FA+
Shop
3 submissions
<<< PREV | FIRST | NEXT >>>
Hey, first time posting fiction on FA. Although I've done some writing like a decade ago, I never posted anything to FA. My old work isn't pretty good, but I like what I've done here, and I hope you enjoy it too!
Though I feel like I have quite a bit of difficulty with the tags...
In any case, chapter 2 is already in the works! Stay tuned!
Update: on the 23rd of March if 2026, this submission got edited! This is thanks to
Scarfworks who has served as my editor for this chapter, and will be serving as the editor for future chapters going forward until further notice!
---
Chapter 1: In which the main character, whose name is currently unknown, finds himself in a new body, while his old body is before him. And then begins to uncover mysteries that may or may not be related to himself.
I will write on my phone, in this text editor, my recent memories, so that I can make sense of this new life of mine as it happens. Hopefully I can find a way to charge my phone, but for now I am doing everything I can to stretch its battery. Let's begin with how this new life of mine started… I can reminisce about my old life in due time.
I remember vividly that moment. I stand there, watching the body that used to be me. At first, I thought that that my soul had left my body and I was watching from outside. I chose not to check for pulse or breathing, perhaps so I could delude myself that the body hadn't passed on, or perhaps I simply forgot to. It is hard to tell now. And yet, with the state of what was before me… All that blood, and my body lay there so still that it was like looking at a prop, rather than something that was alive once, there should have been no doubt that I had passed on. Or, well, I didn't quite pass on, did I? Because I am still here!
My body may have towered over me, but… Slumped the way it was, I could easily reach the right pocket… Of my pants? I suppose those were still mine, even if I wasn't wearing them at that moment. Even if they were being worn by a body that I had no longer come to inhabit.
I didn't understand yet what had transpired, but I reached for the smartphone in the pocket. Digging it out was not easy in my much more diminutive size, but it didn't take long to get it out either. Almost in a flash, I was already trying to talk to emergency services. It… Thinking about that moment makes my chest feel tight. I don't… Remember exactly what words I told them, but the person on the other side of the call seemed to think I was a child. Thinking back to it, probably because my voice changed. I didn't care to correct them, I was trying to get someone to rescue this body of mine…
I think I was in denial, that this body wasn't mine, or that this body hasn't perished yet… I may be still in denial. But, it seemed like I convinced someone to send help, so I gave myself a moment to think. I turn off the phone screen. There's enough light for me to see my reflection in the darkened screen.
That. That I remember clearly. That moment. I still don't understand how, but I was no longer human.
There I was, triangular ears atop my head that were surprisingly large, a roundish head with big eyes and a short muzzle, between my head and my torso, I couldn't see a neck, instead there was prominently fluffy fur, not entirely unlikely a mane of some sort. My body… I was somehow standing upright, but even my torso didn't seem much like a human's, more like the rounded torso of a tiny kitten. My limbs had changed too, my hands… Were more like of a paw-hand hybrid. Not in the grotesque way… More in a cute way? My legs, however, were very paw-like. Maybe I could be on all fours if I wanted? Something to test later. I realized then that I had retractable claws. Notably, a pair of membranous bat-like wings adorns my back, they are not small either, quite decently sized I would say.
My fur, I saw, was black like the night sky in the city, which means that there was tiny, nearly imperceptible white dots here and there. My eyes reflected an yellowish light from irises that surrounded slit pupils. I still need to take proper measure, but I must be about half-foot tall- My phone was slightly taller than me! It was serving as pretty much a full length mirror.
As the panic began to fade a bit as I admired myself, it occurred to me how silly it was to assume I was a disembodied spirit. Why would some sort of disembodied spirit be so low to the ground, or, more importantly, have usable limbs for that matter?
Speaking of limbs, I have one more, my tail, which swayed behind me as I watched my reflection with interest. For the most part I could describe myself as cute… I am, what, four heads tall, including my own head, but not counting the ears? Covered in soft fur, and with rounded features, plus the big ol' eyes. Granted, with slit pupils, but still. My tail… Was something different. I think I really like having this tail, but I wouldn't call it cute.
The tail was made of segments covered in black chitin, each segment being broad and flat, the tail's tip had not a stinger, but two. One on the left, the other on the right, and they, themselves, were articulated as well. I recognized that design.
It is like a centipede's forcipules. These are stingers that can grab.
I much prefer this body than my old body, I decided then. I still do. Cute and adorable for the most part, but a bit of dangerous tendencies… Small and compact, but with an extra, dexterous, if dangerous limb. And wings, for flight. I remember wondering then if I could fly. I knew that I had some control over my tail, perhaps the wings would be the same.
But… This was new. I haven't ever seen a creature like me before. Nor heard of it. I may have seen something similar in fiction, but… Well, it is statistically unlikely that I am the first creature of this kind. And if that's the case, then there must be a reason why creatures like what I have become are seemingly some sort of secret.
I decided then to leave my body, and take the phone with me. I could still carry it despite its size. I was not entirely surprised by this fact, given that the square-cube law was on my side for once, but I haven't yet calculated if this is an impressive feat or not. It was, for sure, not the easiest thing I've ever done. Very cumbersome to carry a rectangular slab with you of your approximate height. You know, like a mattress, but rigid. And if you put it under your arm, it will interfere with your wings.
