Quinn sat watching the sun set, he was flipping the coins he always kept on him through his fingers. He remembered the day he got them like it was yesterday...
1998 – outside a small town in Alabama.
Quinn wondered among the tents, glancing at the posters as he strode by. All he could think of was that the rumors better not be true. One of his informants had told him that they had a shifted child hidden in the freak show of this carnival. If this is the case, Quinn was going to make certain they regretted every moment that child was imprisoned with them. He walked from show to show, tent to tent, looking at the poster previews for each act. Then he saw her…
He growled from between clenched teeth as he saw what had to be the poster for the children that he had been told about. As if the child did not have enough problems by being a shifter, apparently she was also a Siamese twin. He looked over the poster carefully, trying to determine how much truth there was in what he had been told. He could already pick up her scent. He could tell she was a shifter, but nothing like him. There was something off, something strange, about her scent. It was something he had taught himself before but couldn't quite place. He moved to the side of the trailer, noticing that one wall had lifted away to show iron bars and a steel mesh, which allowed people to see in without letting her leave. The young girl was cute, even pretty, but very sad. There was hardness to her eyes that spoke volumes on how she was treated between shows. As the wind shifted, he noticed her tongue flicker out. Her tongue was forked like a serpent which certainly raised a red flag. What was this girl? Was she even really a shifter or was she something else?
“It’s okay, little one. I did not come to tease or taunt. I do not come to laugh or joke. I heard tell of you and wanted to know if it was true. Do you really change into another form or is it simply part of the show? I’m not asking you to actually do it, I'm simply curious. I have a gift of a similar kind, though I think of a different creature. My name is Jonathan and I would like to be a friend. If you want, I would like to help you leave this place. I know leaving is a scary idea, but I can take you somewhere and to someone that can help you learn more about yourself and how to control what happens.”
The girl’s eyes narrowed and her hands pulled up to her hips. She stood in the center of her cage and stared at him, those forked tongues flickering just passed her lips as if tasting the air. She gave a sad smile and nodded to Quinn.
“It is very nice to have someone who would be a friend. I am called Shadia Mitzuguri. Yes to your question, I can be something else though my sister and I are still as one in that form as well. For simplicity we are both Shadia for we are one person, even if we have two minds. We would like it very much, Mr. Jonathan, if we could take you up on your offer to help us leave this place. We understand its purpose and its reason and it’s does not seem honorable to maintain a fiction that I am what they claim I am when my lineage is so much more…”
Quinn smiled as the girl spoke and nodded then started looking around for a way to open the cage. It did not appear that subtlety would be possible.
“Little Shadia, I’m going to go find a way to open this container. No matter what you see or hear, know that I’m your friend. I mean you no harm.”
Quinn stepped away from the front of the cage and began looking for the manager of the show. Once he found the right trailer, he looked in the window before entering. The man was grossly overweight and had fallen asleep with a cigar in his fingertips. His grease stained clothing could be smelled from outside the trailer. Quinn could not see the keys from outside so he knew he would have to go in and confront the man if he wanted to make good his promise. He decided the most direct route was best, and kicked in the door. As the door splintered, he stormed into the trailer and yanked the man off his chair and held him against the wall. He pulled a long knife from his belt, holding it to the man’s throat, already knowing what he was going to say...
“You little weasel. You have my niece trapped in your cage. You are going to release her to me and you will forget that we ever had this discussion. You are deciding to do it for her best interests in growing up in a better environment. As long as things get spun that way, you will have no further problems from me. If you cause any issue, I guarantee you will not like the results. We are going to walk out to the cage and he will open it with a smile on your face. It’s my guess is right, after unlocking it you should leave before I opened the door. I have a feeling it would not go well for you otherwise. Do you have anything special I need to know about how you’re holding her here?”
The manager struggled against the wall, his face pale as he could feel the coldness of the knife blade at his throat. He squeaked out acceptance of Quinn’s terms and was slowly lowered to the floor. He opened a small wooden box on the end table, removing a set of ancient looking coins, and handed them to Quinn. He then pulled out the keys and hurried through the doorway toward Shadia’s cage. He looked extremely nervous as he unlocked the cage. As soon as the key had clicked over he yanked out the chain and bolted for one of the other trailers. Quinn chuckled a bit as he heard several bolts slide into place in the manager’s hiding spot. He swung the door of the cage open and stepped back, not knowing what to expect. Shadia carefully stepped out, each had turning in opposite directions as her arms gripped the doorframe. She shifted into her snake form and Quinn jumped back.
