S-snack Run

[Aubre [~]]

The day did not start well, in fact, it started poorly.

Green eyes shot open in the dark, hands clutching at the edge of a tattered blanket. Breathing streamed out in terrified gasps, and the girl merely stared at the ceiling, eyes still lost in the nightmare of moments ago. Her entire sheet was soaked, and her forehead dripped with sweat, the stale smell of sweat dripped from her hair, and she shivered.
" Just a dream .... hehe...don't even remember it anymore."
Aubre managed to gasp out, rolling over onto her side, and trying her best to get back to sleep. Each time she began to tumble back into a fitful slumber her nightmare grasped her with frigid , dark fingers and shook her awake. Dark thoughts remained, abstract memories clung to her back like chains, and sleep was nothing but an enemy tonight.

For hours she stared at the clock, watching the switch-back curve of the five, slowly turn into the loop of the six, and end with the gallows like seven. When the zeros both turned to fours she fell asleep, waking up at a much more reasonable ten.

---

Throwing herself from her bed, offering it a rather un-intimidating glare, the girl staggered to her closet. The coarse pajama top was thrown into a nearby laundry chute with relish, and replaced with a thin one the color of dried blood. With a wince she tore that off, in favor of a sunny urine shirt. The hoody went on over it, followed soon after by a pair of worn, but sturdy genes. Sun filtered in through a nearby window, along with the sound of a fight. The girl chewed at her lip before running to the window, and slamming it down, were soon drawn. The sounds disappeared.

The girl walked out of her closet like room into the main room, tripping over a potted plant in the process.
" I AM SO SORRY!"
The girl was crazy, prostrating herself, and begging for forgiveness from a plant, but that was what she did. The loose hoody was spread out on the floor, her arms were wrapped around the pot which was slowly leaking dirt through a sizable crack in the bottom, her bare feet stung where the clay had cut it, but she made no move to touch the injury.
"Please don't run away....I didn't mean it! "
Little leaves rustled, and the plant seemed to chime. The top shook very slowly, a little branch shivered, and a pair of yellow eyes opened.

Aubre clutched at the pot, and trying her best to keep her apartment clean [lest a detective come in and accuse her of burying a dead body], she laid it on the counter, and lifted the tree from the pot. It looked like a squat turtle, a shell of bark and roots wrapped around its back, and through a wide-smile like hole a pair of bright yellow eyes peered. A leafy little bush topped the odd creature, who lived in sunlight and a certain brand of food. Speaking of food, its stomach let out a ear-shattering growl.
"Oh no..I forgot to buy your food, I went to the restaurant, but there were a bunch of dogs near the store and I ....I forgot."
To her the blink was the highest level of scolding, and her head hung, green eyes brimming with tears.
" Hopefully Marcus has an extra hydro-foil pot ....I know you hate going outside.. but you need to come with me."
Round little ears pressed against her skull, the girl grabbed a nearby shoulder bag, four-legged tree-monster inside and headed out the door.

The girl faced others like most would face Satan, head down, and shivering. Aubre went around crowds, and waited for a road to be devoid of life before crossing it. Her hand lay on the side of her messenger bag, taking a bit of strength from the purr from deep inside.
"Sorry...."
The girl would occasionally mutter to the air.

After what seemed a century she reached the street of Marcus, and noticed the dog being walked just as it saw her. Scuffed tennishoes slowly shifted across the sidewalk, and slid backward.
"Nice doggy...please don't eat me...please...I ...I don't taste good....promise."
The little canine seemed to grin, and Aubre heart dropped through the floor. Clutching her Treetle tight against her chest she took off running, the barks of the horrid monster ringing in her ear.

The yorkie was promptly picked up and shushed, the lady holding it watched in confusion as the girl ran haphazardly down the street.

--

Aubre was not watching anything, which would explain why she felt her shoulder slam into somebody eose, and her scraped ankle slam into the sidewalk.
"sorry sorry sorry....sorry"

[Sieras]

