Chapter 6: The Truth Revealed

 

        A blinding white light shone down on you as you tried to open your eyes, making you hiss lightly. Even when the light was removed you still had to keep your eyes shut. As you felt your eyes start to adjust you tried to open them, only to have your eyelids feel heavy and droopy. That was when you realized someone was trying to wake you this whole time, but you couldn’t see or feel whoever it was much.

        As you started coming more to your senses, you felt a little…different. There were burning feelings on certain parts of your body: two on the sides of your back under your shoulder blades, two on the top of your head, one on your tail bone, and another on your teeth. What the hell did they even do? What’s up with my teeth? I can’t even feel my ears! The burning spots felt like they had something on top of them. It was a mixture of numbness and fuzziness in different shapes.

        That same person was still trying to shake you awake, only now you could feel where they were touching you since you started to regain feeling. One hand was on your stomach and another was on your shoulder. You thought you heard a faint ‘Wake up Sleepyhead’, but you weren’t too sure about it. Besides, you didn’t want to get up anyway. You hissed at them, wanting whoever it was to stop. You didn’t want to open your eyes, and whenever they shook your shoulder it felt like you were being pressed uncomfortably against something that felt strangely attached to you. 

        Whoever was moving you suddenly stopped, but you didn’t know why. The burns you felt moments before started tingling and coming to life. You were connected with something, and it felt oddly…right, as if whatever was there was supposed to be.

        Your thoughts were interrupted by two gloved fingers being plugged into your nose, causing you to gasp and shoot straight up. You growled and sneezed, whoever did it obviously found your reaction amusing as you could hear chuckling. A strange stress on your back felt relieved, but the rest of your body still ached, especially your forehead, which you clutched with one hand. How long was I laying down?

        Your chin was grabbed and met with a happy smiling cat boy. “You’re finally awake, Fräulein! Doctor, you’re right! It DID work!”

        “Of course I was right, stupid little furball!”

        “The hell is wrong with you?” You groaned out.

        “I should ask you the same thing Fräulein.” He was smirking the classic Schrödinger devil-smirk. This can not be good.

        “What did you guys do to me?” You were still clutching your forehead.

        “Let me show you.” He grabbed a full body mirror from out of nowhere and put it in front of you so that you could see your whole reflection.

        “WHAT THE HELL!!” You opened your eyes all the way now, shocked at what you saw. The burning sensation on your head sprung to life as you fully felt your new body parts.

        On your head were two wolf ears. The flaps on the insides were a vibrant candy red, while the outsides were a pure, albeit a little frizzy, shiny black. You moved them in different positions, you couldn’t believe what you saw. This is impossible. This can’t be happening! Please tell me I’m dreaming.

        “That’s not all, Fräulein. Look behind you.” He nodded downwards to your left. You gasped, because right there, curled around you, was a beautiful frizzy wolf tail. All of it was the same black as your new ears, except for the top, which was candy red, the same shade as the inside of your ears. You also noticed that your nails were sharper, looking almost like claws. What is this!?

        Then you noticed feathers on your back, as well as the fact that you still didn’t have a shirt and only your sports bra on. The last two burns on your back disappeared, and you unfolded your large, soft and silent wings. An owl’s wings? It can’t be!! The primary feathers on the top were that same black, with speckled red in the middle, and your flight feathers was a repeating red with black stripes pattern towards the tips of them. On the underside of your new wings were random black speckled dots on another red background. These aren’t just any wings, the fluff, the flight feathers, the spacing, the specks, the color pattern … they’re tyto barn owl wings!! You were an owl nerd since they happened to be one of your favorite animals, and tyto barn owls were the best in your opinion. You could recognize one a mile away. 

        After you stopped gaping at your wings, you started becoming mad, so much so that your right eye started to twitch. Sure, a tiny part of you thought this was cool, but the other was too freaked out by all of this. Plus, it was done by them, so you were pretty upset that they attached other animal’s body parts to you. At least, that’s what you thought they did. Surprisingly, they didn’t hurt though, as if they were there your entire life. You tried finding stitches, staples, or something that connected these new parts, but there were none. They felt so natural, nothing artificial about them, which freaked you out the most.

        You were too busy pondering over your thoughts when you realized too late that a collar was wrapped around your neck. It was only when it was tightened, making you choke, that you realized what had been done. You tried taking it off, but you couldn’t figure out how to open it. Schrödinger quickly went behind you and pinned your hands to the side of you on the table.

        “No Fräulein. Keep it on.” He purred, as if he was talking to a pet. You lowered your ears and let your wings go wild as you desperately tried turning around to snap at him, but his firm grasp on your hands kept you from moving far. 

        While you were snapping around, you bit your tongue  and poked a hole through the pink flesh. You yelped in surprise and stood still. My teeth shouldn’t be that sharp! You ran your tongue over your teeth and gasped. They all were a little longer and a little sharper than before, especially your canines. You were pretty sure they weren’t long enough to be considered fangs though. “I see you’ve found your new teeth, Fräulein. Too bad you can’t use them right now.” Schrödinger mocked. You growled.

