:Lacrimosa:

[r y n t h a e]

Plantlife fanned out throughout the old building, branches arching upwards, grass having wormed its way upwards through the flooring as well. Seemingly unperturbed by his surroundings, a young man with fairly long white hair and an attractive appearance was seated at a cracked reading table, ivy wrapped around the legs of his chair. Books in varying conditions were sprawled out over the table's surface; some were completely undamaged, while others were warped and barely readable as if they had been soaked in water.

The young man, Dr. Cornelius White, wore a white labcoat over his suit and had a pair of reading glasses perched on his nose, his green eyes skimming over the contents of one of the books, hoping to learn something new, to gain new perspective....

He had a pen in one hand, poised near a sheaf of papers which was littered with neatly-written notes and ideas. The shapeshifters.... he was just beginning to understand how they had begun, and how they worked, but despite his vivisections and experiments, he still couldn't truly map out just what made them tick. The other races... they had been much more straight-forward. But the shapeshifters seemed so mythical and impossible! Surely there was a scientific explanation... and a hint to that explanation, hidden somewhere in the pages of this library.

[Serilda]

She moved along the ground silently and stealthy heading toward the library. Not one of her favorite places to go but she liked to read through some of the books. Her tail balanced between her back legs. Ears catching even the slightest sounds her eyes finally caught sight of the building.

Serilda stopped a few feet from the building still in the shadows and looked around smelling a human. She refused to like them after her all the experiments she went through. Sniffing she moved to a tree and jumped to a branch getting a better view. She spotted him sitting in a chair with some papers and books on the desk in front of him. Her eyes recognized the the white lab coat. Serila's ears went back and she let out a high hiss loud enough for anyone to hear.

She disliked anybody with a white lab coat on. But to her he looked like he was very much interested in whatever he was doing. Standing up on the branch she was on her eyes saw that she was right below a table. Twitching her tail she looked back at the man whos back was turned toward her. Taking a step forward on the branch she moved out the shadows and jumped to the table quietly. Her tail knocking some old papers to the floor.

[r y n t h a e]

Dr. White looked up, mildly surprised, as a loud hiss resonated through the old building. Slipping a hand into his pocket, he stealthily slid out a gun, and just in time; a jaguar the color of night landed deftly on the table that he had been using, tail lashing angrily as his notes and a few of the more fragile books fell to the floor with the rustling of paper. Sighing, he took the safety off of his gun, pointing it straight at her. "My, my. Look who we have here." A small smile tugged at his lips.

"Funny," he commented, almost off-hand. "Jaguars aren't native, around here. Even if they were, this is extremely unusual behavior for one. That can only mean one thing... Shifter." Giving a winning, innocent smile, he kept the gun pointed straight at her chest. Upon closer inspection, a small needle protruded from the funny-looking barrel; it was a tranquilizer gun. "I don't suppose you came here looking for help?"

The white-haired doctor's charming smile completely hid his thoughts, as he wondered whether this new Shifter might just be the one to help him map out how this strange race really works.

[Serilda]

Serilda saw him slip his hand into his pocket as she landed on the desk. Her eyes went to the gun then his own eyes as he said that jaguars weren't native here and said she was a shifter. Blinking her tail went left then right slightly calm. Serila had no intention on attacking him. "Yea you are right I don't seek any kinds of help from likes of you or anyone else" she thought to herself not expecting him to hear her. Her ears went back as she eyed the gun quickly seeing the needle.

Quickly she jumped over him and landed on the ground. "This shifter has a name too" she thought annoyed. Sure that's what she was but she had a name like anybody else would. Her eyes watched him closely as she went down the rows of shelves closer to the ground. Snorting with a slight purr of satification she reach out with a paw her class catching the top edge of a book. Pulling back her paw the book fell to the floor.

Brown eyes looking back at the scientist she shifted to her wolf form. Shaking her body quickly she picked up the book in her jaws and took off down a couple rows and to some stairs. Going to a second level she turned her head back looking over the edge of a rail to see if he was following. If he was it wouldn't be a problem getting away from him.

[r y n t h a e]

Dr. White gave a small chuckle, seeing her unusual behavior. His telepathy was enough to cue him in on her thoughts, and he replied to them aloud: "How am I to know what name to call you by, if you won't give it to me?" His voice was deceptively gentle and sincere as he pocketed the tranquilizer. Taking a moment to pick up his scattered notes and fold them carefully into the messenger bag he was carrying, he left the books open on the table, hoping to get back to them soon. He followed Serilda, now a wolf, curious to see where this was headed.

