Chapter 9 Sanctuary

I'm not sure what I was expecting. Something flashy? Bright lights? Ribbons? A talking cat perhaps?

None of the above for me. But I did get a shiny new pair of goggles...and pain radiating from my head. I winced, reaching up to rub the spot only to find two inwardly twisted horns hiding amongst my hair.

"What the hell...why do I have horns?"

As I'm fondling myself in public, the shift in the weight of my hips catches me off guard. I wiggle my butt, only to realize it's not my actual butt that's moving.

I have a tail. Long, pink, scaly up top and white down bottom. Its tip had soft feathers that brushed against my face.

"Ah! Don't do that! Tails don't move on their own. Why do I have a tail?" the tail straightened and extended up, then the tip pointed at my face. I move to the left, testing something. Of course it moves with me.

My tail points towards the snake, still stuck in mid-air.

"Okay, Wyatt you're gonna have to explain–" I look back to where he was standing, not surprised to see him gone. Dax, face fully restored, sat in the cafe seat again. Like nothing had changed...except for me.

The smile on my lips reaches my ears as I look up at the sky and whisper.

"Goodbye."

I sigh. I'm not sure if this is all a dream but if it is? It's not that bad. For the first time in 12 years, I feel like I've finally gotten somewhere–like the fog is starting to lift.

My heart rate spiked as time started to resume. The snake moved first,but my tail was faster. It grabbed Dax and tossed him onto the cafe's building.

"Ouch!"

"Sorry!" I called up to him. Hey, at least he's still alive.

"Ha! Take that ya dumb reptile–oh no." Just as I was gloating, finger-pointing and everything-the universe decided to balance my karma. The snake hissed in my direction, snapping its jaws twice. It was gunning for me now?!

"Any chance we could talk this out like reasonable scaled-folk?"I gulped, stepping back slowly.

It hissed once then lunged at me. I had just enough time to grab the cafe table and shove it into the thing's mouth.

"I'll take that as a no!" I grunt, watching it crush the table in two.

Considering how slow I normally am–I never thought I'd get far away from it but I was hoping the class promotion gave me something to work with!

Its jaws opened wide, it rammed towards me–intending to swallow me whole. Its eyes widened as I grabbed the upper jaw and held it at bay with my strength. My tail tapped me on the shoulder just as the strain started.

"What?! I could use a little help here. Wanna tag in?!" I wheeze out, feeling my knees about to buckle. No wonder Guy was having such a problem containing this thing.

Color me shocked when my tail "nodded" and twisted itself like a drill.

"Huh?" Was all I could get out before it began spinning so fast I couldn't keep up. Hurling itself upwards, my tail jammed itself through the snake's mouth and out its eyeball. A mouthful of goop spilled out of the creature and onto my face as my tail withdrew.

"Oh gross! I'm glad my mouth wasn't open at least."

The snake's jaw went slack and I dropped it to the side, stepping away from its corpse.

Another tap on my shoulder. My tail was eye level, and it had split itself into three tips. Of all the weird things today, I'm willing to look past a new appendage doing weird shit like that...but I draw the line at it making emoji faces at me-particularly the angry emoji.

"Don't make that face at me. I didn't do anything wrong here!"

I snickered as it flicked me off to the best of its ability.

"Oh...wait. Sorry, thank you. I quite literally couldn't have done it without you. Happy?"

A smiley face says yes.

"Cleanup girl! How did you do that?" Guy said, coming in for a fast landing next to me. He eyed me closely, looking me over twice.

"No, I have not always had a tail or horns or these adorable goggles...nor have I always had this class." I squeezed in that last part, enjoying the smile on his face. Guy went in for a hug but my tail gently pushed him back.

This was becoming a thing...not sure how I feel about it yet.

"Ouch, okay so no hugs, got it. Did you change to a superhero?"

Shaking my head, I sigh. "Nah. Still a janitor technically but now I've got a fancy title: Master Custodian."

He blinks a few times, scratching his head. "Why would Rupert let you pick that class?"

"He didn't. It was a promotion." Feeling pressure near my hand, I glanced at my tail and smiled, scratching its scales softly. It was odd, being attached to a sentient body part. Odd but not bad, I guess.

"A promotion? Classes don't get promotions. Are you sure Rupert hasn't just–"

I hold up a hand, pausing him.

"I'm sure. In any event, let's go back to the president for a follow-up. I'm sure if anyone has any answers on what to do, he'd be the one to have them."

Guy nodded and held out his arms. I shook my head and wrapped my tail around his waist.

"This is...different. Are you sure you want me to carry you like this?"

"Less talking, more flying please."

"Heh, yes ma'am."

The ride was short but it gave me what I wanted; a reminder of flying once more. The feeling wasn't foreign,the sky was my home and it had been calling for me for years now. How had I missed it?

I quickly wiped my tears as we landed.

"You're back so soon? And with progress worth reporting I see." Rupert smiled, showing off his black gums. His guards were gone. It was just us and him.

"Mr. President, where is your security?"

"I don't believe I need them anymore. Isn't that right, Sapphyra?"

Guy turned to me, confusion in his eyes. "Sapph, what's he talking about?"

"End it all my dear. It's gone on long enough."

Dammit. I hate that he's right.

I'm done crying today.

"Guy. Come here." I held my arms out for him.

"Sapph...you're scaring me a bit but alright."

I leaned into him, confirming my heartbreak. He smelled like nothing. His body was barely there, a shadow of bones and meat. In fact if I pressed too far I'm sure I'd go right through him.

Just like with Wyatt.

"For what it's worth, Guy..." I whispered in his ear, "you were my favorite part of this whole thing."

"Thing? What thing?"

Steeling myself, I squared my shoulders and uttered two words that had always been in the back of my mind. They just didn't want to come out until today.

"End Sanctuary."

The world crumbled into ones and zeroes, then into nothing.

I was all alone.

Again.