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More from LupusKintsugi
Apologies its been a while, but here we go. We begin our journey where the prologue left off, with Charlie and Slakine. This chapter features Cameos from the following amazing peeps:
Jisu_The_Neera - Ju'Ya
joezill - Vers’Slayns
Falco_1701 - Davies
scytail - Cassa’ra Myrna
Taktical_Magpie - Parker Glass
Please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below :)
Sibling rivalry- Chapter 1:
All the other campers had chosen their beds by the time Charlie had arrived, that was the problem with being the last. A sole remaining bed was spared by a brown-haired girl at the bed opposite, Catherine was her name. It would have put a smile on his face if it weren't for the relentless tossing and turning of the boy on the bed above. At least he wasn’t alone, Charlie thought to himself with a sigh. A sigh so gentle that it could not be heard by anyone, but one.
“Charlie, is it? How are you feeling hun?”
Catherine’s voice overshadowed the light creaking of spring’s being relieved of pressure as she leaned up, facing Charlie in the eyes. Her emphasis on each passing word was smothered in sympathy.
“Thank you for the bed, Catherine. An upgrade from the floor thanks to you”
Charlie retreated from the pillow’s comfort, turning to the warmth of her innocent smile. Clearly she had one of the good mesos. Someone had to draw the short straw after all.
“Please, it’s no issue. It’s the floor, the bed, or my sister’s belly. Pretty certain you’d prefer the bed, huh?”
She chuckled softly, but Charlie was not entertained. Yet, first impressions always mattered, that’s what Dad Lupus said.
“Perhaps her belly would be more comfortable, ya never know…”
He cocked an eyebrow towards her, sending Catherines rosy cheeks to perk. Even away from home, Charlie could still remember hearing Lupus' heartbeat from when he slept on the wolf’s belly. That was until a light creak from the bed stole their attention.
“You both…know nothing about these stompers, do you? Oh it sounds nice, till that belly starts growling and they look at you a funny way”
A mumbling voice slurred from the bed above Charlie. That unfair accusation irritated another camper who interjected.
“Will ya STOP calling them that Pedro! That’s balderdash! Ya got a freakin gryphon as a brother!”
Lyla insisted, sliding out of the bed cover and onto the wooden flooring with a thump of her cowboy boots. Why she wears them in her sleep, Charlie would never understand. Habits, he thought.
"A thrill, sure. Always thrilling when they stomp around like Igvins does with…"
His comments only irritated Lyla further as she thumped her cowboy boots against the ground towards Pedro. She passed Tyler who stared off into the distance.
“Cut it out Pedro. If I were in ya position, I would hav' started gryphon flying classes”
"Umm, sorry, they are called Jarkhatian. Jarkhatians are well known for…"
A girl interrupted in the distance.
"And here we go, Lisa, the UTO know it all"
Pedro grumbled, silencing Lisa who rested in the confinement of her bed.
"Leave her alone. You may not like the bigger species, but have some decency and respect towards her."
Charlie interrupted, giving Lisa a soft smile to know it's alright. The room fell silent until Catherines bed creaked as she stood up.
“Let’s head outside. We didn’t come here to groan and moan. We came to closer to our large siblings”
She said with a twinkle of delight, approaching the door with a spring in her step. The metallic whoosh of the door soon followed, exposing a lab like corridor with chrome white interior. The campers marched in pairs across the hall, heading to ‘The Lounge’ as the camp staff called it. All five campers gave a glance to one another as the doorway grew bigger with each successive footstep. Catherine was the first to rush to the door, activating it to reveal the room behind with a whoosh. But what they didn't expect was a red furred snout to block the doorway.
"Oh gosh! Kitaru! How many times do I have to tell you?! You can't just pry into a human area like that. What would Mum and Dad say?"
Catherine spoke defiantly, putting a palm on the falashais black nose in a boop. Kitaru only blushed as the vulpine’s ears became rocket fins as the flesh palm pressed against her snout.
"Awww, but you're all soooooo cute. Oh gosh, your new friends look precious, I just wanna hug em"
Kitaru cooed soothingly, resting a chin a few centimetres from her human sister. Both her two green eyes attempted to inspect inside the doorway, whilst a woosh of air was felt behind from her wagging tail. Pedro and Lisa retreated back to the human corridor, whilst Charlie was the first to approach the sixty-foot fox. A sight that made Lyla smile as she stood still.
“Well, hello there. You must be Catherine’s sister”
Charlie smiled upwards to the grinning falashai, eyeing the red furred appendage’s swishing. His enclosing steps moved at an unchanging pace regardless of Kitaru’s shadow looming over.
"Well, hello there, big miss. You must be Catherine’s sister, and a falashai as well"
"Ummm, the accurate species is the enatashah…"
Lisa muttered under her breath, sending Kirarus' eyes to focus on her.
"She is right, very clever sweetheart"
Lisa froze on the spot as Charlie placed a hand next to Catherine’s, feeling the falashai’s fur and the rumbling chuckle from Kitaru.
"Why yes! Yes yes yes! I'm Kitaru, and who are you lil guy?"
She asked, close to lifting those digitigrade paws off the ground in excitement.
"Me? Well, I am Charlie. Pleasure to meet you…"
"Wait Charlie, Slakines brother?"
Charlie paused, looking at the falashai in a wide eyed stare. All the human campers turned to him, still seeing that same smile from earlier.
Hold on, that’s what Charlie thought, hold on and don’t let assumptions dance in your mind.
“Is that…so?”
The boy asked the fox softly, seeing Kitaru’s head tilt to the right as her warm breath was blown onto his cardigan. Kitaru was given no opportunity to speak as Lyla walked to greet Charlie’s side, placing a palm on his shoulder.
