"Ahhh! Down, doggy-with-wings, down!" Aaron fell out of his chair, sloshing the rest of the drink on himself. He failed to notice that my burning gaze was directed, not at him, but at Elder Wenrin.
I immediately noticed my mistake and shifted my eyes towards Aaron, and prayed that Wenrin had not noticed. With baited breath, I watched as Wenrin slowly stood up. He brought his hands up... and began clapping. "Excellent, my warrior! Threaten him with our power!"
With an inward sigh of relief, I growled out loud, still playing the part of a loyal follower. Pawing the ground aggressively, I paced forward and stopped in front of the fallen scientist. Nosing him a few times, I reported, "He is unconscious. Elder, what exactly is effect does this poison, vodka, have on humans?"
Wenrin ignored me and scowled. "Who knew that that blithering idiot couldn't hold down his liquor at all?" He ran a hand through his messy black hair, muttering to himself. "Have him thrown back in his cell. We'll devise a new method to extract the information of him."
"And what of me, Elder?" I bowed, hoping I would be sent back down to the human world. I pray to the stars, please let him be unsuspecting of my disloyalty.
"I will send you out on a retrieval mission to capture and detain this Anna Chu person," Wenrin said as he keyed in buttons on a wall. A hidden compartment slid open, and Wenrin motioned for me to go inside.
Trying to hide my slight apprehension, I stepped inside, refolding my wings. As the doors closed, Wenrin left me a final message.
"Remember Captain, I will be watching you."
A flash of light, and I was back in the human's world. I suddenly recalled the Elder's last words to me. Did this mean he was suspicious after all? I must be careful from this point on...
---
POV Switch!
---
"Where is that stupid mutt?" Catherine crossed her arms, kicking a trashbin.
"Now, now, anger is not the way to solve problems! Why don't you go listen to some soothing Beethoven instead?" Wenrin tried to placate the most irritable member of the group.
In the meantime, I had been working on my wrist computer, trying to identify the current location of the Daakshi warrior. "Aha! Got it!" I cried triumphantly. "We won't even have to wait long, she's headed here right now!" I pointed towards the sun.
Nicole looked up and immediately looked away, eyes burning. "Jeez Diya! Asking us to look at the sun?!"
"Oops, sorry," I shrugged. No one had any time to say more, as a massive shadow covered the land beneath our feet. Rachel was descending from above, her wings beating up massive clouds of dust. I immediately turned on my filtration system as everyone else started coughing.
"I have returned, to help you find your missing compatriot." Rachel landed gracefully.
"Then I suppose we must thank you for your help. It is much appreciated," I acknowledged. But I narrowed my eyes, and continued, "But before we continue our journey, I need to speak with you. Alone."
"What? But we just got reunited with a friend again, what do you mean you want to talk with her alone?" Rosita raised an inquiring eyebrow.
"Yeah Diya, why-" Nicole began.
I cut her off with a look and grabbed Rachel's shoulder blade, pulling her away from the rest.
Rachel merely looked at me. "What is it you require of me, metalloidic one? And how did you know that I was coming?"
"I'll honour your question first. This," I said, pointing at her now fully healed foreleg. "I had a tracker put in you when Rosita healed you."
The proud Daakshi looked affronted. "You have inserted a human technological chip inside of me without my permission? Your race is more devious than I originally believed!"
"I'm sorry, but I deemed it necessary. Now for my question. Where did you disappear to when you left through the temporary transdimensional portal?"
A rare look of shock passed Rachel's face, but she quickly composed her emotions. "I shall assume you know of that because of this tracker device in my leg. Very well, I shall tell you the truth. My lord Elder Wenrin called me back to talk and check up on progress."
"Wenrin? Wait! Did you meet Aaron there?" I asked.
"... Yes. I did indeed come into contact with the human known as Aaron Chan." Rachel glanced away, tightening her talons. This movement did not go unnoticed.
"Is he alright then?"
"Yes. His safety was assured."
"Alright, then I suppose we can postpone his rescue until we find Anna. Always running off, that troublemaker." I shook my head, frustrated.
"Thank you." Rachel bowed her head and rejoined the group.
Still standing to the side, I wondered whether or not I should have questioned her further. No, I had made the right decision. It's too early to reveal my suspicions about Wenrin, not when I don't know where Rachel's true loyalties lie.
---Scene Change---
Back in his own room, Wenrin was pacing. Again. He made a mental note to replace his worn down carpet soon. He muttered to himself, "I must remember to refine the loyalty part in the genome of the Daakshi. Although Rachel's case may turn out to my advantage, if I play my cards right. A battle of wits you want? A battle of wits you'll get! Except rest assured! I shall be the victor!"
He smirked, congratulating himself on his earlier performance. He had known the second Rachel's wings had flared that she harboured resentment towards him, but feigned ignorance. "Yes, this will definitely be a war I can win with the unsuspecting fool Rachel's help. Ha! And the star key box will be mine!"
