Welcome to Gaia! ::

Smoke smiled faintly, a smile tinged with only the slightest bit of sadness. "For doing the right thing."

He set out a few clothes that he thought would fit Red and help hide her animal traits, then picked up the duffel bag and moved onto the next room. Apsalar and Tobart were in there, he thought subconsciously placing the Chimerae in their respective rooms according to whom he had seen, and where.

He slid the key card through and opened the door, noticing the green light that flickered on when the door was unlocked was growing dim. Their room was a combination of used-to-be white walls and faded bedspreads. A mournful-looking plant drooped in the corner, and there was one scratched full-length mirror hanging on the door leading into the bathroom. The window Apsalar had been looking through was coated with dust at the edges, and cobwebs streamed along the top of it. Faded curtains hung beside the window, allowing some drab privacy should the room's occupant need it.

Trent tossed the duffel bag onto one of the two twin beds, then unzipped the top to begin searching for more clothes for the two Chimerae. In Tobart's case, his only problem was the Pangolin scales. The teeth wouldn't be a problem, as teenagers were constantly searching for ways that would set them apart from society. Tobart wouldn't be the only fanged teen wandering around in society.

In Apsalar's case, however...

((Would you mind filling that out? I erased your profile, so I don't remember what needs disguising. Again, I'm really sorry about that sweatdrop ))

Red took the clothes and stripped down to change, seeing nothing wrong with doing it right there. Once she was dressed in the baggy clothes she looked around for something to do. She pulled the hood over her head like she saw some people doing on the street. Looking out the window she sighed, wanting to run around for a bit.

((OOC: @Anin: As far as things that need disguising, she has the claw-nails on hands and feet, really sharp teeth, vulture wings (that don't work) and skin that looks like it doesn't quite fit right here and there - like vulture skin. Also, she's prone to sunburn. There might be more (I think there is more, but that can't be seen or won't be noticed if it is), but I don't remember any more obvious stuff. >.> I think her main disguising problem will be the fact that she, you know, can't speak English. Or anything else.))

Apsalar smiled her small, rusty smile up at Tobart when he climbed out from under the bed. She tilted her head at his words, trying to decode them - then blinked when he stepped closer. There was no sense of crowding - in the cages she'd been much more confined than this - but it was still a little bit...strange. To be so close to another being, and not to be in pain because of it...

It felt strange, but also good. And she was wary of things that felt good - they always led to pain in the end.

She finally nodded and pointed in the direction of the window. "Come," she repeated. "See." She pranced off to the window, looking as delighted as a child with a brand-new toy, and was still standing there when Smoke came in.

The blonde started when she heard the door open. Instinct had her spinning around, hands hooking to make an attack easier, and she had actually nearly sprung before she realized who it was. Easing back into a regular position and wincing as her stitches pulled, she watched him reach into the bag. "What is...?" she asked, trailing off as words failed her.

She frowned, though, looking at him. She had a question she wanted to ask, but she didn't quite know how to phrase it.

"Smoke?" she asked, waiting until he looked at her. If he did, she'd ask him, and hope that the meaning came across.

Why?

Tobart's clothes were old and far too small. Threads hung from the edges, buttons were missing, holes dotted the back where his sharp scales had sneaked through. The spots that were sued the most were worn and nearly see-through. The original white of his shirt was a nauseating dirt yellow. He removed the old clothes, thinking nothing of it, and pulled some new ones on. He remembered how the scientists used to strip and clothe him, so it was fairly easy to do it himself. However, it had also been easier for him to pick up English than most of the other Chimerae. After pulling the hood of an old navy-blue coat over his head, sure to pull the sleeves down to cover the backs of his bronze scaled hands and slipped into a pair of ancient and stained Tripps, he turned toward Apsalar to see if she needed any assistance.

Tobart looked to Apsalar and noticed her plight. He moved toward her to try and help. Taking no real notice of her nakedness he helped her to pull on a pair of very loose jeans* and showed her how to operate a zipper. Buttons would be harder, he discovered, though tried to get her to understand that the circle had to go through on its side.

With the pants finished, Tobart turned to the pile of clothes. There wasn't much to choose from, and hiding Apsalar's wings would be impossible with any of them. He pulled the hoodie he had chosen over his head and gave it to the girl, hoping it would be baggy enough to cover her wings less conspicuously. "Here," he said as he found an old plaid shirt with a collar to pull up over his neck. He did the buttons on his front and turned to see if Apsalar needed any more help.



*if this is not correct/you no like, smack me and I'll fix it.

((nobody answered my question. should I make another character? Devon will be out for a while.

Actually I may just make a new one anyway...once I stop being lazy and get around to it))

Apsalar's noise panicked Tobart before he turned and saw her simply struggling with the clothing. He smiled and pulled at various parts of the garment, trying to turn it the right direction.

When the hood was facing the right direction, the pangolin noticed that the girl had not yet been able to do the button. "Like this," Tobart said, "I'll show you." in a way that would be at the very least awkward to most humans, Tobart gripped the front of Apsalar's jeans and pulled the button through the way it was supposed to go. He hadn't given it a thought. "See?"

((@Prince: If you want to. I don't much care xD))

John looked at Apsalar, at her confusion with the garments, at her vulture-like skin and gawky wings. "We have to run because we're different," he explained, keeping his voice low and his tone even. His next thought made him smile. "We scare people." Rather than the other way around. They feared the Chimerae. Only hours before, the Chimerae had been frightened, terrorized by the scientists, the humans. But now the roles were reversed.

Why did they have to hide?

With the realization that they--he--could inflict that same terror over other people, a certain chill settled over his shoulders and neck.

Panther's death wouldn't go unanswered.

Smoke opened the door and left it open, noticing Apsalar's ruffled feathers poking under the hoodie, as well as her tousled hair. "Might want to hide that," he nodded at her feathers. "We're going now guys; make sure you take everything you brought with you, if anything." He said it as a precaution only, since the Chimerae didn't own any possessions they could have brought with her.

He nodded once to John, who had caught his eye. Panther was in the jeep. They would bury her once they cleared the city's limits.