“Y’all gotta stop fussin, let’s get a wiggle on”
Lyla insisted, stepping into the falashai’s warm breath with ease whilst gesturing everyone to follow.
“Yes! Yes! So, who wants to go on my paw…”
“Kitaru!”
A deep-throated voice, masculine in nature, had jolted the falashai upright. The human’s peered past the vulpine seeing first a pair of dull yellow wicked curved talons and beak. His footsteps slammed with power as the seventy-five foot gryphon marched closer to the elevated platform. There was little attire hiding the chiselled muscle’s of the titan, not even his white wings shielded his body. Was this the Jarkhatian Pedro had spoken about, Charlie wondered.
“B-But Igvins, they are just precious, don’t you just wanna snuggle with them…
“No”
Igvin spoke with serious conviction, flashing a smirk down to Pedro as those footsteps ceased. Its shadow had cast over the humans like an incoming storm, blocking out daylight. His bird-like features became clearer, a sight the Brazilian camper tried to ignore with a turn of his head.
“Oh loosen up Igvin’s, maybe in 50 years you might respect them like your elders back in the Katia system”
Kitaru giggled, nudging a hand to brush against his yellow forearm. The gryphon fired those nostrils, scolding the falashai’s childish nature. Her ear’s delicately lowered a few inches, enough for Lyla to interrupt.
“Y’all gotta respect your friends, sir…or I will giv' ya one hell of a lambasting”
Lyla projected with her Texan voice, locking eyes past Igvin’s beak with little hesitation. Yet, the gryphon’s eyes were still honed in on Pedro. It was like a bird of prey was taunting his catch, awaiting for a reaction to satisfy him.
“Pfffft, if only Pedro acted like you..”
Igvin squawked as those amber eyes looked away in disappointment, swaying around to walk back to the meso-sized doorway. His footsteps attempted to overshadow the huff from Lyla, keeping her stance. If it weren’t for his titanic stature, the humans would have seen the Tordenchi, a Kiori, and Slakine walk towards The Lounge.
“Pedro is good as he is, nothing needs changi…”
Charlie paused as Slakine locked eyes on him, quieting the firmness of his voice. Yet the gryphon dismissed the comments with a flick of that expansive tail and thundering footfalls. The Jarkhatian’s retreat provided perfect space for Kiori, Minkea, to rush over to the human pathway with a gasp.
“Tyler, Tyler! My Tyler!”
The fifty-seven foot Kiori cried out, already reaching out both hands over to the Australian human. Her desire to pluck up the human was ceased by a deep voice in the distance.
“Stop! Humans are separated for the early stages of the camp for this very reason”
An orange arkahatian with the usual UTO soldier attire appeared, standing firm as his digits tapped away on the device in his metallic right arm. His vertically slitted eyes watched the squirrel as it retreated back.
“Please can the humans go to Lieutenant Zach Tuning. Lieutenant Zach Tuning shall explain the camp.”
The arkhatian asked with a toothless smile, covering his draconic molars. Giving a curt wave with his mechanical arm, accompanied by a faint smile spreading across his muzzle. Each of the human’s gave a glance to the giant before turning to walk down the right-side corridor.
“But, I request to talk with Charlie and Pedro”
His gentle voice had paused Charlie and Pedro in their tracks, they were both greeted with the dragon crouching down to eye level. The two human’s looked to one another for a moment, inquiring as to what the meso wanted to ask. A temporary distraction from the sissachs eyes locking on Charlie's every move.
“If you both want to talk, I offer conversation and two ears to listen if Charlie and Pedro wish. My names Vers’Slayns”
The arkhatian gave a soft smile as the two humans nodded before turning to catch up with the other humans.
“Wait up!”
Charlie projected, trying to block out Slakines nerve piercing stare.
__
As all the humans reached the end of the corridor, two humans had awaited their arrival. On the right a man in his late 20’s wearing the UTO badge under his right shoulder, along with the tag ‘Zach Tuning’. To the left, a short brown haired human that gave Charlie and the others a silent wave. Lyla was the first to welcome with a howdy, and a wave from Catherine, as the now six human scouts walked inside.
Each of them spared a glance at one another as they walked into the classroom, thankfully one human sized. They all sat down appropriately apart from Lyla, who without hesitation, raised both her cowboy boots onto the desk with a thump.
“Umm, Lyla, I am not certain we are meant to sit like that. May you, put your feet down?”
Lisa’s timid voice almost matched that of your typical tordenchi, a perfect match if there ever was one.
“Y’all gotta relax. But, since ya asked nicely…”
With a wink to Lisa, two thumps soon followed as both Lyla’s boots were dropped onto the ground. The two girls looks at one another were halted by Lieutenant Tunings forced cough.
“Good morning, everyone”
Zach said with a smile, looking around the room to the six pairs of eyes that were focused on him.
“Now, I am sure confident you are all curious as to why you are here and what we do at Camp Linear”
The older human set up the Yutri at the front and turned on the projector, displaying a human's hand shaking a lupari’s finger. And in the top left the familiar red horizontal flag with cross lines that intersect in the centre. Just seeing the UTO flag brought a smile to Catherine and Lisa’s face, and Lyla did not long follow after chuckling at Catherine’s wonder.
“We are a fairly new establishment, created to solidify integration between multi-sized species after increasing cases of human’s being adopted by UTO species…”
And as Zach paused, his eyes turned towards Catherine for a split second.
“Or…UTO species being adopted by human family’s, with the help of mech’s of course. Anyways, your parent’s slash guardian’s have brought you here to help overcome obstacles to co-existence. It is our job to help you tackle these barriers. Now, as for the schedule…”
The human veteran flicked the slide of his Yutri, turning to the next page, revealing a five step guide in the centre. All the campers leaned forward, they mouthed the words ‘Step one…simulation - basic. Step two…discussion…’ they paused, trying to be certain they read it right. Why did they have to be so vague, Charlie chuckled internally to compensate for frustration. Thankfully Zach put them out of their misery as he explained each one.
