[center][i]”It was not in her nature to be anything but divine, yet, I saw what the others could not. Paranoia.”[/i][/center] [hr] The warm day sent Nefe into a contentable lull. Nefe lounged strung out across Nefe’s favorite rock that overlooked the farm pond. Behind Nefe and down the hill sat the house. Father Nedjem was out tending to the livestock, no doubt with Nefe’s brother’s in tow. Mother Aziza had to be about baking bread with Nefe’s little sister’s and the younger kitten’s who couldn’t do much. Nefe had already completed Nefe’s own chores and now Nefe got to sunbathe. A favorite pastime in the panthera lands. All had been going well until she heard a voice and her ears prickled. “Tsk tsk tsk Nefe sister. Again with the lounging? What will our parents think?” Nefe blinked an eye open and saw Tum with arms crossed and a smirk. It was like looking at Nefe but Tum was a boy, it was in Tum’s build. The way Nefe’s twin carried himself. Orange fur, striped with white. Tum’s green eyes, but slits in the sunlight, flashed with trouble. “Why isn’t Tum helping father?” Nefe asked, not deigning to move. She shut her eyes too, it wasn’t worth looking at Tum. This Nefe knew. “Tum did help father. We finished not long ago. Even had the noon meal. Mother wants to see Nefe.” Tum said. Nefe could tell Tum was holding back a smile. Mother would yank Nefe’s ear again and Tum wanted to watch. But why? Nefe had done no wrong. So Nefe questioned. Nefe hadn’t really lost track of so much time surely? “Nefe finished her chores this morning. Mother does not wish to see Nefe. Do not lie Tum. Or Tum’s tongue will get the soap.” she chided. “Nefe does not know what mother needs because Nefe was not at the noon meal. Mother sent Tum to fetch you. Come along now sister. Nefe must be hungry at least?” Nefe’s eyes snapped open and Nefe rotated her body so Nefe was eye to eye with Tum on Nefe’s rock. Tum had Tum’s arms crossed. No more smiling. Was it serious or was it another trick so Tum could get the basking rock? Nefe narrowed her eyes. “Go tell mother Aziza that Nefe will come along right after a nap.” Nefe said before licking her arm. Tum opened his mouth as if to argue further but Tum must have thought better of it. Good. Nefe was older after all. And one could not forget to