Born to human parents, raised in a human house, and living around humans all her life, Casey thought that she was human. What else could she be?
Casey grew up in northern Michigan, and as the only child to two parents who were desperate for a kid. iT was easy to say that she was spoiled. She got what she wanted, she had much more than she needed, and she was greedy. But her parents gave in to her every demand without a second thought. She wanted a computer--she got a computer. She wanted a new doll--she got a new doll. She wanted more ice cream for dessert--well, her parents did put up some guidelines. Her room was full of toys and games, stuffed animals and coloring books. Though Casey was clearly privileged and spoiled, her parents loved her, and she loved them more than anything else.
In school, Casey had several friends who she would hang out with, many of them staying her friends well into high school. Parties, dances, sleep overs--it was everything Casey had hoped for and more. Considered one of the "popular girls," Casey spent a lot of time hanging out and having fun, enjoying all the attention she was getting. She couldn't have been happier with how her life was going.
A few weeks after her seventeenth birthday, Casey woke up in the middle of the night in excruciating pain. Every bone in her body felt like it was breaking, her muscles felt like they were being ripped apart fiber by fiber. When she screamed in pain, desperate for help, the sound that came out of her mouth was an animalistic shriek. She screamed again, and the same sound came out. Her parents rushed into her room moments later, her father holding a bat. Her mother screamed, her father just stood there and stared.
That's when she finally noticed it--looking down at herself to try and see where the pain was coming from, Casey saw red and white fur, followed by a dark snout. Further down her body she saw whiskers and canine legs and a long, bushy tail. She wasn't...she wasn't human anymore. She was...a fox.
Casey can't remember anything after that, she must have passed out. When she woke up again, it was light out, probably midday, and she felt absolutely famished. Her mouth was dry as she sat up in her bed, a raging headache pounding at the back of her skull. Her pajamas must have been somewhere under her covers, because she wasn't wearing them anymore, but she didn't notice. Getting out of bed proved to be more difficult than she had intended--everything was spinning, every part of her was sore--but she managed to get to the door on wobbly legs eventually. Her hand rested in the cool metal of the doorknob and gave it a sharp twist--only for it not to budge. Frowning, she tried it again, but it still seemed stuck. So she tried it again, gripping it tightly, and twisted. There was a popping sound, and then the door opened.
Still groggy and in pain, and so very hungry, Casey went to the kitchen, not noticing that the house looked ransacked on her way there. She consumed nearly everything in the fridge--left overs, fruit, a jar of peanut butter. She also downed half a gallon of milk, followed by three cans of pop. Finally, her hunger and thirst had been quenched, and she could--Wait, why was the house a mess? Had someone broken in?
"Mom? Dad?"
No answer. Casey ran to their bedroom--they weren't there. Their closets and dresser were wide open and empty, as was the safe in the wall where they kept most of their savings. All important documents were gone. All of the pictures on the walls--gone. Out the front door, their cars were gone. In the back yard, there was a smoking pile of ash in their firepit, which Casey ran to to investigate. Tiny bits of blackened or browned paper remained, along with metal pegs that were...from a photo album? Casey picked up one of the singed pieces of paper to examine it closer in her hands.
'Certification of live bir...'
The paper slipped from between her fingers, back into the firepit. Her birth certificate. Her parents had burned her birth certificate, likely along with any other sort of legal documents pertaining to her. They had locked her in her room, grabbed their things, and abandoned her. The memories from the previous night came rushing back to her in a painful flood--screaming, pain, fur, tail, legs, fox--
Casey wasn't human anymore. She was something else.
An abomination.
Casey kind of just...sat outside, naked, by the firepit, for hours. Her whole life was turned upside down in the worst way possible. Her parents had abandoned her, she could turn into a fox, she had no record of who she was. Of course, her town still knew about her, she still had friends, there was no way her parents had erased records of her digitally, but could she stay? Was she safe to be around? Would she turn into a beast at any moment?
That night, after sitting outside well after it had gotten dark, Casey made up her mind.
