Cherish Red ✔️

Chapter Two

 

~ A Lock and Key ~

"Look, whatever you say... I wasn't involved. I just saw a glimpse of the event."

Mr. Henderson folded his hands. He gave a sharp glare at Jixi before saying anything else, and she crawled her way out. Red didn't understand; Jixi was never afraid of anything unless it was something truly disturbing or serious.

"Is that so? Then who did it? How did they do it? How did they get out? Tell me everything."

"Alright, alright!" Red hissed under her breath. "It was one of the boys. Not really sure which boy it was-"

"They are not boys," He interrupted. "They are creatures. Refer to them as that, please."

"Um, excuse me?"

"Are you deaf? Did you not understand?"

"I mean, you're no different from us; just as 'pathetic' as us! We're people too-!"

"You were made in a lab."

"So?"

"You're not human. Look at yourself, won't you?"

"Wait? What?"

Red gave him a dazed look, an eyebrow raised. Mr. Henderson folded his arms.

"You know, like... in a mirror."

Another puzzled look.

"What the fuck is a mirror?"

He scrunched his nose in a disgusted manner. Had his assistants not taught her anything?

"Who taught you how to curse?"

"Who do you think?" Red mumbled. She laid down on the ground. "Wanna take a few guesses, Mr?"

Mr. Henderson rolled his eyes and took out a small device - barely the size of his hand - and clicked a green button. It rapidly changed colour and flashed different shades of red. Red shrieked like an animal who does just been shot as the electrical tingle caused her to flinch dramatically. It only lasted for a second, but the effects made a chill run through her body. He just raised a shoulder and chuckled. No concern at all.

"Anyways."

Henderson placed the miniature machine in his jacket pocket.

"Where were we again?" He asked in a amused way.

"How 'bout you remember, smart ass?" Red growled.

"Oh yes, we were just speaking about how my wonderful assistants taught you some very unnecessary subjects. How about we move on to where that important key is?"

His voice was filled with menace and sarcasm.

"Fine," Red sighed. In a pitying way, she said "I wasn't sure which creature it was. All I know is that two of his friends and the culprit one day were huddled in some group. How they got out, I'm not exactly sure. But I did hear plans about 'fusing' and teaming up to 'overthrow those bitches'. That's all I got for yah. If you want more, just ask his cyborg buddy and the one werewolf pimp."

"Good to know," Henderson replied. He crudely bowed his head in a mocking manner, then whispered "Nice to know some of you aren't completely useless to me."

Then, he spun on his heel and went to the cyborg and werewolf boy. Red immediately ran to Jixi - the only person she could trust - and hugged her. Jixi winced, but Red held tight. "Are you okay? Any injuries or damage?" Red asked.

"Nah," Jix answered. She shrugged a scaled arm and in a hoarse voice said "I'm good, girl. Don't worry 'bout me. My water powers seal wounds pretty well unless they're really bad."

"Thank goodness!" Red gritted her teeth. She sighed. "I would've done something earlier, but that asshole's machinery held me so tight my eyes could've blown out of my sockets - literally. I don't suggest it."

Jixi brushed her deformed, scale-filled tail off. "It's fine. Don't worry about it-?"

BANG!

BANG!

"You're no USE TO ME!"

Jixi and Red gasped. Then they looked at each other awkwardly - why did they gasp again? Why were they so surprised when things like that happened almost every day?

Red shook her head. For a group wanting to learn and test on them so badly, they weren't doing any good by killing off the population. Oh but don't worry, a voice said in her ear. They'll just make more of them. We're not human, remember-

BANG!

"Oh shut UP!"

Red could feel Jixi tensing up, because her fins began to inflate. Nine-Eyes put a hand to the scaled ones, squeezing her eyes shut. "He must be really mad," Jix whispered. "Three of them are gone now."

"Yeah, obviously."

Jixi tilted her head.

"Can't you hear the sound of his voice? He's fucking enraged, jixster."

"Oh, yeah," She mumbled. Jixi looked down. As nice as she tried to be, Red always came off as controlling in her mind. But she knew that it was only for her own good. Jixi couldn't run off or anything; she had a tail, not legs - she used to though, except they were fused together. "Maybe we should retreat."

"No."

Red shook her head.

"That's the last thing he needs; monsters trying to run off and 'escape'. It'll be us next if move a muscle."

"But can't you just...?" Jixi said with a forced smile. "If you turn into that blob thing or whatever, we can leave with no problem-?!"

"Jixi!" Red roared, but instantly quieted her voice. "You know I'm sensitive about that. You know I don't like turning into that thing. I could-"

"You won't lose yourself or your mind," Jixi replied. She knew that was the only way to get out of that scene alive. "I'll ground you. All you have to do is get us out; I'll do the rest."

"Yeah, right."

"Don't be that way, Red!" She said, trying to perk Nine - a nickname and Red's special number - up. "Just think: I have my bow and arrow, and if he tries to hurt you or me, I'll shoot! You-"

"Jixster, stop; please!" Red cried. She didn't want 'it' to get the best of her. As much as she sometimes hated Jixi, she was still her friend and was deathly afraid to hurt her. "I already said, NO-"

Jixi summoned her water bow and arrow. Red reeled back, knowing what she was trying to do. Jix, on the other hand, pulled the bow back and said "You got this. And if you do lose it, give me some karma. I won't mind."

"Jix-!"

Red tried to move out of the way, but the burning pain of a boiling water arrow in her back froze her. She felt the warm blood dripping down her back, and the only way to fight the injury was to transform into a monster. Jixi had provoked that, and Red lost all respect and trust for her instantly.

But Jixi did say she could attack her if she wanted, didn't she?