respect their betters. “Suit yourself Nefe sister. Tum will go tell mother, then it will be soap in your mouth for not coming along when summoned.” Tum cast a wicked smile, turned and left. Nefe watched him go and then settled back down on Nefe’s rock. Nefe would deal with any punishments later. For now Nefe yawned, stretched and got comfortable. It was time for a good cat nap. [hr] Nefe felt a bolt of dread flood Nefe as Nefe shot awake. Nefe rubbed at Nefe’s eyes, still believing Nefe was asleep. But no- it had become nighttime. How long had Nefe slept? Why had no one come to wake Nefe? Mother would be mad as a march hare with Nefe. That sent Nefe to climb down the basking rock. Its warmth had faded. Just like… For the first time, Nefe noticed the sounds of night were absent. No chirping insects or the rustle of foliage as something moved past, nor were the summer croakers challenging one another with their boisterous croaks. Suddenly the emptiness around Nefe felt overwhelming. Nefe couldn’t see the house from where she stood. Nefe would be able to and have a sense of normalcy if Nefe could just see it. It wasn’t far, Nefe would be able to see at the lip of the hill. So Nefe began to walk as the hairs of Nefe’s body stood straight up and Nefe’s ears were on full alert. Scanning for any noise but the eerie quiet remained. Something caught Nefe’s eye though. At first Nefe thought it was a large bird, black across the night sky, soaring past. But as Nefe really looked did Nefe realize it was no such bird. For starter’s it was too large, too strangely shaped and it was coming right for Nefe. Nefe began to run as instincts took over. Find cover. There was no cover, save home. Nefe neared the lip of the hill and saw that the lights were on inside. Relief washed over Nefe, followed by dread as she looked up and saw… A bright beam of light enveloped Nefe and Nefe knew no more. [hr] “1̷̢̡̻̥̗̿͒́0̸̛̙̏̈̈́͐͑͋̓̎̕0̵̡̥̺̤̮̰̩̿̇́͋̅0̷̝͚̄̀1̷̧̼̪͓͉̪̰̆0̶͉̘̼̘̝̙͓̒͆̍̿̕͝ ̴̡̡̻͔̯̭̥̗̀̀̈́̆̿̈.” Nefe awoke to a blinding white light and a terrible noise. Like metal scraping against metal but worse. Nefe blinked at the pain of the lights as Nefe’s head throbbed. Nefe tried to move but couldn’t and as Nefe’s eyes adjusted to the light, Nefe could see that Nefe’s arms and feet were bound to