Cathryn slipped out of her home in the early morning light, ran to the small hut on an abandoned street, and knocked twice, leaving the basket by the door. She ran up and down the street to make sure it was clear and knocked once more. The door opened and she made her way inside.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡeAaxT23kCT
She wondered why Byrd became an Animen all of a sudden, as she often found herself doing the past few weeks. He already had enough trouble with his name, and its spelling, but now he had to hide his wings.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡWdPGEsTrn1
"I've heard that one of the city's barracks is actually located in that factory." Cathryn tilted her head to suggest the direction.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNZRZvuNqE
"You know that's out of the question, you can't wage war with the city." Byrd rarely spoke at all now, and his crackly voice made that clear.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡksynn9JpdC
Cathryn folded her arms and sighed, "We can't just sit here and wait for them to find us all, but I know we're not alone...if we make enough mischief for them, then maybe we can attract the interests of other Animen. The only reason we're so quite is because we think we're only, the city's counting on things to stay that way, there's probably a handful of soldiers who would fight against the city, if they could see we'd fight too."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7ePx8BXFo
"You're not an Animen, Cathryn." Byrd pointed out.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqQQhpgc3h
"Sure, but we're friends, this is my problem, too." Cathryn turned around and thought for a while, "You know, they're not counting on you flying me over them, landing me on the roof-"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡgF8UGrF6KD
"You're crazy if-"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡU4Qi84Jbm4
"You can fly, we have more opportunities to fight them since we're not limited to the ground!"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrBDLI6yAa
"Where would we hide? How could we avoid detection?"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJATYTbUqh
"Simple, I did some scouting last night, they're only guarding the front, they're counting on the terrain to keep us from getting over there, it's like an island...just flying me that far and I can go up the rest of the way."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡAir12ZEPSn
"If you get captured-"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡJmaNpEqYXc
"You can make sure that doesn't happen, you can hide, and if I get caught, surprise whoever it is who caught me, I'll make some machines overheat, then we'll get back out, if we can just leave a few marks on them, then they'll be powerless...especially if we find a constant supply of clean water."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡulslf1pp7P
"We could just...fly away."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡqtjsFhz2H8
"Well, funny thing is that there are battleships out there, and that factory makes parts for them...maybe we could eventually persuade them to leave, even if they burn the place down, their presence will be weakened."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡns6nwqatV2
"I...honestly can't believe I'm letting you talk me into this." Byrd shook his head, "Fine, I'll grab my coat."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0jiAIRero
Byrd flew Cathryn over the gap in the ground, flying from behind one building to another, "We're out of sight so far." he breathed shakily as he let her slip her shoulders from his hands and fall to the ground.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡT58ix57ah7
"There's a door right here, ready?" Cathryn held her hand over the doorknob and waited for a reply.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8QizPRzpuc
"As ready as I'll ever be."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0PF6su1udl
Cathryn slowly pulled the door open and found no one inside, "Must be out training. I'm not going far, you can probably watch the exit for me."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbkwPJC1Tt
"Fine, I'll give you ten minutes before I go in and drag you back out."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡyS1kFsz24m
"I can handle that." she stepped inside and turned around once more, "See you in five?"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQ3Llar4VI
She wandered around to the left of the door for a while, the place was mostly empty, save whatever scuffled about in the dark. She darted along the wall, catching a glimpse of something standing behind her as she passed, a brief glance revealed him to be unarmed.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡN1SlX5sn5M
She heard running and someone talking frantically in hushed tones, "Great, they know I'm here."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡhEOIKvZgmk
She ran passed what seemed to be a wall control connected to the door she passed under and made a note to smash it on her way out, after sabotaging the controls in this room and dealing with whoever was chasing her, then hurrying to the exit before anyone else showed up.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fW66fUUy4
After deciding she wouldn't hang around long enough to see what chaos followed, she pressed every button and flipped every switch that seemed to bear some significance, the voice behind her called her attention away from her work, "Do you even know what that does?"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡciqBDHv6rv
"No, but that's the beauty of it, I don't need to know what it does to know it'll throw a wrench into your plans." she got her smug smile off her face before turning around, he wasn't that much older than her, or even that much stronger, and as soon as she showed signs of resistance he dropped the pipe he'd been carrying.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡU4KGuk3CTB
