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Abequa and Sherazade wasted no time escorting the professor straight back to their quarters. The two titans were somewhat on edge for the trip back, looking around constantly to make sure they weren't be followed or stalked. Fortunately, it seemed for the moment that the bounty, wherever it had been posted, was still too fresh for anyone else to have picked up on it.
The professor had been constantly examining his surroundings as well, but not quite for the same reason. This was his first time seeing the large scale zone up close, and it was quite a whiplash. For as humongous as the structures were, there weren't as many. Small living quarters and perhaps the occassional convenience store. Other than that, the area was surprisingly not as fancy.
Even more fortunately, no more unwanted company had shown up, and they were able to make it back to their quarters with no further incident.
The professor inspected the place. He was startled by its massive size. From his perspective it was big enough to fit even something as large as a factory in it. He was even more impressed when they opened the front door and started to head inside (though not without Abequa briefly getting her hips stuck in the door and having to wriggle through as usual, with Sherazade doing the same.
"Welcome to our humble pad," said Abequa as she helped pull Sherazade through the door. "It's not much, but it does the job."
"'Not much'? Speak for yourself," the professor mused, looking all around at the vast interior. "And I thought the large scale meeting room at the institution was huge..."
"Well, maybe to you," said Abequa. "But it's not what I'd call high class."
Indeed, the pad really only included the necessary accommodations: a den, a small kitchen, a bedroom, and one bathroom. Despite its size, relatively speaking it wasn't as flashy as the apartments the professor might've been used to seeing. The professor couldn't help but note this along with his observations earlier.
"I guess we should get down to business," said Abequa. "Anything you need from us?"
"Mm... dim the lights, if you please," said the professor. Sherazade did so, the room shrouded in darkness save for the light from the window.
The headed into the bedroom, which only consisted of one large bed, which sat low on the floor, seemingly due to being subjected to the weight of the two giants on a regular basis.
Abequa sat on the edge of the bed, taking off her visor and sighing. The professor, still on her beak, busily opened his briefcase. As he did so, he looked at Sherazade. "Now uh... Miss Sherry," he addressed. "This entire thing was originally between Miss Abby and myself. However, she has insisted to me that I can trust you, so you may hear this too, if that's okay."
"Oh, err, o-okay then," Sherazade said, surprised. She pulled up a chair. "I didn't want to intrude, but if you say so."
"Why not?" said Abequa. "I probably need the moral support. I still don't know what exactly this is yet..."
Sherazade said no more. She simply nodded, and positioned the chair right in front of Abequa. The Stego sat down and scooted up until her bosom met Abequa's, as they often did whenever discussing a serious topic.
From the professor's perspective, it again felt like she was riding two mountains moving in on each other. Thankfully this time the mountains weren't shaking due to fighting, but it was still a bizarre position for him.
Still, he tried his best not to be disctraction by this, and opened up his briefcase to take out his computer, the floppy disk, and the converter device. "So, " he explained. "Long story short, not too long after our last meeting, by pure chance I managed to stumble upon a sealed-off storage room at the institution with a derilict computer, an old system, which would explain why none of the data on it appeared in our records. It was never transferrable, and for some reason no one bothered to try and make it so, which is baffling..."
Abequa was surprised. "How come you didn't tell me sooner?"
The professor sighed. "Well, it happened so soon after our discovery about your species designation. I uh... didn't want to overload you."
"Oh, guess that makes sense."
"But anyway," the professor continued. "Even had I told you sooner, I couldn't immediately transfer the data it from such old hardware to more modern devices. First I had to make it portable." He held up the floppy disc. "And this wasn't easy to find considering how outdated they are. Case in point, my laptop has no floppy disc port. So I had to search for a device that could convert data from a floppy to a readable USB. On top of this, I was delayed further when I had to temporarily relocate after the Brachio incident, but eventually, I was able to find THIS..." He pointed to the converter. "Which ALSO wasn't easy to find, more so than the floppy itself... and so it all comes down to this..."
The professor inserted the floppy into the converter, then plugged the converter's USB extension into the laptop. "I didn't test this... I probably should've," he huffed. "This had better work, or I'll need a refund..." Abequa and Sherazade watched with baited breath, the latter leaning closer, as the professor waited for his laptop to detect the converter.
At last, a message saying, "New device detected". The professor selected it, opening up a window that gave him the option to convert the data on the floppy into a modern format. He clicked "convert," then waited...
... and waited...
... and waited some more...
"Conversion complete," it read on his screen, and a folder appeared, containing the files. The professor beamed. "Success!" he declared. Sherazade smiled, and Abequa breathed a sigh of relief. The time had finally come, and there were no more hurdles.
"Now then," said the professor. "I didn't yet read the entire contents of this folder when I first found it. I didn't have enough time. All I know is, 'Equalization Project', and something called 'Alpha Femme'. Other than that, we'll be discovering all of this together. I now ask, are you ready?"
Abequa took a deep breath. She was nervous still, but she had been waiting for this for a long time. "Let's dive..." she said.
The professor nodded. "I err... don't have a method of projecting this to a bigger screen for you two, so I'll simply read it for you," he noted as he opened the first file. "Let's see..."
[Equalization Project - Log I
Fairly recently, while looking deeper into the genetics of large scales, we've noticed a strange pattern in which large scales seem to be getting larger and larger, but it is more promienently seen in females. We at first weren't sure whether or not his was purely a coincidence, but after closely studying DNA samples from two subjects, it has been determined that, yes indeed, some females appear to have an unusual genetic effect that causes them to grow to a noticably larger size than their respective species is supposed to reach. We've debated on what exactly to call this: some of us have coined it the "Kaiju gene," or the "Queen gene" in short hand, but we have come to the consensus to label it as "Alpha Femme".
This is a troubling fact, as this rapid growth in females appears to only happen with large scale species. As if large scales ever needed to get bigger. We fear that this could spell trouble for small scales such as us, and eventually lead to our types becoming trampled with the dirt. This very well could happen if gone unchecked. We must find out more about this gene and the extent of it, and if anything can be done to either neuter it or grant ourselves an advantage.
What IS obvious, though is that this growth gene doesn't just come out of nowhere. They must be born with it. In order to understand what it is, how it works, and how to counter it, we much observe it from its earliest stage. For this reason, we have worked out a commission, a very important shipping order that well provide us with the vital information. We we have to make accommodations however, to make sure the delicate cargo is stored properly.
This moment has been a long time in the making. For years and years, small scales have spent living in the shadow of the large ones, doomed to struggle day after day, simply because the large ones exist. Despite our society advancing beyond theirs, we ar constantly set back by the shake of the ground produced by their footsteps, their movements, their simple, trivial actions that disrupt us so often... ]
"Well, that's the first entry," said the professor. "Interesting. Even back then they were closely studying giantism, but... but..."
"What's wrong?" Sherazade asked.
"It's... strange," said the professor. "It sounds as if they've made more progress than I ever did. I've been studying giantism for years, and while I'm privy to the fact that females possess it more, even I didn't know they already created a scientific name for this. Why would the institution withhold this...?"
"Alpha Femme..." Abequa repeated. "Is... is that what I have?"
"Likely," said the professor. "But that's still begs the question of why?"
"... Keep going," said Abequa. "There's a few more entries here."