Her tongues flickered and her eyes locked on the trailer the manager had gone to. She hissed in his direction as she realized that she could not get to him. She shifted back, pulling her dress back over her body and looked to Quinn and then knelt at his feet.
“Mr. Jonathan, while I appreciate you getting the door opened, he has something that prevents me from leaving or at least from staying gone. There is a pair of talismans, given to me by my father that bind me to a place when they are in the possession of another.”
Quinn grinned as he held out his hand, showing the coins to Shadia. He held his hand out so she could take them but she shook her head, smiling.
“No, Mr. Jonathan, I wish for you to hold on to them. I’m going to teach you what you say and what to do. Should you ever need my help, or simply want my company, you will be able to call on me. My lineage gives me a few extra gifts which somewhat balance my complications. They may be of use to you. While I am young now, I will age like a normal mortal until I come to maturity. As far as I understand, at that point I will stop aging. My debt to you is a permanent one, Mr. Jonathan, my friend. You have freed me from slavery and in return I will serve you when you need it. You need only ask, so I must warn you that there is a price. But we can go over all of that after you’ve learned what you need to know.”
Quinn nodded as she spoke, surprised at the maturity of so young a girl. There seemed, though, to be more than met the eye to this little one. Her mind maturity spoke of years she did not show and a clarity of thought that was uncommon for one of her age. He slipped the coins into his pocket and offered her his hand. She smiled and moved close, wrapping her arms around him in a warm embrace. She looked up at him, a broad smile on both of her faces. He scooped her up, cradling her gently so he did not scare her. She laid against his chest, resting one head on either side of his. He chuckled as they walked from the carnival grounds. Azriel was not going to believe what he was bringing home this time. He knew that’s the best place to take her. Azriel would be able to help her figure out exactly what she was, and give her the training that she needed to be able to handle herself on her own when she got older. This should definitely be an interesting friendship. Who knows what the future might hold...
1998 – outside a small town in Alabama.
Quinn wondered among the tents, glancing at the posters as he strode by. All he could think of was that the rumors better not be true. One of his informants had told him that they had a shifted child hidden in the freak show of this carnival. If this is the case, Quinn was going to make certain they regretted every moment that child was imprisoned with them. He walked from show to show, tent to tent, looking at the poster previews for each act. Then he saw her…
He growled from between clenched teeth as he saw what had to be the poster for the children that he had been told about. As if the child did not have enough problems by being a shifter, apparently she was also a Siamese twin. He looked over the poster carefully, trying to determine how much truth there was in what he had been told. He could already pick up her scent. He could tell she was a shifter, but nothing like him. There was something off, something strange, about her scent. It was something he had taught himself before but couldn't quite place. He moved to the side of the trailer, noticing that one wall had lifted away to show iron bars and a steel mesh, which allowed people to see in without letting her leave. The young girl was cute, even pretty, but very sad. There was hardness to her eyes that spoke volumes on how she was treated between shows. As the wind shifted, he noticed her tongue flicker out. Her tongue was forked like a serpent which certainly raised a red flag. What was this girl? Was she even really a shifter or was she something else?
“It’s okay, little one. I did not come to tease or taunt. I do not come to laugh or joke. I heard tell of you and wanted to know if it was true. Do you really change into another form or is it simply part of the show? I’m not asking you to actually do it, I'm simply curious. I have a gift of a similar kind, though I think of a different creature. My name is Jonathan and I would like to be a friend. If you want, I would like to help you leave this place. I know leaving is a scary idea, but I can take you somewhere and to someone that can help you learn more about yourself and how to control what happens.”
The girl’s eyes narrowed and her hands pulled up to her hips. She stood in the center of her cage and stared at him, those forked tongues flickering just passed her lips as if tasting the air. She gave a sad smile and nodded to Quinn.
