Bitch has been born

As I told earlier, I’m very vicious fighter. I love to fight and cause pain to those who oppose me. I remember Luis’s team calling me a bitch several times. Luis himself called me Lily-Ann. His team didn't. Even though they didn't speak English, they knew the word bitch, and they used it. I think they tried to hurt me with their words. Luis tried to make them stop, but words couldn't hurt me. Actually I know I’m bitchy. I’m more than bitchy. After learning how the word was used, I knew I could use that as a name. It gives some impression of me at first. Of course, my actions speak for themselves, but I can be quite harsh on my words as well.

I didn't have a name when I was in the laboratory. Luis told me that they used numbers. I was number 28. That has a nasty sound to it, for me. Test Subject No. 28. Maybe I’ll get all my torturers in a line and give them numbers. And then kill them slowly, one by one. That’s why I started learning about toxins. People die too quickly when you cut them open. I have tried it, with people, rats, dogs, you name it. I have never met any creature capable of healing as fast as me before. Actually, I’m not quite sure. I have a memory of a vampire, but I’m not sure if it’s real or something I saw from TV.

The life in the laboratory left me with lots of scars. I don’t scar easily. I have tried that also. I have cut my own hand open to see if it scars, but it doesn't. I think the scars occur when I have been mortally wounded, or the wound has been made to the same place over and over again. That’s what happened in the laboratory. The most vicious-looking scar is on my head. It goes from the back of my head to the top of my head. It looks nasty, even in my leopard-form. The leopard-fur covers most of the smaller scars, but the scar on my head is visible. There is no fur on the scar.

After starting my job as a runner in Seattle I have managed to get more scars to my body. I have a scar on my forehead, because some robot tried to do surgery on me. It never got further than cutting my head open. It healed before the robot could do anything else. It’s a story about Renraku Arcology, and that’s an interesting story for sure. Let’s leave that for later.

I have several gunshot wounds all over my body. The most recent ones came from assault rifles, the bullets went right through me. Boy do I feel sorry for the shooters.

I didn't have a good style when I was in the other country with Luis. I normally was dressed in jeans, simple shirts and jackets. I had good shoes for running, and a shotgun in my bag. When Luis got me a claymore, I had to get a new belt to carry it as well. It is normally located on my back.

When I got to Seattle, I had found my style. I used to shave my head so that only some of my hair was there. It was a mohawk. The hair covered the scar, and the rest of my head was bare. Sometimes I used hair-gel to get the hair pointing up. My hair is naturally black. I don’t know what happens if I would color my hair and then change forms. Would the color stay on the head of my leopard-form, or disappear completely? I don’t know. I don’t care.

I wore leather-clothes. I had black leather-pants and a long leather-coat. The coat was a weak armor against bullets, but it was good enough. I had also gotten me combat boots. They were good and strong shoes with attitude. I didn't look like someone you wanted to meet in the middle of the night on a dark alley.

I used to carry all my weaponry with me. My shotgun in a duffel-bag, sword on my back. I had a tomahawk and a long knife on my belt. When I went to jobs I had my full arsenal with me. Oh, and I almost forgot my explosives. I carry some explosives with me at all times. I believe that if everything else fails, I can just explode the shit out of everything. It has worked before...

Nowadays my style is not that distinctive anymore. I have more hair on my head, and I sometimes have to leave my weapons at home because my team doesn't allow me to take a shotgun to Seattle Downtown. I still wear leather pants and combat boots and some shirts and leather jacket. I have to have attitude to be a leader.

The Astral Plane

I have told previously that I can see things normal people can’t. When I studied things about paranormal animals, I learned that some of them are magical, and they are called dual-beings. They exist on both the physical plane and the astral plane at the same time. Well, every living thing exists on both planes at the same time, but normal people are not active in the Astral Plane. They are just simple auras that can’t be interacted with without magic.

I believe that the Astral Plane is experienced differently by everyone who sees it. I used to see it as a bluish, wavy world. Living things shone brightly there. Nowadays, after my vision got damaged, I see only light grey world. I can still easily tell the worlds apart. If the Astral Plane starts to be a problem, I can wear glasses. I have noticed that I can’t see the Astral Plane through glass.

All shapeshifters are dual-beings. The ones that are magically active can mask their auras to look like human auras. I can never do that. My true self is clearly visible to all who can see into the Astral Plane.

