Why won't she give up?!' Michiru asked. 'Gotta go deeper!'
Hardening her resolve, Michiru began wriggling deeper into the garbage, taking care to avoid ripping the bags. She cringed in disgust as the bags engulfed her, their stink surrounding her and their contents flowing over and around her like quicksand. Just as she seemed to have hit the bottom, she heard the rubber lid slam into the concrete wall of the alleyway.
"Oh, that stinks!" Machi exclaimed from above. "Not here."
The can jolted slightly as Machi kicked the side in frustration, making Michiru jump in shock.
"Okay, two down," Machi muttered from above before slamming the lid shut. Outside, Michiru could hear Machi kicking over boxes and rummaging through debris, looking for her. Shortly afterward, she heard a third lid slam open from further down the alleyway.
'How many cans are there?" Michiru wondered, a seed of dread planted within her. 'Just how long am I going to be here?' But just as her dread rising, she heard another voice echo in her mind.
'Wait a minute! She can't check them all herself! She's got work to do at the school!' the voice, a calmer voice, reassured her. 'She'll have to give up in five, ten minutes tops. Once she's done, we can get going.'
'But the police!' Michiru thought. 'She said she'll call them!'
'The headmaster would have contacted them anyway,' the voice counteracted. 'Tsuku and his gang have already told him by now, and whether the headmaster believes Tsuku's story or not he'll notify the police to start an investigation. Once we get help, we can clear this up.'
'How?!' Michiru asked. 'I mean, who would ever believe that I transformed into a Beastman?! I didn't believe it at first!'
'Your parents,' the voice reassured. 'They'll believe you, and they'll try to help you. There's also Dr Takahari from the hospital, and Nazuna's parents, and your friends. Ren helped you hide after all. We'll find help. We just need time.'
Just then, another lid slammed shut followed by a yell of frustration from Machi.
'Sounds pretty faint,' Michiru noted. 'She must be pretty far down. Does that mean she'll give up soon?'
Outside, she could hear someone muttering to themselves. The muttering grew louder and clearer, like they were getting closer. At first, all she could make out were bits and pieces here and there.
"...strange…"
"...don't know…."
"I've…idea!"
But as they neared her can, Michiru overheard them more and more clearly.
"Okay, I understand. I'll wait for them by the alleyway. Once they arrive, I'll head on back. ETA 15 minutes? Got it."
'Wait, she's staying?!' Michiru realized, her dread returning in full force. 'And who's she waiting for? The police? Or…is it…the black suits? How many are coming?! I can't outrun policemen! Oh no, this is really bad!'
Outside, she heard Machi's voice fade but she knew the janitor would not be far off. Knowing she had little time, she probed around the garbage bags, grimacing in disgust whenever she felt something squishy or slimy under her grip. Eventually, she grabbed hold of an object with an incredibly foul odor, like rotten meat, but with a more solid body. Holding it close, she twisted around and tried wriggling her way back up.
To her frustration and disgust, the garbage simply fell on top of her and she found herself engulfed in the foul bags. Bending her knees, she pulled her legs toward her and felt the bag shift to fill in the space. Slowly, carefully, she edged the bag away from her face and righted herself. Pressing up against the bags behind her, she pushed herself into a more upright position, pulling in her legs so they were underneath her.
Now in a better position, she began wriggling her way upward, trying to move as quietly and slowly as possible. But just as she neared the top, the bag ahead of her was yanked off, leaving her face-to-face with a very angry janitor.
"Found you!" Machi exclaimed and reached in for her. Instinctively, Michiru thrust her stolen garbage right under Machi's nose.
Retching from the stench, Machi staggered back as Michiru pulled herself up out of the can. Looking around, Michiru caught a glimpse of Machi vomiting behind a pile of boxes before breaking out into a run.
"At last!" Michiru sighed, slumping to the ground. "I can catch my breath!"
Looking herself over, she grimaced when she saw the slime on her paw. She tried shaking it off, but to her dismay it stuck. Holding it close to get a better look, she caught a whiff of the slime and her gag reflex flared up. Throwing her "clean" paw over her mouth, she fell forward as she fought back the heaving of her stomach. Feeling the acidic bile in her throat, she swallowed hard and breathed deeply. As the heaving slowly subsided, she turned back to her dirty paw and saw the slime had congealed and was now stuck to her fur.
'Great, just great,' she sighed. 'I'm going to need a bath.'
"Well, well, well," someone said from a way away. "What do we have here?"
'Oh no!' Michiru moaned to herself. 'What now?!'
Turning, she saw two men down the sidewalk looking at her. They were about her father's age and wore dark blue business suits. Almost immediately, images of Nazuna's abduction flashed through her mind, and she felt her heart race and her muscles surge with energy.
"Looks like a Beastman," the one on the right spoke. He had short-cropped hair and a scar on his cheek. "So scrawny. Must be a cub."
"Or a pup," his partner suggested. He had shoulder-length hair and square spectacles. "Or maybe a whelp. Probably depends on the species. It looks like a cat of some sort."
"Wanna take a closer look?" the scarred man asked. "I've never seen a Beastman up-close and personal."
"We've got time," his bespectacled friend shrugged and they came closer much to Michiru's dismay. She started backing away, much to their amusement.