        “Schrödinger, stop playing with your new pet and move so I can… get rid of the problem.” Doctor yelled suspiciously. Wait, what problem? What else is he gonna do to me? You started to get nervous and began whimpering and struggling against Schrödinger’s grip.

        “Look what you did, Doctor, you got her all scared now. Awww, she’s like a little mouse caught in a cat’s claws now… Well, she is, but that’s not the point. I already told you that we’re not ‘fixing’ that ‘problem’.” You kept struggling until one of your hands was free, but before you could even act with it, you were being scratched on the back of one of your new ears. It felt… amazing. You closed your eyes in delight, and your foot started moving from the sudden euphoria, and then your other ear was being scratched as well. You let out a sigh and wagged your tail like a madman without even knowing. “Good girl.” Schrödinger purred in your ears. You were so lost in the nice feeling you ignored what he said, and grew oblivious to the talking around you.

        Doctor came up behind Schrödinger and whispered, “We have to break her wings. We didn’t expect her flight feathers to be in so soon, and we can’t risk her escaping.”

        “Maybe I should fix everything annoying by breaking them then, starting with your face.” Schrödinger devil-smirked.

        “Why you little piece of-“

        “Doctor, settle yourself.” Major came into the room. “We don’t need to break her wings anymore. I found another solution.” He turned towards Schrödinger. “And since she’s your new responsibility, here.” He handed Schrödinger a leash, and he beamed with joy and he stopped scratching your ears. “Keep her in your room or tied at all times, is that clear Warrant Officer Schrödinger?” Schrödinger’s eyes twinkled with delight and with an almost innocent kitty-like grin he saluted the man in front of him.

        “Yes, Major.”

        “What do you freaking mean I’m his new responsibility!?” You yelled. You had heard that part of the conversation, having snapped out of your previous trance, and you were mad. 

        “I see you’ve come back from your… happy land. It is such a bother to explain this. I will leave that to Schrödinger.”

        “Then at least tell me what the FREAKING HELL you did to me!”

        “Not much Fräulein. A little needle, restraints, and that’s it.”

        “Would you just fucking tell me!?” You felt a tug on your neck and choked. Schrödinger had attached the leash to your collar without you noticing and pulled on it a little. Your glare shifted to him. Dammit!

        “It’s just as I have already said, Fräulein. We gave you a needle, and restrained you down while your new lovely parts grew in.” He touched one of your feathers and you recoiled your wings from the touch. He smiled, amused. “We only awakened your blood.”

        “Could you, I don’t know ELABORATE!? What do you mean you’ve ‘awakened my blood’?”

        “Your little metamorphosis was bound to happen sometime. We just… sped the process up is all.”

        “Huh?”

        “Tell me, haven’t you ever felt different than the other humans around you, like you felt more… primal? Like you want to be free? Haven’t you ever felt so inhuman? Like you were something else entirely?” You knew where he was going with this right away, and you didn’t exactly like it.

        “Humans are animals too you know.”

        “Yes they are. Animals that have grown so far away from nature that they have lost almost all of their natural instincts. Except you. How interesting that a teenage girl can grow up so different from everyone else? Do you know why you never fit in with humans? Why no one liked you before? Why you were always an outcast?” You were starting to get a little angry. He had brought up bad memories of all the times you were alone and hurt, or scorned, or blamed, or even used as a tool; the very memories you pushed into the depths of your mind so you could never look at them again. You subconsciously growled and lowered your head in anger. Then the words came. “You are not, and never were, human.”

        It didn’t hurt as you thought, but you felt like the unwanted old stray in the dark alleyway getting garbage thrown at him for just existing. It felt all too familiar. You surprised yourself by not lashing back, demanding him for more answers. You only smirked and chuckled a little. I think I’ve lost it.

        “Then what am I?” He didn’t respond, obviously satisfied with whatever he accomplished. With that, he turned away and walked out of the room without a single glance back.

        You couldn’t do anything else, and you started preening your wings, as your new instincts told you to do. A few awkward silent seconds later, someone you didn’t expect to see again opened the door. You stopped preening but still kept your wings outstretched, surprised at who it was. There, standing in the doorway, was First Lieutenant Rip Van Winkle.

 
Rip POV

        I heard that the procedure was done from Zorin and I was heading my way down to the room now. I had asked Zorin if she wanted to come, but she said no like it was the most disgusting thing for her to do.

        “Rip, the procedure is done. Apparently she’s waking up now. Took her long enough.” Zorin grumbled.

“Good! Then I’m heading down. I want to properly meet her. I hear she loves music! Would you like to join me?” I rushed the question out.

“If that’s all you guys are going to talk about, no. Besides, I’d rather not waste my time with a weakling lab rat experiment like her. My men could do better than she ever could, and they were born human.“

“And so were you, but you do know that she-”

“I already know. Call me when she lives up to that ‘pure’ potential Major’s always talking about.” I shrugged my shoulders.

“Suit yourself.”

        I wonder what got her hating the girl so much in the first place. I arrived at the door and saw Major passing by with a big smirk on his face.

        “Major.” I greeted.

        “First Lieutenant.” He had a certain satisfaction on his expression, the same one whenever he successfully tortures people. What did you even do in there sir?

