Open Enrollment

Alice cocked her head, but the chill in her didn't fade quite yet. Even as the man began changing the edge didn't quite dull until he conceded that he and others were all guilty and had some blood on their hands. It was a common point that made her feel a little less targetted at least. Yes, she just had unique circumstances others were unaware of... but somewhere deep down, she was hurt that people didn't seem to care-- she couldn't put that bitterness into words, couldn't quite verbalize those upset feelings that came from having a grand goal that was pushed from other's minds quickly despite being such a source of pride and motivation for her.

In reaction to his change, Alice looked down at her own frame as she began to speak. "It is an unfortunate reality. Pretending it isn't true or assigning some spiritual value in hopes that it will change the reality is naive." She spoke at first, there was a flash of bitterness in her tone. Even as Reem transformed, she didn't seem too put off, and instead only shook her head in understanding of his efforts to relate. "Life is fragile, weak and delicate, we forget how easily it can be thrown away, snuffed out, ruined, stitched back together and rebuilt. It is also abundant, seemingly limitless in it's potential, and grossly persistence despite it's brittle nature." Alice spoke, as if there were something frustrating and bothersome about what she was saying. Like it was a puzzle that caused her sleepless nights and busy days.

"Life is flawed, imperfect... It is unfair. A broken system, trash, worse then trash-- it has no meaning, no reason. We try so hard to make it valuable, to make it worthwhile because it is all we are, because we each get only one so we try to treasure it as something precious but... no matter how precious we hold onto it... It always... Just...—" Alice spoke as that frost grew more pointed. Gripping the frill of her dress with one hand, she stared bland daggers into the soil in front of her as she reflected. It was rage, in a sense, but not heated rage like Reem might be used to, it was a frigid and bone chilling rage that disdained and scorned.

In the end though, Alice reached down towards the discarded trousers. the skin of her hand suddenly bursting, blowing apart from something rushing out from beneath the surface. A fleshy tendril reached down. Slapping the fabric briefly before a bony hand began to stretch out from the flesh to swallow the fabric into Alice's body pulling everything back into the disturbed skin before it slowly came back together with the pants no where to be seen. "I need two living brains to remain self-aware. The flesh.. I can fix that with time and hunting-- brains are hard to acquire." Alice explained, swallowing her frustrations about the futility of life. There was no reason to argue and take her frustrations and motivations out on Reem who just seemed overly zealous about his job.

Alice's cheeks puffed up a little, taking some of the edge out of her previously frosty demeanor. She hadn't been self-aware for long, but it wasn't simply 1 or 2 days at least. It was at least 4 or 5 she thought, after all, it was a process to come to the island and make it to this point from her initial confused and oblivious phase. "I look through their knowledge and what I can piece together from their memories. Including what I've seen between my awakening and now, that counts for at least 10 days." She pouted, life was unfortunate after all, it was one of the reasons she took it upon herself to evolve, to find a better option, something above 'life'.

Though in regards to missing something important, she felt she was already aware of that. She was evolving in order to acquire that missing thing she thought, completely missing the point of his efforts to educate her. Instead, she got back in the car and only continued pouting, clearly not wanting to surrender the things she needed without at least something in return. "I still need at least two living brains-- Ones that are at least smart enough to be self aware. The rest, I will trade for materials, Metals or plastics, useful things. I only need enough meat and bone to hold my shape." She again read off her list of things she needed to trade and keep.

Whether or not all of these things will be able to fall into her hands would naturally decide a lot, but Alice only furrowed her brows as they continued. "I could have fixed them after evolving further. There's no reason to get so excitable and frantic. It's only the difference of a few months, to them it would be no difference from a blink." She couldn't help a little complaint. After all, even if she didn't need all of their flesh and blood, she worried Reem or these people might try and scheme against her in regards to the brains she'd be left with.

Alice frowned a little, 10 days might seem small but to a bacteria or other short lived life form it could be weighty. For Alice who was a living colony of such creatures, she didn't find it to be too lacking considering her development speed. Though when he mentioned the harm in spitting them up early Alice tilted her head in answer. After all, she did have some reason for trying to do it for herself, it was selfish but again that was why she was going out of the way to trade them their own lives in exchange.

"Adaptation does not just happen. Direction is important, goals, objectives, Adaptation to events, to needs and circumstances. The more Injured and Dying I consume, perhaps I would adapt a means to support them better?" Alice spoke her supposition. It was her intention to try at least, though she had to admit she made very little head way. That lack of progress was after all in part due to her situation changing making other changes more imperative.

Though hearing that they couldn't replace the brains, Alice didn't seem very surprised. A bland expression on her face as she nodded back. "Of course. Few would volunteer for the process no matter how comfortable or peaceful. For some reason freedom seems strangely precious for everyone." Alice commented indifferently. Humanity or intelligent creatures naturally treasured their freedom in a myriad of ways. Alice herself could understand wanting to be free from restriction, she broke out in the same way, but for those without a grandiose goal, it was a bit more confusing.