Oh yeah, I remember now. I had decided to try to fly. Somehow, I… Succeeded, first try. I didn't even think about psyching myself up to do it. Thoughts of being locked up by the government or some shadowy institution were the wind under my wings, so to speak. No one would come looking for me if I was captured. My old body was right there, as far as society was concerned, my disappearance would be a solved mystery. Because technically I would not have disappeared…
It did cross my mind to take my wallet with me, but not only my phone was cumbersome enough as it was, I was in a bit of a panic and took a snap decision to leave it behind. Not that it didn't feel weird to leave personal identification, money and bank cards behind, where someone could just take them if they happened upon my body, but I don't think I would be able to use any of that myself. I hoped at the moment that all of that would be given to my next of kin.
I halted my flight some time later. I had come to perch on some tree, so to speak. By then I was trying to recollect what happened before my death… How did I become this creature? Right… I had left work, it was late at night. It is the Saturday. My work had a different arrangement than most people, so I'd work weekends too sometimes. And holidays. If my shift fell on those.
Nonetheless, the bus stop was deserted, and while I waited there for a bit I… Missed my bus. This happened before with me. With the bus stop so deserted, and with me so tired, no one gestured the bus to stop, not even me. When I realized, it was too late. I did try to gesture, but I think the bus driver didn't see then.
I knew what to do then.
Taking a different route than the bus, I sprinted through alleyways. I knew that bus' next stop, but I had to use every shortcut I knew, and I needed to run as fast as I could to get there in time. The alley was even more deserted than the bus stop when it happened. I don't know what struck me, but something did. Sharp pain irradiated from my back after a moment. Something had struck me through the backpack that I was wearing, and I could feel my back growing wet because of it. It took some time before my conscience began to grow faint, but… In a blink, I was standing in front of myself.
I didn't see the perpetrator, nor did I hear anything. Maybe they were far? I don't think I saw some sort of spear sticking from my back. Sure, it could have been a knife, but just like that? Through my backpack? At distance? Perhaps it was a stray bullet from far away. No exit wound, but, if it was from far away, the bullet could have been sufficiently spent, plus it would explain the lack of sound- Did I really get shot? I was never shot before in my life, how could I compare the pain?
None of this even begins to explain how I am now this small creature!
I decided then that I didn't have enough information on that to get anywhere useful. Instead, I should find some shelter if not for me, then at least for my phone. As I flew about, I realized that I probably looked a lot like a bat if anyone were ever to glance my way. That was all the better for them to confuse me with something mundane, like a bat, or a bird… Wait, perhaps…
I managed to spot a convenient birdhouse. Useful for my ends, certainly, if I could make my phone fit in there. It was high up enough that I was sure people wouldn't look inside very often. But… A problem soon arose. The phone would not fit through the entrance meant for the bird. But I was not ready to give up yet! I checked the top and… Bingo! The little roof was not firmly secured. Well, it was secured well enough for the most part, it seems, but I was able to lift it off nonetheless. So I did. The interior had some sort of nest fashioned within, but no eggs and no offspring. I am no bird expert, but it seems like it is not bird breeding season.
I placed the phone within, trying to wedge it between the nest and one of the walls, with the screen turned towards the wall to preserve it. And I decided to turn off the phone then, completely, to save on power. Probably should have done that earlier.
Instead of going through the roof gap- which would pose a problem if I were to try to fix the roof from inside, I decided to go through the hole in front, after fixing the roof, of course. It is a bit of a tight squeeze, but I am not a wide slab of circuits and plastic, so I could make it. I sat in the nest for a moment… This was not so bad. A little dark, sure, but I think my eyes can handle the dark better now, too. Oh. Right, I don't need to use glasses anymore. I didn't mind glasses too much, but they can be bothersome sometimes. For example, it would be quite difficult to keep them on during flight. I certainly am glad that I didn't need them anymore.
There I pondered my current body for a moment, with a hand/paw I squeezed my arm, and pressed against my chest as well. I certainly felt bones inside me. I could feel them if I tried hard enough. Most of what I felt is quite reasonable for what it is… I have some knowledge of anatomy, and being such that a lot of animals matches a lot of the human bones very closely, this all seems to be quite expected. The attachment of my wings to my body is… Quite interesting, to be honest. I don't have a good angle to check them out, and maybe I would need to cut myself open to do so… Which is not something I am very willing to do at the moment.
I turn my attention to my hand/paws. Yep, I got paw pads, they're black like my fur. I actually… Really like them. They're soft. I can feel myself smiling as I touch and squeeze them. I can squeeze my claws out like this. I try for a little bit to get my claws out without having to squeeze them, and I find success before too long, curling my digits as I do so.
My attention is ripped from my own body as a strange feeling runs down my spine. It is not quite like a shiver, it is like a buzz. I remember I got shocked with a current that didn't really do me much harm, it was somewhat like that. Not painful, just… Some sort of energy coursing through me.
I felt a pull. I was pretty directionless at the time, so, I followed it.
Flying proved to be a quite fast way to travel. The pull seemed to disappear midway through my flight, but I had no other lead so I decided to continue giving it a shot, continuing to fly in that direction. But then, a sound drew my attention… In this late time of the night, someone was using what I at first thought to be roller skates. No, it was inline skates, actually… I should have guessed, nobody wears plain roller skates anymore, right? In any case, she was going quite fast, at least. And SHE was certainly too young to be out and about this late at night. Even though she was wearing the full protective gear for skating, which I do not often see people wearing.
I glided down, closer, to get a better look at what was going on. I remember what I heard very clearly.
"It is getting away! Faster!" a high-pitched voice said. I probably would not have had heard this at the distance I was, were not for the bigger ears I have now.
"I am going as fast as I can! Can't you see?! Can't you do something?!" another, more girlish, high-pitched voice said. At first I had thought that the first voice was the girl's, but no, this one was hers.
