((sorry neglected to include the last chapter. I changed a few scenes here to make it a bit more open on things to go on. Hope this is better.))
Jon wasn't sure what to expect as she ran quickly into the darker part of the woods, chasing her belongings. She was moving with a somewhat higher speed then she ever had as a human, with surprisingly high stamina. Her new gait and motion was starting to feel a little more streamlined as she positioned her wings towards her sides; her talons flat upon the earth. It was... 'almost' like flying, if not for the feeling of soft earth with each hop. Naturally this left a most unusual set of prints behind her. To stop or slow down, she subconsciously nudged her feathers just a bit to subtly change her balance not unlike a jogging human with their arms- only with far more finesse. Not that Jon was really thinking about 'how' she was running... she just ran. "Get back here!" she screeched slightly surprised by how forceful her voice was.
The strange blur was in the air, carrying her comb. Jon quickly caught up to it trying to figure out what it was. Some kind of insect? She must have startled the creature as it dropped the comb about twenty feet away from her. The harpy-girl spread her wings to make a sudden stop, slightly jumping 'backwards' in the process as muscles performed a motion she had no conscious understanding of, but was coming to her with simple trial and error in her new form.
Jon went to pick up the comb with her talon- only to feel a sudden zap of static from it. It was sharp and strong enough to feel like a very odd pinch. She stumbled back, gasping as suddenly strange vines grew trapping her feet. She tried to pry them away but- her wings were useless! They simply batted and pressed against the plant matter, a few of her smaller feathers fluttering off "What the hell-"
"Hello!" said a voice tinged with merriment.
Jon looked surprised to note the diminutive creature. It was quite a strange looking thing, a human-like body standing only about four inches high as far as she could guess. Bare legs and... naked. Completely naked...
Jon's eyes were drawn to her bare chest but was later distracted to the strange shimmering wings. They were similar to an insect, but appeared to be made of... light, with the way they shimmered making a prism effect on the surroundings. The strange girl had short red hair and bright green eyes. Her voice seemed as strong as any human as she could hear her clearly.
"Hehe. It's so adorable to watch harpies get stuck. Not so tough are you with your legs tied up!" she giggled as she buzzed around Jon's head.
Jon struggled a bit more but she was clearly stuck. She turned her head trying to follow the fairies flight. "Who are you? Why are you taking my things!"
The fairy fluttered before Jon's face, not at all intimidated. "Hey I just took some stuff you were not going to miss..." She crossed her arms looking slightly to the side. "I uh- I just needed it, alright? Do you know where you are?"
Jon was very confused. How in the world was this an explanation? "Look... I think we got off on the wrong foot-"
"Talon" corrected the fairy with a giggle though her eyes lit with understanding. "Oh I see! The modesty, the looking around.. using your wings like they were arms... Not been a harpy for long have you! I can tell." the fairy seemed even more excited at this. "I haven't seen this happen in centuries. So wonderful! Is old magic finally returning to the world?"
Jon glanced down at her bird-like legs struggling once more to pull away, thrashing at the plants that gripped her so tightly. This was fairy magic.. wild and untamed nature gripping her form.
The fairy gave another giggle. "Hehe. You're kinda cute." She looked very curiously flying into Jon's eyes. "So is this one of those twenty-four hour curses maybe? Hey why are you looking at me like that- Oh my goodness you're attracted to me! A harpy attracted to a fairy! Oh you're gonna make me blush. Let's see this spell you are under..." The fairy started to glow, with her eyes a curious shimmer of light. "Huh? I don't see any spell! What gives?" It was now her turn to be confused.
"Mph!" Jon blushed. "Yes I was human before! Get these vines off me!"
The fairy looked very perplexed for a moment. The harpy was clearly someone under a shape-shifting spell... "Odd.. very odd indeed..." Still, this was a curious situation. She half wondered if someone had messed with the harpy's mind to make her think she was human? There was no evidence of that though... "Fine fine, I'll free you." she dusted herself, somehow making a strange pinkish dust appear in the palm of her hands. "You'll behave dear? You're inside my circle of power, so there's pretty much nothing I can't do to you if I wanted to!" She blew the dust into the vines, and they shrank away into seeds. The fairy started to pick up the grains. "So you really were human huh? Tell me why I don't see any spell on you... you've have peeked my royal curiosity." she buzzed around some more.
Jon wasn't quite sure where to start. "W-What's your name..." She really needed to take this slow. It was confusing enough.
"I'm Bez'ahri Shasiril Aria. You can call me Aria. No that isn't my True Name either, so don't get any ideas." She winked again and gave a half bow in mid air.
"Can... I have my stuff back," said Jon exasperated, trying her best not to get distracted by her rather bold display of her body.
The fairy glanced a bit to the side. "Well if you really want it, you'll have to talk to the green witch of the glade. I gave it to her."
Jon blinked. "A.. witch?"
The fairy nodded. "Uh huh. We have a good trading deal. I remove all the rubbish humans leave behind, and she disposes of them- probably doing magic stuff to them I dunno. Nature remains unspoilt then. Your welcome by the way!"
