Across the universe (closed)

[Snake_Mistress]

I couldn't help but laugh, only to cough slightly as the final bit of hair caught in my throat, soon hacking once again, recovering about a minute later. Momentarily sighing, I soon returned to looking at the Tinkerbell duplicate. "You... look amazing... jusst like her... only real." I grinned. "And a million timess cuter."

 

[Ravenloft]

"You really think so? I don't know how I could be cuter, I designed my form directly from the animated character. But thank you very much! Oh! And I can even do... this!" Evie-Tink reached into a tiny pouch at her side and pulled out a hand full of glittery dust... and blew it on Tara's nose! A moment later, Tara found that she was hovering mere inches above her bed.

 

[Snake_Mistress]

I shrieked and quickly curled up into a ball of scaly rope. Get me down... please... I don't like surprises... and I'm not fond of being in the air with no visible supports...

 

[Ravenloft]

"Oh... oh! I am so sorry! Here! I will negate the levitation effect!" Evie folded her arms, blinked and nodded her head then wrinkled her nose, in imitation of a couple of old sitcome she found, one about a genie, another about a witch. Tara plopped back down to the bed, safe and unharmed.

 

[Snake_Mistress]

I slowly loosened part of my tail, just enough to peek out, eyes shining slightly in the light that reflected off of them. "Th... thankss..." I took a deep breath then another. And then I took several more. "But, pleasse, warn me if you ever try that again..."

 

[Ravenloft]

"I will, I promise! I'm very sorry I startled you so, Mistress Tara. Please forgive me." Evie paused, tilting her head as she seemed to hear something. "Someone is coming... in a black vehicle... identity unknown. They are pulling up the drive way now..." Evie warned her as she disappeared.

 

[Snake_Mistress]

Cursing, I quickly pulled on a black robe, one of the few barely-damaged articles, and shifted back, moving towards the 'entrance', wobbling slightly. Either it's a newbie or alien 'threat' is too important for them to be scared off... I sighed slightly.

 

[Ravenloft]

Two suits were at Tara's door, a tall black man and an Asian woman. "Ah, hello Ma'am, I'm agent Nguyen and this is Agent Dean. We are here to investigate a possible crash in the area. You haven't seen anything unusual in the past week, have you?"

 

[Snake_Mistress]

I shook my head slightly, arms wrapped around my stomach. "No... I haven't... except for the fact that my house is destroyed... but I don't know how that happened... only that it's definitely an open floor plan now..."

 

[Ravenloft]

Agent Nguyen arched an eyebrow when Tara wrapped her arms around her stomach then looked at the missing side of her home. "No kidding, that is some extensive damage, you should get an estimate from your insurance company for this. ...you were insured, I hope? Would you mind if we took a closer look at the damage?" She asked.

She took another glance at the way Tara was holding herself as she started off toward the damaged side of the house. "Are you expecting?" She asked with a friendly smile,.

 

[Snake_Mistress]

I... don't have insurance... no one wants to ensure such a 'heap'... and many are scared of the so-called 'monster of the woods'..." When the female asked a question, I paused before nodding slightly, nodding again when she asked about being pregnant.

(They likely know about the 'monster of the woods' because she's... taken out... a few when there's been no other choice... but they don't know what the monster looks like, only that those who encounter it either never survive or are too freaked out to register much or even tell what they have learned - I hear the Bermuda Triangle is a better vacation spot, to be truthful. ;-)

 

[Ravenloft]

"Hmm... not good... This is some serious looking damage." Agent Nguyen and Agent Dean gave each other a meaningful look at the mention of the monster in the woods. "I have to say, this place looks pretty unliveable at the moment... maybe you should get a hotel. Its probably not safe for you out here, alone, in a broken down house, especially if there is some sort of monster out here, stalking the woods... you know... we could set you up in a nice hotel for a few days if you let us investigate this house for signs of what caused all of this damage..." Agent Nguyen offered. "I could drive you, if you like." She added, looking around, seeing no sign of a car.

 

[Snake_Mistress]

"I guess it does look bad..." I glanced over at the pair at the mention of a hotel. "I'm... not sure..." I was silent for a moment but continued before either agent could reply. "It's never harmed me and I've lived here for about ten years... before there was even a cabin... I had to build this bit by bit... and never once was I attacked..." I took a sightly deep breath. "I think it only goes after those who harm it or try and catch it..."

 

[Ravenloft]

"That might be so, but think about the baby... it can't be good living in a completely unsecured house, in your condition... you could get sick..." Agent Nguyen pressed gently, concern showing in her eyes. Weather is was over getting Tara out of the house so they could do a thorough search or genuinely for Tara and her unborn baby's welfare was debatable. "We can put you in a really nice room, one with its own jacuzzi and you can order all the room service you want, on us." Agent Nguyen tilted her head and smiled "Go on, treat yourself, think of it as a vacation..."