“So firstly, step one, you will all enter a simulation where you will be greeted with your brother, sister, or friend. This is the basic stage where we assist you in overcoming the size barrier, and get to know your siblings or friends as a person, rather than a ‘giant’.”
Zach spoke in a soothing voice, but his eyes already made note of the idle scratching of Pedro’s fingernails against his right arm. Although, the Lieutenant did not want to make the Brazilian’s reaction public knowledge. So, he continued with the same tone.
“And don’t worry, myself and Lieutenant Parker Glass will be there to assist you all. And, equally, UTO staff. Speaking of which, I believed you met our Arkhatian, Vers’Slayns?”
Zach asked the six human’s who gave a delicate nod in reply, the veteran smiled in response. Quickly the lieutenant flicked the slide to show an image of that same orange-scaled dragon from earlier, but not for long.
“Outside him, we have a Ra’elees known as Cassa’ra Myrnai…”
Moving to the next slide showed an image of a meso snow-leopard, or Ra-elees, filling the screen. Cassa’ra had light grey fur with block spots that became stripes on the top and sides of her head. Pure white fur smothered her chest, belly, hindquarters, muzzle, and underside of her tail. Her features are complemented by sky blue iris behind a set of contacts, projecting the compassion within her heart. A feminine figure, with a semi-musculare posture, seemed to peer at the human campers with a welcoming smile.
“...a trained guardian from Antalay U. After that, we have a volunteer called Ju’ya…”
In mid-sentence, Zach had already transitioned to the next slide to reveal a white furred tiger, bright blue eyes, and striped hair and tail. The last of the staff members.
“...but anyways, back to the programme. After simulation phase 1, you will then start ‘discussion’. What this will entail is merely each of you talking to myself or Parkar, alongside either Ju’ya, Cassa’ra or Vers'Slyans. The choice is yours”
He insisted delicately, already seeing the six campers trying to decide what combination would be best. Their thought process paused as they mouthed the inscription ‘step three, simulation - phase two’ and ‘step four, discussion phase two’. But what they didn’t prepare for, what threw them off, was the last stage.
“S-Swap!?”
Pedro blurted out, the entire class rushed to turn back to Brazilian with concern. Except, they were glad someone spoke up before they did. The lieutenant chuckled at the set of confused visages before him.
“Yes, swap. This will involve each of you being paired with one of the UTO species based on your psychological compatibility, experiences, or personality. Every pair will be selected thoroughly to ensure we tackle each of the rooted issues that have led you all here”
The humans could hear the serious tone behind the veteran’s voice, it was not a procedure to be taken lightly the campers realised. With a simple swish of Zach’s finger across his, displaying the title ‘Final Stage - Discussion phase 3’
“And after that, the final stage will be each of you reuniting with your siblings or friends. This will complete the programme, any questions?”
“Umm, yes. How often do ourselves and our larger siblings interact? And when do we?”
Charlie asked with little restraint, cutting off Catherine’s raising hand.
“Well, you will only be with them when supervised by us. This is to ensure both sides are comfortable, whilst ensuring that everyone is safe. It is standard procedure, now, Catherine”
Zach replied, pointing towards Catherine’s raised palm as she lowered after being called. That same perky smile of hers returned.
“Ummm, yes. Are humans able to go to the UTO quarters, and vice-versa?”
Her question made the lietuenant nod in quick response with a blank facial expression.
“No. We have constructed ‘The Lounge’ for a reason. It is a supervised room that allows distanced, but open interaction. Visiting one another’s quarters is off-limits”
The conviction behind Zach’s tone had silenced any reckless thoughts inside the campers heads, all but Lyla who grinned.
“Y’all come on, we’d have a hog-killin’ time. I ain’t no yellow belly…
“Lyla Michaels, no. You will not do such a thing! Remember, we are aware of your past antics”
Zach spoke, placing both his palms on the desk in front in the process whilst Lyla rolled her eyes away. Except the lieutenant's comments peaked the interest of the human campers who looked towards Lyla, perplexed. Lyla mouthed ‘balderdash’ under her breath.
“If there are no further questions, we will conclude this session. You are all free to go to ‘The Lounge’, or your dorms. Please, feel free to get to know one another”
The lieutenant insisted calmly, turning off the projector as he strolled out the room with a whoosh of the door moving ajar. It left the six human’s in an awkward ambience as their eyes remained fixated on Lyla. An opportunity Tyler grabbed as he leaned across his desk.
“So, what did ya do dude? Spill it”
Tyler teased with a smirk, little to Lyla’s amusement as she swivelled around to lock eyes with the Australian.
“Y’all talk too much Tyler, quite the wobblin jaw ya got there”
She scolded Tyler, wiping the grin off his face in a heartbeat. The entire class, even Pedro, wore a grin as they giggled quietly at Tyler’s expense.
“Yo dude, put a sock in it”
Tyler’s attempts to deny Lyla’s accusation only made it harder for the campers to hold back their laughter.
“M-Maybe we should go to ‘The Lounge’, have our siblings join in on this”
Catherine suggested, standing up in the process.
“I can set with that, come on y’all!”
Lyla ordered, slamming her boots forward to walk ahead with Catherine behind her. They all walked back through the corridor, already anticipating the falashai to have her maw by the door. A stark acknowledgement that had Pedro and Lisa deliberately drag themselves behind to avoid the splash zone. And the door parting ways in front of them revealed just that, but this time was different. Kitaru was several feet away from the platform’s railing, and what was stranger was Minkea too stayed motionless despite the twitching fingers that desired grabbing Tyler in a moment. Has the camp staff already got Kiori’s going against their nature? Tyler struggled to believe it as he watched Minkea’s movements intensely. The twitches in her fingertips gave away the conflict against her primal instincts. A sight that triggered a rumbling chuckle from Igvin's expanding chest.
