Freedom for an Experiment (Circe)

[Dreya Shynn]

I wander aimlessly through the dark for weeks. I wear rags; all that remains of the facility garb I was given. My wings are dirty, as is the rest of my body.

The thirst is the hardest to quench down here. I can usually find small animals and bugs that have made their homes in the ruins of the labs. But water requires hours of digging. And even when I find a good supply, it only lasts for about three days.

I can't find the Creator's ring. He said it would help me control my power when it was given to me. When the labs were destroyed, I was forced to leave it in my cell. I went back to look for it, but it wasn't there.

I am alone here. I have been since the Destruction. I don't believe anything else survived. Yet, here I stand. Why me? Why was I spared? I do not know.

I continue walking. Just as I round a corner, I see something. A....A light? I follow it.
@[member="Circe Savan"]

 

[Onrai]

"Hmm... I wonder what's left of the wreckage." Circe had arrived on the planet with two I-10 probe droids in an attempt to take whatever remains from Thule she could get her hands on. As an ally of Kaine for years now, she had come to salvage anything she could get her hands on that was a remain from Kaine's various experiments over the years. Likely not all of it had been looted during the facility's destruction. For her, however, things were about to get interesting.

Something was alive. An entity - an experiment, perhaps - was still here in the rubble, still perfectly intact. Focusing, Circe chose to speak to the mind of whoever it was.

Hello? Can you hear me?

@[member="Dreya Shynn"]

 

[Dreya Shynn]

I stop in the middle of my movement. A voice. A voice in my head. It was asking if I could hear it. My eyes well up with tears. I have not heard another sentient being since the Destruction. It takes a moment for me to gather myself. Carefully, I speak a single word.

"Yes...."

I don't know if my voice can even be heard. It has been so long since I've had reason to speak.
@[member="Circe Savan"]

 

[Onrai]

She head it. The voice that spoke back to her was quite audible as Circe shoved a pile of rubble away, heading down into the remaining ruins of the main laboratory building. Her labs had been nearby. And soon she came across a nearly naked, dirty, winged individual who more than likely was an experiment of Kaine's. Smiling, she opened her arms and moved in, giving Dreya a hug.

"It's okay... I'm here for you."

@[member="Dreya Shynn"]

 

[Dreya Shynn]

I stand rigid as a woman makes her way into the ruins in front of me. She embraces me. I am unsure what this means. Can she be trusted? Was she truly here for me? What was I supposed to do?

The momentary shock I feel is suddenly replaced with great emotion. This is the first person, living, breathing person, that I have seen for a very long time. I'm not alone anymore. Tears race down my cheeks as I hug her back. I am filled with more joy than I have ever felt before. Someone has found me. I am safe. I can leave, and I'll never have to come back.

All of these thoughts race through my head as I embrace this woman, a complete stranger. A part of my mind was still suspicious of her. But nevertheless, I am so very happy!
@[member="Circe Savan"]

 

[Onrai]

Circe looked the girl over, helping her out of the rubble. The two I-10s ignored her, staying well away of the newcomer as she brought the woman on board her ship. "Are you okay?"

Noticing how dirty she was, Circe motioned for her to follow as she walked the experiment to her ship's showers. Figuring that Dreya wouldn't mind, Circe removed her filthy, destroyed clothes with a strong tug. "Alright... The soap and shampoo are right over there. Use as much as you feel you need to to clean yourself up, okay?" Circe smiled, then moved to turn on the hot water switch.

"Thank the gods she's alright..."

@[member="Dreya Shynn"]

 

[Dreya Shynn]

The bright light of the ship stuns my eyes. It has been so long since she'd seen that kind of light. The woman leads me inside, and straight to a bathing room of some sort. She takes off my clothes, and tells me that there is soap and things to clean myself with and to take as long as I need. Then, she leaves me there. I cautiously step into the shower. The water..... I let out a tiny cry of surprise. I have forgotten how hot water feels. At first, I have to stay out of the direct path of the shower spout because it burned so much. But, it begins to feel good. I let the warmth of it rinse my body. I take the soap and scrub thoroughly. Not a single crevice goes uncleaned. I furiously cleanse and re-cleanse my hair and wings. Finally, I am clean enough. I step out of the shower. My rags are gone, but there are many towels. I wrap a large one around me, tightly fastening it so that it won't fall off. There is a mirror on the wall. I look at myself for a moment in it. My silver eyes reflect what I see like two little mirrors themselves. My hair and my wings look silver once again. I wonder....... I close my eyes. It has been ages since I have shifted into my Normal Form. Can I still do it? I search my consciousness. Do I even remember what My Normal Form looks like? Ah, yes. There I am. I concentrate on myself in that appearance. I feel myself being her. That girl, lost to memory so many years ago. I open my eyes. My hair is now a deep purplish-burgundy. My wings are gone. My skin doesn't glow as brightly as before. I look, for the most part, more human. Satisfied, I walk out of the room.
@[member="Circe Savan"]

 

[Onrai]

And into Circe's parlor she stepped. The woman had found some dark artifacts in the ruins of the laboratory, and as such, she was more than eager to enlist the assistance of the ethereally gorgeous young woman who had been living there. Motioning for Dreya to sit, she smiled, softly levitating a cup of warm tea over to the now-human towel-wrapped woman. "Well, you sure cleaned up nicely."

