Aura - The Pure Truth: Only Skin Deep
Feb 6 17:37:41 2005

After all she'd been through, Aura was almost ready to believe
anything, at this point. Almost. But just the idea of some old
man coming up to her and welcoming her home to a place she'd never
laid eyes upon before was too strange to just openly believe. At
least, she didn't -think- she'd ever been here before. Had she?

In response, she only held the blanket closer about her body,
eyeing the man rather suspiciously. Good-naturedly, however, he
merely tipped his head with a polite smile, and raised a hand to
indicate something near the bedside: a pale blue dress that looked
like it might be a little too big for her, and something quite
familiar, that she realized she had forgotten about until now.

A small black rose. What was it doing here, when she'd left it at
the Sanctuary in Truce?

"I won't force you to take my word for it, child. But when
you feel rested enough, feel free to come outside. There are
a few things here I would take pleasure in showing you, again."

The final word 'again' made Aura rather nervous at heart, but she
merely watched as he turned around and walked back outside,
leaving the decision up to her and her alone. So many questions
still lay unanswered, but she could not think of a single one that
would be given such sitting in bed with a blanket wrapped around
her. Still, it seemed odd that someone she never met before would
act so kindly to her. Had she done something deserving without
even knowing it?

The only thing I did... looking around that facility, for some
trace of... anything. And then that picture, I was on the
wall like some kind of living scientific experimental diagram
project... and that man, in the white coat...

She sighed. None of it made any sense individually, much less did
it fit together to form anything further of a solution to her
current little dilemma. With not much of any other choice in
mind, she hesitantly pried herself free of the enclosing blanket,
reaching alongside for the aforeseen dress the man before had
brought her attention to. Before putting it on, however, she
couldn't help but look down at herself again, caught in an awe of
sorts that such a body might possibly have laid underneath the red
bodysuit of a reploid's shell she had worn for the last three or
so years. For the first time ever, she felt more inclined now to
think of herself -as- human, without worrying about what other
reploids had thought of the notion. Some had called her silly,
some strange, and others a fool. Some were not so cruel, of
course, but for the majority...

She dismissed the thought, pulling the dress easily over her head
and over her considerably-leaner frame. Strangely, the clothing
fit better than she'd first thought, only loose enough to feel
a comfortable sense of movement ease, considering the hem of it
reach far down to her ankles. For a moment, she felt rather
pleased with herself, the kind of pleasure a child might feel when
they find something new and entertaining to play or mess around
with. Twisting around, she made a sort of half-leap out of bed,
feeling somewhat content for the moment.

Of course, she then landed with a *whump!* on her hindparts upon
the floor.

More confused than anything else, Aura blinked. During the long
years she had spent encased in that metallic suit of reploid
armor, her sense of balance had been thoroughly shifted to a
varying position. Left without it, it took her a moment to let
it sink in that she may well have to learn to walk all over again.
Though this idea was less than appealing, she tried not to let it
bother her too much, relying on the bed behind her to hoist and
pull herself back up into a standing position, feeling relatively
self-conscious of the way she looked for the first time in a long
time. With a fidget, she silently edged her way around the wall
beyond the bedside, reaching for her rose as she did, and slowly
but steadily made her way towards the door on the other side,
a disgruntled look on her face.

Isn't this just wonderful... at least it can't get any further
uphill from here, I hope...