"As you wish, Miss Abby," said the professor.
[Equalization Project - Log II
It's amazing what funds and a little persuasion can accomplish. Thanks to connections from the outside, we were able to order exactly what we need to study Alpha Femme more thoroughly. Before we do, however, we must send a visitor to the hatchery to monitor the signatures in the subjects to make sure we're using only the ones we need, and no others. This is already a big risk, but the results will make it all worth it. This will be edited when more info is obtained.
EDIT: After a thorough scanning of the hatchery, we have discovered multiple subjects with varying degrees of Alpha Femme. In order to obtain the most knowledge we can from this mission, we must go for variety. As such, it is important to make sure each subject is of a different type. We suspect that Alpha Femme probably affects different species in different ways. After all, while all large scales are, of course, large, some are larger than others. This will be edited when the subjects arrive.
EDIT: The subjects have been transported here safely. We've obtained a total of nine, each of them a different kind, and all species we know for fact grow large even without Alpha Femme. We have prepared a specialized room to provide the same atmosphere as an incubator, as some have pushed the idea that we must maintain the integrity of the eggs as if they had never left the hatchery.
There has been some debate over how exactly we will study them, as well as some worry about how we will handle them if they happen to hatch while they are in our possession. The authority as decided that we will cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, the objective is to monitor the growth signatures in each subject and determine their rate of developement. More will be added as more observations are made. For now, we will focus on making sure the new incubator room is fully functional and provides the perfect simulation.]
The professor grimaced, shaking his head. "Oh dear..." he muttered. "... Well, that partially explains why they were so determined to keep this data under the rug..."
Abequa and Sherazade looked at each other, than at the professor. "What do you mean?" Sherazade asked.
"Miss Sherry..." the professor said grimly. "They took eggs from the hatchery... You see, when someone lays an egg, they may choose to either bring it to the hatchery for the most consistent care, or hatch it the old-fashioned way. The thing about the hatchery is that it is FIERCELY protected, and one thing you CANNOT do under ANY circumstances is remove an egg from there without the owner's permission. It's egg theft, and it's highly illegal..." The professor huffed, looking crossly at the screen. "As a scientist, I'm appalled that they even conceived doing such a thing..."
"Oh..." Sherazade said, her face contorting. "Eugh..."
"What's worse..." the professor continued. "This is starting to resemble the missing eggs incident from years ago."
"The what now?" Abequa asked, her thoughts interrupted.
"There was an incident many years ago in which several eggs vanished from the hatchery," said the professor. "I read about it. No one knew exactly how that happened, but many were certain of some sort of conspiracy behind the curtains. I know conspiracy theorists are to be taken with a grain of salt, but... they might've been right this time..."
Abequa thought for a moment. "Uh, prof?"
"Hm?"
"How long ago did this happen?"
"Umm... a little over twenty-five years ago I believe," replied the professor.
Abequa and Sherazade jumped. The professor was confused at first, until he thought for a moment, and started to understand their reaction. "... Shall I continue?" he asked with a hint of dread in his voice.
"Yes..." Abequa said with a tense look on her face.
"Very well..."
[Equalization Project - Log III
All nine subjects have been carefully transported into our new incubation room. We're proud that we were able to transport them without damaging any of them. This means they will maintain full integrity and we will be able to monitor and study their growth rates without any oddities caused my mishandling. We have maintained a list of the ubsjects and their types in short hand:
Subject 001 - Neck Lizard
Subject 002 - Spike-Tailed Roof Lizard
Subject 003 - Horn-Faced Lizard
Subject 004 - Armored Lizard
Subject 005 - Flat-bill Lizard
Subject 006 - Tyrant Jaw Lizard
Subject 007 - Crest Lizard
Subject 008 - Spine Jaw Lizard
Subject 009 - Scythe Lizard
We have various expectations in regards to how much each of these subjects will grow. Most of us speculate that Subject 001 will have the highest rate of growth, while others are keeping an eye on Subjects 006 and 008. We aren't sure, of course. We'll have to wait and see over time. More information will be added as more obversations are made.
EDIT: We're quite fascinated to discover that the rates of Alpha Femme growth differ vastly between each subject. We expected Subject 001 to have the biggest growth rate, and while 001 is still the biggest in terms of raw size, interestingly the rates within others, such as 002 and 005, are greater than that of 001.
However, we are particularly impressed by Subject 009. It has the highest rate of any of the others, and it's not even close. We would've assumed that it would be somewhere in the middle compared to the others, but 009 has proven us wrong. This is both fascinating as well as horrifying. If the drastic growth rate demonstrated by 009 is possible in other large species, then this doesn't bode well for us smallies.
EDIT: 009 is even more of a curious case than we could've ever imagined. One of our observers found what are first appeared to be an oddity in 009's anatomy, and out of curiosity brought an x-ray screen into the incubation room. After studying the x-ray, we've discovered that 009's claws are thicker than what we'd expect from a scythe lizard embryo. At first we wondered if we had somehow damaged the subject, but after an inspection, 009 appears to have no damage of any sort. This is when we realized that we never examined 009's specific species variant until now, and after closer examination, it's true. 009 is is not a regular scythe lizard, but rather, a DESERT scythe lizard, a type of scythe lizard that would normally be only a fraction of the size of a regular one, to the point where it straddles the barrier between small and large. One of these could feasibly be considered small scale, but it's obvious that 009 is anything BUT small, and won't stay small for long when it hatches. Essentially, with this much of the gene, 009 seems as though it'll come out to be a literal kaiju.
This opens up another load of posibilities. If a specimen like 009 can be subject to Alpha Femme, and such an alarming concentraction OF it, then is it possible for us as well? We must look into this further. 009 might just be the miracle we were looking for.]
Abequa sighed. "... Yep... it's me," she said. "That 009 was me... It HAD to have been..."
The professor stroked his chin. "If we merely put two and two together," he said, "then it seems this is indeed the case... It would also explain how you found your way into the small district prior to hatching..." He looked back at Abequa, noting her strange look. "... Are you all right?"
"I'll be fine, I guess..." Abequa began. "This is just a lot to take in... I got some kind of mutant-like growth thing, and apparently I was stolen before I hatched..."
"Are you sure you're okay?" Sherazade asked with a somewhat worried look.
"It's fine, really," said Abequa. "I'm getting answers, I've been looking for these answers for a long time, I really shouldn't complain..."
"Well, one thing is for certain," the professor chimed in. "Now we at last know the deeper reason for your drastic growth. I'm not entirely sure where what really triggers this Alpha Femme, but at least we know what it is."
"Welp," said Sherazade. "How does it feel to know you're an actual kaiju?"
"... Not that different, I suppose," Abequa said, as she thought about it. She was used to be huge by now. She just didn't know why, until now, but knowing this didn't change much of anything. Perhaps, though, this was a good thing for her psychology... Still though...
"Although, knowing now that this Alpha Femme gene exists," the professor went on, "... I wonder if perhaps YOU might have a trace of it too, Miss Sherry."
Sherazade gasped. "Wait, M-ME?" she stammered.
"You're literally the biggest Stego I've ever seen," the professor marked. "I was impressed when you showed up and handled that fierce foe of yours so easily. You COULD have a little Alpha Femme in you, though not as drastic as the amount Miss Abby appears to have."