"I think we're scaring it," the scarred man said. Holding out his hand he started saying "There there. There's no need to be scared of us. We're not going to hurt you."
'Is that how they got Nazuna?!' Michiru wondered, her panic increasing. Skittering back, she felt herself slam into something solid, her head bouncing off a stone surface. Looking back, she realized she pressed herself up against the low wall of a raised garden. Turning back, she saw the two men were steadily closing in and she started looking desperately for a way out.
"Ew! That stench! It stinks like garbage!" the spectacled one exclaimed, holding his nose. Backing off, he continued "Do they even bathe? Like with shampoo and soap?"
"Maybe they lick themselves," the scarred man shrugged, following his partner. "Like dogs and cats."
"Let's get outta here," his partner demanded, nearly retching from the smell as he staggered back. "I can't stand this creature's stink."
Shrugging, his partner turned and they departed without further incident.
For a moment, Michiru felt a surge of relief at their swift departure. But that relief slowly turned sour as their words echoed in her head.
"...cub"
"...lick themselves"
'That's how they see me: an animal,' she sighed dejectedly.
"But I'm human!" she blurted out, angrily. Pounding the street, she screamed out "I'm a human! Stop treating me like an animal!"
After a few moments of punching the street, Michiru sighed in defeat and slumped back. This time, her tail swished to the side just as she brought her full weight down so she didn't squash her tail like before.
'Glad to see I'm getting used to it,' she thought, proud at first but then dismayed at the idea. 'I'm NOT supposed to get used to it! I'm supposed to get better! I'm supposed to get back to normal!'
Sighing in frustration, she pushed herself to her feet and took a long look around to get her bearings. Behind her was a raised garden bed with trees and decorative shrubs. Ahead was a row of warehouses that extended to her left, leaving an open space to her right.
'Okay, where am I?' she wondered. Racking her brain, she tried to find a familiar landmark but the trees and the warehouses boxed in her view. Looking over at the open space, she pondered investigating further.
'I might get a better idea on where I am,' she reasoned. 'But if Machi did call the police…would they be there? Or would…they?'
At that moment, she imagined the black van that Nazuna had disappeared into waiting for her, along with a single man in dark glasses. As the fur on her neck bristled, she imagined two hands clasping hard onto her arms, pinning her in place before lifting her up and bringing her into the van, the side door opening like the maw of some hungry monster.
'No, no, no!' she begged, a cold wave rushing over her. 'I-I can't take it!'
Looking around, she desperately tried to find another avenue. Turning to the warehouses, she searched for a means to access the roof, thinking she could run over any potential trouble. To her relief, she saw a fire escape on the one closest to the open space. Running forward, she bounded up the stairs two at a time, wincing at the noise she was making.
Ascending to the top platform, she stopped and listened for any sign of trouble. Looking around, she sighed in relief at the still empty space below. Turning back to the warehouse, she readied herself to jump to the roof…
…and froze in fright at a man wearing dark glasses looking at her from inside the window.
For a moment, Michiru simply stared dumbfounded in shock, too scared to move or even breathe. The man, in turn, seemed to stare blankly back at her, not moving a muscle or saying a word.
'What's he doing?!' Michiru thought. 'I'm sure he saw me! So why is he just standing there?! What's he waiting for?! Oh, what do I do?! Run?! Jump?! What?!'
"Who's there?" he asked, making her jump. Stumbling back, she bumped into the railing and yelped in shock before lurching forward into the glass. "What do you want?"
Pulling herself back in her panic, Michiru jumped to the roof and grabbed the ledge. Gripping hard, she tried to pull herself up but the gutter bent underneath. Changing tactics, she pressed her feet against the wall and pushed off but the sheet metal was too smooth and her legs gave out. Dangling helplessly, she reached for a different area, hoping it would be firmer. But as her fingers closed in, she heard the door open and knew the man was coming out.
'Gotta hurry!' she thought and tried to pull herself up but the gutter broke apart under her weight. Feeling the sharp, corrugated metal slice into her paws, Michiru yelled in pain and released what little grip she had. But instead of the hard metal platform, she felt something soft yet firm cushioning her fall. Opening her eyes, she saw the empty window and knew what, or who, was behind her.
In a panic, she started flailing her arms but a sharp pain cut in her paws, freezing her dead in her tracks. Whimpering, she looked and saw several metal shards embedded in her paws, one at least as long as her thumb.
"That can't be good for you," the man said from behind, making her freeze. "If you don't do anything it could get infected. I have a first-aid kit but you should see a hospital."
"Hospital?!" Michiru gasped. In a low voice, she whispered out "Are you…going to…call an ambulance?"
"Well…" he stalled, making her shake in fear. "It's really for the best. An infection can lead to gangrene or worse, meaning you'll need surgery or even amputation."
"But I'm a-!" Michiru exclaimed loudly only to stop short. Shocked at the volume, she clamped her paws over her mouth, taking great care to avoid the metal shards. Panicking she looked around as if expecting the men in black to show up and grab her. To her relief, she was alone on the fire escape save for the man ahead of her. Turning to him, she was surprised to see him tilt his head, like a bird.
"A Beastman?" he repeated, looking at his hands. "That would explain a few things. I thought I felt fur under my fingers, and your scent is rather…"
"What? Scummy like garbage?" Michiru snapped.
