Minus-four did not understand the nature of this interaction. There seemed to be no indication of hostility in the native's actions, yet the larger creature was restraining it by the wrist, as though it was being taken prisoner. If this creature didn't suspect its true nature, why would it ("she?" Was that the term? Any primary sex characteristics were hidden from sight, but multiple secondary characteristics were visible through the coverings) attempt to force restraint? What interest could she have in it or its doings if she didn't know?
The creature was pulling on its wrist, but using caution not to cause discomfort, for some reason. Minus-four didn't understand the expression on her face, or the tone of her voice, but for the moment there seemed to be no alternative but to go along; the creature was larger and stronger, and she was dragging it along too rapidly for there to be a chance to initiate the transformation sequence and even the odds.
Robert couldn't understand why the little girl was so resistant to being taken anywhere. She wasn't even protesting or making a request to do something else; she just seemed to be refusing to cooperate for no other reason than simple stubbornness. The devil-woman sighed; she wanted to get the girl somewhere where she could look into whose child she was, but if she was being like this...
Well, maybe if she let the child do something she wanted, she might be a little more cooperative. But with her being so taciturn, she wasn't really sure what the girl would want. She hadn't seemed to think anything of being naked, and she wasn't dirty or anything. She did seem a little weak, though, a little discombobulated, like she wasn't quite sure of her own movements. Maybe she needed to eat?
Robert squatted down by the girl, still a little unsure herself, with the way her unusual legs folded underneath her. She smiled warmly and looked the girl in the eye; the child looked at her, but didn't seem to be taking any particular interest. Robert wondered why she seemed so...disconnected. It was unnerving and just seemed wrong...but she could deal with it. "Are you hungry?" she asked. "Would you like something to eat?"
Minus-four tried to work out the meaning of the sentence. While it grasped the technical function of spoken language, they had little more than a basic working knowledge of languages used in this world; enough to express an offer or an ultimatum, but not quite enough to deal with communications between individual native beings. Still, most of these words were common enough, and Minus-four seemed to be acquiring further information from background speech; this body's brain processed speech even when there was no focus on it and the meaning was ignored and discarded. Wasteful, and distracting...but it seemed to be an automatic function, not something that could be turned off.
This seemed to be an offer of sustenance; it still couldn't grasp the motive behind this behavior, this offer of benefit for no reason and (apparently) without condition. Something about the tone of voice, though, carried some positive emotional import, for some reason. Sustenance was advisable; Minus-four would likely be required to exert itself shortly, and it would be problematic for this body to run out of energy before completing its task. So much trouble to maintain...it seemed improbable that corporeal beings could even maintain their own existence, yet they did. Curious.
"Food?" it asked. The larger creature ("woman?" Was that it?) made a motion with her head that it vaguely understood to be an affirmation. "Yes," it said. "Food. Eat."
Robert couldn't understand why the child said so little, and in such a stilted manner, when kids this age were usually such chatterboxes; it was, she thought, another factor in why things just felt off about her. But if she was hungry, Robert wasn't about to let her go without a meal. "All right," she said, "come with me." She gently led the girl by the hand towards a little diner not too far away.
They were now in a building filled with sound and scent information: things sizzling on a hot surface, metal clattering on metal, and now and again the soft woosh of gas igniting into flame, and a dizzying array of smells; the scents of the multiple different kinds of sentient creatures in the building, for a start, but also many different smells of what it took to be food products, seemingly in combinations...
The sheer amount of input was overwhelming, and it seemed to be triggering a reaction. This body felt...it wasn't pain, exactly, but it was a physical need causing discomfort until it could be satisfied. Minus-four felt weaker than it actually was under the influence of this feeling. Yet there was an anticipatory component to it that made it not entirely disagreeable, somehow...this body was so confusing! It needed to eat, so that it could think clearly once again...
Robert gazed across the little table at the child. She'd settled down for the moment, but she still seemed disconnected and not all there...strange. "What would you like to eat?" she asked.
