Information

Chernobys
Legacy Name: Chernobys

The Nuclear Tigrean
Owner: Kaylene

Age: 12 years, 10 months, 2 weeks

Born: June 13th, 2011

Adopted: 12 years, 10 months, 2 weeks ago

Adopted: June 13th, 2011

Statistics

• Level: 24
   
• Strength: 60
   
• Defense: 59
   
• Speed: 58
   
• Health: 58
   
• HP: 58/58
   
• Intelligence: 0
   
• Books Read: 0
• Food Eaten: 0
• Job: Unemployed

I am Chernobys and I will tell my own story.

I was born on the edges of the Darkside and the Shadowglen, where the lava floes give way to vast fields and patchy forest. It is a tough land, but it was home and those who were strong could survive there. Many Tigrean live there, roaming alone or in a pride like I was. I was the strongest and most daring of my pride. I had fur as black as the night and was a skilled hunter, able to bring down the swiftest of prey before they had a chance to see or hear me. Competitive, confident, proud, I loved to be the best at everything from a young age and constantly sought to prove my bravery and strength to my friends and elders. This was all to change.

The day the helicopters came, my pride and I were lounging on the edge of a scrubby woodland patch. It was in the heat of midday and we were resting from the night's hunt, away from the suns harsh rays. We had never heard such a sound - the clattering, chopping noises in the air were completely foreign to us. My pride, cautious, retreated deeper into the brush. But I, in my brash young folly, claimed that I wasn't afraid - that I would see what this noise was and I would share what I saw with all the prides! With that, I bravely ran out onto the open plains to face my mysterious adversary. I was confused by what I saw - giant black metal insects hovering in the sky, bigger then I'd ever seen, with humans inside of them. A sharp pain seared in my side and I saw a bright feather-tufted dart poking out of me. Then the world went black. As my vision fogged out I saw the anxious faces of my pride concealed in the woodland scrub. That was to be the last time I ever saw them.

When I awoke, it was very cold. I was lying on a smooth cold surface and the air was frigid, freezing, colder then the coldest cloudless winter night I had ever lived through on the plains. It was also dark and even my eyes, sharp from hunting in moonless nights, could see nothing but blackness. I heard sounds around me, creatures breathing, one sobbing, others moaning with what I supposed was pain. Pain from the cold, from hunger, from some unknown malevolent source, I did not know which. I supposed I would very soon. I closed my eyes and tried to let sleep overtake me once more but it would not. It was too cold. Then - light. Blinding light which flared far too suddenly so that it stung my eyes and I roared out in pain. I saw human-shaped shadows approach me and I retreated to the corner of my - cage. I was caged! So, too, was every other creature in the room. I snarled in fury at my captors standing just outside the bars, lashing out with my clawed paws in a vain attempt to reach them, to injure them as they had injured me and every other creature caged here. One of them raised a long metal barrel at me. A sharp pain. Another brightly coloured tuft. My world faded into blackness once again.

When I next awoke I was somewhere slightly warmer. There was light shining in through my eyelids, though again I was lying on a cool, smooth surface. I heard the voices of men close by as I struggled to move my reluctant limbs and listless, groggy body.
"Look! She is awaking. I told you this one looked strong. She's responded to the procedure as well as we could ever hope!"
"We'll see. She's alive at least. The first one to survive. We must have done something right."

Security reports a break-in at the outer perimeter fence! All security personnel to the West Gate immediately. Science teams make ready to evacuate and dispose of evidence should alarm sound.

"Don't worry about it. Don't worry! Whoever the fool is, he'll be shot down before he has a hope of reaching the compound. She's coming 'round! Hurry and get to the observation notes!"
I opened my eyes slowly, squinting into the bright lights and forcing my body to sit up. A blurred human shadow standing by me slowly came into focus. He was wearing a clean white coat and glasses, and smiled at me in what I supposed was a fake attempt at friendliness.
"Hello. It's good to see you're awake. I am Professor Dorchet. We've bought you here because you are to help us. Do you understand?"
I ignored him and cast around the room. It was brightly lit, filled with odd instruments. There were two other humans - one with a notepad and pencil, the other with one of those long metal things that shot the colourful darts I had come to loathe so much. I was not caged, but a thick metal chain held me fast about my neck.
"Ahem." It was the scientist who had spoken to me. "I asked you a question. We have brought you here to fight for us. You are strong, and through our experiments we have made you even stronger. You are to join our army and obey our commands. Do you understand?"
At this insult my ears went back and my face twisted into a snarl. Hot rage boiled through me. I was a slave to no one! I lunged at the human. Faster than lightning, my claws lashed out and ripped clean through his lab coat. The chain about my neck snapped taut, saving his life, though I could smell his blood. The smell of it drove me wild and I roared, lashing out at anything that came within reach. The injured scientist staggered back, cold fury disfiguring his perviously cool features.
"Tranquillise her! For hell's sake, knock her out! She's out of control!"
Three, four, five stings. My wild swipes became clumsier. Six, seven, eight. My vision became unfocused. Nine, ten... I felt my body lose all function and I collapsed back onto the table. The last words I heard before blackness took me into it's folds once again were the of the despicable man's voice.
"Take notes. 'Subject 185 - Failure. Subject uncontrollable. Physical strength at optimum projections, mind control ineffective.' Unchain her and throw her with the other failures..."

Security emergency! Break-in imminent, begin evacuation and evidence disposal procedures. All personnel to evacuate via south gate! Repeat! All personnel to evacuate via south...