Agent Dean looked away, coughing, apparently he thought his partner was laying it on a bit thick.

 

[Snake_Mistress]

"I... I'm not sure... it does sound nice but..." I took a deep breath. Heat... would definitely be a plus... I shook my head slightly. Worse comes to worse... you wind up eating them... I took another deep breath. "Can I... can I think on it..?" Evie... if you're still here... and if you're in my head... please let me know... without these two knowing... if you can...

 

[Ravenloft]

"I'm here, Mistress Tara, I never left you, I only hid... you aren't really going to eat them, are you? I made sure that there was nothing left of the ship for anyone to find. Don't worry, the blueprints are safely stored in memory, all we will need to reform the ship is time and the proper matterials. I will have to scan for them though." Evies synthesized rang clearly within Tara's head. "I don't think the male approves of the females tactics..." Evie observed. "Would you like me to render them unconscious? Or will you be going with them? Play... along? I think they call it?"

 

[Snake_Mistress]

I... I don't know... for all we know... they might suspect that the monster and I are the same... though I guess that that's rather unlikely... I sighed again, gaining another look from the agents.

"Are you okay, ma'am?"

I nodded slightly. "Just... thinking..."

The female agent nodded as well and soon returned to her search.

The problem here is that... well... the pregnancy length... and the fact that, after giving birth, I'll be unable to change back to human for about a week... defense mechanism of sorts... I sighed again, gaining another look from the female. Add to that the fact that I have no idea how soon you can procure the materials...

 

[Ravenloft]

"I'm not so sure that they are as in the dark about your nature as you might think. Terra has had satellite technology for quite some time, I understand... unless you have been exceptionally careful in your hunts for the past twenty years, it is quite likely that they have managed to gather some information on you... Without you knowing. But seeing as they haven't attempted to harm you out right, it would be my assumption that either they don't know or they respect your autonomy."

"That is a problem I had not anticipated, explaining how your pregnancy is advancing so quickly to the agents is far from ideal. I'm not sure what course of action to take now... I can only slow your pregnancy so much before it would cause you or Mistress Xetria problems... even still, I think the most logical course of action would be to go along with them... for now."

 

[Snake_Mistress]

Or it could be that they don't want to risk being attacked... I was silent for a moment. Could you... read their minds..? And find out? Without them knowing..?

 

[Ravenloft]

"I could, but not without them noticing something was happening to them. If they were unconscious, they would not become aware of my attempt to access their thoughts... I could tap into their electronic devices without alerting them, however."

 

[Snake_Mistress]

Then... do what you need to... either way works... With a small sigh, I sat down on what was left of my couch and curled up the best I could.

The female agent looked at me but did not speak, returning to whatever she was doing a couple minutes later.

 

[Ravenloft]

About ten minutes later Evie reported her findings to Mistress Tara. "Mistress, it would appear that these agents believe this land is some sort of nature preserve for a highly advanced and endangered species of snake. I think they are referring to you. They don't appear to be a threat, they just seem to be here to make sure that you are unharmed... and to find out what crashed into your home, obviously. I think you can trust them. For now. The only thing that concerns me is how to keep Mistress Xetria a secret from them... the female agent has called for an obgyn to examine you, to make sure your baby is okay."

Just as Evie finished her report Agent Nguyen came back up to Tara where she was laying on her couch, a hand over her ear. "You okay? Baby's kinda taking it out of you, huh?" She was being nice and friendly. "So, what do you say? Do you want to stay out here in this broken down cabin, or would you like to go stay in a luxury hotel for a few weeks, on us."

 

[Snake_Mistress]

"I..." I took a deep breath. I don't know how to say this... but... I want to make sure... I don't want to spill of they don't actually know it's me... I took another deep breath, the female looking at me with worry in her eyes. "The baby... is okay... I'm... okay... but... I... have a question..."

The agent smiled at me gently. "What is it?"

I took another deep breath. "What... do you know... about... 'the monster of the woods'..?"

 

[Ravenloft]

"Well..." Agent Nguyen started, pretending to scratch behind her ear while actually checking her comms for orders. Agent Dean stepped up to them with a sigh of discontent. "Oh, enough of this. .." he said in a thick Nigirian accent. "You can relax, young lady, we used to work for your parents... you are completely safe, we mean you no harm. "Uhhhh...." Agent Nguyen stammered, shooting Agent Dean an uncertain look. He looked down at his partner and clicked his tongue. "Honestly, do you think we were going to hide from her forever? Best we be honest with her now then she figure it out on her own and come hunting us!"

 

[Snake_Mistress]

I stared at them, mouth gaping like a carp, trying to figure out what the freaking h*ll was going on. "Uh..." It took a minute for me to regain my speech. "You... knew my... parents..?"

(If they really do... they'll know that they were Margret and David McIntyre.)