Sherazade looked at herself, grabbing her gut. "... I always thought this was just from eating a lot."
"Well, err..." the professor remembered Sherazade's huge gut. "... Perhaps partially, but that holds no bearing on your height and strength. As I said, you're quite a powerhouse."
Sherazade blushed. "Oh, err, thank you."
"Uh, prof?" Abequa interrupted. "While I agree with you on the Sherry's-a-powerhouse thing, we're not done. There's another entry, and I need to know why they never returned me to the hatchery..."
The professor gasped. "Oh... that's a good point. It seems we must press on."
[Equalization Project - Log IV
It has been weeks, and we've continued to watch the Subjects, particularly 009. With all the questions that have been brought forth now by the mere existence of 009, we're all debating heavily on how to proceed next:
-Some are considering the possibility of gene-splicing some of 009's DNA into ourselves to see if we could grow too. As enticing as that sounds, others have pointed out that the ridiculous concentration of Alpha Femme in 009 would probably not transfer well into bodies that aren't used to it, and that it would probably be a better choice to use DNA from another subject. Others, meanwhile, are debating whether or not taking DNA from a hatchling, even one of that size, is ethical
-Others are considering the idea of testing if the Alpha Femme can be either slowed or nullified with some sort of compound. If successful, it could even be marketable and distributed. Some argue that no one would buy such a product, but the idea of diluting it and mixing it into a food formula has been passed around. Again, the question of ethics has been brought up.
The project is at a standstill while we try to determine what option to proceed with.
EDIT: 009 has hatched. We weren't expecting this. We figured we'd be able to gather the info we need and eventually return the subjects discretely, but with 009 having burst from its shell, this has been made more difficult. We must now try to keep the hatchling fed and cleaned WHILE gathering more data on its growth and how it can be either exploited or contained.
The hatchling has proven to be a handful. We've had to order supplies from large scale stores and have them shipped here to keep her fed, but doing so puts us at risk. It's unlikely that the sight of large scale hatchling food being trucked to a small scale science institution won't catch at least SOME attention, but one of us has insisted that keeping the hatchling fed is the right thing, while others agree if only because 009 is far too valuable and unique a specimen to mismanage.
In the meantime, we will proceed with trying either test to see if one of them works.
EDIT: One of our own has suggested conducting the tests by using one of 009's feathers instead of immediately exposing her to either a direct DNA extraction or a compound injection. It has been agreed, and we will use the feather as a temporary DNA source.
Gene Splicing Test Result: FAIL - Despite earlier protests, we chose to conduct this test with a sample from 009 anyway, as she was the only one who had hatched so far and we didn't have time to wait for another one to follow suit. We chose a suspiciously eager subject for the splice and conducted the process while our brave tester remained in physical contact with the feather. However, when the splice was executed, the tester immediately complained of a tremendous amount of stress on her body. Despite her willingness to continue, we shut down the splice for her safety. While this didn't work, the tester notably had bulging areas on her arms and legs. At first we thought the solution was to simply adjust the polarity to that the rush of Alpha Femme DNA isn't too sudden, but after a few more tries on other testers yielded the same result, despite any and all efforts to lessen the amount of stress, we were advised to move onto other ideas before any more personnel could become incapacitated.
Gene Nullification Test Result: FAIL - Using a similar procedure to the gene splicing, we created a small scale DNA compound using samples from our own personnel to see if the Alpha Femme cells could be overridden. We tested this by clipping off tiny flakes from the feather used in the previous test and submerging them into liquid saturated with the compound before exposing it to the splicing procedure under a microscope. The results, however, were baffling. Not only did the compound fail to even scratch the Alpha Femme cells, the latter appeared to assimilate the compound into itself and dissolve it, not unlike a white blood cell. Not only that, but the feather flakes appeared to expand ever so slightly. It was almost as if the Alpha Femme cells were protecting themselves and feeding off the foreign compound, growing in size as a result. This could explain one method for how Alpha Femme manifests so much growth. Still, the visual metaphor of Alpha Femme effectively EATING small scale DNA proved to be far too unnerving for many of us.
Both tests failed in their expected objectives, but both led to new, and unsettling, observations...
What IS Alpha Femme...?]
Abequa, Sherazade, and the professor all looked rather disturbed. The professor was the first to speak. "... Alpha Femme... what a curious subject indeed," he said thoughtfully. "A cellular anomaly no doubt, but with such interesting workings... I still don't know WHY it works in this way, but at least we somewhat have an idea of how it causes growth."
Sherazade was stuck on a different point, however. "So she has mutated cell growth or something. Is it really such a problem though? ... Do we really bother them that much... for them to look for ways to... to..."
The professor shook his head and sighed. "... I'm afraid some small scales are too fear-driven..."
Abequa snorted. "Wouldn't have to be if they'd just get to know us..." She looked at the professor. "Like you did..."
The professor sighed and give Abequa's beak a rub. He wasn't sure what else to say. Abequa was right on the money with that remark.
"Is uh... is there more?" Sherazade asked.
"Believe it or not, yes," said the professor as he opened the next entry, and then looked surprised at its title. "... 'Emergency log'?" he recited in confusion.
"E... emergency?" Sherazade asked.
"Oh this oughta be good..." said Abequa with interest.
[Equalization Project - Emergency Log
We have been order to cease all operations on this project until further notice. There is confusion and panic over why exactly. I will add more details as they come.
EDIT: We've managed to personally talk to the head of the project about the reason for the abrupt shut down. Apparently there has been an incident at the hatchery. One of the hatchery operatives has been attacked by furious parent of one of the subjects. We don't know any other details other than the fact that the hatchery operative was taken to the hospital with slash wounds on his chest, which would indicate that the attacker might be 009's original layer or perhaps the mate of her layer. We don't know how they came to know that their egg was missing considering we had bribed the hatchery security into heightening their guard for the duration of the project until the eggs could be returned unseen. We can only assume someone snitched, and we have no idea who.
In any case, we've been ordered to return all of the eggs to the hatchery immediately before the rest of the owners learn of the whereabouts of their eggs. However, due to 009 having hatched and missing a feather, there is immediate evidence against us should she be returned as she is. We'll simply have to act as we're told and hope the head of the project can come up with a plan.
EDIT: The eggs were returned without incident, and in an absolute miracle, thanks to some strings being pulled, our head of the project was able to manipulate a few things in our favor, helped in part by the fact that the parent responsible for the attack wasn't in good pubic standing for their actions. We won't have to worry about them.
As far as anyone knows, eight eggs disappeared, and all eight have been found.
This project is on hold for the foreseeable future until enough resources can slowly be regained so that we may eventually continue.
EDIT: In all the confusion, Subject 009 has disappeared, just as we were trying to determine want we should do with her, as she is living breathing incriminating evidence. While we figure out where she could've gone, the order from the head of the project is to lie low. Even if 009 is found, we must not put ourselves at risk by attempting to retrieve her too early.]
"Continue, eh?" the professor snorted. "We'll see about that..." He gave a smirk. He knew just how to uproot all of this, and he was going to enjoy it immensely. A bit of well-deserved justice and revenge all in one.
"HMPH! What a bunch of sickos..." Sherazade remarked. "That's the craziest thing I've ever heard of..."
