The Origo Project

[Presidian]

I spent my entire life here. I was born here. I was tortured here. I was mutilated here. I was created here. My name is Isidora, and this is how I came to be.

I was born to two normal people: my parents, whom I never saw again. When I was born, the doctors told our parents we would die when we were born. I wasn't, however, because this was a lie. A lie engineered by the Unovan government to abduct infants like me. I was presumed to be dead by all. My parents, my family...everyone. This was exactly what the Unovan government wanted people to think. That I simply didn't exist. That I wasn't sentenced to a life of merciless torture and mutilation. To a life of solidarity and abuse. A life without love or hope. This is what I live with knowing.

I am a Pokémon-human hybrid. After I was born, I was injected with Espeon DNA. I grew ears, a tail, and learned how to control my new found powers. The process was excruciating. It took months for my body to recover from each new transformation to make me the person that I am today. But today was unlike any other. I was freed. Freed from this evil that was the entirety of my life. And freed from knowing that I was alone. This is what I know.

I ran through sickeningly damp hallway towards an open door. I jumped out of the door, and landed on my feet, tumbling down a large sand dune. A sand dune large enough to support a testing facility. I guessed that I looked completely ridiculous right now: a fifteen year-old girl, in a hospital gown, summersaulting down a sand dune. After I had spat out a good deal of sand, I looked to the horizon, and there I saw another, perched atop a similar sand dune.

 

[Chocolate Bones]

My toes couldn't help but curl against the warm, blood caked sand I was standing on. After years of standing against cold steel and thin sheets, my body felt like it was on another planet as I stood in the rays of the sun. I felt like I transcended into a new state of existence, though my mind wouldn't let me be so naive. I was still just a lab rat. Scurrying out of my cage wasn't going to change that.

I ran my thumb along the golden disc imprinted into my forehead. My forearms and thighs bear the same markings. Oddly enough, they were the of least intrusive of the side-effects of the Umbreon DNA that was spliced into mine. The blood red eyes that stare back at me when I look into a mirror; the bushy tail that would shiver against the crisp, filtered air of my cell; my pointed ears that would always hear the soft footsteps of the nurses well before they arrived to give me my daily treatment of injections. These were all proof that I would always be what they made me to be. A monster.

My name is Andromeda. I don't remember where I'm from. Or who I'm from. I think my mind blocked it out a long time ago so I could become numb to the idea of being a prisoner for the rest of my life. What I do know is that even while I stand out here in the desert, I'm still their prisoner. Only in death will I be free.

But there's no way in hell I'm going to die before I get my revenge.

And as my ear twitches at the sound of footsteps in the sand behind me, I realize that I might not be the only one.

 

[Presidian]

When the realisation that this was indeed another, it was too late. Armed guards began to pour out of the facility. The only way I was going to survive this was with the other, and that was that.

I have never fought before; never in my entire life. The doctors and and researchers were smart to dampen my powers whenever they had the chance. Everything became a blur as I succumbed to my primal instincts. Bullets cascaded towards me as I sent a incredibly large wave of sand veiled in magenta light towards them, suffocating a small amount of them while restraining others. Again my instincts overwhelmed me, and I propelled myself upward to make a jump positioning me directly over the surviving guards. With incredible precision I made a large swiping motion with my arm while spinning mid-air. A blade of violet light soared down towards the guards, cutting them in ways I cannot describe.

Then, seconds later, my vision became sharper, and my instincts faded. I was falling, and falling without any idea of how to land. Helplessly I fell at the feet of a guard, who swiftly took hold of my jet-black braid and pulled me into his burly arms. Blood seeped from his bleeding shoulder onto my gown as I squirmed and pleaded for him to release me. He produced a knife from his waist and held it near my pale neck. I gasped as his unstable movements raked my skin with the edge of his blade. I was sure that this would be my end. My last stand against the people who did this to me. To my family. To the other. I stood helplessly sobbing as I waited for my life to end.

