Sang Sorenson was a shifter, specifally from a sup-group called Squirm's. They can shift into anything they want from a young age, but as they grow they can only shift into their favorite animal. When Sang shifts for the first time after her thirtee...
Moving the boxes into the rented truck, I was happy for the added strength of my other self. My mother and sister sat inside on foldable chairs, each sipping a soda and watching a show of some sort. The light breeze tickled the inside of the truck, cooling my sweaty skin. We were moving, though I hadn't been told why. All I knew was that I was to pack up the house by the end of the day, and that we would be leaving as soon as my father returned from work.
The boxes soon piled up high enough that I could no longer reach the top, and so I began to climb them to add onto the pile. It was a slow process by myself, but eventually I finished. Ever since I could remember, this was how it had been. It started out smaller of course. I would just do my own laundry, maybe clean the bathrooms and take out the trash. Later on though, I began to do everything in the house. I didn't mind this fact, as I enjoyed cooking and cleaning. I got to write out my lists and tick off each thing that needed done. It gave be a sense of meaning to do these tasks. I did after all have to do something to earn my place in this house. The others were a part of this family, while I was not meant to be here. Sighing, I returned into the house to see if there was anything else that I had missed in my packing hazed mind.
Entering the house, a blast of stale air-conditioned wind hit me. Mother and Marie sat in the living room, both silent as they were focused on the television in front of them. Walking behind them, I went up the stairs and walked around. Each room was clean and empty, making the house feel even more hollow. The lower level was the same, bare except for the two females sitting in the living room, and the television sitting on the floor. They had refused to let me pack it up, as they would be too bored sitting around all day and waiting. Walking to the back of the house, I gazed at the small forest behind the house. It wasn't much, but it had been my secret home for the past few years. Now fifteen, I had grown use to the monster that I was, and the explicit freedom it granted me.
My other side was something that no one knew of, and I intended to keep it that way. Mother found me to be enough trouble, as I was not very well behaved. My cleaning would often fall short, and my food was often bland. The freedom of my other half was amazing, but also very dangerous. If mother was to find out, I surely would never be allowed to step foot in the forest, lest someone see what she would find a horrid form. My other body was almost nothing like my normal body. Some traits had transferred between the two. For instance, my Na'vi self had blonde braids instead of the night black of the original people. My eyes were the same color, not a yellow cat eye. I was ten feet tall, and my skin was a smooth striped blue in my other form. It was not easy to hide when I changed, but I would feel and itching need to change at least once a month. It was freeing to not be in such a small body, but at the same time, very risky.
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Glancing around, no one was paying me any mind. Maybe I could go for a quick run before father got back home? It would be worth the risk, but I could be punished if I went missing. Weighing the options, I decided it was worth it. Stepping out the back door, I walked into the forest. The trees seemed to hug be in welcome, and I relaxed as I could finally breathe fully. Calming myself, I began to grow. My limbs getting longer, blue beginning to creep along my arms, twining itself down and around my legs. Spreading along with it were darker strips, giving off the appearance of a tiger of sorts. My connecting braid fell out of its place in its bun, lightly hitting my calf. Ears twitching at the sounds of animals around me, I adjusted to my new height and strength. This was what I loved, and what I resented.
Walking along, I listened to the animals scurrying around the trees and ground. Touching the branches as I went, my mind began to wonder. Where were we moving, what would it be like? What reason did we have to move, was it because I had done something wrong to the house? I had repainted the exterior a couple of months ago after hearing father complaining about a resale price and it not being pretty enough. Would that be a cause to move? Shaking the thoughts from my head, I started jogging. Picking up speed, my legs pumped under me, moving faster than I had ever thought I could a few years ago. This was true freedom. Running where I wanted, jumping through the trees and watching life pass by without having to worry about what action of mine would be wrong next.
"SANG! WHERE ARE YOU!" mothers voice echoed across the trees, voice hard with anger. Flinching at the tone, I hurried back to the edge of the forest, slowing down as I changed by into my shorter form. Walking out of the forest, I flinched again at the glare that she directed toward me. Getting to the door, I was promptly yanked into the house and told to finish packing. Father was home, but he didn't look up from his computer as he talked to someone else over the camera. Finishing packing, I was about to close the truck door when Marie and mother walked out. Glaring at me, they got into the truck and slammed the door. Our moving truck was only able to hold three people, but I figured that I would be sitting on the floor or next to father as we drove to our destination.
"Sang, there isn't enough room in the front of the truck, so you are going to have to sit in the back with all of the boxes. Get in now and I'll close it after you. You won't be able to get out until we get to our new house, so don't expect to be going anywhere for the next few hours." Father was stern as he spoke, pushing me toward the truck as he spoke. Putting my head down, I stood still as he lowered the rolling door. Watching as the light from outside turned into a sliver of pale gold when the door shut all the way. Sighing again, I sat down and waited for the ride to begin and end.
Jolting awake as the truck turned off, I waited for the sound of the gas pump to begin again. We had stopped seven times already, and each time was to get gas. Wondering when we would finally be done driving, I started to drift back to sleep. I could hear father talking to mother as they got out, and the rattle of keys as they were put somewhere. Jerking back up, the rolling door began to rattle as it was unlocked. Standing now, I waited eagerly at the door. I hadn't been out in I don't know how long, and I was in desperate need of using the bathroom.
Stepping out, I turned to grab a box that was close, and followed the two into the new house. Setting it down, I ran around, and stepped into the nearest bathroom I could find. After I was done, I began the long task of moving the boxes into the new house, once again glad that I was able to use some of my other forms' strength in my smaller body. My parents and Marie had left for the night, and that left me to set up the house however I wanted. Smiling, I hummed to myself as I set to work setting up my house.
Just as a side note here before my actual authors note, the drive from Illinois to South Carolina according to Google Maps is a 12hr and 30min drive.
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Hey guys! The first chapter is now done, but is not edited. The next post will be very short, and will be Kota's first glance at Sang as they arrive and she begins moving the boxes and stuff in.
Also, some of you may notice that Sang does in fact call it HER house, because to her it is a point of pride. She is the mother of the home in a sense, as she is the one caring for the house and the people in it, though she is a child of the house. That to me, is the Na'vi side of her personality taking form. She is proud of her standing as a care taker in the house because it is a mothering position, which can often be viewed as very special in the type of cultures such as the Na'vian one that is portrayed. It is intentional, and I am sorry if it displeases some of you, but that is how I view this character.
