Kitsune Cybermage (Text Only Version)

[System Announcement!]

[Welcome back, Emily Vander!]

She gasped for air, coughing liquid from her lungs that wasn't there. Emily's eyes searched for the scientist, pointed ears twitching for the sound of his devices. Her unrestrained arms reached out, seeking life for the third time.

The announcement faded from her vision. The chair was gone and so was the white room. Is this another one of his experiments?

Her new surroundings were full of swamp lands. The bog engulfed her on all sides, and she stood on a lone rock. If not for the stone, mud would be coating her legs. Thick sludge surrounded her on all sides, and decrepit trees sprung up from the ground.

The sounds of insects buzzed in the air, making Emily look around vigilantly. Her eyes eventually arrived at a swarm of large bugs. They appeared like dragonflies and flapped their wings at a distance over the thick air.

Emily's eyes dragged down to her own body, covered in only a thin black veil. It draped her new body, and that's when she noticed the tail waving uncomfortably behind her. The dark fur was pristine with a crimson tip. Her ears wiggled again, and she reached up, poking the fluff with her fingertips.

What?

The voice almost left her throat, but she stopped it at the edge of her lips. No scientist or table? Where are all of the instruments? Is this his idea of a game? A simulation?

She climbed down from the rock hesitantly, her toes dipping in thick mud. The sludge dug in between her toes, and her foot sank in. She gritted her teeth and let the top of her foot lower before placing the other foot down. The nasty substance crept into her toe nails and over the top of her foot.

The smell of the bog swept over her, and she wrinkled her nose. The pungent scent brought with it a cool breeze. She hugged herself, crossing her arms, and gripping her shoulders. What if...

She shook her head. No, it's impossible.

Emily trudged through the mud, slowly digging herself even deeper. It didn't take long until it passed her ankles. The sloshing sound became more pronounced with each step.

The closer she got to the insects, the more she realized how huge they were. Their large translucent wings buzzed above the surface of water. Emily's feet sank even deeper into the slush, until some of the brown substance coated her thin veil. When she managed to reach the water's edge, the rank went up past her shins.

Her eyes narrowed towards the surface, but she couldn't see her reflection in the murk. Though, something else happened when she fixed her eyes. A screen popped up in her vision.