a table with cold metal. Nefe saw that Nefe was in some sort of room. White walls, or was that silver? A glaring light overhead made Nefe wince as Nefe looked up at it. Nefe then squirmed but it was no use. A sense of terror washed over Nefe and Nefe suddenly felt very small. Then a door snapped open before Nefe and Nefe was met with a long hallway. Nefe then lurched forward. Or what Nefe was trapped on lurched forward and it was only then did Nefe notice what was moving Nefe. If terror had Nefe’s heart, then horror took Nefe’s soul. A being with no face stared down at Nefe. Polished metal reflected Nefe’s own warped face back at her. Nefe shut her eyes tight and began to pray to all the gods. “1̸̡̛̣̩̺̖̝͓̗̎͆̓͆͜0̷̯͆̽͑̐̃̂͂̇͝0̵̨̠̬̠̩̫͍́̋̌̄0̸̨̲͙̖͖̣̖̩̮͌̆͂͘͝͠1̸̛̟̥͔̠̟̭͈̌̄0̸͇̫̟̥̔̉̿̍͂̏̚͝0̵̻͙̟͓̈́̑̉̂̓̏̑̕͘͝0̶̼̟͔̹̪͈͌̓1̶͚̬̜͔̓͌̎͂͑̓́̕̚.” It said and Nefe gritted her teeth at the sound. "N-Nefe d-doesn't..." she tried to whimper but couldn't. “0̸͇̫̟̥̔̉̿̍͂̏̚͝0̵̻͙̟͓̈́̑̉̂̓̏̑̕͘͝0̶̼̟͔̹̪͈͌̓1̶͚̬̜͔̓͌̎͂͑̓́̕̚.” It said again as they neared closer to the end of the hallway where a door waited. Footsteps sounded. Nefe began to cry as another spoke and then the first and it was as if their voices were drilling into Nefe’s very skull. It was too much. 1̴̡̠͓̻̪̬̈̈̑͐͊͘̕͘0̴̗̟̖̮̘͖̠̱͉̦̾͐̆̍͒͜ͅ0̶̣̞̻̘͓̙̲̪̼̟͓̝̲̍̓̏̅́̎̇̈́̅͘͘͝͝͝0̴̨̢̞͈̖͔̟͙̳̫͚̣̫̿̾͑̉͂̒͝ͅ0̷̧̟̹͖̥̞̟͕̼̙̣͖̓́̋͂̌͋̊̉̚͘͜͜0̸̡̱̩͓̤̟̺̹͇͖̲̲̝̙̬̩̌̑͋̔̕ ̶̛̹͌̒̋̉̀̽͋̆̽͛̔̐́̕1̵̱͕̞̥̬̹͙̫̱̪̗̣̱͚̅1̷̡̦̤̀̏̋̈́͆̈́́̇͠0̷͚͕̹̩̰̯̌̉͌̀̉͋͠0̶̧̡͖͕̲̳̫͓̬̟͎̺͎̒̒̍́͐̉͆̕͘͜͝͝0̷̛̺̈́̓̄͑̋̎̓̃͌̈́͘̚͘͜0̷̩͍̬̼̙̤̦̯͌̀0̶̜̀͒̽̍̑̇̈̉͗͠ ̸̡̢͚̞̻̻͚͉͆̑̐̅̑͐͆̉̀̚̚͜͝1̷̠̬͓̣̬̠̞̩͓̪̫̂̾̎̋̃̊̄̊́0̴̨̧͖̩͔̺̪̖̻͍͉̝̔̒͒̿͗̈́͆̔́̿͊̔̈́̕0̷̛͎́̓͐͐̀̈̃͌̔͊̅̀̄͝͝0̶̣̔̀̈́͌̍̒̈́̀̎̃̈1̸̨̛̺̬̥̮̞̯̰̟̎̅̔̀̒̈́̽̿͌̃̌͝1̸̹̜̜͐̇̊͆̐͝͝0̸̤͉͔̱͖͉̈̓̀̽͋̉̂̀̆̄̄̄0̷̨͕̯͕̮̜̦̮̟̤̘͑͆̀̾́͝0̴̻͔̱̭͆ ̸̛̜̩͔͉̱͑̆̈́͠1̸̫̪̈́̍̀̆̃͗͆̊̊͝͝0̶̠͇̇́́̃͘͝͝0̵̙̲̻̜̪̉̽͌͊̿͐͆͑̚͝0̸̧͙̹͙̹̰̼̿2̷̧̥̳̼͚̩͍͒̈͑͌͋̄̀̀̈́͑̕͝0̴̡̭̯͕̣̹̯̜͔̰̀͂͂̃͜ͅ0̸̧͈̬̫͈̠̝̥̈́͋̋̃͌̈́͐̀̍̾̄͌̽̇̈́0̸̡̩̤̫͕͍̮̞̟͖͕͐̐̿̒͋́̎͘0̸͉͚̣̻͈͒̄̋͝1̸̢̮̗̩̠̲̟̬͙̯̠͑͋͛͛́̈́̈́́̃̄͊̒̕͠1̴̡̠͓̻̪̬̈̈̑͐͊͘̕͘0̴̗̟̖̮̘͖̠̱͉̦̾͐̆̍͒͜ͅ0̶̣̞̻̘͓̙̲̪̼̟͓̝̲̍̓̏̅́̎̇̈́̅͘͘͝͝͝0̴̨̢̞͈̖͔̟͙̳̫͚̣̫̿̾͑̉͂̒͝ͅ0̷̧̟̹͖̥̞̟͕̼̙̣͖̓́̋͂̌͋̊̉̚͘͜͜0̸̡̱̩͓̤̟̺̹͇͖̲̲̝̙̬̩̌̑͋̔̕ ̶̛̹͌̒̋̉̀̽͋̆̽͛̔̐́̕1̵̱͕̞̥̬̹͙̫̱̪̗̣̱͚̅1̷̡̦̤̀̏̋̈́͆̈́́̇͠0̷͚͕̹̩̰̯̌̉͌̀̉͋͠0̶̧̡͖͕̲̳̫͓̬̟͎̺͎̒̒̍́͐̉͆̕͘͜͝͝0̷̛̺̈́̓̄͑̋̎̓̃͌̈́͘̚͘͜0̷̩͍̬̼̙̤̦̯͌̀0̶̜̀͒̽̍̑̇̈̉͗͠ ̸̡̢͚̞̻̻͚͉͆̑̐̅̑͐͆̉̀̚̚͜͝1̷̠̬͓̣̬̠̞̩͓̪̫̂̾̎̋̃̊̄̊́0̴̨̧͖̩͔̺̪̖̻͍͉̝̔̒͒̿͗̈́͆̔́̿͊̔̈́̕0̷̛͎́̓͐͐̀̈̃͌̔͊̅̀̄͝͝0̶̣̔̀̈́͌̍̒̈́̀̎̃̈1̸̨̛̺̬̥̮̞̯̰̟̎̅̔̀̒̈́̽̿͌̃̌͝1̸̹̜̜͐̇̊͆̐͝͝0̸̤͉͔̱͖͉̈̓̀̽͋̉̂̀̆̄̄̄0̷̨͕̯͕̮̜̦̮̟̤̘͑͆̀̾́͝0̴̻͔̱̭͆ ̸̛̜̩͔͉̱͑̆̈́͠1̸̫̪̈́̍̀̆̃͗͆̊̊͝͝0̶̠͇̇́́̃͘͝͝0̵̙̲̻̜̪̉̽͌͊̿͐͆͑̚͝0̸̧͙̹͙̹̰̼̿2̷̧̥̳̼͚̩͍͒̈͑͌͋̄̀̀̈́͑̕͝0̴̡̭̯͕̣̹̯̜͔̰̀͂͂̃͜ͅ0̸̧͈̬̫͈̠̝̥̈́͋̋̃͌̈́͐̀̍̾̄͌̽̇̈́0̸̡̩̤̫͕͍̮̞̟͖͕͐̐̿̒͋́̎͘0̸͉͚̣̻͈͒̄̋͝1̸̢̮̗̩̠̲̟̬͙̯̠͑͋͛͛́̈́̈́́̃̄͊̒̕͠ Too much! Nefe screamed. Silence. Nefe had come to a stop. Nefe opened her eyes and this time, a face looked back at Nefe. Silver swirling eyes peered into Nefe’s. A woman’s face, silver upon silver, meshing, flowing, forming shape. Beautiful but terrible. Something that wasn’t born, this Nefe knew. Nefe felt strangely calm as the silver one looked at Nefe. Maybe this was Nefe’s hope? A prayer answered? “H-Help Nefe. P-Please h-help Nefe.” Nefe pleaded in a small voice. Nefe did not like how she sounded. Nefe wasn’t weak like Tum. At the thought of her twin, Nefe almost choked out a cry. When the woman didn’t answer and instead had begun to poke and prod Nefe with her finger’s did Nefe feel that calm begin to flow away. Nefe began to shake instead at the cold touch. Nefe felt herself begin to unravel as the touching stopped and the woman moved out of Nefe’s eyesight. Nefe strained to get a look but felt something cold snap over her forehead, restricting Nefe’s movement. Nefe began to breathe fast as panic seeped in. All Nefe managed to make out was the room Nefe was in had a very distant ceiling. The air was cold and there was a lack of any smell, something Nefe hadn’t picked up on before. It only made Nefe feel worse. A wrongness Nefe could not describe. “N-Nefe will be g-good. Nefe p-promises!” Nefe began to say. “Nefe will listen to m-mother! Nefe will do what mother asks! P-Please h-help Nefe! Please!” she cried as fresh tears fell down Tefe’s face. Tefe tasted the salt as a few found Tefe’s mouth. The woman returned and cocked her head as she looked upon Nefe. The woman blinked a few times and then reached out towards Nefe. Instinctively, Nefe began to thrash and fight. Nefe would resist! Nefe wouldn’t let this happen! The woman’s hand went for Nefe’s face in what seemed like slow motion. Nefe hissed and snapped Nefe’s teeth but it didn’t work and Nefe shut Nefe’s eyes tight. Defiant until the end. Nefe felt a touch across the corner of Nefe’s eye. Then the pressure subsided. When Nefe