"What have you got in mind for me...?" He mused, a bit playfully, green eyes seeming to sparkle with laughter. He took the steps up to the second level, following her at a walk, unconcerned that she might leave him behind.

[Serilda]

Her ears heard him say "How am I to know what name to call you by, if you won't give it to me?" She looked at him shocked and thought "You can hear me?" Her tail wagged slightly as she saw him put away his gun and follow her up the stairs asking what she had in mind for him. She watched him as he kind of reminded her of the last scientist she ran into and wagged her tail gently.

Then she shook her head thinking "No...no...can't let that happen again" Going off to her right she thought to herself for a moment. Maybe this one wasn't like the last scientist. Looking back over her shoulder she looked him over and said "I go by Rose mostly" answering his first question.

Turning her head back she answered his second question. "Nothing mearly...but I have a question" Her claws stopped clicking across the floor and she turned around "Why do you scientists use us for experiments? We want nothing to do with all those painful tests...the ones who don't want a cure" Dropping the book she had in jaws she sat down curling her tail around her paws.

[r y n t h a e]

Dr. White offered a soft smile in response. "When you think so loudly, dear, I can't help but hear you," he replied. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Rose. I'm Cornelius, although most people simply call me by my last name: White. Either is fine, of course." Brushing back an errant strand of silky, white hair, he watched her with vivid green eyes. Pausing to consider her question, he took a moment before responding.

Running a hand through his hair, an old habit, he told her: "so much has changed, in so little time. It's difficult for most people to really appreciate just how much. The human race... it should have ended. Instead, there were adaptations, and now, new races. Even regular humans, such as myself, are practically super-human compared to our predecessors. Your kind, though, is nothing less than amazing."

"There is so much that we don't know. More than that, almost everything that has been learned before, is no longer valid in this changed world, with its changed people. Medicine itself will once again fall victim to the ignorance of the medieval ages, if we don't work hard to learn everything over again. In some ways, it already has. 'Healers' of today have virtually replaced doctors. Yet... most don't even possess knowledge of basic antibiotics, or sterile procedure."

"There are other reasons, of course, too. While some of the changes that this age has seen have been extraordinary and beneficial, they may also turn on the race whom they characterize. For instance, take the therians. Even now they struggle, and often attack people blindly due to their changed genetic coding. Think how badly things may turn, if it continues to go in that direction.... Or, for your kind. What if you could no longer hold a form solidly, and were ever-changing? You'd die, defenseless to your environment and unable to take sustenance."

"There is also the Disease, to worry about. It is changing, mutating so quickly.... if we don't find a cure, all of these brave new races may be lost. Only the avians are immune, after all.... and yet, we still don't know why...."

[Serilda]

Serilda listened to him quietly as he explained on all things that could happen. She thought everything through carefully her tail now beating gently against the floor. "Alright, then why not just experiment on the Avians? If they're immune then why not them?" Her eyes went to the book at her paws. It was about the Avians, one of the books she liked to read about. Looking back at Cornelius she took a paw and pushed it across the floor toward his feet.

"Why not learn all there is about them...have you tried blood samples from all the other races and seeing what makes them different from the Avians?" she asked. Serilda was no scientist but she was smart enough to try and think of new things. Her ear twitched hearing something shuffle across the floor and sniffed slightly not really paying attention to it. Then she spoke again standing up going down a row again shifting to her jaguar again.

"Find what makes the Avians different from my kind and the others...pretty sure you'll find a cure" she said jumping on a nearby table and sitting down licking the front of her paw and taking it across her face. Her stomach slightly growled but she ignored it. If she payed attention to it she wouldn't be able to go without food.

[r y n t h a e]

Completely opposite to what he truly felt inside, Dr. White's expression reflected regret, his faint smile sorrowful and pained, like that of a man who had found that he'd become the very thing he hated. He was, if nothing else, a good actor. Shoulders shaking faintly, he replied quietly, voice husky as if threatened by tears. "You're right.... of course, your right.... we could learn everything we needed, from simple blood samples -- DNA profiling, specific pathogens...." He paused, frowning in thought. "There is an avian at the lab... and I think we already have some vampiric samples, as well as therian. I can, of course, provide blood for the standard human sub-race." He bit his lower lip, deep in thought, but shook his head. "Any shifter who has checked in or been brought in, however.... doesn't tend to stick around. People have been saying things, and with that kind of discouragement, we simply don't have the means to keep a Shifter there, even for their own good. Without a blood sample, I can only speculate.... and a cure could never truly be reached."

He trailed off, eyes distant, wistful, as if seeing a future even darker and more shattered than the current times. The sorrowful expression was a mere mask to the inner workings of his mind, however. If he weren't putting on this show, he would be grinning even now. Most likely, Rose would offer to give the sample herself. Then, it would be simple, getting her to the hospital, for more than just a simple blood test....

