Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Accessing Database

Log Code: IR-19-1550

In Relation: Mission Pilgrim 3

Accessing Incident Report

Circumstances of the incident:

The incident occurred on day 52 of the extraplanetary exploration mission codenamed Pilgrim 3.

The Autonomous Extraplanetary Exploration Craft, named Forerunner and Inquisitive, had just completed their survey of Sector 8 without incident, all primary and secondary objectives for the week having been accomplished with satisfactory results. Mission Control ordered the two vehicles to return to the transit point for maintenance and to deliver their cargo of soil and vegetation samples and all data collected during their survey.

During the return trip to the transit point, mission control received a radio beacon signal from the autonomous craft designated as Lone Star. 

The craft was considered lost during the final stages of the mission Pilgrim 2, when mission control lost all communication with the probe after an apparent attack by a creature native to planet Hades, which resulted in the termination of mission Pilgrim 2. Nevertheless, the mission was considered successful given all the information and insights the probe provided before its untimely demise.

Mission Control successfully re-established communication with Lone Star using Inquisitive as a radio relay. A remote diagnostic was immediately initiated. The diagnostic assessment revealed that four of the probe's six motors had sustained major damage. However, the solar arrays, battery and instruments, although damaged, remained operational and had continued to function since the day of the initial loss of contact with the craft. These instruments had been collecting atmospheric data for a period of two years without interruption.

The decision was made to attempt a recovery operation by diverting Inquisitive from its return route to Lone Star's location, while diverting Inquisitive from a safe route into an area inhabited by potentially dangerous and hostile fauna put the probe, as well as its cargo of data and samples, at risk of being lost. The potential value of recovering not only Lone Star, but also the valuable new atmospheric and weather data it may have collected since its loss, made any risk to Inquisitive and any delay in the recovery effort worthwhile.

Inquisitive reached the location of Lone Star in one hour and forty-seven minutes. Visual data provided by Inquisitive revealed that the craft sustained significant structural damage. However instruments and memory drives remained mostly intact having suffered only minor damage. Inquisitive then began towing Lone Star to the transit point for retrieval.

During the return trip, which took one hour and five minutes, the movement sensors on Inquisitive detected the proximity of an unidentified creature native to Hades. However, the creature appeared to maintain a minimum distance from both Inquisitive and Lone Star. The foliage of the area also made it impossible to acquire a visual identification of the creature. Nevertheless, its presence was confirmed using thermal imagery from the probe's thermal cameras.

Fifty-two minutes later, sensors could no longer detect the unidentified creature in the immediate area. It was assumed that the creature lost interest in the probes. The rest of the return trip proceeded without any further incidents.

Forty-three minutes later, both Inquisitive and Lone Star reached the transit point, and Forerunner had already been retrieved via Keyhole transit using the Coeus Gateway two hours prior to the arrival of Inquisitive.

Mission Control promptly initiated activation of the Coeus Gateway.

One minute and thirty-five seconds later, the activation sequence was complete.

Inquisitive initiated a Keyhole transit while towing Lone Star.

During the transit, Inquisitive's on-board motion sensors detected several rapidly approaching contacts at the location of the keyhole.

Mission Control then initiated the standard shutdown protocol once Inquisitive and Lone Star completed the transit. However, before the Coeus Gateway shutdown sequence was completed, a creature successfully transited the Keyhole seconds before it collapsed back into a nanoscopic, unstable state.

The creature subsequently impacted one of the walls separating the Coeus Gateway chamber from the rest of the Transit Bay after completing the transit while running at what is currently believed to be its maximum speed, colliding with an apparently strong enough force to cause it to lose consciousness almost immediately.

In response, emergency quarantine protocols were initiated, and the Coeus Gateway chamber was placed under lockdown. Security personnel were promptly dispatched to the scene, and all non-security personnel were swiftly evacuated from the Transit Bay. Approximately twelve minutes later, security officers and decontamination technicians successfully restrained the creature, which appeared to remain unresponsive, and removed it from the transit bay.

The creature was then transferred to the Bio Lab in wing C, which is considered to be the only facility currently equipped with the necessary resources to house and contain an alien creature.

Post incident damage assessment and report: 

I am pleased to confirm that there have been no human casualties and no damage to personnel, equipment or property. 

The creature is currently being quarantined and housed in a temporary enclosure on Wing C's Bio Lab for the time being, where it is being closely monitored by Dr. Ferrus's Team. According to their reports, the creature has regained consciousness and is showing signs of responsiveness. The Transit Bay and the Coeus Gateway Chamber are undergoing full and thorough sterilisation in order to prevent contamination by any alien microorganisms that the creature may have brought with it from its planet.

Post incident Notes: 

I'm going to add something to this note section, even though it might make me sound unprofessional. This was a close call, and I'm disappointed, not mad. Just disappointed.

It is really surprising no one thought this could happen. Every time we open a portal to that planet, we're opening the door to our home. The Keyholes are two-way gates, correct? That means that just as something from our planet can go there, something from that planet can come here.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again: we need better security measures for these portals. We were lucky that we didn't accidentally let something bigger slip through. Everyone saw the footage from the Lone Star when we thought it was lost. No one wants something like that THING to attack someone because we didn't close the door fast enough.

I really hope that we will put more thought into safety measures for when something wants to visit our planet, and it's not invited. I'm not saying that we should stop what we are doing here. I know this is all important, and If I didn’t, I wouldn't even be here, all I'm saying is that we need better safety measures. That is all.

There's a bright side: our in-house nerds were so excited to get a specimen for study that their wish came true. We now have the most exotic pet in the world. I wonder if the higher-ups would be interested in selling plushies of it.

I just really, REALLY hope that this alien has more in common with E.T or Stitch than with a Xenomorph or Calvin.

Otherwise we should probably invest in some flamethrowers and napalm

Post Incident Course Action:

Until further notice is given, all transit to planet Hades, surveys, and the Mission Pilgrim 3 are suspended. This decision has been taken in order to allow time for a thorough revision of our Transit, Quarantine, and Security Protocols, containment methodologies, and the creation of new containment protocols for situations of this kind. The alien specimen is to remain in a temporary enclosure unit under observation by Dr. Ferrus' team until a more permanent and appropriate enclosure is ready.

Construction plans for the Xeno Housing Facilities are being reviewed to determine when construction can begin. Additionally, priority has been given to the implementation of the Xeno-Biology discipline to begin study of the specimen as soon as possible. An executive decision has been made to begin working on a training regime to prepare security personnel to deal with (and prevent) possible future break-ins or contaminations. This regime will be updated as needed.

The extraterrestrial life form currently under our custody has been provisionally designated as Specimen EL-01, and this designation will be updated as required or when this new species is formally named.

End of Report. 

Chapter Text

Number Five knew better than to fight because it knew very well that fighting would only result in pain, and while it could avoid the physical pain, that wouldn't do anything to stop the emotional pain.

Maybe it shouldn't have run. Maybe it should have taken another path. Maybe it should have stayed in the cave. Maybe it should have not gone out and scavenged for food. Maybe it shouldn't have woken up that day. Maybe, maybe, maybe. So many maybes in its head. So many possible choices and alternatives. What could it have done differently? What should it have done differently?

Would any other choice have actually mattered?

Probably, it probably would have, but it did not matter now.

Once again, it was a prisoner, trapped in a cage with no hope of getting out. This time, it was certain it would never see the outside world again; the Emperor's agents would make sure that didn't happen.

Number Five knew very well that the only reason it managed to escape in first place was sheer luck: the chaos, the screams, and the fire provided the perfect cover for its escape. The guards were too busy trying to regain control of the dungeon to notice it. Luck got it out—and luck allowed it to stay hidden on an island where everyone was out to get it.

However, having the ability to shapeshift certainly helped.

But luck has to run out eventually.

It made a mistake. It tried to scavenge for food when it didn't need to. It had eaten something three days ago. For the Titan's sake, it had gone longer without eating. But it was so hungry. It thought it could quickly sneak into the nearest town and steal something — anything edible. It also thought its mana reserves were enough to create a believable disguise to quickly get in and out.

It was wrong—totally wrong.

It didn't wait for the Emperor's men to show up; it just ran as fast as it could—faster than it thought it ever could. It ran through the town, through entire crowds, through the forest. It ran until it was out of breath and thought it was far enough away to be safe.

It quickly found out it wasn't safe because nowhere in the Boiling Isles is safe. There is no place the Emperor can't find you because he is everywhere. He can see everything and everyone. So, Number Five just kept running until its body ached and its lungs burned. its almost gave out, but it force herself to keep running, because it knew what would happen if it stopped.

Then it saw it: an opportunity, an escape, a way out.

It may not have known what it was, but it knew that those strange void-like orbs sometimes spewed strange creature-like constructs, and those same constructs occasionally returned to the void before it faded, as if they had never existed.

Being completely honest with itself, it was out of sheer panic that Number Five did what it did. It didn't really have anywhere else to go or hide. It was out of options and out of time. It could hear the agents of the Emperor getting closer with each passing second. It may not have been sure where that "thing" would take it or what would happen to it once there, yet it knew what would happen to it if the Emperor's enforcers caught it.

Compared to that, all risks, no matter how great, were better than the alternative.

It ran into a strange orb that looked like the void itself had been forced onto existence. Not knowing where it would take it, not even knowing what would happen to it, and not even sure if it would not kill it.

Yet it still ran into it, as fast as it could.

A sudden darkness engulfed it, and it felt as if it were simultaneously floating and sinking into water. Next, a blindingly bright light appeared, followed by only darkness.

Then it woke up, trapped inside another cell.

"Hey," said one voice. "I think it's awake."

"It is?" Another voice interjected.

The voices came from outside. Number Five turned to where the voices were coming from. Looking through a large window on one of the walls of the cell, it saw a small group of people leaning closer to the crystal, as if they were trying to get a good look at it.

Honestly, it would prefer if they stopped, but there was nothing it could do about it.

