Raptor 1

October 21st, 2007
Whateley Academy
Near Dunwich, NH

Annalea Downs is an interesting girl already, body like the mythological harpy, but happy and content. An avatar with a golden eagle spirit, cool. Aww, her thoughts on how she looked in the past, just want to give her a hug. Lupine, I would play Frisbee catch with her. Bladedancer and Fey still training and sparring with wooden swords, nice. Geist, that girl is going to get herself into trouble following Wondercute around like that.

Ouch, damage to the Crystal Hall and repair work underway, that snowstorm did more damage than I first thought.

“Bubba, if that’s you, I’d like to be alone right now. Besides, you wouldn’t want Mrs. Cantrell finding out that you were the one that was putting the ‘Mr. Yuk’ stickers on Puppet’s door.”

Bubba aka Mr. Coltraine really should know better than to pick on Puppet like that.

Even in the black hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans, the Headmistress was imposing.

Mrs. Carson in casual clothes, someone get a camera!

Annalea not making appointments with her therapist, uh oh, at least Mrs. Carson knows how to deal with teenagers with a gentle hand when needed. She doesn't think any of them know what someone like her went through, I bet she is wrong about that, more than a few before manifesting may have had lives just like her or similar.

February 14th, 2007
The home of Chester and Marjorie Downs.
Boise, ID

*growls* This Bobbi Jo Hundacker is the kind of bully I can't stand, picking on others just to make themselves more popular or distract from something they don't want to confront about themselves. Jimmy Humphries, creep asking girls out just so they can be cruel needs a harsh lesson to smack them back down to Earth.

That spirit definitely shifted her outlook, loving being outdoors, walking home 8 blocks from school. *sigh* Parents passing bad habits onto their children, glad that Annalea outgrew them thanks to the golden eagle spirit. Bloody back, don't tell me the feathers growing in did that much damage, yikes.

February 20th, 2007
St. Luke’s Hospital
Boise, ID

She was out for almost a week, rough transformation doesn't seem enough. Doctor Farber, good, she got a nice doctor it seems. So another girl at her school became an exemplar beauty last year, I wonder how common the blue-eyed, blond super-model look is for female exemplars. Aunt Sylvia and Roger, so good to see caring relatives show up for her. Her parents abandoned her and disappeared!?! I hope the authorities find them and arrest them.

Thrashing about while unconscious, no wonder they used restraints on her.

Doctor Farber paused and took a deep breath. “So far you have… sprouted feathers along your spine and shoulders. Some indications are that you will likely sprout more on your arms and legs. It appears as though you are adopting more… avian characteristics, specifically some form of raptor.”

No wonder she describes herself as having a body like the mythological harpy, plus explains the blood on her back. Released into her aunt's care that day, at least some good comes out of this, she is with someone who cares about her now.

That afternoon
The home of Sylvia Burrows
Eagle, Idaho

Wait, Roger is a dog and guided Sylvia to a chair at the hospital. Is Sylvia blind and Roger is her seeing-eye dog? More upset about her Mom and Dad abandoning her than the changes she has gone through, dang. Take Roger with her, so not a seeing-eye dog I guess. 150 acres, now that is a lot of space to explore.

February 27th, 2007
The home of Sylvia Burrows
Eagle, Idaho

Rock climbing, hiking, and running, lose 60 pounds in a week, asthma has gone along with diabetes too, her life certainly took a 180.

“It appears your muscular and skeletal structures are changing, the pectoral and arm musculature strengthening, to allow your arms to operate like wings. Your bones have gained density, though they have become hollow, much like a bird. I suspect there are more changes to come in that regard, such as the lengthening of the arms. The more concerning thing to me is that I’m seeing changes to your reproductive system. Your ovaries have begun to change, elongating. I’ve consulted with a veterinarian friend I know, and she concurs with my hypothesis. You are moving towards becoming oviparous.”

Seesh, that spirit is doing a number on her. Laying eggs instead of a period, poor kid. Seeing her crying like this, you wonder how she became happy and content in the future.

