A shudder wracked my body. Pain was my only existence for a moment as my body warped and took a form it had not held in decades.
My hands became long, fingerbones stretching and folding together to form two long claw-like fingers and a single specialized claw in the middle. My feet elevated, heels lifting off the ground as my toes matched my hands, two large toes and a larger, pointed claw in the center. My spine and lungs stretched, vertebrae and ribs adding themselves along my back with a painful popping stab for every. Single. One. My tailbone stretched out backwards to match the length of my torso, while my shoulderblades exploded in pain. Extra bones began to grow, to shape themselves as the skin of my back stretched and warped and pulled.
Small ringlets of feathers began to grow along my arms, covering the fur that exploded under them and continued along my body. Small batches of feathers wrapped around my neck and a short crest pulled as it grew out of my forehead. My nose and mouth twisted as a snout took shape, lips growing hard at the very edges as new teeth grew to fit the elongated snout. My ears flattened and twisted, growing and yanking as they went.
With a final scream it was done, muscles aching from the transformation. I fell for a moment and allowed my body to sag on the ground, wings flopping uselessly behind. I hadn’t flown in too long. I couldn’t remember how to balance with them, much less use the tail and the legs.
All my senses exploded, no longer hampered by the human form. The lights were almost too bright, the air too stale, and the sounds of things scraping and crawling along the outside of the structure rattled in my head.
I took a few deep, sobbing breaths before I attempted to right myself, claws clicking on the floor as I made my feet tuck up under me. My knees were shoved up close to my body, ankles the midway joints that acted as balancers. My extra claw made for a stumbling moment, wings flailing as I tried to stand. Fell. Tried again. Fell.
In a fit of pain and frustration, I stabbed the nearest wall with the claw between my fingers and found purchase. Used the wall to hoist myself up. Steady myself.
I was no longer anything like a human. I was more like a humanoid chimera. I was maybe double the height, and had to keep my head hunched into my shoulders to avoid slamming it on the ceiling. My tail failed out behind me for a moment before instinct helped to kick in, stretching out behind me and helping. The skin at the very edge split open as I sought balance, small feathers fanning out to aid as a rudder. I focused on my back, my second set of arms, and worked to move them intentionally. Stretched them. Drew them close. Manipulated the fingers and pointed thumb at the top and stretched them out as far as I could, feeling the air rush around the leather between.
Alright. Now, to Layla. Wait.
I bent down, scooped up my mask.
Now to Layla.
I could see better when I squinted, the lights not as bad once my eyes adjusted. And I could hear her voice, more easily follow her scent. My body was still sore, but without the human body to get in the way the healing magic worked much faster. Compensated quicker. I was regenerated by the time I walked out the room and into a new hallway.
And then I began punching through walls. Digging through wires, stone, dirt and clay. I climbed through oil and grease and grime, tore through mud and muck and things I refused to think about. Smashed holes in the ceiling and flew up. I left a trail of destruction that left no doubt about where I was headed, and I ripped apart anything that tried to stand in my way.
And then I was slamming my way through a door Layla’s scent hid behind. She was crying, complete sniffles and hiccups. She screamed as I tossed the door away, grabbed her sword and pointed it at me.
“Don’t come any closer!!”
“Layla–”
“Get away!!”
And to my great surprise, she actually stepped into my space and swung. I raised a hand and caught the blade against my long claw, ears twisting back in annoyance. She tried to turn it, twist the blade, power through, but I clamped a hand around her wrist and jerked it away. She winced but glared at me, defiant. I hesitated, reassurance on my lips. What was I going to say? ‘I’m Olyvia, never mind that I look like a giant fang-toothed winged monster. Trust me’??
Thankfully, the kid did the work for us. She spotted the mask in my hand. Eyes widened. Slowly looked up at me.
“O…Olyvia…?”
I smiled. Mostly. Gave a short nod.
“...How?!”
I glanced down at the rest of my body, released her wrist. Concentrated on using terran. It took me a minute. “Long story. Short version, this is what I look like. No mask. No filters.”
“You…” she looked behind me. “You have wings.”
I flexed them for a moment and flashed her a smile. “Always have. Why else you think I like tall places?”
The alarms from outside suddenly cut off. We both flinched, looked around. Electricity and magical energy buzzed around us, condensing on our location. I spun to her. “Ready to get out of here?”
She hesitated. “Olyvia…He told me…Jake showed up. Told me that Darius was on his way. Shouldn’t we…wait?”
I shook my head. “Can’t. Place already put me on edge. Tried to put me in cage. Rod is trapped somewhere too. Can’t leave him behind. Rod and I can’t stay here, trust me.”
“But Darius…!”
“Can’t debate with you right now. Have to find Rod and get out. I’ll explain more, but now Darius isn’t a reason to stick.” I began to turn, to leave, but she grabbed my arm and hauled back.
“But I need him! You said so yourself, you’ve seen it! I can’t control myself without his help!!”
I turned. Bent down so I could look her in the eye. Really focused on what I used to sound like. “Layla. I’ve only spent so much time with you. So I can’t speak to past I wasn’t a part of. But from what I’ve seen, you’ve done fine. A few explosive moments, but we all lose temper. We all make choices. But you’ve had more control over yourself than you give yourself credit for. Two or three times now I’ve seen you get enraged, then calm right and regain control. Darius was nowhere. You can do this on your own. I trust you. Do you trust me?”
She stared. Wide-eyed. Tears began to well at the edges of her eyes. She breathed a little harder, then forced her mouth into a streight line, chin up. “Yes.”
I nodded. “Then put sword away, hop on and close eyes. There might be flying debris, and I don’t want any of it to get in your eyes.”
She sheathed her sword. Moved to climb on my back, pulling at the fur that was there as she moved. I handed her my mask, as holding it made tearing through walls more difficult. Once she was secured, I took my leathery wings and folded them backwards over her, locking the thumb-claws and pressing down to give her a bit of a shield. I felt her dig her face into my shoulderblades and take handfuls in preparation for movement. Nodded.
Then I took a breath, looking for Rod. Found him quick enough, the scent of magic like an ugly damp cloth that’s been soaking in murky water for years, only recently brought to air. I took a breath and charged, tearing a hole in the wall and starting to claw my way towards the thief.