Honestly, Number Five didn't even want to acknowledge the presence of those voices. Still, it turned around to face them. it could see four people on the other side of the crystal. All of them wore a strange, dark blue, one-piece garment that covered them from head to toe. A strange kind of mask covered their faces, its lower portion featuring two cylindrical protrusions with a single, elongated tube extending from the center of the mask to the right side of the body's waist. Meanwhile, the upper portion of the mask appeared to be crafted from crystal, enabling Number Five to glimpse the eyes of those who were observing it.

When it first saw them, its hearts practically stopped. Only the colors of their clothes kept it from going into a blind panic. They resembled the clothing worn by the Emperor's men, particularly the "Butchers," who inflicted pain through experiments and tests. However, upon realizing that its captors' clothes were blue and not white, it managed to calm down just enough to avoid total panic. And as it noticed the many differences in their clothing, it became easier for Number Five to breathe. It wasn't calm, but it wasn't on the verge of a breakdown either. It was... stable, for lack of a better word.

A long, unbroken silence fell as Number Five gazed intently at its captors, who in turn gazed intently back at it.

Its captors broke the silence first.

"Would you look at that?" said one of them, who was the second to speak.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you an actual alien," said the first one.

"It looks like a slug," said another one. "It looks like a really weird slug."

"To me, it looks more like a snake, to be honest," a forth captor said.

"To me, it looks like a weird mix of both," the second one chimed in. "Like someone took a weird-ass slug and threw it into a blender with a snake, and this is the end result."

That last comment made Number Five wonder if these people realized it could hear everything they said about it. Were they comparing it to a slug? ... Wait ... What is a slug? is some kind of creature? A Demon?

"I think it's cute. It looks kind of like a salamander," said the first captor.

Number Five was thankful that it could see the eyes of its captors. It didn't make it feel completely safe, but the way they looked at its and talked about its was different—vastly different—from the Emperor's men. There wasn't the same tension between them. The fact that it could see their facial expressions helped somewhat. It also gave it more information about its captors and made it less stressed.

There was one positive about this entire situation. It was absolutely certain it hadn't been captured by the Emperor's Personal Coven. On the other hand, Number Five was now a prisoner. It was held by a group of individuals it knew absolutely nothing about. That was bad. To avoid pain, Number Five would have to learn how to behave and act around its captors. This probably meant that it would have to try and fail, which meant more pain was likely. That was something it was NOT looking forward to.

At least they haven't hurt it yet. By the looks of it, making visual contact doesn't invoke their ire. However, that may change in the future. It has learned that what may not cause a reaction one day may cause you to be on the receiving end of a paralyzing spell the next day.

"You know... Do you think it might be amphibious?" the first captor said.

This comment seemed to give some of the captors pause, as their faces shifted in thought.

"Good question. Maybe. Maybe not," replied the second captor.

"That's more of a question for the research team. We're just here to keep watch," commented the third captor.

"Speaking of which, aren't we supposed to... Report if it shows any signs of activity?" said the fourth.

There was a pause.

"Oh... Yeah, now that you mention it, we should report that it's moving and definitely not dead," said the Third, taking a rectangular black item from a pocket on his clothing.

"Do you think it can eat anything from our planet?" The first one asked.

"I mean, I sure hope so because otherwise, I don't know how we're going to feed it. It would be awful if our very first alien specimen died of starvation." The third one replied.

That word again. They called it... "Alien?" What is an alien? Wait, do they not know what it is? They've spent quite some time comparing it to creatures it has never heard of. Only now does it begin to consider that these people may not know what a basilisk is.

Wait... One of them asked whether it would be able to eat food from... Their planet? Planet? Where is it?

"I just hope it doesn't develop a taste for human flesh because that would be very inconvenient," the fourth one said.

It should be noted that Number Five was trying to make sense of it situation and learn as much as possible about its captors and surroundings. When it heard the words "human flesh," it wondered why it would eat human flesh and why they talked about it as if it capable of eating one of their own. A thought crossed the mind of Number Five in that moment, but unfortunately, before it could stop it, the word escaped its lips:

"Human?" Number Five said out loud and clearly.

It knew immediately that it had been heard when the four individuals outside its cell turned to look at it. Two of them—the second and fourth—turned to look at it immediately. The first one, who had never stopped observing it, was now looking at it with wide eyes. The third one slowly turned to look at it through the crystal. Each of them was looking at Number Five directly, giving it their entire attention.

It immediately felt dread creep through its bones. Its instinct told it that it had probably broken some sort of rule by speaking when no one was talking directly to it.

It shouldn't have spoken. It shouldn't have said anything. But it was an accident. it didn't mean to.

"Errr, sorry. I didn't mean to. I didn't mean to—" It immediately regretted opening its mouth again, desperately clamping it shut with its hands.

Oh no, no, no, no.

It messed up.

It spoke again and now they are looking at it more intensely. Their eyes are wide open. Are they angry? Are they going to hurt it? Oh, no, no, no, not again!

"Did... Did that... It talked?" The first one said. He seemed... Confused?

"No," said the second.

"Yes," refuted the fourth.

"... Did it... It just said... Is it sorry?" said the third.

"It can talk?" the first one said.

"Why did it speak English?" The third asked, seemingly concerned.

"It said 'human,'" said the fourth.

"It said it was sorry," said the second.

"Why did it speak English?" The third one asked again.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry. I won't talk again!" Number Five said, fearful and confused.

"IT CAN TALK!" The first one screamed.

"I AM SORRY!" screamed Number Five, cowering in a corner of its cell.

"HOW AND WHY IS AN ALIEN SPEAKING ENGLISH!?" The second one screamed, extremely fearful and concerned.

All of them were scared and confused. But the question of whether it was the basilisk in the improvised containment unit or the human guards who just heard an alien speak perfect English is up for debate.

Chapter Text

The following is a transcription of an audio recording of a testimony taken from Jeremy O’Connor, a security staff member stationed at the Temporary Xeno Enclosure located in the Secondary Bio Lab of Wing C.

O’Connor had been tasked with the temporary safekeeping, protection, and monitoring of specimen EL-01, along with security staff members Darla Wallace, Samson O’Brian, and Marly Temple.

The following transcript describes an event in which EL-01 responded by vocalizing in a manner akin to human speech after being inadvertently and unintentionally exposed to verbal stimuli in the form of the security team engaging in casual conversation with one another.

Dr. Ferrus: Beginning recording. Mr. O’Connor, please have a seat so we can begin.

Jeremy: Please just call me Jeremy; Mr. O'Connor is my dad … J-Just saying … Sorry.

Dr. Ferrus: Hmmm … Noted. Now, Jeremy, to ensure the accuracy of the records, were you one of the four security staff members responsible for safeguarding specimen EL-01 when the event occurred?

Jeremy: That is correct, sir.

Dr. Ferrus: All right, so Jeremy, could you please give me your account of the event? Please try to be as clear, concise, and detailed as possible.

Jeremy: Okay, so … Darla, Samson, Marly, and I were watching over the creature as we were told to do. Darla wouldn't stop talking about it since we got the assignment. To be fair, she was part of the first responder team that placed it in its "enclosure."  She was the first one on our team to see it. I mean, I saw the pictures, but it's another thing entirely to see the real thing and …

Anyway, we got there and just, did what we were told, observed it, made sure it was safe, and that it didn’t try to get out, which was kinda easy on account of it being … Unconscious? Asleep? … It stayed like that for like, an hour? Almost an hour. We were mostly talking about it and Samson’s fursuit—a piece of art, if you ask me—until Darla noticed it starting to move. And I mean, it's an alien—AN ACTUAL FREAKING ALIEN—so we got closer to see it.

And we started talking about it for reasons I think I have made clear, Samson said it looked like a snake, Marly said it looked like a slug, I said it looked like both, we kinda just talked about it, Samson was going to report it woke up after Marly reminded us to do that. Then Darla asked if the alien could eat anything from our planet. Honestly, a very good question. Samson said he hoped it could because it's going to be a problem if it can't. Then Marly said—and I quote—"I just hope it doesn't develop a taste for human flesh because that would be very inconvenient.”

I SWEAR TO GOD that no more than seven seconds later, the weird slug-snake-looking thing said the word "human" in perfect English.

Dr. Ferrus: So it can vocalize.

Jeremy: It speaks … in English, for some reason.

Dr. Ferrus: Hmmm… In the official report, it was stated that EL-01 was able to vocalize more than one word. Is that correct?

Jeremy: No, no, no, Doc. It did more than just "vocalize." Right after saying "human" in perfect English, it apologized. It specifically said it was sorry over and over again, like it had just murdered someone's dog.

Then it … It moved? Slither? Into the corner of the room. Enclosure, whatever and … And it's just … started to … It started to repeat; “Please don’t hurt five”, over and over like … Like it was begging for its life … Like it was afraid—TERREFIED—that it was going to be hurt … Or killed, for making a sound.

Dr. Ferrus: … … … Interesting. Very interesting.

Researcher notes:

The testimonies of Security Officers Darla Wallace, Samson O’Brian, and Marly Temple, along with the security footage of the Temporary Xeno Enclosure, corroborate Officer Jeremy's account that EL-01 could not only perfectly mimic the vocalization of the English word "human," but also emit vocalizations in the form of complete sentences.

The most notable of these sentences were “I am sorry,” “I won’t talk again,” and “Please don’t hurt five.”

Surprising and intriguing as this unexpected development is, the questions it raises are unsettling. EL-01 has not been in our care for much more than two days. Its proximity to Officer Jeremy's team constitutes the longest period of exposure to human interaction and speech. Therefore, we can safely conclude that EL-01 could not have been exposed to the English lexicon for long enough to be able to memorise the words it vocalised. The camera footage of its enclosure reveals that none of the words it vocalised had previously been uttered by any member of the containment team. The only exception was the word 'human'.

This raises the following question: how did the EL-01 know how to vocalise in a way that enabled it to form complete, coherent sentences?

What prompted EL-01 to vocalise? Was it a reflex? Or was it an instinctive response? Did it interpret the conversation between its caretakers as a social cue?

