"But I don’t get how you can be…but we’re so different. And you know why your like this. I don’t. I don’t know why I was chosen…." Arian shook his head, still in a bit of a panic.

Marianne shrugged. “It has to be a little reassuring to know that there are others like you….That you can relate to someone and not have to worry about keeping your vocabulary limited, you know?” Marianne carefully reached out and rubbed his arm. “Do you at least know how long you’ve been like this?” 

"It’s terrifying…" He looked at her hand. "I..I found out when I was 13. That was the first I had shifted. It was why I was locked up."

Guess he wasn’t as lucky as she was. Marianne hummed, pulling more at her curls, fixing them as she did so. “Well, just so you know, you’re not going to be locked up by me…Even though I’m not too fond of you, I won’t put you through that again,” 

The tension in his shoulders eased up. “Thanks…I…that’s why I ran. I thought for sure you’d at least turn me in…”

She shook her head. “I won’t do that. Though, I can’t say the same for everyone else…,” that’s why Marianne hasn’t told Ravi or anyone else in that family. Any of them could turn her in.

"Why do you think I avoided all your questions before…." He looked down. "I’m sorry."

"I can understand that now," Marianne nodded her head, a small smile on her lips. "At least now we have something in common," 

"Y-yeah…I guess we do." He never thought that they would with how terribly they had gotten off to start. "It’s…nice to have someone else know now…well aside from Ana.."

"Ana?" was it the same Ana that she had recently became friends with? "Is that the place you’ve been hiding out at?"

He nodded. “Yeah…she was nice enough to offer.” He rubbed the back of his head. “I met her when she came to give you something. Everyone was out at that time…”

Ah, so it was that Ana. "I wondered why I haven't seen her lately," Marianne tucked some hair behind her ear. "So, now that we're squared off...Are you going to come back home?" 

"But I don’t get how you can be…but we’re so different. And you know why your like this. I don’t. I don’t know why I was chosen…." Arian shook his head, still in a bit of a panic.

Marianne shrugged. “It has to be a little reassuring to know that there are others like you….That you can relate to someone and not have to worry about keeping your vocabulary limited, you know?” Marianne carefully reached out and rubbed his arm. “Do you at least know how long you’ve been like this?” 

"It’s terrifying…" He looked at her hand. "I..I found out when I was 13. That was the first I had shifted. It was why I was locked up."

Guess he wasn’t as lucky as she was. Marianne hummed, pulling more at her curls, fixing them as she did so. “Well, just so you know, you’re not going to be locked up by me…Even though I’m not too fond of you, I won’t put you through that again,” 

The tension in his shoulders eased up. “Thanks…I…that’s why I ran. I thought for sure you’d at least turn me in…”

She shook her head. “I won’t do that. Though, I can’t say the same for everyone else…,” that’s why Marianne hasn’t told Ravi or anyone else in that family. Any of them could turn her in.

"Why do you think I avoided all your questions before…." He looked down. "I’m sorry."

"I can understand that now," Marianne nodded her head, a small smile on her lips. "At least now we have something in common," 

"Y-yeah…I guess we do." He never thought that they would with how terribly they had gotten off to start. "It’s…nice to have someone else know now…well aside from Ana.."

"Ana?" was it the same Ana that she had recently became friends with? "Is that the place you've been hiding out at?"

"But I don’t get how you can be…but we’re so different. And you know why your like this. I don’t. I don’t know why I was chosen…." Arian shook his head, still in a bit of a panic.

Marianne shrugged. “It has to be a little reassuring to know that there are others like you….That you can relate to someone and not have to worry about keeping your vocabulary limited, you know?” Marianne carefully reached out and rubbed his arm. “Do you at least know how long you’ve been like this?” 

"It’s terrifying…" He looked at her hand. "I..I found out when I was 13. That was the first I had shifted. It was why I was locked up."

Guess he wasn’t as lucky as she was. Marianne hummed, pulling more at her curls, fixing them as she did so. “Well, just so you know, you’re not going to be locked up by me…Even though I’m not too fond of you, I won’t put you through that again,” 

The tension in his shoulders eased up. “Thanks…I…that’s why I ran. I thought for sure you’d at least turn me in…”

She shook her head. “I won’t do that. Though, I can’t say the same for everyone else…,” that’s why Marianne hasn’t told Ravi or anyone else in that family. Any of them could turn her in.

"Why do you think I avoided all your questions before…." He looked down. "I’m sorry."