        I sighed, not thinking about it any longer, and opened the door. There she was, sitting on the table with a leash attached to a collar around her neck. What is that on the middle of the collar? Well, I’ll ask Schrödinger later. She looked more beautiful now with her new animal parts. She even had her big soft looking wings outstretched. Not the colors I would have wanted, but still nice either way. She looked confused to see me as I entered, and then she growled. I wonder what’s up with her. We only met once before, when I called her small and weak and her old room ugly but…oh, wait… whoops.

        Doctor was still in the room preparing another sedative needle, meaning I had to make this quick. Poor girl. How many of those can she take? Even though she’s not human, that must still be tough to handle. I ignored her growling and straightened my composure.

        “So, how did it go? She still the same? Does she know? Are they going to-“

        “My little Fräulein’s obviously alive, she still has her attitude, and yes she knows. Major was just in here, and no we’re not going to break her wings.” Schrödinger easily answered me. This girl was about to go haywire after hearing ‘my little Fräulein’, that is, until Doctor stuck a needle in her back. She yelped, but right after she seemed to calm down a bit. She must still be exhausted for one of those to still affect her like that. And Doctor is still preparing another one! What is he up to now?

        “I will not have another fit from you, girl. So I suggest you not fight it unless you want me to actually break your wings. Now, calm down and wait. Preparing these things always takes a while.” She just grumbled some curses, but couldn’t do much else except stay there and control her apparent dizziness.

        Meanwhile, Schrödinger was fiddling with her new parts, feeling and stretching her wings, bending her ears, and chasing her tail. She’s going to have a lot of trouble with Schrödinger as her new master. He told me he got Major to agree to put her under his care… as a pet. He ‘apparently’ couldn’t have done better.

        She gave me a look that said ‘Is this kind of stuff gonna happen a lot?’ as Schrödinger was now messing with her tail. I gave her a look that said ‘You have no idea’. I honestly felt bad for her, and surprisingly, so did Schrödinger. That’s why me and him had met in secret and developed ways to make her new life a little better. He even asked me a favor that I would’ve done if he hadn’t told me anyways.

*Flashback*

        “So let me get this straight. You want me to try and become friends with her in hopes that she will want to actually stay with us? Is that it?” He tilted his head and smirked.

        “If you need an incentive, I will gladly-“

        “Hold your breath, cat. I’m one step ahead of you.” Now it was my turn to smirk.

        “So we have an agreement?” I held out my hand.

        “Deal.” He took my outstretched hand and we shook on it. “And by the way, I was going to do it anyways.” He chuckled.

        “I thought so.”

*End of Flashback* 

 

        Personally, I think he’s ‘in love’, which was another reason I helped. It’s nice to see him actually do something besides playing pranks on us. Or maybe it would be worse with two around… ah, you never know! Besides, I liked her, so befriending her shouldn’t be a problem. It may take her a while to accept her new life, or maybe she never will, but I’m determined. Later, I have to find out what kind of music she knows and likes and teach her some of my favorite songs. I’ll be like the big sister she never had!

        Then Doctor ruined my thoughts by stabbing her with the second needle he’d been preparing. It didn’t make her sleep, but very tired. Her new ears drooped, her eyelids lowered, and she fell back into Schrödinger’s ‘conveniently’ placed arms. Aww she looks like an adorable little sleepy puppy! He picked her up bridal-style and carried her back towards his room, disappearing down the hall. I stared after them, even when I could no longer see them. Good luck, little sister.

 
Your POV 

        I wonder why Rip is here, why would she care about me? When Schrödinger called you ‘his little Fräulein’, you were about to attack but Doctor shoved a needle in your back, making you yelp. Whatever was in that needle calmed you down and made you passive, though you still cursed under your breath. Then Schrödinger started messing with your new body parts, and you wondered if it was a cat…ish thing. You gave Rip a look that almost said ‘Help me’. She gave you a look back saying ‘You’ll get used to it’. Maybe she does like me? She doesn’t seem to be hostile towards me.

        Doctor stabbed you with another needle soon after, and you fell limp and tired, back into Schrödinger’s arms. He carried you bridal-style down a hallway.

        “You will like it here, my new pet.” New pet!!!?? “And on that note, you will now call me master.” NO ONE IS MY MASTER!! He chuckled. “Don’t worry my little Fräulein, you will be under my care and protection, so don’t be afraid.” He cooed. You couldn’t move to protest as he continued carrying you through the long hallway, your thoughts racing a million miles an hour.

        Along the way, your gaze followed to a window with the waxing half moon shining through. You couldn’t look away, transfixed by the light, as a foreign yet familiar voice entered your mind. When the moon is full and red as blood, you will leave this place and to Hellsing you’ll come. It kind of sounded like… nah. It couldn’t be him… Maybe you’d think about it after some rest. You felt so tired. You yawned and fell asleep while Schrödinger opened a door.

 

*Meanwhile*

        “You called, Master?”

        “I have no time for your games, Servant. Will she arrive soon, or not?” The ‘servant’ looked out the big windows behind his master’s desk, staring intently at the half full moon. He smirked.

        “Sooner than you think… my master.”