Beast Within. Part 1
#1 of Beast within
what does it mean to be human
Beast within
Night's Angel
Chapter1: Rebirth
Date: June 16, 2034
I decided to start documenting my life at this point due to the outbreak. The outbreak started three months ago with the weirdest side effects. And the news report I'm watching right now was telling the public what those where. "Our research has found that the victims of the disease" the doctor the newscast had on said "have all reported had been sick with a cold or flu or other mild illness. And have also reported that within a day or two prior to the transformation they had suffered a trauma of some kind.
But these symptoms are just the first stages of the disease. Although the victims are healthy, they have shown other side effect with the changes. We have classified these effects by sets. These classes are basic, hybrid and mythic." I barely understood what the guy was saying. But then again I don't think he even understood it himself. But that didn't stop him from running his mouth. After the doctor finished the news cast turned to one of the victims who was just release from the hospital.
And the report was done live. The reporter was asking a guy who had been turned into a raccoon of some kind. "I mean I don't know if I'll ever get use to this" the coon said "but the doctors said that I was fine and could leave." The camera guy was getting bored and spotted a gray fur wolf female being attacked. I heard my Neighbors yelling at the TV. "NO Mary run" he yelled. I looked closer at the wolf. It was my Neighbor's wife Mary.
They had moved in two years ago. But a month ago Mary had a miscarriage and lost their child. Three days later she woke up as a lycan female. They were beating her with bats and pipes. The first cop to show didn't stop them right away but got closer to see who they were beating to death. She was begging the cop to stop them. And he stopped them alright. My Neighbor Phoenix was going nuts. The cop pulled his gun and forced the barrel down her throat.
Then he pulled the trigger. My heart stopped. She did nothing wrong she was a good person. And an officer of the law shot her like she was some kind of monster. I started crying because she was a good friend of mine. I felt worse for Phoenix who had to watch it happen and couldn't save her. I heard things being smashed or thrown. The poor man was falling apart. I had to go and help him. I got off the couch and ran into the hall and started beating on his door.
"Phoenix, it's me Hannah" I yelled. "GO AWAY" he snarled through the door. "Please let me in" I begged. "GO AWAY" he yelled as his voice rasped. He has had a fever for a week or two and that got me scared. He was howling his rage. And the higher his voice got the more it crossed into a screeched that made my ears hurt. His cries mixed with the sounds of bones breaking and flesh ripping. He was my friend I had to help him.
After everything they had gone through he had just lost everything. "Please Phoenix open the door" I begged him. I lead against the door and slide to the floor. I didn't know what else to do. He had never locked his door before. Anyone and everyone could just walk in whenever and the Ashborns never care. They were friends with everyone in the building even after Mary had changed. They both worked in the building so one of them was always home.
They were good people and they lost everything. Phoenix screeched out one last time with the force of a bomb going off. I heard windows breaking and the whole floor shook. I just sat crying for my friends. "Hannah" I heard someone from down the hall. "Mary's dead and Phoenix is going through the change they were talking about on TV" answered. "Oh my god" the woman said popping the chain off her door.
She came over kneeled next to me. Neither of us spoke but sat there next to the door. I kept thinking back on the past two years they had spent here. I remember almost clearly the day they moved into the building. The Ashborns were hired as the new superintendents for the building and moved into the apartment next to mine. They were a young happy couple who had just got married. I remember standing in the hall as they were moving in.
Phoenix was unnaturally strong for having a thin build and was carry most of the furniture by himself. Mary was a beautiful young woman about the same age as myself at the time. They didn't have anything unpacked that night and I didn't have any plans so I asked them if they wanted to come over for dinner that night. I worked from home and made my own hours so we ended up spending a lot of time together.
I was envious of their love for each other. But I never wish them ill will. I hated myself for weeks after I realized I was falling for him. But it was just the way he was. He was just kind hearted. He never got mad. And he was always so friendly and outgoing. I told Mary about my feels after she asked me why I was avoiding them for weeks. I thought she would have been mad. But she just smile and said "he just has that effect on people and if I got mad and chased off every woman who felt the same way we'd have no friends ever again."
After that I promised myself to always wish them the best. I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt when they told me she was pregnant. But I pushed pass the pain and wished them the best. I was going to throw them the best baby shower ever. But after the outbreak began things started changing. People were always on edge. But the Ashborns did what they always done. They helped everyone they could. I remember the day I was coming home from the store and a group of kids were throwing rocks at one of the windows.
The tenet they were bulling was a kid who became victim to the outbreak was hiding from his friends. Phoenix went outside and stood in front of the window. Letting the kids throw rock at him instead of the window. "Some friends you kids are" he said when he caught one of the rocks in the head and didn't move. They stood there and listen to him talk. He wasn't mean to them he didn't yell. He just spoke softly to them.
"I thought he was your friend" he said "and you treat him like this when he needs friends to help him get through this." "But he's a freak" one of the kids yelled. The others chimed in so they wouldn't be left out. "Yeah, so" he said "a lot of my friends are freaks, doesn't mean I'm going to treat them any different." "But" one of them started. "But what" he said "just because he looks different doesn't mean he isn't the same person you made friends with."
He gently knocked on the window and asked the kid to come outside. The kid came out the front door of the build dress like the other boys and quickly hid behind Phoenix. He pulled the kid in front of him and told his friends to look closer at him. To look for their friend under the fur and soon enough the kids started playing again like he was just the same as them. That's when I knew he was going to make a great father and Mary was the luckiest woman in the world to find him.
A few days later he was back outside breaking up a fight between the tenet's friends and another group of kids from down the block. Turns out the new group of kids were attacking their friend and they were fighting for their friend. In no short time later Phoenix and Mary were working with the neighborhood as whole to keep the peace. And the more others came to start war the kinder he was. The man was a saint and everyone who knew him soon was working to make this mess easer and better for everyone.
But fate is not so kind to men like him. Mary had gotten sick and lead to complications with the pregnancy. They lost the child a week later to a miscarriage. And Mary had her transformation soon after. But he never stopped loving her. He never gave up on her. It was his love that got her through the worse of it and made her stronger for it. I don't think everything they had worked for was going last much longer not if something like this has happen.
That's when it hit me. I jumped to me feet and ran back to my apartment and called the news station. "Hi I just saw the report of the woman getting shot by the cop. I know her and her husband" I said "you want to get a story out of that." The man I was talking to knew what I was doing but didn't know why. I gave him the address and told him to bring a crew. They worked too hard for it to end like this. And it was about damn time I stepped up and did my part.
I turn the TV up as high as it would go and went outside to meet the news crew. The neighborhood watched the crew set up both humans and victims alike. When the report turned to me and told me we were live I pushed my fears aside went up the steps so everyone could see me. "Hello, my name is Hannah Foxwood. And today I watched on the news live and uncut my best friend and neighbor murdered in cold blood because of her condition.
By an officer of the law none the less." I didn't hide my tear or my pain. I showed them with pride and honor of my friend. "The broken glass on the ground around came from the window of her apartment where her husband who was sick with a high fever had to watch the horror of the woman he loved being beaten and killed. They had lost their unborn child to an illness that lead to her change. But even after their lose they worked hard to make this neighborhood a safer place for all of us human and victim alike.
And now I'm asking everyone to step up and stop this madness from taking more lives." I couldn't keep together after that and broken down on the steps of the building. I was praying he could hear this. That he would know how much she had touched our lives. To know that no matter what their work was not for nothing. "The Ashborns stopped bullies from picking on my son and just by talking to the neighborhood one person at a time cut the crime rate in the area in half" one of my neighbors said.
"Yeah, Mrs. Ashborn worked with my family to help them with my change" a young catgirl said. And it didn't stop there. Just about everyone the Ashborns help came out to show their support. I had myself back under control when the reporter came back to me. "Ms. Foxwood, do you have anything else left to say. I stood up and looked up to his window before turning back the camera. "Yes I have one more thing to say" I answered. I stepped down and moved closer to the reporter.
"To Mr. Ashborn, Phoenix, if you can hear this I just want you to know how much good you and Mary done in this world and we will not let your lost break everything you have done. And to the officer, NO to the monster who murder my friend I hope you get what you deserve" I said walked away before I fell apart again. One of the other neighbors said that man was arrested right after that and the city was going to pay for everything.
I was happy that justice was working but pissed that it cost so much to make it happen. I went back inside to check on Phoenix but I didn't force the matter. I just went home and cried for the lost of my friend. "I thought I had left the TV on" I said closing the door behind me. I went to the living room and on the TV was a note with just two words poorly written "thank you." I felt a small smile on my face. He heard us.
I guess he didn't want anyone to see what he turned into. So I started cooking dinner thinking he would be hungry after the fact. I fixed him a plate and knocked on the door. "I don't know if you're hungry but I made you something to eat" I said setting the plate down on a folding tray I set up. "I'll just leave it here for you if you want it. I didn't wait for him to answer and went back into my own apartment.
Later that night the news report highlighted Mary's story showing pictures of her before and after her change with the message "in loving memory of Mary Ashborn who gave so much." I smiled with fresh tears rolling down my cheeks. I hope that all this pain of losing her wouldn't change him for the worse. But I could hear him crying through the wall and it hurt to see my friend in such pain and knowing there was nothing I could do to help him.
But I wasn't going to give up on him. Not after everything they had done. I don't want to take her place in his life. I just don't want him to lose the only thing he had left. Himself. I sat up half the night in my bed till he finally went to sleep. But even then I couldn't get to sleep myself. I kept asking myself if I did the right thing. Or was I really just taking advantage of his lost for myself. This thought ripped at my soul for the rest of the night.
Date: June 17, 2034
And even when the dawn came and broke up the darkness I still felt like I was alone in the dark with my own hate. That morning I decided to keep the ball rolling and start studying the effects of the outbreak. It was an unknown decease that took effect in three stages. The first stage was the victim caught a cold or flu. Which at first made doctors and researchers think it was a virus of some kind. But the onset was too long and didn't fit with the second stage the trauma.
This stage was the trigger stage that made the infected hit the final stage. But this stage was cause by an outside force. A physical or mental trauma that forced the infected to have a massive jolt of adrenaline. Or as one researcher put it "the trauma must be great enough to force the infected into the fight or flight instinct of the most basic of primal needs." I think that means a person after they are infected has to be hit with a life changing event.
Which they pointed out means that there was no way to tell if someone was infected, till they had reached the final stage of the decease. The final stage was the transformation itself. This was marked by the reforming of the skeleton and the rapid growth of body hair and nails. The person's scenes become heighten to inhuman levels and next to no lost of the human scenes. It sounded more and more like something was upgrading humans to a new level but in the weirdest of ways.
The research that was out at this time went on to talk about the three main classifications of transformations and the different effects they had. The first was the basic class. This meant the infected had just the basic of changes occur. This includes speed and strength as well as the five scenes and some other changes as well. And they did point out that the infected had become more easily aroused. I didn't even want to think about that part.
