Ashgate #2 - Unknown Awakening.

With Umbra following behind you, you turn to exit after the soldier. She tugs your arm, and you squeeze her hand. She continues to follow you reluctantly. From across the area, one of the Lead Scientists close the distance. She sighs, her disdain clearly on her face.

"Good. You're finally here." she starts, adjusting her glasses. "I heard you had some trouble. What kind of Unknown did you bring instead?"

You tug on Umbra's arm, and she steps forward. Still clinging to your arm, her eyes are full of tears. The scientist rolled her eyes.

"Hand that Unknown abomination over, won't you Caretaker?"

You slider out of Umbra's grasp with ease, and push her forward. "Careful. She bites."

Umbra took a few steps forward before looking back at you. You smile at her, and wink.

All hell breaks loose.
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Inventory: Personal Medkit, PD, Unknown Phoenix-Type Egg.
Magic: Feather Fall, Camouflage, Suggestion, Blink (Limited).
Companions: P̧ ̶E ͟N ̷D I̴ N̵ G͜ ̸

Ǘ̻͔̥̥̝̗ͬ̍͆ͪ̀̔͞m̴̳̂̋͌ͣb̧̲͕͓̦̹̮̱̐̊̌͑r̺͓̖̓ͫ̀͆ã͚̃̑͑̒̎̔ ̻̩̪̜͋̈́̏́i̹̭̘̫̻̝̊ͧ̑ͤ͒̔̄͞s͔̟̥̑ͯ͐̆̽̉ ̸̯͇͒ͬͣ́s͚̖̥͇̈̾͝a̜̰̟̻̺ͮͫf̗̯͔̊ͨ̾ͧ̿̃̃e̦̝̪̮͎̊̓ͬ̈́̎̉ ̨̼͖ͬ̓ͯͧ͑͐f̪̪͇̮ͨ̑̒ͩǒ̴̏̀ͯͪͣ͒rͦ̉ ̠͈̗̳͔̋ͯ̀ͅn̝̼̕o͎̱̊ͭͭ́w̖̱͓͕̣ͥ̒͆͘?̄̔͗ͭͫ̚

 

I clap my hands and smirk

 

The security detail around you was immediately overwhelmed, and confused. before they could comprehend your reaction, they were torn down by Umbra's might. You quickly regained your composure - someone might be watching on the security system. Across the room from you, the women from earlier glared at you in horror. You take a step towards her, and make a show out of evacuating the rest of the personnel on the landing platform. Those who didn't see your initial reaction made a dash for it, while the others that did remained and raised their guns.

"What's the matter?" you asked her. "Isn't it your job to contain the Unknown. Take a good hard look at her."

It wasn't long until the room was completely silent.
__________________________________________
Inventory: Personal Medkit, PD, Unknown Phoenix-Type Egg.
Magic: Feather Fall, Camouflage, Suggestion, Blink (Limited).
Companions: P̧ ̶E ͟N ̷D I̴ N̵ G͜ ̸

Ǘ̻͔̥̥̝̗ͬ̍͆ͪ̀̔͞m̴̳̂̋͌ͣb̧̲͕͓̦̹̮̱̐̊̌͑r̺͓̖̓ͫ̀͆ã͚̃̑͑̒̎̔ ̻̩̪̜͋̈́̏́i̹̭̘̫̻̝̊ͧ̑ͤ͒̔̄͞s͔̟̥̑ͯ͐̆̽̉ ̸̯͇͒ͬͣ́s͚̖̥͇̈̾͝a̜̰̟̻̺ͮͫf̗̯͔̊ͨ̾ͧ̿̃̃e̦̝̪̮͎̊̓ͬ̈́̎̉ ̨̼͖ͬ̓ͯͧ͑͐f̪̪͇̮ͨ̑̒ͩǒ̴̏̀ͯͪͣ͒rͦ̉ ̠͈̗̳͔̋ͯ̀ͅn̝̼̕o͎̱̊ͭͭ́w̖̱͓͕̣ͥ̒͆͘?̄̔͗ͭͫ̚

 

I cackle lowly and beckon umbra towards me

 

You catch yourself cackling, and clear your throat. You beckon Umbra towards you, and before the second containment team appeared, you call the security room from your Personal Device.

"Do not send in the next containment team." your order them, turning Umbra around roughly. You grab her wrists and hold them firmly behind her back. "She appears to be cursed. Do not make direct eye contact with the Unknown Specimen."

"T-then what do we do?" replied a shaken operator.

"Prepare a containment cell on the other side of the door. I will hold her for now."

"Are you okay?!"

"Oh, I'm fine. For some reason it doesn't work on me."

There was a shuffling of papers from the other side of the device, and then it went silent. You raised an eyebrow and looked down at Umbra. She looked uncertain. For a fleeting moment, so did you. And then the Operator replied.

"Roger that, Caretaker. We will prepare the containment room immediately."