March 8th,2007
The home of Sylvia Burrows
Eagle, Idaho

Her arms had elongated, reaching down almost to her knees while standing upright. Claws had burst from her fingertips, tearing her fingernails off as they did. The skin on her hands and forearms had become scaled and had turned yellow.

The pain she is going through, thinking she is turning into a freak, you just wish you could do something to help her.

When you are a mutant, you need to register and get an MID card. This is mine.” she said slowly. “Officially, my ratings are PSY 1 and WIZ 5. I have a vague danger sense, and can generate a weak telekinetic field around me. Not enough to move anything, but I can use it to feel my environment.”

Annalea’s eyes opened wide in understanding. “So that’s how you…”

Yes, and it’s how I cast my magic as well.” Aunt Sylvia interrupted.

Wait, my guess early was right, she is blind and Roger is her seeing-eye dog. Weak telekinetic field to feel her environment, like a ranged tactile sense, impressive and rarely seen power. I wonder what kind of magic she works in.

Bed-ridden for a week, this is one of the roughest transformations I've ever read. All those changes, at least it is just her and her aunt out there, I hate to think what the kids at her old school would have called her. She already is being hard enough on herself. Her feet changing like that, she is stronger than she realizes, a lesser person would have snapped by that point. Learning to walk on bird-like feet, let's hope that is the worst she has to go through.

Just a trip down the stairs that harrowing, it is the details like this that make the transformation and issues it causes stand out. Whoa, Sylvia's TK is extremely useful.

Nonsense! You are a very beautiful girl. You always have been, and you always will be. Don’t let your imaginings of how others will perceive you color your own self image.” Sylvia said, as she hugged the young girl.

Thank you, Aunt Sylvia, for saying what I wish I could. Having to relearn have to write with changed hands, glad it went quickly for Annalea. Exploring, I wonder how much of the property Annalea has explored by now.

Stomach pain upon waking up, I can guess what is going to happen, egg. That much pain and Roger is licking her face, the poor boy doesn't know what to do. Passed out from the ordeal and back home thanks to Aunt Sylvia.

Sylvia nodded her head towards the coffee table, on which sat a pair of mocha colored eggs with brown speckles. They were each about the size of an ostrich egg. When Annalea glanced at them, she turned pale. She was still sore from her ‘delivery’, and the thought of going through that every month was almost too painful to contemplate.

Please say that won't happen to her every month like a human period, please say it will be only once every few months at most.

Sylvia wiped a cold cloth over her niece’s forehead. “I told you that I’m a mage. Roger may seem like an ordinary dog, but he is literally my eyes and ears. As my familiar, I can see and hear and sense what he can. I knew you were in trouble, because he showed me.”

*facepalms* I should have known Roger was her familiar.

March 15th, 2007
MCO Headquarters
Boise, Idaho

First a post-egg laying pelvic exam by the doctors, now an embarrassing powers testing by the MCO, eep.

In the end she tested at approximately an exemplar 2.

Now I want to know if the Whateley weight resistance machine could be used by her without issues. Sliced a frozen side of beef in half in one swipe, just how deadly are her talons? Raptor vision confirmed. Avatar with a strong avatar-mismatch syndrome sounds like she is avatar 1 or 2 at most. Rats, most of the codenames she wanted were already in use, had to settle on Raptor.

March 29th, 2007
The home of Sylvia Burrows
Eagle, Idaho

Only able to fly 20 feet, it's a start. Black sedan parked out front, I would do the same thing Annalea did. FBI, Special Agent Fennec Miller, her about her parents.

As I was explaining to your aunt, your parents have been reported as being sighted at anti-mutant rallies and Humanity First fundraisers. Last we saw, they had joined a Radical anti-mutant cell in Montana. After that, they dropped off the grid.”

Abandon their daughter and join hate groups focused on attacking people like her, Annalea's parents are twisted. Her father was an anti-mutant bigot before Annalea manifested, figures. At least they aren't coming back to target their own daughter. And her parents just keep hurting this innocent girl, I want 5 minutes in a locked room alone with them at this point.

