Alice was confused and had no idea where she was. The last thing she remembered she was helpless to save Hunter as the bad man was about to kill him. She had lost consciousness after that. Now she was in a pure white room with a single floating light above her. She was on a
table with delicate cushioning. She noticed she wasn't strapped up, or anything.
"Where am I? Where's Hunter? Is he in trouble? Will Duna be okay?.....Will I be okay?" The questions were swirling around in her head. She was freaking out.
Just then a door opened and Alice snapped her head in the direction of the sound. She regretted doing so. A horribly deformed humanoid shape turned to face her. Its face was red and orangish. One eye was slightly bigger and bulgier than the other. It had a stubby bump protruding from its face. It almost resembled a Dimorph. Its head was still round like a human. Its arms were long and bony. The 'wings' were sheets of long and veiny human skin with patches of what looked to be Dinaurian scales. It has a long skin tail ending in a club.
"H...eell..oo Beauut....y" The creature croaked. Alice almost couldn't understand it. Its voice was raspy and harsh. It sounded as if every noise it made was a struggle. A brown collar around its neck beeped.
"Hello Beauty." A monotonous voice sounded from the collar.
"What..hell..are...you?" Alice growled. She was surprised she could speak.
The creature gargled something and the collar translated.
"I am 017. I am part of a group of subjects that escaped the clutches of the dastardly organization known as the Morphiez." The collar translated.
"Morphiez...bad?" Alice asked.
"You bet your head feathers they are. They did this to me. I was a Dinaurian. But that is all I remember. They have been performing experiments on vivosaurs, Dinaurians, and Humans." 017 said.
"Why....bring...me?" Alice asked.
017 gargled and the collar sounded.
"We had to save you. The V-Ripper you were battling bit you. Its bite can spread a cybernetically enhanced virus. It would have taken control of you and then you would be under the control of Morphiez. We had to stop it from spreading. We were forced to cut off your arm. It surprisingly grew back in a matter of about four minutes. We then kept you to find out what makes you unique compared to other vivosaurs." 017 said.
"Where....is....here?" She asked still confused. She was trying to avoid looking at 017.
"We are in an abandoned basement under the Fossil Guild." 017 said.
"Alice...have....to..find...Hunter." Alice said trying to get the words out.
"We cannot go back outside. The Morphiez will find us. We do not want to go with them ever again. We were only able to get you because of the battle above. Along with other vivosaurs. Morphiez will easily be able to find us once we leave." 017 said.
"No....Alice...need...to find...Hunter!" Alice persisted.
"We cannot leave the safety of this basement." 017 said. He had a look of fear and persistence on his horribly disfigured face.
"Alice....find..a way." Alice said as she got off the table.
"You will have to discuss this with our leaders. They are in control." 017 said.
"Take...Alice." Alice said nodding towards the door that 017 entered from.
017 made an odd noise that sounded like a sigh.
"Very well. Follow me, Beauty."
"Name....is Alice!" Alice said hissing.
"Apologies." 017 said timidly.
017 led Alice out of the room. They were in a hallway that was oddly huge. There was a series of cross sections
and there were a lot of doors leading into rooms. The hallway was bright.
"Why is this basement so vast? And why is it under the Fossil Guild? There must be an important reason..." Alice thought.
The two continued to walk until 017 slowed down and stopped at two large metal doors. 017 knocked twice lightly, and then banged it once. The noise was repeated from the other side. Alice heard locks being unlocked. The doors slowly opened. Alice was shocked to see an enormous room about twice the size of the Fossil Stadium. It was shaped like the Fossil Stadium too. In the center were two enormous chairs made of different materials stitched together. In one chair sat a huge reddish orangish figure. Alice was shocked to see it was the Igno! It didn't have a tail, one leg looked like an oversized Human leg and the other looked like an oversized Dinaurian leg. Both its arms were long and looked like Zino arms. It had patches of scales and patches of skin all over its body. Its face was unchanged. In the other chair Frigi was sitting. Frigi was mostly covered in black and green fur. Its neck arched down and its face was somewhat human with Dinaurian eyes. Its arms were short and seemed to be Human. Its tail was long and covered in stretched out skin.
There was about twenty three other hybrids all around the room. All the eyes locked on Alice and 017 as they entered.
"The patient called Beauty is well and wishes to talk to 001 and 002." 017 said as he turned the volume of his collar up.
Whatever was left of Igno turned to them and opened its mouth to say something. Much to Alice's surprise, the voice on its collar was calm and feminine
"You may speak with us. Amalgas, please leave this room. But 017, 008, and 021 stay. " She said.
All of the Amalgas squawked and began to leave the room. 017 led Alice to the base of the room. Two other Amalgas moved to the base. One had the body of a Dinaurian, the neck and head of an Orno and ended with a snake body instead of legs. Its arms were short and furry. The other seemed to be part Chelon. The Dinaurian legs stuck out of the stomach area of the shell. That was the only unusual thing to it.
"You may call me 001. And you may call my associate 002. Excuse me. 021 and 008, please introduce yourself." The Igno said.
"Me 008." The Chelon hybrid said in a raspy voice.
"And I'm 021. It's good to meet you, Beauty." The Orno hybrid said. His voice was unsettlingly deep.
"Me...Alice. Name..not Beauty. Alice..want...find Hunter." Alice said.
"We can't go back aboveground. We will be spotted by the Morphiez." 001 said.
She turned to 002 and he nodded. Alice noticed that 002 didn't have a collar.
"Plleeasse!...Alice...need...find Hunter!" Alice hissed in desperation.
001 and 002 looked at each other. Even with their mishapen faces, Alice could see they wanted to let Alice leave. They touched their legs together and closed their eyes.
"What....happening?" Alice asked 017 softly.
"They are thinking. Their minds are connected so they can speak telepathically to each other." 017 said as he lowered the volume on his collar.
After a long and uncomfortable amount of time, 001 and 002 disconnected their communication and looked at Alice.
"We will allow you to find a safe way of escape so long as it assures that our existence is kept to secrecy. That means the Amalgas, our race, will remain a secret both during and after your escape." 001 said. She had the persistence of a strict but sweet grandmother.
Alice dipped her head and fluttered her feathers.
"Alice....pr...promises...and...agree...to...
terms..of..001." She said.
"Thank you, Beauty. You may begin. Take 017, 008, and 021 with you." 001 said.
Alice was annoyed that she continued to be called Beauty despite her many objections, but she thought it was best to leave it be.
