Bleeding Color

If everybody minded their own business

Pitri raised an eyebrow. "The Hopes of Humanity?"

"The Hopes of Humanity." I breathed in awe.

I wanted to be that, one of the Hope's of Humanity. I was meant to be here. I just knew it, if this was a place that humans looked to for hope then they could find me here and know what I was. It was my starting point, the place that would go down in history as where humanity's savior appeared. 

The confident lieutenant waved his hand for us to hurry up. I hummed, skipping forward and pulling Pitri along with me. Pitri hobbled awkwardly behind me, almost tipping over. The general looked down on us despite his height shorter than Pitri, not that it was hard for most humans to tower over me. I stopped in front of him, saluting like I had seen the guards do around the lab. He strode forward, leering down. He grabbed my hand squeezing it and smashing the bones together.

"Wrong hand." He shoved it down.

"That was a bit extreme." Pitri muttered, his eyes darting to my hand I was rubbing and flexing. "You good?"

My fingers rolled into a fist. "Always."

The doors shuddered to a shut behind us. People paused to gape at us, the strangers. Eyes suspicious, accusing, wary, and some even curious. Humans, real humans again. Despite the rather cold welcome, I bounced on the tips of my toes trying to take in everything. I danced about, pointing at things to Pitri and tugging him in a tiny circle with excitement. The houses were small, no more than two floors and many just flats. The buildings were a mixture of wood and brick with a couple cement buildings prominent on the outer circle. These were obviously important and from before the Others. One had a pole tall and true, a tattered flag waving on it. A simple navy blue with a gold border it was something created in haste to mark that the humans still owned something.

There was a medical building, an armory, and one labeled a school. It was amazing. I giggled running forward to introduce myself to some children when a shot ricocheted off the ground in front of me. Startled, I halted, hand instinctively reaching for my sword.

"Just because we let you in, doesn't mean you can have free reign. We have rules here. New people need to learn them quick, otherwise," His eyes traveled to the wall and over. "Well, you get the idea."

"Hold on, what happened to the Hope of Humanity spiel? You seriously going to throw us out because we don't follow some rules?" Pitri countered stepping forward, a strong purposefully move to guard my back if need be. 

The soldiers around us shifted, all hands tense near their weapons. Eyes on the hand hovering above mine. I hissed, canines poking at my lower gums where they had grown out in frusteration. I drew a breathe through my nose, trying to relax. I was their Alice, their savior. I wanted...needed them to like me. If I went and showed them my canines, my Otherness...they could...they could...

Monster

Demon

Unnatural

My lip quivered as the strength drained out of me. Those words, those angry words. I was unwanted. It still cut fresh. I couldn't lose humans again. I couldn't be no one's because without them, I was not Alice. It was not my name to claim without them.

Pitri hand's rested gently on my shoulder, drawing my attention. The soldiers were watching, wary though I had lowered my guard. Parents were clinging and shielding their family, from me.

"What are the rules?" I whispered.

"Good girl." He smiled, holstering. He turned on his heel, expecting us to follow.