"I can understand that now," Marianne nodded her head, a small smile on her lips. "At least now we have something in common," 

"But I don’t get how you can be…but we’re so different. And you know why your like this. I don’t. I don’t know why I was chosen…." Arian shook his head, still in a bit of a panic.

Marianne shrugged. “It has to be a little reassuring to know that there are others like you….That you can relate to someone and not have to worry about keeping your vocabulary limited, you know?” Marianne carefully reached out and rubbed his arm. “Do you at least know how long you’ve been like this?” 

"It’s terrifying…" He looked at her hand. "I..I found out when I was 13. That was the first I had shifted. It was why I was locked up."

Guess he wasn’t as lucky as she was. Marianne hummed, pulling more at her curls, fixing them as she did so. “Well, just so you know, you’re not going to be locked up by me…Even though I’m not too fond of you, I won’t put you through that again,” 

The tension in his shoulders eased up. “Thanks…I…that’s why I ran. I thought for sure you’d at least turn me in…”

She shook her head. "I won't do that. Though, I can't say the same for everyone else...," that's why Marianne hasn't told Ravi or anyone else in that family. Any of them could turn her in.

"But I don’t get how you can be…but we’re so different. And you know why your like this. I don’t. I don’t know why I was chosen…." Arian shook his head, still in a bit of a panic.

Marianne shrugged. “It has to be a little reassuring to know that there are others like you….That you can relate to someone and not have to worry about keeping your vocabulary limited, you know?” Marianne carefully reached out and rubbed his arm. “Do you at least know how long you’ve been like this?” 

"It’s terrifying…" He looked at her hand. "I..I found out when I was 13. That was the first I had shifted. It was why I was locked up."

Guess he wasn't as lucky as she was. Marianne hummed, pulling more at her curls, fixing them as she did so. "Well, just so you know, you're not going to be locked up by me...Even though I'm not too fond of you, I won't put you through that again," 

"But I don’t get how you can be…but we’re so different. And you know why your like this. I don’t. I don’t know why I was chosen…." Arian shook his head, still in a bit of a panic.

Marianne shrugged. "It has to be a little reassuring to know that there are others like you....That you can relate to someone and not have to worry about keeping your vocabulary limited, you know?" Marianne carefully reached out and rubbed his arm. "Do you at least know how long you've been like this?" 

Her words brought him no comfort, only wanting to run faster now. But the last thing she said stopped him dead in his tracks. “What…happened to…you?….”

Marianne knew she had to tell him now. There was no going back into safety. “Well, you know how it is; being raised by a mother who’s obsessed with titans can be very interesting,” she says with a soft laugh. “My mother…did experiments on me…and she still does from time to time,” 

Now Arian looked on Marianne with horror. “What…why would a parent do that to a child?…” His own father only let him help out. Never did he dare lay a hand on him…right?

"My mother’s crazy, and she spoiled me rotten; I couldn’t say no," Marianne rubbed her arm, lowering her head a bit. "I don’t know if you want to believe me, Arian, but you and I…are one and the same…," 

"The same?" He scoffed. "There’s nothing about us that’s the same, Marianne. Maybe you were used a little but it’s nothing like my isolation and tortures, my tests and failures. Nothing like the monster inside of me."

Marianne knew he wasn’t going to believe her right off the bat. “One of my mother’s experiments, the very first one she ever did to me, was injecting me with this serum, a project she had been working on for years…Thanks to that, I also…have a monster within me….,” 

"What do you mean?" Arian was completely confused as to what she was getting at. He trembled, pulling back from her even more.

"It means…I am the same as you; a shifter, a titan…a monster," Marianne bit her lip, trying to read his expression. "Nobody knows…aside from you and another close friend," 

Arian stared at her, his mouth open. No way. She had to be lying. No way she was like him and not locked up. Impossible… “You…you can’t be. Don’t be saying this shit to try to get to me.”

"Do you need more proof? Fine. I’m glad I brought this along with me," she pulls out a little knife from under one of her folds, a good place to hide valuables and such. Marianne bit her lip hard and drew the blade along the skin of her arm, watching as the dark red liquid -poured from the wound. It was only for a moment before the wound began to heal, and steam sizzled as it did so. 

Arian nearly jumped forward when she started to cut herself, afraid of how far she was willing to go. But when he saw it steam and heal, his hear dropped. “You…you….”

"—am just like you," she finished, putting the blade back under her dress flap. "I knew you wouldn’t believe me right away, so I needed something more convincing to show you," 

He stared at her, shaking his head. “What…I don’t…I don’t get it…” Arian took a step closer.