Abequa hadn't said anything yet. She was processing everything she had just heard, with a blank expression that seemed like it was struggling to determine which direction she wanted to go with her emotions at that moment. However, her thoughts were interrupted again.
"Wait..." said the professor as he scrolled again. "There's one more entry here, all the way the bottom.
Abequa and Sherazade perked up. The professor opened it.
[To Whom It May Concern
I am writing this entry to let whoever finds this know that everything you just read is not the original entry, but rather a full, unredacted account of everything that happened in this awful project. I was originally in charge of logging all of this information, but as I knew they would breathe down my neck about what information was and wasn't to be included, I took the liberty of typing up this version to include the censored portions.
This entire project is a massive crime that could've gotten worse had I not informed the original parents where their hatchling went. I was scared of how they would react, but it was only responsible to tell them. I regret, however, having failed to advise them on how to go about their response, because their decision to attack someone at the hatchery, while somewhat justified, only exposed them to loopholes I knew the institution would take. It pains me to know that they won't see their kid, especially since I had intended to have her transported back to them when the chance arose.
This is going to be an awkward task, but the best thing I can do for them is to try and take care of their hatchling to the best of my ability. I don't have the proper space, and I may have to register her under a different saurian type for safety reasons, but I'll care for her for as long as I can, until she either outgrows my quarters, or the institution finds out that I sabotaged them, in which case, it'll be time for me to send her over to the large district, where she may dwell in more suitable living conditions.
At least her parents happened to drop the name they had for her, so I shall respect that.
As for you, Abequa sweetie, if you in fact somehow get your hands on this file, I can't express how sorry I am for what they did. I hope that when I eventually do have to relinquish you into the large area, you'll be able to settle in, live, and find someone you can cherish, and someone who can cherish you...]
The professor was speechless. "... Well now... Your adopted father WAS in the institution's records after all, just as you suspected when we first met... Miss Abby?" He stopped, when he heard something that sounded like water. He looked back at the Alxa's yellow eyes, tears streaming from them. "Oh Miss Abby..."
"Abby..." Sherazade said solemnly.
Abequa sniffled as the tears flowed. There it was, the closure she was looking for, and bittersweet as it was, it was what she needed. The professor rubbed her beak, and Sherazade leaned in and nuzzled her gently.
Abequa caught her breath. "S... sorry about that," she said, still sniffling. "... That's... that's the first peep I've heard out of him... in years... We stayed in touch for a while after I had to move, but at some point he... stopped answering my calls..."
"Miss Abby..." began the professor. "Pardon my curiosity, but did you not think to go visit him?"
"W-well..." Abequa looked down. "I wanted to... Th... that was the whole reason I worked to hard to get a small area license... When I finally got it, I wanted to take Sherry to meet him, but... b-but..." She started to tear up again.
Sherazade reluctantly finished Abequa's statement. "We arrived at his house and... he... wasn't there... Someone else had moved in, and they didn't know where he went either..."
"Oh..." said the professor, now feeling sorry he asked. "Oh dear..."
They sat in silence for a moment, melancholy, and none of them sure what to say next. The professor felt guilty for triggering such a bad moment. Sherazade's breath was baited, and Abequa only sighed with a quivering beak.
After a moment, the professor perked up. "... I think he's out there," he said. "You heard what he said in that note. If the institution found out that he snitched to the parents about the project, perhaps he simply had to go into hiding himself." Abequa gave him a doubtful look, but the professor was prepared. "I would think so. The institution appears to have enough financial backing to make even the most dubious things happen in their favor... They placed a bounty on me after all..." He paused with a sigh. "Either way, Miss Abby, wherever he is, I think it's most important that you do as he suggested. Settle, live, and find someone to cherish..." He chuckled as he looked back at Sherazade. "And I think you've gotten a head start on that, wouldn't you agree?"
Abequa looked at the professor, then at Sherazade, who was smiling warming at her. Abequa paused. The tears were still there... but they slowly transitioned away from the sad type to the happy type. "... Right... y-you're right..." she said. "I d-did... didn't I?"
"Yeah you did," said Sherazade with a giggle.
"Y... you know..." Abequa said. "As... horrible as all of that was... I don't regret that it led to me meeting you... L... Love you Sherry... Love you so much..."
Sherazade was usually the first to say it, but hearing Abequa do so took Sherazade aback. "Aw Abby... Love you too..." She leaned forward and hugged her, nuzzling as well, as a teary-eyed but happy Abequa hugged her back, full of joy.
The professor sighed with warm, fuzzy feelings as he rode upon the two nuzzling mountains, feeling the vibration of their rubbing their snouts against each other. What an odd feeling it was, but he couldn't deny the warmness all around him in that moment. He found their bond so commendable that he was almost jealous.
He would get his attention next though. "Heh uh, professor?" said Sherazade. "C... come here a second."
The professor set his laptop down and carefully walked towards the tip of Abequa's beak towards Sherazade. On the way, he slid down until he bumped into the front of Sherazade's nose. "Ouuf... yes?"
"Thank you so much for helping Abby with all of this," Sherazade said softly. "Any friend of hers is a friend of mine!" she gently nuzzled the little professor.
Abequa did likewise. "Thanks for sticking with me," she said.
The professor blushed slightly. "Oh, well um..." she said sheepishly. "Please, think nothing of it."
"It's just... not many smallies would go through the amount of trouble you did for one of us..." said Abequa. "We just had to point that out."
"Ohhh..." the professor conceded, hanging there and enjoying the surprisingly gentle nuzzle of the Alxa and Stego. "You're quite welcome," he murmured.
"What will you do now?" Sherazade asked.
"What else?" the professor said. "I'm going to post that entire file on the community science message board. I'm a regular on there and I have quite a few friends and followers. I'm sure they'd love to know about this. Consider it... payback, for what they did to me, AND you, and I'll take immense satisfaction in seeing them crumble for these atrocities..." He smirked. "Afterwards, I'll be washing my hands of the institution. I don't need to be associated with such a travesty. I have standards for goodness sake! Science should not be conducted at the expense of others..." He sighed. "It'll be a while before I can return to my quarters though. They're still probably trying to find me..."
Abequa's face went serious. "Well, if they ever to go for you again, we'll protect you, Prof," said Abequa. "It's the least we can do."
"We won't let them get you, professor..." said Sherazade. "We'll keep you safe..."
The professor breathed a sigh a relief. Their words, and their nuzzles, felt like a massage. "Thank you..." he murmured. "... Listen, two you... You're both huge, strong, and extraordinary. Embrace that, and don't let those two scoundrels or anyone else tell you different..."
"Shucks, Prof..." Abequa said with a blush.
"Aww... thank you, professor," said Sherzade with a slight giggle.
The professor chuckled. "Ah... please, call me Danforth."
Whoo man... There you have it folks. I didn't know when I'd ever reveal Abequa's weird past, but now you know.
And yeah, finally the professor's name is revealed. It took me a while to think of something, but for now, I think his name is Danforth, and I think he's a Dromaeosaurus (I think).
When am I going to learn that I don't need to go full cel and soft mode on a multi-part story, especially one with multiple panels on each page? I'm taking a breather!
Anyway, hope you enjoyed this Macro March series.
And with that, I'll see you at TFF!