"And anyone want to bet 2,000? Do I hear 2,000 for the alien in the ice?"
Sieras slowly came to conciousness. At first, she didn't see anything but the confines of ice. Then, as she awoke more, her mind ability was able to reach through the ice, and to the room outside it. She saw a bunch of fancy dressed people, some human and some not. There was a chubby guy in front of a pedestal, and he was gesturing in her direction.
"This block of ice was discovered in an abandoned warehouse back on earth, in the city formerly known as Chicago, Illinois. This is a rare piece, as nobody can identify if it was carved, or if this is some unknown species that has ben long preserved."
The young Akiari girl noticed that some cards with numbers were put up at different times, and the man who was speaking kept saying different amounts.
"5,000. I hear 5,000. Do I hear a 5,500? Anyone?"
Sieras really didn't care for all of this, but she was just too tired to really do anything about it. After what seemed ages, her cage was carted off backstage, and the auctioneer was on to something else.
"Ladies and gentle-beings. We have here, for you today, is the original Legionnaire armor worn by Scipio Romanus in his campaign. Do I hear 12,000?"
Sieras' ice block was put in a corded off sector, and she finally came fully awake. She had no recollection of what had happened to her, but she knew that she wanted to get out of the ice. With a roll-off of mist, the ice vanished and covered her in a bunny neebu-suit. She put on a white blouse, and some pants and sandals, before she lifted her precious toy kitty out of the remaining puddle. She hugged it to her chest, then looked around with her big yellow eyes. One of her ears lifted up and seemed to search for something, before she set off at a trot down the corridor. At first, she was lost and didn't know where to go, but some kind man led her out of the building, and into the bright daylight beyond.
She thanked him in a small voice, and walked off down the road. She had no idea where she wanted to go, but she knew she had to go somewhere. So, with her cat clutched to her chest, she walked past shops and stores of all kinds. Sometimes she stopped in front of a pet store and looked at the puppies or kittens displayed in the windows. Sometimes she would also stop in front of a restaurant and enjoy the pleasant smells of cooking. She forgot how much the five senses could give her pleasure. She smiled and brushed back her wavy black hair, and shaded her eyes with her nut-brown hand. Her whiskers twitched, sending even more sensory input, and then something crashed into her side.
Sieras flew sideways and hit the pavement hard. Bewildered, she got up and looked at what had hit her. "sorry sorry sorry...sorry." An older girl in a storm-grey hoodie was just picking her self up. Something inexplicable happened to Sieras, and she went directly to help the girl.
"No, no. don't apologize to me. Please don't. It was all my fault. Please, get up."

[Aubre [~]]

The little pot-dwelling creature was now sitting in a dazed state on the sidewalk. Its eyes were closed in fear, and the little branches atop its head were withered and drawn. Dirt lay in a scattered pddle around its body, and it shivered scattering the dirt ever farther. No breaks, or bends were visible aside from shock the little Treetle seemed alright. The sound of another female voice caused him to slowly open his eyes, and peer at the large bunny-foot inches from his shell.
"Murrr."
The creature let out a little croak, and was instantly scooped into his owner's arm, an owner who was closely scrutinizing the girl before him.
"MUUUURRR"
The beat of a frantic heart was discernible even through the hoody, and her clutch was somewhat painful.

Aubre took in air with loud gasps, her eyes staring in confusion at Sieras. The large, burly, very angry, six foot man rapidly shrunk and twisted. The axe-like Mohawk atop his head shrunk, and lost its bright neon coloring. It was now a similiar color to the creature she now clutched to her chest. The apologies still rolled out in a flood, her feet sliding away even as the girl came closer. Fearful green eyes met large yellow ones, even as her teeth began to chew at her bottom lip.

What the fuck was wrong with her....

She had just steamrolled a baby!

--

The order was simple enough, and Aubre rose to her feet with a wince. The tops of her white socks were tinted pink, gravel clung to torn fabric like crust to a wound.
"No..no...it wasn't your fault Miss. I ..I ...err.. was not watching where I was going."
A young toddler stumbled by, hand clutched by his earnest mother. Aubre could practically see her scowl, and dipped her head inside her voluminous hoody. Eyes rapidly scanned her surroundings, the girl's father was no doubt a wealthy rich fellow who would throw her in jail, or worse. Maybe, just maybe, he would hire a hit-man for whoever had sullied his daughter's clothes.
"I really am sorry....you're not hurt are you...right...feel free to smack me if you are..."
The words spilled out from her moutn in a rapid stream, the hoody muffling them , and making them indistinct.

Her arms wrapped tightly around her Treetle, her mind was currently going over means of escape.

The thud as Sieras hit the ground still rang in her mind, where were the coppers who were supposed to come take her away? Maybe she would deserve the hitman, and the eminent death.
" I ....I .....why couldn't you have been a big brawny muscle-man?"
The girl no longer knew what she was thinking, and what was spilling out of her confused mouth. A child!? People in jail killed people who hurt children, and all because of a stupid dog, she had almost threw one into the street!

OH GOD.....footsteps...was that her father?

Aubre whirled around to face the approaching traffic, not a Neebu in sight.