But moving on, the basic changes were mostly just changing the way a person looked. And made them look more animal in some ways but without taking what made them human. The second class was hybrids. That was easy enough, the same as basic but with two or more animals. But the last class the mythic class was something else. They had the same physical changes but also had another skill set. Things like hyper-regeneration, and different forms of telekinesis and even some forms of thought projection.
But the number of cases of mythic transformations was one in thousand reported. One researcher was doing a study that found out of a hundred cases barring rape victims sixty-nine of them had become easily aroused after they entered the second stage of the decease. And thirty-four cases said they had hit stage three jeering or right after sexual intercourse. I closed the search after reading that.
Last thing I wanted to think about was sex. But I because fearful of what had happen to Phoenix after his change. So I started looking up what reports they had on the mythic class. I had the TV on for noise. But the news had popped up with more of the same thing. Victims being killed raped or being beaten in public. It was disgusting. "This report has just came in from researchers that the now called Full Moon Decease which has changed its victims into anthropomorphs, or animal like humans" the newscaster said "has been found to an unknown pathogen that can infect any human being over the age of fourteen.
Researchers believe this is due to the hormone levels in teens and adults. And researcher have also found that the most common ages of cases were between the ages of fifteen and twenty-one." The reporter sound too smug about what he was talking about. It didn't change the fact that there was no known way to stop or reviser the effects. And too many people were dying because of fear and misunderstanding.
The more I thought about it the more that clip played in my head. Seeing her beg for her life to a monster with a badge just before he pulled the trigger. Just seeing the look of horror on her face when a person she thought was going to help her was about to take her life. She was taken from us by that monster. And I saw his face. That disgusting look on his face when he pulled the trigger. All it did was enraged me more and more.
I was so mad that the glass cup I was holding shatter in my hand. A knock at the door pulled me away from the boil pot of hate in my stomach. I open the door to meet the now vixen eyes of Cadis one of my neighbors who happens to work as a nurse at the hospital. Her green eyes stood out more against the red fur hood of her face. Her hands had a thinner black glove like fur that went just an inch or two past her wrist.
"Hey, Hannah I found out about Mary yesterday and I wanted to talk to Phoenix and make sure he's ok" she said "but he won't answer the door and he locked it." I snuffed the scent from my nose. "I don't think he's going to be coming out of there anytime soon" I said leaning out the door. She too snuffed a scent from her nose. Then I found her eyes trailing down my arm. "Hannah what did you do" she asked guiding me backing to the apartment "you're bleeding."
I looked down at my hand and saw a bit or two of glass stuck in my hand. Cadis pulled me to the sink to wash the blood from my hand and carefully remove the glass. She started chatting me up to keep from thinking about my hand. "What were you doing when the glass broke" she asked. "I was washing dishes and got lost in thought. The fur of her hand was so soft that I wanted to feel more of it and pads along her fingers and palm tickled.
"I was watching the new and saw it happen live" I said fighting with my hand to keep from petting her "it hasn't stopped replaying in my head." Her eyebrows pulled together as she checked my hand. Once she had me bandaged, she checked my other hand. "Have you been sick in the past four months" she asked. "I had a cold two months ago" I answered. "If you don't mind my asking but when was the last time you had sex" she asked taking on the tone she use when she was at work.
I looked around knowing it had been more than a few months. I sighed and said "More the four months." "Have you been feeling different lately" she question "like mood or diet?" I shook my head. She ran her paw like hand up my forearm and I had to bite my lip to keep from moaning. "When did you start shaving your arms" she asked checking the scratch mark along my arm. "I'm not cutting if that's what you're asking" I said "a week or two but it was getting itchy."
She nodded her head with each answer. It was almost like she was marking off a check list or something. "I get the feeling you about to ask if I have been having back pain or something" I said before she could even mouth the words. She nodded. I shook my head. "I'm sorry I just got off of work and for the past month I had to ask those questions" she said releasing my arm. "Sounds more like you think you saw something" I asked.
"Just another case of FMD I saw and my own" she shrugged "it's highly rare that someone gets FMD and skips stage two." "You mean there are cases were people change without getting hit with a trauma" I asked feeling worse about the matter. "I know how you feel" she said "I'm one of the lucky ones." That got me to cock a brow. "I didn't change till last week, and by then it was just the bone reforming and the fur growing out" she said "everything else from my scenes to ... well the rest had all changed."
"Like what" I asked wanting to know more. "Just from the way you smell I can tell it's that time of the month" she said so deadpan that I just broke out laughing. "Yeah you laugh the hospital has had me and some of the others to pick out those women to remove them from the men" she said "but it's ok I have to take the next week off for the same reason." I just shook my head. "Oh shit" I said when it hit me.
"What" the Vixen asked her eyes wide. "Phoenix can smell us by now" I answered. "WHAT" She said. "He was watching the same channel I was when it happened right after ... well you know" I said "and he had that fever for the past week." Cadis' eyes were still growing. "Was that after the building shook" she asked. "I think that's what made the building shake" I said. "Yeah the neighbor said they saw someone boring up his windows after that and when the glass broke there was this blast of fire coming out." She said.
We both knew that Phoenix was one of the few mythics and he had fire power. "GOD DAMN IT" we heard this weird yell that sounded like a growl of a wolf and the screech of a bird. Then we heard something metal bounce around. There was no way it was him. I had never heard him curse not even when they got too loud in bed. My heart started beating faster. Cadis snapped me out of it with a cup of cold water.
"I'm not saying you are but if I were you I would get on the pill and soon" the vixen said "trust me it helps." She left as fast as she could to get as far from Phoenix as she could. I closed the door and went to take a cold shower. Something told me to get use to them. I knew from the way Phoenix sounded there was no way I could just leave him like that. But I had to make damn sure I wasn't causing more problems.
Chapter 2: the Monster vs. the Phoenix
Date: June 29, 2034
For almost the past two weeks I had been hiding my scent as well as some of the other women in the building not just from Phoenix but from just about any guy with FMD. But that was only part of it. I had to start shaving my face because of the thick furry beard that started growing in. As well as my own set of black fur gloves and thick pads on my fingers and toes were coming in quickly. And my scenes were becoming sharper.
I could smell my neighbors down the hall when they had sex. And I could hear when the front door of the building opened. I lived on the third floor. Even on the pill I had to take two or three icy showers a day to keep this heat off. My tail bone had started hurting last night like it was being ripped three ways. As well as my jaw and nose were being pulled off my head. But what made it so much worse was the smell coming from Phoenix's apartment.
This burning musk smell that started driving me wild, it made me feel like I was on fire. And every time I went out I felt like everyone was staring at me. I couldn't take it anymore. That's why today I went to the hospital to get it checked out. And of all people to meet there Cadis was the nurse I got. I guess it was a good thing to be able to tell all of this to someone I know. From what I could see half of the staff had been hit with the change.
Cadis asked me all the questions this time round and a few more that weren't on the list. I told her everything. I had to strip for the full work up anyway and that when I had to show her the one thing I didn't want anyone to know about. So as she asked I took off my clothes one piece at a time. I was slow to take off my shirt and bra in front of the vixen. I sighed as I turned to her showing off the growing patch of white fur on my belly and breasts.
She was one of the few people in the hospital who knew about the skippers as they were called the ones who were changing without a trauma. This was what let her get away with giving me the work up without having a doctor see me in this state. "Ok, how bad is the itching" she asked scanning the fur that started to cover my body. "It's not bad, but it bugs the shit out of me" I said. "I know how that is" she said.
I showed her the state of my pads and the growth of my fangs. She gave an uneven look when she found the pads on my middle fingers and thumbs were rougher than the rest. "Ok we can't put you in a class just yet but so far it looks like you're a basic" she said. "There one more thing" I said and started to blush. "Hmm" she asked looking at my chart. "They have started growing" I said. "They" she asked. "... My ... tails" I said and undid my pants and letting them drop to the floor.
This made her drop the chart. "You mean your tail right" she asked making sure she heard me right. "No I mean tails as in three of them. I turned around and lowered my panties for her to see the three two inch long nubs growing from the base of my back. I heard her gasp. "I don't believe this" she said "you're not a basic, you're a mythic." "But I read online that mythics have these powers I guess." She just shook her head.
"Have you notice anything odd about the things around you" she asked trying to find better wording. "No, I just feel like I'm on fire just about all the time" I said. "I have seen one other case here they had pads like yours" she said reach over for some rubber gloves. I looked back at her. "The guy called them spark pads" she said pulling the gloves on slowing to keep her claws from ripping them. "Really" I asked in a mocking tone.
"Yes he and I think you as well have pyrokinesis" she said "the doctors said to keep an eye out for mythics because of those powers." "So I have no idea how they work" I said. "I'm going to check the growth rate and blood flow rate of your tail" she said letting me know not to make myself stand out if I can help it. When she touched my tails I started to moan and had to bite down on my fist. I whimpered every time she touched one.
I was feeling my heat building up as juices dripped down my leg. "I'm sorry" I whimpered into my fist turning redder by the second. Cadis pulled her hands away making me whimper more. "Hannah, you have nothing to be sorry about" she said and gave me a reassuring smile. Then she leaned down next to me and whispered in my ear "I'm not into girls but even the smallest hint of sex gets me wet." Part of me was getting more turned on by what she said.
"You can get dressed now" she said "you're doing fine and I'm sorry to say it this way but you're at a healthy rate of change and I'll asked the doctor to write you a script for some sleep aids for you." I thanked her after pulling my panties and pants back up. She left to go talk with the doctor and let me finish getting dressed. I thanked her and the doctor for their help and left to get the script. She had also given me some papers to read over about my condition.
It was late afternoon when I left the hospital. I rushed to the store to fill the script before they closed. When I got there they told me that they were filling as we spoke and to check back in half an hour. I did some quick shopping and got back the counter. They rang me up and told me to have a nice day. I was having an uneasy feeling on my way home. I felt like someone was following me. But every time I check there was no one there.
I was pretty much running home with this feeling still chasing me. I felt safer when I was inside the building took the stairs to the third floor. I knocked on Phoenix's door and told him I was back and I would have dinner ready shortly. I was still burning inside when I lit the stove and for a second the flame shot up in front of me. I jumped back just as it died back down. I want to see if that was just a random thing but I didn't want to risk it.
So I got to cooking for us and served us something meaty. I wanted to know if he was really eating so tonight I made sure he at least let me see him take the plate. I knock on the door and said "Phoenix if you want dinner you have to open the door." the door cracked open and I hear his voice clearly for the first time in almost a month. "I'm sorry I've been a burden on you for so long" he said sounding more like himself.