April 2nd, 2007
The home of Sylvia Burrows
Eagle, Idaho

Well, at least Annalea is improving her flying skills, progress.

The concern their mother had upon discovering that her child was able to manipulate light and darkness and make shadows solidify and obey her will.

That is some intriguing magic. Maggie was a brat from how Sylvia describes how she acted back in high school, being jealous her older sister had powers and she didn't with all the other things she was gifted with is petty.

Chester married Maggie while she was still in high school because she got pregnant, good grief, these two are a pair. A masked person attacks, injures and blinds her. Wild guess, but could it be Chester who targetted her for being a mutant and not wanting her in his family's life? 50 feet off the ground, Annalea is getting good at flying. And Spud Gun, bwhahaha. At least she knows a school like Whateley Academy exists because of him.

Gliding that low to the ground sounds fun. The subject of Whateley is brought up and Annalea makes a joke to change the subject. Sylvia going with Annalea and Roger to do some training together tomorrow, I hope nothing happens.

That same day,
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Washington, D.C.

A man in a dark suit meeting with an older man using code-phrases to identify each other.

“Updates on Project: Damocles?”

The old man continued to spread breadcrumbs, not looking up. “There have been one thousand and thirty four test subjects to date. Three hundred and twenty two suffered neurological augmentation failure, resulting in fatal neurological damage. The autopsies haven’t revealed a solution as yet. Seventy six failed to activate after the technology implantation. One hundred and nineteen committed suicide by self-destruct shortly after activation, no reason is as yet known, it is possible that the cybernetic neural implants malfunctioned and caused psychological distress. The reasons for this are, as yet, unknown.

Four hundred underwent power core overload during the test phase. One hundred three were lost when their weapons systems detonated after catastrophic failure. The munitions division is looking into that, so far results are inconclusive. Fourteen have survived and remain stable, pending additional testing.”

They are trying to make cyborg super-soldiers with a lot of failures and deaths, yet they keep pushing on. Just who are they madmen and what is their objective?

“On the one hand, if we improve the life of the cores, we could certainly market to others. I know that the application could be extended beyond anti-mutant uses. Once upon a time the battleship ruled the seas, then the carriers drove them into obsolescence. Similarly, the days of the bulky powered armor are numbered. I mean if you can hide an augmented soldier in plain site, you gain the advantage.”

This is sick beyond all reason, I hope these extremist nutjobs are caught and soon.

Getting up, he walked away, leaving the younger man to watch as the pigeons the old man had been feeding started to collapse and die.

And that old man needs to be taken down hard!

April 3rd, 2007
The home of Sylvia Burrows
Eagle, Idaho

Hhhm, I wonder how much room a nest like that would take up of the dorm room at Whateley? Sylvia showing Annalea her magic, this is huge. *eyes bug out* Roger can transform into something like that, I pity anyone who tries to mess with Sylvia with him around. 3 hours dodging Roger and Sylvia's shadow magic, Annalea is going to be one of the more prepared students for at least some of the Whateley hijinks when she gets there.

“I couldn’t help but notice that while your flying is quite good in speed and maneuverability, you don’t go very high. Is something bothering you?”

The teen hugged her legs and replied. “I… I… it’s silly. I know I can fly, and the spirit wants to soar and it urges me to go higher and higher. But I’m scared. Scared of being high up in the sky and falling. Looking down and seeing the ground far below. I feel like … I don’t know… not quite right. I’m not sure I can explain it.”

Icarus syndrome, there is actually a name for this, huh. At least it is something she can overcome with time, someday Annalea will soar high.

April 9th, 2007
Julius M. Kleiner Memorial Park
Boise, Idaho

At a park like this, I know Sylvia is trying to help Annalea to grow outside her comfort zone, to live her life, but the odds of an H1! idiot being there seem a bit too high for my taste. Roger getting some attention, good boy.

“What are you? Are you a monster?”, She innocently asked.