Was it attempting to communicate with its temporary caretakers?

This last question is perhaps both the most troubling and the most intriguing, with the heaviest implications.

What would it mean if EL-01 was indeed trying to communicate? Was it trying to communicate in the same way a very clever animal would? Or was it trying to establish bilateral communication using spoken language to convey complex ideas, information, meaning and intent, in the same way a sapient being would?

Now, the ability to produce complex vocalisations does not, in itself, prove sapience. On our own planet, there are myriad other species that can produce complex vocalisations akin to human speech. Some species can even memorise words and create basic associations between spoken words and objects or events. Examples of this include several species of parrot commonly kept as pets, such as budgerigars and cockatiels.

However, the ability to vocalise complex sounds can only be considered true speech when paired with the ability to comprehend and communicate complex, abstract concepts.

A parrot can learn to vocalise words such as 'love', 'happy', 'hate' and 'anger', and can create associations between these words and simple tricks that they can perform on command.

However, parrots ultimately lack the capacity to understand that these words have meaning and can convey complex ideas or even abstract concepts, such as complex emotions.

It is possible that EL-01 is mimicking human speech without understanding spoken words as complex or abstract ideas.

However, there is a genuine, tangible and, to be honest, higher probability that EL-01 is capable of vocalising words and understanding their complex meanings, enabling it to communicate and comprehend them.

Deliberate mimicry requires previous exposure to that which is being copied. As previously mentioned, EL-01 has to our knowledge not been exposed to human speech before, and its exposure so far has been minimal, to say the least. It is highly unlikely that it could simply be mimicking sounds it has previously heard.

Moreover, the words used clearly convey a message that would be almost impossible for a creature unable to grasp abstract concepts; the word 'sorry' conveys regret, an emotion and a concept, and the sentence 'Please don't hurt five' conveys a request not to cause any harm.

However, the usage of the word 'five' is perhaps the most interesting in this instance. The word 'five' refers to a number or numerical value — a purely abstract concept — and its usage in this sentence is somewhat puzzling as a numerical value does not make sense in this context.

However, in the context of the sentence 'Please don't hurt five', we could infer that 'five' is not a numerical value, but rather a subject, an individual or a being that is aware of itself.

If EL-01 is truly capable of understanding abstract concepts and complex ideas, one might infer that it also has the mental capacity to possess a sense of self. Combined with the capacity to process and understand abstract and complex concepts, this could result in a sense of personal identity.

Nonetheless, all of this is purely theoretical for now; hypotheses that have yet to be either proven or refuted. As previously mentioned, one instance of complex vocalisation is not, by itself, sufficient evidence to definitively prove sapience. Moreover, contrary to popular belief, sapience is not a prerequisite for intelligence, which is itself not a binary concept, but rather a spectrum.

As humans, we tend to forget that we are not the only intelligent life form on our planet. Many of the species with whom we share a biosphere possess complex problem-solving abilities that we once believed only humans could possess. Beluga whales, for example, are undoubtedly intelligent and capable of complex emotions. If they are not sapient, they are certainly extremely close.

Humans are not even the only species capable of using tools: the common crow, for example, is known for using objects as tools to solve problems that it would otherwise be unable to solve. Even the common rat, an often-underestimated and stigmatised critter, is an example of intelligence in another species. Rats are capable of solving problems, learning and adapting, and can even learn to use small man-made vehicles. They are also capable of experiencing genuine emotional empathy, even foregoing a treat in order to help a fellow rat in distress.

Intelligence is not exclusive to the human race. We are simply at one end of the spectrum and possess a different type of intelligence that, so far, we have not found in any other species on our planet.

Yet EL-01's recent behaviour suggests that it may possess sapient-like intelligence. Indeed, the possibility that EL-01 represents the very first recorded instance of sapient alien intelligence is very real.

Therefore, it is imperative that we ascertain the true extent of EL-01's cognitive capabilities. Originally, my team's primary research focus was going to be the specimen's biology, but we all now believe that studying EL-01's cognitive capabilities should take priority.

For the moment, we’ll focus on preparing a series of tests to see how EL-01 responds to verbal and auditory stimuli. Given that we can begin these tests immediately with our current equipment, not only will they allow us to gauge the range of EL-01's responses, but they will also give us time to procure more advanced equipment and prepare a wider variety of tests.

We'll start at the first hour tomorrow. Truth be told, I'm excited and eager to start. Yet I can't help but wonder: if EL-01 possesses complex intelligence, what will it learn from us as we learn more about it?

For more detailed information about the upcoming test, please refer to page 4.

Chapter Text

Even after spending potentially hours mulling over its situation, Number Five could not decide whether it should feel relieved, or even more terrified by the fact that its captors did not immediately punish it for seemingly breaking an important rule.

On the one hand, the fact that it was not immediately paralyzed on the ground meant that speaking out of turn probably wasn’t as grave an offense as it thought. On the other hand, the reactions of its captors made it very clear to Number Five that it had done something it wasn’t supposed to do.

Everything that happened after its captors started screaming made absolutely no sense to Number Five. They kept screaming for a couple of minutes? Maybe more? Then, they suddenly stopped and stared at it in a way that it just could not grasp.

The entire situation was a blur, and Number Five wished it had paid more attention to what happened next. Yet, in that moment, it was almost like being back in its old cell below ground, regarded by its would-be torturers.

It was too much.

It was simply too much. Number Five felt its throat tighten and the world begin to collapse. It braced for the inevitable.

But the inevitable never came—the pain and agony never happened.

How does Number Five know that?

Because the moment it felt like it could breathe again, it realized something important:

Pain—or rather, the lack thereof.

It didn’t hurt.

Its body did not hurt.

There were no new injuries, bandages, or healing seals on its body. The only evidence of injury that Number Five could find were old scars that had long since healed and almost vanished.

Under any other circumstances, Number Five would have been relieved beyond belief. But right now, it could only feel a sense of dread slowly creeping up its spine.

The idea that its captors hadn’t immediately punished its transgression for some reason was curious, or would have been if Number Five wasn’t scared. It didn’t sit right in its stomach.

Since Number Five could remember, every time it did anything on the Conformatorium that aggravated its jailers, it would ALWAYS find itself on the receiving end of a paralyzing or shock spell—assuming it was a "good day," of course. But not being immediately punished for irritating its jailers?

Number Five would find the mere idea absurd if it weren't for the fact that it just happened.

It was unnerving.

It is not like Number Five would like to be punished, Titan Dammit — NO! It would prefer to avoid any kind of torture for the rest of its existence.

But was Number Five being granted mercy by its captors? Or were they preparing an even bigger punishment?

Number Five did not know, and the uncertainty terrified it.

The alien was sulking.

No, sulking isn't the right word. Morose? No, sullen?

Gloomy! Yes, the alien was definitely gloomy. At the very least, Darla is certain, or mostly certain, that it is not happy. seeing as it is currently coiling itself into a ball in the corner of the ‘enclosure’.

It probably doesn’t like being in there, alone in a refurbished room, on a planet light years away from home.

Actually, is it okay—or even correct—to call it an "it"? Shouldn't they use something more appropriate, like "they"? Would it even care about pronouns? Does it even know what those are?

Darla couldn’t help but chuckle. Here she is, looking at what might be the answer to the “Great Question,” and her first thought was to ask if it has pronouns.

It must have heard her chuckling because it moved. Just a little, but Darla could clearly see that it tilted its head slightly to the left in her direction. Now, it seems to be trying to look at her out of the corner of its eye.

It's scared. It doesn't take a genius to see that. It's absolutely terrified of Darla. And honestly, she couldn't blame it, since, well, EVERYTHING really.

Even ignoring the events of the last forty-eight hours, it has probably never seen anything like Darla before, and the Hazzard suit probably makes her look bigger than she actually is. Add to that the fact that it is in a totally unfamiliar environment, and you have a great mix to create both fear and stress.

Darla felt pity for the alien, a pity that only grew when she heard rumbling noises coming from it. At first, she thought the alien might be growling, but when she heard the noise again, well, maybe she was crazy, but it sounded like a grumbling stomach.

It moved again, moving its arms toward what appeared to be its abdomen. Almost as if it were hugging or soothing itself.

Darla immediately remembered that no one had given this alien anything to eat since they put it in this room. She also remembered that no one knew what this creature needed to eat, how much, or how often.

Could they feed it? Could it digest food from their planet? Would it die if it tried to eat something from there?

What if it's allergic to something? What would they do in that case? Would they be able to do anything?

What if it was already sick with something from its planet?

What if it carried a disease that was harmless to it, yet fatal to humans? What if the opposite happened? What if it picked up something from Earth that was harmless to humans but deadly to it? The enclosure may be hermetically sealed, but it breathed unfiltered air when it arrived.

Did it need water? How much? How often? Was it dehydrating? Was it close to dying?

Was it in pain?

Was it dying?

Darla did not know, and the uncertainty worried her. What made it worse was that she had no way of knowing if this creature was just hungry or if it was experiencing something much worse. It's not like she could just ask an expert-

…

Actually, there was someone she could ask.

The alien.

It can talk and understand English. It is probably intelligent enough to answer questions. Under any other circumstances, Darla would have thought the situation was straight out of a science fiction novel.

But she saw it speak. She heard it beg for its life.

Maybe, just maybe.

Well, there is nothing to lose by trying.

“Hey,” Darla called in a soft voice. “Hey, hey, you … Er, little one?”

That got a reaction; the alien immediately seemed to completely tense up, Its face contorted in what appeared to be a grimace, and its breathing sped up slightly.

While it is true you shouldn't project human behaviors onto other creatures that probably have completely different forms of body language and expression, for Darla, it really looked like the alien was either becoming sick or agitated. Darla hoped it was the latter.

She tried to reassure it. “Hey, hey, is okay, is okay, I am not gonna hurt you.”