Casey went inside, ate the rest of the food in the fridge, then packed her bags. She stuffed a duffel bag with as much clothing as she could, dug through her sock drawer until she found an old leather wallet full of cash--containing her birthday and Christmas money, along with some that she might have stolen from her parents, which she in no way regretted now--and filled a backpack with boxes and cans of food from the cupboards. Putting on a baggy outfit, raincoat, and sneakers, Casey walked out of the front door of her childhood home, and never looked back.
The next few months basically consisted of Casey walking, stealing, hiding, and discovering just what she was. A lot of the time she slept outside, even in the cold of winter, incase she changed into a fox in her sleep again. And, actually, she did. But she didn't just turn into a fox--she became a cat, a poodle, a hawk, a squirrel--all while she slept. It took her a while to figure out how she could change while she was awake, and the more she changed while she was awake, the less she did while she was sleeping. It was also far less painful than the first time she had changed. Now it was just uncomfortable, not scream-worthy agony.
Stealing was something she wasn't proud of, but Casey had to eat, and she had to eat a lot. Apparently after her first change, something about her physiology had changed internally as well. She could burn off food as fast as she could eat it. She stole food from convienient stores and clothes from thrift stores, just enough to keep herself reasonably clean and fed. Sometimes she would actually make a purchase, if there was something she wanted that was too difficult to steal, or she just felt too bad about being a theif. She was already a monster, she didn't want to be a major criminal, too.
Eventually, she didn't much care about stealing anymore.
She didn't much care about anything.
Appearance:
Name: Casey May Evlin
{Face Claim: Luca Hollestelle}
Age: 23
Height: 5 Foot 4 Inches
Sexuality: Bi-Romantic, all sexual encounters have been tramatic up to this point.
Hair Color: Natural Red and Curly (When taken care of, which it usually isn't)
Eye Color: Sea Green
Skin: Heavily Freckled
Clothing: Usually something dirty and ill-fitting, always stolen, rarely cleaned.
Casey's Forms:
Fox:
The form Casey takes most often is the one she turned into first, a red fox. It's warm in the winter, quick to move around in, and nearly everywhere. The form felt...coforting, for some reason, despite the tramatic start to her shiting life.
Cat:
A cat was easy to travel in as well, especially in cities. No one batted an eye at a stray cat, and if she acted cute to the right human, she might even get some food.
Hawk:
Casey was expecting it to be hard to teach herself how to fly, but it was surprisingly simple. Instinct took over immediately, and flying as a bird of prey gave her some sense of strength and freedom.
Mouse:
Tiger:
Crow:
Comments
Lilith didn't seem phased when Casey told her she was 23. In her eyes, everyone younger than her was still a "kid", as far as she was concerned.
"Makes no difference. You're still younger than me." Lilith muttered as she took another sip of beer. "Call me Lilith." She responded indifferently, not really caring if Casey knew her name or not. She figured the kid wouldn't linger around here for too much longer. Once her "debt" had been repaid to Lilith, she'd probably leave and find her own way.
"So...what's your story? Are you homeless or something?" She asked. It was a very direct and perhaps even rude question to ask someone, but Lilith wasn't one to care about manners.
"Of course," Hazel added with a smile before handing a couple plates and some cutlery out for Casey. "Sorry to put you to work, would you mind placing these on the dinner table?" she asked as she pointed to the table by the window. She hoped Casey didn't mind completing such a simple task. She didn't plan on asking her to do anything else.
Casey didn't go as into it as Hazel thought she might, but she had the sense that part of this story might have been painful for her. As such, she didn't ask any more invasive questions, and felt bad for asking as much as she did. "I see...well that's interesting," she said with a small nod as she gave the pancakes a flip.
When the question came back to her, Hazel suddenly realized her mistake. She had shown the fox all those things because she assumed it wouldn't be able to tell her secret. But now she realized that Casey was perfectly capable of telling people about her magic. This was something she always kept closely guarded, until now that is. She didn't exactly want the whole world knowing she was a Witch.