--

The Treetle let out a frustrated hiss, bright lantern-like eyes fixed on Sieras. What he wouldn't give for a nice bag of dirt, and some mulch right now!

[Sieras]

Sieras was glad that the other girl was finally up, but she didn't like the fact that the other girl kept apologizing and backing up. Was the neebu afraid of the little Akiari?
"No please. Really, its not your fault at all. I just stopped right here, while you were in a hurry. Please, stop apologizing." The akiari noticed the little creature that Aubre had clutched to her chest, much like she often did with her little cat toy. Trying to bring both of their minds away from the unfortunate accident, she looked at the creature. "Aww, look at this thing. Its so cute. Is it yours?" Sieras tried to give the older in appearance girl a winning smile.

"I really am sorry....you're not hurt are you...right...feel free to smack me if you are..." The girl seemed more upset than Sieras was capable of being.

"Smack you? Why Would I want to do that. You didn't do anything wrong. Please stop worrying about it. Please?" Sieras looked into Aubre's green eyes, trying to convey the message that nothing was going to happen. It was kinda silly, If you thought about it. Here she was, the emotional equivalent of a 14 year old trying to calm and reassure a 16 year old girl.
" I ....I .....why couldn't you have been a big brawny muscle-man?"
This statement confused the akiari even further.
"What are you talking about? I am me, just me. It wouldn't have made anything better would it, if I was a muscle man?" Sieras was concerned. What was going through this girl's head? And then the treetle let out a hiss.

"Oh!" Sieras had forgotten the creature in her attempts to calm the neebu girl. "Your pet sounds hungry, I must have disrupted you from going to the pet store. I'm so very sorry, please continue on." Sieras thought about it for a minute. "Wait, let me go with you. I'll pay your pet's food. I have some money on me...."Sieras had a wad of old bills that her parents had given to her before she got kidnapped. She hadn't known what to use it on, so this should make up for getting in Aubre's way.

[Aubre [~]]

"Okay....if you insist.. even if it wasn't your fault."
Aubre finally murmured, her eyes slowly turning back toward the tiny figure in front of her. Underneath her hood, her ears would occasionally twitch, her gaze traveling to whatever noise had caught her attention. Even paranoid Aubre could not see the little girl throttling her, no doubt such a cute little thing had a bodyguard, or maybe she was a vampire.

Chaotic thoughts and nightmarish images swirled about her head, and the girl's eyes trailed to the bright sun. Much like it was supposed to, for once, the sun banished the images of blood and gore away.

--

The little girl spoke again, and smiled. Aubre's gaze trailed down to her Treetle, which was now turning a very sickly shade of yellow. With a gasp , she loosened her grip on its wide torso, and allowed it to take in a few deep breaths.
" ...Yes. Isn't he? This is Irguu, he's a Treetle."
The girl had been sure to confirm that the girl was referring to the odd creature, and not some horrendous monster crawling up her legs, with a suspicious glance. Green eyes slowly shifted toward the Neebu's chest where a tattered old plush sat, and she returned the smile, albeit hesitantly. In Aubre-land a smile was usually a sign of something bad to come, or evil. Well, that was what everything meant to her, pretty much.

Aubre could not resist a please from this girl, but she would only pretend to stop worrying about it.
" Okay.....miss if you insist."
The girl murmured quietly, her green eyes trying to discern an emotion besides concern from the child's eyes. The girl came up empty, and it rather crept her out. Where was the laughter, the anger, the child had just been steam-rolled, why wasn't she crying?

Did rabbit Neebu have tear-ducts?

---

Polite as always, Aubre tried her best to pay attention to the conversation, even as her mind ran off on its own little adventure.
"I ...errr...nevermind...you are adorable...that wasn't what I meant...I just...i wouldn't feel so bad if you had been older and taller."
Well, in the mental sense. Physically , she would be a bloody pulp on the sidewalk. Maybe she preferred the little girl.

When the girl flashed green, Aubre stiffened like someone with a knife to her throat.
"No no! I wouldn't dare take the money. It's fine, in fact I owe you for running into you. I ..."
There was no way she was putting herself at the mercy of someone else's wallet. The girl had already forgiven her, did she need to make her feel like some sort of charity-basket at the same time?

" ...the animals might try to hurt you...they can smell.. well rabbit..."
Not that , they wouldn't bark and scream at her.

Wait a minute....

How had the girl known Irguu was hungry? Was she some sort of stalker? How else would she know that?

The cute-charm would not work on her again, that money was probably a tracking device. Who used paper-money anymore?

[Sieras]

Sieras beamed at Aubre. " A treetle? I've never seen a creature like that before. And Irguu is a cute name for him. It really is. YOu must feel lucky having him."