The mother pulled her back cautiously, but Annalea smiled feebly. “No, I’m just a girl. I met a magical spirit and it made me like it, so that I can fly with it and soar through the clouds.”

The girl’s eyes widened, and she mouthed a silent ‘wow’.

If only the mother could see Annalea with the innocence of her daughter. Upsetting Annalea like that all because of misplaced fear. *sigh*

Jimmy Humphries, an attitude like that, wouldn't be surprised if he is H1! or one of his parents is. Doesn't even recognize Annalea until she calls him out, then the verbal beatdown from her, just the perfect response for this creep. Great, MCO agents there and just waiting for an excuse to mess with Annalea. And Jimmy lies, I hope he gets his just desserts eventually.

Sylvia shows them all the MIDs and Roger's service dog card, and these creeps were going to take them in "to straigthen this out". Thankfully FBI Special Agents Fennec Miller and Dinah Scolaidhe are there to save the day.

Unrattled, the larger man stepped forward. “MCO Agent James Smith and my partner, Agent Doug Jones.”

Those sound made up on the spot, are these even real MCO agents or just H1! creeps pretending? Handled like professionals while calling out the BS these two MCO agents were spewing, glad to see MCO agents made to obey the law.

That Afternoon
The Breezy Inn Motel
Somewhere along Interstate 310,
Wyoming.

What is going on with Maggie, is she having a late-in-life manifestation as a mutant, or is something else going on? Because Chester bailed pretty fast or was taken, something screwy might be going on.

April 10th, 2007
The home of Sylvia Burrows
Eagle, Idaho

Annalea alone on the ranch while Sylvia is out shopping with Roger, time for trouble to show up.

Her parents had dropped off the radar, and there were rumors of connection to a hidden Humanity First experiment, of possible human trafficking, and other illegal enterprises.

Her parents are involved in an experiment, they are bigger idiots than I thought before to take something any of those H1 scientists cook up. It explains the extreme weight loss at least.

Filed and polished talons, testing them out on old hay bales, nice workout.

“Marijuana? That’s funny. No, nothing illegal. I inherited quite a sizable amount of land all over the state from your grandparents. Between the gold and silver mining, the potato, wheat, and hay crops, and the paper mills, I do okay. And I occasionally do some consulting about magic.”

All that, just how wealthy is Sylvia? Penumbra but called Lady Penumbra, wait, haven't we heard that name before?

How could someone like Maggie come from good people like Annalea's grandparents? No...lost to a car accident during a snowstorm. Heh, Maggie not getting anything until she is no longer with Chester, good, male gold digger. And lose it anyway if still married when Annalea reaches 21 so the trust would go to her, no wonder her father resented her, saw her as just a block to his path to easy street.

That same day,
Somewhere in western Montana

They are turning them into cyborgs, not caring if it might kill Maggie or Chester, and Chester doesn't seem to care either. She is now more machine than human and crying her eyes out. Shouldn't have trusted some madmen with a quick-fix promise.

April 13th, 2007
Best Western Motel
Boise, Idaho

Agents Miller, and Scolaidhe have news on a stolen RV and the assailants fired red beams out of their palms. Miller says it could be aliens, even mentions a Tahoe incident where it was, but not everything is aliens. Nice X-Files reference. At least they know it is Annalea's parents and warn Sylvie and Annalea about the potential trouble.

That same moment,
The home of Sylvia Burrows
Eagle, Idaho

Ouch, Maggie afraid of Chester all these years, probably afraid of what he would do if she tried to leave him, now I sympathize with her some. A wagon big enough that Roger has to go Shadow-beast form to pull it, just how much junk did they clean out? 50 feet off the ground, baby steps is right, don't push yourself to do more than you are ready for, progress is progress.

Annalea's vision is incredible, not only spotting the sedan but that it is the FBI agents in it from that far away. Here to warn about Annalea's parents who are probably heading this way right now. Warding the property and setting up defense, I hope it will be enough.