"Well… You see… I don't quite have my powers…" the first voice said. This time I paid more attention, trying to see if she had her phone out or something, but instead something else caught my attention… A slender furry creature rested around the girl's neck. Whatever that was, it was about my size, but longer and certainly quite flexible, like a ferret of some sort. I also noticed some sort of dome-like cloudy white gem on the creature's forehead, so, for sure this was not just a talking animal. Which was a pretty impressive feat of observation on my part, this certainly goes beyond just having perfect human vision, right? I have always needed glasses- until now, so it is hard to say for certain.
"Oh, what good help you are!" the girl said, before groaning. She tried to go faster and faster, trying to catch whatever they were after no matter what.
I found that all interesting. I wondered if this was related to what I had become, I wondered, too, if it was related to the perishing of my older body. Perhaps both. But they looked like they were going to miss their chance to confront what they were chasing. Well, no point in letting the chance escape, I decided to go ahead of them and see what this was all about.
Flapping my wings as fast as I could, my body swayed in the air, like I was doing dolphin kicks underwater- Minus holding my arms in front, and plus with a pair of wings to propel me forward. That… Got me flying pretty fast.
"What was that?!" I heard the girl exclaim as I left her behind. Perhaps I should have flow higher.
"I… I don not know." the creature around her neck replied.
I was tempted to look behind me to see if they had some sort of surprised face, but I decided to focus on moving forward, such distraction would have been foolish. I didn't hear the rest of their conversation, perhaps there was nothing else, or maybe I had grown sufficiently distant. Their two sentences were certainly affected by Doppler effect, to be sure.
I had gained on them considerably, when I felt that strange feeling in my spine again, just like what had happened before. I halted my flight as much as I could, as I tried to get a bearing on what I was feeling. That, inadvertently, allowed me to evade some sort of eagle-like bird, that was flying right at me, talons-first!
I swiftly pivoted to fly between the branches of a nearby tree. That bird was certainly bigger than me, and I really didn't want it to rip me in half, but, its size was also its downfall. I looked behind me after flying between the tight gaps of a few branches, and I could see that it had tried to follow after me, but had to change course. There, in that moment, I could have a better look at my assailant- And I recognized it!
There it was, with feathers that varied from white to black in just the right pattern expected of them, a harpy eagle… Merely the largest bird of prey in the world. I write this sarcastically, as no man that was in presence with a fully mature specimen left the encounter without being impressed. After all, standing on the ground, this thing could look eye-to-eye with the girl from before, on the very least.
To me, it was like meeting the mythological Roc.
I perched onto a nearby branch, and wondered if this could have been the thing that had slain me. I kept still as I thought, but I kept an eye on it. It kept being interested in me so it didn't just fly away. Instead it fluttered about. I continued to ponder, seemingly in safety, and concluded that it was not what had slain me. This thing can be fast, yes, but not maneuverable enough to disappear right after I was wounded. And probably would have had a hard time of getting to me through my backpack… Probably. Though I also then pondered how such a bird found its way to… Well, somewhere well outside its habitat. There isn't even a zoo close enough for it to have escaped from, and I don't know if zoos even keep these humongous birds!
In the time I wasted thinking about this- which also led to this massive eagle to waste time trying to find an angle to get to me, the girl had managed to catch up to here. I watched from the branch as the situation unfolded.
"There it is! It is still weak! Go and capture it!" barked the little critter around the girl's neck
"W-what? Oh, uh, how do I do that?!" she said, after coming to a stop. I could see in her eyes and voice some trepidation in regards to the massive bird. A very reasonable reaction.
In response to their intrusion, the bird lost interest in me, and proceeded to turn its attention towards the duo, swooping in their direction.
"Suzana! It is attacking! Play the flute! Now!" the weasel-like creature exclaimed.
The girl fumbled around to pull out an object, but the eagle was too fast. In an effort to escape the sharp talons of this massive beast, the girl stumbled forward, falling to the ground. Her effort, however, bore fruit, as she escaped being torn to ribbons by it. She was unharmed from the fall, thanks to protective gear matching her skates. I was leaning on my seat, wondering how I could help her from this distance. I really didn't feel like watching a child getting harmed today, but after my own close call, I froze up at the thought of getting any closer to that dangerous bird!
The eagle, however, had not given up, it flew up, and then flew around to bear down onto the girl a second time, talons outstretched towards her. I leaned forward, pushing past my fear to attempt to fly directly at the bird, I remembered how crows crash directly into predators to harass them so I was going to do just that. But before I could enact that plan…
The girl turned around, now laying in her back, and in her hands… A flute. A bamboo flute to be exact. Pretty unassuming were not for a fact… I don't think I've ever seen any shop in this town sell a bamboo flute, ever! And I have been inside a music shop! Though, I do wonder if I'll ever play keyboard again…
With both hands on the flute, and her mouth on one of its ends, she began to play an eery but beautiful tune. I was impressed, honestly, if some bird my size was bearing down on me with talons as sharp as those, I bet that I wouldn't play the flute this well! Or, well, I don't know how to play the flute in the first place, but let's assume that I do for this case in particular.
For a moment, I thought that I made a mistake to trust that this would end well, but, just before the worst could happen, the eagle… Stopped in midair. Its position frozen. Talons forwards, wings stretched for gliding, and beak open- I could even see its tongue. And then, from the tip of the flute a transparent sphere emerged, kind of like a bubble, if it was made out of glass, a glass bubble… It floated over towards the eagle as it grew and grew in size. It passed through the eagle as if it wasn't even there! And then, when it was all around the eagle, it began to shrink and shrink…
And with it, shrunk the harpy eagle within.