Sieras absentmindedly stroked her little stuffed cat. It was her only link to the past, but it paled in comparison to an actual animal. Sieras came back to earth at the next statement"I "...errr...nevermind...you are adorable...that wasn't what I meant...I just...i wouldn't feel so bad if you had been older and taller."

Sieras laughed as only a 14 year old could. "I'm only like this, silly. I can't be any older or taller. It take me years to be like that." She giggled for a little bit more. "You are a silly person. What's Your name?"

The akiari didn't miss the change that came over the girl when she brought out the money. She stiffened, and seemed even more scared than she was when they first came into contact. What was so scary about a wad of cash? Sure it meant that her parents were rich, but the neebu girl wouldn't have to worry about that. Sieras knew that she was far from her family, even if she didn't know how much time had passed.
"No please. Let me buy your pet food. I'd feel horrible if I couldn't help out. Really I would. Let me do this for you, Please?" She put the money back in her pocket and looked around.
"I think I passed a pet store on my way here, now where was it..."

She was looking over her shoulder when Aubre's last comment caught her ears. " ...the animals might try to hurt you...they can smell.. well rabbit..."

"The animals in a pet store? they won't hurt me. You're being silly again. They were as friendly as animals could be when I passed in front. Those puppies were so CUTE!" Then what she said sunk in. "Oh no. They weren't as cute as Irguu. I promise. Nothing is..."

[Aubre [~]]

Aubre cast her gaze downward, her eyes devoured the familiar view of whorls and bark that made up her little pet. The creature emanated a comforting, constant, hum ; Aubre sometimes found herself imitating. Large yellow eyes, met hers for a moment , and seemed to smile.
"Treetles, are.......native to ...."
The teen turned at the girl's questioning tone, her explanation dying in her mouth. The creatures , while rare to own or see, were rather famous on her home planet. It was the cutest thing in the desert, at least when compared to the cacti-monsters, and the sand-snails. The girl had never heard of them? Suspicion flared, fed by the girl's offering of money. That didn't stop her from answering the next question though:
"I may not have wanted him.. but I am lucky to have him....."
The hum had turned violent, before fading back into contentment. The creature would not have been hers if not for an unfortunate accident, but now she doubted she could live without him.

This little girl seemed to worship him though, was she a pet-thief? Did those even exist? Now she was thinking like a true lunatic,. The thoughts were wrestled beneath the surface.

--

Aubre had now turned a shade of irritated pink. A hint of irritation crept into her voice:
"...silly...I know about puberty, and natural growth. I would have preferred if you were...older. I would not have felt so bad running into an adult..."
Maybe the girl had not yet developed abstract thinking. It was different for Neebus, it was no reason to get irritated. Chest rose and fell with a shaky breath, and she forced a smile. Should she tell her the truth, about her name, or lie? Aubre, decided on the prior, not because of some moral high ground, but because lying made others angry. Besides, even if she was a pet thief, she was still relatively harmless. Unless you counted the whole vampire theory.
" Aubre , you?"
The young hybrid tried her best to ignore the money in the girl’s hand.

Did this child not know how much it was worth? Did she even know that most stores didn’t except money? Aubre found herself moving contradictory to her nature, and she refused a request.
“No, no, I can’t.”
The creature in her arms let out another angry hiss, he didn’t care about whatever they were moaning about. Food was just around the corner, he could smell it, and it was to be his! Yellow eyes seemed to spark, as little vines began to wrap around his owner’s arms.
“MURR!”
Aubre ignored him, and instead stared at the little rabbit Neebu. The girl seemed to backtrack through the conversation, and back into the suspicious persons category.
“ ……it’s not just me. ..”
The mouse-Neebu murmured to herself, gently prying a vine from her arm.
“ … It’s not a good idea, in fact, I have more food at home. No need to get anything…”
The cute comment caught her off guard.
“I’m sure he appreciates it….”
The creature in her arms practically glowed with pride, stubby little legs pedaling in the air.

[Sieras]

Sieras quirked her head. It seems that Aubre got distracted a lot. She was in the middle of telling her where the treetle's were native of, and then she stopped. Sieras tried to get her to continue.
"Native of where?"