“Igvins ya’ll are one hell of a Bangtail!”
Lyla blurted out to the towering gryphon, silencing its repetitive squawks as he looked down to the Texas girl with confusion. Lyla couldn’t stop herself chuckling at the jarkhatian’s perplexed look.
“Awww, ya’ll don't know what it means do ya. Bangtail…means…un…tamed…horse”
The human’s covered their mouths to hide their smirks, yet their widening grins penetrated past their fingertips. Igvins flares his nostrils at the ankle-high creatures, deliberately taking a large step forward to loom over. Charlie was craning his head upwards to meet the titan’s beak and piercing stare before a familiar hissing voice caught his attention.
“Slakine suggests Igvnis do better things with his time. Slakine offers a set next to him for Igvins”
Slakine suggested with a hiss, letting that forked tongue out in Charlie’s direction as the sissach’s head turned away from the human’s.
“Good idea, catch ya later. And see you in simulation Pedro and Charlie, Slakine and I look forward to it”
The jarkhatian grinned as he stomped away towards Slakine who was slouching away from the sofa. Charlie focused on the sissach’s vertically slitted eyes that gave one glance over to him until Slakine turned away.
"Y'all better repeat that!" Lyla interrupted Igvin's squawks in a commanding tone, eyeing the feathered creature as she pounded her boots forward. Her thin- haired eyebrows lowered to narrow the girl’s vision at the gryphon.
"Is that so?" Igvins squawked back to Lyla, who showed no signs of slowing until reaching the railing. His muscular physique amplified the already booming voice that rumbled Pedro’s chest, but Lyla was unimpressed. The cowgirl's stance remained.
"Ya got potato in your ears or somethin', bird…?" she fired back with a smirk as she leaned over the railing to draw closer to the gryphon's territory.
"What did you say?" The jahkatian burst out, retreating from the crouch and lifted a talon to stomp over to the humans. His pair of white wings extended out in all their glory before folding into Igvin's back.
Lyla and Charlie kept their stance, whilst everyone retreated from the enclosing gryphon. The collective group stared at his golden talons curling up into a fist, swinging like mighty pendulums. His eyes locked onto the Brazilian huddled in the corner with a smirk, until Lyla stepped in between.
"Ya better back off, leave him alone," Lyla ordered, slamming her leather boots on the metal flooring. Despite her stern visage, a rumbling chuckle left Igvin’s chest.
"Is that it? Come on, Pedro, is this girl fighting your battles? No surprise to me...” he squawked, extending his talons to reach for the walkway.
"I am a woman, boy!" The cowgirl spat down to the floor, as if aiming for a bucket. Tipping her hat backwards, she eyed the titanic gryphon whose claw tips tapped the railing.
"Igvins, please, leave my sister alone…" Tirnan gave a mumbling chitter, his blue eyes focusing on the ground.
"Is that it, Rodent…?" Igvins squawked, flashing a smirk back to the motionless tordenchi. That comment became a catalyst for Lyla to slam down her other boot.
"Back off, bird, go eat a worm or somethin'," she slurred, looking back at her fifty-three foot brother. The mouse was unable to face Lyla in the eye, and instead turned to Kitaru, who was focusing on Catherine.
"Whatever," he muttered, turning over to Charlie. "Are you going to say…" The gryphon leaned closer, until Slakine rushed to pull him back.
"HEY! What are you doing?" He turned back to eye the sissach, whilst the humans saw the two living buildings lock eyes. Their combined shadows smothered them.
"Slakine thinks it is wise waiting for simulation, Igvins," the sissach insisted with a hiss, sparing a glimpse down to Charlie with a huff. Those vertically slitted pupils traced around the room, pinpointing the surveillance and other UTO species present.
"Good idea, Slakine, good idea," Igvins chittered with a grin on his beak, sneaking a glance back to Pedro and Charlie. The jahkatian turned and walked back to the couch, leaving Slakine standing by the humans.
They all stared at the blue-scaled lizard, who watched the humans stare at him, slurping his forked tongue out from his lips. He hissed as he walked away to accompany Igvins.
A stillness consumed Pedro after catching the jahkatian’s piercing stare and smirk, almost knocking him off balance. The petite boy took a step in retreat before being caught by Charlie, who looked at the Brazilian with understanding.
Kitaru's ears twitched at Igvin's voice, summoning the falashai to shift her weight to step between the trio. The fox became a barrier of flesh and fur to cut off the jahkatian’s glare. Her eyes locked on the pair as she crouched.
Charlie's hypnotic fix on his adopted brother was interrupted by the field of red stomach fur. His eyes traced up the crimson valley to meet the falashai's eyes. Despite her gentle demeanour, he felt Pedro's pulse increase near his wrists. A pace that accelerated as Kitaru's fingers closed in on them.
"Ignore him, li'l guys, it's gonna be alright. I am here now. Kitaru is here. You are safe, I promise," she cooed in a motherly tone, giving no time before raising her digits towards the duo.
"Kitaru, stop. Not now," Charlie's cold voice halted those furry fingers mid-flight, which slightly lowered Kitaru's ears. "Pedro and I must prepare for the simulation," he insisted, lifting Pedro on his feet.
Charlie glared past Kitaru to Slakine a moment longer, then turned and left the room with Pedro. It left the room to deal with the aftermath. Lyla led the charge in turning her eyes straight at Igvin, followed by Kitaru and Tyler. The others looked down apart from Minkea, whose irises were glued to her treasure of a brother.