Enjoy!
Abequa, Sherazade, and Professor Danforth ©
Blazesaur
The professor had been constantly examining his surroundings as well, but not quite for the same reason. This was his first time seeing the large scale zone up close, and it was quite a whiplash. For as humongous as the structures were, there weren't as many. Small living quarters and perhaps the occassional convenience store. Other than that, the area was surprisingly not as fancy.
Even more fortunately, no more unwanted company had shown up, and they were able to make it back to their quarters with no further incident.
The professor inspected the place. He was startled by its massive size. From his perspective it was big enough to fit even something as large as a factory in it. He was even more impressed when they opened the front door and started to head inside (though not without Abequa briefly getting her hips stuck in the door and having to wriggle through as usual, with Sherazade doing the same.
"Welcome to our humble pad," said Abequa as she helped pull Sherazade through the door. "It's not much, but it does the job."
"'Not much'? Speak for yourself," the professor mused, looking all around at the vast interior. "And I thought the large scale meeting room at the institution was huge..."
"Well, maybe to you," said Abequa. "But it's not what I'd call high class."
Indeed, the pad really only included the necessary accommodations: a den, a small kitchen, a bedroom, and one bathroom. Despite its size, relatively speaking it wasn't as flashy as the apartments the professor might've been used to seeing. The professor couldn't help but note this along with his observations earlier.
"I guess we should get down to business," said Abequa. "Anything you need from us?"
"Mm... dim the lights, if you please," said the professor. Sherazade did so, the room shrouded in darkness save for the light from the window.
The headed into the bedroom, which only consisted of one large bed, which sat low on the floor, seemingly due to being subjected to the weight of the two giants on a regular basis.
Abequa sat on the edge of the bed, taking off her visor and sighing. The professor, still on her beak, busily opened his briefcase. As he did so, he looked at Sherazade. "Now uh... Miss Sherry," he addressed. "This entire thing was originally between Miss Abby and myself. However, she has insisted to me that I can trust you, so you may hear this too, if that's okay."
"Oh, err, o-okay then," Sherazade said, surprised. She pulled up a chair. "I didn't want to intrude, but if you say so."
"Why not?" said Abequa. "I probably need the moral support. I still don't know what exactly this is yet..."
Sherazade said no more. She simply nodded, and positioned the chair right in front of Abequa. The Stego sat down and scooted up until her bosom met Abequa's, as they often did whenever discussing a serious topic.
From the professor's perspective, it again felt like she was riding two mountains moving in on each other. Thankfully this time the mountains weren't shaking due to fighting, but it was still a bizarre position for him.
Still, he tried his best not to be disctraction by this, and opened up his briefcase to take out his computer, the floppy disk, and the converter device. "So, " he explained. "Long story short, not too long after our last meeting, by pure chance I managed to stumble upon a sealed-off storage room at the institution with a derilict computer, an old system, which would explain why none of the data on it appeared in our records. It was never transferrable, and for some reason no one bothered to try and make it so, which is baffling..."
Abequa was surprised. "How come you didn't tell me sooner?"
The professor sighed. "Well, it happened so soon after our discovery about your species designation. I uh... didn't want to overload you."
"Oh, guess that makes sense."
"But anyway," the professor continued. "Even had I told you sooner, I couldn't immediately transfer the data it from such old hardware to more modern devices. First I had to make it portable." He held up the floppy disc. "And this wasn't easy to find considering how outdated they are. Case in point, my laptop has no floppy disc port. So I had to search for a device that could convert data from a floppy to a readable USB. On top of this, I was delayed further when I had to temporarily relocate after the Brachio incident, but eventually, I was able to find THIS..." He pointed to the converter. "Which ALSO wasn't easy to find, more so than the floppy itself... and so it all comes down to this..."
The professor inserted the floppy into the converter, then plugged the converter's USB extension into the laptop. "I didn't test this... I probably should've," he huffed. "This had better work, or I'll need a refund..." Abequa and Sherazade watched with baited breath, the latter leaning closer, as the professor waited for his laptop to detect the converter.
At last, a message saying, "New device detected". The professor selected it, opening up a window that gave him the option to convert the data on the floppy into a modern format. He clicked "convert," then waited...
... and waited...
... and waited some more...
"Conversion complete," it read on his screen, and a folder appeared, containing the files. The professor beamed. "Success!" he declared. Sherazade smiled, and Abequa breathed a sigh of relief. The time had finally come, and there were no more hurdles.
"Now then," said the professor. "I didn't yet read the entire contents of this folder when I first found it. I didn't have enough time. All I know is, 'Equalization Project', and something called 'Alpha Femme'. Other than that, we'll be discovering all of this together. I now ask, are you ready?"
Abequa took a deep breath. She was nervous still, but she had been waiting for this for a long time. "Let's dive..." she said.
The professor nodded. "I err... don't have a method of projecting this to a bigger screen for you two, so I'll simply read it for you," he noted as he opened the first file. "Let's see..."
[Equalization Project - Log I
Fairly recently, while looking deeper into the genetics of large scales, we've noticed a strange pattern in which large scales seem to be getting larger and larger, but it is more promienently seen in females. We at first weren't sure whether or not his was purely a coincidence, but after closely studying DNA samples from two subjects, it has been determined that, yes indeed, some females appear to have an unusual genetic effect that causes them to grow to a noticably larger size than their respective species is supposed to reach. We've debated on what exactly to call this: some of us have coined it the "Kaiju gene," or the "Queen gene" in short hand, but we have come to the consensus to label it as "Alpha Femme".
This is a troubling fact, as this rapid growth in females appears to only happen with large scale species. As if large scales ever needed to get bigger. We fear that this could spell trouble for small scales such as us, and eventually lead to our types becoming trampled with the dirt. This very well could happen if gone unchecked. We must find out more about this gene and the extent of it, and if anything can be done to either neuter it or grant ourselves an advantage.
What IS obvious, though is that this growth gene doesn't just come out of nowhere. They must be born with it. In order to understand what it is, how it works, and how to counter it, we much observe it from its earliest stage. For this reason, we have worked out a commission, a very important shipping order that well provide us with the vital information. We we have to make accommodations however, to make sure the delicate cargo is stored properly.
This moment has been a long time in the making. For years and years, small scales have spent living in the shadow of the large ones, doomed to struggle day after day, simply because the large ones exist. Despite our society advancing beyond theirs, we ar constantly set back by the shake of the ground produced by their footsteps, their movements, their simple, trivial actions that disrupt us so often... ]
"Well, that's the first entry," said the professor. "Interesting. Even back then they were closely studying giantism, but... but..."
"What's wrong?" Sherazade asked.
"It's... strange," said the professor. "It sounds as if they've made more progress than I ever did. I've been studying giantism for years, and while I'm privy to the fact that females possess it more, even I didn't know they already created a scientific name for this. Why would the institution withhold this...?"
"Alpha Femme..." Abequa repeated. "Is... is that what I have?"
"Likely," said the professor. "But that's still begs the question of why?"
"... Keep going," said Abequa. "There's a few more entries here."
"As you wish, Miss Abby," said the professor.