"I may not have wanted him.. But I am lucky to have him.."
"You didn't want him? Whyever not? But I am glad to see that you think you're lucky." Sieras stroked her toy again. "I'm not so much. My parents never wanted a pet. They didn't want to mess up the fancy, expensive house. And they wanted me to study all the time." Despite herself, tears were brought up in the Akiari's eyes as she thought about her parents. They were very nice and kind, and she did learn so many wonderful things with them. Did they miss her, when the bad men took her away?" Sieras clutched her kitty closer as she willed herself not to cry. She succeeded in time to catch the next comment. "...silly...I know about puberty, and natural growth. I would have preferred if you were...older. I would not have felt so bad running into an adult..."
Sieras sighed in exasperation. "Not this again. It was my fault for the accident, not yours. Stop blaming yourself and feeling bad about it."

"Aubre, you?'
Sieras held out a free hand, the other still clutching her kitty to her chest.
"Sieras. Nice to meet you Aubre. You seem nice."
“No, no, I can’t.”
Sieras gave a dissapointed and upset look. "Why not? It would really make me feel better if I could do this for you."
Sieras watched, bewildered, as Aubre seemed to pull closer into herself

“ ……it’s not just me. ..”
"What are you muttering about?"
“ … It’s not a good idea, in fact, I have more food at home. No need to get anything…”
Then she seemed to stop going weird on Sieras when she made the cute comment.
“I’m sure he appreciates it….”
The little akiari giggled as the Treetle moved his little legs in the air.
"He sure looks like he does. Now, let me get you that food."
Sieras grabbed Aubre's hand and started enthusiastically pulled her to the food store.
"Come on, its right over here."

[Aubre [~]]

Aubre finished her prior statement with a sigh:
"Nithroy......the desert planet"
The words seemed to cloy in her throat, her mind mired with stressful memories of sand and bullies. The girl's hood now rose upward, round storm-colored ears were perked beneath the tent of fabric. Did the girl know why Aubre had not finished her statement ? Did she even know what Nithroy was? What kind of Neebu had never been, or heard of Nithroy? It wasn't a common practice for humans to adopt and raise things that resembled barnyard animals, or at least do so without tugging them around on a leash. Thin, untrimmed eyebrows narrowed over green eyes, you could practically hear the gears in her brain turning.

"I'm not a pet person.. they're trouble...I got him because I almost turned him into weed-food."
The girl clutched her friend to her chest, why did she go around breaking his pot all the time? No doubt the little fellow wanted to smash her apartment to bits. Fearing a hidden weapon, Aubre instantly followed the girl's paw-like hand, only to watch it pet her beaten-old plush. The tears instantly made her regret her next comment, and she found herself reaching out to touch the girl, but pulled back.
"Studying is good...and pets can mess things up. "
The girl noticed the past tense of the word, and tried to ignore her curiosity. It didn't stop her from quietly murmuring:
"sorry...."
It had nothing to do with the accident, instead, she was just trying to offer condolences where she saw a need. Something she was poor at.

The girl could practically smell the pain, and sadness radiating from the smaller girl.

" ...I do sound like a broken record don't I? .... and I wasn't apologizing....Miss."
Aubre disliked how she could go from wanting to hug the poor little figure, to wanting to yell at her. Why couldn't she just allow her to apologize and move on? She was not the one who had went flying through the air in a storm of silky white fur. Pain radiated from her tongue, as she stopped herself from apologizing once again.

The older girl stared at the hand for a moment.

An odd human greeting? On her planet they usually just glared at one another, this girl was a giant pile of oddities.

The translator attached to her ear, seemed rather exasperated when it told her to grasp the girl's hand.
"Ooh...right......thank you.. for the nice compliment, Ms. Sieras."
Shifting her animal to the opposite arm, she clutched Sieras wrist in a circular fashion before quickly letting go. The girl rubbed her sweaty palm against her rough jeans, and shifted her Treetle into a more comfortable position. Why did humans insisted on such a dirty little greeting?

Such a simple question, but oh so hard to answer.
" I ...I....no thank you...besides, they don't accept paper money...."
Why had she come outside today? Why hadn't she jsut curled up in bed, skipped school, and skipped this entire fiasco?

She was an idiot, that's why.

--

"I wasn't muttering ..I .... nevermind...it's private."
Why didn't the animals attack this thing, wouldn't a rabbit be nicer to eat than a skinny little mouse? Why hadn't they barked, or clawed at her? Was she wearing some weird perfume, or animal repellent?

Aubre was caught off guard by the girl's tugging, and stumbled forward, her worn out shoes offered little against the onslaught.
"No.. no...it's okay....I can go order it online..."
Who cared that it would take a week to get to her apartment?


She didn't want to be eaten! Those animals hated her! Or, they wanted to eat her!

No...

no escape, no convenient light poles, and no way to avoid hurting the little girl by pulling away.

No ....no....no..

just...no.