"That too," he shrugged before letting out a short laugh. "But also…musky."
"Musky?" Michiru exclaimed in disbelief. "You could tell under all this garbage?!"
"Yes, I can," he replied. "Most humans have a more…salty smell to them. Beastmen, however, have a distinct scent based on what type of animal form they take. Mammalian Beastmen tend to have a musky odor because of their fur, while reptilian and avian Beastmen have more diverse scents."
"How do you know so much about scents?" Michiru asked, staring at the man. "Are you a dog Beastman or something?"
"No, just a human who's had to rely on other senses," he replied icily. Taking off his sunglasses, Michiru recoiled in shock. The man's eyes had large, dull-white spots obscuring his green irises, clearly inhibiting his vision. After a brief moment, the man threw his glasses back on before sighing loud and long in relief and rubbing his temples to alleviate pain.
"I…I'm sorry," Michiru said, ashamed of herself. "I…I had no idea."
"It's all right," he reassured. "I've had worse, and it is getting better."
"Better?" Michiru repeated. "I-I'm not sure I…"
"Corneal ulcers," he explained. "They were infected after an accident but I'm taking an antibiotic and wearing sunglasses to protect them from intense light. I have an appointment soon so I thought I'd contact the hospital and save you the trouble."
"I…see," Michiru trailed off, unsure on how to proceed. Absent-mindedly clenching her paws, she winced as the metal shards dug deeper into her flesh. Falling to the floor, she stifled a cry of pain as the man said "I'll be right back" and ducked back inside.
Inside, Michiru could hear the man shuffling quickly, his shoes squeaking against a smooth floor, likely linoleum or metal. The squeaking was soon drowned out by the clattering of boxes, as the man bustled around inside. Before long, she heard a groaning of hinges as the man said "Here we are" and shuffled quickly back to her.
'That was fast,' she noted, opening her eyes in realization. 'He's done this before, hasn't he?'
Before she could contemplate it further, she saw him stoop down next to her, carrying a first-aid kit with a battered lid and a peeling sticker on top. As he opened it, she saw the kit was well-stocked with gauze and a large assortment of bottles and boxes. On the inner lid, she caught a glimpse of thread and needles, which sent a chill down her spine and made her fur bristle in fear.
"Hold out your hands," he said, grabbing a pair of tweezers before reaching out towards her.
Reluctantly, she placed her paws in his empty hand, letting him roam over them. Wincing as he poked and prodded, he slowly made his way toward her wounds. Nearing her pads, she hissed as her wounds stung under his probing fingers.
"Is that where it's cut?" he asked, feeling around.
"Yes," she whimpered.
"Got it," he replied. "This will hurt."
Holding tightly, he probed the wound with his tweezers, stopping when he heard the clink of metal striking metal. Gripping the shard with the tweezers, he twisted it around slowly, trying to work it out without cutting deeper. Despite Michiru's cries of distress, he held firm, pulling the shard out with a sickening squelching sound as Michiru yelled in pain.
"There's one," he said, holding it out before them. "Are there others?"
"Yes," Michiru whimpered. "I can feel two or three more in this hand."
"Got it," he said. Turning back to the kit, he pulled out a box and dropped the shard inside as Michiru nursed her paw. "Ready for the next one?"
"Yes," she replied, holding out her paw. This time, he used the tweezers to prod for the shards inside her cuts. Wincing as the sharp tips dug into her wounds, she screamed slightly as an intense pain shot out from inside, like something had stabbed her paw.
"That's it," he declared. Pulling back slightly, he thrust it forward and gripped the shard as Michiru hissed in pain. Holding firm, he slowly wiggled the shard out from inside, the sharp edges feeling like dozens of steak-knives cutting into her paw. Suddenly, she yelled out in pain as he sharply pulled the tweezers and yanked out a shard the size of her pinkie finger, blood flowing out like a river.
"That's two," he said, dropping the shard into the box. "How many are left?"
"One in that hand," Michiru hissed. "Two in my other."
"Right," he said, resuming his work. This time, however, the shard proved far more elusive; he poked and prodded again and again, but the tweezers only hit soft flesh. After a moment of this, Michiru hissed out "I'll do it."
"What?" he exclaimed, disbelieving her.
"I'll find it," she said, grabbing the tweezers. "You can pull it out once I have it."
"Are you nuts?!" he said, grabbing for the tweezers but Michiru skirted away. Without a word, she pressed her thumb into her palm and hissed in pain. Flexing her thumb, she realized the pain was near her thumb, not her fingers. Looking closely, she made out a small shard that they had missed before. Gripping the shard with the tweezers, she ripped the shard out with a yelp of pain.
"Are you all right?!" the man asked, rushing toward her.
"Yeah, I got it," she winced, holding out the tweezers. Without a word, the man thrust the box under the tweezers and knocked them to shake the shard into the container. Surprised, Michiru dropped the tweezers just as he held a bottle over her hand. Before she could say anything, she felt an intense burning sensation as the smell of alcohol flooded her nose. The smell was so intense that it overwhelmed the pain as she toppled to the side, but before she could fall over completely she felt the man grab her by the shoulder. Holding her up, he started bandaging her paw with the gauze.