"I don't mind" I said "I just want to know if you're ok." He didn't answer. "Well a deal is a deal" I said and push to plate through the open part of the door. And not push my way inside as much as I wanted too. He took the plate keeping out of the light from the hall. When I pulled my hand back he didn't shut the door. "Yes" I asked. "You smell nice" he said and slowly closed the door. I went back into my apartment with a sigh of contend.
"At least he said something" I said to myself "and with the way things are I guess he was trying to be nice." I sat down and started read the paper Cadis gave me. Folded in them was a note. "Hey girl the other mythic I was talking about is one of the doctors. I was talking to him about it after you cut yourself on the glass. He said the spark pads work by snapping your fingers and then thinking about how to use the spark they make.
You're at the point in the change were your bones will be reforming. Take four of the sleep aids before you go to bed. And for your own wellbeing make some alone time if you know what I mean" the note read. Alone time, in this building were a good number of the others had super noises. Talk about waking the neighbors. But she was right if I didn't do something about it, no one was safe. So I changed my clothes and made myself feel a little sexier.
I gave the shared wall between me and Phoenix, a shave and a hair cut knock. He answered with two bits. "Phoenix I need to do something for me and I just want to let you know" I said "and ask you to bear with it?" "Do what you need to do" he said best he could through the wall. "Ok thank you" I said and went into my bedroom. I didn't know how messing it would get given I haven't done it in over a month.
So I laid out some towels and then lay down on the bed. I worked myself over from top to bottom. Even from where I lay my reforming hand hard at work I could hear him doing the same and it make me both happy and sad at the same time. The soft leather of my pads felt good over my skin and fur. The harder sandpaper like spark pads made me wetter by the second. I worked every inch I could and as odd as it sounded I rolled over and started gently rubbing and pulling on my tails. It felt so weird playing with the nubs but it sent jolts through my spin.
I felt my heat boiling inside as my fingers knew what to do. I was so lost in what I was doing, driven to hit that almost long forgotten peak that I didn't hear my Apartment door open. But I didn't get the chance. "Well you look at this shit" a man's voice said snapping me out of my lust. "A bitch in heat" the voice said. I covered myself the best I could and yelled "Who are you and how did you get in here?" "Does it matter" he said "I found a bitch in heat and I thought I'd be a nice guy and help her out."
Even without a light on I could see well enough to know he had a gun in his hand. I followed my newer instincts and held up my hand ready to snap my fingers. I heard him cock the gun and saw aimed right at my head. "Pick your load before I do" he said and unzipped his pants. "Thank you but I like to see the face of the guy I'm fucking" I said and snapped my fingers. It was weak but I had it. I made a small flame from my pads.
I didn't let it get to big but hoped it was enough to scare him off. But the flame lit up his face. He had on the same disgusting look on his face. That's sick twisted pride of having control over what he saw as a lesser being. And more to the point it was the man who killed my best friend. "There now you have seen my face, now get that bitch ass over and get to work" he commanded. I rolled away from him drying the pads on my other hand.
"You're the son of bitch who murder my best friend with the world watching" I yelled. "Oh you saw that" he said "good then I'll put you down the same way you fucking bitch freak." I didn't think he heard the growl coming from Phoenix's apartment when he spoke. "Yeah I'm a bitch freak" I said feeling my own empowerment "But what you didn't know." I smile and let the flame die out. "Mary Ashborn and her husband were my neighbors and he still lives here" I said "isn't that right Phoenix."
The monster turned to the door thinking that was the only way into my bed room. For a split second my heart stopped when the monster turned back to me "What you thought he was coming to save you" he laughed "bitch get over here and put that mouth of yours to some good use. He move closer to the bed and was right next to the window. "Even if he doesn't I still have my own fire power" I said hold up both hands ready to snap.
He turned to spot something in the window and turn the gun on it. Everything slowed almost to a stop. The glass in the window smashed in sending it everywhere. The mass and form of only I could only see as an angel crashing in through the window. Massive wings sat on its back and claws for hands. The monster didn't stop to think about what it was and just started shooting. Each shot hit the angel dead chest but even that didn't slow it down.
It opened what looked to be a large muzzle with ivory fangs inside. It did something and there was a spark that led a stream of flames from its maw. That's when I saw what had become of my friend. Large wings colored like a flame on his back, his fur a mix of red and gold. A winged wolf with talon like claws on his fur covered fingers. His eyes were the same soft blue as they always been but filled with pain and rage.
He set the monster a blaze but not to harm him or kill the very thing he hated. No the burns were light and would only leave a few marks. The flames were gone before the monster dropped to the floor. I couldn't see him as a saint anymore, because he was an angel now. And he saved me from his beloved's fate. In all of the confusion I had forgotten that I was naked and smelled heavy of lust. And it didn't dawn on me till I heard cop cars breaking to a stop outside and the neighbors running into the hall.
The first officer that found his way into the room was another victim of FMD. I stood there covering myself with my hands. The husky dog cop stopped just outside the door and yelled "drop your weapons and put your hands up." "Sir I can't do that at the moment" I said "there's a light switch just inside the door there." The dog cop cautiously swiped his hand across the switch and turned to light on. It blinded us for a second or two.
My skin turned red as I folded myself to hide what I could. "The guy on the floor was going to rape and kill me" I said "my name is Hannah Foxwood, and this man here saved my life." "And your name would be" the cop dog asked. "My name is ..." Phoenix started to say as he dropped to the glass coated floor. Without thinking I ran over to him cutting my feet on the glass. I rolled him over and saw the blood pooling from his heart.
"Sir we need a medic up here now" the officer yelled into the radio "we have a burn victim and a gunshot victim." The officer went over kicked the gun away from the monster on the floor and kept his gun on him. The EMT came in and looked at both men. He came over to me and Phoenix and started working on him. "He's going to have internal bleeding if I can't plug up this hole" he said. "Office can you hand me my bag" I said pointing to it.
The officer threw the bag on the bed so he didn't have to takes his eyes off the other man. That was fine I dumped the bag out and grabbed my last tampon. I shook my head and turned back to Phoenix. Without a second thought I jammed it into his chest in hopes it would stop or slow the bleeding. It took a second or two for the blood to stop flow out but it held and the EMT covered it best he could.
"Sir if you can hear me" EMT asked "can you give me your name?" "Ashborn" was all he could say at this point. The other EMT that followed was working on the monster. They were working to get him to the hospital. The cop threw me some clothes so I could go with them. "Ashborn" I heard the cop say. "This guy is lucky" the other EMT said "he killed the man's wife and the most he got was some burns."
"What are you talking about" the cop asked. "The guy this asshole shot was Ashborn" the EMT answered "his wife was the one on the new that got shot and kill on live TV." "Yeah" the cop said with an odd respect for the winged wolf dying next to me. It didn't take long to get him out of the build. And the cop was nice to help me out by carry me out to the ambulance as well. "I hope things work out for you and Mr. Ashborn" the cop said giving me a quick wink.
I didn't say thing. But I think he was trying to tell me something. Once we were at the hospital the doctors took Phoenix to the operating room. And a few of the nurses took me to get my feet cleaned up. "You're lucky your pads are as thick as they are" the green eyed vixen nurse said "but we'll have to keep you over night. "If my feet will be fine then why can't I go home" I asked. Cadis turned to me and smiled.
"Because here we can try to ease the rest of the change for you" she said "and wouldn't you want someone you know to be there when you wake after being shot in the heart almost a dozen times?" "Oh Cadis there you are" a doctor said finding us in one of the open rooms. The doctor was a red head brown rat. He wasn't very tall and only seemed to be in shape from running around the ER. "Would you go see if there is a room available for Mr. Ashborn to recover in" he asked "and we are going to need a room for Miss. ...?"
"Foxwood" I said. "Yes doctor" she said and left without a word. "The funny part is before my change she used to call me the rat doc" he said with a content sigh. He turned to me and held out his rat paw hand. It looked like he cut the fingers off some gloves and put them on his fingers and keep them there with metal rings. He was speaking low making it hard for those outside to hear. "So, you're the three tail vixen she was telling me about" he said slipping two of the finger gloves off.
Just like mine he had the pads of his middle finger and thumb rough and thick. "You're the other snapper" he said giving me a clear view of his spark pads. I looked around. "It's ok there are only three mythics in this hospital and no one here is going to say anything" he said. "I can't do anything bigger then a match head" I said. "That's because the gland hasn't finished its growth yet' he said. "Gland" I asked.
He turned his hand over and took off the glove of his index finger. Next to the pad was a small patch of black skin. "That patch there is what makes the fuel we use when we snap our fingers" he said "like a type of lighter fluid." I turned my own hand over. "See yours is still growing" he said point out the smaller black skin patch on my finger. "His spark came from his mouth" I said to myself. "Then he's a spitter" the rat doc said.
"I don't mean to change topics but you like her don't you" I said. "Yeah but chances of me getting with her went out the window when she found out I really was a rat" he sighed putting the gloves back on. "She trusts you" I said. "Nah, besides how can you tell" he asked. "She told you about me" I answered "I'm sorry." "It's fine" he said "you know what I think is going on with this FMD?" "What" I asked.
"Something is making the beast within each of us awaken" he said. "The beast within" I said "sounds like a badly written porno for furies." That got a squeal out of him. "Once we can get you a room we are going to be giving a sedative to help you sleep through the worst part of the change" he said. "Were the doctors this kind to Mary when she went through this" I asked only thinking out loud. "Mary Ashborn," he said "I'm sorry to say this but I was her doctor."
I looked up at him. "After her miscarriage we keep a close eye on her and put her under at the first signs of the transformation" he said thinking back on it. "How do you know I hit that part yet" I asked. "You still have a lot of adrenaline in your system so you can't feel it yet but in this short amount of time I heard six cracks in your bones" he said and had me listen. It was low and sounded more like someone cracking their knuckles.
I knew it was going to hurt but I wasn't scared. "This part of the change will make you convulse violently" he said "so when we put you under we will restrain you so you don't hurt yourself." "No," I said "I'm not going to take the easy way not after what Phoenix had to go through." "I understand" he answered "but I'm asking that for your own wellbeing to let us help you." "I was attacked by the same man that killed my best friend when she was coming here for help" I said.
"I'm sorry" he said "I'm just trying to help." "Yeah, and both of them suffered from you're help" I spat. "Ma'am please calm down" he asked. "Fuck you" I spat "fuck you and fuck this place." "Hannah" Cadis called "please?" I stopped myself from going after her too. She pulled a wheel chain up to the bed I was sitting on. "Come on, someone wants to see you" she said helping into the chair. I resisted at first but her gentle green eyes won the fight.
"I'm sorry doctor, I'm just worked up" I said looking away from him. "Don't worry about it" he said "last case I had punched me in the face." He seemed to laugh about it. "And doc" I said carefully "don't give up just yet, not until you try at least." Cadis looked between us and shook it off. She rolled me off the floor and took me to a room. Inside was a woman holding her child. Both them were cases of FMD.