--

The Treetle let out a happy little cry, nuzzling into his owner's chest, and furiously nodding at Sieras.

[Sieras]

Sieras smiled at Aubre. "Nithroy...must be a wonderful place if this little guy comes from there." She thought about what else the other girl had said. Nithroy was a desert planet. Deserts, from what she knew, were either cracked earth landscapes or horizons filled with hot sand. Both dragged into mind hot fires. She shuddered as she imagined crackling flames and the absence of moisture. A cold sweat dotted her forehead as the her imagination fed her her phobia. She quickly willed it away, and the sweat went away.

"You're not a pet person? How come? Pets are wonderful things. But how could you have turned him into weed food? What happened?" the little Akiari loved to hear new stories, she had an affinity of them. And anything was acceptable to making a friend.

"Oh. I never said studying was bad. I learned so many interesting things about Earth, and about the way that it works. It was fascinating. And pets aren't so messy that nothing else can be done about it. And if you get the right pet, you can have so much fun!!!" She smiled. "I especially like dogs. They're so playful and loving. Cats are okay too..."

Sieras waved off both apologies. "Ther's nothing to feel sorry about. I'm gonna make that word taboo if you don't stop." She gave a mock-serious face at Aubre, then broke up laughing. She couldn't be serious for too long.

She looked a little confused at Aubre's obvious discomfort with the hand shake, but then decided to ignore it. Some people just didn't like contact, she guessed.
"Oh, your welcome. But it's not so much a compliment as it is the truth..."

"Wait, what do you mean they don't accept paper money...I thought all stores did."She shrugged. "Must be progress, I guess. But I do have this card. It should have enough for your food." She pulled out a card that was identical to the money card, only slightly more archaic. She flashed a grin. "Now come on, you don't want to starve Irguu, now do you?"


Sieras dragged Aubre into the store, and went up to the counter. "Where can I find Treetle food?" The man pointed vaguely, and Sieras was off again, letting go of Aubre's hand in the process. "Be back in a sec. Don't go running off now..."

[Aubre [~]]

" ... you haven't been there.......?"
Aubre asked with hesitance, afraid to confirm her suspicions. Why was the girl sweating? Had she realized her mistake, was it hot enough outside to make a creature of the desert sweat? Trying to be discreet, the hybrid pinched herself, watching her skin snap back instantly. No dehydration, it didn't seem to be the heat then. Turning from her reddening, sore, arm back toward the innocent eyes of the rabbit Neebu Aubre blinked in astonishment. Had the sweat been a result of her imagination? Was she now hallucinating? Was this a symptom of schizophrenia?

Why didn't she want pets? What an odd question.
" ...my family has some moral issues with them.....besides ...they make messes...bite.....and scratch at furniture."
Not to mention, almost all pets wanted to eat her for some reason or the other. Why did the girl want to hear this story? Did she think Aubre was some kind of animal murderer?
" I stumbled into the pet store by mistake, and knocked over his vase. It almost went into one of the carnivore's tank....and the owner made me buy him."
The girl glanced around, was there some sort of protective animal group lurking nearby? Had anyone else heard that? Was a giant Treetle going to eat her?

Nothing....yet.

Dogs, even though cats ate mice, she hated dogs more. They were huge, towering walls of cutting fangs, and muscle. Why else had the sharpest teeth in the human world been named after them? Not wanting to impress her opinion upon the girl, the odd little rabbit one, she kept her mouth tightly closed.

Aubre seemed to shrink for a moment, her mouth opening to utter the taboo. With a look of fear she stopped. When Sieras began to laugh she joined in with a nervous chuckle.

" ...it's an opinion...."
Freak maybe, unsure of herself mayhap, but nice, not in her words. The nice were the idiots who were promptly bowled over, and skinned by the evil nut jobs of the universe.


Aubre winced, so now the girl had ancient cards too? What was she , some sort of time jumper?
" no.. no...no..."
The rest of the words struggled to emerge, but she eventually managed:
" I don't want to starve Irguu..."
Of course, at this rate, the rest of the animals in the shop would have full bellies too. Nice bulging ones brimming with delicious mouse-meat. The girl shivered.


The animals seemed to behave themselves, but the girl could not shake the feeling that she was being watched.

The girl reached out for Sieras even as the girl disappeared into the back room.

With a high-degree of volume, the animals in the shop began to howl, and scream. The dragon currently caged in the front window began to scratch at the glass, its lithe tail beating against the bottom of its enclosure.

Worst of all were the vicious snarls of the dogs inches behind her.

The man at the counter rose and approached Aubre, who was now crouched under the counter trying to become a piece of drywall.