opened her eyes, she saw that the woman had one of Nefe’s tears on the point of her finger. The woman looked at it and then spoke, “Do not cry. Tears are useless in the wars to come.” The woman looked to the side of Nefe and Nefe hissed as that terrible voice from before spoke. “1̸̫̪̈́̍̀̆̃͗͆̊̊͝͝0̶̠͇̇́́̃͘͝͝0̵̙̲̻̜̪̉̽͌͊̿͐͆͑̚͝0̸̧͙̹͙̹̰̼̿2̷̧̥̳̼͚̩͍͒̈͑͌͋̄̀̀̈́͑̕͝0̴̡̭̯͕̣̹̯̜͔̰̀͂͂̃͜ͅ0̸̧͈̬̫͈̠̝̥̈́͋̋̃͌̈́͐̀̍̾̄͌̽̇̈́?” “Acknowledged.” The woman spoke, her voice now cold and unemotional. “Pantherasapien. Female. Eighteen years.” Nefe shied away as the woman walked around her with an ever present gaze. “1̷̢̡̻̥̗̿͒́0̸̛̙̏̈̈́͐͑͋̓̎̕0̵̡̥̺̤̮̰̩̿̇́͋̅0̷̝͚̄̀1̷̧̼̪͓͉̪̰̆0̶͉̘̼̘̝̙͓̒͆̍̿̕͝ ̴̡̡̻͔̯̭̥̗̀̀̈́̆̿̈1̸̡̛̣̩̺̖̝͓̗̎͆̓͆͜0̷̯͆̽͑̐̃̂͂̇͝0̵̨̠̬̠̩̫͍́̋̌̄0̸̨̲͙̖͖̣̖̩̮͌̆͂͘͝͠1̸̛̟̥͔̠̟̭͈̌̄0̸͇̫̟̥̔̉̿̍͂̏̚͝0̵̻͙̟͓̈́̑̉̂̓̏̑̕͘͝0̶̼̟͔̹̪͈͌̓1̶͚̬̜͔̓͌̎͂͑̓́̕̚ ̴͉̮̘̜̩̞͌̋̆͋̇̊͠ͅ0̶̞̺͖͇͕̬͊ͅ0̴̧̛̙̦̘̘̝̫͗̑͒ͅ0̸͎͕̅̂̎̓̅́̑͜1̷̮͌̓̀͒͊̕͝0̴̛̠̮̙̺͈̾͋̌̓͑̊̈́̈́͘͜1̵͓̲͍̩͈͆́͊̔̽͛̉͋̽̄ ̵̱͎͓̆͒ͅ0̸̗̲̀̀̿͆̋̃̅̂̓̆0̷̢̦̭̭̯̫̮̅1̶̲̃͛0̸̪̯̮͕̖̤̜̩̋̋̑͒͑̇̍͝0̶̖͉͙̀̋̔̒͛̓̀̀͘̚1̷͖̎́́̄̉̃͆1̶͖̋̍ ̸̞̝̗͊0̸̣͈̠̪̥̻̼͈͆̽͐̊͂͝ͅ0̸̨̲͇́̆̅́̾̓͛́́͘0̸̡̟̮̲̳̉̿̑0̵̲͉̫͚̪̺̙͊0̴̣͇̓͠.” “Essence negative. Specimen lacks noticeable aberrations in makeup. Parameter requirements met for experimental group. Slate for immediate apparatus induction.” “1̷̗̲̩͉̗̠͒̏͗̚0̸̗̱̅̊̓̊̈́͝0̴̡̜̗̪͈͚̏̾̆͑͜0̷̭̟̾0̶̨͍͙̜͚̺̤̜͇͇̽0̶̡͗̇̀͂ ̶̳͖̗̩̠̀̽͊̂̿̓̆1̴̠̳͕͙̘̭̈́͐̎͜1̵͖͈̱̍̌0̸̈̎͗̃̂̎̀̈́͝ͅ0̷̥̤͙̹́0̶̧̛̩̤͖̪̙͔͗͗̀̌͒͠0̷̡̤̖̭̻̲͓̤̝͑̕0̷̪͚̯̲̳̟̈͛̉̌̈́̕.” “Affirmative. Correlation unknown. Further testing required.” The woman came to a stop before her. Nefe did not know what the conversation had been about, such words were lost on Nefe, after all. But Nefe could not shake that something terrible was about to befall Nefe. So Nefe couldn’t stop the tears from flowing once more. Nefe began to be moved again. Nefe begged. Nefe cried. Nefe pleaded. The woman smiled forcefully, it didn’t look quite right, and then said, “You are broken but it isn’t your fault. You are not to blame for how you are. I’ll fix you and you’ll be better for it, Nefe, Aziza’s daughter. Your organic components are but fuel for the enemy, after all. And they can’t have fuel any longer.” Nefe screamed but not a soul heard her. [hider=Summary] Nefe of pantheraland goes on a wicked trip. [/hider] [hider=MP] Sylia 12 -2 to create; [i]Classified by the Sylann Assembly.[/i] 10MP remaining. [/hider]