[Equalization Project - Log II
It's amazing what funds and a little persuasion can accomplish. Thanks to connections from the outside, we were able to order exactly what we need to study Alpha Femme more thoroughly. Before we do, however, we must send a visitor to the hatchery to monitor the signatures in the subjects to make sure we're using only the ones we need, and no others. This is already a big risk, but the results will make it all worth it. This will be edited when more info is obtained.
EDIT: After a thorough scanning of the hatchery, we have discovered multiple subjects with varying degrees of Alpha Femme. In order to obtain the most knowledge we can from this mission, we must go for variety. As such, it is important to make sure each subject is of a different type. We suspect that Alpha Femme probably affects different species in different ways. After all, while all large scales are, of course, large, some are larger than others. This will be edited when the subjects arrive.
EDIT: The subjects have been transported here safely. We've obtained a total of nine, each of them a different kind, and all species we know for fact grow large even without Alpha Femme. We have prepared a specialized room to provide the same atmosphere as an incubator, as some have pushed the idea that we must maintain the integrity of the eggs as if they had never left the hatchery.
There has been some debate over how exactly we will study them, as well as some worry about how we will handle them if they happen to hatch while they are in our possession. The authority as decided that we will cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, the objective is to monitor the growth signatures in each subject and determine their rate of developement. More will be added as more observations are made. For now, we will focus on making sure the new incubator room is fully functional and provides the perfect simulation.]
The professor grimaced, shaking his head. "Oh dear..." he muttered. "... Well, that partially explains why they were so determined to keep this data under the rug..."
Abequa and Sherazade looked at each other, than at the professor. "What do you mean?" Sherazade asked.
"Miss Sherry..." the professor said grimly. "They took eggs from the hatchery... You see, when someone lays an egg, they may choose to either bring it to the hatchery for the most consistent care, or hatch it the old-fashioned way. The thing about the hatchery is that it is FIERCELY protected, and one thing you CANNOT do under ANY circumstances is remove an egg from there without the owner's permission. It's egg theft, and it's highly illegal..." The professor huffed, looking crossly at the screen. "As a scientist, I'm appalled that they even conceived doing such a thing..."
"Oh..." Sherazade said, her face contorting. "Eugh..."
"What's worse..." the professor continued. "This is starting to resemble the missing eggs incident from years ago."
"The what now?" Abequa asked, her thoughts interrupted.
"There was an incident many years ago in which several eggs vanished from the hatchery," said the professor. "I read about it. No one knew exactly how that happened, but many were certain of some sort of conspiracy behind the curtains. I know conspiracy theorists are to be taken with a grain of salt, but... they might've been right this time..."
Abequa thought for a moment. "Uh, prof?"
"Hm?"
"How long ago did this happen?"
"Umm... a little over twenty-five years ago I believe," replied the professor.
Abequa and Sherazade jumped. The professor was confused at first, until he thought for a moment, and started to understand their reaction. "... Shall I continue?" he asked with a hint of dread in his voice.
"Yes..." Abequa said with a tense look on her face.
"Very well..."
[Equalization Project - Log III
All nine subjects have been carefully transported into our new incubation room. We're proud that we were able to transport them without damaging any of them. This means they will maintain full integrity and we will be able to monitor and study their growth rates without any oddities caused my mishandling. We have maintained a list of the ubsjects and their types in short hand:
Subject 001 - Neck Lizard
Subject 002 - Spike-Tailed Roof Lizard
Subject 003 - Horn-Faced Lizard
Subject 004 - Armored Lizard
Subject 005 - Flat-bill Lizard
Subject 006 - Tyrant Jaw Lizard
Subject 007 - Crest Lizard
Subject 008 - Spine Jaw Lizard
Subject 009 - Scythe Lizard
We have various expectations in regards to how much each of these subjects will grow. Most of us speculate that Subject 001 will have the highest rate of growth, while others are keeping an eye on Subjects 006 and 008. We aren't sure, of course. We'll have to wait and see over time. More information will be added as more obversations are made.
EDIT: We're quite fascinated to discover that the rates of Alpha Femme growth differ vastly between each subject. We expected Subject 001 to have the biggest growth rate, and while 001 is still the biggest in terms of raw size, interestingly the rates within others, such as 002 and 005, are greater than that of 001.
However, we are particularly impressed by Subject 009. It has the highest rate of any of the others, and it's not even close. We would've assumed that it would be somewhere in the middle compared to the others, but 009 has proven us wrong. This is both fascinating as well as horrifying. If the drastic growth rate demonstrated by 009 is possible in other large species, then this doesn't bode well for us smallies.
EDIT: 009 is even more of a curious case than we could've ever imagined. One of our observers found what are first appeared to be an oddity in 009's anatomy, and out of curiosity brought an x-ray screen into the incubation room. After studying the x-ray, we've discovered that 009's claws are thicker than what we'd expect from a scythe lizard embryo. At first we wondered if we had somehow damaged the subject, but after an inspection, 009 appears to have no damage of any sort. This is when we realized that we never examined 009's specific species variant until now, and after closer examination, it's true. 009 is is not a regular scythe lizard, but rather, a DESERT scythe lizard, a type of scythe lizard that would normally be only a fraction of the size of a regular one, to the point where it straddles the barrier between small and large. One of these could feasibly be considered small scale, but it's obvious that 009 is anything BUT small, and won't stay small for long when it hatches. Essentially, with this much of the gene, 009 seems as though it'll come out to be a literal kaiju.
This opens up another load of posibilities. If a specimen like 009 can be subject to Alpha Femme, and such an alarming concentraction OF it, then is it possible for us as well? We must look into this further. 009 might just be the miracle we were looking for.]
Abequa sighed. "... Yep... it's me," she said. "That 009 was me... It HAD to have been..."
The professor stroked his chin. "If we merely put two and two together," he said, "then it seems this is indeed the case... It would also explain how you found your way into the small district prior to hatching..." He looked back at Abequa, noting her strange look. "... Are you all right?"
"I'll be fine, I guess..." Abequa began. "This is just a lot to take in... I got some kind of mutant-like growth thing, and apparently I was stolen before I hatched..."
"Are you sure you're okay?" Sherazade asked with a somewhat worried look.
"It's fine, really," said Abequa. "I'm getting answers, I've been looking for these answers for a long time, I really shouldn't complain..."
"Well, one thing is for certain," the professor chimed in. "Now we at last know the deeper reason for your drastic growth. I'm not entirely sure where what really triggers this Alpha Femme, but at least we know what it is."
"Welp," said Sherazade. "How does it feel to know you're an actual kaiju?"
"... Not that different, I suppose," Abequa said, as she thought about it. She was used to be huge by now. She just didn't know why, until now, but knowing this didn't change much of anything. Perhaps, though, this was a good thing for her psychology... Still though...
"Although, knowing now that this Alpha Femme gene exists," the professor went on, "... I wonder if perhaps YOU might have a trace of it too, Miss Sherry."
Sherazade gasped. "Wait, M-ME?" she stammered.
"You're literally the biggest Stego I've ever seen," the professor marked. "I was impressed when you showed up and handled that fierce foe of yours so easily. You COULD have a little Alpha Femme in you, though not as drastic as the amount Miss Abby appears to have."
Sherazade looked at herself, grabbing her gut. "... I always thought this was just from eating a lot."