April 15th, 2007
Near the Idaho Border

Chet Downs, the way he thinks, using Maggie like that and his attitude in general, disgusts me.

She was probably the one that poisoned her parent’s opinion of him. Surely it wasn’t anything he did.

And the other nail in the coffin, blaming others for their own faults, for not getting what they want. Misogynistic a**hole as well, thinking that way about his own daughter. *aims flamethrower at Chet*

Thinking she isn't even his daughter, that Maggie had an affair, even beat her, this overgrown man-child needs to be put down like a rabid dog imo. I knew it! I knew it was Chet who blinded Sylvia. And thinking of Maggie as a weak little puppet, I hope she turns on him to save her daughter.

Same Day,
The home of Sylvia Burrows
Eagle, Idaho

Spud Gun busy helping fight a forest fire, others caught up in their own mess. So it is Sylvia's wards, protective charms and spells, Sylvia, Annalea, and Roger to fight off two cyborg super-soldiers, oh boy. Awesome costume Sylvia got for Annalea, functional and stylish.

Noon and they actually slammed the RV into an ebon shield, Chet has gotten reckless with power. Chet blast Roger, and burns off his own skin the process, is there any real flesh and blood left of Chet? Thinking of his own daughter as a monster, trying to murder her, then thinking she is a coward when she flies into the air and out of his sight, typical bully taken to the extreme.

Annalea flying up so high she passes through a small cloud, then diving back down and striking with her feet talons to rip up Chet's torso. But the cybernetics can repair themselves, dang it! Dark bands around Chet's legs.

“Don’t just stand there, you miserable weakling. Do something, or so help me... I’ll kill you!”

Someone end this monster already.

Nooo! Not Roger, Chet must die now for killing Roger. Now he beats up Annalea and targets her again, intent on leaving no trace of her. Sylvia is injured, Roger dead, Maggie having an emotional breakdown, and Annalea too injured to act, this is bad.

Sylvia shook her head. “You are blind to what you had. You had my beloved little sister, you had a daughter who is kind and generous in spirit. Any failures you think you were subject to are purely your own fault!”

Chet can't even listen to a lecture properly, gloating how she will be dead soon.

Chester took aim, and suddenly there was a deafening scream, and he struggled as Maggie leapt on him and tore at his side. She wrapped her legs around him, and screamed wildly.

Sylvie! I can’t hold him for long. I need your help. Tell my baby that I always loved her.” She cried.

No...Maggie is going to overload her core to take out Chet but die herself. Dam it! I wanted Chet dead, but not at this high a price, Roger dead, and Maggie as well, who was a good mother stuck in a bad situation.

April 16th, 2007
The home of Sylvia Burrows
Eagle, Idaho

Wait, Roger didn't die, breaking his neck can't kill him, thank you for that. Cone of shame due to sutures on his other wounds, aww. Deputy Director of DARPA aka Nicholas Reilly came to see Sylvia personally, whoa. Saved his life on three occasions, now I would love to hear about those.

Nicholas laughed. “Three. I know that your sister was a victim in all this, and I wanted to make sure that was clear, and that the record will state that she died on the side of the angels.”

At least she gets remembered as a good person. Nikki keeping an eye out for Annalea, boy, just tell the rest of Team Kimba what she has gone through, and by the time the news spreads to all their friends she will have a small army watching her back.

April 23rd, 2007
The home of Sylvia Burrows
Eagle, Idaho

The loss of someone you love, especially so soon, is never easy to deal with. A nice, quiet funeral for Maggie with just Sylvia, Annalea, and Roger is the perfect way to say goodbye. Annalea lost her mother, Sylvia her younger sister, they both are going to need each other for a long time. I'm glad to see Annalea overcame her Icarus Syndrome.

October 21st, 2007
Whateley Academy
Near Dunwich, NH

Dr. Katerina Denova, an old friend of Mrs. Carson and she calls her up to be the therapist for Annalea due to her GSD experience, I wonder why.