"What is there not to get?" Marianne asked, moving closer to him. "I am what I am...," 

Her words brought him no comfort, only wanting to run faster now. But the last thing she said stopped him dead in his tracks. “What…happened to…you?….”

Marianne knew she had to tell him now. There was no going back into safety. “Well, you know how it is; being raised by a mother who’s obsessed with titans can be very interesting,” she says with a soft laugh. “My mother…did experiments on me…and she still does from time to time,” 

Now Arian looked on Marianne with horror. “What…why would a parent do that to a child?…” His own father only let him help out. Never did he dare lay a hand on him…right?

"My mother’s crazy, and she spoiled me rotten; I couldn’t say no," Marianne rubbed her arm, lowering her head a bit. "I don’t know if you want to believe me, Arian, but you and I…are one and the same…," 

"The same?" He scoffed. "There’s nothing about us that’s the same, Marianne. Maybe you were used a little but it’s nothing like my isolation and tortures, my tests and failures. Nothing like the monster inside of me."

Marianne knew he wasn’t going to believe her right off the bat. “One of my mother’s experiments, the very first one she ever did to me, was injecting me with this serum, a project she had been working on for years…Thanks to that, I also…have a monster within me….,” 

"What do you mean?" Arian was completely confused as to what she was getting at. He trembled, pulling back from her even more.

"It means…I am the same as you; a shifter, a titan…a monster," Marianne bit her lip, trying to read his expression. "Nobody knows…aside from you and another close friend," 

Arian stared at her, his mouth open. No way. She had to be lying. No way she was like him and not locked up. Impossible… “You…you can’t be. Don’t be saying this shit to try to get to me.”

"Do you need more proof? Fine. I’m glad I brought this along with me," she pulls out a little knife from under one of her folds, a good place to hide valuables and such. Marianne bit her lip hard and drew the blade along the skin of her arm, watching as the dark red liquid -poured from the wound. It was only for a moment before the wound began to heal, and steam sizzled as it did so. 

Arian nearly jumped forward when she started to cut herself, afraid of how far she was willing to go. But when he saw it steam and heal, his hear dropped. “You…you….”

"--am just like you," she finished, putting the blade back under her dress flap. "I knew you wouldn't believe me right away, so I needed something more convincing to show you," 

Her words brought him no comfort, only wanting to run faster now. But the last thing she said stopped him dead in his tracks. “What…happened to…you?….”

Marianne knew she had to tell him now. There was no going back into safety. “Well, you know how it is; being raised by a mother who’s obsessed with titans can be very interesting,” she says with a soft laugh. “My mother…did experiments on me…and she still does from time to time,” 

Now Arian looked on Marianne with horror. “What…why would a parent do that to a child?…” His own father only let him help out. Never did he dare lay a hand on him…right?

"My mother’s crazy, and she spoiled me rotten; I couldn’t say no," Marianne rubbed her arm, lowering her head a bit. "I don’t know if you want to believe me, Arian, but you and I…are one and the same…," 

"The same?" He scoffed. "There’s nothing about us that’s the same, Marianne. Maybe you were used a little but it’s nothing like my isolation and tortures, my tests and failures. Nothing like the monster inside of me."

Marianne knew he wasn’t going to believe her right off the bat. “One of my mother’s experiments, the very first one she ever did to me, was injecting me with this serum, a project she had been working on for years…Thanks to that, I also…have a monster within me….,” 

"What do you mean?" Arian was completely confused as to what she was getting at. He trembled, pulling back from her even more.

"It means…I am the same as you; a shifter, a titan…a monster," Marianne bit her lip, trying to read his expression. "Nobody knows…aside from you and another close friend," 

Arian stared at her, his mouth open. No way. She had to be lying. No way she was like him and not locked up. Impossible… “You…you can’t be. Don’t be saying this shit to try to get to me.”

"Do you need more proof? Fine. I'm glad I brought this along with me," she pulls out a little knife from under one of her folds, a good place to hide valuables and such. Marianne bit her lip hard and drew the blade along the skin of her arm, watching as the dark red liquid -poured from the wound. It was only for a moment before the wound began to heal, and steam sizzled as it did so. 

Her words brought him no comfort, only wanting to run faster now. But the last thing she said stopped him dead in his tracks. “What…happened to…you?….”

Marianne knew she had to tell him now. There was no going back into safety. “Well, you know how it is; being raised by a mother who’s obsessed with titans can be very interesting,” she says with a soft laugh. “My mother…did experiments on me…and she still does from time to time,” 

Now Arian looked on Marianne with horror. “What…why would a parent do that to a child?…” His own father only let him help out. Never did he dare lay a hand on him…right?