Those words got a better reaction. It slowly turned to look at Darla just as its breathing slowed down just a bit, but it seemed reluctant to look at her directly,  it kept trying to look at her while avoiding direct eye contact. At the very least it did seem willing to acknowledge her.

For a couple of minutes, Darla didn’t say anything else, she let her previous words hang in the air while thinking what else to say, what question to ask first, slowly, the Alien’s breathing kept slowing down, it was still breathing too rapidly to be calm, but it didn't seem at the verge of being overwhelmed with anxiety anymore. At least its grimace was gone, which hopefully was a good sign.

Darla decided that it would be best if she just got straight to the point with her very first question.

“Hey, can you understand me? Can you understand what I am saying to you right now?” She said.

A full minute passed before Darla got her reply, which in itself was incredible, because just when it seemed that she probably wasn’t going to get anything out of that question, or that she might have to ask again, the alien made a bobbing motion with its head, looking directly at Darla while still trying to avoid looking at her in the eyes.

It nodded.

It nodded in response to her question.

To her credit, Darla REALLY did her best to remain calm and act normal about the fact that this alien just answered her question about whether it could understand English with a physical motion that means "yes."

“Okay, okay, that … That was a nod! You just nodded! That means yes!” Darla exclaimed. She went on. “You just said yes! You can understand me! … Okay, okay, look. I just want to make absolutely sure if you can understand what I am saying. Could you please raise one of your … Hands? Those look like hands. Just raise a hand and wave like this”.

Darla immediately began waving her hand, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically. “Just like this, any hand would do, just do this if you can understand me, so I know for certain”.

It did not escape Darla's attention that, as she kept talking, the alien seemed to become more confused, if the way its face shifted as she went on was an indicator of its current emotional state, at this point the alien seemed to have gotten over its aversion of direct eye contact, at the very least it was no longer aggressively trying to look at the walls and Darla at the same time.

Slowly, the alien raised one of its arms. Midway through the motion, it looked at its own hand and then looked at Darla’s still raised hand. Its eyes shifted between Darla’s hand and its own several times before it finally started to wave back, much less enthusiastically than Darla.

It was becoming increasingly difficult for Darla to contain her excitement, but she did manage to contain the squeal that almost left her mouth, though instead, she muttered. “Oh, my god!”

At this point, the alien seemed to be more confused than scared, which, honestly, good Darla would take confusion over fear, especially now.

She had to take a moment to collect herself and let herself fidget for a bit before making her next question.

Once she felt collected enough, she began. “Okay, okay, look. I wanted to ask you. The other day, when me and my team were watching you, we heard you talk. You said, ‘Human,’ and then you started to …”

She couldn’t help but grimace a tiny bit because, looking back at that moment, her team's reaction as well as her own, probably scared the living hell out of the alien, ESPECIALLY with all the screaming involved.

"Look, I'm sorry we scared you." Darla said, “Me and my team, my friends, when you started speaking, it kinda took everyone by surprise, and we really did not know how to respond to that. I mean, an alien talking in English is … kinda insane.”

She went on. “I want to ask you, can you talk? We heard you talk before, you said the word ‘Human’, and then you started … Honestly, it sounded like you were begging for your life, and honestly, I am kinda worried because, for all I know, you could be sick, or injured, or even dying, and we may not even have a way of knowing, hell we may not even be able to do anything to help you if that is the case, and I am not saying that to scare you, I just …” 

Darla sighed.

She took a moment before continuing, in that moment she became aware that the alien was now fully looking at her.

“Could you please tell me if you can talk, even if just a little? Can you speak? Like you did before, you said ‘Human,’ and you also said a LOT of other things, and if we could communicate with one another, that honestly would be a great help, because right now, you are probably the only one who knows anything about, well, you … Is you.”

What is happening?

Why is this guard talking to Number Five like that? Why are they asking those questions? What do they want? Why are they talking like that? So softly, and …

They … Did they just apologize? Why did they even apologize? Number Five is the one who should be apologizing. Prisoners apologize to their wardens, not the other way around.

Is this a trick? Are they trying to deceive Number Five? Why would they even do that? They have it at their mercy, they could do whatever they want with it, and there is nothing it can do about it.

It is a trick, it HAS to be a trick, it has to be a trick of some sort, because otherwise, Number Five has absolutely no idea what is happening or why.

Believing that … whatever is happening is some kind of elaborate trick, would be the easiest thing to do, because it is the only explanation that makes any kind of rational sense.

But, something in their voice, the way they talk, the way they gesture with their hands, the way they look at Number Five, is … Off.

This has never happened before. Number Five has never been in a situation like this. It has never seen anything like this. The men of The Emperor would NEVER behave in this way, even if they thought no one was watching. They would NEVER talk to a basilisk like this guard is doing.

Number Five can’t shake the feeling that all of this is wrong. It doesn't make sense.

One voice in its head says, "This is a trick. It wants you to do something so it will have an excuse to hurt you."

Yet another voice whispers a dangerous idea into Number Five’s mind: "What if it isn't a trap?"

It's absurd, stupid, insane, and dangerous.

Still, it is enough to make Number Five doubt and ask itself, "What if?"

What if?

Number Five doesn’t know what to do or say. The guard is looking at Number Five, awaiting a response. But Number Five doesn’t know what to say. What is the safe response here? What course of action will not result in more pain?

Number Five doesn’t know anything. Why would it know anything? The men of the Emperor never wanted it or any of its kind to know anything. The fact that it knows how to speak was considered the bare minimum it should know as a necessity. Anything else was considered too much. Right now, more than ever, Number Five wished it knew more than the bare minimum.

Eventually, Number Five was faced with the fact that every answer it gave had the potential to be either right or wrong; it was impossible to know which.

The only thing remotely close to a safe answer it can think of, is to do as it is told, because right now, remaining silent is the closest thing to a wrong answer.

There was one problem with that.

Its current warden wanted Number Five to talk, talk about what?

The alien was, without a doubt, confused. It was no longer avoiding eye contact, though it was still coiled up in the corner of its enclosure. It was no longer hunched over either; now, it looked at Darla as if she had grown a second head, as if what she had said had completely baffled the alien.

At this point, Darla was certain that, whatever its species was, it had to use facial expressions to show emotion the same way humans do, because its face kept shifting between expressions that looked like surprise, disbelief, nervousness, fear, confusion, and uncertainty.

Eventually, it stopped looking at Darla, its eyes now downcast to the ground. They shifted several times, sometimes to the walls, sometimes back to Darla, and sometimes back to the ground. She could practically hear the gears turning in its head. After a couple of minutes, it began to rub its hands together. If Darla had to take a guess, it may have been trying to self-soothe itself.

There were several minutes of silence in which neither Darla nor the alien made a sound.

And just when Darla began to think that the alien may not say anything, its face shifted one more time in an expression that, to Darla, looked like resignation.

“Y-You … Y-You want … You want me to t-talk?” It stammered, clearly nervous, in a very soft and small voice, but clearly audible.

That simple question made a torrent of emotions flood Darla’s mind.

Surprise, excitement, and amazement. It was official. There was absolutely no doubt in Darla’s mind that this alien was sentient. They had to be. Only a sapient being would answer a question with another question. The way it moved, how it acted, and the way it was currently looking at Darla—behind those eyes, there was someone.

But the way they spoke and the tone of their voice made it seem like they were certain that doing this would be a death sentence for them. Darla couldn't help but feel that uttering those words took every bit of their courage.

Darla couldn't also help but feel slightly unnerved and worried about the fact that their voice sounded awfully similar to that of a child.

She wasn’t sure if she wanted to think about the implications of that right now.

She decided to move forward with this attempt at a conversation. “Yes, yes I want you to talk, you can talk all that you like, in fact I think everyone here would be really excited about hearing you talk”

The alien didn’t immediately respond to that—not verbally, at least—but Darla could see its body shift. Some of the tension it was carrying seemed to dissipate. They let out a shaky breath after hearing that answer. That is a good sign.

They opened and closed their mouth several times, eyes shifting around, clearly trying to think of what to say next. At the same time, Darla was racking her own brain, thinking of where to even begin with her own questioning.

“... W-What … W-W-What …” They stopped, took a couple of nervous breaths, before continuing. “W-What would y-you … Like me to talk about?”

That was an interesting question.

“Well … I would say that we could talk about anything, really, but I was hoping we could talk about you, if that is okay with you?” Replied Darla. “Hey, let me, one second.”

Darla quickly grabbed one of the chairs near the door and moved closer to the plexiglass barrier, maybe being sat down would help to put the poor xeno at ease, and may as well get comfortable for this.

"Hey, just so you know, if at any point you feel like you need to take a break or just don't feel like talking, that's completely fine. Okay? We're just having a conversation. Don't feel pressured to talk if you don’t," said Darla as she sat down on the plastic chair.

This seemed to put the alien more at ease. After a few seconds of hesitation, it scooted just a bit closer to the plexiglass barrier.

 There was another silent pause between the two of them.

Darla decided to ask another question. "So, if I may ask another question, could you tell me what you are? What is your species called?"

Hopefully, asking this question would gradually ease them into answering more specific questions about their species. Figuring out what their species is called—or if they have a name—is a very good starting point.

"I...I am a basilisk," they said matter-of-factly.

Darla wasn’t sure what she was expecting, but this answer was clearly not it.

She blinked. "Basilisk? I heard that right? Basilisk?"

They simply nodded. "Yes, that is what I am. That's what we're called, at least."

Okay, that answer raises even more questions. "Okay, I just wanted to make sure I heard that right. Um, actually I just realized that I should probably have asked you what your name is first."

They made a puzzled expression. "My name?"

"Yeah," Darla replied. "All this time, I've been calling you 'alien' in my head. Now that I know you're a person, I feel like I should call you by an actual name instead of 'alien,' 'xeno,' or 'EL-01.' .. Wait, you know what a name is, right? I may have been assuming, but do you have something people use to refer to you specifically?"

After hearing Darla's words, their face twisted in clear confusion. “I…I know what a name is, but I don’t have one. Names are for people. Basilisks are…” They looked down, rubbing their hands together. "We're not really people, so … They didn't gave us names."

