Poly Fics

A knock on their door alerted Mumei and Kronii that they had a visitor.

“Yes?” Kronii asked.

“It's me. Can I come in?”

Quickly recognizing Fauna's voice, the women briefly looked at each other before Mumei gave her the okay to enter.

Once inside, they exchanged greetings as well as questions about their state on Faunas' part. When that was done, silence settled between them since no one knew how to proceed, but Fauna took the lead after a while.

“Yesterday, I said there was a lot for us to discuss, and if it's okay with you, I would like to ask you some questions.”

Fauna waited in case she received an objection, but all she got were matching nods, which she took as a sign to go on.

“First and foremost, I want to reassure you that I won't be asking anything related to what happened to you in that laboratory. The people who captured you kept logs of everything they did, so I'm aware of what happened.”

“What I do want to know is how you were captured. Did you have any kind of previous encounter with them? Were you aware that you were being targeted?”

Mumei and Kronii were relieved at hearing they wouldn't have to talk about their experiences in that lab, and after considering Fauna's inquiries, Kronii started to speak.

“I can't say for sure we ever met those people, but we never had an altercation with them, if that is what you mean. Mumei and I are wanderers of sorts, we don't have a place we call home. We just travel from city to city, staying for a while in each, to then move to another. It's what we have been doing since we met.” Kronii and Mumei exchanged looks, smiling fondly at each other.

“We never had any particularly bad experiences as we just lived our lives without bothering anyone, but unknown to us, we attracted the attention of some undesirable people.”

“We found out that once we arrived in the city we stayed at previous to the capture, we were being spied on by our captors, who waited for the perfect time to ambush us,” Kronii sounded angry by now, to try to call her down, Mumei reached for her hand and squeezed it.

“Everything happened so fast that we couldn't do anything to defend ourselves, and well, you know what happened next.”

Alright, so to summarize it, Mumei and Kronii couldn't recall any previous encounter with their captors, nor had they had any kind of trouble that would make them suspect they were being targeted. This explained why they were captured so easily, as their captors benefited from their lack of awareness about being pursued.

“We usually see them doing this. Did you have any clue why they captured you? Did they mention anything while you were in that laboratory?*

Mumei was the one answering this time, “We were never given a reason; they didn't talk to us, besides the times they would…question me about what I was.”

Fauna was well aware of what their captors' questioning entitled, as they would use all kinds of torture to get the answer out of Mumei, even restoring to using Kronii as a bargaining chip. They hoped that if the dragon suffered, the mermaid would finally confess by not standing to see her partner in pain.

“No matter how many times they asked, my answer was always the same, that I didn't know, and truly I don't. I know I'm part mermaid as those are the only traits that I have manifested, but I always knew I was different from most of my species. I'm aware it's because I'm something else, even if I have no clue of what that something is.”

Fauna felt inclined to ask why Mumei didn't know what she was, but she chose against it as perhaps she would come out as rude if she inquired about that, especially because she didn't know her story. As such, the topic could be sensitive for her to discuss. But almost as if Mumei sensed Fauna's inner turmoil, she answered what the commander was wondering.

“I wish I could have had someone who could explain to me what I was, and give me guidance, but I have always been alone. I don't know who my parents are nor am I aware of having any close relatives, so my questions about who I am had always been left unanswered.”

“All my life, I felt lost, like I couldn't fit anywhere, but that changed once I met Kronii. I still had my questions, but at least I wasn't alone anymore.”

The relationship these two have is truly one of a kind. Fauna had just spent a few moments with them, but she could tell how special they were for each other. The way they spoke and looked at one another showed how much one meant to the other.

“I'm glad to hear that. Even though Kronii's presence won't get rid of the uncertainty around your origins, you at least have someone who won't make you feel so alone in this world.” Fauna said, smiling at the two women before getting serious again.

“There is one more thing I need to ask. Did you have any clue of who your captors were?”

“We have a theory, as I said Mumei and I just do our own thing without getting involved with others, so we are not widely aware of what is going on in the world, but we have heard some stories of mysterious disappearances almost everywhere we went,” Kronii said remembering the conversations she would hear passing by.

“We never paid too much attention to what was being said, but perhaps we should have, as we have reasons to believe the ones that captured us were behind those disappearances, but that's all we know about them.”

“Your assumptions are right; the people that captured you had to do with those disappearances,” Fauna affirmed.

“As you know, humans and nonhumans have been living in harmony for centuries, and although there have been conflicts between species, and humans with other humans, no major events have occurred where humans had been pitted against other living beings.”