"Keep that on," he said. "At least for a few hours. Change it when you get the chance. Reapply alcohol and keep it clean."
"Yes," Michiru winced. "I will."
"Now for the other paw," he said, making her flinch as a different pain struck her.
Numbly, she put her other paw into his waiting hand. Soon, she felt him poke and prod her paw with the tweezers but this time she barely registered the pain. Where before she winced and whimpered, this time she merely flinched as he worked.
'Paw, he called it a paw,' she thought glumly. 'Like an animal.'
Suddenly, intense sharp pain cut through her melancholy. Instinctively, she clenched her fist but felt something blocking her. Looking down, she saw the man's tweezers were locked onto something in her…her paw.
'My paw,' she thought sadly as he pulled. 'He's pulling the shard from my paw.'
Soon the shard was free from her flesh, but all Michiru could muster was a grunt of pain. Dropping the shard into the box, he turned and asked "How many more?".
"Just one," she said numbly. "Near my pinkie."
"Got it," he said, prodding the area with the tweezers. Before long, Michiru felt the tweezers grip the last shard but barely felt it, even as the edges cut into her on the way out. Knowing what was coming, she held her breath as he poured disinfectant onto her wounds. The burning made her wince, but she managed to hold her breath, sparing herself the stink of the alcohol a second time.
"All done," he said, but she barely heard him. "You really should see a professional about this."
"Like a vet?" she muttered darkly.
"What?" he asked, shocked.
"Should I see a vet for this?" she asked, angry and bitter. "Do Beastmen consult veterinarians for their injuries and illnesses? Like animals?!"
"I never said anything like that," he replied, slightly defensive. "I simply said that you should get that looked over by a professional. I patched you up, but this is just that; a patch. You require an actual doctor that specializes in Beastmen medicine."
"But I'm not a Beastman!" she exclaimed. "I'm a human!"
"A human?!" he repeated in shock. "But your fur! Your scent! How can a human have those?!"
"Well, I WAS a human this morning," she answered sadly. "Then I suddenly turned into this only a few hours ago."
"That's…impossible," he muttered. "Humans are humans, and Beastmen are Beastmen. I've never heard of this happening."
"Well it has!" Michiru snapped. "It happened today! And now I don't know what to do! Who to ask for help! Where to start looking! All I know is something happened to me and I need to change back!"
"In that case," he replied, standing to his full height. "You REALLY need to see a professional. Someone you trust. Someone you've worked with before. Do you know anyone who might fit that bill?"
Turning over her memories, she smiled as a familiar face appeared before her.
"Dr. Takahari!" she exclaimed happily. "He worked with me when I broke my leg in an accident! I'm sure he could help!"
"Excellent," he said. "Should I call for him then?"
"No, that won't be necessary!" Michiru exclaimed fearfully. "I mean you've done so much for me and I don't want to take up more of your time."
"It's no trouble at all," he reassured but Michiru was adamant.
"No, I can manage on my own!" she insisted. "I-I can call my parents. Let them know what's happened."
"You mean you haven't done that already?" he asked, disbelieving. "Why not?"
"Because…" she trailed off, afraid to answer. "Because…"
"Because what?" he pressed. "Are you…in trouble?"
"No, no I'm not!" she exclaimed.
"Then what?" he pressed. "What are you so afraid of?"
"I'm afraid of them!" she snapped, tears welling up. "There were these guys in black suits! They kidnapped my best friend Nazuna! It happened right in front of me! I tried the police, but nothing came of it! I tried my parents, her parents, but nothing! For days we tried all we could think of, but nothing came of it! It was like she disappeared off the face of the earth! And now that THIS has happened I'm afraid they'll be looking for me too!
"Why would they…" he asked, only to trail off as his mind worked through her words. "You mean…your friend ALSO turned into a Beastman?"
"Yes!" she answered, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I'm sure they kidnapped her because she transformed! And now that it's happened to me, I'm terrified THEY will be coming for me."
Collapsing to the floor, she began to tremble and shake as her fear, grief, and despair overwhelmed her. Wrapping her arms around herself, she curled into a ball, huddling her legs against her chest and pulling her tail tightly into her waist. Suddenly, she felt warm, strong arms wrap around her in a firm, but gentle hug.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "For you, and your friend. I won't contact the hospital, or the police. Just promise me you'll take care of yourself."
Leaning into him, Michiru wrapped her arms around him and started crying into his shoulder. As the warm tears fell down her cheeks, she felt her shaking subside as an immense sense of relief slowly worked its way over her.
"Thank you," she whispered. "I…I promise."
For a moment, both simply held each other tight, Michiru grateful for the warmth and safety she felt in his embrace. Slowly, they pulled away from each other. Michiru, seeing the mess she left on his shirt said "I'm sorry."
"It's nothing," he replied. "I just wish I could help you further."
"Can you…help me get home?" she asked. "I just need a map or something."
"We can use the map app on my phone," he offered. Sensing her oncoming objection he interjected "Not to send you directions, but to figure out your current location so you can use that to find your way home."
"Oh, okay," she accepted, relieved.
"Here we are," he said, pulling out his phone. Looking closely despite the pain from the bright light, he fumbled across the phone for a few moments before handing it to Michiru. Looking over the map, she realized she had quite a long way to go.