 

[Chocolate Bones]

I knew instantly that the presence of another like myself would bring the guards. What I didn't know, however, was how well she would be able to fend for herself. It seems that whatever they did to her gave her great psychic powers, powers, it seemed, that were beyond her control. While I was impressed by her ability to shred the guards into pieces with only her mind, what really impressed me was her bloodthirsty, primal instinct. I smirked to myself while watching.

The massacre didn't last long, unfortunately, and I was slightly taken aback when one of them managed to best her, holding a knife to her neck as he looked at me. It was clear he was threatening me with her death. A rather empty threat. It fascinated me that they would believe I would hold any value in this young girl's life.

Still, I wasn't about to let her have all of the fun. And I could tell that this lowly guard knew exactly that when his gaze widened as he peered into my eyes.

"Kill her. I'm not afraid of you, or your blade, or your guns. But you..."

I could feel the markings on my body glow a haunting, ghostly yellow as I peered deeper into him.

"What are you afraid of..?"

I don't remember what exactly I saw in him, and in an instant, it was over. For me, at least. The instant I broke my gaze the guard shoved the girl aside and plunged the tip of the blade into his left eye, screaming in magnificent horror. His face was already dripping with blood as he stabbed the other, begging for "it" to stop. For "it" to get out of his head. For "it" to go away.

I'm fairly certain he found no relief until he blindly shot himself through the temple as he bled in the sand.

 

[Presidian]

I didn't expect to be thrown. To be quite honest, I expected to die, right then and there. I expected to die a slow, terrible death. Like my life, in a way. But instead I was spared.

After I had quickly scuttled on my hands and knees away from the guard, I noticed that the other was focusing intently on something non-existant. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the guard thrashing in pain. The small sliver of sympathy wanted me to help him, but by the time I had made my decision, it was too late. I screamed in terror as he mutilated himself repeatedly, but didn't seem to be doing it intentionally. What had now reduced to small terrified sniffles had transformed into sobs and cries in horror as I watched his terrible death unfold before my eyes.

It was over; I was free. But images of what I had saw danced across my vision as I held my knees close to my chest and sobbed. I couldn't do this. I couldn't do any of it anymore. I wasn't like them. I wasn't the kind of person who would do this to people.

I gathered all of my strength, all of my emotional integrity and attempted to recover and prepare myself for anyone else who might want to kill me. But the images were persistent, and now plastered my vision. I welcomed death now.

 

[Chocolate Bones]

Rather than watch the guard's body empty itself of blood through its numerous wounds, I stared into the distance. I was only able to see about twenty feet in front of me. The rest to my eye was no more than sand whipping its way across the desert. But I didn't have to see through it to know that there would be more guards on their way.

Without hesitation I turned around and kneeled toward the girl as she wept in the sand, sliding my hand firmly around her neck, jerking her chin upward so her teary eyes were locked into mine.

"The guards seem to have an easy time tracking you," I said, tightening my grip slightly. "And by the looks of it, I'd be doing you a favor by killing you."

I sighed as I slid my clawed hand from her neck, standing up again. "But I can already see that they've taken almost everything from you. It's not my place to take what's left behind."

I found myself staring into the whirlwinds of sand again, as though talking directly to the storm.

"I had a dream last night. I found myself in a city called Castelia... It was the only dream I ever had since I woke up on that operating table."

I turned back to the girl.

"I'm going there. Whatever you're looking for probably won't be there... But it's sure as hell not going to come up out of the sand either." I shook my head and did my best to speak more softly. "I believe there are others like us out there. Only together will we be able to put an end to our suffering."

I offered nothing more before walking blindly into the whirling sand.

 

[Presidian]

My sobs became more audible as she began to speak, malice dripping from her every word. I listened intently, however. She was my only hope of surviving in this terrible, god-fore-saken reality that was my life. I slowly brought myself to my feet, brushing away tears. The images began to fade as I regained control of my emotions. That experience will have forever scarred me, but I can't let it stop me from accomplishing my, and apparently our, ultimate redemptive goal.