“Some decades ago, a group of humans started to conspire about what could happen if those of other species turned against them. They knew that if that day ever came, there would be nothing they could do, so they decided to find ways to somehow prevent such a scenario from occurring or, in the case that it did happen, to be prepared for it.”

Since it was clear there was much Mumei and Kronii didn't know, Fauna took the time to explain what those people had decided to do.

In the beginning, their idea was to learn everything they could about the different species as a way to identify their weaknesses. Their main focus was on studying the nonhumans rather than causing them harm. However, with time, their ambitions only grew, and they came to the conclusion that there was more they needed to do, so here is where the experiments began.

Their modus operandi has always been the same: they would kidnap those who wouldn't be sought after, like orphans or those who wandered alone, so they wouldn't have to worry about anyone carrying them if they disappeared.

Their experiments, while cruel, were mostly to test those weaknesses and see how those individuals reacted, but with time, they started to develop new ways to enhance those weaknesses and create new ones. As such, they needed to test them too.

With how high stakes those experiments were, most of the individuals they kidnapped ended up dying, but they didn't give a damn about that as they only cared about the results. Once they were satisfied with what they managed to observe with one species, they would move to another and repeat the same process.

“So we are just lab rats for a bunch of maniacs,” Kronii spat, feeling rage boiling under her skin at knowing what those people were truly after.

“Yes, but that is not all.”

Now Fauna had to discuss the part she dreaded the most.

“Even if they had developed weapons and tools that gave them an advantage, there was an issue they were not able to resolve and that was the fact that they were still human and as such they would be vulnerable if they were attacked in large numbers, so the solution they came up with was to create an army.”

“And I say create because that is exactly what they planned to. They wanted to use the samples they had extracted of those they captured to genetically modify humans, transforming them into some sort of super soldiers.”

Well, that was something neither expected to hear.

“Is that possible?” Mumei asked.

“That is what they asked themselves.”

There was more at stake since they would be directly affecting humans, but even if many had their doubts in the end, their fears were stronger.

At the start of the experiment, they selected the same demographic as those of other species, since they would abduct those no one would care to find. However, that changed once they didn't start to get the results they expected.

Most didn't pass the first testings as they would end up dying a few hours after the procedures, and since they ran out of test subjects quicker than anticipated, they started abducting people more frequently.

“No matter how many people they brought in, the results were always the same as there was never anyone that would survive all the things they would do; some would last longer than others, but in the end, they always died.”

“It took hundreds of deaths for them to finally find someone that simply survived the testing, and when this subject didn't die, then they focused on…” Fauna clenched her fists, “molding them to their desires.”

Now that she had reached this point, Fauna felt her composure slipping away, but she had to control herself. Unclenching her fists, she took a deep breath before she continued talking.

“Kronii, do you remember what I did when I found you?” 

Kronii raised her eyebrows, feeling confused by the question, but then recalling what Fauna was referring to.

“Are you talking about whatever that thing with the flower was?” Fauna nodded.

Mumei had no clue what they were talking about, but she wouldn't stay unaware for long since Fauna was about to offer her clarity.

Instead of saying anything, Fauna extended her hand, and just as it had happened when they were in their cell, vines emerged from within her sleeves, entangling in her palm so a flower could bloom from it.

While Mumei was fascinated by the whole ordeal, admiring the six-petal red colored flower, Kronii seemed tense, something that didn't go unnoticed by the mermaid.

“Are you okay?” she asked, putting her hand atop Kronii's knee.

“Yes, I'm fine. It's just…”

“She is distrustful. When we found you, Kronii wouldn't allow anyone to get close but since both needed to receive medical attention, I had to pull this trick,” Fauna said, looking down at the flower on her hand.

“The flower on its own it's harmless, the pollen it's the one you have to watch out for, I control when it gets released and what kind of effect it will have, in your case Kronii, all I did was to put you to sleep, so the pollen was intended to work as a tranquilizer”

When she finished her explanation, Fauna tore the flower away and handed it to Kronii, who doubted on accepting it, but once she felt Mumei squeezing her knee, she ended up grabbing it.

Once it was in her hand, she couldn't help but examine it. “I have never seen anything like this before. What are you?”

Fauna grimaced. “That's a complicated question. Once upon a time, I was a human, but now It's hard to define what I am.”

While Kronii pondered that statement, a lightbulb seemed to light up in Mumei's head. Could it be that…

“Fauna is you, isn't it? You are the one that survived the experiments.”

Fauna averted her gaze, which was all the confirmation she needed to know her assumption was right.

“I spent years locked in a laboratory, undergoing test after test, having to see everyone else dying while I was the only one that remained and…” Fauna's throat closed, not allowing her to go on anymore.