"Okay, so we're pretty close to the outskirts," she said. "Near the backcountry, so I need to head deeper into the city, near the main residential area. It'll take some time but I can do it. Argh, but which is the way to go?!"
Looking over the map, she realized she had a number of options, but none were especially great. One cut through the storage facilities in the outskirts where few people worked or went, so she was not likely to run into many people but it meant a long trip home. A second cut near the shoreline, which was somewhat shorter but ran past a lot of people. A third made use of back-alleys and side streets to run somewhat diagonally through the city.
'Great for hiding,' she thought. 'But if I run into…them I'll be trapped.'
Shuddering at the thought, she found a fourth route which ran along the main streets, meaning she was likely to run into a lot of people and vehicles but was the fastest route there.
'But I'm sure there were people around when Nazuna was kidnapped,' Michiru thought, terrified at her realizations. 'So why didn't they…? Were they…BRIBED?! No focus!"
Turning back to the map, she went over the options again, banging her head as she tried to figure out which way was best.
'Looks like the sea route is best,' she decided after a while. 'Plenty of people as witnesses, pretty short route, and I can take a quick dip in the ocean.'
"All right," she said, handing the phone back to the man. "I've made my decision."
"Wonderful," he replied, smiling. "Glad I could help."
"Thanks, uhh…" she trailed off. "I never got your name."
"Oh, that's right!" he said, embarrassed. Holding out his hand he said "Minato Suzuki".
"Michiru Kagemori," she replied, shaking his. Hissing at the pain she said "Thanks again."
"No problem," Minato replied. "Just get home safely."
"Sure thing," she said, taking off down the fire escape.
"Salt," Michiru whispered as she paused to catch her breath. "I must be close to the sea."
Turning the corner, she found herself looking out onto the horizon, the blue sea shimmering brightly, even as the sun was setting. Pausing, she inhaled deeply, savoring the scent. Closing her eyes, she listened to the waves crashing onto the shore, their deep rhythmic booming soothing her nerves. Overhead, she could hear the cawing of seagulls as they flew to and fro.
Sighing in contentment, she leaned her head back to soak in the tranquility when a ship's horn blared out. Opening her eyes she saw a large cargo ship casually pull out into the harbor ahead toward the docks. Wondering where it had come from, she looked over the horizon and saw a large cluster of buildings across the bay. Looking over the bay she tried to find where it had come from but only saw open water.
"I don't see anything there," she noted. Turning back to the ship she added "I guess that's a supply ship. I wonder what they're delivering."
Turning to the docks, she tried to see who might have been waiting for the ship when she spotted a small party of men moving down the pier. Squinting hard, she could make out their dark, formal suits and a small briefcase by their side, indicating they were businessmen. Edging closer for a better look, she saw that one of them, likely the leader from his position, had bright blonde hair, a sharp contrast to his partners.
"Is that…Alan Sylvesta?" she asked, astonished at the sight. "Why would he be here of all places? Is he waiting for that ship? Is he expecting cargo? And if so, what could it be? New medicine? Samples? Equipment? It always seems like they're at the cutting edge of medicine and genetics research, with new discoveries or inventions every year."
'Wait a minute!' she suddenly thought to herself. 'If I could get to Sylvesta Pharmaceuticals, maybe they could help me! They have a laboratory nearby, so I should be able to get there! And I could ask Mr. Hiwatashi if he could get me in contact with them! Oh wait…'
Her earlier excitement sunk into a deep depression at the reminder of her best friend. Nazuna's disappearance had been devastating to both her parents and Michiru. They had tried so hard to find her. They tried to find that officer Suchita but he seemed to have simply disappeared, much like Nazuna had. They tried his partner, but they had no leads to go on. They tried the higher-ups, from the chief of police to the Regional Police Bureau itself, but they were either ignored or dismissed altogether.
'It really took a toll on them,' she remembered, sighing sadly. 'Mrs. Hiwatashi's eyes were red and lined with bags, and her scent was…tinged with salt. And Mr. Hiwatashi seemed so exhausted and run-down, like he had run thirty marathons straight. His eyes were drained of any spark or emotion save utter burnout.'
Her melancholy was broken by the roar of an engine nearby. Turning, she saw a motorcycle turn the corner before idling as the two men riding it looked around. Catching sight of her, they locked eyes before revving up their engines. Realizing what was coming, Michiru turned and ran as the motorcycle came tearing down the street right at her.
'Just leave me alone!' she pleaded desperately as she heard the motorcycle gaining. Looking frantically for an escape route, she spotted a lamppost on the right. Desperate, she turned hard for the lamppost and clambered up, her paws yelling in agony from her earlier cuts. Beneath, she heard a clang as something struck the lamppost, rattling her to her bones and nearly dislodging her grip. To her relief, the motorcycle raced past the lamppost and toppled over when the driver tried to turn sharply.
'Now's my chance,' she thought as the two men went skidding down the street. Looking up, she saw an open window and stretched to reach it, but she lost her grip and slid down the post. Staggering to her feet, she saw the men regain their footing and knew they would be coming back. Seeing the door, she rammed into the door and went staggering inside.