Motioning for her to come over to Circe, the Vinithi smiled. "Circe Savan. Pleased to meet you. It's good I rescued you, so it seems."

@[member="Dreya Shynn"]

 

[Dreya Shynn]

I take the tea gratefully. It's warm and sweet on my tongue. "My name is Dreya Shynn," I say. I'm fairly certain that's what it is, at least. I notice the items that Circe had before her. One of them was a small silver ring. I take a small breath. "You found the Creator's ring," I say, picking it up. I hadn't seen it since that day, when the world I knew came crashing to the ground around me.
@[member="Circe Savan"]

 

[Onrai]

"I'm guessing it's something very important to you?" She smiled, looking the girl over and carefully putting the ring on Dreya's right ring finger. "You're one of Kaine's experiments. I can tell. I had a laboratory here too, and you look very familiar." She paused. "You're alone. You're alone and you don't have anyone. I'm willing to train you, Dreya. To raise you, to love you, to comfort you as the mother figure in your life." She paused, thinking of a better way to put it.

"I want to bring you into my family."

@[member="Dreya Shynn"]

 

[Dreya Shynn]

The feel of the familiar metal around my finger calms me greatly. I no longer have to worry about accidentally shifting into my True Form, either. Circe brings up the topic of joining her. I honestly am unsure. What I had in the Creator's......Kaine's........laboratory was what I considered home. The others......."experiments"......... They were my family. But, she's right. They are gone. All gone. And I am all alone, as I have been for all these years. This truth sends a deep ache through my chest.

I look at Circe for a moment. She may have helped me. But what if she had something else planned for me? I grew up with schemes and treachery. They are the reason why I am what I am. They are the reason why I have nothing. Can I truly trust anyone anymore? I do not know.

I choose my words carefully. "What would I do in your....Family?"
@[member="Circe Savan"]

 

[Onrai]

"You would be my daughter. I would feed you, clothe you, house you, teach you how to use the Force, and give you a part to play in my company. You would be part of my family - I would give you things of mine, and you would have a stake in my possessions were I to die. I will love you like I would love my own biological daughter." She smiled, gently taking Dreya's hand. "You become my flesh and blood as a part of my family."

To emphasize the point, she moved forward, embracing the girl the way only a mother could. And why not? She had no mother, no family - she needed one.

@[member="Dreya Shynn"]

 

[Dreya Shynn]

I take a moment to consider this as Circe hugs me again. I shall be her daughter? She shall be my mother? It is diufficult to see. But, I needed a place to call my home. I needed something, anything. Nothingness was my only companion before. Time for a change. "A-alright," I stammer nervously. "I will be your daughter."
@[member="Circe Savan"]

 

[Onrai]

She smiled. "Welcome to the family, Dreya. Now, what would you like to do as my daughter?" She smiled, standing up as she stepped over to a cupboard and began to brew a new selection of tea for Dreya. "Well, would you like a more coarse tea, or one that's more finely ground down?"

Circe did enjoy her tea. Maybe Dreya would too.

@[member="Dreya Shynn"]

 

[Dreya Shynn]

Truthfully, I am puzzled. Tea is not apart of my regular diet. I shrug. "Whatever you think that I will like," I say. I go back to pondering her first question. "Well, I can shape elements. I have wings in my True form. What job do you think would best suit me?"
@[member="Circe Savan"]

 

[Onrai]

"Well... I don't know, to be honest. Could you demonstrate to me your capabilities? I'm guessing the ring has something to do with keeping you safe, so you don't overexert yourself. Maybe if we take it off, we can see what you can do." Circe's smile was large as she looked her daughter over.

"Let's see, okay?"

@[member="Dreya Shynn"]

 

[Dreya Shynn]

I nod once. Slipping the ring off my finger, I place it back on the table. I allow myself to shift back into my True Form, with my silver hair and wings shining under the light. "I will try my best to show you. But, it has been a while since I have used my abilities."
@[member="Circe Savan"]

 

[Onrai]

She couldn't help but smile. "Dreya, I have to say, you look quite spectacular." She grinned, noticing the Diathim-like features of this woman and how she shifted into a Shaper form from her normal form. "I'm going to examine your DNA one day. You might be quite interested to know what you're made of."

Chuckling, she paused. "Erm... I think you might want to put on a tunic, though. Still have that towel on."

@[member="Dreya Shynn"]

 

[Dreya Shynn]

I nod. I am so used to wearing so little, modesty has all but slipped my mind. "Do you mind if I borrow one of yours?" I ask, my reflective silver eyes staring into Circe's. I do not want to be rude. But I have no clothes of my own.
@[member="Circe Savan"]

 

[Onrai]

"In truth, you don't need to wear anything. Modesty hardly affects me - particularly considering I spent years wearing a dress that was really just an illusion of the White Current." She smiled, giving a soft chuckle. "Let's see what I can get you..." Stepping into the closet, she handed the woman a white dress that looked like it would fit her splendidly.

"Well, what do you think?"

@[member="Dreya Shynn"]