“It is very nice to have someone who would be a friend. I am called Shadia Mitzuguri. Yes to your question, I can be something else though my sister and I are still as one in that form as well. For simplicity we are both Shadia for we are one person, even if we have two minds. We would like it very much, Mr. Jonathan, if we could take you up on your offer to help us leave this place. We understand its purpose and its reason and it’s does not seem honorable to maintain a fiction that I am what they claim I am when my lineage is so much more…”
Quinn smiled as the girl spoke and nodded then started looking around for a way to open the cage. It did not appear that subtlety would be possible.
“Little Shadia, I’m going to go find a way to open this container. No matter what you see or hear, know that I’m your friend. I mean you no harm.”
Quinn stepped away from the front of the cage and began looking for the manager of the show. Once he found the right trailer, he looked in the window before entering. The man was grossly overweight and had fallen asleep with a cigar in his fingertips. His grease stained clothing could be smelled from outside the trailer. Quinn could not see the keys from outside so he knew he would have to go in and confront the man if he wanted to make good his promise. He decided the most direct route was best, and kicked in the door. As the door splintered, he stormed into the trailer and yanked the man off his chair and held him against the wall. He pulled a long knife from his belt, holding it to the man’s throat, already knowing what he was going to say...
“You little weasel. You have my niece trapped in your cage. You are going to release her to me and you will forget that we ever had this discussion. You are deciding to do it for her best interests in growing up in a better environment. As long as things get spun that way, you will have no further problems from me. If you cause any issue, I guarantee you will not like the results. We are going to walk out to the cage and he will open it with a smile on your face. It’s my guess is right, after unlocking it you should leave before I opened the door. I have a feeling it would not go well for you otherwise. Do you have anything special I need to know about how you’re holding her here?”
The manager struggled against the wall, his face pale as he could feel the coldness of the knife blade at his throat. He squeaked out acceptance of Quinn’s terms and was slowly lowered to the floor. He opened a small wooden box on the end table, removing a set of ancient looking coins, and handed them to Quinn. He then pulled out the keys and hurried through the doorway toward Shadia’s cage. He looked extremely nervous as he unlocked the cage. As soon as the key had clicked over he yanked out the chain and bolted for one of the other trailers. Quinn chuckled a bit as he heard several bolts slide into place in the manager’s hiding spot. He swung the door of the cage open and stepped back, not knowing what to expect. Shadia carefully stepped out, each had turning in opposite directions as her arms gripped the doorframe. She shifted into her snake form and Quinn jumped back.
Her tongues flickered and her eyes locked on the trailer the manager had gone to. She hissed in his direction as she realized that she could not get to him. She shifted back, pulling her dress back over her body and looked to Quinn and then knelt at his feet.
“Mr. Jonathan, while I appreciate you getting the door opened, he has something that prevents me from leaving or at least from staying gone. There is a pair of talismans, given to me by my father that bind me to a place when they are in the possession of another.”
Quinn grinned as he held out his hand, showing the coins to Shadia. He held his hand out so she could take them but she shook her head, smiling.
“No, Mr. Jonathan, I wish for you to hold on to them. I’m going to teach you what you say and what to do. Should you ever need my help, or simply want my company, you will be able to call on me. My lineage gives me a few extra gifts which somewhat balance my complications. They may be of use to you. While I am young now, I will age like a normal mortal until I come to maturity. As far as I understand, at that point I will stop aging. My debt to you is a permanent one, Mr. Jonathan, my friend. You have freed me from slavery and in return I will serve you when you need it. You need only ask, so I must warn you that there is a price. But we can go over all of that after you’ve learned what you need to know.”
Quinn nodded as she spoke, surprised at the maturity of so young a girl. There seemed, though, to be more than met the eye to this little one. Her mind maturity spoke of years she did not show and a clarity of thought that was uncommon for one of her age. He slipped the coins into his pocket and offered her his hand. She smiled and moved close, wrapping her arms around him in a warm embrace. She looked up at him, a broad smile on both of her faces. He scooped her up, cradling her gently so he did not scare her. She laid against his chest, resting one head on either side of his. He chuckled as they walked from the carnival grounds. Azriel was not going to believe what he was bringing home this time. He knew that’s the best place to take her. Azriel would be able to help her figure out exactly what she was, and give her the training that she needed to be able to handle herself on her own when she got older. This should definitely be an interesting friendship. Who knows what the future might hold...
