Lost Memories

A middle aged Japanese woman smiled, kneeling down in her purple dress next to a heavily dressed child. Even though this bundle of clothing was almost her height, she still knelt, turning it to face her with a mother’s touch.

“Now Klork,” she smiled, “When you get to New York, there will be a man waiting for you, he’ll take care of you, all right?”

The clothing laden boy nodded slowly, face unseen by the heavy hat, scarf and sunglasses he wore.

“Why do I have to go?” he murmured, the voice that of a ten-year-old.

Thera sighed, running a hand through her silver highlighted brown hair, her own eyes hidden by sunglasses.

“Because he’ll train you more than I ever could…you’re already passed my level of teaching…”

Klork sank a little…only nodding slightly before he was nearly tackled backwards in a hug.

“Miss you Klorkie—don’t knock any lamps over with that tail of yours!”

Thera blinked, immediately putting a hand over her daughter’s mouth…the seven-year-old ermphed, pulling back with an indignant look to her mother…a lock of green hair slipping from beneath her 49er’s baseball cap.

“Miss you too, Kame…” Klork sighed as he tried to steady himself in the massive amounts of clothing he was wearing to hide his identity. Being a humanoid cat definitely had its down sides.

“Train 342 to New York City is now boarding…”

Kameko Shikiba frowned, backing up a step and taking her mother’s hand, letting Klork pass by. He paused momentarily to smile wistfully up at his adoptive mother, letting a slight wink slip from behind his sunglasses to adoptive sister.

Thera sighed, watching the boy she had raised for five years board the train. Remembering the stories she had been told of his previous dimension…the loss of his parents and how she found him running from the police on the docks of San Francisco when he was only five made her want to cry at how she knew she would miss him. She only hoped that he would make it there safely…and without being discovered and prayed he’d be delivered into open arms that would accept him.

“Are you lost, little boy?”

Klork looked up, his eyes meeting through sunglasses with a lady in her late fifties. Her skin was dark as was her hair, silver streaking throughout it. Over her shoulder stood a man who was balding in his age, hair completely silver over his tanned skin.

“No…” he said quietly, hands sweating nervously, “I’m supposed to be waiting for somebody…”

Olivia Salvatore looked back at her husband, brow furrowing slightly in worry before looking back to Klork.

“Honey,” she whispered, “How long have you been waiting?”

Klork shifted, wanting to trust her, but fearing to let her know anything.

“Seven hours,” he murmured.

Ricardo Salvatore snorted, pocketing his hands as he looked around, sitting down beside Klork.

“You been’ waiting for a long time,” he noted, “Don’tcha think?”

Klork shrugged, watching Olivia sit down on the other side of him.

“D’ya mind if we sit here wit’ya?” Ricardo asked, the mustache on his upper lip twitching a little. Klork shrugged again.

“Do you mind if I ask what your name is?” Olivia said, her voice was smooth, making Klork just want to curl up in her side and fall asleep. He looked up at her, face completely hidden.

“Klork,” he muttered, “Klork Curric…”

Ricardo nodded, standing up. “I’m gonna go check n’ see if somebody’s lookin’ for ya, oke’ Klork?” The bundle of clothing nodded.

Olivia watched her husband go along each person, asking them and sinking a little when they would shake their head. She looked down at the boy, curiosity piping as she observed his massive amounts of clothing. Trying to reason out why he was dressed that way, Olivia finally came to the conclusion that he had to be one of those mutants she had heard so much about in the news lately. She noted how he seemed to be very evasive of her and her husband, suddenly feeling very sorry for the boy. He had come on a train from God knows where and had sat here for seven hours waiting for somebody who more then likely wouldn’t show.

“If the person doesn’t pick you up,” she leaned over…whispering, “We can take you home for the night…and first thing tomorrow we can start looking.”

Klork froze, eyes widening as he looked up at her. The tone in her voice made him want to trust her, and her eyes seemed honest. Her and her husband certainly didn’t look like the type to harm him. He assumed he was more afraid of what their reaction might be to his appearance.

“I…I don’t think you want me to…” he finally managed out, but the expression on Olivia’s face stayed intent.

“I understand you’re afraid to show yourself,” she whispered, “But I won’t be afraid…and I won’t harm you.”

“Nobody knows of im’,” Ricardo said, kneeling down, “An’ it’s gettin’ late…you wan’ come home with us for now?”

Klork furrowed his brow, looking between the two before finally giving up, nodding slowly and pushing himself off of the bench. Olivia picked up his bags and Ricardo led the way…not knowing the surprise that would be unbundled for them later…and not even fathoming the impact that he would have on their life.

Klork stretched, his black hair cut evenly just below his shoulders sweeping against the back of his chair. Blue eyes were bright, the skin surrounding them coated with a smooth white and gray fur that covered his entire body. Claws unsheathed from his fingertips as he stretched his hands out, flexing them before sheathing again…picking up a pencil and writing in Japanese.

Dear Mom,

It’s been forever since I’ve seen you and Kame…well, five years to be precise. I do miss you, and I promise as soon as I can I will visit. Ricardo and Olivia have taken care of me well…I just wish that I could have found that guy you sent me here to find. Apparently he forgot to pick me up or something…

My English is getting a little better, but Japanese still comes a lot easier when it comes to writing. For my fifteenth birthday Olivia and Ricardo gave me a desk so I could study more…heh, you think they’re hinting or something?