The room went silent.
Jisu_The_Neera - Ju'Ya
joezill - Vers’Slayns
Falco_1701 - Davies
scytail - Cassa’ra Myrna
Taktical_Magpie - Parker GlassPlease feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below :)
Sibling rivalry- Chapter 1:
All the other campers had chosen their beds by the time Charlie had arrived, that was the problem with being the last. A sole remaining bed was spared by a brown-haired girl at the bed opposite, Catherine was her name. It would have put a smile on his face if it weren't for the relentless tossing and turning of the boy on the bed above. At least he wasn’t alone, Charlie thought to himself with a sigh. A sigh so gentle that it could not be heard by anyone, but one.
“Charlie, is it? How are you feeling hun?”
Catherine’s voice overshadowed the light creaking of spring’s being relieved of pressure as she leaned up, facing Charlie in the eyes. Her emphasis on each passing word was smothered in sympathy.
“Thank you for the bed, Catherine. An upgrade from the floor thanks to you”
Charlie retreated from the pillow’s comfort, turning to the warmth of her innocent smile. Clearly she had one of the good mesos. Someone had to draw the short straw after all.
“Please, it’s no issue. It’s the floor, the bed, or my sister’s belly. Pretty certain you’d prefer the bed, huh?”
She chuckled softly, but Charlie was not entertained. Yet, first impressions always mattered, that’s what Dad Lupus said.
“Perhaps her belly would be more comfortable, ya never know…”
He cocked an eyebrow towards her, sending Catherines rosy cheeks to perk. Even away from home, Charlie could still remember hearing Lupus' heartbeat from when he slept on the wolf’s belly. That was until a light creak from the bed stole their attention.
“You both…know nothing about these stompers, do you? Oh it sounds nice, till that belly starts growling and they look at you a funny way”
A mumbling voice slurred from the bed above Charlie. That unfair accusation irritated another camper who interjected.
“Will ya STOP calling them that Pedro! That’s balderdash! Ya got a freakin gryphon as a brother!”
Lyla insisted, sliding out of the bed cover and onto the wooden flooring with a thump of her cowboy boots. Why she wears them in her sleep, Charlie would never understand. Habits, he thought.
"A thrill, sure. Always thrilling when they stomp around like Igvins does with…"
His comments only irritated Lyla further as she thumped her cowboy boots against the ground towards Pedro. She passed Tyler who stared off into the distance.
“Cut it out Pedro. If I were in ya position, I would hav' started gryphon flying classes”
"Umm, sorry, they are called Jarkhatian. Jarkhatians are well known for…"
A girl interrupted in the distance.
"And here we go, Lisa, the UTO know it all"
Pedro grumbled, silencing Lisa who rested in the confinement of her bed.
"Leave her alone. You may not like the bigger species, but have some decency and respect towards her."
Charlie interrupted, giving Lisa a soft smile to know it's alright. The room fell silent until Catherines bed creaked as she stood up.
“Let’s head outside. We didn’t come here to groan and moan. We came to closer to our large siblings”
She said with a twinkle of delight, approaching the door with a spring in her step. The metallic whoosh of the door soon followed, exposing a lab like corridor with chrome white interior. The campers marched in pairs across the hall, heading to ‘The Lounge’ as the camp staff called it. All five campers gave a glance to one another as the doorway grew bigger with each successive footstep. Catherine was the first to rush to the door, activating it to reveal the room behind with a whoosh. But what they didn't expect was a red furred snout to block the doorway.
"Oh gosh! Kitaru! How many times do I have to tell you?! You can't just pry into a human area like that. What would Mum and Dad say?"
Catherine spoke defiantly, putting a palm on the falashais black nose in a boop. Kitaru only blushed as the vulpine’s ears became rocket fins as the flesh palm pressed against her snout.
"Awww, but you're all soooooo cute. Oh gosh, your new friends look precious, I just wanna hug em"
Kitaru cooed soothingly, resting a chin a few centimetres from her human sister. Both her two green eyes attempted to inspect inside the doorway, whilst a woosh of air was felt behind from her wagging tail. Pedro and Lisa retreated back to the human corridor, whilst Charlie was the first to approach the sixty-foot fox. A sight that made Lyla smile as she stood still.
“Well, hello there. You must be Catherine’s sister”
Charlie smiled upwards to the grinning falashai, eyeing the red furred appendage’s swishing. His enclosing steps moved at an unchanging pace regardless of Kitaru’s shadow looming over.
"Well, hello there, big miss. You must be Catherine’s sister, and a falashai as well"
"Ummm, the accurate species is the enatashah…"
Lisa muttered under her breath, sending Kirarus' eyes to focus on her.
"She is right, very clever sweetheart"
Lisa froze on the spot as Charlie placed a hand next to Catherine’s, feeling the falashai’s fur and the rumbling chuckle from Kitaru.
"Why yes! Yes yes yes! I'm Kitaru, and who are you lil guy?"
She asked, close to lifting those digitigrade paws off the ground in excitement.
"Me? Well, I am Charlie. Pleasure to meet you…"
"Wait Charlie, Slakines brother?"
Charlie paused, looking at the falashai in a wide eyed stare. All the human campers turned to him, still seeing that same smile from earlier.
Hold on, that’s what Charlie thought, hold on and don’t let assumptions dance in your mind.
“Is that…so?”
The boy asked the fox softly, seeing Kitaru’s head tilt to the right as her warm breath was blown onto his cardigan. Kitaru was given no opportunity to speak as Lyla walked to greet Charlie’s side, placing a palm on his shoulder.
“Y’all gotta stop fussin, let’s get a wiggle on”
Lyla insisted, stepping into the falashai’s warm breath with ease whilst gesturing everyone to follow.