"Hannah, this is Beth and Jewels" she said rolling me closer to the hare mother and cat baby. "Jewels here is the youngest case of FMD" she said. "Beth this is my friend Hannah" she said to the hare "the three tail vixen I told you about." We had our greeting and all. "It's hard to believe but these two" Cadis said to me "are one of the luckiest cases of FMD. It hit both of them at the same time and save both of them."
"Jewels birth would have killed both of them had it not been for FMD' she added. Beth handed the small child to Cadis to let me hold. I couldn't help but stare at the sleeping child in my arms. Her fine fur was a soft gold. I handed the baby back to her mother and said with a smile "she's beautiful." "I don't know why God has done this to the world but if it wasn't for this decease we wouldn't be here" Beth said holding her child close "and for that I'm thankful for it."
"I'm sorry for disturbing you" Cadis said "I just thought you two should meet." "Cadis, you don't have to be sorry I want to show the world what good came from this madness." Beth said as we left. "That was not fair" I told Cadis a little ways down the hall. "What wasn't fair" she said "I had to stop by and check on them anyway." "But really breaking my heart like that" I said. "Oh come on," she said "you saw how happy they were" she tact another one.
"Yeah, you're right and that little girl was beautiful" I said. "I know" She added "she made headlines already." We stopped one more time so I could get something to drink. "Ok we need to get moving" she said rolling us down the hall "we don't want to keep him waiting." No she couldn't be talking about Phoenix. Last I knew they were still pulling bullets out of him. There would be no way for him to be wake just yet.
She stopped us just outside the door to a room. On the bored next to the door had the name "Ashborn" on it. Cadis knock on the door before cracking it open. "Phoenix, are you awake" she asked "may we come in." "Yeah" he said low but soft. By now I was starting to feel my bones changing. Cadis opened the door and rolled me inside. "Phoenix I just wanted to thank you ..." I said looking at the bed only to see it empty.
"You don't have to thank me" he said. Cadis turned the light on. He was standing by the window. His flame colored wings shifted as he sighed. Now that I could see him better I saw he had no fur on his back. It was all feathers. And even his bird fan tail was the same colors as his back. He had grown at least a foot taller than last I saw him. "Everyone thinks it's funny that my transformation really did turn me into a phoenix" he said. I blinked with my jaw open. "I was there when they called his time of death" Cadis said.
"They said they called my death at nine o one P.M" he said "at nine o three P.M. I sat up and spat out twelve bullets. Or what was left of them anyway." I looked at the bowl on the table. Twelve pieces of led were sit in the bowl. Next to a blood soaked tampon. I didn't say anything else because if I opened my mouth I would have been screaming. My body was hurting in ways that made my head spin. I don't remember what happen after I fell out of the wheel chair.
Chapter 3: the Flame Vixen awakes
Date: August 2, 2034
I woke to the sound of a soft growl. I looked seeing nothing but black. I was standing on bare human feet. My skin bare and naked for the world to see. I started moving closer to the sound. My heart race when out of the dark a burning red fox came charging at me. I ran as fast as I could. I looked back to see the fox had grown bigger with each passing second. My legs gave out and I roll to my back. The burning beast stopped and was standing over me.
I don't know what words to use but seeing this fox standing over me the way it was gave me this scene of calm. It was a big as I was. It had burning blue eyes and its fur looked so soft. Its eyes met mine and I felt this fear, this anger, everything this beast was, burning deep inside of me. I was scared. Its three tails whipped and swayed. My body was burning in ways I couldn't understand. The fox lowered its head closer to mine never breaking the eye contact we had.
My mind and body fought as it drew closer. Then when its black wet nose touched my lips I felt at peace. I opened myself up to the beast willing to take it inside of myself. It laid down a top of me. Its body past through my flesh. I felt my body burning with power. I felt this strength inside my heart. The feelings running through me were so overwhelming that I passed out. My world changed with sights and sounds.
I was watching a full grown man with a wolf like head and massive flaming wings playing with two small children in a grassy yard. The children were a boy and a girl. The boy had a fox head with the fur to match and six puffed up tails swaying about. The girl looked so much like her father in the same burning colors. The three were so happy that I longed to join them but I sat on the porch of this sweet home rubbing my beach ball size white fur belly.
I sighed with a mother's content watching as her family played. But as I blinked the scene was gone. I was shaken and scared. This fear boiled over as I bolted up and without a thought and without opening my eyes I snapped my pads as an orb of flame shot across the room. It was just a dream. "It's just a dream Hannah, you're ok" I heard Phoenix's voice as thick furry arms held me gently. I lazed my hand letting the arms pull me closer. I smelled the scent of Phoenix's burning musk as he held me.
I didn't want him to let go. But I push him away feeling it wasn't right. "You're lucky I had a feeling that would happen" Cadis said as she put out the fire. "I'm sorry Cadis" I said "it just felt so real." I rubbed my stomach sadly feeling how flat it was. "Oh good you're finally awake" I heard the doctor's voice from the door. I open my eyes seeing the confused look on Phoenix's face. I withdrew from him more pulling my legs closer.
"See I told you not telling her about it would make it easier" Cadis said "pay up." "Tell me what" I asked rubbing my head. I looked at my fully formed paw moving my fingers to see how real they were. "To put simple I drugged you when you got here and had to make sure it kicked in" she said setting a tray of food in front of me. I started stuffing my muzzle with as much food as I could, feeling like I haven't eaten in days.
"I see you have made a full recovery Mr. Ashborn" the doctor said closing the door behind him. The fire rat doctor gave Phoenix a quick once over before asking him to open his mouth. "This is my first time seeing a spitter's sparker and glands" the rat said looking down the winged wolf's throat. "Hey doc," I said through a mouth full burger "I never got your name." "Everyone has been calling me Sparks after well I would say friend but after what you did to him" the doctor said "tried to kill one of the other nurses, I kind of lit him up."
"After that no one in the hospital fought him when he put you two in the same room" Cadis said. Dr. Sparks' ears blushed from Cadis' tone. I caught sight of Phoenix's soft blue eyes scanning my fur. It made me blush like a school girl being check out for the first time. He turned away when he knew he had been caught. Then I realized why he was staring. And Cadis quickly helped me cover myself. "Some things do take some getting used to" Dr. Sparks said after some uneasy coughs.
"But on a side note you are doing well and all the changes for lack of better meaning, have settle in nicely" he added "and your powers have become fully active." "All in one night" I asked. "You have been out for three days" Cadis said handing me a small bag "my mother made these for you." Inside the bag were four glove fingers to cover my spark pads. They felt as soft as my own fur. I looked up to see a brown set on Dr. Sparks' fingers as well.
"Oh and Mr. Ashborn, thank you for letting us study you're wings" the doctor add "what we found is amazing. You're wings produces the gel as you're glands and somehow this gel that we are still studying does not seem to burn anything that comes from it source." The three of us just stared at him. "Here let me show you" he said and pulled the finger gloves off. He pulled his tail around teased the black patch of skin on his finger.
He let the gel that oozed from his finger settle into the skin of his tail before snapping his fingers. His tail lit in a quick blaze before he choked it out with his hand and showed them what happen. The skin of his tail was unburned like the flame was never there. "I also think has something it was something to do with the pyrokinesis we have" he said letting go of his tail. "If that's the case then why are we still here and not locked up in some lab being used to make weapons for the government" I asked.
"Because the number of Mythic class cases had double in the past week" he answered "and the reports are showing a one in a hundred cases turn out to be mythic class." "Well that's good we don't have to hide it then" I said. "Half right" Cadis said "Mythics are being asked to turn over tracers of their powers." "But only criminal cases" the doctor added. "Great, well what's next" I asked "we all turn into animals?"
"I don't think so" Dr. Sparks said "it looks like the changes stop after this point." My head was hurting and the lewd stink in the room was not helping me focus. "Will everyone that's thinking about sex right now please leave the smell is giving me a headache" I said rubbing my head. "Yeah well that is something you're going to have to get used to as well" Cadis said pinching her legs closed. "Mr. Ashborn would you mind stepping outside for a few minutes" Dr. Sparks asked waving to the door. Phoenix left without a fight and stood on the other side of the hall as the door closed.
"Ms. Foxwood may I ask you to undress so I may check a few things" he asked. I cocked my brows and was about to say something when Cadis cut me off "Hannah the sooner he's done the sooner you two can leave" she said. So I undress standing for the first time on my new legs. It was weird but it felt nice to move around. Dr. Sparks did his best to give me a checkup but every touch made me jump or moan and made him uneasy.
After he finished I had to take a shower. Cadis had gotten some of my clothes from my place and a large coat for Phoenix to use. I was glad to be leaving but we had to make one stop before we could leave. I asked a nurse for two of the roses she had and handed one to Phoenix. Outside the hospital we were met by many questioning eyes. But many turned away when we stopped in front of a blood stained wall.
Around the stain people had left things behind. Little things like cards or pictures. The hospital went so far as to keep the makeshift shrine in tact by setting up covers for it. We set the rose next to the wall. I touched the stain for just a second and was met with feelings of fear and terror. But when the contact was broken I thought I had missed something. Phoenix was staring at me when I looked up at him.
"I think there's some sort of imprint of her here" I said turning back to the wall. My words were painful to the both of us but something about this feeling drove me to see it through. I opened my hand and pressed it to the stained wall closing my eyes to the outside world. There I saw it clear as day. The last moments of her life but it didn't stop there I saw everything that was on her mind that day. And all of it drew to a small shoe box in the back of the closet.
My shaking broke the contact and all I was left with was the last secret she had. I thought it best not to tell him about it just yet. Only because I felt it would have been too much for him. I only knew where it was but not what it was. I looked up at the winged wolf in his coat unfit for him to use. He had to let it hang over his shoulders because his wings were too big for it to fit right. His tail feathers sway under the coat somewhat acting the part of a dog tail waging hopefully to an upset master.
"Her last thoughts were of you" I lied and gave him a hug. He took it for what it was and smiled a wolfish grin. "She was right you are a bad liar, but thank you" he said and hugged me back. It wasn't even noon and I couldn't help but stare at the way the sunlight played off his fire and gold fur. "Did you know in some parts of the world a phoenix was a sign of hope because it never really dies" I said as we walked.
He nodded and said "that's why my mother made it my name, undying hope." "And did you know that the wolf is seen as being more loyal then dogs" I added "so your inner beasts must have fused when you transformed." "Undying loyalty and hope" he sighed and sounded displeased at the idea. "Phoenix, have you tried to kill yourself. "Yes" he said "hanging didn't work, cutting failed and I had gone so far as to stab myself in the chest. All that did was waste a good knife."
"So you saved me thinking it, HOPING it would get you killed!" I barked. "No, I heard you call for help I heard every word you said. I heard everything" he said tears rolling down his golden cheeks. "You god damn saint" I said rubbing my temple. I hate the fact he is so good natured and kind hearted that you can't even hate him for it. I took both of his hands a turned him to face me. "Phoenix, I'm going to say this once," I said looking him in the eye "morn for her, but don't let it become your life.