Anyway, I just thought I’d write a small letter to let you know that I’m doing ok. Take care mom! Tell Kame I said hi!

Love,
Klork

PS: Did you get my last letter? You didn’t reply…

Klork put the pencil down, folding the paper and stuffing it into the envelope. He wrote in sloppy English the address and then hopped up, pushing out of his room and down the stairs.

“Where are you off to so early, Klork?”

He paused momentarily when he saw Olivia working on the dishes from breakfast earlier in the morning. He smirked, pulling his boots, a long trench coat with hood and scarf on.

“Going to send a letter out,” he smirked, “You have any stamps?”

Olivia smirked, wiping her hands off on a towel and then went over to her purse, pulling out a small book of stamps, holding one up on the tip of her finger for him to take. He smirked, taking it with his claws and sticking it to the envelope in an effort to not pull any fur from his fingertips.

“You’d best be back soon,” she smiled, “Ricardo and I have plans for you, birthday boy…”

Klork smiled, tugging his leather gloves on with a grin. “Yes m’am.”

With that he was out the door, making his way down the crowded street to the post office, letter tucked in his pocket. It took him about forty minutes to walk all the way there, taking the back alleys the entire way to avoid conflict in broad day light. Once his letter was put into the out-going mail, he began his trek home, once again sticking to the alleys. He was about halfway home when something stopped him…a gut feeling had him paralyzed in his tracks, eyes wide and fearing. But nobody was there…

Klork’s brow furrowed, his instincts never threw him for a loop like this before, and he remained puzzled as he looked around. After a few minutes he coaxed himself into walking again, his footsteps in a more hurried pace now. Something suddenly hit his stomach, causing the wind to leave his pipes as he tumbled to the ground, wide eyes searching everywhere for the source. Nothing…

Blue eyes closed as he went to stand…but the same feeling sent him to his knees again. This time there was pain, curling up deep in his stomach and spreading through out his veins. He wanted to cry out, but he choked on his own words when he saw his hand…the fur that once coated it disappearing and smoothing out into lightly tanned skin.

What the hell…?!

He could feel his entire body changing, his tail disappearing…his whiskers falling to the ground and his ears lowering on his head. Every bit of him was in pain or tingling with a new sensation. So many things awakening in him sent him to the ground, almond shaped blue eyes closing at the sign of him giving up to the pain.

“Klork?” she whispered. The teenage boy shifted, black hair sprawled out over his pillow to frame a strong-jawed face. He grimaced when he was nudged, blue eyes opening up to see a worried Olivia hovering over him.

“Oh God,” she murmured, “It is you, isn’t it?” She kept her brown eyes locked on his … Klork’s brow furrowing.

“What happened…?” he muttered, squinting at the light. Olivia shrugged, brow furrowed as she dimmed the lights for him.

“I’m not sure,” she whispered, “How do you feel?”

Klork slowly sat up, leaning heavily on his elbows. He watched her come over and take his hand, as if inspecting it for any bit of fur that might remain. She slipped a mirror into his hand, watching him quietly.

“What’s this for…?” he asked, brow furrowing. She sighed.

“It’s more than just your hands that have changed, Klork.”

He blinked, holding it up and then stared. He ran a finger over his cheek, the shock of finding no whiskers or fur on his face amazing him. No fur…cat ears. He paused, examining his ears a little closer. They were still slightly pointed…but definitely human. Setting down the mirror he began to flex his hands…after much difficulty he unsheathed his claws, blood running from his fingertips at the action.

“Klork!” Olivia gasped, “Your…they never used to bleed when you did that…” she trailed off, looking up at him worriedly.

Klork grimaced, pulling his claws back in painfully. They were there…but apparently only for emergencies. At least a few things seemed the same. He could feel that his tail was gone…and that his legs were jointed a little differently in the change…his knees able to bend like a human being’s now.

“I…” he uttered, looking up at Olivia with bewildered eyes, “I guess this means I can work in public now…”

Ever since he moved out of Ricardo and Olivia’s household at age eighteen he’d been apartment hopping. Once again he was on the prowl for a new place to live. He knew that Ricardo cared for him, but he also knew that he had high expectations…and the minute he was eighteen and human on top of it, he was out on his own to start his own life. He still kept his job as a bouncer now; working in the bar at Ricardo’s Pizzeria, keeping the job was a way for him to stay in touch with the two of them. He still, however, hadn’t been able to get a hold of Thera or Kame ever since the last letter he received when he was fourteen.

He noted a woman at the front door as she opened it, stepping out to fix the doorknob momentarily. Her black hair was down to her shoulders and when she turned around he saw the red streaked bangs that hung below her chin.

Wait a second…

Squinting, he knew he had seen her before…and it took a few minutes for him to realize that she had been in the bar where he worked before. She certainly wasn’t as scantly clad as she had been before…but she was definitely the same person without a doubt.

He watched her disappear inside again and shrugged, heading up to the door and knocking. What he saw inside when the doors opened was enough to make him drop to his knees in shock. Mutants…all of them comfortably lounging around…the place was a sanctuary for them. A woman of average height stood at the door, her fiery red hair tied back in a ponytail, wearing an outfit that had seen better days…showing that she had been doing quite a bit of renovating.

“Welcome to the asylum,” she smirked, “What can I help you with?”

~Fine~