"Well, err..." the professor remembered Sherazade's huge gut. "... Perhaps partially, but that holds no bearing on your height and strength. As I said, you're quite a powerhouse."
Sherazade blushed. "Oh, err, thank you."
"Uh, prof?" Abequa interrupted. "While I agree with you on the Sherry's-a-powerhouse thing, we're not done. There's another entry, and I need to know why they never returned me to the hatchery..."
The professor gasped. "Oh... that's a good point. It seems we must press on."
[Equalization Project - Log IV
It has been weeks, and we've continued to watch the Subjects, particularly 009. With all the questions that have been brought forth now by the mere existence of 009, we're all debating heavily on how to proceed next:
-Some are considering the possibility of gene-splicing some of 009's DNA into ourselves to see if we could grow too. As enticing as that sounds, others have pointed out that the ridiculous concentration of Alpha Femme in 009 would probably not transfer well into bodies that aren't used to it, and that it would probably be a better choice to use DNA from another subject. Others, meanwhile, are debating whether or not taking DNA from a hatchling, even one of that size, is ethical
-Others are considering the idea of testing if the Alpha Femme can be either slowed or nullified with some sort of compound. If successful, it could even be marketable and distributed. Some argue that no one would buy such a product, but the idea of diluting it and mixing it into a food formula has been passed around. Again, the question of ethics has been brought up.
The project is at a standstill while we try to determine what option to proceed with.
EDIT: 009 has hatched. We weren't expecting this. We figured we'd be able to gather the info we need and eventually return the subjects discretely, but with 009 having burst from its shell, this has been made more difficult. We must now try to keep the hatchling fed and cleaned WHILE gathering more data on its growth and how it can be either exploited or contained.
The hatchling has proven to be a handful. We've had to order supplies from large scale stores and have them shipped here to keep her fed, but doing so puts us at risk. It's unlikely that the sight of large scale hatchling food being trucked to a small scale science institution won't catch at least SOME attention, but one of us has insisted that keeping the hatchling fed is the right thing, while others agree if only because 009 is far too valuable and unique a specimen to mismanage.
In the meantime, we will proceed with trying either test to see if one of them works.
EDIT: One of our own has suggested conducting the tests by using one of 009's feathers instead of immediately exposing her to either a direct DNA extraction or a compound injection. It has been agreed, and we will use the feather as a temporary DNA source.
Gene Splicing Test Result: FAIL - Despite earlier protests, we chose to conduct this test with a sample from 009 anyway, as she was the only one who had hatched so far and we didn't have time to wait for another one to follow suit. We chose a suspiciously eager subject for the splice and conducted the process while our brave tester remained in physical contact with the feather. However, when the splice was executed, the tester immediately complained of a tremendous amount of stress on her body. Despite her willingness to continue, we shut down the splice for her safety. While this didn't work, the tester notably had bulging areas on her arms and legs. At first we thought the solution was to simply adjust the polarity to that the rush of Alpha Femme DNA isn't too sudden, but after a few more tries on other testers yielded the same result, despite any and all efforts to lessen the amount of stress, we were advised to move onto other ideas before any more personnel could become incapacitated.
Gene Nullification Test Result: FAIL - Using a similar procedure to the gene splicing, we created a small scale DNA compound using samples from our own personnel to see if the Alpha Femme cells could be overridden. We tested this by clipping off tiny flakes from the feather used in the previous test and submerging them into liquid saturated with the compound before exposing it to the splicing procedure under a microscope. The results, however, were baffling. Not only did the compound fail to even scratch the Alpha Femme cells, the latter appeared to assimilate the compound into itself and dissolve it, not unlike a white blood cell. Not only that, but the feather flakes appeared to expand ever so slightly. It was almost as if the Alpha Femme cells were protecting themselves and feeding off the foreign compound, growing in size as a result. This could explain one method for how Alpha Femme manifests so much growth. Still, the visual metaphor of Alpha Femme effectively EATING small scale DNA proved to be far too unnerving for many of us.
Both tests failed in their expected objectives, but both led to new, and unsettling, observations...
What IS Alpha Femme...?]
Abequa, Sherazade, and the professor all looked rather disturbed. The professor was the first to speak. "... Alpha Femme... what a curious subject indeed," he said thoughtfully. "A cellular anomaly no doubt, but with such interesting workings... I still don't know WHY it works in this way, but at least we somewhat have an idea of how it causes growth."
Sherazade was stuck on a different point, however. "So she has mutated cell growth or something. Is it really such a problem though? ... Do we really bother them that much... for them to look for ways to... to..."
The professor shook his head and sighed. "... I'm afraid some small scales are too fear-driven..."
Abequa snorted. "Wouldn't have to be if they'd just get to know us..." She looked at the professor. "Like you did..."
The professor sighed and give Abequa's beak a rub. He wasn't sure what else to say. Abequa was right on the money with that remark.
"Is uh... is there more?" Sherazade asked.
"Believe it or not, yes," said the professor as he opened the next entry, and then looked surprised at its title. "... 'Emergency log'?" he recited in confusion.
"E... emergency?" Sherazade asked.
"Oh this oughta be good..." said Abequa with interest.
[Equalization Project - Emergency Log
We have been order to cease all operations on this project until further notice. There is confusion and panic over why exactly. I will add more details as they come.
EDIT: We've managed to personally talk to the head of the project about the reason for the abrupt shut down. Apparently there has been an incident at the hatchery. One of the hatchery operatives has been attacked by furious parent of one of the subjects. We don't know any other details other than the fact that the hatchery operative was taken to the hospital with slash wounds on his chest, which would indicate that the attacker might be 009's original layer or perhaps the mate of her layer. We don't know how they came to know that their egg was missing considering we had bribed the hatchery security into heightening their guard for the duration of the project until the eggs could be returned unseen. We can only assume someone snitched, and we have no idea who.
In any case, we've been ordered to return all of the eggs to the hatchery immediately before the rest of the owners learn of the whereabouts of their eggs. However, due to 009 having hatched and missing a feather, there is immediate evidence against us should she be returned as she is. We'll simply have to act as we're told and hope the head of the project can come up with a plan.
EDIT: The eggs were returned without incident, and in an absolute miracle, thanks to some strings being pulled, our head of the project was able to manipulate a few things in our favor, helped in part by the fact that the parent responsible for the attack wasn't in good pubic standing for their actions. We won't have to worry about them.
As far as anyone knows, eight eggs disappeared, and all eight have been found.
This project is on hold for the foreseeable future until enough resources can slowly be regained so that we may eventually continue.
EDIT: In all the confusion, Subject 009 has disappeared, just as we were trying to determine want we should do with her, as she is living breathing incriminating evidence. While we figure out where she could've gone, the order from the head of the project is to lie low. Even if 009 is found, we must not put ourselves at risk by attempting to retrieve her too early.]
"Continue, eh?" the professor snorted. "We'll see about that..." He gave a smirk. He knew just how to uproot all of this, and he was going to enjoy it immensely. A bit of well-deserved justice and revenge all in one.
"HMPH! What a bunch of sickos..." Sherazade remarked. "That's the craziest thing I've ever heard of..."
Abequa hadn't said anything yet. She was processing everything she had just heard, with a blank expression that seemed like it was struggling to determine which direction she wanted to go with her emotions at that moment. However, her thoughts were interrupted again.