You wonder for a moment if you should ask them to cut the cameras or not in the meantime.
__________________________________________
Inventory: Personal Medkit, PD, Unknown Phoenix-Type Egg.
Magic: Feather Fall, Camouflage, Suggestion, Blink (Limited).
Companions: P̧ ̶E ͟N ̷D I̴ N̵ G͜ ̸

Ǘ̻͔̥̥̝̗ͬ̍͆ͪ̀̔͞m̴̳̂̋͌ͣb̧̲͕͓̦̹̮̱̐̊̌͑r̺͓̖̓ͫ̀͆ã͚̃̑͑̒̎̔ ̻̩̪̜͋̈́̏́i̹̭̘̫̻̝̊ͧ̑ͤ͒̔̄͞s͔̟̥̑ͯ͐̆̽̉ ̸̯͇͒ͬͣ́s͚̖̥͇̈̾͝a̜̰̟̻̺ͮͫf̗̯͔̊ͨ̾ͧ̿̃̃e̦̝̪̮͎̊̓ͬ̈́̎̉ ̨̼͖ͬ̓ͯͧ͑͐f̪̪͇̮ͨ̑̒ͩǒ̴̏̀ͯͪͣ͒rͦ̉ ̠͈̗̳͔̋ͯ̀ͅn̝̼̕o͎̱̊ͭͭ́w̖̱͓͕̣ͥ̒͆͘?̄̔͗ͭͫ̚

 

"before you go can you cut the cameras in this room? What if she can do damage through other methods of contact" I ask quickly

 

The Operator replied, sounding a little unsure. You picked up on their hesitation. Shortly after, the cameras were switched off. You release Umbra immediately, turning her around to face you. You look her up and down, her round and petite face staring up at you the entire time.

You still don't know why you're doing this.
__________________________________________
Inventory: Personal Medkit, PD, Unknown Phoenix-Type Egg.
Magic: Feather Fall, Camouflage, Suggestion, Blink (Limited).
Companions: P̧ ̶E ͟N ̷D I̴ N̵ G͜ ̸

Ǘ̻͔̥̥̝̗ͬ̍͆ͪ̀̔͞m̴̳̂̋͌ͣb̧̲͕͓̦̹̮̱̐̊̌͑r̺͓̖̓ͫ̀͆ã͚̃̑͑̒̎̔ ̻̩̪̜͋̈́̏́i̹̭̘̫̻̝̊ͧ̑ͤ͒̔̄͞s͔̟̥̑ͯ͐̆̽̉ ̸̯͇͒ͬͣ́s͚̖̥͇̈̾͝a̜̰̟̻̺ͮͫf̗̯͔̊ͨ̾ͧ̿̃̃e̦̝̪̮͎̊̓ͬ̈́̎̉ ̨̼͖ͬ̓ͯͧ͑͐f̪̪͇̮ͨ̑̒ͩǒ̴̏̀ͯͪͣ͒rͦ̉ ̠͈̗̳͔̋ͯ̀ͅn̝̼̕o͎̱̊ͭͭ́w̖̱͓͕̣ͥ̒͆͘?̄̔͗ͭͫ̚

 

"So what do you think I should do now? Free you? Kill you? It all sounds so pleasing"

 

She stares back at you in response. After a few short moments, "I w-want to go back home."

"You can't."

"I don't want to die!" she screams. You grab her by the shoulders and she squirms and kicks against you. As she continues to resist, you wrap your arms around her and slide your head over her shoulder. "Careful." you warn softly. Umbra freezes inside your grasp. "I really will kill you if you continue to be a bother."

You can hear shouting and distant shuffling on the other side of the door. They must have just started to prepare and area to contain her. It would be some while until it was ready.
__________________________________________
Inventory: Personal Medkit, PD, Unknown Phoenix-Type Egg.
Magic: Feather Fall, Camouflage, Suggestion, Blink (Limited).
Companions: P̧ ̶E ͟N ̷D I̴ N̵ G͜ ̸

Ǘ̻͔̥̥̝̗ͬ̍͆ͪ̀̔͞m̴̳̂̋͌ͣb̧̲͕͓̦̹̮̱̐̊̌͑r̺͓̖̓ͫ̀͆ã͚̃̑͑̒̎̔ ̻̩̪̜͋̈́̏́i̹̭̘̫̻̝̊ͧ̑ͤ͒̔̄͞s͔̟̥̑ͯ͐̆̽̉ ̸̯͇͒ͬͣ́s͚̖̥͇̈̾͝a̜̰̟̻̺ͮͫf̗̯͔̊ͨ̾ͧ̿̃̃e̦̝̪̮͎̊̓ͬ̈́̎̉ ̨̼͖ͬ̓ͯͧ͑͐f̪̪͇̮ͨ̑̒ͩǒ̴̏̀ͯͪͣ͒rͦ̉ ̠͈̗̳͔̋ͯ̀ͅn̝̼̕o͎̱̊ͭͭ́w̖̱͓͕̣ͥ̒͆͘?̄̔͗ͭͫ̚

 

Shall we kill them all? I ask smirking

 

She inhaled deeply, and you could feel her tiny frame expand against your body. She exhaled slowly. You wondered if someone taught her this as a way to calm herself down. "I......"
___________________________

You fall to the floor with a thud. You curse, and roll over onto your back. Your headache seems to have mostly cleared up.

___________________________________________________
Inventory: Photo of Human Umbra
Cyphers: 6/6

 

I get up and look around

 

There's nothing really out of the ordinary about the inside of your home.

Umbra seems to be missing, though.
___________________________________________________
Inventory: Photo of Human Umbra
Cyphers: 6/6

 

I walk out looking for any tracks

 

You try the door leading outside, but it's locked. Did Umbra do this?
___________________________________________________
Inventory: Photo of Human Umbra
Cyphers: 6/6