I followed the girl's instincts and walked behind her, eventually catching up to her after tearing fabric from my nightgown and tying it around my neck to prevent sand from entering my wounds. The sand became unbearable as the wind hastened. With my remaining strength I was able to retain a wall of energy to shield us from the sand hurdling towards us from all directions.

I looked over to the other as we walked.

"What do you call your self?" I said, my voice still shaky.

 

[Chocolate Bones]

The sand was merely an annoyance to me, but I was grateful for the bit of protection from it the girl was able to provide. It had begun to be a hinderance to my deep thoughts, and without having to wipe my eyes every few seconds, I was able to lose myself in them once again.

I was less grateful, however, when she started speaking.

"Andromeda," I answered curtly. Why names were of any purpose to this girl was beyond me. As far as I was concerned, we didn't have names. They stole every bit of humanity away from us, including something as seemingly meaningless as what you call yourself. What your parents might have called you... If you had any.

I swallowed my pride and asked the girl the same question, convincing myself that it would at least prove useful should we ever run into trouble again.

 

[Presidian]

I stopped walking when I heard a barely noticeable voice in Andromeda's direction. Today was the first day that I had not been effected by the facility's drugs or dampening technologies, so I had expected to learn new things about myself. I couldn't have imagined anything like this, however. So far I had found myself to be capable of propelling objects and even particles in any direction I choose, condensing an unknown energy into blade-like forms to cut things very precisely, and reading minds. Bizarre was a word that came to mind.

I sensed Andromeda's doubts of my credibility and sanity, and about our past.

"Isidora," I said quietly, avoiding eye contact. I began walking again, afraid of what she might do to me if I didn't.

I decided that I needed to know everything there was to know about Andromeda in order to fully trust her. She had saved my life just minutes ago, but was candid with the guard with how much she cared about my existence. Using my new found abilities I could accomplish this task, so I did. I delved into her memories, her thoughts, her pains, and everything in-between. I instantly felt bad for her. She had experienced the same horrors that I had throughout my entire life, only more frequently, and in more horrific ways. My face soften as I released a small sigh. The task at hand was incomprehensible. Even together we couldn't stop them. Not the two of us.

 

[Chocolate Bones]

I immediately felt the girl prodding around my mind, as though she were a moth fluttering about against a bright light. I didn't allow myself to be bothered by the fact, though. I knew that if she delved deeper than I would've liked, she would be more injured by it than I would. I could feel the remnants of memories slip out of my mind. Images that I hadn't dared recall for years instantly flashed before my eyes. Every time I tried to blink the images away, a new one would take its place. It wasn't long before I let the darkness consume my mind, hopefully blocking her out completely. For a long time as I walked silently and blindly through the desert, the only thing I could see and feel was pitch blackness. I could feel my blood run cold. I'd tried many times to harness it. But every time I tried I was met only with a jarring pain in my head and chest. It wasn't a physical pain. It was something else. As though something supernatural wanted to burst through my being. Something wanted to separate itself from me. But I wouldn't let it. It was my greatest weapon against them. If only I knew how to use it...

As she eased herself out of my mind I could feel the girl's hopelessness. It wasn't undeserved. In fact, I had chosen to forsake hope altogether. The only thing that was driving me was vengeance. But this girl... To this girl hope was still tangible, even if impossibly far away. She may have escaped with a fragment of humanity still left in her, a notion that sent chills down my spine.

 

[Presidian]

I tried to search for the horizon, but sand clouded by view in every direction. A faint shadow caught my eye, and small depot came into view. The sand slowly faded away, and I let our shield fall to the same fate. Generating the energy required to make such a shield had taken its toll, and I began to feel nauseous and exhausted. The thought of being freed from the desert was enough motivation to push myself towards the depot. The depot was very small. Peering through the glass automatic door I saw a woman sitting behind a desk reviewing information on a small screen before her. I moved away from the window just in time for me to avoid her gaze.

"How are we going to get through?" I asked Andromeda quietly. "We can't expect for her to accept us dressed as we are."

