Rob noted with some relief that her security pass hadn't been revoked yet, regardless of her current 'medical condition'. As such, she was able to
get into the Hollows without incident, and from there, it was easy enough to get out of Cherry Hills and into the quieter, abandoned parts of the zone.
She knew that her sisters would freak out, and likely use the Legendary computers to track her down, but dammit, she wasn't going to lose it and try to
kill herself, or something equally stupid. Mir was too worried to realize that, and while Ifrit knew Rob as well as she knew herself, there were times when the
fey succumbed to her mothering instincts, and that was the last thing the transformed hero-turned-heroine needed right now.
Ever since she'd gotten the chance at payback against the Family a week ago, she'd been quiet, obedient, listened to Ifrits gentle advice and done what
she was told. She'd let the fey take her shopping, teach her how to look after her new body (The discovery of how many soaps and shampoos that a catgirl
needed was... unnerving), and even relented and let the doctors poke and prod at her.
But since her change, she hadn't gotten a moment alone to herself, just to unwind and relax, to try not to focus on her problems. So, she'd snuck out
and made her way across town, feeling like a little kid sneaking out after curfew, and now, she was going to find a nice empty rooftop and relax.
Smiling at the feel of the sun, high in the sky on a clear spring day, Robert broke into a light jog, managing to ignore the sensations of bounces in strange
places, hips swiveling oddly, her tail waving. Grin widening, she moved from a jog to a run, slightly amazed by her speed. Maybe it was just the way she used
to be always running around in bulky armor, or maybe it was just her leaner build, but she felt faster then ever... and she liked it.
Sprinting down an empty road, she never even noticed as she dropped to all fours. She did notice when she jumped, bounced off an abandoned cars roof, and
landed on top of a nearby building. Blinking, she padded back to the edge and looked.
"I jumped... that?" she said softly, more then a hint of amazement in her voice. "Wow." She looked down for a moment longer, then studied
the rooftop. "Perfect," she said with satisfaction. The catgirl stretched, arching her back as far as she could, then stood up and tapped her watch.
The subspace storage cell inside promptly released its contents: a small fridge and a deck chair.
Setting those out on the rooftop, she tabbed the controls on her glove to unseal her body armor, removing it to reveal a modest bikini. Wearing it felt weird
as hell, but she could hardly kick back and relax in body armor now, could she? With a final stretch, she settled down on the deck chair, took a can of beer
out of the portable fridge, slipped on a pair of sunglasses and just let the world wait.
It was quieter here, she noticed. Ever since she'd woken up with fur and breasts, she'd been shocked at how loud the world had suddenly become. Cars,
trucks, planes... she honestly had to wonder how Alice and Sammy had tolerated it for so long. And the smell... she'd always thought that was normal...
although in this case, the Hollows wasn't better, thanks to the smell of the Hydra on the wind.
Still, even with the stench, this was the most relaxation she'd had all week. Drink in hand, eyes closed, the warmth of the sun playing over her body...
she smiled faintly, feeling an odd, but welcome, rumbling begin in her chest. Stretching again, the catgirl let her troubles just fade away.
It didn't matter. The confusion about who she was, who she was meant to be. The reactions of people that mattered to her. Disgust, sympathy, hatred, pity.
The humiliation of being different, of not being a man when everyone thought she should be. The question that Ifrits existence meant about her masculinity. The
future of Knight of the Peace, and what stepping into that title in her current form would mean, possibly forever.
Right not, here on this warm rooftop on a spring afternoon, it didn't matter. She was comfortable, she was content, and the rest could wait.
After a while though, a sound caught her attention. Ear twitching, she opened her eyes again and listened. Fighting, the sound of rocks and ice crashing
against pavement and flesh, and the angry yowl of a catgirl. Curious, she put the can down and got off the deckchair, padding over to the edge of the roof to
take a look. About a hundred meters down the street, a young looking dark-furred catgirl was fighting a group of Outcasts, a grin on her face.
Rob watched for a minute, her attention on the girl. For reasons she couldn't explain, something about the catgirl struck her as incredibly familar. Which
might not be entirely surprising. Riot had a lot of catgirls these days, the supergroups largest demographic behind the Sabres. Knight of the Peace could
easily have met her somewhere and simply mixed her in with the sea of people she knew only well enough to say 'hi' when they pass each other in the
street.
Still, Rob couldn't shake the feeling she should help. Chalking it up to a sense of responsibility, she went and packed up her gear and put her armor back
on, before jumping off the rooftop (Landing on all fours, naturally) and going to meet the girl. "Hey there," she smiled, getting there as the last
Outcast fell.
The girl looked up and smiled. "Oh hi!" she said, her obvious delighted mood making Rob feel better then and there. "Just finding out where
Frosty's hiding today."
"Not telling," groaned an Outcast. The girl kicked him again.
"I know a place we could hit," Rob nodded. "He hides out there on occasion."
"Great!" the girl smiled, hugging her. Rob returned the hug automatically, not finding it odd, but being struck by that sense of familiarity again.
"I'm Purrfect Shadow," she smiled.