Darla didn’t know how to feel about that answer. Just like the previous one, it raised more questions than it answered. Basilisk are not people? Do they have a different definition of the word "people" where they come from? Are they part of a social group considered second-class citizens? Slaves?

What does “They didn’t give them names” mean? Who are They?

Should Darla be concerned that when this mysterious "They" was brought, their face momentarily shifted into what could only be described as abject terror for a split second?

For some reason, Darla feels like she will not like the answer to that question.

It is also becoming increasingly hard to not think about the fact that their voice is very, VERY childlike.

But before Darla could think about that too much, she heard them speak again. "Number Five."

"I'm sorry, what?" Darla said.

"Number Five. That is me. That is what I have been called. Number Five," they said.

"Oh," Darla said. "My name is Darla Wallace, but you can just call me Darla."

"Darla," said Five. "It...it sounds nice."

Darla smiled. "Thank you, Five. That was kind."

Once again, Five's expression changed. This time, it was a mixture of surprise, confusion, and perplexity. Darla also watched as Five's body relaxed just a bit more. Five also scooted closer to the plexiglass barrier.

"You know," Darla said. "I've been asking you questions, but given everything that's happened, you might probably have some questions, too. How about I answer one of yours?"

Once again, perplexity and confusion showed on Five's face. Darla quickly realized how expressive they were. It's fascinating and weird that a completely different species can look so different while still being able to pull off human facial expressions.

Five remained silent for a minute, seemingly pondering whether and what to ask. Its eyes shifted from Darla to the ground.

Finally, they spoke. "If I may ask one question, what was that about 'human flesh' that you and the other guards talked about before? About being an inconvenience?"

Darla said she would answer, and honestly, that is a fair question. It also gives her an excuse to clear up some things.

"Well," she began, "to be honest, that was kind of a joke—well, half a joke, half a concern. Marly said that because it would be really bad if an alien were to harm or eat any of the people who work here. Explaining why it's a joke needs more context to make sense, but yeah, no one wants to risk a creature that would eat humans running rampant."

As Darla finished her explanation, she watched as Five’s face shifted from confusion to understanding. However, Five’s expression changed once again as they began to ponder her words.

"Are... Sorry, but can I ask another question?" Five asked.

"Hey, if you have any questions, just ask them. I'll try to answer the best I can," Darla replied, hoping to reassure Five.

"... Are you...a human?" Five asked.

That was an interesting question, to say the least.

"Yes," Darla replied. "I am human, along with everyone else in this place and everyone else as far as I know, minus you, of course."

Five’s facial expression immediately changed again, this time into what was clearly bewilderment, much to Darla’s puzzlement. But what really took Darla off guard was their next question.

"If you are human, everyone is...is this?" Is this the human realm? So this isn’t the Demon Realm? Is this really the Human Realm?” Number Five asked urgently. Maybe Darla was wrong, but she could have sworn she noticed a spark of hope in their eyes.

However, Darla couldn’t be sure. The moment Number Five uttered those words, she felt her thoughts grind to a halt. She couldn’t have heard that right.

Human Realm?

DEMON REALM?

". . . Wait, what?" was all Darla could say.

Chapter Text

“I am sorry, I just … Can you … Can you repeat that? I am just trying to understand,” said Darla, rubbing her temples, blinking rapidly, trying to make logical sense of the words that just came out of Five’s mouth. “Demon … I—I heard that right? Demon … You said you are a Demon, you said the word Demon EXPLICITELY, is that correct? … Because I am kinda hoping I misheard it.”

But Number Five, who was looking both confused and slightly worried, only confirmed what Darla already knew. “Well … No? That is just what I said … Basilisk are a kind of Demon, so that makes me a Demon, not an … ay.lee.uhn.”

Every phenomenon in the universe has a logical, scientific explanation. There is always an answer or a reason behind everything; it's just a matter of finding it. When faced with something that currently has no logical explanation, it can only mean one of four things.

One, you are neglecting or overlooking a possibility.

Two, you lack information.

Three, you have all the information, but you are missing the proper context.

Four, you have drawn the wrong conclusion due to bias, inaccurate or incomplete information, and/or failure to consider every possibility.

The current situation was hardly different from any other mystery humanity has encountered.

Specimen EL-01 (pending official reclassification to "Subject" now that sapience and personhood have been proven) used the English word "Demon" not only to refer to themselves, but also to their entire species. This presents multiple questions that, at present, cannot be answered conclusively.

Understandably, this was an unexpected development that shocked everyone. Many staff members were confused, some were understandably concerned, and a few were disturbed, especially those who were religious or came from families with religious backgrounds.

All in all, these were completely understandable human reactions, considering the string of events that had taken place in the last fifty-seven hours. This was especially true for those who were currently involved in the study of Subject EL-01.

Even so, despite the concerns, uncertainty, and, in some cases, unease, there was something else that kept everyone working on this project going.

Intrigue, fascination, and amazement led everyone to this moment. But one force stood above all the rest, pushing everyone forward.

Curiosity.

"Demon." It's true that the word has been the source of much confusion and worry lately, but it has also been the source of much intrigue. Of all the words in the English lexicon, why "Demon"?

Does it truly refer to the concept of demons in religion? Did the word mean something different on Hades? Was "demon" a taxonomic classification? Was it a demonym? A social label? Or a marker of faction affiliation?

At present, no one knew.

At least, no one who was human.

And while this made some uneasy, it also drove others to work harder to find answers.

But intriguing as the word "demon" may be, the fact that EL-01—an alien being from another planet, which may not even be part of the Milky Way galaxy—spoke in perfectly understandable English, a Germanic language that originated on Earth and has existed for a little over one thousand five hundred years, stunned everyone.

An alien being—an entity from an entirely different species with a completely different physiology that evolved in a completely different biosphere—spoke a language that originated on Earth.

To say that was is utterly fascinating would have been an understatement.

And to know that other beings like this one exist out there—intelligent beings, people from another species who could have their own civilization, society, culture, cuisine, religion, language, and history—their own lives.

To know that there is another planet where life not only emerged, but also THRIVED, evolving into a plethora of different forms, some being so utterly alien, while others were so strikingly familiar. A world where life gave way to intelligence, and then to sapience.

To know that life is not just here, but out there; to know that humanity is not alone.

For Doctor Edmund Ferrus, the mere idea that someone could genuinely look at all of this and not feel even an iota of wonder was inconceivable, at best. But to not to feel even a shred of curiosity whatsoever would have been simply insane.

He couldn't just imagine it. Curiosity has driven humanity forward. It was what drove each and every one of his colleagues forward. It motivated them to keep advancing, even when faced with setbacks that would have made anyone else quit before Project Farsight made it past the planning stages.

And it was curiosity that drove Dr. Ferrus forward. This was the motivation guiding him as he now strolled down the hallways toward the Bio Laboratory, wearing his Hazzard suit; he walked with a sense of purpose, despite having gotten only five hours and forty-seven minutes of sleep last night. That was enough time to rest his mind. Besides, coffee exists for a reason.

But setting aside the reduced hours of sleep due to excitement and the extended shift due to unforeseen developments, today was a very important day. Thanks to Officer Darla Wallace's unexpected but much-welcome proactivity, they now had concrete evidence that EL-01 was sapient.

Beyond being simply wonderful, this also meant that they had access to a direct source of information, one that just so happened to speak one of the most widely known languages on Earth. This meant that they were able to simply ask EL-01 what the word "demon" could mean or about the civilization or civilizations that exist on Hades.

Because of this, what was originally a series of tests designed to determine how EL-01 would respond to verbal stimuli had escalated to a full-blown interview.

Or would it be more accurate to call it an interrogation? Questioning? If only the word "interrogation" didn't have such strong associations with imprisonment.

But then again.

EL-01 is a prisoner, isn't it? They never asked to be brought to this planet. And they certainly did not give their consent to be held in a "Temporary Xeno Enclosure." Not to mention, the enclosure itself is bare bones at best. It offers zero accommodations that would provide enrichment for a living creature, let alone a sapient being who also has the right of access to basic amenities.

EL-01 didn't even receive a proper bed or anything else to sleep comfortably on besides the floor. And to think, Dr. Ferrus had access to a comfortable bed in a room kept at eighteen degrees Celsius.

That alone was enough to ruin Dr. Ferrus's good mood. He was making a real effort not to think about a possibility raised by Officer Darla that he knew he would eventually have to face.

Unfortunately, his spirits took yet another blow when he and his team approached the "Temporary Xeno Enclosure" of the Bio Lab.

Now, to be completely fair, obtaining a live specimen of fauna from Hades was not something they had planned for. It wasn't even a goal of the mission Pilgrim 3. If anything, it was more of a long-term plan than an immediate goal. “Acquiring” EL-01 was a stroke of luck—a "happy accident," if you will.

And, to give credit where it is due, the engineering department did their absolute best with the available resources and tools on EXTREMELY SHORT notice and within an unreasonable timeframe. Despite that, they managed to deliver a pretty good result. They even hermetically sealed both the "enclosure" and the adjacent "observation room" (formerly the adjacent hall, retrofitted for this purpose).

They even had the foresight to install a transfer box that allows elements to be introduced into the enclosure without opening it.

Provided that the element is relatively small.

Dr. Ferrus was impressed and thankful for that. He made sure to express these feelings to his colleagues who are experts in the field of engineering.

Nevertheless, Dr. Ferrus nearly cringed when he saw the improvised "enclosure."

While the arrival of EL-01 was a welcome surprise, it also happened at an extremely inconvenient time. The Foundation lacked the proper facilities to house an alien life form. The "Temporary Xeno Enclosure" was little more than a glorified room that had been hastily reinforced and retrofitted with a high-resistance Plexiglas window.

They were essentially taking a living alien — an organism about which they knew absolutely NOTHING — and locking it up in a room, while just… 

Hoping for the best.

Absolutely less than ideal, in his opinion.