 

[Chocolate Bones]

I saw the depot not as solace from the desert, but somewhere I could possibly find the information necessary to get to Castelia City. I looked at the girl and smirked slightly before making my way toward the door.

"Who said she had to accept us..?"

Without hesitation I sent my fist flying into the glass door. I found out a long time ago that I no longer felt physical pain, whether it be from genuine numbness or a mental block, I still planned to use it to my advantage. The door shattered only slightly at my blow, leaving a sizable hole, yet still not big enough to climb through. Immediately, the woman at the desk screamed and ran into a separate room, giving me plenty of chance of breaking down the remaining glass with my bare hands.

 

[Presidian]

"What are you doing?" I demanded, clearing the remaining glass with a swipe of my hand, causing the entirety of the doors to shatter with a small flash of magenta. The glass became a fine dust and clouded the air inside of the depot. I bolted up to Andromeda and quickly extracted the shards of glass embedded in her skin using the last of my already pitiful supply of energy. I dropped back down into the sand and embraced its warmth and comfort. My consciousness faded just after my eye caught a small glimpse of something in the sky somewhat close to me. A bridge, and light-gray silhouettes of buildings in the distance. It was a beautiful city, but unconsciousness took all feeling and sight away from me, and I was left with nothing but serenity.

 

[Chocolate Bones]

I was deeply perturbed by the notion that Isidora believed that I needed her assistance, and further horrified that she acted as such. I paid her no further mind and stretched out my fingers, exposing my open wounds to the gritty desert air before stepping inside.

By now, whatever fringe group was inside the depot had barricaded themselves into a separate room. They did their best to remain silent, although I could smell their fear from a mile away. I wrinkled my nose at it as I smashed into a beverage vending machine, tearing off the bottom part of my gown, up to the point just above my navel, and fashioned it into a makeshift bindle, loading it with several of the sodas and waters before moving onto a machine filled with snacks, this time busting it open with my elbow. With each loud crash I could smell their fear grow more intense. I decided I didn't much care for the smell of fear. The smell of death was much more pleasant.

After I filled the sack with as much as it would hold, I grabbed an extra couple of drinks and slung the bag over my shoulder and calmly exited the depot, unscrewing the cap of one of the bottles of water. After taking a generous swig, I turned the bottle over and dumped out the rest onto the unconscious Isidora, tossing the bottle at her as she coughed herself awake.

"Don't think I won't leave you here in the sand," I said before reaching into the bag, pulling out another bottle of water and a bag of potato chips, tossing them both in her direction before heading off into the desert again, this time toward the silhouette of a city on the horizon.

 

[Presidian]

My harsh awakening was the first of my many problems. I awoke to screams and cries of desperation, and a lukewarm breeze that danced through my bangs. I narrowed my eyes at Andromeda as I sat up and found myself in a small puddle clouded with wisps of sand. Wiping the drips off my face, I stood up and grabbed the things that had been thrown in my direction. My braid was encrusted with sand as I quickly ran my fingers along it. The wind had picked up; sand was clinging to my wet skin. I knew I couldn't protect myself using my abilities. I was too weak, and it worried me, because I didn't know when I would next need to use my abilities.

One by one I regained control over my senses. Then I remember why there were screams. I shifted my gaze towards Andromeda and ran briskly towards her.

"Terrorizing people doesn't solve anything!" I yelled, pointing back at the depot. "When we do that, we're no better than them. The people who did this to us."

Chocolate Bones ~ 4/1/12 ~ 1:37am (CST)
I snickered at Isidora's naivety before allowing myself a sip of the crisp, carbonated soda, drinking it delicately and carefully, savoring it as though it was my last.

"Of course we're not," I said, cleaning a drop of the sweet liquid before it could run down my bottom lip. "Why would we be? We only exist because of them... They created us."

I shrugged nonchalantly and opened a bag of chips for myself, slipping one into my mouth gingerly. "But... if you want, I can go back and put them out of their misery."