“Yes! Yes! So, who wants to go on my paw…”
“Kitaru!”
A deep-throated voice, masculine in nature, had jolted the falashai upright. The human’s peered past the vulpine seeing first a pair of dull yellow wicked curved talons and beak. His footsteps slammed with power as the seventy-five foot gryphon marched closer to the elevated platform. There was little attire hiding the chiselled muscle’s of the titan, not even his white wings shielded his body. Was this the Jarkhatian Pedro had spoken about, Charlie wondered.
“B-But Igvins, they are just precious, don’t you just wanna snuggle with them…
“No”
Igvin spoke with serious conviction, flashing a smirk down to Pedro as those footsteps ceased. Its shadow had cast over the humans like an incoming storm, blocking out daylight. His bird-like features became clearer, a sight the Brazilian camper tried to ignore with a turn of his head.
“Oh loosen up Igvin’s, maybe in 50 years you might respect them like your elders back in the Katia system”
Kitaru giggled, nudging a hand to brush against his yellow forearm. The gryphon fired those nostrils, scolding the falashai’s childish nature. Her ear’s delicately lowered a few inches, enough for Lyla to interrupt.
“Y’all gotta respect your friends, sir…or I will giv' ya one hell of a lambasting”
Lyla projected with her Texan voice, locking eyes past Igvin’s beak with little hesitation. Yet, the gryphon’s eyes were still honed in on Pedro. It was like a bird of prey was taunting his catch, awaiting for a reaction to satisfy him.
“Pfffft, if only Pedro acted like you..”
Igvin squawked as those amber eyes looked away in disappointment, swaying around to walk back to the meso-sized doorway. His footsteps attempted to overshadow the huff from Lyla, keeping her stance. If it weren’t for his titanic stature, the humans would have seen the Tordenchi, a Kiori, and Slakine walk towards The Lounge.
“Pedro is good as he is, nothing needs changi…”
Charlie paused as Slakine locked eyes on him, quieting the firmness of his voice. Yet the gryphon dismissed the comments with a flick of that expansive tail and thundering footfalls. The Jarkhatian’s retreat provided perfect space for Kiori, Minkea, to rush over to the human pathway with a gasp.
“Tyler, Tyler! My Tyler!”
The fifty-seven foot Kiori cried out, already reaching out both hands over to the Australian human. Her desire to pluck up the human was ceased by a deep voice in the distance.
“Stop! Humans are separated for the early stages of the camp for this very reason”
An orange arkahatian with the usual UTO soldier attire appeared, standing firm as his digits tapped away on the device in his metallic right arm. His vertically slitted eyes watched the squirrel as it retreated back.
“Please can the humans go to Lieutenant Zach Tuning. Lieutenant Zach Tuning shall explain the camp.”
The arkhatian asked with a toothless smile, covering his draconic molars. Giving a curt wave with his mechanical arm, accompanied by a faint smile spreading across his muzzle. Each of the human’s gave a glance to the giant before turning to walk down the right-side corridor.
“But, I request to talk with Charlie and Pedro”
His gentle voice had paused Charlie and Pedro in their tracks, they were both greeted with the dragon crouching down to eye level. The two human’s looked to one another for a moment, inquiring as to what the meso wanted to ask. A temporary distraction from the sissachs eyes locking on Charlie's every move.
“If you both want to talk, I offer conversation and two ears to listen if Charlie and Pedro wish. My names Vers’Slayns”
The arkhatian gave a soft smile as the two humans nodded before turning to catch up with the other humans.
“Wait up!”
Charlie projected, trying to block out Slakines nerve piercing stare.
__
As all the humans reached the end of the corridor, two humans had awaited their arrival. On the right a man in his late 20’s wearing the UTO badge under his right shoulder, along with the tag ‘Zach Tuning’. To the left, a short brown haired human that gave Charlie and the others a silent wave. Lyla was the first to welcome with a howdy, and a wave from Catherine, as the now six human scouts walked inside.
Each of them spared a glance at one another as they walked into the classroom, thankfully one human sized. They all sat down appropriately apart from Lyla, who without hesitation, raised both her cowboy boots onto the desk with a thump.
“Umm, Lyla, I am not certain we are meant to sit like that. May you, put your feet down?”
Lisa’s timid voice almost matched that of your typical tordenchi, a perfect match if there ever was one.
“Y’all gotta relax. But, since ya asked nicely…”
With a wink to Lisa, two thumps soon followed as both Lyla’s boots were dropped onto the ground. The two girls looks at one another were halted by Lieutenant Tunings forced cough.
“Good morning, everyone”
Zach said with a smile, looking around the room to the six pairs of eyes that were focused on him.
“Now, I am sure confident you are all curious as to why you are here and what we do at Camp Linear”
The older human set up the Yutri at the front and turned on the projector, displaying a human's hand shaking a lupari’s finger. And in the top left the familiar red horizontal flag with cross lines that intersect in the centre. Just seeing the UTO flag brought a smile to Catherine and Lisa’s face, and Lyla did not long follow after chuckling at Catherine’s wonder.
“We are a fairly new establishment, created to solidify integration between multi-sized species after increasing cases of human’s being adopted by UTO species…”
And as Zach paused, his eyes turned towards Catherine for a split second.
“Or…UTO species being adopted by human family’s, with the help of mech’s of course. Anyways, your parent’s slash guardian’s have brought you here to help overcome obstacles to co-existence. It is our job to help you tackle these barriers. Now, as for the schedule…”
The human veteran flicked the slide of his Yutri, turning to the next page, revealing a five step guide in the centre. All the campers leaned forward, they mouthed the words ‘Step one…simulation - basic. Step two…discussion…’ they paused, trying to be certain they read it right. Why did they have to be so vague, Charlie chuckled internally to compensate for frustration. Thankfully Zach put them out of their misery as he explained each one.