The sphere dropped to the ground, like a glass marble with a photorealistic black and white eagle within. The girl stood up- Or, she tried to. She got to her knees instead, heaving and huffing. She clearly was not sure she was going to make out of that unharmed, or alive… With me, that makes two of us.
"You did it Suzana! Good job!" the weasel creature had fallen off of her neck but was now jumping up and down near her legs cheering her on "I knew you could do it since the beginning!"
"Oough…" she groaned, finally getting to her feet "I sure would have preferred that anyone else could have done this…"
Oh, where did I hear this kind of talk before?
"Nonsense!" the long critter said, standing on its rear legs, and gesturing with a forelimb "Only you could have captured the Roc, and you did! And now you have access to its power of flight!"
I found that information as interesting as it was confusing.
"That was a harpy eagle, which is a pretty big bird, but don't you think it small for a Roc?" the words left my lips before I thought better of it. By the end of my sentence the girl was looking surprised in my direction, but her companion was slower in the uptake. Now that I had a better look at her, she seemed to be copper-skinned, with black long hair.
"See, the Roc was taking the form of an eagle because-" the weaselike companion stopped, before turning in my direction- in quite the dramatic fashion if I may add "Wait! Who are you?!" there was a pause, and then her supernatural companion added "WHAT are you?!"
I pondered the question for a moment the question. That, of course, was something that I myself wanted to know. Both questions, actually. Was I really that man that had passed away? With the same soul transplanted into this body? Or was I merely some sort of copy, containing his memories, but being my wholly own being? And, really, WHAT am I, exactly? I have traits of creatures here and there, but I certainly am not something I quite recognize.
"What good questions." I said after a pause, almost absent mindedly, and then proceeded to ponder them more for a moment longer. Only later would I realize that most anyone witnessing me would have no idea that I didn't actually know the answer to these questions.
"Hey! I am talking to you, do not just ignore me! What, are you deaf or daft?" Suzana's small companion asked, impatiently. The little one was not quite in the wrong here, it sure seemed like I was choosing not to actually answer the questions… But that spurred me to mess with the angry creature out of spite.
I was sitting on the branch at one moment, but in the next I was laying on my side, propping my head up with a hand/paw. My tail dangled behind the branch, wiggling. My pose, I believe with all my heart, screamed 'paint me like one of your french girls'.
"Wouldn't you like to know?~" were the teasing words to leave my lips in that moment. I watched with glee as the white creature almost seemed to get pink with rage. This was not something that I did often in my old life, I wonder if this will become a habit of mine with this new life. "You didn't even introduce yourselves, isn't it a little rude?"
"Oh my name is-" Suzana had began to say, before being swiftly interrupted by her companion.
"No! Do not say it" the weaselike one said "To know someone's name is to have power over them! Do not let him know your name"
I chuckled, I couldn't guess the white fuzzball's gender, but whatever that was… Was certainly able to guess mine. Correctly, too. At least what I feel like.
"What's so funny?" Suzana's companion asked, staring at me as if lasers would come out of those eyes and slay me on the spot.
"I already know her name." I said, not trying to give away what was actually making me laugh, though, with the shocked expression in their faces, I had to follow it up with… "It's Suzana. YOU said it, loud and clear. Idiot."
Perhaps I should not have called the little guy an idiot… The companion mascot of the obvious magical girl is just trying to do a good job, and I am kind of a suspicious character. But I was getting pretty annoyed to be fairly honest.
"What is your deal?!" Suzana's companion asked, incensed, before continuing "Are you some kind of spy, imp?!"
I just got called a spy AND an imp at the same time! I don't think I like EITHER of those accusations, though, for certain I can retort with certainty only one of them, unfortunately.
"I certainly would make a pretty lousy spy, just revealing myself like that, don't you think? You know what? Maybe you should thank me for delaying that Roc of yours, because Suzana for sure could have relied in a more useful companion, but you did end letting her down, didn't you? And no, asking her to go faster does not constitute 'helping'." I said. Though my words were calm, I was internally losing my temper. I really had no real reason to tip my hand like that, specially because at least one of them was being pretty hostile to me.
"Wait, so, back then.-" Suzana began... It looked like she was beginning to connect the dots between the unidentified shape she saw back then- which was me, and the Roc hounding the tree that I was currently on.
But I interrupted her. Not with words. That feeling from before, I felt it again. Does that means that the Roc was a coincidence? I had to see for myself. In a moment, I was swooping down towards them… Or, rather, generally towards their direction.
"Suzana look out!" called out her companion, before cringing for a moment. Looks like my talk got the little one self-conscious about yelling out her name.
While the two of them took a step away from my flight path, they soon realized that I was not their targets. I had swooped down onto the marble and took it with the stingers at the end of my tail.
That. I regretted immediately. I realized how upset I was then, and how I was allowing that to dictate my actions.
"Why you-!" Suzana's companion began, but before the sentence could be finished, I threw the marble containing the Roc towards Suzana in an arc, for her to catch. She managed to catch it before it fell to the ground, though she fumbled the catch at first.
"Good chat, Suzana. And YOU… Whoever you are. I better get going!" I said, before flying off, chasing after the feeling that I felt. I am quite sure they began talking after I was some distance away, but I couldn't make out what they were talking about.
Soon, I was soaring through the air once again, chasing after this strange hunch of mine…
---
Written by a human in Ellipsus.