She won't want you to hide from the world because she is gone. She would want you face the world head on and say as you do with anything you set your mind to. I'm not out of tricks yet." He mouthed the words with me having said them so many times. Seeing him crack a smile made me feel better as well and a bit playful too. "And I'm sure she would love for you to show off those big beautiful wings you have" I said grabbing the coat and pulling it off him.
The sunlight hit his wings and the colors burned brighter then they had before. His head and eyes spun to the people around us. With the "oh" and "ahs" he was getting made him look more and more like the angel he should have been. His fears weaken by the light he opened his wings fully. The sight of those wings open on his back made him look like he was Apollo holding the sun to his back. His form drew eyes and made them gasp.
I felt knots in my stomach. But I liked the way it felt. I liked the sight of him smiling again. I loved the way he made everyone see things in a bright light. "Undying Loyalty and hope" I said holding the coat fold in my hands. I nodded to him as for the first real time he beat the wings letting them lift him to the heavens were he should have been all this time. His wings beating let him take to the air like a fish to water.
No soon he left the ground he was high in the sky with the birds. I smile drawing my eyes back down to earth. "He could change the world if given the chance" I said to myself. I turned and started walking trying to keep him in sight. I didn't feel ready to run just yet but knew I wanted too. Something slammed into me sending me down an ally. It didn't hurt as much as I thought it could but painful none the less.
I turned to see yet another man holding a gun on me. I pulled myself to my feet and looked the kid in the eye. "I have not had the best of weeks so tell me what you want or go away" I said slipping my finger gloves off and sliding them into my pocket. "Give me all your money before I put a hole through you" he said his legs shaking and the gun in his hand raddled. "One, if you can't hold your ground don't pick a fight, two I don't have any money, and three you're too young to be playing with one of those." I said.
I snapped my fingers and made a flame. I focus my thoughts on melting the gun in his hand and flicked my flame at him. As I commanded my flame to do the gun heated in the kid's hand forcing him to drop it. But I didn't stop it there. I made the metal melt into a pool of liquid parts. I walked past the kid like he wasn't even there. "What are you" he asked. "I am a three tailed flame vixen" I said "now be a good boy and go home."
I walked off my hips swinging and my tails swaying with them. I smiled the more I thought about Phoenix. He was free to be himself. Did Mary ever hold him back? No she was the one who pushed him forward. And made him stand for what he believed. I loved Mary like a sister but she was gone now. And it would only hurt if I left a void in her wake. Now I had to help a man I loved find himself and set her free.
But that can wait till I get him back on the ground. I looked up a few times because I had lost sight of him and the number of others taking to the sky had grown. It was funny to think almost four months ago this world was changing. FMD was seen as a plague, but now, now that people were getting use to it. Things will start to look up. I finally caught sight of him flying lower. I waved to him as he came closer.
He beat his wings a few times to get his legs under him. He set down roughly tripped over his own feet. I caught him before he fell. It was weird that he didn't seem to weigh much more then myself. He was breathing hard and his wings closed stiffly. "OW, OW, OW" he said somewhat leaning on me. "That's what happens when you're not use to doing it" I said easing the coat back over him "Come on let's go home, this time you can have dinner at my place if we can get in.
It wasn't long after that we got back to the building. Kids were playing in the street. One raccoon boy stopped in front of the building giving use a funny look. "Oh, Hey James" we both said. "Mr. Ashborn, Ms. Foxwood" he asked. We both nodded. "HEY THEIR HERE" the boy yelled "THEIR BACK." Windows opened and heads popped out and kids came running. Everyone in the Neighborhood came to see us.
I started blushing as James and his friends stared at my fur and Phoenix blushed from everyone staring at him. One of the more nosey of kids ran up to me and whispered to me "Miss. Cadis has a new friend" the girl said. "Oh" I said. "He's a rat with red hair and does tricks for us by snapping his fingers" she said. "Oh you mean like this" I said and snapped my fingers making small flames dance around. "Just like that" the girl said and ran off to tell her friends about my trick.
Phoenix looked up at the building and with a grin on his face "Looks like I have a lot of work to catch up on" he said. "I think I'm out of work myself" I said "think you could use some help?" he laughed and gave me a hug. "I would love the help" he whispered in my ear. I felt those knots again. But only half were from the way he held me. The rest was because I was hungry. We waved to everyone as we went inside.
It took a few minutes for him work out how to move his wings through the doors and around the stairs. But it was fun watch him work it all out and to hear him cruse here and there. "I have never known you to talk like that" I said after he had banged his head for the third time. "I'm not a saint you know" he said. "Could have fooled me" I chided. "I like to follow an old saying," he answered "talk softly but carry a big stick."
"From what I heard, you don't even need a stick" I joked and made his ears blush. We were outside my door. I looked and saw how the locked had been broken. He knew what he was doing. He drilled the lock out. But how could we have not heard the drill or smell the metal burn? How we miss the whole thing? "Hey, who are you" one of the neighbors asked who we didn't see when we came in. "it's me Hannah and golden boy here is Phoenix" I said pointing us out.
"No Hannah had light brown hair" she said getting closer. She looked both of us in the eye and thought about it. She looked closer and closer each time. "MY GOD, Child, What did you do to your hair," the older woman said "you look gorgeous." She looked me over like I was dressed for a ball. "And you, Mr. Ashborn, have you been working out" she asked looking over his build. "God I feared the worst when that drunk started drilling your door and then those gun shots I thought someone was killed" she went on.
"Don't worry Mrs. Belfree, we're both fine" he said and thanked her with a hug. "Well good night then sweetie, don't let this old hag keep your date waiting" she said wondered off. You got to love someone like her. Even if she didn't know what was going on she knew when something was going on. She said he was drunk. I think I could smell a drunk a mile away. But that didn't make sense. I rubbed my face for a second.
"Phoenix" I asked hold my finger up to his nose "what does that smell like?" he sniffed my finger and thought about it. "I don't know kind of like rubbing alcohol" he answered. "That answers one thing" I said. "What" he asked. "Why we couldn't smell him" I said. "I don't follow what does your finger have to do with him" he asked. "The guy was drunk," I said "and this gel stuff our bodies make smells like it we wouldn't notice it coming from somewhere else."
"And we both know why we didn't hear him" Phoenix said "like animals we were lost in what we were doing." Then he hid his face shyly at the fact. I didn't say anything but I looked away. "Are we going to get something to eat or we just going to stand here" I said after an awkward minute or two. It was a big shock to us both that my apartment was clean after what had happen. The only thing that no one could get rid of was the smell of blood and smoke coming from my bedroom.
There would be no way I could sleep in there again, and not have nightmares from the smell. But I went to check the fridge for something to eat. But instead I found a note. It read "Sorry Hannah, we ate all your food but here's a twenty to get a pizza or takeout, Cadis and Steve." "Who's Steve" I asked. "Dr. Sparks" Phoenix answered "I guess." I thought about it and then I smelled his scent in the kitchen.
Well at least they left us with something. So I ordered a pizza and went to take a shower. It was just more to cool off than anything else. After my shower I dried off and really looked myself over in the full body mirror. I really had gotten taller and almost all of my baby fat was gone. It looked like it moved from my gut to my tits which had gone up in size. Even my nipples had changed as well. My ass looked tighter and my tails just seem to flow out into three long ember red ropes that puffed out at the tip of snow white fluff.
When I was human I had neck long light brown hair. Now after my change, my hair came halfway down my back in a cherry red color. I don't know how or why but I just feel different. I never had a thing for furies; I just thought they were just perverted. But thinking about the way I have changed and the way I look. I know it sounds weird but I feel like someone just soaked me in sexy. And it feels great.
I feel great and yet I feel this great void in me. Like something is missing. I stood there looking at myself in the mirror. I let my paws run across the white fur of my belly. In my heart I knew what it was. It was that dream I had. The family I wanted. I felt alone. But I knew I wasn't the only one. He was as alone as I was. But I couldn't just ... What am I thinking he's my friend, and he was married to my best friend. I can't just decide that for him.
My thoughts drew back to the shoe box in the back of her closet. It was just a feeling. It was just a hope. It was just something in that box that told me everything would be ok. But I felt uneasy about so much. Just because the world did this to us doesn't mean that was it. Humans wouldn't just let what happen to us go on without a fight. As a whole we humans, well humans as a whole can't handle change every well.
And whatever did this to us meant for us to fight for our lives and stand our ground. Do I think it was right? Do I think it was fare? Do I think that for there to be peace blood must be shed? No. it was wrong. It is wrong. Wrong to make us into monsters. Wrong to make friends and family fall apart because something out there took a potshot at us. I can still hear that screech inside my head. The beast screaming in rage.
The sound of a man's heart falling into the darkness of a wild animal. Hearing it rip him apart from the inside. I fear leaving this place to see the streets red with blood. It was a painful truth that this form will cost lives and too many of them will be good people. But I'm letting my thoughts run wild and all I was doing was scaring myself. But I knew I wasn't alone and they were just as scared as I am. I shook my head and chased those thoughts from my mind.
I had a handsome male waiting for me and dinner on the way. I brushed out my out fur and fixed my hair. I dressed as light as I could given the heat. I came out of the bath to find Phoenix doing what he does best. He was changing out the locks on my door. I barked out a laugh seeing how many locks he had gone through. His ears were back as he growled at the door. If I had to guess he was a step away from sending the door to hell in flames.
"Phoenix, give it a break" I said taking the tools away from him. He whimpered like a pup. The pizza guy came up the stairs and found us standing there. "Broken lock" the guy asked. I nodded. "Not used to the new hands" he asked. Phoenix agreed. The guy looked around as to check if someone was watching. Phoenix knew what the guy was thinking and raised his hand. "Can't get use to it if I don't do it myself" he said and gave the guy the full twenty without a care.
We'll just do this one day at a time.
Chapter 4: Of church and school
Date: September 10, 2034
One of the smaller public schools a few blocks from home let us use the auditorium for the neighborhood meetings. Everyone had always looked to Phoenix for answers and they had always seen Mary at his side. But this was the first time he had to face them on his own. I did what I could but I couldn't do much without stepping on Mary's grave. But I gave him my support. "Friends I know this has been hard on everyone" he said after the minutes had been read.
"We have all lost someone close to us due to FMD, and I know those of us that have change face a new horror" he said his face grim "you have all heard the story on the news. Of people young, old, male, female anyone of the classes they had put us in, we are facing people who are taking this too far and are attack people in some cases skinning them alive" "I say we should fight back" one tabby cat guy said.
"How should we fight back," Phoenix said "Go out and hunt down these people and do to them what they would do to us." The guy back down. "See this is something we must understand" Phoenix went on "yes, we have changed. But that does not mean we have to right acted like wild animals." "Then what are we suppose to do to protect our families" James father said. "The same way we always have" Phoenix said.