Knight of Day ~ 4/1/12 ~ 1:40am (CST)
I frowned, analyzing the situation. We had just left a handful of people at the depot. They would no doubt report us. Then there would be more. More guards. More of them. The creators.

“They did create us, but that doesn’t mean anything, and it shouldn’t,” I said, tempted to eat the results of our last encounter with civilization. I sat down in the sand, embracing its uneven surface veiled in warmth. We needed to stop. At the same time, however, we needed to get as far away from the depot as possible. Far away from civilization would be better.

I spotted a small shack in the distance. Completely crafted from wood, it was barely standing, as the sand had eroded most of its structure. I got up and began walking towards it, assuming Andromeda would follow.

When I came closer, it seemed like an excellent shelter for the night. The sun was kissing the horizon. It would be dark soon, and we wouldn’t stand a chance. I wouldn’t stand a chance, with all of my energy lost.

The shack was positioned in an ideal location. It was completely surrounded by dunes that formed a small, tight border that encircled its perimeter. It seemed as though its builder, whenever he, she, or it built it knew that this was the perfect shelter. From a distance it was completely unnoticeable. I was lucky enough to see a small portion of its worn exterior jutting out of the endless sea of sand.

I slid down the side of a dune to the shack as I had done a few hours earlier at the facility when we had escaped. I sat down inside, waiting for Andromeda to enter.



Chocolate Bones ~ 4/1/12 ~ 2:09 (CST)

In the distance I could see the outline of a well worn, wooden shack. It struck me as an eyesore, and, potentially as a trap. I couldn’t help but smirk to myself as Isidora strolled so calmly toward it, even slipping inside. Still, I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t believe my legs deserved a rest, especially now that they were left bare and exposed to the harsh winds and brittle sand. I stretched out the wounds on my hands and fingers one last time before setting foot in the decrepit old shelter.

“You’ve really got the whole sitting duck thing down, don’t you?” I snarled, smirking more to myself. I didn’t want to dignify her insistence that we were more than what we really were with an answer, so I chose to pretend as though I hadn’t heard it. And, luckily enough for me, she didn’t seem like she was in the shape to read my mind.

In the pitch darkness of the shack, my markings began to glow faintly but deeply, lighting a decent portion of the shelter, just enough for me to find an empty crate, which I eagerly flipped over and sat down on, resting my back against the thin, wooden walls as I stretched out my legs. I wiggled my numb toes and lifted each foot, one at time, to examine them curiously. I’d never really looked at myself until now, and I was amazed to find that I didn’t entirely hate what I was looking at. Even though I was ultimately their creation, I would still always be me. Even if that meant that “me” was a monster bent on revenge. I smiled at the thought.

You know what? I think I can live with that.


Knight of Day ~ 4/1/12 ~ 2:18am (CST)
I frowned at Andromeda’s comment, but didn’t have the energy or courage to argue with her. She must think I’m pathetic. I’m completely defenseless without my psychic abilities. I couldn’t do anything near what I had done at the facility to those guards. With my very small amount of remaining stamina, I came to the conclusion that all of my goals have an element in common: survival. For the past 4 hours all of my focus and determination had been used for my own survival.

This was the most comfortable scene that I had experienced in my entire life. The soft light radiating from Andromeda’s marks. The moonlight making small lines on the floor. The small wooden frame that sheltered me from the unknown. All of it was perfect. Nature had other plans. It began to rain. At first it was a few miniscule drops that descended from the sky in random patterns. Then the rain began to pour down from the heavens, forming a communal waterfall for all of the desert to see.

I was afraid that our shelter couldn’t withstand such circumstances, but it held to a bearable extent. Drips of water leaked from the ceiling in various places scattered around the ceiling. It was not only annoying, but it made everything cold. This was no longer my most comfortable scene.

I looked over to Andromeda and then looked away, afraid that she might be reminded about my weaknesses and shortcomings. I welcomed my eyes to close tightly, embracing a serene slumber that would allow me to escape reality.