Hey, first time posting fiction on FA. Although I've done some writing like a decade ago, I never posted anything to FA. My old work isn't pretty good, but I like what I've done here, and I hope you enjoy it too!
Though I feel like I have quite a bit of difficulty with the tags...
In any case, chapter 2 is already in the works! Stay tuned!
Update: on the 23rd of March if 2026, this submission got edited! This is thanks to
Scarfworks who has served as my editor for this chapter, and will be serving as the editor for future chapters going forward until further notice!---
Chapter 1: In which the main character, whose name is currently unknown, finds himself in a new body, while his old body is before him. And then begins to uncover mysteries that may or may not be related to himself.
I will write on my phone, in this text editor, my recent memories, so that I can make sense of this new life of mine as it happens. Hopefully I can find a way to charge my phone, but for now I am doing everything I can to stretch its battery. Let's begin with how this new life of mine started… I can reminisce about my old life in due time.
I remember vividly that moment. I stand there, watching the body that used to be me. At first, I thought that that my soul had left my body and I was watching from outside. I chose not to check for pulse or breathing, perhaps so I could delude myself that the body hadn't passed on, or perhaps I simply forgot to. It is hard to tell now. And yet, with the state of what was before me… All that blood, and my body lay there so still that it was like looking at a prop, rather than something that was alive once, there should have been no doubt that I had passed on. Or, well, I didn't quite pass on, did I? Because I am still here!
My body may have towered over me, but… Slumped the way it was, I could easily reach the right pocket… Of my pants? I suppose those were still mine, even if I wasn't wearing them at that moment. Even if they were being worn by a body that I had no longer come to inhabit.
I didn't understand yet what had transpired, but I reached for the smartphone in the pocket. Digging it out was not easy in my much more diminutive size, but it didn't take long to get it out either. Almost in a flash, I was already trying to talk to emergency services. It… Thinking about that moment makes my chest feel tight. I don't… Remember exactly what words I told them, but the person on the other side of the call seemed to think I was a child. Thinking back to it, probably because my voice changed. I didn't care to correct them, I was trying to get someone to rescue this body of mine…
I think I was in denial, that this body wasn't mine, or that this body hasn't perished yet… I may be still in denial. But, it seemed like I convinced someone to send help, so I gave myself a moment to think. I turn off the phone screen. There's enough light for me to see my reflection in the darkened screen.
That. That I remember clearly. That moment. I still don't understand how, but I was no longer human.
There I was, triangular ears atop my head that were surprisingly large, a roundish head with big eyes and a short muzzle, between my head and my torso, I couldn't see a neck, instead there was prominently fluffy fur, not entirely unlikely a mane of some sort. My body… I was somehow standing upright, but even my torso didn't seem much like a human's, more like the rounded torso of a tiny kitten. My limbs had changed too, my hands… Were more like of a paw-hand hybrid. Not in the grotesque way… More in a cute way? My legs, however, were very paw-like. Maybe I could be on all fours if I wanted? Something to test later. I realized then that I had retractable claws. Notably, a pair of membranous bat-like wings adorns my back, they are not small either, quite decently sized I would say.
My fur, I saw, was black like the night sky in the city, which means that there was tiny, nearly imperceptible white dots here and there. My eyes reflected an yellowish light from irises that surrounded slit pupils. I still need to take proper measure, but I must be about half-foot tall- My phone was slightly taller than me! It was serving as pretty much a full length mirror.
As the panic began to fade a bit as I admired myself, it occurred to me how silly it was to assume I was a disembodied spirit. Why would some sort of disembodied spirit be so low to the ground, or, more importantly, have usable limbs for that matter?
Speaking of limbs, I have one more, my tail, which swayed behind me as I watched my reflection with interest. For the most part I could describe myself as cute… I am, what, four heads tall, including my own head, but not counting the ears? Covered in soft fur, and with rounded features, plus the big ol' eyes. Granted, with slit pupils, but still. My tail… Was something different. I think I really like having this tail, but I wouldn't call it cute.
The tail was made of segments covered in black chitin, each segment being broad and flat, the tail's tip had not a stinger, but two. One on the left, the other on the right, and they, themselves, were articulated as well. I recognized that design.
It is like a centipede's forcipules. These are stingers that can grab.
I much prefer this body than my old body, I decided then. I still do. Cute and adorable for the most part, but a bit of dangerous tendencies… Small and compact, but with an extra, dexterous, if dangerous limb. And wings, for flight. I remember wondering then if I could fly. I knew that I had some control over my tail, perhaps the wings would be the same.
But… This was new. I haven't ever seen a creature like me before. Nor heard of it. I may have seen something similar in fiction, but… Well, it is statistically unlikely that I am the first creature of this kind. And if that's the case, then there must be a reason why creatures like what I have become are seemingly some sort of secret.
I decided then to leave my body, and take the phone with me. I could still carry it despite its size. I was not entirely surprised by this fact, given that the square-cube law was on my side for once, but I haven't yet calculated if this is an impressive feat or not. It was, for sure, not the easiest thing I've ever done. Very cumbersome to carry a rectangular slab with you of your approximate height. You know, like a mattress, but rigid. And if you put it under your arm, it will interfere with your wings.