And finding out that EL-01 was a sapient being didn't make the situation any better.

Dr. Ferrus couldn't really complain about anything because the entire setup was done in less than five hours, an impressive feat considering how extensive the retrofit was and that it was done in an emergency situation.

However, Dr. Ferrus still felt regret, particularly because he had voted to postpone construction of a proper enclosure on the basis that they shouldn't attempt to acquire a specimen of fauna until they first attempted a manned expedition to Hades. Such an expedition was still one or two years away at the earliest, so it seemed better to allocate the budget and time to develop equipment to ensure the safety of those who would dare to walk on an alien planet and tools to ensure the success of mankind's first extraplanetary expedition.

Lo and behold, that decision surely had consequences now.

Well, those decisions are in the past. There's nothing to be done now but handle the aftermath and do his best to address the issue he had a hand in creating.

Firstly however, it is time to properly acquaint himself with EL-01 and hopefully leave a good impression… And it was in that moment that Dr. Ferrus realized he had completely forgotten that EL-01 had clearly stated they had a designation… One that he had forgotten. Now, he will have to find a way to discreetly ask about it.

Great.

When Darla ended their conversation, Number Five didn't know whether to feel relieved, concerned, or, strangest of all, disappointed.

The experience was surreal, strange, and completely unexpected. Having a guard talk calmly without raising their voice, throwing threats or insults, or casting Shock Spells was a new experience for Number Five, and it did not know how to feel about it.

It was weird.

But it was also...

Nice.

Sadly, it didn't last very long.

However, while it certainly was a relief that, after the interaction ended, the only pain Number Five felt came from its own thoughts. Still, Number Five didn't dare hope that the next interaction would be as benign as this one. And even if Darla didn't become antagonistic in the future, she was just one guard. That didn't mean her fellow guards would be as benign.

Darla had tried to reassure Number Five, explaining that they had screamed only because Number Five's perfect English was apparently surprising—borderline scary for some—and extremely confusing.

She explicitly said that it was the language, specifically, what had "startled" many people, herself included, which, if anything, only made Number Five even more confused.

"Well, it's just surreal to hear an alien from another planet, probably at the edge of the universe, speaking a language you hear everyone around you using every day. No one really thinks that would actually happen. You would assume that, since they're from another planet, their language would be completely unintelligible to you."

To say that Number Five was confused would be an understatement. For some reason, Number Five felt like confusion was going to become a consistent emotion in this place.

Apparently, SOMEHOW—via means Number Five still couldn't fully grasp—it had made its way to the human realm. That strange "Void-Thing" had apparently taken it to an entirely different realm.

Which actually explains why the guards were concerned about Number Five eating humans. After all, witches fear basilisks for a similar reason.

Yet, for some reason, humans seemed afraid that Number Five would eat their flesh rather than their magic, though Number Five wouldn't even consider doing so.

Although… humans don't have any magic, do they?

Actually, there isn't any magic in the human realm, is there?

Number Five remembers hearing something about that once from Number Seventeen, as well as from a pair of witches who were overheard talking in a city—Bonesborough, was it?

"Another realm without magic, inhabited by people whose bodies can't produce nor store mana, much less use it"

It was so silly that it was borderline absurd.

But considering that Number Five was currently locked in the weirdest cell it has ever been, breathing air absolutely DEVOID of mana after jumping into a "hole in existence itself" to escape THEM, and being watched by the strangest group of guards.

Was it any less absurd? Absolutely not. But did it explain everything? Well, not everything, but enough of it.

If there was any positive that Number Five could scrounge up, it was the fact that if this was truly another realm, then maybe—just maybe—Number Five had found a place so far away that not even the Emperor could find it.

This simple possibility was enough for Number Five to dare to hope.

The stillness and silence outside the cell was first broken by footsteps, followed by the sound of a door sliding open. The humans returned true to Darla's word. Five wondered if Darla might be among them, but the "Hazordu suits" (as Darla had called them) made it difficult to tell individuals apart.

However, it noticed that, along with the humans wearing blue suits, there were three new humans wearing different suits. These ones were white with green patterns predominantly on the right side of the body and right arm, as well as a lengthy yellow stripe on the chest and left arm.

Two of the humans were carrying a white, shiny box each. Each box was big enough to be held in both hands. Number Five did not know what was in the boxes, which made it slightly uneasy.

The third one was carrying something that Number Five initially thought was a rod until the human split it into three connected pieces. The human placed the artifact on the ground, then placed a smaller, rectangular artifact on top of it. The human took a moment to seemingly adjust it, ensuring that one side faced Number Five.

A strange circle on that end suddenly opened, revealing some kind of crystal. The artifact made a sound, followed by a red light shining on one corner.

Number Five had never seen anything like it. It was strangely metallic, especially the "legs."

"Camera ready; checking audio." The human said, tapping a strange, fluffy-looking cylinder at one end of the artifact. "Sound input check. Everything looks good. Ready to start."

"Prächtig," said another human, speaking in a way that sounded funny, to say the least. "Now—"

But a familiar voice cut him off. Darla, Number Five realized. "Just before we start, Can I have a word with you? Just one second."

"Oh, sure, by all means," the human replied, gesturing for Darla to go ahead.

Seeing Darla was in a way reassuring. If anything, she was the closest thing to a familiar face. Even though Number Five hadn't really seen her face, it would take what it could get.

"Five, hey, sorry if we startle you." Darla said with what seemed to be the softest tone she could muster. "Remember I said I'd be back with some colleagues and they'd probably want to talk to you?"

Number Five nodded in reply.

Darla gestured to the human next to her wearing the white, yellow, and green "suit" that she had cut off. "This is Dr. Ferrus. He wants to talk to you and mainly ask some questions about you and where you come from."

Oh.

That was something... They truly wanted Number Five to talk? Darla had said that before, and she was the one who had started an actual conversation with Number Five. But Number Five honestly hadn't really expected anything like that to happen again, let alone this soon.

Did they want him to say something specific? Did they want to see how it would react to being asked questions?

What would they do if Number Five gave them a wrong answer?

Dr. Ferrus made a mental note to offer Officer Wallace an espresso and a jam doughnut for saving him from having to ask EL-01's name.

Gratefulness aside, Dr. Ferrus decided to take this chance to extend a gesture of goodwill to Five.

"Before we begin this interview, I would also like to say something to Five, if I may?" Edmund interjected.

“I mean, you are in charge here, boss, but sure.” Darla replied.

As he placed the box he had been carrying on the ground and proceeded to open it, Dr. Ferrus offered, "I just want to be polite." "Well, to be precise, I would like to offer something, which is what I should have said now that I've realized… But anyhow."

Dr. Ferrus pulled out two cylindrical metal bottles, each filled with a liter of purified water. Suitable for human consumption. The moment the bottles came into view, Five's eyes locked onto them.

"Fresh and clean water, a basic necessity for all complex, carbon-based life as far as we know,I know we haven't provided you with accommodations or basic necessities, so I'd like to offer this as a gesture of kindness. I hope it helps ensure that your basic needs and rights are met. I also apologize for the subpar conditions you're in and any inconveniences we've caused, of which there have certainly been many," said Dr. Ferrus as he moved a step to his right to the enclosure's transfer box.

He put one of the bottles in the rectangular container, closed it, and pressed a button nearby. A hissing sound was heard as the latch on the other end opened. Then, he slid the metal container into the enclosure.

Then, Dr. Ferrus grimaced as the bottom lid of the transfer box opened, letting the bottle hit the ground. This was a small, manageable issue since the box was not far from the ground, but it was something to keep in mind if delicate objects were placed inside it.

Dr. Ferrus watched as Five looked back and forth between him and the bottle for a minute straight. Then, he watched as Five slithered closer to the bottle with its serpentine body and carefully picked it up from the ground.

"You open it by turning the lid on top of the container, just like this," he said, holding the second bottle in front of the plexiglass barriers and demonstrating how to open the bottle while keeping it close.

He saw Number Five watch him and then attempt to open the bottle themselves, only to fail because they were turning it in the incorrect direction.

"You're closing it. Try turning it in the opposite direction," Dr. Ferrus offered.

Five immediately heeded his advice and promptly opened the bottle. Once they did, they intently watched the contents of the bottle.

Even after seeing the security camera footage of Officer Wallace's first contact efforts, Dr. Ferrus was still jarred and amazed by the alien's extremely human-like facial expressions. He saw how Five's expression shifted slightly when they looked into the bottle, as if surprised by what they saw. Their surprise increased when they started sniffing the water, probably looking for contaminants or impurities that weren't there.

This action worried Dr. Ferrus a little. He personally made sure that the water would be perfect for consumption, but he did so using human standards. Without any specifics on the biology of Five or how their species functions, there was always the risk that the water would affect their body the same way distilled water affects the human body.

Alternatively, there was the risk of giving Five something like potassium or magnesium poisoning.

Seeing Five drink from the bottle eased Dr. Ferrus's concerns slightly. After dipping their tongue into the water,Five took a tentative first gulp. This quickly devolved into them almost shoving the entire bottle down their throat. (Metaphorically, though Dr. Ferrus wondered if they could actually do that.)

Dr. Ferrus made a mental note to write about the presence of taste buds on Five's tongue, given how they tried to use it to gauge the composition of the water.

Then, the thought of Five possibly suffering from dehydration crossed his mind when he saw how they drank water as if their lives depended on it, taking only short breaks to breathe before drinking again.

In fact, depending on how much water they need daily, their life may actually depend on it.

Not wanting to risk it, Dr. Ferrus withdrew the transfer box from the enclosure and placed the second bottle in it to be introduced into the enclosure.

To be extra careful, he took another bottle from the box on the ground.

The thud of the second bottle falling to the ground of the enclosure caused Five to stop trying to metaphorically swallow the bottle in their hands. They immediately directed their attention to the new bottle.

After a few seconds of silence, Five stared at the bottle, then at Dr. Ferrus and his team. After a couple of seconds, Five began drinking again from the bottle, still making aggressive eye contact with the second bottle. After emptying the bottle, Five let it fall on the ground and quickly grabbed the second bottle.

