Kouen Hitokage -M-
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Slowly I regained counciousness, my head throbbing perhaps from when I had fallen. I felt light and the reason soon became clear as I finally noticed I was floating in a some sort of liquid. What was equally surprisingly and a hell of a lot more shocking was my reflection in the glass in front of me. Staring back at me was not my human face, but that of a lizard of some sort. In fact, I looked just like the lizard men I had been admiring on the cover before all this had happened. My arms had been chained tightly to the roof of the tube I was in so I was unable to use them for now. What in the hell had happened to me?

Deciding to leave that for later, I focused on the problem at hand - getting out of this tube. Wiggling around I noticed a heavy weight on my lower back (my tail I belatedly realized) and that my legs had not been chained down. Putting them to the back of the tube, I pushed off and struck the glass in front of me with both legs. No success. I repeated my actions, each strike slowly forming a crack against the glass. With a final slam, for a breif moment the whole tube lit by some bright flame, the tube shattered and I slumped out the liquid spilling out all around me.

On solid ground, I gained more leverage and flexing newly gained muscle I ripped my chains free from the tubes. Looking around I noticed others, one that looked vaguely similair to me and the rest differnt anthros. It seemed I was the last to free myself from the tubes. Before I could ask any of them if they knew what had happened a pair of guards walked as an alarm blared loudly. Globs of some metallic substance filled the air as the bird-guards opened fire on us.

Barely dodging their first volley, I ducked down and charged the guards furiously. It was an amazing feeling, my body felt as if it was brimming with energy and my reflexes were surprisingly sharp as I nimbly dodged the next shot aimed for me. With a spring of my muscular legs I cleared the space between us, slashing down with one of my newly clawed hands. It rip through the bird's beak, nearly ripping it clean off, and my hand suddenly became slick. The bird stiffened as if paralyzed before collapsing with some blood dripping down its face. A part of me was horrified at what I had done, but I realized that it was for the best. Glancing at the blood-stained claw, I pondered why he had done that. Was my skin poisonous?

Turning, I swung the claw at the guard next to the fallen one, his comrade obviously surprised by my attack. I went straight for his neck, my now oily hand touching the visible skin there. The bird convulsed and stiffened like his dead fellow and I allowed him to drop to the floor. Obviously it was a paralyzing toxin that attacked a creatures nervous system. Of course I had no idea just how fatal it could be or whether or not I constantly secreted the substance.

The battle soon finished, one of the other breaking open a window for us to escape. Once again I was the last to jump out, hitting the ground with an oomph. Another one, who looked like a vulture, quickly rapped out orders and I quickly followed. Sometimes its better to just go with the flow and let others tell you what to do. In any case my body seemed itching for a fight and I welcomed the chance to test this new body.

Rapidly I found out the limits of my skill as the first waves of raven guards hit the line. I had noticed the others firing blasts of ice and creating shields based on other elements, so I too did the same. Focusing on my palm, I felt energy build up until with a spark a small ball of fire appeared in my hand. Grinning a toothy grin I let loose the ball, the ball smashing into unprotected face of one of the guards. Exploding it lit his feathers on fire sending him stumbling back into his fellows. "Alright now that was cool!" I muttered to myself before leaping into the melee another ball of fire blazing to life in my palms.

Soon enough we realized the futility of just defeating all the guards as their numbers seemed endless. A voice cut through the air and turning back I saw a strange anthro pointing towards a stretch of woodland nearby. Nodding to myself I immediately sent a pair of blazing fireballs into the oncoming guards before turning and bounding for the area. Rushing through the trees and twigs, I only stopped after I could no longer see the structure nor any of the guards behind me. I placed a hand on a nearby tree to steady myself as I regained my breath as others did the same.

Looking up, I saw what seemed like a shadow drop down from the trees, striking one of my companions down. "SCATTER!" I roared as I felt something fall behind me. Acting on instinct, I lashed out with my tail which knocked the wind out of the cloaked figure that had come behind me. Flailing wildly with the chains on my arms, I was able to keep most of them back. "Geez don't you gu-" There was a sharp pain in the back of my skull and for the second time I found myself losing counciousness.

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Groggily I awakened, once again a prisoner judging from the way the way the door shut behind the figures and it being the only way out. I placed a hand on my head shaking it to find some semblance of order. Some of the others were already awake and apparently sorting out clothes from a pile in the corner. Sitting up and leaning against the nearest wall, I spoke my thoughts outloud. "Is anyone else here sick of being knocked out and dragged around?"

Those that were awake looked at me, some with rueful smiles. Grinning back I got to my feet to go search the clothes pile..