Oh yeah, I remember now. I had decided to try to fly. Somehow, I… Succeeded, first try. I didn't even think about psyching myself up to do it. Thoughts of being locked up by the government or some shadowy institution were the wind under my wings, so to speak. No one would come looking for me if I was captured. My old body was right there, as far as society was concerned, my disappearance would be a solved mystery. Because technically I would not have disappeared…
It did cross my mind to take my wallet with me, but not only my phone was cumbersome enough as it was, I was in a bit of a panic and took a snap decision to leave it behind. Not that it didn't feel weird to leave personal identification, money and bank cards behind, where someone could just take them if they happened upon my body, but I don't think I would be able to use any of that myself. I hoped at the moment that all of that would be given to my next of kin.
I halted my flight some time later. I had come to perch on some tree, so to speak. By then I was trying to recollect what happened before my death… How did I become this creature? Right… I had left work, it was late at night. It is the Saturday. My work had a different arrangement than most people, so I'd work weekends too sometimes. And holidays. If my shift fell on those.
Nonetheless, the bus stop was deserted, and while I waited there for a bit I… Missed my bus. This happened before with me. With the bus stop so deserted, and with me so tired, no one gestured the bus to stop, not even me. When I realized, it was too late. I did try to gesture, but I think the bus driver didn't see then.
I knew what to do then.
Taking a different route than the bus, I sprinted through alleyways. I knew that bus' next stop, but I had to use every shortcut I knew, and I needed to run as fast as I could to get there in time. The alley was even more deserted than the bus stop when it happened. I don't know what struck me, but something did. Sharp pain irradiated from my back after a moment. Something had struck me through the backpack that I was wearing, and I could feel my back growing wet because of it. It took some time before my conscience began to grow faint, but… In a blink, I was standing in front of myself.
I didn't see the perpetrator, nor did I hear anything. Maybe they were far? I don't think I saw some sort of spear sticking from my back. Sure, it could have been a knife, but just like that? Through my backpack? At distance? Perhaps it was a stray bullet from far away. No exit wound, but, if it was from far away, the bullet could have been sufficiently spent, plus it would explain the lack of sound- Did I really get shot? I was never shot before in my life, how could I compare the pain?
None of this even begins to explain how I am now this small creature!
I decided then that I didn't have enough information on that to get anywhere useful. Instead, I should find some shelter if not for me, then at least for my phone. As I flew about, I realized that I probably looked a lot like a bat if anyone were ever to glance my way. That was all the better for them to confuse me with something mundane, like a bat, or a bird… Wait, perhaps…
I managed to spot a convenient birdhouse. Useful for my ends, certainly, if I could make my phone fit in there. It was high up enough that I was sure people wouldn't look inside very often. But… A problem soon arose. The phone would not fit through the entrance meant for the bird. But I was not ready to give up yet! I checked the top and… Bingo! The little roof was not firmly secured. Well, it was secured well enough for the most part, it seems, but I was able to lift it off nonetheless. So I did. The interior had some sort of nest fashioned within, but no eggs and no offspring. I am no bird expert, but it seems like it is not bird breeding season.
I placed the phone within, trying to wedge it between the nest and one of the walls, with the screen turned towards the wall to preserve it. And I decided to turn off the phone then, completely, to save on power. Probably should have done that earlier.
Instead of going through the roof gap- which would pose a problem if I were to try to fix the roof from inside, I decided to go through the hole in front, after fixing the roof, of course. It is a bit of a tight squeeze, but I am not a wide slab of circuits and plastic, so I could make it. I sat in the nest for a moment… This was not so bad. A little dark, sure, but I think my eyes can handle the dark better now, too. Oh. Right, I don't need to use glasses anymore. I didn't mind glasses too much, but they can be bothersome sometimes. For example, it would be quite difficult to keep them on during flight. I certainly am glad that I didn't need them anymore.
There I pondered my current body for a moment, with a hand/paw I squeezed my arm, and pressed against my chest as well. I certainly felt bones inside me. I could feel them if I tried hard enough. Most of what I felt is quite reasonable for what it is… I have some knowledge of anatomy, and being such that a lot of animals matches a lot of the human bones very closely, this all seems to be quite expected. The attachment of my wings to my body is… Quite interesting, to be honest. I don't have a good angle to check them out, and maybe I would need to cut myself open to do so… Which is not something I am very willing to do at the moment.
I turn my attention to my hand/paws. Yep, I got paw pads, they're black like my fur. I actually… Really like them. They're soft. I can feel myself smiling as I touch and squeeze them. I can squeeze my claws out like this. I try for a little bit to get my claws out without having to squeeze them, and I find success before too long, curling my digits as I do so.
My attention is ripped from my own body as a strange feeling runs down my spine. It is not quite like a shiver, it is like a buzz. I remember I got shocked with a current that didn't really do me much harm, it was somewhat like that. Not painful, just… Some sort of energy coursing through me.
I felt a pull. I was pretty directionless at the time, so, I followed it.
Flying proved to be a quite fast way to travel. The pull seemed to disappear midway through my flight, but I had no other lead so I decided to continue giving it a shot, continuing to fly in that direction. But then, a sound drew my attention… In this late time of the night, someone was using what I at first thought to be roller skates. No, it was inline skates, actually… I should have guessed, nobody wears plain roller skates anymore, right? In any case, she was going quite fast, at least. And SHE was certainly too young to be out and about this late at night. Even though she was wearing the full protective gear for skating, which I do not often see people wearing.
I glided down, closer, to get a better look at what was going on. I remember what I heard very clearly.
"It is getting away! Faster!" a high-pitched voice said. I probably would not have had heard this at the distance I was, were not for the bigger ears I have now.
"I am going as fast as I can! Can't you see?! Can't you do something?!" another, more girlish, high-pitched voice said. At first I had thought that the first voice was the girl's, but no, this one was hers.
