"What do you mean?”

Ellowyn stared dazedly at Alice, who was pulling out of the hug. The warm fluorescent light revealed her pale, angelic face. A pair of slightly gaping, chestnut bedroom eyes gazed at her own. Frozen, Ellowyn was completely mesmerized by the orange flame that seemed to burst out within those irises.

Alice turned her head to Tom, her wavy cinnamon hair spiraled outward, reflecting the gleam of the surrounding light.

So beautiful. Ellowyn almost gasped. She did not fail to notice the hanging pair of auburn rabbit ears on Alice’s head. It gave off a soft, furry cute look that almost made her reach out her hands instinctively to pet it. In the midst of her ogling, She had forgotten about having her own pair of rabbit ears.

“When I was telling Ellowyn about you, I might have shown a picture of your younger self”. Tom replied, his eyes darting away.

Indeed he was. She subconsciously nodded her head. That picture must have been taken at least five years ago, for the Alice in front of her had evolved grandly.

Alice’s back faced Ellowyn when she ran towards Tom, revealing a streamlined waist along with an enticing, exquisite hourglass figure. Her small, delicate hands balled up, hitting Tom flimsily.

The reaction most girls would get from looking at Alice was jealousy, envy, and perhaps even hatred. But Ellowyn had none of that. not because she had no self-esteem, but for she knew that there was no way she can compete with others in terms of looks, not that she cared much about what others think of her in that short life.

She licked her lips, looking at the shifting of those supple, round buns and soft, toned thighs. Shit. She harshly rebuked herself for almost letting her desires free. Her sense of attraction was rather muddled from being inside for most of the time.

“Dad! I told you not to use that picture anymore, I don’t want to be pitied like that.”

“Alright, I’m sorry, I wanted to increase the chances. I won’t do it again, I promise”. Tom chuckled. “Though you guys do get along well, if not a little stiff. Your conversation differed little from a political meeting!”. He chided, his hands pinching her slightly turned up nose.

Alice pushed his hand away and turned around. “I’m sorry that you have to see us so”. Her succulent lips were still pouting slightly. The silky, tender skin on her cheeks crimsoned. Her tight scarlet t-shirt did nothing to hide the bountiful mounds that swayed with her every motion, it also revealed a section of her midriff along with a cute round navel.

She could make Aphrodite envious, starts wars and commences Armageddon. The incredulous Ellowyn thought with eyes wide and mouth agape. Alice’s ethereal beauty can charm men everywhere, coupled with her adorable ears that would give most women a cuteness overdose.

“Is there something on my face?” Alice was getting nervous, completely oblivious of her potential end world beauty.

“Ah, I’m sorry, I was just observing. You two have a really good relationship”. Her strained smile was tinged with jealousy. Not with Alice’s looks, but of their intimate relationship, something that she hadn’t had for the last 18 years.

“If you’re worried that I will hog dad for myself, please stop. You are apart of our family now and we will treat you as our own”. Alice smiled in return. But her smile too was a little stiff.

Ellowyn frowned inward, it seemed the mental veil that guarded Alice’s emotions was once again raised. This will take time. She thought, remembering of a certain someone in her past who had also taken much of his time weaving himself into her life. She would try to make Alice warm up to her just as he had, to her heart.

“Dinner has been served at the dining hall”. A butler announced after he entered through the door. He bowed before he turned around and headed back, followed by the rest of the family.

Only then did She had the chance to take notice of the living room they were walking out of. It was easily the size of a basketball court. A fancy chandelier the shape of a tree with glowing, blue leaves hung at the center. Various crystal edges and lines ran around the outer boundaries of the spacious room.

They headed back to the elevator, the ground glowed a gentle blue at each step they took.

The dining hall was just as lavish as the guest room, the same chandelier clung to the ceiling. A large rectangular white table laid at the center, a glowing blue line outlined its base. She raised her eyebrows, there were no chairs, just small, glowing squared lines surrounding it. So the chairs are only raised when there is someone sitting above it, cool! She guessed, her inner nerd pulsed.

She stopped, gawking as suddenly, numerous glowing blue forms of transparent holograms materialized. They were fishes of various kinds, from small schools of tiny ones to those of larger sizes with shark-like features. She did not recognized them however, they all differed slightly from the fishes of her world. Raising her hands, her index finger brushed against a fish passing by, only to have it swam away in panic.

