Shifting Eyes

CHAPTER THREE

WAYLON'S POV:

Last night, Namlin and I had scrubbed all the big cages. That was a job we only had done twice a year because it was such a big deal.

To deeply clean all the big cages without getting eaten or trampled on, we had to sedate each creature and place them in a separate cage. It's a tedious process that made us work well into the night. Tivan was angry but understood. He was very meticulous about certain aspects of his collections.

Because we aren't allowed to be on our own without supervision, whenever Tivan was out to make errands, meet clients without us, or sleeping, we were put in our own exhibition boxes. Well, I was. Namlin is given her own small room with a cot and lamp.

Like I was a toy, I was placed on display until I was needed again.

My specific enclosure was a small box no bigger than a couple kuats in length and width. Tivan designed my case to be only big enough to stand up in.

Though that doesn't stop me from shifting into a smaller being and laying down comfortably—whenever he is not present, I mean.

I am sat in a chair next to Tivan's desk, studying an ancient book he had about the different living beings in the universe. This was one of my daily tasks where I am shown a picture of a creature and I'm supposed to shift into them. Tivan, of course, picks out the creature and corrects me if I'm wrong.

A small shock from the mechanical collar I wear corrects me if I'm wrong on my transformation. Tivan paid to have it built so it would expand and shrink to the size of every form I have.

The real reason he keeps it on me is so that I can't escape. Wherever I go, this collar comes with—I've never been able to get it off. More like I've never had the opportunity. Tivan has always been lingering by us. The only time were allowed to ourselves—exhibit boxes and clean-time—were always taken up by something else. It also doesn't help that I don't know if it will explode or not if I try to take it off.

I keep flipping through the book quickly before Tivan comes back and I set it down next to me.

"Do you see this woman? Change her eye color before shifting into her." Tivan holds up a hologram of a Bryozoan woman.

I feel my face shift as it grows the tentacles in my mouth and changes my skin color. My eyes widen their shape as I see the world differently—Bryozoans can only see in shades of green and blue and their seeing abilities are way worse than most other creature's. My skin turns hard and scaly.

I run my hands though my hair as I feel it change into breathing-like tubes. They lay flat on my head, not needing to be used at the moment. Bryozoans are a species of mostly underwater creatures that have recently become more commonly seen on the surface of other planets.

I finish looking at the hologram when I'm done shifting. I glance up at Tivan with an expressionless look.

He just slowly shakes his head as he presses something on his device. A shock is administered and I cry out in pain.

Namlin, who is kneeling on the ground scrubbing a case clean, stops what she's doing and yelps at my scream. Tivan stops the device and slowly turns around to face her.

"Namlin?"

"Yes, Master?" She asks, fear clear in her voice.

"Go retrieve our guests for the night. They're ready." Tivan waves her away and she quickly gets up and leaves through the large door.

"If I can obtain this object, it will be the start of something never done before. All those who came before me will bow down." He has a glint in his eyes that makes me back away in worry.

Although he isn't talking to me—on his own little tangents or plainly talking to himself—I nod along with his plan.

He seems to notice me again and we continue studying like before.

We hear a ding from the front of the building, alerting us that Namlin was back and she had the guests with her.

Tivan puts away all paperwork, study materials, and any other personal possessions he didn't want to show off into his desk.

"These people are not easily impressed, I don't want any shifting tonight." He says sternly into my ear and I know what form I use usually in this situation.

It's one that looks like Namlin's (Tivan likes to joke that it's the "company uniform" to look alike). Although I don't change into her species, we are quite similar.

An Alphaite is one of my favorite forms to do for one reason. Well, technically two; Alphaites have two more arms than other species. Once I learned how to live with them, it became one of my most useful forms.

I shift into my normal Alphaite form and wait for approval. Approval from Tivan doesn't look like approval from Namlin or a guest. His is almost impossible to decipher from his normal resting face. While it is hard to recognize, it is also hard to obtain. He is a very strict man with a list rules longer than his lifetime.

I glance at Tivan and see the glint in his eyes that I've done well.

Namlin and I are dressed in similar clothing, which sells the whole look of uniform.

My pitch black hair and eyes pop from my dark red skin. The identifiable markings of an Alphaite sit on my face in intricate patterns, cutting across my cheeks and down to my chin.

I clasp all my hands in front of myself as I wait for the guests to round the corner.

As they do, I realize why Tivan requested why I was to not shift. These were Kerekais, one of the most incompetent species in the universe—it is a surprise to everyone that they have not died out. The only reason they haven't, is because their planet is rich in natural resources and they know how to make the most out of the materials. They sell it, use it in their everyday life, and it makes them rich in the process.

"Welcome! I'm glad you could make it, my new friends. May I introduce you to my assistant Waylon?" Tivan greets the large grey bodies of creatures, then gestures over to my spot next to his desk.

I bow as I've been trained to do, and greet them as well. "Hello, it is nice to meet you all."

They speak their foreign language I've been trying to learn, and Tivan frowns. He answers back in their language before shaking his head and leading them away from both Namlin and I.

"I have much to show them. Make yourselves useful while I'm gone, yes?"

"Yes, Master." Namlin and I both answer before going our separate ways.