That should have been the end for me. It would have been, if it weren't for that intruder. My memories are hazy, seen through a blur of cold, hunger and tranquilliser poison. I was being half carried, half dragged by a strong pair of arms. They were human arms, but I lacked the energy to fight them off. I let them carry me because they were warm. My eyes could see a bright, flickering mass of light which we were moving away from. From the heat it radiated, such a contrast to the frigid air, I knew that it was fire. I wondered about the others I had been caged with and frozen tears pricked my eyes. I had been through too much, my spirit was close to broken and so I let the strong arms carry me as my exhausted body drifted off into slumber. To this day, I still do not know who the man who rescued me was.


When I next awoke, I was somewhere much warmer and the place I was laying was soft. I opened my eyes to find a lamp was glowing in the corner; not bright enough to prevent sleep but just bright enough to see by. I was in a cage again - a wise precaution, I supposed. However, I was lying upon a foam mattress, a cushion propped up against the bars. As though I had been heard stirring, a light tap on the door sounded and it creaked open.
"You're awake, I see. That's a relief. I'm going to turn the lights up a little. I'll do it slowly, just a minute..."
The room gradually brightened and I saw the man who was speaking was another human. He was also wearing a white coat, but the difference between him and the humans in that cold place seemed like night and day. He had a friendly face - and kind, concerned eyes.
"I'm Ian, Dr. Ian Amodeus. I'm glad to see you're awake, I wasn't sure you were going to make it. I've healed you as best I can, but... To think they would use my research - MY research - to perform such despicable experiments. Only one survivor from over one hundred - I'm sorry. Please forgive the cage, it was just a precaution. When you were dropped off here we didn't know how you'd react when you woke. If you agree not to attack me, I'll happily open it."
"I won't attack," I replied, ashamed to hear my voice so raspy and weak. "I'm hungry. Do you have food?"
"I do," Ian repiled. "Just a little at a time though, for now. Take it slow..." He came forward and unlocked the cage door and as I stood up I noticed the change that had been wrought upon my body.

My previously jet black fur was covered in ghastly green stripes. The stripes glowed in the still slightly dim room, unnatural and frightening. I knew in that instant I could never return to my pride. I couldn't survive in the wild. I would be unable to hunt and unable to hide. I would be a liability to my family and comrades, in spite of all my strength. My heart broke apart as realised I had lost all I had ever held dear. I hung my head in silent anguish and to my shame I felt tears fall from my eyes. A hand touched me lightly by my ear and I allowed Ian to stroke me, taking some small comfort from the knowledge that someone understood at least a little of my pain and cared enough to try to ease it.

I stayed with Ian in his Laboratory for about a month while I recovered. My body was a lot more powerful then it had been - I could feel the raw strength coursing through me. His odd Rreign let me chase him, flying ahead of me while I ran faster than I'd thought possible. Never, though, could it make up for the loss of my pride - my family. I'd told myself I would not go see them. Better that they believe I'm dead than to know that I am alive but unable to come back. Worse still would be if they offered for me to stay anyway - to hunt for me and provide for me. No. I refused to be a burden. But I could not stay with Ian. His Lab was far too close to my familiar home, far too painful for my memories which were still far too fresh. Every week I told myself I would leave - and every week I stayed, not wanting to face the thought of being completely alone. It was at the end of one such week that a lady who resembled a living statue came by the Lab.

She was searching for some potions for her Feli, she said. He fancied himself a wizard and often blew up rooms in her home, she said. Could you possibly provide some things that would not be terribly destructive? I watched from further back in the room, amused. She was very pretty for someone undead. She'd bought along some of her other pets - a small Spectrum Jollin was practically bouncing around the room, talking shrilly to a dainty Kora who seemed to be doing her best to ignore her exuberant companion. The neck and head of what must be a very large crimson Rreign slipped through the door and commanded that the Jollin calm down before she break something dangerous and turn into a Graveyard pet. She stopped. I chuckled; the first time I had laughed since I was taken from the plains. At this, the lady noticed me. She came over to me, wearing a kind smile on her face.
"I've never seen you here before. Do you belong to Ian, or are you waiting for someone?"
"I belong to no one," I responded coldly, but the lady seemed so genuinely nice that I immediately felt guilty and softened my words. "Ian has been very kind to me. He healed me and has cared for me. I can't stay here much longer but I'll miss him when I leave."
When she asked me why I must leave, I recounted my whole story to her. I didn't mean to - it seemed to just slip out and once I began I was helpless to stop it. I spared no detail, just let it all flow as though I could heal myself by sharing all my experiences with another person. It was the first time I had told anybody. When I finished, the lady told me that I was coming with her and under no terms would she be convinced otherwise. She told Ian this, and he answered that if I was happy to go with her, I was welcome to. I didn't fight them. I let the lady lead me away as one would lead a kitten, feeling a tiny bubble of warmth blossom within my heart.

I now regard Kay, for that is her name, as my owner. I never thought I would have an owner. I was a proud wild Tigrean, but I am just as proud now for the remarkable person I look to. I have a family again - granted, a very odd one - but they are my family, just as my pride were and I will do anything to protect any one of them. I am as happy with them as I was with my pride and my old personality, my confidence and competitive spirit have come back. I think of my pride often but the thought does not hurt me as it used to. The only thing I wonder is the identity of the man who rescued me from the North that night. I suppose I will never know, but I would like to meet him, if only to thank him for giving me a second chance at life.





Header lyrics are from Shades Of Gray by Billy Joel

Art, layout, story and everything else by Kaylene.