And, if not, well.... he still had the tranquilizer gun within easy reach.

[Serilda]

Serilda heard him say that they had blood samples of the other races and that without one from a shifter he could only speculate and go from there. She felt somewhat bad. Her mind was telling her to help him out by getting a sample from her. But from the last experence she had from a scientist it was only pain from her. Her tail twitched annoyed but unsure of what to do.

Looking at him she could see that his eyes were somewhat distant. Ears slightly going back she hated when something just stuck with her until something else took its place. Closing her eyes for a moment she remembered the pain she had went through. She had been lucky enough to bust her way the first time. Opening her eyes she slightly looked off to the side.

She didn't like helping others but if she did there was a possability that a cure would be made. Sinking her claws in the table she was on she shook her head. There were other shifters would would probably help. Jumping from the table she went over to him slightly touching him saying "Dont worry you'll find a shifter who'd be willing to eventually" Her guard was somewhat down so she didn't know what he would say....or do next.

[r y n t h a e]

Dr. White gave a resigned smile, pulling the tranquilizer gun out again, and pointing it at her steadily. Squeezing the trigger, a needle shot out of the end to sink deeply into her flank as he put the safety back on and slipped it into his pocket, stepping closer to Rose. "The funny thing is, Rose... it doesn't really matter, willing or not." He gave a macabe smile, crouching down close to her, although still out of immediate reach. "Not only that, but blood tests really only say so much.... the gross anatomy can only be determined by dissection and vivisection... xrays, and other things. The effect of chemicals and radiation are inconclusive upon blood of each race... no, we need to see the bigger picture."

He gave a dazzling, charming smile, running a hand through his snow-white hair. Quite in contrast to his sweet tone of voice and charismatic smile, he told her, "Not only that, my dear, but I don't think you'll ever understand the pleasure I take in having another person so completely under my control, at the mercy of my whim... and then there's the intoxicating lure of knowledge...." He trailed off, his expression distant again, imagining it.

[Serilda]

She felt something pierce her flank and whipped her head around quickly hearing Cornelius say it disnt matter willing to or not. She saw him crouch down beside her say "Not only that, but blood tests really only say so much.... the gross anatomy can only be determined by dissection and vivisection... xrays, and other things. The effect of chemicals and radiation are inconclusive upon blood of each race... no, we need to see the bigger picture." Her eyes caught the end of something In her flank her eyes went wide.

She hissed loudly seeing him do a dazzling smile and run his hand through his white hair. Taking a paw she attended to claw his face off but he was out of reach. Turning back around she started go back to the stairs. When she got to them they seemed to move in her eyes. Trying to shake her head clear she started going down nearly falling down them. When she reached the bottom she somewhat swayed to her right. Cursing to herself she couldn't believe she had done it again. She was going to mind her own business gettingthe book she usually read.

Then she heard him say "Not only that, my dear, but I don't think you'll ever understand the pleasure I take in having another person so completely under my control, at the mercy of my whim... and then there's the intoxicating lure of knowledge...."Serila shook her head hissing and made her way toward a table ducking under it. Sinking to the floor her eyes started to get heavy. Shifting to her wolf form she growled baring her teeth. "You're a fool to think that I will let you keep me at that death place"

Her eyes started to close shut now "You've made a huge mistake scientist, Cornelius..." she said trailing off. Now she considered him definitely on her death wish like the first scientist she met.

[r y n t h a e]

Dr. White chuckled, a feral gleam in his eyes as he watched her succumbing to the effects of the tranquilizer. She'd put up an entertaining game, but in the end, he had never intended to simply let her walk away. Watching with curiosity as she changed forms from that of a panther to that of a white wolf, he smiled sweetly at her. "On the contrary, my dear, I believe I've stumbled across a rare treat, in you."

He waited until he saw her eyes drooping, loosing their light and attentiveness, and then straightened up. Still keeping a wary eye on her, he slipped a still-working cellphone out of his pocket. There were perks to working for Mercy Hospital; the biggest was the preservation of technology.

"Ivan? This is White. I've got a Shifter down at the old library, if you'd like to send someone to pick us up."

When Rose awoke... it would be in a too-white observation chamber which smelled faintly of bleach, and had a one-way window along one of the walls. There would be a few 'rooms' in the observation, separated by partial dividers, including a bathroom, a sparse and white bedroom with two beds, an unwelcoming lounge area with white furniture, and a dining area, wherein a small one-way panel would occasionally open to admit a tray of bland food.