They began drinking from the second bottle almost as desperately as they had from the first, but gradually slowed their pace. They still drank rapidly, as if they were a man who had crawled out of a scorching hot desert.

Eventually, they stopped drinking altogether when it seemed that the second bottle was empty.

Dr. Ferrus then remembered that this was supposed to be an interview to learn new information about this alien species. He took out a notebook and a pen from the box of supplies he had brought with him and quickly made a note about how much water Five had consumed, as well as a note about taste buds.

He then decided to finally ask the first question: "Are you still thirsty? We brought more water in case you need it."

The moment Number Five dipped its tongue into the water, the moment it took a gulp, it became painfully aware of how thirsty it was after going an entire day without drinking any water. The water from this metallic bottle was nothing but liquid relief.

But that was practically overshadowed by the fact that this was the best water Number Five had ever tasted in its entire Titandamn life! This water could only be described as pure, liquid bliss, further amplified by the fact that it quenched all of its thirst.

When Number Five saw a second bottle being dropped into its cell, it only spared itself a few moments to feel confusion and disbelief, but after those moments passed, Number Five resumed drinking the liquid salvation it had been given, and then immediately rushed to grab the second bottle before it was snatched out of the cell, before it was out of reach.

In those moments of pure relief, Number Five didn't care how its jailers would react or what might come next. One thing you quickly learn when living in a dark cage is to cling to whatever miserable speck of relief and joy you can find because you never know if it could be your last.

Right now, this water was probably the best thing Number Five had experienced in its miserable life.

Better enjoy it while it still can; at the very least, it could be a fond memory to look back on.

But then Number Five heard Doctor Ferrus say, "Are you still thirsty? We brought more water in case you need it."

What?

Number Five genuinely did not have a response to that. It genuinely could not respond to that.

It couldn't have heard what this person said correctly.

Right?

It must have misheard because it has been mishearing what this person has been saying since he started speaking.

An apology for "inconveniences caused"? Providing for its basic needs? Accommodations?

Rights?

What does any of that even me—

But Number Five could not finish its train of thought because the deafening silence that engulfed the place and everyone present was suddenly broken by a sound. Low-pitched and growing louder, until it was audible by everyone present, it was a sound unlike any other.

The growl from an empty stomach.

Number Five's, to be exact.

Almost immediately, without missing a beat, Doctor Ferrus responded, "Oh, right. We haven't given you anything to eat, and we don't know when the last time you ate was, so—"

The human began rummaging through the box he had carried, pulling out several bottles while seemingly trying to reach the bottom. Then, he pulled out a strange, shiny, metallic-looking bag.

"This is a ration package we made for you. Inside this sealed bag is food. More precisely, this particular bag contains a protein, high-calorie ration similar to MREs. It was made with carnivores and omnivores in mind, but we also brought a vegetarian variety in case your teeth were not indicative of your diet," Doctor Ferrus said calmly, as if anything happening was normal.

Number Five was probably losing it, likely because of hunger. That was the only explanation that made any sense at this point. All it understood was that there was food inside whatever that "bag" was.

And the prospect of eating SOMETHING—ANYTHING—was tempting. Too tempting. Its stomach growled a second time, not as loudly as before, but still audible.

Doctor Ferrus took this as a cue to introduce the "food bag" into the cell using the box on the wall. Seemingly wanting to confuse Number Five even more, he placed another bottle inside the cell.

Were these humans genuinely giving Number Five more water?

It was certain it had already drank more than three times the amount of water it would have on a single day in the Conformatorium!

And they were giving it food with the water?

"Five, don't eat the packaging. It's not edible. Break open the bag and eat the inside, not the shiny part," Darla warned. She looked at Doctor Ferrus for a moment. "I just wanna make sure."

That didn't need much of an explanation. It's not like the idea of putting food in a bag was new to Number Five. It had seen it done by witches and demons after it escaped. But I guess humans wouldn't know that, would they?

Although Number Five thought this was the strangest bag it had ever seen, it was rough but smooth to the touch. It shone like metal, but it certainly did not feel like metal. The bag broke fairly easily, albeit with a bit of resistance.

The food inside looked like a solid cubic chunk of bread and had a soft texture.

It certainly looked different than anything Number Five had expected. Not that it had expected much, but in this case, it wasn't bad. It looked fresh—WAY fresher than anything Number Five would have received in the Conformatorium. Plus, its smell did not make Number Five nauseous.

Actually, it didn't smell bad. It smelled good—really good.

Number Five gave it a tentative lick.

It … it taste … kinda good.

Number Five gave it a small bite.

Number Five took a pause … It had to take pause because … This was, this food was …

The next bite it took was a big one.

What is the word for when you experience something so beautiful and wonderful that it drives you mad? Something so good that you can never experience anything else again without comparing it to that one thing?

Whatever that word was, it was this bread-looking thing that was apparently filled with meat! Actual meat! What kind of meat? Honestly, Number Five couldn't care less. It was good. It was beyond good. It was amazing! It was excellent!

It was delicious!

It was the best food Number Five had ever eaten in its entire life. It was good. It was delicious. It was divine!

Number Five had been taught that basilisk are just beasts, facsimiles of people, but not actual people—just beasts.

And right now, Number Five was certain that it looked like a true beast as it utterly devoured this "meat bread," almost gorging itself on it. Honestly, it didn't care. It was the best thing it was probably ever going to eat, and it was going to enjoy it as much as possible.

Edmund gave Five a total of three bottles of water, each with one liter of water, and three rations of "dry meat pie." They drank all three bottles of water and ate all three rations with what could only be described as ravenous hunger.

Seeing their resident alien specimen devour their food with such ferocity, with such … Desperation.

It made Edmund uneasy and very concerned.

Was this normal behavior for Five's species? Or was Five eating so rapaciously because they were starving?

Had Five been starving the entire time they had been here? Did their species have such a fast metabolism as to require so many calories that a single day without eating left it starving to the point of frenzied eating?

Or had Five been suffering from malnutrition long before making their way to Earth?

Edmund didn't know which possibility worried him more.

It came as no surprise that Five had become very cooperative and receptive after downing three litres of water, followed by devouring three ration packs of dry meat pie. It would seem that the age-old saying about reaching someone's heart via their stomach rang true, even for alien species. At the very least, Dr. Ferrus hoped that having a full belly would make the following interaction easier and create a positive precedent that would allow Five to view human interaction as a benevolent action.

Five was looking at Dr. Ferrus expectantly, still with some reservation in their eyes, but definitely less reticent than before. Dr. Ferrus took a moment to check that his colleague, Dr. Kleiner, was still recording, which he confirmed with a thumbs-up.

"Well, Five, I would like to ask you some questions about your previous conversation with Officer Wallace. Specifically, I would like you to go into more detail about a few things you said." Dr. Ferrus began, flipping a few pages of the notebook in his hands.

"Primarily, I would like to ask you about you as an individual and your species. As it stands, we know absolutely nothing about you or your kind, so everything, no matter how mundane or basic, would be very helpful to us, as well as informative. Please feel free to be as descriptive as you feel comfortable and as detailed as possible. Even the smallest bit of information could be invaluable right now." He said this as he finally found the page he was looking for: the one containing notes and transcriptions of the security footage from last night that he considered pertinent to this interview.

"I understand," he heard Five say in an almost rehearsed voice, which Dr Ferrus found odd.

He decided to dwell on that later. 'All right. I would like to start with your species. When asked about it by Officer Wallace, you said that your species is called the basilisk. Is that correct?'

"Yes." That was all Five said.

"Alright, I just wanted to make sure we got that right. Now, for the follow-up: when pressed for more details, you stated that basilisks are a kind of "demon". Is that also correct?" Dr Ferrus asked.

"Yes, I am a Demon, not an… alien…" Five replied.

Well, in this situation, the two terms are applicable.

"Right. You know, that word has been a source of debate ever since we heard you use it." Dr Ferrus stated.

"Oh." was all that Five offered in return, hunched over a little.

"It's nothing bad, I promise,'' Dr Ferrus said reassuringly. "It's just that the word took us all by surprise, which is why we were wondering: could you please tell us what the word 'demon' means to you? What is a 'demon' on your world?"

The question of the century.

"Well," Five began. "If I understand correctly, Demons are basically any kind of living creature that either possesses or can use magic in some form, normally both… Well, every creature except witches. They have magic too, but they are not considered Demons, and I don't know why that is. Basilisks can sort of use magic, so that makes us demons."

Someone in the background murmured, "Did I just hear the word 'magic'?" Dr. Ferrus wasn't sure who it was. He also heard the rest of the security team engage in a hushed conversation, though he didn't pay them any mind.

He was certain that both Dr. Kleiner and Dr. Vahlen were engaged in their own discussion.

As those words sank in, Dr. Ferrus could only reply, “Fascinating. Just to make sure I understand correctly, in this context, the word 'demon' is a classification given to an organism or species that exhibits a very specific trait or series of traits? Is that correct?"

“Well, yeah, I guess.” Said Five.

Interesting. So indeed, this confirms that the term 'demon' has a different meaning in Hades: a form of classification.

"This is very intriguing and informative, Five. Thank you for answering our question," said Dr Ferrus, writing down this new information.

He did not miss how Five seemed genuinely taken aback by that statement.

"What?" he heard them say.

"Thank you. We now know something we didn't before. We've learned something new thanks to you. " Dr Ferrus reiterated, nonchalantly.

But Five seemed extremely confused by his words — odd.

That's something else to think about later.

"Would you say that the classification of demons is a form of taxonomic classification? If so, could you tell me where in the taxonomic hierarchy this classification is?" It was a long shot, but Dr. Ferrus thought it was worth asking anyway.

Sadly, the utterly confused stare that Five gave him before they had uttered a word already gave him the answer. "… W-What?"

"Are you familiar with the concept of taxonomy, by any chance?" Dr. Ferrus asked.