“So firstly, step one, you will all enter a simulation where you will be greeted with your brother, sister, or friend. This is the basic stage where we assist you in overcoming the size barrier, and get to know your siblings or friends as a person, rather than a ‘giant’.”
Zach spoke in a soothing voice, but his eyes already made note of the idle scratching of Pedro’s fingernails against his right arm. Although, the Lieutenant did not want to make the Brazilian’s reaction public knowledge. So, he continued with the same tone.
“And don’t worry, myself and Lieutenant Parker Glass will be there to assist you all. And, equally, UTO staff. Speaking of which, I believed you met our Arkhatian, Vers’Slayns?”
Zach asked the six human’s who gave a delicate nod in reply, the veteran smiled in response. Quickly the lieutenant flicked the slide to show an image of that same orange-scaled dragon from earlier, but not for long.
“Outside him, we have a Ra’elees known as Cassa’ra Myrnai…”
Moving to the next slide showed an image of a meso snow-leopard, or Ra-elees, filling the screen. Cassa’ra had light grey fur with block spots that became stripes on the top and sides of her head. Pure white fur smothered her chest, belly, hindquarters, muzzle, and underside of her tail. Her features are complemented by sky blue iris behind a set of contacts, projecting the compassion within her heart. A feminine figure, with a semi-musculare posture, seemed to peer at the human campers with a welcoming smile.
“...a trained guardian from Antalay U. After that, we have a volunteer called Ju’ya…”
In mid-sentence, Zach had already transitioned to the next slide to reveal a white furred tiger, bright blue eyes, and striped hair and tail. The last of the staff members.
“...but anyways, back to the programme. After simulation phase 1, you will then start ‘discussion’. What this will entail is merely each of you talking to myself or Parkar, alongside either Ju’ya, Cassa’ra or Vers'Slyans. The choice is yours”
He insisted delicately, already seeing the six campers trying to decide what combination would be best. Their thought process paused as they mouthed the inscription ‘step three, simulation - phase two’ and ‘step four, discussion phase two’. But what they didn’t prepare for, what threw them off, was the last stage.
“S-Swap!?”
Pedro blurted out, the entire class rushed to turn back to Brazilian with concern. Except, they were glad someone spoke up before they did. The lieutenant chuckled at the set of confused visages before him.
“Yes, swap. This will involve each of you being paired with one of the UTO species based on your psychological compatibility, experiences, or personality. Every pair will be selected thoroughly to ensure we tackle each of the rooted issues that have led you all here”
The humans could hear the serious tone behind the veteran’s voice, it was not a procedure to be taken lightly the campers realised. With a simple swish of Zach’s finger across his, displaying the title ‘Final Stage - Discussion phase 3’
“And after that, the final stage will be each of you reuniting with your siblings or friends. This will complete the programme, any questions?”
“Umm, yes. How often do ourselves and our larger siblings interact? And when do we?”
Charlie asked with little restraint, cutting off Catherine’s raising hand.
“Well, you will only be with them when supervised by us. This is to ensure both sides are comfortable, whilst ensuring that everyone is safe. It is standard procedure, now, Catherine”
Zach replied, pointing towards Catherine’s raised palm as she lowered after being called. That same perky smile of hers returned.
“Ummm, yes. Are humans able to go to the UTO quarters, and vice-versa?”
Her question made the lietuenant nod in quick response with a blank facial expression.
“No. We have constructed ‘The Lounge’ for a reason. It is a supervised room that allows distanced, but open interaction. Visiting one another’s quarters is off-limits”
The conviction behind Zach’s tone had silenced any reckless thoughts inside the campers heads, all but Lyla who grinned.
“Y’all come on, we’d have a hog-killin’ time. I ain’t no yellow belly…
“Lyla Michaels, no. You will not do such a thing! Remember, we are aware of your past antics”
Zach spoke, placing both his palms on the desk in front in the process whilst Lyla rolled her eyes away. Except the lieutenant's comments peaked the interest of the human campers who looked towards Lyla, perplexed. Lyla mouthed ‘balderdash’ under her breath.
“If there are no further questions, we will conclude this session. You are all free to go to ‘The Lounge’, or your dorms. Please, feel free to get to know one another”
The lieutenant insisted calmly, turning off the projector as he strolled out the room with a whoosh of the door moving ajar. It left the six human’s in an awkward ambience as their eyes remained fixated on Lyla. An opportunity Tyler grabbed as he leaned across his desk.
“So, what did ya do dude? Spill it”
Tyler teased with a smirk, little to Lyla’s amusement as she swivelled around to lock eyes with the Australian.
“Y’all talk too much Tyler, quite the wobblin jaw ya got there”
She scolded Tyler, wiping the grin off his face in a heartbeat. The entire class, even Pedro, wore a grin as they giggled quietly at Tyler’s expense.
“Yo dude, put a sock in it”
Tyler’s attempts to deny Lyla’s accusation only made it harder for the campers to hold back their laughter.
“M-Maybe we should go to ‘The Lounge’, have our siblings join in on this”
Catherine suggested, standing up in the process.
“I can set with that, come on y’all!”
Lyla ordered, slamming her boots forward to walk ahead with Catherine behind her. They all walked back through the corridor, already anticipating the falashai to have her maw by the door. A stark acknowledgement that had Pedro and Lisa deliberately drag themselves behind to avoid the splash zone. And the door parting ways in front of them revealed just that, but this time was different. Kitaru was several feet away from the platform’s railing, and what was stranger was Minkea too stayed motionless despite the twitching fingers that desired grabbing Tyler in a moment. Has the camp staff already got Kiori’s going against their nature? Tyler struggled to believe it as he watched Minkea’s movements intensely. The twitches in her fingertips gave away the conflict against her primal instincts. A sight that triggered a rumbling chuckle from Igvin's expanding chest.