Jon looked incredulously at the strange fairy. "What.. can you tell me about this witch? Could she... you know.. turn me maybe... human?" Jon thought that might be helpful. A real witch meant someone with magical ability..
The fairy gave it some thought. "Well, transmutation is one of the hardest magics... not quite as common as it used to be. She might have a way to turn you human, but you might not like the price she would ask. She's friendly enough though, but she isn't that fond of humans if I got to be honest with you. She might be a bit surprised by your request."
Jon felt this was actually good news. In this world, magic was real. That meant she wasn't necessarily stuck as a harpy. If she found a mage or wizard or even this witch... well... surly that person could help? If nothing else, she could at least get her clothes back. "Take me to this witch please... "
The fairy nodded. "Alright miss harpy."
"Call me Jon."
The fairy looked surprised. "Eh? That's not a nice name for a flier. I'll come up with a better name for you."
Jon rolled her eyes. "I really rather keep to Jon."
"Eh, as you wish. Jon."
Sarah wasn't sure what was going on. Awareness flickered as she allowed herself to drift... curiously she found she didn't have to. She could feel energy continue to build even as she watched Tom sleep in the hollowed Earth of the Fox-den.
then a sound...
Sarah was not moving at all. She didn't really know what constituted an unusual noise here but... there was certainly some kind of commotion. What time was it?
Tom stirred in his sleep. He appeared to be having some kind of dream. He rolled about a bit before Millicent was before them. "We have to go outside. Something is wrong. They are calling a meeting and checking everything..."
"What's wrong?" asked Sarah, feeling the sudden discharge of her spring. It was interesting to feel herself 'rev' up... not like a car exactly, but a watch starting again.
Millicent looked very worried. "The Ancient Artefact... it's.. it's been stolen."
Tom and Sarah carefully made their way outside the town. It was starting to turn morning, with the rising sun. There was confusion around the central plinth where the ancient working computer used to be. The obelisk and casing were still there. Sarah noted the laptop had been unlocked and removed.
"The guards are being questioned," said Tom as he thought. "How in the world could they steal a heavily guarded Ancient Artifact.. and why just an art piece?"
Indeed the entire village was having that same thought. It just didn't seem possible...
Samantha was up. She knew... she kind of 'felt' something wasn't right. She got up quietly in the dark of her room and had a look around. Her husband Darren was sleeping. She glanced quietly to her daughter's room.
"...maybe... I could just check on her." Maybe they were being too hard on her... there had to be some way to help right? She opened the door but didn't hear the usual purring. "Diana?" She called out gently. She checked her bed... Diana was gone. Samantha didn't worry too much, Diana had gone out at night before.
Then she saw the note. She read it over a couple of times, feeling the need to sit down as she did so. She felt... numb, cold.. uncertain. Part of her even telling her that she shouldn't care given Diana wasn't even really her daughter, and Diana seemed to be affirming that- even if the way it was written made it seem so... dark. She felt a cold knife stab at her. She drove the child to this situation. It was her fault.. it was.. her.. fault...
"Are you alright?" Asked Darren with a yawn. He glanced around the kitchen, apparantly he had got up now, and wondered what Samantha was doing.
Samantha quickly took the note into the sleaves of her night-gown. "Oh.. yes. Diana isn't here. She's.. decided to go."
"Oh? Hm.. well, she'll be back, don't worry." Darren wasn't too worried. "This always happens."
Samantha managed a meek smile. "Yes.. she'll... be back." Darren gave her a kiss before going back to his room to finish sleeping.
Samantha stared at the note again. The note was so... final. She couldn't let it end like this. She knew one ritual from her great grandmother, and decided she had nothing else to do but try it. She lit two green candles and placed them together on the kitchen table, positioning them carefully. She then clasped her hands together. ".. I pray to the spirit of cats..." She whispered looking into the flames. It was said that the shape of the flame was akin to that of the eye of the cat spirit. If the flame widened... she might get Her attention. But then again, this was the city... a spirit of the cats isn't likely to be called.
...With no other avenue left though... this was all Samantha had now.
A prayer.
Was the flame maybe a little wider or was Samantha just thinking wishfully. How did this prayer go? the attention of a cat was so short... she placed herself back to when she was a child, back to the time when her grandmother showed her how it worked...
"Forgive me for asking you... I know I am human... but I need your help" she started as she placed both her hands together looking into the small flames. The cat-spirit was supposed to not think too highly of humans, and accepting one was not of the feline race was usually a good start- at least that's what her grandmother said when contacting such beings. " I...I have failed in helping... one of your daughters... that I took as my own. I... was wrong. I won't ask for her back of course, I see now she must journey on her own... I just... I just ask you to protect her. Please. Maybe.. if she can someday find it in her heart to forgive us... I know... I'll never see her again but... oh please... if I can... one day... " she started to choke a bit. The lights suddenly flickered out.
Samantha was now in darkness, with just the moonlight from the kitchen window. "Oh well.. it's a silly ritual anyway." Her grandmother said it once helped her. Then again, in all seriousness, why would the spirit of cats help a mere human... especially after such a confession. She was no friend to the cat-folk, and the one responsibility she had, she failed at.