"Oh, yes..." she said as she looked out the kitchen window into the forest beyond. "Well...I guess there's no point trying to hide it now," she said as she turned to look at Casey. "I'm a Witch. Not like the ones you've heard in stories and fairy tales...I don't curse people, kidnap children or anything like that. I practice spells, I live off the land, I brew potions...stuff like that. I guess I'm what you'd call a "Good witch", she said with a small laugh.
She transferred the pancakes to a plate and poured some new ones into the pan. "That's why I was able to do all of those things. I've been able to use magic since I was a teenager. Can you promise me something, Casey?" she asked as she turned to look at her with a serious gaze. "Please don't tell anyone what I am, I...I haven't had much luck getting people to understand in the past. I just want to keep it a secret as much as possible," she said in a vulnerable tone of voice. "In return, I'll keep your secret...if that's what you want."
Only now did Hazel realize how her sudden reaction might have come across. "Oh, sorry...it's not that you can't leave. You absolutely can if you want, but I hope you will stay, at least for a little while..." she added with a small smile as she nodded towards the kitchen. "Besides, I'm making breakfast that I think you'll like."
After the clothes had been brought and Casey had changed, Hazel uncovered her eyes and turned around to face the young woman. The clothes suit her surprisingly well. The Witch had not worn either of those items in a long time, so Casey was more than welcome to keep them. She had a feeling that the shifter did not have many clothes to begin with.
"Casey," Hazel repeated fondly. "That's a nice name. Come with me into the kitchen! We can talk while I cook the pancakes," she said with a welcoming smile as she gestured for Casey to follow. Once she had returned to the counter, Hazel placed a skillet onto the stove and turned on the heat.
"So, I...I have to ask," she said as she grabbed a spatula for flipping the pancakes. "What exactly, are you? Oh, that sounded bad! What I mean to say is, what do you call yourself? A shape shifter? A changeling?" she asked, curiousity pouring out of her as she spoke. "Do you always turn into a Fox? Can you turn into other things too? Was it something you were born with? How long have you been able to do it?"
Hazel had to stop for a moment and laugh at herself. "I'm sorry...I'm getting ahead of myself...I've never met someone like you before. You don't have to answer all of that, and if you do, take your time," she said as she poured the first couple pancakes into the skillet. Hazel had seemingly forgotten about showing Casey her magic. Right now she was too focused on learning about her guest.
"Oh, no no no!" Hazel cried, stepping closer to the front door as if to try and block Casey from leaving. Of course, if the young shifter really wanted to leave, she would of course let her do so. But she didn't think it was necessary, and Casey was not being intrusive whatsoever.
"No, please...it's okay. You're not being any trouble at all, I promise," she said with a kind smile. Casey's form might have changed, but Hazel's attitude towards her had not. She was still as kind and nurturing as she had been from the moment she found the Fox trapped underneath the wood.
It was then that Hazel suddenly realized the obvious, that Casey did not have any clothes at all. Why would she? The young Witch looked her up and down and pressed a finger to her chin. "Same height...roughly the same size..." she said under her breath before speaking again, only louder. "Wait right here! I'll get you something to wear!"
Before Casey could even interject, Hazel had ran up the stairs and gone straight to her closet. She had no idea if her guest would appreciate the style or the colour, but at least it was something to wear. She picked a light blue sweater and a pair of black leggings to bring down with her, along with a pair of underwear and socks.
"Sorry, I don't really wear bras...so I don't have one to give you," she said as she came back down the stairs with the clothes in her arms. "Please, wear these! If they fit, you can keep them," Hazel said before placing the clothes down on the coffee table. She then walked over to a corner of the room and covered her eyes, hopefully giving Casey the sense of privacy she needed.
"Um...it just occured to me that I don't know your name, and I don't think I told you mine, either...back when you were a Fox I mean. I'm Hazel!" she said as she continued to look away. She had SO many questions for the shifter, but was trying to contain herself so as to not overwhelm the poor thing.