Minus-four could not fathom the logic behind that question. The words were simple to comprehend, but what was the point of it? "Food," it answered. A non-question...?
Robert chuckled to herself. Was that a joke? The girl didn't seem the type for that...anyway, she'd better order something. The waitress came over, and Robert ordered a plate of scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon for the girl, and a small omelette for herself. They sat in the booth for a couple minutes waiting for their food, the girl glancing around now and again like she was searching for something. Robert wondered what.
Minus-four awaited the arrival of the food impatiently, eyes darting about in case its target should happen to be here; but nothing came of that. It considered taking the food from other plates...but if one of these beings should fight back, while it was unable to transform, that would be problematic. But every minute wasted was a minute in which Four could be getting farther away! This knowledge triggered another strange reaction, an adrenaline boost accompanied by a feeling of unease. What if it failed? What if Minus-four was unable to fulfill its purpose? What would become of it then? How would the originators of the plan react?
Wait, no. That was illogical; Minus-four was a part of that entity, not a separate entity. Yet somehow, in this situation, in this body, it felt...separated. Alone. It existed to initiate a mutual annihilation; after that it would be no more. But if it could not find its target, if Four were to make an escape and Minus-four were detained...what then? If it was not intended to return anyway, would it...would it just be...cast off? Ignored? Or...worse?
No! This speculation was baseless and unreasoning. The thought processes and emotional reactions this body was built for did not reflect the reality of the situation. The sooner its task was complete, the sooner it could be free of this body and the baffling troubles it caused with attempts to think...
Finally, the food came. Minus-four took pieces of the yellow mass and placed them in its mouth almost before the server had removed her hand from the plate. Reasoning that these pieces were large enough to make choking a possibility, it chewed on the substance for-ah! Ah! This sensation...the heat, the taste, the way the egg filled its mouth...it was stunning! It was...it was...Minus-four did not possess the context to form an assessment of what it was. But it had to continue!
Robert watched in amazement as the girl wolfed down her entire egg. Didn't she even know how to use a fork? This child was so strange...but if nothing else, she seemed to be enjoying the meal. Shrugging, the devil-woman started on her own meal.
The brown slabs were next, and the mixture of sweetness and salt in the substance on top of them was a fresh new incapacitation. Then they were gone, and it was the strip-things for last; this was all salt, with just a little sweetness, but the flavor was incredible...brain reeling...
Minus-four sat in the booth for a minute, stunned, trying to process and collate this flood of experiences. Its body wanted more, but...no, this would be enough. There was no time to lose; it had been delayed too long already. The creature that had taken it captive was distracted, and there was no attention from any of the other beings; Minus-four bolted from the seat and out the door.
"Wha-? Hey!" Robert yelped, as the girl suddenly dashed out of the diner. She fished out a twenty from her pocket and left it on the table, then ran out after her.
Out the door, around the back of the building, into the alley. One, two, three, four, one, two, three, four...something was odd; its precision in performing the sequence was compromised, but not by mechanical limitations. Instead, something in its brain was introducing intentional miniscule delays and early starts in the pattern, as if trying to bring a unique non-pattern to what should be an entirely straightforward and measured automatic process. For what purpose...? But no matter, the transformation was underway.
Robert rounded the corner to see the girl, only her robe was discarded on the ground, and the child was dressed in a strange outfit, a black four-tailed coat, matching her long, black, four-braided hair, on top of a gray skirt. How had that happened? She moved forward towards the girl, trying not to seem like she was rushing her...
The girl wasn't even looking at her. She was looking at the roof of the neighboring building...and then suddenly she sprang into the air and landed on top of it. She moved with uncanny, mechanical precision, but there was no grace in her movements; it made Robert uncomfortable. And where was she going? What was up with this girl?
"Hey!" she said. "Come back, I'm not mad at you! Come back, and we'll try to find your-"
Another leap, and the girl was on the next building. How could she possibly jump that far, with that kind of accuracy? Robert dashed after her, hoping that she could manage running on these legs.