“Come work for me. I can guarantee that the job will not be boring. I need you, more importantly the kids need you. I have an eight year old pyrokinetic who accidentally killed her parents that would perhaps benefit from your unique situation. Likewise, there is a ten year old telepath on campus who has the potential to pass Fubar in strength within just a few years, and he suspects she might actually have already done it.”

If this doesn't intrigue her, nothing will. Appropriate reaction in Russian too. Not available until possible January, aww. I can't wait for her to arrive at Whateley now, she seems like she would liven things up.

That same day
Whateley Academy
Near Dunwich, NH

Annalea in a tree and student watching, Pin Cushion having to deal with gossip about her family. Constant foul moods, Pin Cushion has money, is nuts aka a complete masochist, and cuts herself up in public because of her high regen, this girl needs serious help. Now the nut is going after UpBeat, a good idea to listen and be ready to help in case of a bullying situation.

Exemplar 2 with a body like that, UpBeat must be popular. Pin Cushion's first name is Ashleigh, Upbeat's is Tori, and Pin Cushion has serious issues to pick fights like this. Oh great, Pin Cushion is a living voodoo doll who can project her own pain into others, using pins to do it, I see why she gets called psycho.

Annalea to the rescue, pin knocked away and grabbing her head with one of her hand talons. Has to see her victims to use her power, a great way to block Pin Cushion's power, Annalea. Tori Richmond, nice full name for UpBeat. Disarm her and call security, smart. That is one terrifying bluff by Annalea. A nest in her room at Hawthorne, guess there was enough room.

She laughed at the absurdity of the day, and sighed as she realized that nothing would be routine or commonplace for her again. Like it or not, she was a mutant.

She is a lot more well-adjusted about this than some who don't even have GSD. She'd fit right in at Outcast Corner.

Meeting Annalea at the start of the story, you have to wonder what she went through to think no one would understand or could relate to it among the staff therapists. It was nice to see Mrs. Carson just out and about on campus, interacting with a student and showing why many think of her as a mother figure or even 2nd mother.

Annalea having to go through all that, the cruelty of the popular girl and guy both bullying her ticked me off enough I had to restrain myself from punching my monitor in an attempt to hit them. No one should be treated that way, ever. Then to see her go through this painful and drastic transformation, the mental and emotional pain just tugs at you as you wish you would do something, anything, to help her.

I'm glad she has her Aunt Sylvia and Roger there to watch over her, even the FBI agents keeping them safe from corrupt MCO agents. Each new surprise about Sylvia and Roger, well done. Her needing Roger's help to guide her to a chair at the hospital, but then letting Annalea going out onto the ranch grounds with her fooled me, I was sure he was a seeing-eye dog and Sylvia was blind until that happened. Then to learn about Sylvia's powers, plus how she lost her eyesight, I never suspected a thing. I'm glad Roger lived through that fight, he is such a good boy.

Annalea adapting to her changes shows something rarely done, the challenges of how a human would adjust to rapidly physiological changes. And it is done masterfully. Icarus Syndrome, an obvious thing I can't believe it has never come up before, just because you can suddenly fly doesn't negate any fear of potentially falling. And how Annalea overcame it was brilliantly done.

At first, I couldn't stand both Maggie and Chet for abandoning Annalea, but the more we learned about Chet, how he browbeat, bullied, and abused Maggie over the years you just wish you could end such a monster who destroys others' lives rather than take responsibility or blame for anything of his own. I wish that Maggie could have lived, that they could have found a way to make her purely flesh and blood again instead of what happened. But at least she died protecting those she loved from a monster who had controlled her for far too long and Annalea knows her mother loved her.

It is great to see Annalea being a bully buster but doing it in a way where she doesn't get in trouble.

Dr. Katerina Denova, please say we won't have to wait long to see her at Whateley interact with some of the students. She seems interesting, plus I wish to know what kind of GSD she has that Mrs. Carson would call her to be Annalea's therapist. Always such interesting looks at Whateley.

This was a great origin story and I can't wait to read more about Annalea in the future. I hope she can start to make some friends and open up to others.