"Thank goodness!" she sighed, only to be confronted by a burly security guard. He had a massive frame, with arms the size of Michiru's legs and a neck so short it seemed to be missing.
"Excuse me," he said in a sepulchral voice. "But we do not appreciate you barging in like a battering ram."
"I'm sorry, sir!" Michiru squeaked, shrinking under his scrutiny. "But I had to hide."
"From what?" he asked, only for the door to slam open. Turning in shock, Michiru froze in fear as she recognized the motorcycle pair from outside.
"There you are!" one of them, a man in his twenties, yelled out. But as he charged toward her, the guard intercepted, his huge frame blocking their access to her.
"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded, cowing her pursuers. "You are disturbing the peace and I am well within my rights to arrest you as such."
"We're here for that…freak!" the man's partner yelled out hatefully. Hearing the higher pitch, Michiru realized it was a girl, likely not much older than she was. As the cruel words rang in her ears, she felt her melancholy return as she looked down at her paws.
Those words, however, had a very different effect on the guard.
"What was that?" he rumbled, stepping forward.
"I said we're here for that freak!" the girl replied. But while the hate remained, Michiru heard the voice crack a little.
'Not that I blame her,' she thought, looking up at the guard. 'This guy's HUGE!'
She looked on as the guard's hands began trembling, followed by his neck and head. His hair started bristling, like it was being electrified, before it suddenly changed from brown to pure white. His now white hair spread under his shirt as his whole body seemed to vibrate.
'He's a Beastman!' Michiru realized as he stood to his full height. Spreading his arms wide, Michiru caught a glimpse of sharp claws on his now furry paws, and as his hat fell to the floor she could see he had rounded ears on top of his head.
"For disturbing the peace," he growled angrily, making Michiru tremble in fear. "I am taking you into custody. Attempting to flee will add resisting arrest to your charges. You have the right to remain silent, and the right to an attorney at court. Now, will you come quietly?"
At this, the pair of humans simply screamed in terror and bolted for the doors, but the guard crouched down and launched himself into the air. Landing hard right behind the fleeing humans, they were knocked off their feet and sent flying into the doors. Sliding to the floor, they only had enough time to look up and watch as he casually, leisurely placed his massive paws firmly onto their chests, his claws mere millimeters from their throats.
"Let's try that…again," he rumbled, his voice like an impending eruption. "I am taking you into custody for disturbing the peace and resisting arrest. You have the right to remain silent, and the right to an attorney at court. Do you surrender?"
"Yes sir!" they blurted out as a terrible smell hit Michiru's nose. Sniffing for a moment, she winced in disgust as she recognized the ammonia stink of urine. Meanwhile, the guard reached for his handcuffs, taking care to maintain eye contact with the two humans. Then, with surprising speed, he whipped them in front of him and with a metallic clicking sound, handcuffed the humans together.
"Now," he said, standing straight while holding the handcuffs tight. "Let's go to my office." Turning to Michiru he said "You as well."
"Wait, me?!" Michiru squeaked out, backing away slightly.
"Yes, I need your testimony," he replied. "It should only take a few minutes."
"Oh, um," she muttered, her heart pounding in terror.
'What do I do?!' she wondered, panicking. 'I know he's doing his job but-but-'
Looking up at the polar bear Beastman, she felt a cold, hard chill run up her spine. He was absolutely enormous, well over two and a half meters tall, and about two meters wide. His massive arms ended with sharp claws that looked like they could eviscerate her in seconds. And as he stared down at her with those dark eyes, she caught a glimpse of his sharp, white teeth as he wrinkled his brow in frustration.
"Come along," he ordered, making her jump. "It won't take long."
"Uh-uh-uh," she replied, her breath caught in her throat as her terror grew and grew.
"Come along!" he repeated, taking a step toward her which was all it took.
Michiru's panic overwhelmed her and she bolted away from him. Spotting a table nearby, she ducked underneath and began scrambling for the doors. Running low on all fours, she ignored his orders of "Halt! Halt" and rammed into the doors. Tumbling out onto the street, she looked frantically for a place to hide, her ears tuned for any sound of the Beastman coming after her. Turning toward the ocean, she bolted, hoping she could hide behind a sandbar or under the pier or something.
'Hurry! Hurry!' she urged herself on. Leaping onto the beach, she desperately searched for someplace to hide but to her horror all she saw was flat sandy beaches. Turning to the piers, she was disheartened to find there was barely any space for her underneath. Whipping her head side to side, she frantically searched for something to hide behind…
…and then she froze. She caught sight of a black vehicle, much like the one she had seen Nazuna being forced into and her panic escalated. Turning to the sea, she raced down the pier and plunged off the end into the water.
'Cold!' she thought as the water engulfed her. But then she realized 'Wait, it's not cold, just cool. Guess that fur really comes in handy from time to time. First time for everything, right?'
For a moment, Michiru simply sat there, alone with her melancholy as she slowly descended deeper and deeper. Eventually, she stopped sinking and started rising which was when she realized 'Wait! I'm not out of it yet! I need to get to cover!'
With her eyes squeezed shut, Michiru began probing blindly for the pillars anchoring the pier. Waving her paws in front of her, she felt her wounds begin to throb and sting as the cold, salty water soaked the gauze. Pulling them in close, she instinctively began rubbing them to relieve the pain only for the pain to intensify as she rubbed salt deeper into the cuts.