"Phoenix, none of us are like you, we can die" another man said "we're not as lucky as you." "Luck," Phoenix said. One thing many knew about was that Phoenix hated what he had become and has tried to kill himself too many times to count. His wings flared as he spoke "you think it was luck I had to watch my wife die right in front of me. You think it was luck that made me into this thing." He couldn't hide his rage.
If he couldn't regain control the beast will break free. The thought of hearing the unholy screech scared me. "This monster can't be killed I've tried" he growled "and it brings me back every time." "Phoenix" I said reaching out to him. It was just for a second but when I touched his arm I heard it again. That screech, that unholy screech demanding to be set free. I pulled away asking him again "Phoenix please."
He stopped for a moment. "We have all lost something, some more than others" he said beating his rage back. What was happening to the saint I knew was unbelievably curl. I had never seen him this angry and over something so small. It scared me to think what was going on inside his head. "MAY THE LORD GRANT MERCY ON THOSE TO WHOM THE DEVIL HAS MARK AS HIS SOLDERS" the preacher from the theater church a few blocks outside our neighborhood said.
One thing I didn't understand about him. I had spoken to him a few times and he never cared about race or anything else that would scream of hate. But his whole attitude change after his own daughter had sex with her boyfriend who was one of us. This big black preacher hated us and disowned his daughter calling her a slut. "Demon spawn let me speak to the lord's children" the preacher said. Phoenix stepped back and let the man speak.
I swear he is always too nice. "Brothers and sisters and sinners I ask you why do you let this monster command you like solders? Why do you hide behind this burning devil?" I would go on about what he said but it was just the ironic rant of a father going after something he didn't understand. Phoenix and the preacher were about the same height and could look the other in the eye. But I couldn't take it anymore.
"Will you listen to yourself" I said standing up to him "you were the one telling everyone to be kind and merciful to those who had changed. But when you found out your own child fell in love with one of us you turn around and made it a sin. When I know for a fact you are not as holy as you say you are." "Quiet demon bitch" he shouted and went to back hand me. "That's enough" Phoenix growled stepping between us and starring into the man's eyes.
"I can't stop you from saying or thinking what you want but" the flame colored winged wolf said "if you raise your hand like that you show yourself to be the same type of monster I am." Nether male back down. The preacher couldn't find the words he wanted and just stood there glaring. "This has nothing to do with what happen to us" Phoenix went on his voice only getting softer "this has to do with the choice you and your family made.
And that is something you have to live with. We didn't ask for this. None of us wanted this. And the only thing you can think of is to tell the people you wanted to enlighten to be hateful. Tell me in your own words. Who is the monster here?" Phoenix stepped back and stepped to the side easing me along with his wing. The preacher stood there starring at the crowd. And as quietly as a child the preacher walked away.
"This how we fight, we will fight hate with kindness, we will fight stupidity with patients, and we will welcome any who need us" I said. "This is the real world Miss Foxwood" Jacob the guy who lives down the street from us said "you're saying do nothing but love. How is love going to keep anyone safe?" the mouse man stood up. "How is it going to keep the ones with guns and knives and other monstrous things from doing as they please" he asked.
"No one said that you can't protect yourself" I said "We're saying don't go out there and pick senseless fights. If we go around acting like that or acting like animals would we be any better than the ones who are attacking us because of something we had no control over." "Not all of us can set these guys on fire or just take off and run for our lives" he said "we have to do something more than prey the world lets us live like nothing happen."
"I understand your fear" I said "but evil will bring about more evil. I don't want to see anyone else get hurt. I don't want to watch the news just to see how bad the world is treating others like us. I'm sick of it. I'm sick of everyone looking down on us. But what is getting angry going to about it?" I paused. I waited to hear what they had to say. "That's my point" I went on "it does nothing. You want to take a stand then stand up and help out.
No one here has see how truly bad it is out there because we made a choice to work together. And not fight with anyone who turns on us like we are at fault for this." I stopped to look around the room. I didn't notice at first but there were more people there than when we started. They were all looking at me. But what really scared me was the way they were staring. "This place, this school is where the real fight begins" I said "because it is here our kids will learn about how the world changed and what we did to change it.
So ask yourselves, who are we fighting for? Whose lives will be changed because of what we do? Who will have to pay for the mistakes we make?" I stopped and pulled my hand away from my stomach feeling empty inside. "We are the ones have to make the world a safer place. We are the ones who have to change. We are the ones who have to show the children of this new world how to do what is right. I'm sorry I've taken up your time.
I think if we have no new business then we should call this meeting adjourned for today." The meeting was called to a close and everyone left. Phoenix sat where he was and waited till everyone had left. Phoenix blush when I turned to him. "I hate to say but he was right" I said. "Right about what" Phoenix asked he ears perking up. "That things won't change without bloodshed" I answered shifting around in my clothes trying to get them to sit right.
"Yeah, but we can only hope that the choices we make will make a differences" he said tilting his head. He gave me a questioning look. "Are you ok" he asked "you seem upset about something." "I don't know ever since my transformation I've just felt different" I said. "I've noticed" he said pulling up on his sweat pants. Given the fact they were the only clothes he had that could fit him. And large holes had to be cut into the backs of his shirts to fit his wings through.
That dream I had during my transformation left me feeling empty inside. Like something missing from my life I just couldn't put my furry finger on it. "Come on we're going to be late if we don't get moving" Phoenix said taking my hand. I shuttered till his beast settled. We were heading for a class on how to control our powers better and how to use them to do day to day things. I just had to snap my finger to make a spark.
But Phoenix had to click his tongue to make his spark and found out things like to blow up when he sneezed. "Ah, Miss. Foxwood, Mr. Ashborn" a snake headed female said as we came to an open door "good to see you again." She was a hydrokinetic and it showed on her icy blue scales. She wasn't teaching the pyro class but helped out because it was easy for her to put some of the fires out and start a few of her own.
She had snow colored hair and silver snake eyes. She had a swimmers build and the webs of her hands just seem to add to it. I could look her at eye level and not feel too tall or short around her. And every time I have seen her she'd always give me this little too friendly smile and made it a point to lick her eyebrow in front of me. Thou I didn't put much thought behind it given, I've been getting looks like that from a lot of people.
But that's not the point. Anyway, Dr. Sparks was in charge of the class and showing us how it was the sparkers themselves that linked our minds to the flames. And he told everyone that was older then twenty-one that having a beer or a beer's wroth of alcohol a day will keep the gland healthy and wet. For anyone under twenty-one that they can do the same by washing the gland with rubbing alcohol at least four times a day and use as little of the flame gel that they could.
Well we all know how most kids are. But anyway the class finished and it was time to go. The rest of the day was like any other quiet. I made dinner and Phoenix was replacing my window that he broke. He had fixed just about everything in the bedroom and replaced the carpet and some of the sub floor. But for the most part he got rid of the smell. And that meant I could sleep in my bedroom again. Too bad he didn't stay the night. He never did.
Date: September 17, 2034
A week after the preacher had his words handed to him he was holding a new sermon. And everyone was asked to attend. More to the point every FMD case they could find. It wasn't my thing but James asked both me and Phoenix to go. And we could never say no. Thou I have felt like smacking him for staring at the tuff of white fur that sat right between my breasts. But boys will be boys. Then again if I did that to everyone that stared at it I'd have to put my hand in a cast.
The preacher had changed his outlook on the matter and got to know the guy his daughter is dating. And spoke highly of the FMDs that made him take a closer look at what he had done. He told everyone in the building that we had to come together to make the world better place. In the middle of his sermon he stopped. Just stopped, the act, the speech, everything and said in almost a whisper "I honestly don't know what I'm doing any more."
He looked like a broken man. Everything in his life had changed and he didn't know how to handle it. But from where he stood, it was more like he was asking God for answers than really talking to anyone. Then in the back of the room an angel rose. A wolf headed angel glowing in the light of the Holy Ghost stood. For a long moment everyone was quiet. Not even children made a sound. Then with two large fire and gold paw like hands slammed together with a loud clap.
Next to this angel rose a fox who repeated the act. Then another and another till every person in the room was on their feet clapping. The preacher fell to his knees watching as every living being in the room clapped. This simple act saved his soul. It didn't answer his questions but told him what he needed to hear. "You are not alone." He rose to his feet drying tears from his eyes. With his powerful voice he cried out to every soul who could hear him "You are not alone, my brother and sisters, you are not alone."
I found myself smiling at the big goof who had shown once again the saint he said he wasn't. At the end of the sermon just before he finished he paused again but this time he walked off the stage and down the rows to the far back of the room. Where he found us sitting there. He got us to follow him back to the stage. "Brother and sisters, these two have shown an old foolish man the error of his ways and renewed his faith in our heavenly father" he said.
"God has sent his angels into our world to glide us through the dark and many have the power to light the way for others to follow." He shook both of our hands saying a pray under his breath. I saw his beast in the depth of his heart. A great and powerful lion slept in his soul. But his beast was string and finding its way out of the dark. After he finish his sermon and was walking the crowd out shaking hands as people left.
Phoenix and I found him outside. "Thank you the both of you" he said. "Can we talk somewhere else" I said "I know it was nothing we said or did that got you to change your mind." He looked away to see how many people were left. Soon he was able to get away from the crowd and led us to a quiet garden behind the building. Before he could say anything I spoke up and made it clear what was going on "You're a FMD victim."
"I was hoping it didn't show yet" he answered. "Let lions lay with the lambs" I said and left the matter at that. "But how could you tell" he asked "I thought I hid every sign the best I could." "I'm not sure how it works but when I touch someone I can feel their thoughts like they were my own and when you shook my hand I happen to see your inner beast" I said not know a better way to put it. "Well whatever it is God has blessed you with it in many ways" he said looking me over.
I shook my head as we left. "Maybe I should get a boyfriend then maybe every guy will stop hitting on me" I said as we walked down the street. Phoenix didn't say anything. "Maybe get you a girlfriend as well," I added and being answered with a low growl. I stopped talking at that point afraid I would upset him more. "What do you feel when you touch me" he asked. I hoped he wouldn't ask me but he did.
"I hear it" I said "I hear that unholy screech, makes me feel like it's going to kill Me." "So I am a monster" he said. "No you are not a monster" I said "I think your beast is just angry." "But I'm not angry" he said. "I know that" I said "I don't know why but it just is." I started feeling uneasy again like someone was following me. Phoenix picked up on my fear and we started walking faster. Something was following us and it was catching up to us.
We turned down an alley to try to lose it. But half away down the alley, we hit a dead end. We turned to go back to the street but were faced with a group of men. All human and all armed. "We're not looking for trouble" Phoenix said holding out his hands. "Too bad" one of them said and shot Phoenix right between the eyes. "Phoenix" I cried trying to catch him as he fell. "Well boys, looks like we can make more than we thought" one of them said as more guns cocked.