She put the candles away, placing them back in the cupboard. She took the letter, and carefully folded it away. She for a moment turned again to Diana's room, looked at it then slowly closed the door.
Diana was free.
Freedom felt... good. She was racing on the rooftops with each leap achieving greater heights of daring. This new body was surprisingly agile- well- not that unsurprising, given she had some odd cat-traits. This clearly didn't just extend to her appearance. She was quicker then most kids her own age would be.
Moving like this, she had never experienced such a thrill and call to adventure. Even in the imaginations of her own youth when human. A distant thought to her mind made her wonder.. 'would this life really be... so bad?' Well... she wasn't sure. She should get back home though, to her real world... her real family. She had to figure out why this happened and fix it.
This human city though was strange to her powered as it was by steam. Curiously she didn't smell any soot. Whatever powered their machines must be very clean. She half wondered what it could be... Humans... the great engineers in any existence. They were everywhere... building their roads, machines, and had such a tenacity for technology in all forms.
she wanted to get away from it now.
She had seen enough of humans, and knew pretty much what they did and where they were likely to go. Whatever this place was though, technology was not the answer for why she was a cat-girl. She wanted to see more... and find those answers.
Diana quickly scampered towards the edge and suburbs, away from the tall metalic buildings and into countryside. All too quickly, she found herself on grass land. She felt an urge to take off her boots but managed to hold off that instinct, becoming somewhat aware of when a cat-instinct was imposing itself. Could she start to control it? The dawning sun was approaching and it felt like it was welcoming her to her new life...
.. but...
.. this was Diana's life. As similar as she was to Diana, she wasn't her... somewhere... there was a lost little girl. "Maybe she's in my body," she thought to herself with dread. If that happened... goodness, she could only imagine what would be happening in her world. That did offer some hope though; Diana might explain where it happened and people would know it had something to do with the odd arcade machine...
That was an awful lot of ifs though. There was nothing to suggest a 'Diana' existed. It could be that Darrin was electrocuted when he tried to touch that socket, died, and this was some kind of.. new existence? what if... she was really stuck like this? As a cat.. girl.. thing... forever?
" it's not too bad," she thought. Sure this body was quite young but she would grow up..maybe even learn a few new things- then she felt a need to use the bathroom. She tensed as she realised this was the first time she would have to go without any in-door plumbing. As a boy this would have been an easy task...as a girl- and worse a girl with cat instincts... it was just slightly more tricky.
She quietly made her way to the bushes to take care of business. She was almost all set when... she saw an odd sight. Her ears twitched to the voices.
"Do you have the Artifact?"
Diana furrowed her brow, her tail hanging limp as she saw the sight. A group of humans dressed in strange robes. They could have been mages. However the other figure... that intrigued her even more. She was a female wolf, dressed in dark clothing, pants and tight halter top with some kind of utility belt. A sword hanged down her side sheathed. She looked rather imposing, but somehow beautiful at the same time with her black hair down to the side of her hips. Diana bit her lip as she wondered how a wolf-girl could be beautiful... it's not as if she well- she 'thought' in such terms before. She noted a set of generous breasts and dark- rather fluffed tail behind the woman. Diana felt annoyed as she realised practically everyone in this world was taller then her.
"I managed to get it yes," she said gesturing to a casket. "I would like my payment now... this was not easy to acquire. It was heavily guarded. Curious trinket... why do you desire it?"
"You do not need to know."
The wolf woman chuckled. "True, however, I might have some other ancient items that would interest you."
Diana from the bushes looked at the small item in her hand... Ancient technology? What was that? So... this world was not the first civilisation on this planet? That thought made her heart skip a beat.
The' mages glanced to each other.' "Present your information first, we'll judge its value."
Diana watched them talk for a while. They exchanged paper, trinkets and the mages certainly seemed interested.
"We thank you Melia for your buisness... I trust you will be discreet?"
"Oh I am always discreet... not to worry." The wolf girl- Melia's ears twitched. She glanced towards Diana's direction. "Hm.. So is our business concluded?"
"It is..."
Diana gasped as she noted something. There was another human, behind the wolf. He looked to be armed with a crossbow. The cat-girl didn't really know what she was thinking. Somehow she reacted and moved so quickly. She jumped right onto the larger being. She scratched his eyes with her hand.
The human screamed in agony as the sharp claws dug into his skin
Melia turned around. "A double cross? I would never have guessed... Deals off!" She quickly drew a small pellet from her belt, and it dropped to the ground. Instantly all the humans became drowsy and fell to the ground in a slumber as the strange gas expanded reacting to the air.
Diana jumped off the human as he fell. "W-What happened to them. Are they dead?"
"They deserve to be, but no. Humans are easily put to sleep with the right herbs. Thanks kid for helping me out there," Melia said with chuckle. "Well, time to return this to the village. How would you like to help this wolf out a bit?"
"Uh... how?" Diana bit her lip. She was really not used to being treated like a kid. Not to mention she had questions... questions like... how did a wolf look humanoid and talk?
Melia glanced to the side. "Oh, well... I want you to return this to the village for me. I'm sure a cute girl like you won't even be charged with anything. What do you say?"