Somehow, Hazel hadn't even noticed that Casey had shifted. She was likely still tired, and wouldn't start properly thinking until she had her morning tea. She continued to make the pancakes while humming to herself, completely oblivious to the young woman who had suddenly appeared in her living room.
It wasn't until Shadow started acting strange that Hazel noticed anything. The cat saw the stranger sitting on the couch and was clearly a bit spooked. His fur stood on end, his ears went back, and Shadow gave a very low hiss as he stared at Casey. He couldn't yet figure out or comprehend why a person was suddenly there. And where had the Fox gone?
"Shadow? What is it?" Hazel said, putting the pancake batter to the side and walking into the living room. Was he hissing at the Fox? Why on earth would he do that? As she rounded the corner, Casey's sudden appearance made Hazel stop dead in her tracks. She let out a gasp and stared at the young woman as she greeted her.
"Wh-who are you? How did you get in?" Hazel asked frantically as she backed up against the wall. She had never had a home invasion before; and although this girl didn't exactly seem threatening, it was rather distressing. It was then that Hazel's eyes darted around, looking for the Fox. Where was it? It couldn't have gotten far with an injured leg.
That's when it suddenly hit her. Hazel and Shadow appeared to share this realization at the same time. The cat's ears returned to their normal position, and his body relaxed. Now that he had taken in Casey's smell, he realized it was familiar. It was the exact same scent as the Fox. Meanwhile, Hazel narrowed her eyes and stared at Casey, trying to determine whether or not her wild theory might actually be true.
Her red hair...the lack of clothes...and there was something about her eyes, her very presence...that felt so familiar. She saw the startled look in her eyes, the very same look the Fox had given her yesterday. Hazel let out a sudden exhale and smiled, as if she had been holding her breath. "It's you, isn't it? Oh my goodness...you're the Fox!" she said, and it seemed she was more delighted than anything.
[Hello, Yes I'm doing great, Just had a bit of a busy work week. Thanks for adding me, Assuming you'd like to write, I'd be happy to. I haven't had a chance to read over your profile yet. As soon as I do, I can shoot you some ideas. In the meantime, please let me know if you have any yourself. I'm hoping to complete my profile tomorrow evening after I get home - which will hopefully give you some decent info on Vash.]
"No. It's for the ghost beside you. Who else is in here?" Lilith asked sarcastically with a shake of her head before opening her own beer and taking a sip from it.
After eating a few slices of pizza in silence, Lilith looked over at Casey with a curious look. She wasn't normally so interested in other people...but the young woman had intrigued her somewhat. She found herself wanting to know her story, where she came from, why she had been in the streets in the first place. Her origins, so to speak.
But then, if she asked those questions, Casey might feel inclined to ask Lilith about her story. And that wasn't something that she felt like sharing. Not to her...or anyone for that matter. But at the very least, she could ask for her name.
"...what's your name, kid?" Lilith asked after taking a sip of beer.
Like most nights, Hazel got a pretty good sleep. She knew that she had a dream, but couldn't quite remember the details. Although she was fairly certain the Fox was involved somehow. Upon waking up, Shadow jumped on the bed and nuzzled her face and hands. The young Witch smiled and greeted her beloved pet. She then stretched her arms towards the ceiling and gave a yawn.
"Good Morning," she said softly before looking out the window. It was lightly raining, causing a lovely "drip drop" sound to bounce off the roof above. It was the kind of sound that Hazel loved falling asleep to. However, she wouldn't get more today, she was too anxious to see how the Fox was doing.
As she got out of bed, Hazel had this irrational fear that the animal had passed away during the night. She didn't think it likely, considering that its wounds had been properly taken care of. But she couldn't help but worry as she put on her slippers and went down the stairs. As she approached the living room, Hazel gave a sigh of relief when she saw the Fox laying there. It was difficult to tell whether or not it was still asleep, or just resting, but she knew it was okay.
Either way, Hazel decided not to bother it for now. Still wearing her lavender nightgown, she walked over to the kitchen and began her usual morning ritual of making some tea and preparing Shadow's breakfast. The black cat zoomed down the stairs, clearly hungry as he waited by his usual feeding spot.