Spirits live in the Astral Plane. At least that’s what I think. I sometimes see spirits flying by. They rarely stop or are interested about me. I have noticed that my claws are very strong against spirits. It has something to do with me being a dual-being. Normal weapons don’t do much damage to spirits, but my claws, that are simultaneously in the physical and the astral worlds, strike with their full power. I think my claws are magical weapons against spirits.

It’s not the best possible thing to be a dual-being. I can be strong against spirits, but it’s also a problem. I can’t get out from the Astral Plane. Spirits that are only in the Astral Plane can attack me. They can’t attack normal people, who are not active in the Astral Plane. Spirits are more dangerous for me when they are only in the Astral Plane. They are faster, they can fly around and attack silently. I can’t leave my physical body as some shamans or mages can, so I’m always bound to remain active in both planes. I remain vulnerable to attacks coming from everywhere. And of course, I can’t hide well from things that can see the Astral Plane. I shine in the Astral Plane. But that makes it easy for me to spot magically hidden things. They shine too.

Memories from the lab & Other traits

Even though I am physically strong and able to defend and take care of myself, I have weaknesses. I have found out that me being a shapeshifter makes me weak to gold. I have a very severe vulnerability. Gold wounds me. I have also heard that other shifters are not vulnerable to gold, they are vulnerable to silver. Leopard-shapeshifters have this unique vulnerability. I have not tried to touch golden objects myself, but I believe it can be painful.

I have noticed that living in the laboratory has left its marks on me as well. The constant smell of disinfectant has burned itself inside my memories. Sometimes, when I smell strong disinfectant, I return to the laboratory table. The memories are so realistic that it makes me shiver, shake and cry. It makes me sick to think about this. I’m a strong person, not a crybaby, but I can’t help it.

Other thing I think I got from the laboratory is claustrophobia. It is very difficult for me to go inside small places. I hate sitting in a car or in an elevator. It makes me edgy and jumpy and nervous. I find it difficult to make decisions or do anything that needs focusing. It also kinda takes me back to the laboratory. I feel trapped. I need to get out to think clearly.

I have noticed that sharpening or cleaning my sword makes me feel calm. Whenever I don’t have anything to do or something to focus on I need my sword. I sharpen it, I clean it. If I’m not able to do that, I get very anxious and annoying. I think it was from my days after the lab. I didn't know what to do, so I took knives and other edged equipment and cleaned them. And Luis had taught me to sharpen them too. I’m sure it had something to do with the fact that I’m feline. I like sharpening my claws.

I have a very good memory. Some people would say I have a photographic memory. I find it useful. I have memorized the people’s eyes, and I will never forget them as long as I live. I have also memorized some other faces during my life in Seattle. I have an unofficial list I’m keeping, and I call it ”People to kill before I die”. I have prioritized it. The first ones are my torturers, and then some runners, an elf from the elf-country that seems to be a coward, and then, of course, Billy. I don’t go by the lists order; I cross names when it’s possible. Right now it seems that I will cross Billy’s name from there next. But I’ll get to that later.

My sense of timing is also very accurate. I think it goes back to the days in the laboratory. I stared at the clock on the wall, counted seconds and wished I was dead. I can just wait a while, and I can tell how many minutes have passed. That is why I’m never late. I hate being late and now that I have a chance to affect my goings; I will go by the clock. As a runner I have had many meetings with many Mr. Johnson, and I have never been late. I might have been a bit unresponsive or not very sociable, but I have been there.

I am also very perceptive. I will notice many things other people don’t notice. Maybe it is also from my days in the laboratory, or maybe I was born with it. I had to try and distract myself from the pain. I counted seconds, I memorized the torturers eyes and voices, and I noticed lots of differences. I could say if their voices were sure, or unsure. I knew if they had something troubling them. I didn't know the reasons; I only heard and saw the changes.

Finally to Seattle

After I was skilled with pole arms, edged weapons, shotguns and unarmed combat, Luis said that we needed to move. He said that we were about to be revealed, so we should leave the country. I had read about U.C.A.S., and it sounded cool. New places and new faces. Seattle would be our new address.

Because I wasn't a human, or a citizen in any country, Luis thought to be best to smuggle me into Seattle. It went well, and after a while I was living in a new place with Luis. He said that Seattle offered more opportunities to me as well, because here people spoke English.