The man came closer, arms raised, likely in anger....

The man walked right past Aubre and began tapping at the displays.
"Why are they so freaked out? What th'eck?"

Maybe she should throw herself out, save the human the trouble.....

[Sieras]

Sieras was confused at Aubre's surprise.
"No, I haven't been there. Should I have? I'm not from there anyway...I was born here on Earth." She thought about that for a moment. Her mind traveled to her very first years of existence, on that empty island. Her first human contact, and her budding water manipulations. And the family that took her in. Her mind snapped back from her wanderings.

"Aww. No pets? I don't see why they should object to that. If you train a pet well, they won't make bad messes or scratch at the furniture. One of the girls at my school told me that."
She listened attentively to the brief story Aubre told, and then giggled.
"Oh dear. You knocked him into a carnivore's cage? But at least he wasn't eaten. And now you have such a cute pet!" she closed her eyes, and then her ears twitched. She looked behind Aubre d her as was waiting for a giant Treetle to eat her, and spotted a human man that was walking past them.
"Dad?" No wait. It wasn't him. Her dad was much older, and didn't wear glasses. It wasn't this man. She forgot about him as he passed by the two girls with a rather pointed, contemptuous look, and continued on with her conversation.

When Sieras got to the aisle the counter man had indicated, she started studying the shelves. There was food that couldn't be for any animal she knew about, so she assumed that they were for the imported creatures that were displayed in the front. She looked up as the animals started making noise where she left Aubre, and decided that she had to hurry with finding the food. That Neebu girl seemed so much like her animal part, that Sieras felt bound to make sure she got over that.

She finally found a 5-pound bag of something that looked a little like plant food mixed in with some dried vegetation. It had a cartoon Treetle on front, and it was written in some alien language and English. So that was helpful. So, target package found and acquired; Sieras picked the bag up, and carried it below her stuffed toy. She trotted to the front, and found a very nervous looking Aubre, and a somewhat irritated counter man. She resolved to get out of there as quickly as she was able, and put the bag on the counter.

She smiled happily at Aubre as the man scanned the food. "So now, Irguu won't have to hate you for neglecting him." She joked. When the man asked her to slide her card in the slot, she did it, and input the amount to draw from her account.

After the transaction, the man gave her a receipt, and she put it in her back pocket before picking the food back up, and going back to Aubre. "All right then. Lets get this back to your home." another winning smile, and she left out of the pet store.

[Aubre [~]]

The teenager slowly rolled the answer about her mind, slowly digesting it, and testing its feasibility. After a few minutes she tried to confirm what she had just heard, and tried to use the answer to move past her wild conspiracy theories:
"On Touchdown? Your parents stayed here....?"
Aubre glanced around, then down at the girl in front of her. Maybe the pair had been some sort of wild party-goers, who had their child here, and had never gone home. Besides, she could understand not wantig to go back to the planet of the walking cobras, and beady eyed dragons. Especially when you were as harmless, or near harmless, an animal as a bunny rabbit. No doubt her parents wanted to avoid her being picked on, or eaten as some sort of sickly delicacy. Earth, why pick earth to move to however?
" ....don't humans like rabbits feet?"
The question was never meant to be spoken aloud, but like much of what the girl said it tumbled out in between frantic thoughts, and conspiracies.


It took the older girl a few seconds to form her words, her teeth gently chewed at the inside of her chapped lips, and she began out slow and uncertain:
"it wasn't that sort of problem....Neebus dislike how humans often treat their animals like servants, its sort of like a threat. You can train them, but who knows what they do when you aren't around?"
Even in hypothetical discussions, Aubre refused to back down from her normally suspicious idea;s, even if the situation was completely imaginary. The girl's shield faltered for a moment, and she curled the little wood creature closer to her chest.
"Friend...it is nice to have a friend."
Whether it was the tone of her voice, or that he could understand, his lantern like eyes dimmed as he tilted his eyes toward her, leaves rustling quietly. The creature tried its best to smile ,but only made a noise similar to that of a groaning house. Aubre did not even have time to contemplate the noise;s meaning, because one word cut through her mind:
"WHERE!?"
The girl backed up toward Sieras, large eyes scanning the crowd fo some sort of hare-Neebu.
"You're not hurt right? I don't see him....that was a ..mean joke.:
There was no Neebu i n that crowd of suits, much less a wealthy lucky rabbit.