By time I had my hand up to snap one of them charged and kneed me in the face. Pinning me down, he gripped between my fingers keeping me from snapping. "Hey, boss what you think we should do with this one" the man on top of me asked. "I don't give a damn, just don't damage the fur." one of the others answered. He turned back to me with a big dumb smile on his face. "Come baby let's have some fun" One of his friends came over to help hold me down.
"Looks like you got a fiery one here Jay" his friend said tying my hands together. "I know should make this all the better" he said, before I kneed him in the family jewels. "Fucking bitch" Jay hissed punching me in the face. My mouth was bleeding as he finally tied my legs up. Their friends were still working out what they were going to do about Phoenix. I fought back best I could, given I couldn't just light them all on fire.
They were fighting with me and my clothes feeling my up when they could. I started shouting only to get punched again and get my muzzle taped up. When they rolled me over I started smacking them with my tails. "Fucking bitch hold still" Jay hissed in my ear. When he grabbed my tail I involuntarily moaned and push back against him. "That's right bitch" he said trying to work my pants off. Of all things I had to get turned on by someone pulling my tails.
"This is the police, drop your weapons and put your hands in the air" I heard a woman said. Before I heard another man says "this is our lucky day."
Chapter 5: Of Beasts and Men
So there I was laying out in the dirty alley my pants half way down my legs and my hands, feet and mouth taped and tied up. My best friend and the love of my life just a lifeless mass, again. It didn't help that I was getting turned on by someone pulling on my tails. And what made it worst there were people watching. But the woman I heard said she was a cop so maybe I could still get out of this. "Last chance put your weapons down and put your hands in the air" she said.
"And how are you going to do that mousy" the leader asked. "Sir I will use force if you make me" she said. "Then make me mousy" he said and took a shot. "HAH, Thunder kick" she yelled. My fur was standing on end when she yelled. I heard something like an electrical discharge and the first man shouted. "Lighting punch" I heard a second voice yell as another dropped. From where I was I couldn't see who was fighting but I saw one of Phoenix's wings move.
I don't know how much of him was still there but I knew he was still alive. I heard two more grunts but it sounded like the cop and her friend were down. That's when I thought all hope was lost. "Sweet, two more sweets to play with" Jay said running his hand across my backside. I growled and squirmed. One of the ones still standing went to roll Phoenix over. But once he touched the mass of feathers and fur, one of Phoenix's clawed paws swung up in the guy's face sending him flying across the alley.
That's when I heard it from his own throat. That unholy screech came ripping its way from his lungs. I was pulled to my feet and used as a shield as the phoenix wolf clicked his tongue and spat flames on the first to it saw. More shots rang out beating into Phoenix's flesh. But they couldn't slow the beast down. It screeched again when it dropped the last one turning to me seeing the man behind me holding a knife to my throat.
"Move and I kill her" he said pressing the blade to my neck. It blinked at me. This was not my Phoenix but it knew me. It screeched again so loud I thought my ears were going to blow. I felt the man's hands pull away from me. I guess to cover his ears. But I dropped out of the way trying to get my hands free. The man dropped the knife covering his ears. He was begging for his life at that point. The phoenix wolf howled before it started to click its tongue again.
I got the tap off of my mouth. Thank God electrician's tap doesn't hold well to fur. "Phoenix, stop, please" I yelled before he could make a spark. He turned his head to me looking my right in the eye. Wild uncontrollable rage was all I saw in his eyes. But he was just staring at me. More cops came taking his attention from me. He screeched again. But before he could move his body jerked and seized. He hit the ground hard.
"Phoenix" I shouted biting the tape off of my hands. I pulled my pants up and cut myself free from the rest of the tape. I looked to see the two females each holding one of his legs. Both were mice of some kind. One was copper colored the other bright yellow. I was on my knees standing over Phoenix when one of the mouse women looked up at me. "Ma'am, step back" the Copper mouse said trying to get to her feet.
"But he's my friend" I said turning from the sleeping mass to the copper colored mouse. She shook her head and took her hand off of Phoenix's leg. "Pica, he's out cold" the cop said to the smaller mouse. "Chu, Rika did we have to stop the guy's heart" small yellow mouse said before turning to me. Pica's cheeks had big red circles that made part of me think she was a stuff toy from a kid's show. Officer Rika had something similar but in more of a light gold color.
"I'm fine what did you do to him" I asked rolling the winged wolf onto his back. "Pica, he'll be fine" the officer said picking up her cap "This why I hate dealing with burners." "We weren't looking for a fight" I said. "I know" the cop said before calling for back up and EMTs. "You have to forgive Rika, she thinks pryos can't think on their feet without the quick draw" the smaller of the two said. "Shocking" I said.
"We both have electro kinesis" she said kneeling on the other side of the sleeping wolf. "Well I guess that's why my tail fur is standing on end" I said. "Pica, bring him back we have the area secured" Rika shouted after blowing four or five other people with commands. "Stand back" the mouse girl said "I'm going to shock him." I got up and took a few steps away from the both of them. The mouse pulled her arm back as she charged up her power.
I looked down at Phoenix just as his eye lids shifted and open. "Pica wait" I shouted but was too late. She dropped her fist right for his heart as his claws shot up and around her neck. Phoenix let out that glass breaking screech. I didn't think he would hear me a second time so I did the only thing I could think of and that was to jump. I threw myself on top of him and did my best to pull his clawed hands off the mouse.
"Phoenix she was only trying to help" I cried. The beast paused but didn't release her. "Phoenix please let go she help save my life" I begged. He growled and looked to each of us. I looked into his eyes and pleaded with him. He whimpered and released her. I brushed my hand across his cheek. "Someone help me please" I heard Phoenix's voice in the back of my head. I fell off him as he pushed himself back to his feet.
"He's in there, he's still in there" I said to myself. The beast was holding his head whimpering in pain. He started beating his head into a dumpster then a wall anything that looked to take the pain away. I shook it off I had to do something anything to help him. "Phoenix" I called trying to stop him from hurting himself more. I got pinned between him and a wall. "Phoenix please listen to me, I want to help, but you need to calm down" I said trying to keep my voice low and soft.
I put my hand on the sides of his head. He just kept his eyes on me the whole time. The more I spoke the more focused he was on me. "Pica now" Rika shouted. The beast turned his head to Rika's voice. I hugged his neck as tight as I could. "I'm not letting you go" I said. There was a sharp buzz and everything went black. This wasn't the first time this has happened to me. And let's face it I'm starting get use to it.
"Someone help me please" he voice rang in my ears "I can't take it anymore, it hurts too much." The monster screeched broke the connection and sent me screaming back to my body. I bolted up right still screaming from my dream "PHOENIX!" "Hannah its ok dear, I'm here, just relax" a woman's voice whispered in my ear. I knew this voice; she was someone close to me. I knew this hug. She would hold me like this after I had a nightmare as a child.
Smooth but aging hand was petting my head. "Hannah, it's me your mother" she said. "Mom" I said looking up at her. Her face had never changed; she was the same as she had always been. I could see and feel how worried she was. The only thing I could think to say to her was "I'm sorry." "For what my dear, you did nothing wrong" she said. My mother was a deep seeded catholic but I had never known her to be so open to what had happen to me.
Date: September 18, 2034
"Hannah, I always knew you were different" she said "you were always gifted; now everyone knows it." "But mom I" I said as she cut me off with the tip of her finger. "You were always my little vixen" she said and released me from the hug "but I don't like you being around a monster like that." "He's not a monster," I said looking over at the winged wolf sleeping in the bed across the room "he's a saint."
"Hannah, saint's don't burn men to death or rip a man's face off" she said. "The same men who shot him in the head and were going to rap and kill me" I said. She shook her head thinking I was just being foolish to stand up for him. "The officers that came with you said he was acting like a wild animal" she said in the chiding voce she used when she thought I was wrong "this is why I said you should have stayed with us till you were married.
"Mother" I said. "Don't you mother me young lady, when that rat doctor says you can leave you're packing and moving back home with me today" she said like it was solely her choice to make. "No, I made a promise and I'm not going to leave him" I said and slammed my fist on the table next me bed. The table fell apart after my fist hammered it once. "I leave, he will have nothing left" I said "he had to watch helplessly as his wife was killed."
"Hannah I know you think you're doing the right thing by staying here, but look at how many times you got hurt because of him" she said. She might as well have gone and spit on him for what happen to him. "You're acting like this was all, his fault" I said pulling on the fur of my arm "he didn't do this to us, he didn't ask to become like this, as far as anyone can tell it might have been God that did this to us."
I felt her hand cross my cheek leaving it hot and red under my fur. "I never want to hear you speak like that again" she said "Hannah, this curse is the devil's work and you know better than say such things." I growled at my mother. "Get out" I growled. "Hannah, you are out of control" she said. "No mother, you're out of control, now get out." "I will do no such thing." "Get out." "No." "GET OUT!" "Whoa, what's going on Hannah" Cadis said when she came in and heard me shouting.
"I want her out of here" I said. "I have every right to be here with me daughter" she said like she owned the place. "Ma'am, please she just woke up and I know her well enough to know she doesn't yell over nothing" Cadis said eyeing my mother. "You maybe her friend but I am her mother" she answered. "I'm also a nurse and you're upsetting her" Cadis said. "Then why is she in the same room as that thing" my mother asked.
"Because if he wakes up with the state he's in and he can see her he will go wild" the vixen nurse answered "it was the only way he would let us help him." "So she's here against her will" my mother jumped. "No, if she asked we would move her to another room, but the doctor thinks it would be for the best that we keep these two in the same room" Cadis finished "and if you have a problem with that then you are free to leave."
"Not without my Hannah" My mother demanded. "Ma'am, if that man wakes up as he did in the ally, then she has to be close by because he will listen to her" Officer Rika said from the doorway. The sleeping wolf growled and whimpered in his dream. "Phoenix, is a good man, but even he has his demons" Cadis said "so, please, leave him be." "No you don't even have that monster restrained and you think it's safe to have anyone in the same room as it.
"It's no use she's just going to think what she wants about us, and what monsters we have become" I said. "Hannah you are no monster" my mother said. "I'm just as much of a monster as he is" I said. "He killed three men" she said. "No he stopped three monsters the same way he saved me from the monster that shot and kill his wife for the world to see." I said. "You said he was shot in the head then how could he get up and kill three men" she asked.
"He can't die" I said "no matter how hard he has tried." "See, how can you say you a monster just like him" she asked. I snapped my spark pads and birthed a small ball of flames in my hand. She stopped talking and just watched as I let the flame die out. "You called him a monster and you don't even know what I am" I said "you think you know me but you don't even know what has happen to Me." she looked back to the sleeping wolf.