Tom and Alice also raised their eyebrows, looking at the excited Ellowyn who was trying to touch the frightened fishes, her eyes as large as saucers.

It took a whole minute before she regained her senses. She looked downwards, her pale cheeks reddened slightly as they started walking toward the table again. A white box rose from the ground at where she stood, she brushed her fingers against its smooth surface, making sure it won’t retract before sitting down. The lights around the room dimmed, leaving the shining of the table and chandelier, and the glowing of the surrounding fishes. She slowly looked around dazedly, everything was so surreal, like a scene from a painting. She noticed Tom and Alice staring at her, waiting to catch her attention.

“Ellowyn, I will have someone show you around the place. I know you are very fascinated of your new home, but we can’t have you gawking and stopping everywhere we went now, can we?” Tom teased her with a slight chuckle.

“I’m sorry, this is all very new to me. I am not used to the glowing of everything yet”. Her blush reddened by another shade.

“If you’re uncomfortable, I will have these fancy effects tuned down”. Tom started waving his hand at the nearest butler.

“No! I mean, I am very impressed with these things, and would really prefer that you keep them on”. She hurriedly replied.

“You really are interested in technology. I can have my building manager escort you around and let you ask your curiosity away”. Tom chuckled again.

“Thank you, but I am rather tired right now, the events that transpired had left me with little strength, would you mind if I rest after this?” She asked her already wispy voice sounded weaker.

“You don’t have to be so formal with me you know, I’m your dad now. And again, I truly apologize for my blunder, you will be escorted to your new room after your dinner is finished.” He yelled playfully.

“You should not be so formal either, dad”. It was her turn to smile. She sneaked a glance at Alice, seeing her still form staring back. Alice was smiling faintly, but the vacant look in her eyes told Ellowyn how lonely she was. Ellowyn resisted the urge to walk across the table and gave her a hug right then.

Small rectangle areas of the table retracted inwards, only to emerge seconds later carrying an array of dishes.

The fragrant smell assaulted her nostrils. Ellowyn recalled the drool that almost dropped from her lips as she was bedazzled by the delicious scene that was the food. Never before had food smelled so delightful and savory to her. It took all she had not to jump on the table and grovel them all down in one gulp.

“Eat your fill, Ellowyn, I know that you hadn’t eaten anything in the last two days” Tom glanced at the drooling Ellowyn, his amused smile grew larger.

Her stomach grumbled, loudly. I never knew stomachs can make such noise. Ellowyn was astounded and ashamed. “It is alright, the hospital had kept me well with the iv drips”. She gently consoled Alice whose eyes were widened with worry.

“Why aren’t you eating?” Alice asked.

“Is it not polite to eat before your elders?” Ellowyn asked, her eyebrows raised.

“No it is not, Ellowyn, our custom here says the youngest is the first to start eating”. Tom rebuked, grinning widely.

“Ah, I’m sorry”. She blushed again before reaching for the knife and fork. “Mm”. She moaned, the crunchy texture and tenderness of the fish pulled her into eternal bliss.

##

It was the most delicious meal I’ve ever had, she concluded, feeling a little nauseated from having eaten too much. She chuckled, her hand paddling her slightly bulging stomach, looking at her empty plate that was littered with tiny uneaten bits of food. She was surprised that she could eat so well, for the days before her last “death”, she was so weak that her stomach would expel any food she ate. It seemed that she was the first to finish, for Tom and Alice were still eating their respective share.

She stiffened, realizing the fact that she might have violated more than a few unwritten rules of etiquette in her quest for food. She shrugged. It couldn’t be helped, I was really hungry.

“You should return to your room and get some rest”. Tom suggested after he finished his meal.

Ellowyn nodded, facing Alice and Tom and saying her good night before a maid prompted her to follow.

It's like a maze in here. She thought, looking around confusedly at the entwining intersections of hallways and numerous doors. She shivered, it would take some effort to not get lost there. Record map. She tried.

Showing current building map

The system has mapped all of the paths, hallways, and rooms that she had passed by, the downside was that the areas in which her vision didn’t reach remained dark.

“At most intersections, there is a small screen that allows you to enable the guiding function to key places within the building. When activated, a blue arrow will appear on the floor to show you the way”. The maid read her lost expression.

“Thank you”. She replied awkwardly, trying to recover her composure.

