Under Cover

When you think of it, most people believe the supernatural to be stories. Tales told to children before they go to bed. But some poeple know better. Some people live in disguise, behind a glamour. Some people would be feared, outcast, rejected if they revealed their true form. Some people like Alba Manticora know all about the supernatural.

Alba Manticora’s hair blew in the wind as she entered the gates to her new boarding school in England. She had been expelled from her old school when a fight broke out between another girl and her. Alba hadn’t really tried to hurt her. The girl had grabbed her by the hair and pulled her head back so hard that tears had welled in Alba’s eyes. She could still hear their laughs echoing round her head. So Alba had lashed out in defence, pushing the girl away from her. When she’d opened her eyes, the girl was sitting on the ground several feet away, her knee bloodied and her trousers ripped.
Alba had never been able to understand why her Manticore strength had come out at that precise moment. Maybe it was the anger she had felt. She didn’t know. All she knew was that she had been expelled because she had been defending herself.
Alba remembered the dread she had felt while going up the stairs to Aunt Lucinda’s apartment with a note in her bag from the head mistress. She had written that Alba was a violent child and was a danger to the people around her.
Aunt Lucinda was a plump middle aged woman, who wore a lot of make up and a lot of jewellery. Every morning, when Alba got up and ready to go to school, Aunt Lucinda would be in the bathroom, doing her hair and “making herself beautiful” as she said. How she could look in the mirror and think herself beautiful, Alba would never know.
And there was also the question about her name. Manticora. Where did it come from? She knew it had been her father’s last name. But she had only known them two years before the accident. All she had left from them was a locket with their photos in it and a poem her mother had written for her long ago. It read:


Then she had been sent to live with her mother’s sister in France. Aunt Lucinda didn’t know anything about her niece’s powers and Alba was determined to keep it hidden from her. She didn’t even know if her parents had had the same power as her. The power to morph into a Manticore.
Alba came back to reality, and headed through the doors to her new life.

[left]

Shadow was in the city for her usual 'lets try and find the siblings' thing. She watched the streets from atop the Bastille, her eyes darting around the streets. She would know if they were here.

Alba walked into town that evening. She was not feeling too good about her new school. Her maths teached didn't like her, her french teacher thought she was no different than the rest of the class (even though she'd lived practically her whole life in France), who were still learning how to say "Hello, I speak fluent french" with a corny english accent, and her room mates didn't even seem to want to get close to her. The only class she was feeling good about was music. The teacher her cought her singing in the corridors and had asked her if she'd ever taken any singing lessons before. Well, Alba couldn't just say "Actually, I'm half Manticore and have a naturally good voice for hypnotising my prey", so she just said that she had been in the chior in her previus school.
Alba walked through the streets wondering what to do, when she noticed a strange figure dressed in a black cloack. Her eyes followed the person. She'd never seen anyone like them before. So she decided to hollow them.

Shadow was now patrolling the streets, and she sensed someone following her. She quickened her pace to just make sure that her suspicion was correct.

Alba saw the figure quicken it's pace. She wanted to see who it was. She sniffed the air. A strange smell hung there, nothing she'd ever smelt before.
She ducked into an alley and swiftly dodged the bins and humans there until she could see the street up ahead. Then she stepped out and intercepted the hooded figure.

Shadow narrowed her eyes as she saw the other girl intercept her. Looking around quickly through her illusioned icy eyes, she then looked at Alba.
"Who are you?" She hissed.

Sudenly, Alba was lost for words. She had been so interested in the figure and it's scent of the supernatural that she didn't know what to say.
"I..." she stammered, "I just... well..."
She looked into the violet eyes of the girl standing infront of her. What was she to say? Maybe she could show her... Alba looked round to check that no one was paying any attention to them. Then, quick as a flash she morphed into her Manticore form and hurridly changed back. No human eye could have detected the change, but she had a feeling that the person infront of her was not from earth.
"I've never met anyone like me before," Alba mumbled.

Shadow sighed and took off the bracelet that allowed her to appear human, showing herself as she really was, with violet hair and eyes, two white streaks in her hair.
"You're not alone."

Alba stared. She was feeling excitement, relief but also uncertanty. Could she trust this new commer? She had just shown her her true form! Her Manticore form! She had never in her whole life done that before. A part of her was screaming: "Are you off your head! You've just shown someone your true form! You idiot! It's the zoo for you next...". But the other half was saying: "But can't you see she's like you. She even showed you her true form! That must mean trust of some kind. You've never met anyone like you before. If you don't take this chance now, you may never see her agan..."

Shadow felt uncomfortable.
"Can you stop staring please?" She asked. Shadow was nervous and uneasy, mainly due to her part human status. She kept trying t oconvince herself that she could handle things if they went badly, change her appearence again with illusions, but there was always the nagging doubt in the back of her mind.

"Sorry," said Alba, averting her gaize, " I think we need to talk. Know anywhere safe? Away from humans?"

Shadow nodded.
"My home. It's a cave near in the side of a mountain."

"What mountains? There are none around here?"

Shadow shrugged.
"Who said it was around here?"

Alba stared at the Girl standing infront of her. She gave her a grin and rvealed her sharp canines. Shadow was as mad as she was. Alba liked her already...

Shadow smiled back, showing wolfish canines.

Alba looked round at the people passing. They didn't seem to notice them. As if they were invisible. She looked back at the violet eyes girl infront of her and wondered how on earth they were going to get to that cave.

Shadow extended a hand.
"Hang on, I'll teleport us." She said.

Alba stared at her. Teleport?
"But... but what about all these people? Won't they see?"

Shadow shook her head.
"They hear nothing, they see nothing. Humans are like that. NORMAL humans I mean."

Riiiight... Alba lifted her hand and took hold of Shadows.

Shadow teleported, Alba vanishing with her and reappearing in a cave with a sheltered entrance.

Alba stumbled, not ready for the change of ground. She caught herself on a stalagmite/tite (can never tell the difference). She looked around the cave and saw the remains of a fire in the middle of the place.

Shadow bowed to Alba.
"Welcome to my home."

"Cozy," Alba said, unsure of herself.