"My mother’s crazy, and she spoiled me rotten; I couldn’t say no," Marianne rubbed her arm, lowering her head a bit. "I don’t know if you want to believe me, Arian, but you and I…are one and the same…," 

"The same?" He scoffed. "There’s nothing about us that’s the same, Marianne. Maybe you were used a little but it’s nothing like my isolation and tortures, my tests and failures. Nothing like the monster inside of me."

Marianne knew he wasn’t going to believe her right off the bat. “One of my mother’s experiments, the very first one she ever did to me, was injecting me with this serum, a project she had been working on for years…Thanks to that, I also…have a monster within me….,” 

"What do you mean?" Arian was completely confused as to what she was getting at. He trembled, pulling back from her even more.

"It means...I am the same as you; a shifter, a titan...a monster," Marianne bit her lip, trying to read his expression. "Nobody knows...aside from you and another close friend," 

Her words brought him no comfort, only wanting to run faster now. But the last thing she said stopped him dead in his tracks. “What…happened to…you?….”

Marianne knew she had to tell him now. There was no going back into safety. “Well, you know how it is; being raised by a mother who’s obsessed with titans can be very interesting,” she says with a soft laugh. “My mother…did experiments on me…and she still does from time to time,” 

Now Arian looked on Marianne with horror. “What…why would a parent do that to a child?…” His own father only let him help out. Never did he dare lay a hand on him…right?

"My mother’s crazy, and she spoiled me rotten; I couldn’t say no," Marianne rubbed her arm, lowering her head a bit. "I don’t know if you want to believe me, Arian, but you and I…are one and the same…," 

"The same?" He scoffed. "There’s nothing about us that’s the same, Marianne. Maybe you were used a little but it’s nothing like my isolation and tortures, my tests and failures. Nothing like the monster inside of me."

Marianne knew he wasn't going to believe her right off the bat. "One of my mother's experiments, the very first one she ever did to me, was injecting me with this serum, a project she had been working on for years...Thanks to that, I also...have a monster within me....," 

Her words brought him no comfort, only wanting to run faster now. But the last thing she said stopped him dead in his tracks. “What…happened to…you?….”

Marianne knew she had to tell him now. There was no going back into safety. “Well, you know how it is; being raised by a mother who’s obsessed with titans can be very interesting,” she says with a soft laugh. “My mother…did experiments on me…and she still does from time to time,” 

Now Arian looked on Marianne with horror. “What…why would a parent do that to a child?…” His own father only let him help out. Never did he dare lay a hand on him…right?

"My mother's crazy, and she spoiled me rotten; I couldn't say no," Marianne rubbed her arm, lowering her head a bit. "I don't know if you want to believe me, Arian, but you and I...are one and the same...," 

Her words brought him no comfort, only wanting to run faster now. But the last thing she said stopped him dead in his tracks. “What…happened to…you?….”

Marianne knew she had to tell him now. There was no going back into safety. "Well, you know how it is; being raised by a mother who's obsessed with titans can be very interesting," she says with a soft laugh. "My mother...did experiments on me...and she still does from time to time," 

Arian kept hidden most nights in the trees around the town, the days spent with Ana when she could get away. Today was not one of those lucky days, stuck alone. He wandered through the market area, getting lost. He hated that so terribly. He thought for sure he was getting better with his navigating. But alas he was unknowing where he was headed, and headed toward a person he didn’t want to see.

Marianne had decided to do a little shopping, since she was in charge of dinner for her and Ravi tonight. The brunette cleared her throat as she looked through a cart of vegetables, picking out the ones that looked the ripest to her. As she looked up to pay the merchant, her eyes caught someone. Was that?….Her head turned completely. 

She put her stuff into her basket and started towards the man, not wanting to give any indication that she was coming his way.

Arian kept his head down when he was amongst more people, but being so tall was difficult for him to hide. He was still too easily seen. He needed to get out of the streets and go through some alleys…. He pushed on through, careful not to make too much contact with others.

Marianne knew she had to get him cornerned in order to get anywhere. If she confronted him right he was on the streets, he would bolt again. Marianne pulled her hood more over her face, keeping her eyes locked on Arian. 

Once he went down an alleyway, she knew this was her chance to get him. Marianne looked around and followed after him, silently cursing herself for wearing shoes that made noise.

Down the alley and finally he felt himself a lot safer. But he heard a noise following him, which unnerved him. Who could it be? He spun and turned, staring at the figure behind him. “What the hell?”