Chocolate Bones ~ 4/1/12 ~ 2:32am (CST)
I could feel Isidora’s spirit calm itself as she drifted off into sleep, and I was overwhelmed with what I could only describe as pity as I watched her shiver on the wooden floor, flinching with each drop of icy water that fell through the cracks in the roof. I merely brushed off the feeling and continued to meditate on my state of existence, something with which I often occupied my mind.

I was used to feeling pity before. I felt pity every day. I would never feel pity for myself, but each time the wordless, machine-like nurses would step into my room every day, I couldn’t help but pity them. I pitied the guards who would sacrifice their admittedly worthless, yet still unique, lives for a group of people that would gladly sell them into complete misery if it meant a few extra dollars to fund this absurd war. I pitied the citizens of the world, blindly going about their lives, ignorant of a whole world of atrocity and desolation. I knew pity well.

But what came next, I could not have expected in a million lifetimes.

In an unconscious action that I believed that I had long since been incapable of, I grabbed my makeshift bundle and slowly unraveled it, letting its contents tumble out of it and roll out into all directions, before slowly tucking it around the arms of this weakened, vulnerable young girl at my feet. With each icy breath that escaped her lips, I could feel a pain that I’d never felt before. For once vengeance wasn’t the most powerful urge in my being. In that moment... What I wanted more than anything... Was to keep her safe. I didn’t know how.. Or why.. but it filled me with a divine rage more powerful than revenge could ever offer. Now that I had a real reason to fight, I knew I was more than just a monster.

And to my enemies... I was the perfect nightmare.

I wasn’t going to lose myself to the feeling, though, and I quickly blocked it out of my mind, slipping into the corner of the chilling shelter, propping my head up carefully against the wall, making sure my head was facing the entrance in case we were visited during the night, and let myself slip into a bizarrely, hauntingly peaceful sleep.

Knight of Day ~ 4/1/12 ~ 8:33am (CST) (I did it!)
The comfortable scene that I had described to you had transformed overnight into an frigid hell that enveloped my struggle for existence. I was drifting in and out of sleep during the night until a small amount of warmth from an unknown source sheltered me from the cold and allowed me to partake in the rest that I so desperately needed.

I awoke to the calming sound of wind bore large amounts of sand and lobbed it towards our makeshift shelter. I could see the damage already. Sand was seeping through the cracks between the walls and the floor. If anything, it was much more preferable than the rain. I myself was caked in it, as I had been fairly damp before the wind began to pick up.

I looked at my shoulder and was shocked to see what I knew was something of Andromeda’s. I raised an eyebrow, thinking of a reason why she would do this. She had never shown sympathy for anyone. Not the guards, as I had, not the people at the depot, as I had, and definitely not me. She would’ve left me for death at the facility had I not proven to be a possibly valuable asset.

That was all I was: an asset. To whomever, or whatever I belong to, I have never been thought of as a real being. With emotions, pain, and everything else. I admit that I’m not human, but I am still something that should be shown respect, as if I was normal. Normal...

At the facility, I had thought about what my life would have been had I had not been abducted. I would have parents that would love me dearly, and do their very best to keep me safe and happy. I would have family that I could spend time with. I would have friends to laugh with. I would have everything that I’d ever wanted. But the government had stripped me of those rights. My parents would be over me by now, and would’ve had other children to replace me. I began to cry just thinking about it. Thinking about my life. It was terrible. Horrible. No one cared at all. I didn’t think I cared at all.

I dashed out of the shack sobbing. I stood outside, watching my tears fall and make small indentations in the sand as I wept.

 

[Chocolate Bones]

When I woke, it was to the sounds of muffled, yet purposeful sobbing. Immediately thinking the worst, I darted to my feet and dashed to the door. To my extreme annoyance, Isidora stood there alone, lost in another fit of self pity. I sighed and shook my head, grunting while taking the crate from the inside of the shack, filling it with the drinks and snacks from the depot before hauling it outside, holding it at my side. Again, I had to thank the bastards at the Unovan labs. The increased muscle mass had made this journey a lot easier thus far.