I couldn't tell what she was thinking but none of us could have seen what came next. Phoenix woke and was growling. He was growling at my mother. She jumped and back away ready to run. Phoenix crawled to his feet read to jump across the room. "Phoenix" I said "stop." He looked at me and stopped. My mother watched as I talked Phoenix out of hurting anyone. "It's ok Phoenix no is trying to hurt me, or you" I said.
He stiffed the air. "I was just showing my mother how my spark pads work" I said and open my hands. He snuffed and growled. I stood up slowly moving closer to him. His wings ruffled and flared. "I know you're scared, but it's safe, you're safe here" I said. He twitched his head to the others. "You know Cadis and Officer Rika, she help save my in the ally and the other woman is my mother" I answered "her bark is worst then her bite."
He put his paws to his head, whimpering and growling in pain. I sat on the bed and slide over to him. "It's ok, I'll ask Cadis to get you something for the pain" I said held my hand out to him. He stiffed my hand still hold his head. "Yes you know me I just want to help" I said. He pulled back. "Oh" I said and pulled my hand away "you're mad at me for what happen in the ally." He shook a bit and wined in pain. "Please let me help" I said. He shook and barked at me.
"Hannah, I don't think his listening anymore" my mother said trying to move me away from Phoenix. He barked and stepped closer to me. My mother had to back away for her own safety. "Phoenix, stop, you don't want to hurt anyone" I said. He clicked his tongue. Not good. "Everyone leave the room" I said not turning away from the confused beast "slowly one at time." The way it was moving seemed like it was hurt and in a lot of pain.
Phoenix's beast was in as much pain as he was. Then it spoke. "Pain go" it said with an inhuman tone. "Yes," I said "let us help make the pain go away." "You lie, but he trust" it said. "I didn't let go" I said. He blinked still holding his head. "Scared, pain, we hurt others" he said "he good, other bad." "No you both are good you both saved my life" I said. "But hurt others" he said "make pain in others bad." "Is he safe" I asked. "He not safe, scared, pain, no wake" he said.
"What is she doing" my mother asked "it's just growling and barking at her." "She you but not you" he asked looking at my mother. "She is my mother" I answered. "She say we bad." "No, she doesn't understand you" I said "so she is scared of you." I open my hand and reached out to pet him but he backed away. "You touch, go in side, in side not safe" he said. "Cadis, come over here very slowly" I said.
"You know Cadis" I asked him. He nodded. "She can't go inside, like I can" I said "will you let her help make the pain go away?" he nodded again. Cadis came over to us with her hands open so he could see them. "Can he understand us" she asked. He nodded. "I don't know how but I can understand what he is saying" I said. "Phoenix I'm going to open this cabinet and take out bottle" She said pointing behind her.
"Bottle make pain go" he asked. "Yes it will help make the pain go away" I said. Cadis got the bottle of painkillers and showed him. "Other know don't eat bottle, but he take many with flame water" he said. It hurt to hear that Phoenix had tried so many times to kill himself. And that he even tried to overdose on painkillers. "He hurt self to hind other, other only try help" he said. Cadis open the bottle and gave him a few and a cup of water.
He took them and ate them still blinking. "Pain no go" he said. "Give them some time to work" I said. "Pain in side no go, pain no move" he said. "He said there's something stuck and that's causing the pain. "Can you show me where the pain is" Cadis asked. He nodded and pointed to the spot where he was shot in the head. "Pain same as others but other cannot make move" he said. "How many bullets did he spit out" I asked. "Almost thirty" Cadis answered.
"He said there was one more in his head, but he couldn't remove it before he healed" I said. "Other try, you stop other, body jump, sleep, now pain" he said. "I'm sorry that happen I was only trying to help" I said. Cadis slowly put her hand on Phoenix's head and petted him slowly. "Good soft but not same" he said "not good soft like you." I think I started blushing. "What I want to know is how can, you be the only one who can understand him" Cadis asked.
"You in side when jump sleep" he said. "He thinks it's because I was in his head when he was shocked" I said. He seemed to be calmer now and really friendly. "If I ask the others to come meet you would that upset you" I asked. He blinked confused by my question. "No trust, gold cheek make other jump, mother call other monster, other flame maker is friend he come" he said. "Other flame maker" I asked myself.
"The bald tail one" Phoenix answered. "Dr. Sparks" I asked. "Yes hello," the flame rat said as he enter the room "oh, you both awake." "Scared other" Phoenix said. "Does he scare you" I asked. He shook his head, "other scare bald tail." "Doctor, My daughter thinks that thing still has a bullet in his brain" my mother said. "Ma'am Phoenix is a good man and I have known him for sometime" the doctor said "and I don't like anyone speaking ill of my friends, Mrs. Foxwood."
"Bald tail good, other bad" Phoenix said. "No you're not bad, you just need to learn to hold back" I said. He looked at me. "Doctor, you're not going to believe this" Cadis said "the other Phoenix is awake and talking, but the only one who can understand him is Hannah." "You're kidding" he asked. "Bald tail, make good flame make pain go help sleep" the beast said. "Good flame" I asked. "Yes, he make good flame help, bald tail can, you have key to in side, you heart key" the beast answered.
"He can heal people with his flame" I asked. The beast nodded "good flame." "Hannah what is he saying" Dr. Sparks asked as he came over. "He said you can use you're flame to heal people and I can get inside people's heads." the beast shook his head and tapped his heart with the palm of his clawed paw. "I think he mean you can get in their heart" Cadis said. The beast nodded. "Does he have a name" the doctor asked.
"No he just calls himself other" I said "and he seems to think his bad." "Sounds more like a little kid then a big bad monster" Officer Rika said still standing by the door. "Other want good, other want help" he said. "He can understand what we're saying but he can't speak English" Cadis said. "Ok, as far as the last bullet we'd have to go in and get it" the doctor said frowning and rubbing his chin. "They in side to make pain go" the beast asked.
I nodded. He shook his head "no, not safe in side not safe." "He thinks it's not safe" I said "but I don't think he understands what you mean." A thought hit me. "You know how the pain got inside right" I asked. He nodded "hot pain came here." He tapped the spot on his forehead. "Well bald tail wants to go in the same way but take the pain out as he leaves" I said and tried to show him with my hands. The beast thought about but started to shake his head.
"If he does it that way he can help make you good" I said. Dr. Sparks didn't get what was going on but nodded all the same. "Yes I can help you with my gift and make the pain go away as well" he agreed. "Then he wake and happy" the beast asked. I paused. This made the beast uneasy. "He sad, mate make happy, mate go make sad, you make happy, other make sad" the beast said "if bald tail make other go, he make happy." I shook my head.
"No he needs you, but he doesn't understand you" I said. "He think other bad" the beast said. The Doctor left the room as did Cadis and the mouse cop leaving just my mother, Phoenix and myself. "Mother think other bad, no like other" he said "she not bad." It took some doing but I got my mother warm up to the beast Phoenix. Soon enough she was asking him all these questions. She warmed up to him alright.
She was also starting to plan a wedding she wanted me to have. With my mother happy about her plan she left to tell my father all about it. Finally leaving us alone. "Why do you keep calling yourself other" I asked. "Other only call other, have no name" he answered. He was sitting on his bed and I had moved back over to mine so I wasn't too close to him. "So what is his gift" I asked. "Not know, no bad sleep, and something not know call" he said. "So he has two gifts" I asked.
"He can't die and you don't know the other one is called." the winged wolf eyes seemed different from the last time I saw them. There was no hate in them just this sadness. "Where you always like this" I asked. "Yes but others do bad, make other" he said trying to find a word. "Mad" I asked. He blinked; it was a new word to him and didn't understand what it meant. "Mad means you're sad about something and makes you do something bad" I said.
He nodded "yes, make other mad, other do bad, make others stop bad." "How come when I asked you to stop you did" I asked. It was the only thing that was bugging me. "You make him happy, other know, other do" he answered. He shook his head before I could ask him anything else. "Is there anything I can do to help" I asked. He went to speak but all I heard was barking and broken squawks. He gave me a puzzled look and rubbed his throat.
"I think the link broke so now I don't understand what you're saying anymore" I said shaking my head. He looked sad that no one could understand him anymore. "You can still understand what I'm saying" I asked. He nodded happily. "It may just be me, but I think if you try, you can work out how to speak like us" I said giving him something to look forward to working on. He made a few playful barks. I think he just said "other try."
There was a knock on the door and Dr. Sparks asked if he could come in. He had good news for us. "The good news is we can remove the bullet once we find it but we can't risk going in there blindly," he said looking over a report "we'll have to do an x-ray, and even then we might not find it." "So, there is nothing you can do for him" I asked. "I didn't say that, I said it was too risky to just go in and get it," he said and thought about something "and the good officer told me that it is a solid round so that is one less thing to worry about."
"I curled my knees up to my chest and hugged them as I spoke "they didn't want to risk damaging the fur." the doctor nodded. "Is there a chance the bullet is just under the bone" I asked hoping for something useful. "That is what I'm thinking but till we can see where it is we won't know for sure" he said "unlike you and me he skeleton is more complex than anything I have seen." My ears twitched.
"What do you mean complex" I asked my large fox ears fold back. "His bones are hollow but somehow are much hard then anything I have seen before" he said "it's like he is built to take this kind of damage." "Wait, are you saying FMD made Phoenix into some kind of super solder" I asked turning my head and eyes to the gentle beast. "Well not just him, anyone who is put into the mythic class have traits similar to his" he said setting the report down on the counter next to the sink, turning to speak to the both of us.
"The officers you met the other day have a higher levels of heavy metals in their blood, my flame can change color and shown signs of accelerated regeneration in others," he said and looked at the broken table next to my bed "and you have empathic gifts." "And next you're going to tell me I have a gift for each of my tails" I said and fanned them around my leg. "If that was the case you would have shown signs of a third trait" he said.
"And what about him" I asked nodding my head toward Phoenix "he said he has a third gift but doesn't know what it is called or what it is." "From what I can tell," he said sitting on the edge of the counter "Phoenix shows signs of having more powers then what we have seen, like his howl, or how he can understand the gifts of others around him. But one thing is clear; this other Phoenix has his own set of gifts apart from what Phoenix himself can do."
"Huh?" "There are two sides to Phoenix the human side and the beast side; both have conmen powers, like the pyrokinesis and the regeneration, but they have powers that are unique to each of them." "The beast can understand other people's gifts and the howl" I said. "But the human Phoenix may not even know what his gifts are or chooses not to use them." the doctor answered. Phoenix had started trying setting the table I broke back up.
It held for a minute making him grin till the legs gave out and fell back on the floor. We both looked over to see what happen. Phoenix sat with his head and ears down. I broke out laughing. Phoenix lifted his head and tilled it asking why I was laughing. "Man or beast, he'll never change" I said. "Well on that note I will see what I can do about finding that bullet and getting it removed" Dr. Sparks said as he stood up "you two take it easy and rest."