Posted by
OSA Reimeiki
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Posted by
OSA Reimeiki
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I followed the group of humans, my disguise carefully replaced. Everything went smoothly (well, as smoothly as the humans can manage). The periodic stops at cafes and stores are a perfect cover. They looked like the many other groups of humans, dressed in colored shirts, toting cameras and gawking at everything. I tried my best to act like a stray dog, like the many others following people in hopes of food. I tried to ignore the itching sensation of the small metal device the metallic human had implanted in my good foreleg.
As I stopped and pretended to be interested in a garbage can, my communication device alerted me. I slunk behind the foul smelling can, and nosed open the communicator. There was a short message from Elder Wenrin, ordering me to return to him as soon as possible.
Tucking my disguise away in case it would be needed later, I leaped atop one of the buildings, and quickly took off. Ascending swiftly, I ducked into a patch of cloud so that no one would see a flying dog. Once I was a suitable distance from the city, I pressed my communicator. I felt the bright glow surround me, tugging towards somewhere unknown.
~~~
The glow faded away, and I stepped into a large room, furnished with soft cloth, and luxurious
chairs. There was a soft rug beside the fireplace, inviting me to rest my weary wings. I did so, keeping my ears open for anyone who may approach and see me in such a defenseless state.
I awoke to the sound of footsteps. I listened closely, recognizing the footsteps of Elder Wenrin. There was another set of footsteps that sounded vaguely familiar. Puzzled, I glanced at my communicator; it was flashing.
Nosing it open, I remembered who belonged to the unknown footsteps. It was the male human, with the strange black and white device! The one who had stolen our star box technology! But what did Elder Wenrin want with him? The message was from Elder Wenrin, ordering me to stay on the rug and act domestic.
My ear twitched with annoyance. Act domestic! I was not a dog, to fawn over humans! My communicator flashed again. I read the message, growling low in my chest. Apparently, Elder Wenrin was going to interrogate the human, and I was needed in case something went wrong. Ah well, I huffed to myself, at least I don't have to kill anyone.
At that, I curled up, and did my best to look content. The two entered, and settled themselves in armchairs placed close to the fireplace, and the rug I was curled up on. Elder Wenrin patted my head (my teeth clenched at that) and picked up a teapot.
He poured two cups of tea. My eyes caught him slip some liquid from a vial into one cup. This cup was placed on a small table beside the human...Aaron? Channie? No, not Channie, Chan. Aaron Chan. He called himself a scientist? I could smell a strange sickly scent coming from the cup of tea that Elder Wenrin had placed in front of Aaron. Aaron picked up the cup and brought it to his mouth. My muscles tensed. I wanted to warn him, but I knew that Elder Wenrin had a plan that involved the liquid.
Elder Wenrin caught my questioning look, and showed me the vial. It had “vodka” written on it. Like that explains what it is. I paused when I thought that. I was starting to sound more like the humans that I had been tracking! This would never do.
Elder Wenrin waited for Aaron to sip his tea, and then he began to speak.
“Aaron, I would like to get this star box technology issue fixed as soon as possible. You allies, with their strange powers, while no match for the Daakshi, create enough of a challenge to destroy some of their numbers. I cannot allow this to happen, so I have brought you here so that we can clear up the matter.”
“Oh good.” Aaron's voice sounded strange, almost like he was underwater. Was this the effect of the “vodka” liquid?
Elder Wenrin proceeded to speak for some time about the Daakshi and how important to him we were, and how we were smart enough to create the technology on our own, for long enough for Aaron to finish his tea, and then Aaron interrupted him.
“But Anna would get really mad if I just gave away her invention...she hasn't even finished it yet.” he slurred.
Anger briefly flashed across Elder Wenrin's face. He spoke in a different tone, almost as if he was speaking to a particularly dangerous Daakshi, calmly and persuasively. “I'm sure you're just being modest. How about you tell me the truth, one scientist to another?”
“You gotta show me something you invented then...” Aaron wasn't looking very good. His skin was flushed, and he looked as if he was having trouble sitting up straight.
“You see that Daakshi lying on the rug there?” Elder Wenrin pointed towards me. I played my domestic role and slowly wagged my tail, while scrutinizing Aaron, trying to figure out what was wrong with him. Elder Wenrin noticed my gaze, and tapped knowingly on the pocket where he had hidden the “vodka” bottle. He continued, “I created their race. I suppose you are more of a mechanical engineer, while I am a genetic engineer, but let us speak, engineer to engineer. How did you create the transdimensional device?”
My muscles tensed as Elder Wenrin spoke. My teeth clenched, and my wing feathers spread as far as they could, readying for flight. He created us! We were his possessions! It took all my self control to keep me from tearing him apart. Then I thought of a better way to overthrow him. I will help the humans. Help...Aaron. I can not allow Wenrin to discover the secrets of the star key box. I will be a...spy for the humans. Behind enemy lines...