“I'm sorry, I do want to let you know more about my time as a test subject, but I don't think I will be able to do so, however, what I can tell you it's how I went from a prisoner to becoming the commander of this brigade.”

Mumei and Kronii had no problems with changing the topic, as they more than anyone understood Fauna's uneasiness to speak about what had happened to her.

“Because the kidnappings had become more frequent, people were bound to start noticing something wasn't right, and it didn't take them long to discover what kind of experiment were being conducted.”

“They disapproved, of course, but there wasn't much they could do with the disparity of numbers, but with time, those that opposed grew in proportion till they formed what you could call a resistance.”

This main goal of the resistance was of course to stop the experiments and the development of weapons. Brigades were created in different places, each one with their own base and members who would be in charge of discovering and then assaulting every lab they found.

But even if their operations were mostly successful, their enemies were like roaches; for every laboratory they attacked, ten more appeared out of nowhere, so their battle never seemed to end.

Fauna was being kept in one of the best guarded laboratories, so the operation that ended with her being rescued and brought back to the base was rather big. Even if they had more casualties than they would have liked, in the end, the resistance succeeded.

“Once I was here Irys was the one that took care of me, back then I was just a shell of a person but with her help I was eventually able to gain some sort of agency again.”

“Thankfully I was rescued before they could brainwash me to the point of no return becoming the puppet they so wished to have but the same couldn't be said about my status as a human since my body had already assimilated everything they had done to me, so Irys deemed impossible to revert the damage they caused.” 

Even if it saddened her knowing nothing could be done to make her return as a human, she was glad for the support she had received.

“With time, I was able to familiarize myself with my abilities, but in the first few months that I was her, it was extremely hard for me to regulate myself. I posed a risk to everyone, so I had to be secluded till I gained some control.”

With the right guidance, Fauna was capable of overcoming her difficulties, and once she had properly mastered her powers, she was released from her confinement being granted the chance to live alongside everyone else in the base.

“With nowhere to go and not a family to return to, this place quickly became my home, I was never forced to leave nor had anyone expected to receive anything in return for helping me but even if I didn't have to repay their kindness, I chose to become a soldier to prevent more like me to be created.”

In a way it was funny to think how Fauna had ended up becoming what she was created for, but instead of being used to cause harm to the innocent, she had the choice to fight her own battles, helping others like her. 

“And from then on, I started to slowly rise on the ranks till I became the commander.”

“I can't imagine what it must have been…” Mumei wanted to offer some words of sympathy, but she was silenced by Fauna raising her hand.

“While I appreciate what you are trying to do, I didn't tell you about my history to seek out sympathy. I simply needed you to know what my and everyone else's motivations are, as well as further enforcing the idea that nothing will be expected from you.”

“What will be of us then?” Kronii asked. 

“That is for you to decide. No one here will kick you out if that is your concern.”

Kronii and Mumei exchanged glances before the latter spoke, “if we want to stay here, could we?”

Fauna nodded, “this base also serves as a refugee, many others that have been rescued decided to stay, of course, if you do, you will have to help whether as a soldier or staff to keep this place afloat.”

“And if we want to leave?” Kronii inquired.

“You won't be stopped. Your life consisted of being wanderers, and if that is what you wish to continue doing, so be it, but I must warn you that you will most likely continue being pursued, and as such, you would have to constantly be on the run.”

“Here, we can offer protection, you will have a place to live, and you won't have to be in a permanent state of alert over any possible threat.”

Kronii scoffed, “It sounds to me like you are pushing us to stay.”

“I'm merely stating facts, your choice will be yours alone. Whatever you decide will be respected.”

Mumei could sense Kronii wasn't so pleased with Fauna's comment, so she decided to intervene before she caused trouble.

“Can we have time to think about what we will do?”

“Of course, there is no rush. Whenever you make up your mind, all you have to do is call me.”

“Thank you, Fauna. Is there something else you wished to tell us?”

“There is also another thing. I will be out of the base for a week, so you won't see me around. If you have any concerns or questions, please talk to Irys.”

If the circumstances were different, Fauna would have done everything in her power to stay to look after Kronii and Mumei. She had somehow managed to gain some of their trust, which was something she wanted to further nurture for their own good, but now that she was going to leave, she was afraid they would seclude themselves.

At least she had the reassurance that Irys was someone they seemed to be comfortable around, too, so she hoped her presence would be enough to prevent any kind of setbacks.

While Fauna was away, Mumei and Kronii would discuss every day about what they were going to do. It was difficult to come to an agreement since each had a stance that clashed with the other. They would often have to walk away as to prevent a bigger disagreement from happening, needing to cool down before they could talk again.