“Igvins ya’ll are one hell of a Bangtail!”
Lyla blurted out to the towering gryphon, silencing its repetitive squawks as he looked down to the Texas girl with confusion. Lyla couldn’t stop herself chuckling at the jarkhatian’s perplexed look.
“Awww, ya’ll don't know what it means do ya. Bangtail…means…un…tamed…horse”
The human’s covered their mouths to hide their smirks, yet their widening grins penetrated past their fingertips. Igvins flares his nostrils at the ankle-high creatures, deliberately taking a large step forward to loom over. Charlie was craning his head upwards to meet the titan’s beak and piercing stare before a familiar hissing voice caught his attention.
“Slakine suggests Igvnis do better things with his time. Slakine offers a set next to him for Igvins”
Slakine suggested with a hiss, letting that forked tongue out in Charlie’s direction as the sissach’s head turned away from the human’s.
“Good idea, catch ya later. And see you in simulation Pedro and Charlie, Slakine and I look forward to it”
The jarkhatian grinned as he stomped away towards Slakine who was slouching away from the sofa. Charlie focused on the sissach’s vertically slitted eyes that gave one glance over to him until Slakine turned away.
"Y'all better repeat that!" Lyla interrupted Igvin's squawks in a commanding tone, eyeing the feathered creature as she pounded her boots forward. Her thin- haired eyebrows lowered to narrow the girl’s vision at the gryphon.
"Is that so?" Igvins squawked back to Lyla, who showed no signs of slowing until reaching the railing. His muscular physique amplified the already booming voice that rumbled Pedro’s chest, but Lyla was unimpressed. The cowgirl's stance remained.
"Ya got potato in your ears or somethin', bird…?" she fired back with a smirk as she leaned over the railing to draw closer to the gryphon's territory.
"What did you say?" The jahkatian burst out, retreating from the crouch and lifted a talon to stomp over to the humans. His pair of white wings extended out in all their glory before folding into Igvin's back.
Lyla and Charlie kept their stance, whilst everyone retreated from the enclosing gryphon. The collective group stared at his golden talons curling up into a fist, swinging like mighty pendulums. His eyes locked onto the Brazilian huddled in the corner with a smirk, until Lyla stepped in between.
"Ya better back off, leave him alone," Lyla ordered, slamming her leather boots on the metal flooring. Despite her stern visage, a rumbling chuckle left Igvin’s chest.
"Is that it? Come on, Pedro, is this girl fighting your battles? No surprise to me...” he squawked, extending his talons to reach for the walkway.
"I am a woman, boy!" The cowgirl spat down to the floor, as if aiming for a bucket. Tipping her hat backwards, she eyed the titanic gryphon whose claw tips tapped the railing.
"Igvins, please, leave my sister alone…" Tirnan gave a mumbling chitter, his blue eyes focusing on the ground.
"Is that it, Rodent…?" Igvins squawked, flashing a smirk back to the motionless tordenchi. That comment became a catalyst for Lyla to slam down her other boot.
"Back off, bird, go eat a worm or somethin'," she slurred, looking back at her fifty-three foot brother. The mouse was unable to face Lyla in the eye, and instead turned to Kitaru, who was focusing on Catherine.
"Whatever," he muttered, turning over to Charlie. "Are you going to say…" The gryphon leaned closer, until Slakine rushed to pull him back.
"HEY! What are you doing?" He turned back to eye the sissach, whilst the humans saw the two living buildings lock eyes. Their combined shadows smothered them.
"Slakine thinks it is wise waiting for simulation, Igvins," the sissach insisted with a hiss, sparing a glimpse down to Charlie with a huff. Those vertically slitted pupils traced around the room, pinpointing the surveillance and other UTO species present.
"Good idea, Slakine, good idea," Igvins chittered with a grin on his beak, sneaking a glance back to Pedro and Charlie. The jahkatian turned and walked back to the couch, leaving Slakine standing by the humans.
They all stared at the blue-scaled lizard, who watched the humans stare at him, slurping his forked tongue out from his lips. He hissed as he walked away to accompany Igvins.
A stillness consumed Pedro after catching the jahkatian’s piercing stare and smirk, almost knocking him off balance. The petite boy took a step in retreat before being caught by Charlie, who looked at the Brazilian with understanding.
Kitaru's ears twitched at Igvin's voice, summoning the falashai to shift her weight to step between the trio. The fox became a barrier of flesh and fur to cut off the jahkatian’s glare. Her eyes locked on the pair as she crouched.
Charlie's hypnotic fix on his adopted brother was interrupted by the field of red stomach fur. His eyes traced up the crimson valley to meet the falashai's eyes. Despite her gentle demeanour, he felt Pedro's pulse increase near his wrists. A pace that accelerated as Kitaru's fingers closed in on them.
"Ignore him, li'l guys, it's gonna be alright. I am here now. Kitaru is here. You are safe, I promise," she cooed in a motherly tone, giving no time before raising her digits towards the duo.
"Kitaru, stop. Not now," Charlie's cold voice halted those furry fingers mid-flight, which slightly lowered Kitaru's ears. "Pedro and I must prepare for the simulation," he insisted, lifting Pedro on his feet.
Charlie glared past Kitaru to Slakine a moment longer, then turned and left the room with Pedro. It left the room to deal with the aftermath. Lyla led the charge in turning her eyes straight at Igvin, followed by Kitaru and Tyler. The others looked down apart from Minkea, whose irises were glued to her treasure of a brother.
The room went silent.
Category Story / Macro / Micro
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 120 x 120px
File Size 119.4 kB
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