---

Aubre was now attempting to become one with the counter, her ears were now flattened against her head, as the creatures threw themselves against the, what she thought of as, fraiil glass. Was that a crack? Was that saliva, was that a live mouse dangling form the mouth of that giant snake? Claws stuck though thick bars, eyes gleamed with what seemed to be manic hunger. The door looked inviting, if not for the fact that the dragon leered over it like some sort of living gargoyle. In her arms the Treetle was crouched protectively, he was emanating an enraged hiss.
" ....shhhh.....I need to g....go.......are you ready to run for it Irbuu?"
The floor echoed with footfalls, and giant white feet appeared beside the counter, followed by the tennishoes of the lazy clerk. The girl fought down the thoughts that this person was some sot of escaped animal, and in a discreet manner she stood back up, hands brushing across the packets of fish food under the counter.

" ....a pot....I need ....a pot...."
The words were lost amid a storm of mewling, and snarling . Normally, someone with the ears of a Neebu would easily make it out.
" ...I wasn't neglecting him...."
Aubre could tell it was some sort of joke, but she still found it rather offensive, but didn't have the heart to do anything, but deny the charges.

[Sieras]

Sieras nodded her head. "Yep. Well, actually they lived down on earth, and I ended up here somehow..." The akiari trailed off as she tried to remember what had happened, but it had appeared that her mind had deleted the unpleasant memories from her head when she was in her cryogenic state. Her last memory was going to school with her cat stuffed under one arm.
Aubre's next question brought to mind the little key-chains some of the boys at her school carried around.
"Well yes. I believe they think that rabbits feet are good luck; but I believe it only counts for the rabbits on earth. A human wouldn't want to be carrying around a foot the size of its own now would he?" And that brought another image to mind, of a sheepish boy trying to maneuver around with a large, bulky keychain strapped to his waist.

Sieras quirked her head. "Well, thats true. And I've heard of some bad things that happened to pets. But My parents wouldn't have ever been like that. And some humans weren't like that either. My friend Jessica lived on a farm, and they took care of all the animals much before they ever took care of themselves..." That was true. She even remembered Jessica telling her off for trying to make dinner before the horses were brushed down and fed.

The akiari's bunny ears shot up as Aubre yelled, and then began babbling.
"Oh. No no. It wasn't my dad. He just looked like him. It wasn't a joke, honest it wasn't. I would never pull something like that on someone I just met." Sieras tried to calm Aubre down as she seemed completely freaked out.



"oh..." Sieras looked down at the bag f food, and then at Irguu. "I didn't know he needed a pot. You should have told me..." Sieras placed the food on the ground at Aubre's feet, and turned to go back inside. "I'll be back in a minute then. I'll get Irguu his pot." And she went through the door.

[Aubre [~]]

The girl waited a full minute for the girl to finish her statement, and found herself biting her tongue even as the single word flew out from its tip:
"Somehow....?"
Aubre questioned quietly, large green eyes widening with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. The girl shook her head as soon as she asked, what did it matter if Sieras answered anyway? If she didn't want to tell her to begin with, then why would she tell the truth when asked again? It was much easier to just lie and get it over with, something Aubre wished she was more adept at.
"even if it would probably be extra lucky...I guess not..."
The little neebu did have a point, hopefully they didn't consider mice ears the key to sexxual happiness or anything, humans had such weird beliefs.


" ...it's not necessarily what I think.....but some humans do horrible things..."
Even to Neebu's who resembled pets, or to the were creatures that had been born on their planets, they were reduced to little more than beasts of burden.
" ....your friend was very......."
Strange? Self-sacrificing? Weird? Not molded to most human stereotypes? A girl? A helper to shaping idealistic nonsense?
" ....kind to those animals."
It was a breath of fresh air, except for the fact that those animals were probably used to cut the grass, and hunt down other animals for the pleasure of the "kind sweet" humans.

---

Aubre didn't comprehend the words even as the other said them, and continued to resemble a stag in the headlights. The useless gestures, and the taut ears did nothing but add to her worry. The gestures looked almost violent. Finally the words began to enter her mind, and she shrank feeling idiotic and silly.
"Oh...i'm sorry... I ...which man....?"
Did the girl have some sort of evil twin of some sort, or did her father? No doubt that would explain the resemblance.

The Treetle in her arms seemed to roll his eyes, even as they were drug through the doors in a theatrical manner.

--

"sorry...I ...I ...I forgot..."
Aubre managed to sputter long after the girl was gone, she leaped away from her position against a pane of glass as the dragon behind it let out an angry hiss. The sounds from inside continued to be raucous, and with a quick glance at the door , Aubre began to sidle away, not really sure what exactly she was running from.

Just that she was running, the food drew her back when she was halfway down the street, and she turned about with a depressed sigh.