"Well… You see… I don't quite have my powers…" the first voice said. This time I paid more attention, trying to see if she had her phone out or something, but instead something else caught my attention… A slender furry creature rested around the girl's neck. Whatever that was, it was about my size, but longer and certainly quite flexible, like a ferret of some sort. I also noticed some sort of dome-like cloudy white gem on the creature's forehead, so, for sure this was not just a talking animal. Which was a pretty impressive feat of observation on my part, this certainly goes beyond just having perfect human vision, right? I have always needed glasses- until now, so it is hard to say for certain.
"Oh, what good help you are!" the girl said, before groaning. She tried to go faster and faster, trying to catch whatever they were after no matter what.
I found that all interesting. I wondered if this was related to what I had become, I wondered, too, if it was related to the perishing of my older body. Perhaps both. But they looked like they were going to miss their chance to confront what they were chasing. Well, no point in letting the chance escape, I decided to go ahead of them and see what this was all about.
Flapping my wings as fast as I could, my body swayed in the air, like I was doing dolphin kicks underwater- Minus holding my arms in front, and plus with a pair of wings to propel me forward. That… Got me flying pretty fast.
"What was that?!" I heard the girl exclaim as I left her behind. Perhaps I should have flow higher.
"I… I don not know." the creature around her neck replied.
I was tempted to look behind me to see if they had some sort of surprised face, but I decided to focus on moving forward, such distraction would have been foolish. I didn't hear the rest of their conversation, perhaps there was nothing else, or maybe I had grown sufficiently distant. Their two sentences were certainly affected by Doppler effect, to be sure.
I had gained on them considerably, when I felt that strange feeling in my spine again, just like what had happened before. I halted my flight as much as I could, as I tried to get a bearing on what I was feeling. That, inadvertently, allowed me to evade some sort of eagle-like bird, that was flying right at me, talons-first!
I swiftly pivoted to fly between the branches of a nearby tree. That bird was certainly bigger than me, and I really didn't want it to rip me in half, but, its size was also its downfall. I looked behind me after flying between the tight gaps of a few branches, and I could see that it had tried to follow after me, but had to change course. There, in that moment, I could have a better look at my assailant- And I recognized it!
There it was, with feathers that varied from white to black in just the right pattern expected of them, a harpy eagle… Merely the largest bird of prey in the world. I write this sarcastically, as no man that was in presence with a fully mature specimen left the encounter without being impressed. After all, standing on the ground, this thing could look eye-to-eye with the girl from before, on the very least.
To me, it was like meeting the mythological Roc.
I perched onto a nearby branch, and wondered if this could have been the thing that had slain me. I kept still as I thought, but I kept an eye on it. It kept being interested in me so it didn't just fly away. Instead it fluttered about. I continued to ponder, seemingly in safety, and concluded that it was not what had slain me. This thing can be fast, yes, but not maneuverable enough to disappear right after I was wounded. And probably would have had a hard time of getting to me through my backpack… Probably. Though I also then pondered how such a bird found its way to… Well, somewhere well outside its habitat. There isn't even a zoo close enough for it to have escaped from, and I don't know if zoos even keep these humongous birds!
In the time I wasted thinking about this- which also led to this massive eagle to waste time trying to find an angle to get to me, the girl had managed to catch up to here. I watched from the branch as the situation unfolded.
"There it is! It is still weak! Go and capture it!" barked the little critter around the girl's neck
"W-what? Oh, uh, how do I do that?!" she said, after coming to a stop. I could see in her eyes and voice some trepidation in regards to the massive bird. A very reasonable reaction.
In response to their intrusion, the bird lost interest in me, and proceeded to turn its attention towards the duo, swooping in their direction.
"Suzana! It is attacking! Play the flute! Now!" the weasel-like creature exclaimed.
The girl fumbled around to pull out an object, but the eagle was too fast. In an effort to escape the sharp talons of this massive beast, the girl stumbled forward, falling to the ground. Her effort, however, bore fruit, as she escaped being torn to ribbons by it. She was unharmed from the fall, thanks to protective gear matching her skates. I was leaning on my seat, wondering how I could help her from this distance. I really didn't feel like watching a child getting harmed today, but after my own close call, I froze up at the thought of getting any closer to that dangerous bird!
The eagle, however, had not given up, it flew up, and then flew around to bear down onto the girl a second time, talons outstretched towards her. I leaned forward, pushing past my fear to attempt to fly directly at the bird, I remembered how crows crash directly into predators to harass them so I was going to do just that. But before I could enact that plan…
The girl turned around, now laying in her back, and in her hands… A flute. A bamboo flute to be exact. Pretty unassuming were not for a fact… I don't think I've ever seen any shop in this town sell a bamboo flute, ever! And I have been inside a music shop! Though, I do wonder if I'll ever play keyboard again…
With both hands on the flute, and her mouth on one of its ends, she began to play an eery but beautiful tune. I was impressed, honestly, if some bird my size was bearing down on me with talons as sharp as those, I bet that I wouldn't play the flute this well! Or, well, I don't know how to play the flute in the first place, but let's assume that I do for this case in particular.
For a moment, I thought that I made a mistake to trust that this would end well, but, just before the worst could happen, the eagle… Stopped in midair. Its position frozen. Talons forwards, wings stretched for gliding, and beak open- I could even see its tongue. And then, from the tip of the flute a transparent sphere emerged, kind of like a bubble, if it was made out of glass, a glass bubble… It floated over towards the eagle as it grew and grew in size. It passed through the eagle as if it wasn't even there! And then, when it was all around the eagle, it began to shrink and shrink…
And with it, shrunk the harpy eagle within.