"Knight of the Peace. Call me Robin," she said, never even noticing how her previous doubts with resuming her previous identity were forgotten the
moment she spoke to this girl.
get into the Hollows without incident, and from there, it was easy enough to get out of Cherry Hills and into the quieter, abandoned parts of the zone.
She knew that her sisters would freak out, and likely use the Legendary computers to track her down, but dammit, she wasn't going to lose it and try to
kill herself, or something equally stupid. Mir was too worried to realize that, and while Ifrit knew Rob as well as she knew herself, there were times when the
fey succumbed to her mothering instincts, and that was the last thing the transformed hero-turned-heroine needed right now.
Ever since she'd gotten the chance at payback against the Family a week ago, she'd been quiet, obedient, listened to Ifrits gentle advice and done what
she was told. She'd let the fey take her shopping, teach her how to look after her new body (The discovery of how many soaps and shampoos that a catgirl
needed was... unnerving), and even relented and let the doctors poke and prod at her.
But since her change, she hadn't gotten a moment alone to herself, just to unwind and relax, to try not to focus on her problems. So, she'd snuck out
and made her way across town, feeling like a little kid sneaking out after curfew, and now, she was going to find a nice empty rooftop and relax.
Smiling at the feel of the sun, high in the sky on a clear spring day, Robert broke into a light jog, managing to ignore the sensations of bounces in strange
places, hips swiveling oddly, her tail waving. Grin widening, she moved from a jog to a run, slightly amazed by her speed. Maybe it was just the way she used
to be always running around in bulky armor, or maybe it was just her leaner build, but she felt faster then ever... and she liked it.
Sprinting down an empty road, she never even noticed as she dropped to all fours. She did notice when she jumped, bounced off an abandoned cars roof, and
landed on top of a nearby building. Blinking, she padded back to the edge and looked.
"I jumped... that?" she said softly, more then a hint of amazement in her voice. "Wow." She looked down for a moment longer, then studied
the rooftop. "Perfect," she said with satisfaction. The catgirl stretched, arching her back as far as she could, then stood up and tapped her watch.
The subspace storage cell inside promptly released its contents: a small fridge and a deck chair.
Setting those out on the rooftop, she tabbed the controls on her glove to unseal her body armor, removing it to reveal a modest bikini. Wearing it felt weird
as hell, but she could hardly kick back and relax in body armor now, could she? With a final stretch, she settled down on the deck chair, took a can of beer
out of the portable fridge, slipped on a pair of sunglasses and just let the world wait.
It was quieter here, she noticed. Ever since she'd woken up with fur and breasts, she'd been shocked at how loud the world had suddenly become. Cars,
trucks, planes... she honestly had to wonder how Alice and Sammy had tolerated it for so long. And the smell... she'd always thought that was normal...
although in this case, the Hollows wasn't better, thanks to the smell of the Hydra on the wind.
Still, even with the stench, this was the most relaxation she'd had all week. Drink in hand, eyes closed, the warmth of the sun playing over her body...
she smiled faintly, feeling an odd, but welcome, rumbling begin in her chest. Stretching again, the catgirl let her troubles just fade away.
It didn't matter. The confusion about who she was, who she was meant to be. The reactions of people that mattered to her. Disgust, sympathy, hatred, pity.
The humiliation of being different, of not being a man when everyone thought she should be. The question that Ifrits existence meant about her masculinity. The
future of Knight of the Peace, and what stepping into that title in her current form would mean, possibly forever.
Right not, here on this warm rooftop on a spring afternoon, it didn't matter. She was comfortable, she was content, and the rest could wait.
After a while though, a sound caught her attention. Ear twitching, she opened her eyes again and listened. Fighting, the sound of rocks and ice crashing
against pavement and flesh, and the angry yowl of a catgirl. Curious, she put the can down and got off the deckchair, padding over to the edge of the roof to
take a look. About a hundred meters down the street, a young looking dark-furred catgirl was fighting a group of Outcasts, a grin on her face.
Rob watched for a minute, her attention on the girl. For reasons she couldn't explain, something about the catgirl struck her as incredibly familar. Which
might not be entirely surprising. Riot had a lot of catgirls these days, the supergroups largest demographic behind the Sabres. Knight of the Peace could
easily have met her somewhere and simply mixed her in with the sea of people she knew only well enough to say 'hi' when they pass each other in the
street.
Still, Rob couldn't shake the feeling she should help. Chalking it up to a sense of responsibility, she went and packed up her gear and put her armor back
on, before jumping off the rooftop (Landing on all fours, naturally) and going to meet the girl. "Hey there," she smiled, getting there as the last
Outcast fell.
The girl looked up and smiled. "Oh hi!" she said, her obvious delighted mood making Rob feel better then and there. "Just finding out where
Frosty's hiding today."
"Not telling," groaned an Outcast. The girl kicked him again.
"I know a place we could hit," Rob nodded. "He hides out there on occasion."
"Great!" the girl smiled, hugging her. Rob returned the hug automatically, not finding it odd, but being struck by that sense of familiarity again.
"I'm Purrfect Shadow," she smiled.
"Knight of the Peace. Call me Robin," she said, never even noticing how her previous doubts with resuming her previous identity were forgotten the
moment she spoke to this girl.