After the brief exchange, she determined he wasn't so bad, but they were still on opposite sides, and leaving him unharmed would make him suspicious, since he could be a potential ally, it was best to leave an impression on the city's security between the young man and her, so she took him outside the room and struck him with the pipe on his shoulder, then smashed the controls and left the rest in his hands.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnXLh3MYU2
Byrd jumped into the air and flapped his wings the moment Cathryn stepped outside, "I did it, I got caught, but I did it...and maybe made a friend."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlUkqgZjwW
"Slow down, what did you do, and what do you mean you got caught?" Byrd grasped her shoulders and flew away from the factory, towards a cluster of decrepit buildings as she answered his questions, "And what friend, you mean that for real?"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlhc8QJPLF
"I fiddled with the control panel and locked the room down, I'm pretty sure I heard pipes bursting in the walls, some guy saw me and called in his friends, but my flashlight slowed them down, but as for the man himself...he seemed pretty harmless, I beat him up a little to throw of whoever he's going to have to report to, but I was clearly out of time...for all that, though, I think we got along pretty well, if anything he's a pacifist, could be he doesn't believe in the city or King Remulus."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡONl4OHbCpn
"Well, let's lay low a while, maybe you've done enough to cause permanent damage." Byrd wrapped his coat tightly around his wings, glancing around nervously.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1CvDdNtCBJ
"Production might not even be slowed, shouldn't we-"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZiVHgmhuO
"Cat, just take a break, until we get more help it's a risk."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡcleUw56ri8
"Even then, it's still a risk."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡlEfqEXGuxi
"You're at risk just walking around with your coat, eventually something's going to happen." she stared into the distance as they wandered back to the building Byrd had been hiding in for the past couple of weeks, "And I refuse to give up on the chance that something good could happen."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rR4nsHJ7Q
Later that day she met the man from earlier, she wanted to believe he could be a friend, but the parting left a less than satisfactory impression on her, and then, as she stood between Byrd and an angry mob, she saw him. He walked away as they were led to the city's Beach District's prison, and she realized there was no way out, but maybe she left an impression on him, she knew Byrd certainly must have.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡr65SysV191
"Project E.N.D., rise." her eyes opened and she sat up, the king watched her intently from across the room. He took a step, when her eyes remained lowered he took a few more steps, "You're name?"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡR12pN0EYwz
"I am for you to summon, the End of all Seasons, sir!"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrd1QTB87v
"I yet hear your words in my head."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nMj9oqKMU
"T-that's because Your Majesty wishes for no secret thoughts when I am to obey orders."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡhJQlppAh1O
"You are to be a perfect vessel for Her Majesty."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3prmWd0eD
"As you command." she closed her eyes and tried to remember her dream, but she could only remember her name, for the longest time she knew it was Eternia, but she couldn't remember who gave it to her.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡkIdJywADf5
"Do you know who she is?" Eternia stared at the king curiously, and he raised his hand, "Ten Thousand Spears!" Etrnia fell to the floor to escape the electric spears, but to no avail, "Yours isn't to wonder," he set his boot against her fingers and ground them against the floor, "and certainly not to try to escape fate!"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeM6p1xnhM
"Sir," the king turned to find his lead researcher standing behind him, "her digital integrity is decreasing at a steady pace, it's far more effective to use the powers of the four Season Spirits, as bequeathed by Her Destructiveness."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡPzchT8XrAI
"Very well...fix her AI again, she mustn't wonder, it will prevent Her Highness from possessing the vessel."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbON72TfKQ
"Well, she did say that for a successful takeover, the thing would need to be completely focused, but I think a few questions here and there wouldn't-"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡYEWfrmqrhx
"Let's not take risks."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCUQrx3wUx
"Right...ah, well, I suppose we can always find other spirits and offer them-"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOle2kXZ1G
"No, Unseason is the only spirit we're working for, she's going to be difficult enough to keep up with without a hundred other spirits roaming around."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡXiHgwRALvG
Eternia's melted into a deep frown as the king and his researcher left, "They're going to put me back in the tank, they're going to tamper with my memories again."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSEhFaW3mX