Unsurprisingly, Five seemed even more confused by that question. "Taxonomy?"

"Taxonomy, tak,so,nuh,mee" Dr. Ferrus corrected. He continued, "It is the discipline in the branch of biology — the study of living organisms, by the way — of classifying groups of biological organisms based on shared characteristics. I was hoping you could tell us where in the taxonomic hierarchy the demon classification sits. Is there any term in your world that is analogous to the concept of taxonomy?"

To say that Five looked utterly confused and lost after hearing that explanation would be an understatement.

'I—I… I don't… I don't know. I'm not sure that's even a word. It's the first time I've heard that word. I..." Five bowed their head slightly, looking at the ground. "Sorry."

At the back of his mind, Edmund couldn't help comparing this action to a child apologising for doing something they had just realised was wrong. He tried not to think too much about it right now.

He was only partially successful.

"Hey, it's completely all right. Honestly, what you've told us is already more than we had to go on. You don't have to apologise; you've done nothing wrong." Dr Ferrus reassured.

Five raised their head slightly. Unlike before, they didn't try to avoid eye contact. In fact, as the interaction went on, Five only seemed to try to break eye contact when they thought any of the human personnel present might become upset by something they had said.

That was concerning.

Dr. Edmund Ferrus spent several minutes thinking about what he should ask next. His mind immediately pivoted to the word 'magic'.

"On the topic of Demons," Dr Ferrus began. "You said that any creature that possesses and/or can use "magic" can be classified as a demon. But now I wonder: what is 'magic'? What does that word refer to? How would you define magic?"

Five didn't reply immediately, but Dr Ferrus suspected that this was because the question had seemed to take them by surprise rather than any apprehension or nervousness they might have felt, at least judging by their current facial expression.

'What is magic?'

Up until this point, Number Five had never thought it possible to speak those words in that order without sounding like you were insane or ignorant.

Everybody knew what magic was, even Number Five, despite only knowing the most basic definition, since it was considered absolutely necessary knowledge by the guards and butchers.

In fact, Number Five might have asked, 'How can anyone not know what magic is?' if it weren't for the fact that there was absolutely NO mana in the air, AND the people talking to it were HUMANS.

The thing about mana is that it's literally EVERYWHERE: in the air, in the water and in the ground. Even in places that have been 'cleansed' of it, such as Number Five's former cell, you could still find magic. Granted, there was too little of it to be of any use, but it was still there. Even if you somehow managed to completely remove all the mana from an environment, good luck ensuring that none of it seeps back in.

But here? In this realm, or at least in this place, there was none. At least, none that Number Five could sense. Honestly, that did unnerve Number Five a little.

It felt unnatural.

Because the complete and utter absence of magic usually meant death.

Either humans had the ability to completely remove mana from a place — and keep it out — which would means were aware of its existence and were just messing with Number Five, or mana exists in this realm but is not present in this location, which would be extremely weird given how mana naturally flows and spreads. Or.

Or...

They truly did not know what magic was.

Because it simply did not exist here.

This truly was the human realm, wasn't it?

“Well… Sorry, I’m not sure how to answer that. I never thought someone could ask something like that and be serious,” Number Five heard itself say.

“What do you mean?” Dr. Ferrus asked in return.

“Because magic is everywhere. Everyone knows what magic is. It exists in, well, everything. Or at least I thought it did. But I haven’t sensed any mana since… There is no magic here at all…” Five said.

Dr. Ferrus hummed. “I guess it's hard for me to say, given that I don't know what you're talking about. Truth be told, I am familiar with the word 'magic', but I'm not sure if it carries the same meaning for us.”

This both perplexed and piqued Number Five's curiosity. “Oh… Do… Do you know what magic is, then?”

Dr. Ferrus didn't respond right away; he hummed as he placed his hand on his chin. (Surely there's a ching behind those weird tube masks they all wear.)

"How about I tell you what the word 'magic' means to me, and then you tell me what it means to you?"

Oh, like that 'ask-me-ask-you-a-question' thing Darla did with Number Five.

"Well, sure," Number Five agreed.

“Well, for us humans, the word 'magic' usually refers to having the power to influence the course of events using mysterious or supernatural forces,” Dr. Ferrus explained. “It may also refer to an object or being with supernatural properties or abilities. In addition, it is often used to describe situations where the forces or properties that allow a given object to function or allow an event to unfold are completely unknown. Although other definitions do exist, this is how most humans would define magic.”

Huh, that was certainly interesting. Because...

“Am I correct in assuming that it means something entirely different to you?” Dr Ferrus asked.

Oh.

“Actually, I think you got everything right. Well… kind of,” Number Five answered.

That was certeainly not an answer Dr. Ferrus was expecting to hear.

"I am sorry, can you … Can you elaborate on that, did you said that the what we have the same definition for the word 'magic'?" Dr. Ferrus asked, now very much intrigued.

“Sorta? Five began. They took a moment, seemingly trying to find the right words. “Magic, well, Mana is like an energy—or a force—that exists in basically anything and anywhere in the Demon Realm. It influences the world and everything in it. And because mana influences everything in the world, if you can control it, you can do magic. Mana is basically the energy or force itself, and magic is when you use that force to change the world around you.”

"Huh," was all Dr Ferrus could say.

It was an interesting answer, to say the least.

Truth be told, Dr Ferrus would be lying if he said he did not find the answer outlandish, even if only a little, but he would also be lying if he said he did not find it intriguing.

“I must say that, to be honest, that answer sounds… well.” Dr. Ferrus let out a small chuckle. “It's quite fantastical, but I must say it also intrigues me. Just to make sure I understand correctly, you're saying that mana is a force or a form of energy that can influence the surrounding environment. When harnessed, it allows the user to manipulate the environment to suit their needs — a practice known as magic proper. Is that correct?”

“Well, yeah.” Five said, completely nonchalantly.

Intriguing.

There were more murmurs behind them.

Dr. Ferrus hummed. “You said that demons have the ability to naturally harness mana and perform magic, correct?”

“Yes. Five replied.

“If that is the case and taking into account what you said about your species, I assume that means you have the capacity to do that as well. Is that correct?” Dr Ferrus asked.

Five began to rub their hands together. “Well… yeah, that is true, but…”

After a pause, Dr Ferrus asked, "But?"

“Basilisks can’t generate their own mana like most demons can. Well, technically we can generate mana, but it's so little that we can’t really make use of it. Instead, we have to consume and absorb mana to use our own magic,” Five confessed.

There was another silent pause.

“So, in order for you to be able to harness this force, you must acquire it from an external source, correct?” Dr. Ferrus asked.

Five nodded. “Yeah… And I'm kind of low on mana right now. I have some, but not much. Unless you have something like an enchanted amulet, I can't really do much.”

Well, that's unfortunate.

But before Dr Ferrus could say anything, Five stole the words out of his mouth. “You want me to do magic? Do you not?"

“Perceptive,” replied Dr. Ferrus. “Yes, I was indeed going to ask if it would be possible for you to give us a small demonstration. We would greatly appreciate it, but if you feel uncomfortable or think you are unable to, then you really don't have to.”

Number Five did not reply, remaining silent for a couple of minutes. However, everyone present could see that they were considering this request: they rubbed their hands together and repeatedly tapped the tip of their tail against the floor, shifting their gaze between Dr Ferrus, their hands and the floor several times.

After silently deliberating on it, Five took a deep breath before finally speaking up again.

". . . My Magic . . . It uses Mana constantly to maintain itself, and it's hard to find a source."

That is not alive.

"To drain, which is why I don't use it much."

Because they would punish me if I did.

"Though I think I have enough to show you."

Just please don't hurt me afterwards. Please don't be afraid.

Calling forth the few precious drops of mana that it still possessed, Number Five reshaped its own flesh. Its skin changed colour and texture; its hair grew and receded at its command, changing colour as easily as one changes clothing; its eyes shifted and reshaped themselves almost as naturally as breathing; and its face shifted as its features morphed.

Number Five knew better than to try to take on a completely different form with so little mana; at best it would come out wrong, and it knew that too many drastic changes would result in the absolute aggravation of its jailers. However, small changes in quick succession were more than doable.

So Number Five showed them: a glimpse of what a basilisk could do — changes in skin, hair, eyes and face. And then, when it was sure it was enough, it reverted to its own form.

It held its breath as it watched its jailers, stood there in complete and utter silence.

Number Five wanted to hope.

But the silence also filled its heart with dread.

Edmund Garand Ferrus was already amazed when he saw the body of the alien known as Five shift from pale, swamp-green scales to human-looking fair-toned skin.

But when he saw how that skin shifted between multiple tones, ranging from the full spectrum of human skin colours to extravagant colours such as pearl, blue, cyan, forest green, verdant green, yellow, amber, crimson red and pink, he was utterly astonished.

When he saw the body of Five change to resemble the shells of molluscs, wood, rock and even grow fur in multiple colours, he was flabbergasted.

And when he saw Five change the shape and colour of their eyes! The very shape of their face contorted and shifted to resemble creatures of other alien species that he had never seen before, and he had run out of words to describe exactly how he felt.

And when he saw Five take on an outright human face...

He let his pen fall to the ground.

In light of what they just witnessed, it would have been appropriate to say that no one could speak.

Until they found their words again, that is.

"Shit! That was cool!" Security officer Jeremy O’Connor said.

"Holy shit, they can shapeshift!" Officer Samson O’Brian exclaimed.

Officer Marly Temple was speechless, while Dr. Vahlen furiously scribbled down notes.

"Huh... Neat! It's like an octopus camouflage, but on steroids," commented Officer Darla Wallace.

And Dr. Ferrus?

He turned to look at Dr. Kleiner, whose exclamation of 'remarkable' he had heard.

"Isaac, Isaac, for the love of God, please tell me you have that on camera," was all Dr. Ferrus could say.

Only after Dr. Kleiner confirmed that what they had just witnessed was real did Dr. Ferrus give his own comment.

"Wunderbar!" Edmund Ferrus exclaimed.