'Right, bad idea!' she realized. Ignoring the pain in her paws, she reached out and kicked furiously, trying to reach the pillars. Soon, she felt her muscles burning, her lungs aching to take a breath of fresh air but her fear of discovery kept her down.
'Come on, come on!' she begged, kicking furiously as the pain intensified. Before long, she felt her efforts slow as the burning sensation consumed her. Shortly after, she felt the same light-headedness she had felt while hiding in the dumpster, only more intense than before. Realizing time was running out, she opened her eyes. Her vision was heavily blurred, with only vague shapes and shadows everywhere she looked.
'The shadows!' she thought. 'That's it!'
Frantically, she headed for the darkest water she could find. Once the shadow fell over her completely, she kicked furiously upward, her muscles straining against fatigue. As the burning in her lungs reached its peak, she instinctively let out her breath and felt cold water rush into her open mouth, the salt tasting surprisingly good after holding her breath for so long.
'No, don't breathe!' she pleaded, as her chest expanded against her will. 'No, I'm gonna drown! No! Please no!'
But to her relief, instead of cold saltwater, she felt cool air filling her lungs followed by the splash of water all around her head. Blinking away the water, she found her muzzle mere centimeters from a hard wooden surface, small slivers of sunlight reaching her through horizontal cracks.
'I…I made it,' she realized, relieved beyond measure. 'I really made it!'
Pulling her legs up, she laid back and floated on the surface, breathing deeply and slowly, savoring the salty sea air tinged with the scent of pine wood above. Focusing on her ears, she listened to the swirling currents of the sea, the prior booming replaced by a far softer, far gentler whispering, like the sea itself was lulling her to sleep.
'Oh, so nice!' she thought, smiling to herself. 'This is truly wonderful!'
Alas, her contentment was cut short by the creaking of the wooden planks overhead. Startled, she ducked back down into the water, keeping only her eyes and ears above water. Soon, the creaking was replaced by two sets of footfalls coming in from opposite directions. Overhead, she could hear them getting closer and closer until they were right above her.
"Good day," she heard someone say. "How are you?"
"Terrible," went the reply. "But that's business for you. I have the cargo you ordered."
"Excellent!" the first person exclaimed. "These specimens will be perfect for our lab work! Now, for the price."
"Right, well there's been a…slight alteration," his business partner said, trailing off. "I need to…double the price."
"Oh, why is that?" the first man asked. Even from underneath the pier, Michiru could tell the man was angry. His silky smooth voice had an edge that made Michiru shiver and want to dive under but her curiosity got the better of her.
"It's just getting harder to get hold of them," the partner explained nonchalantly. "Simple supply and demand. If the supply goes down but demand remains, then the price goes up."
"And why exactly has supply decreased?" came the question, the edge sharpening as the man came closer. "Have you been…attracting attention?"
"Not on my side!" the partner snapped back, closing the distance. "Something happened on YOUR side of the sea! It's got everyone spooked on my side so they slowed down production! It took us weeks to wait for the heat to cool off, remember?"
"True," the man hissed. "But that was hardly our fault. So why should we get gouged for it?"
"I never said it was," his partner replied. "But regardless of WHO started it, the fact remains that our supply is lower than before. Again, supply and demand. Now, do you want it or not?"
For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Michiru bobbed up and down in the water, unsure as to what she was hearing. She knew it was something big and possibly illegal, but she had no idea as to what. But before she could do or say anything, the planks creaked as the man stepped back and said "Very well. I'll pay you the money."
"Excellent!" his partner said. "I'll start unloading once the sun sets, in about an hour."
'Wait! One and a half hours?!' Michiru thought. 'That means…oh no! How long have I been out here?! I gotta get back home!'
Taking a deep breath, she dove deep under the surface, following the closest pillar until she felt she was safe from prying eyes. Using the pillar as a guide, she kicked off and swam toward the next pier. Looking through the gloom, she saw the water brighten slightly but her vision was too blurred to make out anything definite. Soon, she felt her outstretched paw brush up against a hard surface. Probing it, she was relieved to find it was tall and cylindrical, and her pads made out a grainy texture like wood.
'I made it!' she silently cheered as she made her way further down the beach. 'I'm heading home!'
'What a day!' Michiru sighed, propping herself up against the wall. 'But I'm almost home!'
Turning, she saw her house a few dozen meters away and she nearly collapsed in relief. Holding firm to the wall, she propelled herself forward and broke into a run. As she closed the distance, she smiled in gratitude upon seeing the empty driveway. Dashing through the gate, she reached into her pocket for her house-key…
…only to feel nothing inside.
"Oh no! Oh no, don't tell me!" she whispered to herself. Frantically, she probed the pocket as deep as she could, but felt no metal or plastic inside. Padding herself all around, she realized that she was still wearing her sports uniform, not her school uniform. Flexing her shoulders, she did not feel the jostling of her book bag against her side, just empty air. And then it all hit her.
"You've GOT to be kidding me!" she groaned, collapsing to the ground. Propping herself on her paws and knees, she struck the ground in frustration once, twice, thrice as tears of anger and dismay trickled down her furry cheeks. "I forgot my bag at school and now I can't get in my own house?! I can't believe it!"