I tossed the crate into to the sand, sat on the edge, and cracked open another "Coca-Cola," taking special care to appear as apathetic as possible to Isidora's plight. If we were going to do this, I wasn't going to let her think that showing such weakness was acceptable.

"We need to get going," I said, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand before standing up again, lifting the crate holding it with one arm so it rested against my shoulder. "God knows how long the sun's been up, and I'm sure the search for us is still full on."

Once again, I reached my hand into the crate and blindly picked one, tossing Isidora a green beverage apparently called "Sprite." After tossing her another equally randomly-picked snack, I took another swig of the sweet soda and made off in the direction of the wonderfully silhouetted buildings ahead.

"Let's get a move on," I called back. For a second I debated on relating to Isidora what I dreamt last night, but ultimately I understood that it would only cripple her in fear.

 

[Presidian]

I froze when I heard footsteps behind me. I swiveled in place, fully prepared to attack whoever was behind me. I expected to see a blood-thirsty guard sporting a machine-gun behind me. Thankfully, Andromeda dismissed that thought and threw a can of soda in my direction. I was embarrassed because she was able to see me in an uncontrollably emotional state, yet again. It fueled my doubts of her having any respect for me.

I hadn't eaten at all since we had escaped. If you didn't count tasteless slime as food, you could say that I hadn't eaten in my entire life. I rubbed my eyes and began walking towards Andromeda, slipping "Lay's" into my mouth, making loud crunching noises

"Did you put that blanket on me last night?" I asked, my voice shaky.

 

[Chocolate Bones]

I cringed at Isidora's mention of last night, and tried to hide what might have been a blush, scoffing as I took another desperate swig from the drink as I walked.

"I wasn't using it anyway, and you were shaking like a leaf." I grumbled as I started to walk a bit faster, as though trying to run away from the subject. "I just figured that if you got sick, we'd both be in trouble. The last thing I need to is to drag an invalid around with me."

 

[Presidian]

"Oh..." I said, trying to hide my pitiful sniffling by drinking some of my soda. Curiosity urged me to probe Andromeda's thoughts to check if she was telling the truth. It wasn't that I didn't believe what Andromeda said, because it was definitely in her nature to help someone as an act of self-preservation. I finally gave in to my thoughts and entered Andromeda's mind.

I was just learning how to properly search through one's mind. How to filter out other information, how to find specific details about a memory, and how to go undetected. Or so I thought. I found the small Piece of information that I needed and smiled. She had done it as an act of goodwill, and not for persona gain. For once, Andromeda had acted out of character. She had done something for another. Maybe she had thought the same things when the guard had taken me. I didn't want to use up my luck; I still didn't know if she could tell if I was doing this.

I returned to reality. My vision portrayed a bizarre transition from mind to sight that looked as though I was flying backwards out of a tunnel. Again, I reminded myself that I was just beginning to learn what my capabilities were.

 

[Chocolate Bones]

The relief from stepping out of the harsh, bitter dessert was immediate. In an instant the rough sand and harsh sunlight faded away into cool air and warm rays. There was still sand at my feet, but looking ahead I could see that it faded into rough patches of grass, and the silhouette of the city grew ever closer. I turned to look at Isidora and was slightly bothered that she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. What I really hoped for was that she wasn't lost in mine. Still, I felt her read my mind the last time and, because I hadn't felt anything like that since then, I just assumed she was keeping to herself.

Just as the sounds of a few passing cars caused my ears to twitch, I looked down at myself. My bare, pale legs stood out awkwardly exposed. My torn gown was caked with sand and blood. I reached a hand back and ran it through my hair, shaking out as much sand and dirt as I could before feeling my long, furry, pointed ears. I knew immediately that we would need some sort of disguises if we didn't plan on getting shipped back to the labs the second we set foot into somewhere with other people.

"We need to find ourselves some new clothes," I said. I smirked slightly to myself. "Unless we tell everyone we're just a couple of circus freaks."