"Wait..." said the professor as he scrolled again. "There's one more entry here, all the way the bottom.
Abequa and Sherazade perked up. The professor opened it.
[To Whom It May Concern
I am writing this entry to let whoever finds this know that everything you just read is not the original entry, but rather a full, unredacted account of everything that happened in this awful project. I was originally in charge of logging all of this information, but as I knew they would breathe down my neck about what information was and wasn't to be included, I took the liberty of typing up this version to include the censored portions.
This entire project is a massive crime that could've gotten worse had I not informed the original parents where their hatchling went. I was scared of how they would react, but it was only responsible to tell them. I regret, however, having failed to advise them on how to go about their response, because their decision to attack someone at the hatchery, while somewhat justified, only exposed them to loopholes I knew the institution would take. It pains me to know that they won't see their kid, especially since I had intended to have her transported back to them when the chance arose.
This is going to be an awkward task, but the best thing I can do for them is to try and take care of their hatchling to the best of my ability. I don't have the proper space, and I may have to register her under a different saurian type for safety reasons, but I'll care for her for as long as I can, until she either outgrows my quarters, or the institution finds out that I sabotaged them, in which case, it'll be time for me to send her over to the large district, where she may dwell in more suitable living conditions.
At least her parents happened to drop the name they had for her, so I shall respect that.
As for you, Abequa sweetie, if you in fact somehow get your hands on this file, I can't express how sorry I am for what they did. I hope that when I eventually do have to relinquish you into the large area, you'll be able to settle in, live, and find someone you can cherish, and someone who can cherish you...]
The professor was speechless. "... Well now... Your adopted father WAS in the institution's records after all, just as you suspected when we first met... Miss Abby?" He stopped, when he heard something that sounded like water. He looked back at the Alxa's yellow eyes, tears streaming from them. "Oh Miss Abby..."
"Abby..." Sherazade said solemnly.
Abequa sniffled as the tears flowed. There it was, the closure she was looking for, and bittersweet as it was, it was what she needed. The professor rubbed her beak, and Sherazade leaned in and nuzzled her gently.
Abequa caught her breath. "S... sorry about that," she said, still sniffling. "... That's... that's the first peep I've heard out of him... in years... We stayed in touch for a while after I had to move, but at some point he... stopped answering my calls..."
"Miss Abby..." began the professor. "Pardon my curiosity, but did you not think to go visit him?"
"W-well..." Abequa looked down. "I wanted to... Th... that was the whole reason I worked to hard to get a small area license... When I finally got it, I wanted to take Sherry to meet him, but... b-but..." She started to tear up again.
Sherazade reluctantly finished Abequa's statement. "We arrived at his house and... he... wasn't there... Someone else had moved in, and they didn't know where he went either..."
"Oh..." said the professor, now feeling sorry he asked. "Oh dear..."
They sat in silence for a moment, melancholy, and none of them sure what to say next. The professor felt guilty for triggering such a bad moment. Sherazade's breath was baited, and Abequa only sighed with a quivering beak.
After a moment, the professor perked up. "... I think he's out there," he said. "You heard what he said in that note. If the institution found out that he snitched to the parents about the project, perhaps he simply had to go into hiding himself." Abequa gave him a doubtful look, but the professor was prepared. "I would think so. The institution appears to have enough financial backing to make even the most dubious things happen in their favor... They placed a bounty on me after all..." He paused with a sigh. "Either way, Miss Abby, wherever he is, I think it's most important that you do as he suggested. Settle, live, and find someone to cherish..." He chuckled as he looked back at Sherazade. "And I think you've gotten a head start on that, wouldn't you agree?"
Abequa looked at the professor, then at Sherazade, who was smiling warming at her. Abequa paused. The tears were still there... but they slowly transitioned away from the sad type to the happy type. "... Right... y-you're right..." she said. "I d-did... didn't I?"
"Yeah you did," said Sherazade with a giggle.
"Y... you know..." Abequa said. "As... horrible as all of that was... I don't regret that it led to me meeting you... L... Love you Sherry... Love you so much..."
Sherazade was usually the first to say it, but hearing Abequa do so took Sherazade aback. "Aw Abby... Love you too..." She leaned forward and hugged her, nuzzling as well, as a teary-eyed but happy Abequa hugged her back, full of joy.
The professor sighed with warm, fuzzy feelings as he rode upon the two nuzzling mountains, feeling the vibration of their rubbing their snouts against each other. What an odd feeling it was, but he couldn't deny the warmness all around him in that moment. He found their bond so commendable that he was almost jealous.
He would get his attention next though. "Heh uh, professor?" said Sherazade. "C... come here a second."
The professor set his laptop down and carefully walked towards the tip of Abequa's beak towards Sherazade. On the way, he slid down until he bumped into the front of Sherazade's nose. "Ouuf... yes?"
"Thank you so much for helping Abby with all of this," Sherazade said softly. "Any friend of hers is a friend of mine!" she gently nuzzled the little professor.
Abequa did likewise. "Thanks for sticking with me," she said.
The professor blushed slightly. "Oh, well um..." she said sheepishly. "Please, think nothing of it."
"It's just... not many smallies would go through the amount of trouble you did for one of us..." said Abequa. "We just had to point that out."
"Ohhh..." the professor conceded, hanging there and enjoying the surprisingly gentle nuzzle of the Alxa and Stego. "You're quite welcome," he murmured.
"What will you do now?" Sherazade asked.
"What else?" the professor said. "I'm going to post that entire file on the community science message board. I'm a regular on there and I have quite a few friends and followers. I'm sure they'd love to know about this. Consider it... payback, for what they did to me, AND you, and I'll take immense satisfaction in seeing them crumble for these atrocities..." He smirked. "Afterwards, I'll be washing my hands of the institution. I don't need to be associated with such a travesty. I have standards for goodness sake! Science should not be conducted at the expense of others..." He sighed. "It'll be a while before I can return to my quarters though. They're still probably trying to find me..."
Abequa's face went serious. "Well, if they ever to go for you again, we'll protect you, Prof," said Abequa. "It's the least we can do."
"We won't let them get you, professor..." said Sherazade. "We'll keep you safe..."
The professor breathed a sigh a relief. Their words, and their nuzzles, felt like a massage. "Thank you..." he murmured. "... Listen, two you... You're both huge, strong, and extraordinary. Embrace that, and don't let those two scoundrels or anyone else tell you different..."
"Shucks, Prof..." Abequa said with a blush.
"Aww... thank you, professor," said Sherzade with a slight giggle.
The professor chuckled. "Ah... please, call me Danforth."
Whoo man... There you have it folks. I didn't know when I'd ever reveal Abequa's weird past, but now you know.
And yeah, finally the professor's name is revealed. It took me a while to think of something, but for now, I think his name is Danforth, and I think he's a Dromaeosaurus (I think).
When am I going to learn that I don't need to go full cel and soft mode on a multi-part story, especially one with multiple panels on each page? I'm taking a breather!
Anyway, hope you enjoyed this Macro March series.
And with that, I'll see you at TFF!
Enjoy!
Abequa, Sherazade, and Professor Danforth ©
Blazesaur
Category All / Macro / Micro
Species Dinosaur
Size 1695 x 2173px
File Size 2.69 MB
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