Nasty Withdrawal…

I blame NaSty Withdrawal for this. And Kylie. Mostly Kylie. (laughs). This story found it’s origin in the great Chibi’s that Kylie-chan, one of the NaSty Nine, drew for us. It’s a fairy tale and it’s not finished. The characterizations aren’t terribly true to the real people. This is a story and I needed characters to reach in a certain way. J Or, they sort of just acted. It’s by no means meant to offend the original people. I didn’t even ask their permission to post this. It’s a surprise, lol. To those of the Nine not mentioned, don’t worry – the story’s not over yet.

So, here we go;

A NaSty Pixie Tale… Part 1.

“Back off Tiger boy!” Alyss snapped, grabbing a fallen branch near her and swinging it at the advancing feline. “I’m warning you!”

The tiger made a low growling sound and to Alyssa’s horror reared up onto two legs, tugging its shirt in place.

“Listen woman,” the tiger spoke (and not for the first time). “I told you, I just want to talk.” He took a step closer. “And, as much as you freak me out, you’re the first apparently smart thing that I’ve seen in hours so drop the branch and lets talk…”

Alyss lost her temper in a second. “Apparently smart?” She snapped and shook the branch at him. “Are you saying I’m stupid? And what you do mean I freak you out? You’re a bloody talking tiger!”

The feline regarded her calmly and slipped his paws into his mean pockets. “And you ma’am,” he said calmly. “Have bat wings and a funny accent.”

Alyssa gasped indignant. “Bat wings?!” she exclaimed. “I have nothing of the sort!”

The tiger raised his busy eyebrows and just glanced at her shoulder. Unable to help herself, Alyssa glanced down and started screaming.

“No!” she exclaimed when the scream finally became coherent. “No no no! This can not be happening!”

Startled at first, the tiger stepped forward hesitantly. “Look,” he said carefully when Alyssa quieted down, her gaze fixed on her shoulder in horror. “If it’s any consolation, I woke up with fur all over my body, I know how you feel…” He trailed off when Alyssa’s horror filled eyes met his.

“How can you?” she exclaimed. “You’re not…” she paused and swallowed. “You’re not blond!”

The word rang through the clearing ominously. The tiger blinked several times.

“Blond?” he queried.

“Yes!” Alyssa exclaimed and grabbed her waist length braid, shoving it under his nose. “Blond!”

The tension that had been around minutes before filtered out of the air as Alyssa sniffed miserably and yanked her braid. The tiger gave her a hesitant look and ran his paw over his furry head.

“Ah,” he hesitated. “My name’s Antonio and… I didn’t use to be a tiger.”

Alyssa looked at him dejected and tossed her braid over her shoulder as if it offended her. “My name’s Alyssa,” she said. “And I used to be a red head.”

Antonio raised his eyebrows again, his stripped tail twitching. “With bat wings?” he queried to which Alyss frowned.

“No!” She snapped. “With bloody Walrus tusks.” She glared at him. “What do you think?”

Antonio thought that she was a little bit touché, but he decided not to say anything. “I think we’re a bit lost,” he said instead. “What did you say your name was again?”

Alyssa sighed and looked down at the cloak like wings that were folded around her shoulders. “Alyssa,” she said. “Or Alyss. You’re who? Antonio?”

He nodded and quite suddenly they blinked at each other in realization. Before they could comment though, there was a soft thud in the grass beside them. Alyss jumped back shocked, her wings unfolding suddenly and staying spread eagle as Antonio dropped to the ground and snarled a very tiger like snarl. To their surprise, the new comer – a ninja dressed in black – laughed with delight and yanked off the mask that was covering her face.

“I knew it was you!” she exclaimed. “This is total awesomesauce!”

Antonio and Alyssa paused and glanced at each other uncertain. “Kylie?” Antonio queried and once again rose up on his hind legs. “It that you?”

The Ninja grinned and spread her arms. “Antonio!” she exclaimed and before the feline could do anything she bounded over and gave him a proper glomp. When she turned to Alyssa, leaving the tiger gasping for air, the young woman took a step back in alarm; her wings flapping uncertain.

Kylie’s eyes were filled with delight as she stared at them. “They are magnificent aren’t they?” She mused as she looked at the wings. “I mean – I liked the idea when I drew them but seeing them in real life is… well…” she grinned. “Awesomesauce!”

Alyss folded her wings abruptly and grabbed her braid, pointing the end at Kylie. “You did this!” she snapped. “This is all your fault!”

Kylie, who seemed to have been debating glomping her took a step back and chuckled. “Yes, sorry bout that;” she intoned. “You know, Kim-san already had red hair and I wasn’t so sure bout you and…”

Alyssa growled. “I was a natural!”

Antonio tactfully stepped in between the two of them. “Kylie,” he said, looking at the young ninja. “How did you get here?”

Without loosing sight of the angry fan fiction author, Kylie shifted her attention to Antonio and grinned. “You know,” she said. “I have no idea. I came too alone in the forest dressed like this. At first I didn’t know where I was so I just sort of wandered. I then had this like super sense that something was behind me. Before I really thought about it I was jumping into the trees like this…” she snapped her fingers left and right in rapid succession. “It was total awesomesauce! I mean dude, I always thought I was a cat but…” She grinned pleased. “I’m a ninja!”

Antonio looked at her with a small feline smile as his tail twitched left and right. “Who was jumping into the tree because…” He prompted her to continue her story. From her end of the clearing Alyss rolled her eyes and let her braid drop with an exasperated sigh, instead choosing to fiddle with the spot where her wings crossed.

“Oh!” Kylie continued. “I jumped into the tree and soon after you came stalking by Antonio. I’d have let you go; thinking you a normal tiger but then I noticed you’re wearing pants! How cool is that?”

Alyssa snorted and shrugged. “It’s a blessing really,” she said dryly to no one in particular.

“So I followed you,” Kylie continued. “And then you found Alyssa and I just knew who you were and where we are!”

The two looked at her. “And where is that?” Alyssa asked to which Kylie shrugged.

“Well, I don’t know know.” She admitted. “But, where ever we are we’re here as the Nasty Nine! This doesn’t happen every day you know.”

Antonio smiled at her. “No it doesn’t,” he admitted. “So, have you seen the others?”

Kylie shook her head but she seemed untroubled. “I’m sure they are around,” she said confidently. “I mean why wouldn’t they be?”

To Be Continued…