Slumping forward in exhausted rage, she breathed long and hard, trying to calm herself. As she felt the rage ebb away, she pulled herself back up and began racking her brain for a solution.
'We don't usually leave the windows open,' she pondered. 'But I suppose it can't hurt to check.' she shrugged.
Exiting the gate, she hopped over the fence baring the driveway and made her way to the windows. Treading lightly over the plants, she gently pulled up on the windows but her fingertips slipped up and off the glass. In frustration, she tried inserting her claws under the window panes for a better grip, but she couldn't get enough traction.
'So much for that!' she thought angrily. Looking up, she saw the balcony and remembered the doors up above. Sighing in resignation, she raced back to the fence and climbed on top so she faced the balcony. Gulping in fear, she jumped as high as she could toward the balcony. With bated breath she reached out toward the guard rail…
…and felt the hard, smooth metal slam into her paws. Instinctively, she grabbed onto the guard rail with all her strength but felt her fingers start losing their grip. Thinking quickly, she pressed her feet into the balcony, her foot-pads giving her just enough traction to pause her slipping.
'Wow! That actually worked!' she thought, looking up at the guard rail. Pushing up with her legs, she clambered up and slipped her arm around one of the posts connecting the wall to the rail. After a brief pause, she pulled herself up far enough to wrap her other arm around the rail itself. Feeling her grip was stable, she pulled herself over the rail and fell hard onto the balcony.
Breathing hard, she looked up at the balcony doors and caught a glimpse of herself in the windows. To her dismay, she found her sports shirt was torn and covered in dirt and grime. Her bandages were in desperate need of changing, and her shorts were dangerously low on her waist, leaving her tail and the top of her underwear exposed.
'But at least I'm home,' she thought, trying to fight back the torrent of embarrassment, fear, sadness and confusion. 'Once I get inside I can…I can…'
At this, she felt her negativity intensify in her struggle to think of her next move. Her physical exhaustion only compounded her emotional toil, leaving her in an utterly dejected state.
But before she could go any further, she heard a car's tires screech underneath her. Perking up in alarm, she listened intently as voices came up from below.
"She's been gone all day dear,"
"What could have happened?"
"I don't have a clue, and I'm really worried."
"Did the school call the police?"
"That's what I'm aiming to do,"
'Mom! Dad!' Michiru realized, pulling herself up. Looking over the balcony, she saw them exiting the family car. Her father went straight to the gate to open the door, while her mother slowly opened the trunk of the car. As the trunk opened, her mother looked out into the street as though hoping Michiru would appear right in front of her.
'Wait a minute!' Michiru asked herself. 'What do I do now?! Just appear in front of them?! Would they recognize me?! Would they call the police?! Would they even believe me?! But what if they find me out here on the balcony?! Oh no! What do I do?!'
Frantically looking back and forth, she tried to figure out what to do as scenarios raced through her mind at lightning speed. Chief among them was if they found her on the balcony. She imagined her mother screaming in fear and phoning the police as her father tackled her and pinned her underneath.
'If I run,' she thought. 'I'd be a runaway for…who knows how long? And if I didn't, I'd be locked away for…who knows how long? And what if the…men in black found out?! Oh no! Not them!'
Below, she heard the front door open and close, indicating her father had entered the house and she realized what she had to do. Taking a deep breath, she called out "Mom, can you hear me?"
"Michiru?!" her mother called out. "Michiru, where are you?!"
"I'm…on the balcony," Michiru replied, her heart beating so fast she thought it might burst.
"On the balcony?!" her mother repeated, completely disbelieving what she had heard. "How on earth did you get up there?!"
"I…I jumped up," Michiru answered. "I…I didn't have my key so…I came up here."
"Where have you been?!" her mother called out to her. "I've been worried sick about you! Your school called to inform us that you had vanished and we've been trying to find you all day!"
"I know," Michiru replied. "Something…happened to me at…school."
"What happened?!" her mother asked. "What happened?!"
"I…I don't know if you'll…believe me," Michiru said, her voice starting to crack. "It's…impossible…"
"What's impossible?!" her mother pressed. "What could have happened?!"
"I…I…" Michiru trailed off, struggling to think of the right words. "I can't really…tell you." Taking a deep breath, she added "But…I can….show you…"
"Okay, just wait for us to get up there!" her mother cried out. "We'll be up shortly so just sit tight and wait for us!"
"No it's…best if I…show you…now," Michiru resolved. "Just…catch me."
Before her mother could protest, Michiru vaulted herself over the balcony wall and grabbed the guard rail with all her might. Dangling over the edge, she heard her mother gasp in terror before she let herself fall. For a moment, she felt utterly relieved as though all her troubles had simply fallen away.
"Michiru!" her father yelled right as she felt herself fall into a firm surface that gave way underneath while two large strong arms wrapping themselves around her. Looking up, she saw her father looking down at her in confused shock before letting her down. Turning past him, she saw her mother frozen at the fence, staring in dumbstruck confusion.
"Hi mom, hi dad," Michiru said, tiddling her fingers as she struggled to force the words out. "As you can see, I…I turned into a…a…a Beastman."
Author's Notes: Thank you for your patience. I really appreciate it, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.