“You don’t have to be formal with us if you don’t want to, the regulations stated that we can speak to you in an informal tone at your request”. The maid smiled.

“Please do, why is my room so far away?” She inquired.

“Your room is quite close to Miss Alice and Mister Tom’s room, but they are staying behind rather than joining us. It is in the building center for security reasons and, you know, so you don’t get blown up by missiles easily”. She chuckled.

Ellowyn did not smile at all, Getting hit by missiles is deemed as a common here? She retorted.

“While you are free to roam the place, I’d recommend that you stay put in your room for tonight, reports indicated of a possible raid, don’t worry, these things happen all the time.”The maid’s voice was nonchalant, almost teasing.

She had to resist from banging her head on the wall. What kind of home receives raids as a daily occurrence? Not in her old world. She scowled, Was the maid asking to speak informally so that she could tease her?

“May I know your name?” She asked the impish maid.

“Its Mary, you don’t have to memorize it though, there are around 200 of us working here. Also, if you’re being chased by the bad guys, just run to the nearest maid or butler, we are trained to kick some arses”. Mary smiled mischievously.

When they entered her room, Ellowyn tried not to be surprised, only to fail miserably. She sighed, looking at the lecture hall-sized room. A queen-sized white bed lay at the center, there was a large, glowing blue rectangle on each wall, each was filled with the color of the walls, white. The room was empty otherwise.

There were two doors to the right, which she presumed to be the closet and bathroom. They headed towards the two doors, the maid entered one of them and came out with the pair of black pajamas. Ellowyn took them and entered the bathroom.

A skinny figure with disheveled brown hair wearing a tattered hospital gown stared at her in the mirror. She gasped, why didn’t they have me change before the meeting with Alice? She looked like a beggar or worst, a psychotic patient who escaped from the hospital. Scowling, she looked at her bruised left arm and calf.

Minor bruise, est recovery time without enhancement: 2 days, with enhancement: 12 hours

Define recovery enhancement.

Enhancing the recovery of tissue by reducing the temperature at inflamed areas, applying force to compress and reduce swelling. Carl’s module addition: redirecting key nutritions and stem cells, beta function, may come with unforeseen bugs.

The general cost is between 1% per day to some of the most gruesome injuries at 5%

She decided against it, seeing the system charge speed is only 2% a day.

Taking off the gown, her eyes did a once over at herself. Her shoulders were scrawny, her chest was still in development. The outline of her ribs appeared above her taut stomach. I really look like a starved prisoner. She mused. Her eyes stopped, staring at a small pad stuck to the lower right of her pale abdomen.

General health reporter: Reports body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, sugar level and location to the receiver.

She presumed that Tom’s medical team had put it there. Wait, heartbeat, isn’t my heart stopped? She asked in a panic but was relieved to find that the system’s default response to heart rate sensors was to emulate a stable one. She could also fake and emulate the other parameters, except for location, in which the system gave her instructions to modify the device. I am both a walking wikapedia and a hacker. She chuckled.

Only after thoroughly assessing her body’s condition that she finally addressed the elephant in the room, her new pair of rabbit ears.

The dark brown ears matched the brown of her hair and eyes. They were slightly long and thin, with very fluffy fur. The pair bobbed up and down every time her head moved. With caution, she brought her hand up to feel it.

“Mah..” An unexpected cry escaped her lips the moment her hand came in contact with the ear. The smooth fur was so soft and warm that she felt not only comfort but a surging desire to furiously cuddle the new body part.

She wanted to quickly retrieve her hand and stop any embarrassing actions, but gave in and let her shameful desires take hold.

##

“Ah, this is the life”. She moaned satisfyingly. Feeling blissful by switching from hot to cold water in 30 seconds intervals. She had only been able to do this with showers in the past, but her bathtub could change water temperature in seconds. Besides bringing her to cloud nine, the bathing technique also helped with blood circulation by redirecting the flow of blood within her body.

Walking out of the bathroom with a blissful expression, she immediately snapped out of her daze. Her maid was gone, and in her place was the driver of her limo, all geared up.

“Miss Ellowyn, my name is Bob Jackson, the chief of security. I am tasked with guarding you for the duration of the incoming raid”.

I'm going to tone down the combat in chappy 5 a bit.

And also another battle coming up... when I finish studying on how to write battles, this could take a few days >.<