The sphere dropped to the ground, like a glass marble with a photorealistic black and white eagle within. The girl stood up- Or, she tried to. She got to her knees instead, heaving and huffing. She clearly was not sure she was going to make out of that unharmed, or alive… With me, that makes two of us.
"You did it Suzana! Good job!" the weasel creature had fallen off of her neck but was now jumping up and down near her legs cheering her on "I knew you could do it since the beginning!"
"Oough…" she groaned, finally getting to her feet "I sure would have preferred that anyone else could have done this…"
Oh, where did I hear this kind of talk before?
"Nonsense!" the long critter said, standing on its rear legs, and gesturing with a forelimb "Only you could have captured the Roc, and you did! And now you have access to its power of flight!"
I found that information as interesting as it was confusing.
"That was a harpy eagle, which is a pretty big bird, but don't you think it small for a Roc?" the words left my lips before I thought better of it. By the end of my sentence the girl was looking surprised in my direction, but her companion was slower in the uptake. Now that I had a better look at her, she seemed to be copper-skinned, with black long hair.
"See, the Roc was taking the form of an eagle because-" the weaselike companion stopped, before turning in my direction- in quite the dramatic fashion if I may add "Wait! Who are you?!" there was a pause, and then her supernatural companion added "WHAT are you?!"
I pondered the question for a moment the question. That, of course, was something that I myself wanted to know. Both questions, actually. Was I really that man that had passed away? With the same soul transplanted into this body? Or was I merely some sort of copy, containing his memories, but being my wholly own being? And, really, WHAT am I, exactly? I have traits of creatures here and there, but I certainly am not something I quite recognize.
"What good questions." I said after a pause, almost absent mindedly, and then proceeded to ponder them more for a moment longer. Only later would I realize that most anyone witnessing me would have no idea that I didn't actually know the answer to these questions.
"Hey! I am talking to you, do not just ignore me! What, are you deaf or daft?" Suzana's small companion asked, impatiently. The little one was not quite in the wrong here, it sure seemed like I was choosing not to actually answer the questions… But that spurred me to mess with the angry creature out of spite.
I was sitting on the branch at one moment, but in the next I was laying on my side, propping my head up with a hand/paw. My tail dangled behind the branch, wiggling. My pose, I believe with all my heart, screamed 'paint me like one of your french girls'.
"Wouldn't you like to know?~" were the teasing words to leave my lips in that moment. I watched with glee as the white creature almost seemed to get pink with rage. This was not something that I did often in my old life, I wonder if this will become a habit of mine with this new life. "You didn't even introduce yourselves, isn't it a little rude?"
"Oh my name is-" Suzana had began to say, before being swiftly interrupted by her companion.
"No! Do not say it" the weaselike one said "To know someone's name is to have power over them! Do not let him know your name"
I chuckled, I couldn't guess the white fuzzball's gender, but whatever that was… Was certainly able to guess mine. Correctly, too. At least what I feel like.
"What's so funny?" Suzana's companion asked, staring at me as if lasers would come out of those eyes and slay me on the spot.
"I already know her name." I said, not trying to give away what was actually making me laugh, though, with the shocked expression in their faces, I had to follow it up with… "It's Suzana. YOU said it, loud and clear. Idiot."
Perhaps I should not have called the little guy an idiot… The companion mascot of the obvious magical girl is just trying to do a good job, and I am kind of a suspicious character. But I was getting pretty annoyed to be fairly honest.
"What is your deal?!" Suzana's companion asked, incensed, before continuing "Are you some kind of spy, imp?!"
I just got called a spy AND an imp at the same time! I don't think I like EITHER of those accusations, though, for certain I can retort with certainty only one of them, unfortunately.
"I certainly would make a pretty lousy spy, just revealing myself like that, don't you think? You know what? Maybe you should thank me for delaying that Roc of yours, because Suzana for sure could have relied in a more useful companion, but you did end letting her down, didn't you? And no, asking her to go faster does not constitute 'helping'." I said. Though my words were calm, I was internally losing my temper. I really had no real reason to tip my hand like that, specially because at least one of them was being pretty hostile to me.
"Wait, so, back then.-" Suzana began... It looked like she was beginning to connect the dots between the unidentified shape she saw back then- which was me, and the Roc hounding the tree that I was currently on.
But I interrupted her. Not with words. That feeling from before, I felt it again. Does that means that the Roc was a coincidence? I had to see for myself. In a moment, I was swooping down towards them… Or, rather, generally towards their direction.
"Suzana look out!" called out her companion, before cringing for a moment. Looks like my talk got the little one self-conscious about yelling out her name.
While the two of them took a step away from my flight path, they soon realized that I was not their targets. I had swooped down onto the marble and took it with the stingers at the end of my tail.
That. I regretted immediately. I realized how upset I was then, and how I was allowing that to dictate my actions.
"Why you-!" Suzana's companion began, but before the sentence could be finished, I threw the marble containing the Roc towards Suzana in an arc, for her to catch. She managed to catch it before it fell to the ground, though she fumbled the catch at first.
"Good chat, Suzana. And YOU… Whoever you are. I better get going!" I said, before flying off, chasing after the feeling that I felt. I am quite sure they began talking after I was some distance away, but I couldn't make out what they were talking about.
Soon, I was soaring through the air once again, chasing after this strange hunch of mine…
---
Written by a human in Ellipsus.
Category Story / Transformation
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 50 x 50px
File Size 64.9 kB
Comments