While Shadow ate his cat food, Hazel prepared another small bowl of water and quietly placed it near the Fox. She then decided that she was going to cook a special breakfast for everyone; blueberry pancakes from scratch. It probably wasn't the most nutritious thing for a Fox to eat but she assumed it would love the taste regardless. As she began to cook, she hummed a soft, gentle tune as the rain continued to pour outside.
Hazel took a second to wonder why she had even seasoned the chicken. It's not like animals were used to their food having that kind of flavour. Although more and more she was getting the impression that the Fox's palate was similar to that of a human's. It liked fruit, vegetables and cooked meat. How very peculiar...
Regardless, Hazel smiled at the Fox as it finished all of its food without complaint (or so it seemed). "I hope you liked that," she said before taking the plate away and putting it in the sink. She would then finish her dinner and gather up the rest of the dishes in the sink. The Fox might not have been able to see this from the couch, but with a twirl of her fingers the faucet turned on, and the handbrush began to move on its own as if it were alive! The dishes were able to wash themselves, without Hazel having to lift a finger!
"There we go," she said with a giggle before making her way towards the stairs. In the morning she would come down to a clean kitchen and dried dishes. How wonderful it was to be able to practice her magic whenever she wanted. Before going up the stairs, however, Hazel walked back to the couch and could tell that the Fox was feeling sleepy again.
She caught the blink, and wondered if it really was thanking her. She couldn't see why not? Intuition took hold and she reached down to give the Fox a couple gentle strokes along its back. "You're very welcome. I hope you have a good sleep..." she said in a soft voice. With another snap of her fingers, all the lights in the room turned off except for one; the lamp in the corner. That way the Fox wouldn't be left in complete darkness.
The young Witch walked up the stairs, followed by Shadow as he trotted behind her. They both went into the bedroom and the door slowly shut on its own. Hazel changed into her nightgown and whispered a few words for her nightly incantation. "May the Fox be healed and happy...may it always know salvation in this home..."And with that, Hazel read for a bit, turned off the lights, and went to sleep.
An awkward silence would fill the living room as Lilith nodded and continued staring at her phone. Lilith was very unsociable even at the best of times, never mind this. And her skills as a hostess left much to be desired.
"I got us a large pepperoni. You don't mind sharing, do you?" Lilith admitted as she put her phone on the coffee table. She wouldn't admit it to Casey, but money was a bit tight on her end. She would have ordered another pizza just for Casey, but she had already spent most of her money on previous food deliveries made earlier that same week.
The demoness didn't really have a job or any income to speak of. She did get some money from the government every now and then but only because she made a fraudulent claim for disability benefits. Technically, she hadn't lied. She did have a disability. Sunlight gave her a splitting fucking headache. Surely that counted for something.
In any case, Lilith was far too lazy and lacked the work ethic to commit to a proper job, so she would continue to collect money from the government. And if by some slim chance they ever found out her claim was fraudulent, she'd just pack up her things and move somewhere else.
She'd have to start a new life for herself, which wasn't a big deal at all. She'd done it before, and she'd probably have to do it again, sooner or later.
"Kid?" She mumbled, (not knowing her name yet) and turned to Casey, anticipating a response to her question, only to find that she had fallen asleep on the couch. Lilith's features softened a little in sympathy. The poor girl must have been exhausted.
Had she pushed her too hard? Was she being cruel and taking advantage of a girl who had nowhere else to go? Maybe she was. Though she loathed to admit it...maybe Lilith was wrong about this whole thing. Her human side was coming through to talk some sense into her once again.
Lilith said nothing more and decided to let Casey take a quick nap before the food arrived. When the pizza arrived 30 minutes later, Lilith set it down on the coffee table in front of the TV. She grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge and placed one in front of her and another in front of Casey. She didn't know if she drank, (or if she was even at the legal age to do so) but she figured she'd offer one just to be polite.
She then grabbed a slice of pizza for herself and began to eat while turning the TV back on, which would likely wake Casey up, if she hadn't already.
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