A Rose by Any Other Name

Chapter 29 (Rose)

I open my eyes to find I'm being carried right side up now. I'm staring at the ceiling of a cave with cages of stuff everywhere. I try to move again but fail miserably.

"Look! The princess woke up." Ryan says smiling at me.

I turn my eye to look down and find myself being carried by Ryan as if a prince in a movie would carry a princess. I turn back and give him the dirtiest look possible for biting me and Donnie. 

"Hey what's that for?" He says raising an eye brow. "You're not mad at me are you?" 

I try to struggle out of his arms and am only able to shake a little back and forth.

"Hey hey ok I'll put you down!" He sets me on the ground gently and I keep glaring at him.

He seems to look at me sadly as he sits next to me.

"I'm sorry I had to bite you." He says putting his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them.

"If i didn't listen to Repo then I might not have a place to sleep tonight... or I might even create an enemy." He looks at me but I give him no response. 

I physically can't and he knows that.

"I actually turned mutant here at this junkyard right around Repo did." He said looking at his hands. "I don't know why it turned me into a snake. I was holding a snake when I was bit by the oozesquitoes but it wasn't venomous. It was a corn snake."

He pauses and leans back instead. Looking at the ceiling.

"I'm not actually here to work for Repo. I'm an orphan and he's my foster dad. He took me in after finding me in a basket sitting in an alley. I know, such a movie beginning." He chuckles. "But. I moved out after I turned mutant. I wanted to find other Yokai. But once I did..." He stops talking and looks away. 

"They were afraid." 

I can finally move enough for my mouth to form something like words. My mouth probably didn't even make that sound. It probably came out like "Thmphey ferr fafrid."

Ryan looks back at me and grins.

Suddenly, a blue portal opens up behind us. Leo and Donnie step out of the portal.

Ryan stands up and blocks them from me.

"Thanks for the useless arm." Donnie says sarcastically pointing to his arm.

Ryan sneers. "You had it coming." 

I start flopping to try and get around Ryan. I look like an idiot.

"Just step away from her and I won't hurt you." Leo says holding out his sword.

Donnie presses a button and a bunch of weapons come out of his shell and are pointed at him.

"Are you her friends coming to help her?" Ryan asks not fazed by the weaponry.

Donnie and Leo look at each other.

"Yes?! Why else are we here?" Donnie says exasperated.

Ryan stands up straight and looks at me over his shoulder.

I move around like I'm deranged trying to get to them.

Ryan decides to pick me up. I make a noise as he does so, not expecting him to pick me up. I'm limp in his arms as he walks me over to them.

He holds me out at them waiting for them to take me.

Donnie and Leo look at him confused.

"Well?" Ryan says expectantly.

Donnie decides to pull out his hover blades and take me from Ryan. He hovers in the air while holding me to his chest.

He nods at Ryan and we walk back through the portal.

I move my head to try and look at Ryan as we leave. 

I watch him smile and pull a lever. Opening a huge cage in the center of the cave.