Mumei would choose to go into the pool, seeking the comfort of being underwater, while Kronii would wander around the base, trying to find the perfect place to hide so no one would bother her as she cleared her head.

Despite their countless discussions, they were able to reach an agreement. Coincidentally, that happened the day before Fauna was back, so once they saw the commander again, they were ready to inform her of their decision.

They didn't need to seek her out since Fauna came looking for them once she was able to. After all parties updated each other on what they did during their week, Mumei and Kronii were ready to speak about their choice.

“Fauna, Kronii and I spoke about what we wanted to do going forward, and we have both agreed to stay but…” Mumei looked at Kronii.

“It won't be permanent. I was adamant on leaving, but Mumei convinced me to stay for a few months. I only said yes with a condition.”

“What condition?”

“We want to be trained. The experience of us being captured proved that despite being powerful creatures, we are not free from being an easy target, so we want to learn to better defend ourselves,” Mumei explained.

Although what they were proposing wasn't an option Fauna had offered them, their request was more than reasonable.

“You want to look after yourselves and I respect that, if training it's what you want we can provide that. I assume you will leave once you feel satisfied with what you have learned?”

“That is the plan,” Kronii stated.

“Kronii is firm on that idea, but I'm open to perhaps staying after the months of training. We are yet to decide that.” Mumei could feel Kronii glaring at her, but she paid her no mind.

It was clear to Fauna that both still had a lot to discuss, so she wasn't going to press them on the matter. For now, the choice they had made ensured they would know what to do for a few months, which was more than enough.

“There is no need to go ahead of yourselves then. As for your training, if Irys gives me the okay, you can start tomorrow if that is fine with you.”

Both agreed to her proposal, so all Fauna needed to do now was to talk to Irys.

xxxx~~~~~xxxx

“I have no concerns for their health, but if they want to be trained, they will need a trainer who will be at their level, and we both know there aren't many here who would be up to the task,” Irys said.

The commander and doctor had just finished speaking about the health state of Mumei and Kronii, which to Fauna's relief, both seemed to be in perfect condition. As such, they would be able to start their training, but even if they would be physically able to do so, Irys was bringing up a valid concern. That was the fact not everyone could take on the job, which only complicated things.

“When they brought up this request of theirs I admit I didn't properly consider what training them could entitle, and now I found myself in quite a predicament.”

“Well, you already said yes so you can go back on your word, but perhaps you could tell them their training would have to be delayed. That would give you sometime to find someone.”

While that was a possibility, that didn't exactly solve the issue as there were no guarantees Fauna would find the perfect trainer.

“I don't think that would do much, if only I…” out of nowhere a lightbulb lighted up in Fauna's head, “you know what, I have the right person in mind.”

“Really, who?”

Irys expected some sort of answer but all Fauna did was to smile and while Irys was confused, it only took her a few seconds to realize who she was talking about.

“You can't be serious,” Irys pinched the bridge of her nose.

xxxx~~~~~xxxx

“Where are we going?” Mumei asked as she and Kronii were following Fauna to a mysterious destination.

Earlier that day the commander had informed them that they were suitable to start their training. They asked her if they were going to start at that very moment, but Fauna said she would be back later to take them to where their training would be held, which was where they were going at the moment.

“To one of our training facilities,” that was all Fauna said.

Soon enough they came to a halt in front of a double door, besides it was a digital panel which the commander put some sort of password on and when she hit enter a click was heard.

Opening one of the doors, Fauna urged them to get inside. 

“This place is bigger than I expected,” Kronii commented as she looked around.

“Because of the numbers of our army, most of our facilities are big. They are usually filled with dozens of soldiers, which make it seem smaller, but since we are the only ones here, it looks even more spacious.”

“Are we going to get personally trained?” Mumei inquired.

“Yes, because of your characteristics it would be better if you have a separated training from the rest and as such you will have a designed instructor just for you.”

“Who will they be?” Kronii asked this time.

“Me”

Kronii and Mumei visibly reacted once they heard that, since they hadn't expected Fauna to be their trainer.

“Would it be okay for you to do that?, I mean you are a commander so you probably have many responsibilities to take care of,” the last thing Mumei wanted was to inconvenience Fauna.

“Don't worry, I anticipated I would have some schedule clashes if I trained you, so I made sure to sort everything out to not have problems.”

The truth was that not everything was as simple as Fauna had made it sound. She had made a rushed decision without thinking about how spending this time helping Mumei and Kronii would impact her work and tasks. Irys hadn't been so on board with her decision for that same reason, fearing Fauna would overwork herself, but the commander intended to somehow find a solution that wouldn't negatively impact her.

“For the next few days, I will test your skills to find out what your strengths and weaknesses are, and once we have done that, the real training will begin.”