Shit. He knew someone was on his tail. There was no use hiding now or he was just going to get sketched out and take off running. Marianne sighed, and looked around before lowering her hood. “Arian. We need to talk,” 

He tended when he heard Marianne’s voice. “I have nothing to say. And I’m not going to be put back into a cage.” He still thought for sure this was just her way to corner him into experimentation. It always was something like that.

"Into a cage?" Marianne said as she took careful steps forward. Scaring him off would just put her back to square one. "I’m not going to do that. All I wanted to do was talk to you, but you’re making it so difficult. Why do you think I would do something like that?" 

"Because. Your mother is a scientist. I’ve seen the journals you look at. I’m not going to be your test subject so just leave me be." Arian backed away slowly, plotting how to run from her and get to Ana’s.

She blinked at him. "I wouldn't do that to you, even though it would be pretty fun to see you get tortured," Marianne pulled at one of her curls. "Besides....I wouldn't want the same thing that happened to me...happen to you...," 

Arian kept hidden most nights in the trees around the town, the days spent with Ana when she could get away. Today was not one of those lucky days, stuck alone. He wandered through the market area, getting lost. He hated that so terribly. He thought for sure he was getting better with his navigating. But alas he was unknowing where he was headed, and headed toward a person he didn’t want to see.

Marianne had decided to do a little shopping, since she was in charge of dinner for her and Ravi tonight. The brunette cleared her throat as she looked through a cart of vegetables, picking out the ones that looked the ripest to her. As she looked up to pay the merchant, her eyes caught someone. Was that?….Her head turned completely. 

She put her stuff into her basket and started towards the man, not wanting to give any indication that she was coming his way.

Arian kept his head down when he was amongst more people, but being so tall was difficult for him to hide. He was still too easily seen. He needed to get out of the streets and go through some alleys…. He pushed on through, careful not to make too much contact with others.

Marianne knew she had to get him cornerned in order to get anywhere. If she confronted him right he was on the streets, he would bolt again. Marianne pulled her hood more over her face, keeping her eyes locked on Arian. 

Once he went down an alleyway, she knew this was her chance to get him. Marianne looked around and followed after him, silently cursing herself for wearing shoes that made noise.

Down the alley and finally he felt himself a lot safer. But he heard a noise following him, which unnerved him. Who could it be? He spun and turned, staring at the figure behind him. “What the hell?”

Shit. He knew someone was on his tail. There was no use hiding now or he was just going to get sketched out and take off running. Marianne sighed, and looked around before lowering her hood. “Arian. We need to talk,” 

He tended when he heard Marianne’s voice. “I have nothing to say. And I’m not going to be put back into a cage.” He still thought for sure this was just her way to corner him into experimentation. It always was something like that.

"Into a cage?" Marianne said as she took careful steps forward. Scaring him off would just put her back to square one. "I'm not going to do that. All I wanted to do was talk to you, but you're making it so difficult. Why do you think I would do something like that?" 

Arian kept hidden most nights in the trees around the town, the days spent with Ana when she could get away. Today was not one of those lucky days, stuck alone. He wandered through the market area, getting lost. He hated that so terribly. He thought for sure he was getting better with his navigating. But alas he was unknowing where he was headed, and headed toward a person he didn’t want to see.

Marianne had decided to do a little shopping, since she was in charge of dinner for her and Ravi tonight. The brunette cleared her throat as she looked through a cart of vegetables, picking out the ones that looked the ripest to her. As she looked up to pay the merchant, her eyes caught someone. Was that?….Her head turned completely. 

She put her stuff into her basket and started towards the man, not wanting to give any indication that she was coming his way.

Arian kept his head down when he was amongst more people, but being so tall was difficult for him to hide. He was still too easily seen. He needed to get out of the streets and go through some alleys…. He pushed on through, careful not to make too much contact with others.

Marianne knew she had to get him cornerned in order to get anywhere. If she confronted him right he was on the streets, he would bolt again. Marianne pulled her hood more over her face, keeping her eyes locked on Arian. 

Once he went down an alleyway, she knew this was her chance to get him. Marianne looked around and followed after him, silently cursing herself for wearing shoes that made noise.

Down the alley and finally he felt himself a lot safer. But he heard a noise following him, which unnerved him. Who could it be? He spun and turned, staring at the figure behind him. “What the hell?”

Shit. He knew someone was on his tail. There was no use hiding now or he was just going to get sketched out and take off running. Marianne sighed, and looked around before lowering her hood. "Arian. We need to talk,"