Hours later, I woke again. My head felt much better and I stood to walk around the room. My eyes fell to the door and my curiosity grew. What sorts of people lived here? My hand went around the doorknob and I turned it.
Out in the hallway, I looked up and down the rows of doors and ripped up rugs. "Hello?" I called, rather pathetically. "Hello!?" That was a bit better. I walked down one way and then changed my mind and went the other way. Finding a case of stairs, I stepped down to a lower level. There, I found a lobby. When I saw no one, I peeked around corners and peered down hallways until I heard a faint sound of voices. I followed the sounds, growing louder, down another hall to a set of double doors. Realizing I was nervous about meeting the others, I mentally slapped myself. I've nothing to fear! I don't care what they think of me! If they don't like me it's their problem! Shaking myself until the nerves faded away, I huffed with determination and pushed open the door.
It swung open to reveal a pool area. The two pools and hot tubs had no water and, instead, were filled with concrete to give it sloping sides like a bowl and they had graffiti all over the insides. There were naked light-bulbs flickering overhead, rock music playing from a mashed up collection of speakers, and an insane number of people of every shape, size, and color. They were mutants, they were of all ages, and they were... they were staring at me.
Gathering up my dignity, I gave a nod to a very curvy lioness-looking girl and said "Hey." Her nose wrinkled and she scoffed. Ignoring the hater, I walked right on in the room. Everyone was slowly returning to minding their own business as I found a spot to sit. Looking around, I saw little children riding makeshift skateboards down into and out of the hot tub bowl. In the water-less pools, the older freaks of nature were recreating in the same fashion. I sat there taking in all of it. A group of older teenagers walked past my view. The lioness chick was hanging on the arm of a greenish-bluish fish guy. She purred in his ear... or fin... or something loud enough for me to hear. "Look, Slick, baby. The little ugly duckling is trying to make friends." They all stared at me and started chuckling like a bunch of idiots. I rolled my eyes and went back to watching a little boy with a tail and furry ears practice a trick on his board. He was really cute and looked about 9 or 10.
I caught myself smiling, but the grin disappeared when I saw the jerk-fest crowd heading his way. I watched suspiciously as they stood by him. Suddenly, my calculations were proven and one of the guys stuck his foot out and tripped the kid. He fell with a echoing thud and he cried out from the painful impact. Jumping up, I rushed to his side. I glared hard at the blockhead who had put his foot out. "What's your problem, you idiot!?" I shoved him backwards. "Go pick on someone your IQ level... if you can find anyone that stupid!" He grunted angrily at me and swore.
"Who do you think you are, little girl?" Before I knew it, my feet were dangling above the ground, his hands around my throat. "You think you can just show up and tell me what to do? You've got a lot of nerve!" He threw me to the ground and walked off, like we were done talking. Think again, ugly. I leaped to my feet and an angry roar echoed through the room as my fist met his temple. He stumbled to the floor and I raised my paws, ready for more.
"Your one to talk about nerve, hitting a girl right after you tripped a little kid. Come here. I'm not finished with you." I smirked at him, daring him to move. He slowly got up, growling like an animal. At that moment, I realized that he must be some sort of bear-like dude. He would have swung at me if it weren't for a lizard guy, who got between us and broke it up.
"Okay, okay. Whoa, fuzzy." He leaned slightly against the bully and pointed at me. "Certainly you can see that the little birdie here can deal some serious damage, hermano; and I'm betting she could take you out for good." He had a Spanish accent and he winked at me with a friendly smile.
A chuckle went around the group. The fish dude took over and started mocking me. "What's your name anyway, Pigeon? And you got a boy, or are you up for grabs?" I glared at him. I hated being ridiculed and I didn't have an answer for either question, so a glare worked fine instead. He raised his hands, which had webbed fingers. "Hey! Don't get mean! I'm just asking!" He looked back at his furry companion and then added; "I know better than to make you mad." Everyone laughed and I found myself feeling flattered. I mentally slapped myself again. That was what he wanted; for me to warm up to them so he could embarrass me. I turned on my heel and felt my wings bump something. As I walked away, I heard a thump and everyone busted up laughing.
I heard the lizard shout "Looks like you made pajaro mad, Tonto! Ha ha!" When I figured out that I must have knocked him over, I started laughing, too. I walked up and down the halls again, memorizing the hotel and waiting for Susan Rockley, so I could tell her that I would like a room. I liked this place. I wanted to stay.