She stood up and wandered the room for a while, then ran to the door and wriggled the knob furiously, slamming her fist against the cold surface repeatedly. She heard a crack and jumped back, but it was only the form of her hand that'd cracked, leaving some wiring exposed, somehow she knew that wasn't normal, she was sure humans bled when hurt.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡS1jCDbzef4
She closed her eyes and tried to remember, then it came back to her, the king struck her once with his scepter, after she failed to say her name. It wasn't that she was disobedient, she was at a loss for her name and searched desperately for it. She reached for her cheek and felt for the pale scar the sharp edge of the scepter caused, a slight difference in texture reminded her of that day. She pulled her hand away as she felt nothing in particular, and expected to find blood on her fingertips, but there was nothing.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUQWfeYWlO
"Where am I...who am I?" she sunk to the floor, heart gripped by terror, and felt under her eyes, her entire face felt strange.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3eNUc6yVSE
"We've changed you, made you stronger," she looked around for that voice, the brunette who followed the king outside the room several minutes ago, "you should be thanking us, our first genetically constructed subject, turned into a cyborg...you're special, Eternia, you were built to last...forever."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5srQUo8wkp
She squeezed her eyes closed and shuddered, for all she cared she had lived thousands of years already, this was a nightmare and she wouldn't wake up. She took a breath and felt under her eyes, she considered the concepts of nightmares and waking up as she felt for tears, but there were none.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1irh5WpXVT
The voice spoke again, and a panel raised to reveal him standing behind a wide window, "We've almost made you perfect, the king keeps thinking we ought to crack open your skull and see if we can't burn out a few unnecessary cells here and there, but I keep telling him, 'Your Majesty, you just don't get it, Unseason doesn't want to be controlled.' alas, the poor puppet king doesn't know that Unseason's onto his game, no, instead we have something else planned for you...freedom sound nice?"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YDQ3YGmaU
"W-why, you keep...changing things...taking...taking...my feelings-"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwtGrWFOPn
"We are constantly editing you to be perfect, sure, you're forever miserable, but you don't cry...soon you'll have enough programming in that skull of yours to be complacent enough for Unseason to take over...but first, allow me to present you with a vision: A world without change, everything will be perfectly stationary, even the world will slow, Unseason will halt the world at just the right position in space to keep us from freezing or burning, the environment will be hers to control, endless spring or winter as she sees fit."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡftQpCdfDg7
"I don't want to be possessed, though!" Eternia screamed.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJUxmqFCRj
"Ha, ha, well, already you've been outfitted with special resonance gems that allow you to interact with her, and soon she will possess you through them, just as soon as you're devoid of emotions but still human. Now, see here, I have a plan...you will wish to be be free of your feelings, and invite Unseason into your heart...my poor king forgets that psychology is science too, but alas and alas again, if he can't feel or mold, he wants nothing to do with it, but can he hold electricity in his hand, or bend wireless signals to his whim? While he can control the thing that creates them, he will never control the principle of the thing, he will never be able to use his thoughts to open a door, yet he feels nigh all-powerful. He's the king and the fool, isn't that wonderful? Believe me, you'll be happy with the outcome...or would you trust the king, who's constantly stabbing you with his Ten Thousand Spear tricks?"copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡG9WwF7uLnZ
"I just want to be left alone."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BeZ67Kgwo
She shook as he laughed and stared in horror as a cylinder descended into the room, "Tell me, do you want you to create a perfect world, or live in this prison? Unseason has offered a deal, you can have a few months--maybe half a year of that rare thing you've not been possessed of sense...well, if I'm being honest, sense you could dream: Happiness, cold, hard happiness, with no artificial preservatives or colors...just all natural flavors, like you'd expect. Go on, now, step inside, when you awaken, you'll know what to do."copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡMIPSPgw5Uk
Eternia clenched her jaw and stared at the cylinder, then ran to the tank, and fastened the mask inside over her face. She turned her eyes to a sole button and knew in that moment she pressed the button, the world would change. She closed her eyes and extended her hand, her finger pressing the button until it clicked.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49iZSb2gqb
The same panic as always seized her as the cylinder turned to face the scientist, but for the first time she didn't feel angry, just afraid. The cylindrical glass closed in front of her and she took a deep breath as the man behind the window smiled at her. He waved and she waved back, then felt the usual haziness descend upon her. She closed her eyes and waited to be set free, released by a captor, only to be caught again, but she'd enjoy her time of freedom while she had it.copyright protection306ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPK9HkS0xE
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