Though when Alice was offered bodies and boxes, a very faint smile came to her face as she nodded. Turning back towards Reem while he mentioned funny business though she couldn't help turning her head. "Funny business? Why?" She asked, even as her body began to change. What was once a normal teenage girl began to warp visibly. Her dress splitting down one side, as if someone had slashed her down from her shoulder to her stomach, her chest suddenly burst apart in a spectacular fashion splashing bizarre clear liquid in the process.

Despite her chest rupturing there was no blood however, only the empty cavity of her chest parting, revealing ribs that spread like sharpened teeth and squirming organs like worms that seemed to recede deeper into her body where they wouldn't be so exposed. "Where should I drop them though?" She asked blankly, wondering where Reem wanted her to place the survivors, though her ability to speak didn't seem to change with her lack of lungs or other organs one might need to do so normally.

Alice's ribs didn't hesitate to suddenly bite down on one of the boxes, tugging it into her chest, gnawing and pulling, thrashing from time to time like a shark or dog might try to tare into prey. The other boxes were at least handled a bit more delicately, with her arms softening, as if the bones suddenly disappeared. Stretching and squirming as they pressed down onto the metal surfaces as if melting against them. Tendrils of flesh began to spread across the box, sinew and throbbing flesh fusing to the metal making it harder to distinguish the box from her body as time passed. All the while, Alice's head remained upright, watching Reem, waiting for his answer as if this were all normal.

Alice took note of the permission part more then the rule itself. As long as she acquired permission then it would be okay, it was something to put a pin in. At least, if they didn't give permission right away, wouldn't it be alright if they gave it eventually? Certainly after some time they might reconsider their answer-- Or that was at least the answer Alice arrived on with a small nod.

Though freedom was still something Alice found perplexing. Freedom at the cost of one's life, at the cost of a future, at the cost of potential and hope seemed naive and silly to her. Freedom could only be properly utilized when someone had the independence to make use of it. As far as she was concerned, among humans and intelligent creatures, very few had the ability to be completely independent. So many were slaves to many different things, it mystified her why being restricted inside of her as a component was any different from what people normally suffered.

"Perhaps if I develop the potential to improve them in exchange they might accept the trade." Alice couldn't help musing, it was an interesting thought to improve and evolve those things she consumed. It made her consider developing such a thing in the future as well, the ability to grant her skills to change and adapt to others at least to a minor extent was interesting and would increase her own numbers. "Perhaps I shuold invest time into finding out how to make more of me." Alice couldn't help murmuring words that inspired thoughts of an army of creatures like her.

When Reem mentioned beds though, Alice's strangely contorted shape turned as well. The metal case being lifted into her chest half submerged as she walked, the other ones being dragged along behind her attached to fleshy tendrils. Slowly but surely flesh seemed to enrwrap all of the metal, wiggling and squirming until they began to take the shape of very soft engorged arms. Trying to bring them back to their normal shape, Alice began compressing the metals and interiors for analysis as she approached the bed side.

Tilting her head, that hand from before once more began to push against her neck, slowly but surely pressing further and further until Alice's skin ruptured releasing a young man's arm. The hipster watch on his arm still visible as he frantically began waving that arm trying to struggle free from Alice's flesh. It made the girl herself frown deeply as her musculature rippled as if trying to quiet him down and stop him from flailing internally. The hand seemed to recoil, clearly having been struck or pained in some way before he was forced out from her body little by little. Like popping a boil or zit, he was pushed from her body into the bed flailing and crying out.

The young man didn't hesitate to shout and scream obscinities. Demanding medical attention as he gripped a leg that was twisted and broken at a strange angle. His voice was frantic, erratic as he tried moving to see where he was. Seemingly more angry then frightened, He constantly tried to make demands for someone to call his family or lawyers until he saw Alice causing him to stifle himself and squirm to the very edge of the bed. Slowly realizing that he was not in the lab him and his friends broken into to try and be freedom fighters protecting animal rights.

The second limb that came from Alice wasn't nearly as excited. A much older man, a well known microbiologist in his field was pushed from Alice's opposite side. The man's breathing was labored, he had various bleeding wounds in his chest and a pained expression on his face. Equally perplexed as the young man, but without the energy to investigate, he struggled to relax and find his center even as the previous young man made attempts to shout at him from the other bed.

The last limb didn't seem to move at all. Another young lad that prompted the first to scream with grievances and anxiety. They clearly knew each other, but the boy didn't respond to the screams or stimulation. Unlike the older doctor in a lab coat, the boy had a gaping wound on the head as if something heavy had crashed down on him. Still alive, but just barely not breathing or responsive.

Alice looked at the three, nodding blandly before turning back to Reem. "There are some discrepancies. While in use, their thoughts were suspended. They likely believe themselves to still be in the building I was held in. Even if it had been 10 days, to them only a flicker of time had passed." Alice explained the reason they'd be so confused and disorientated.

With a small nod, Alice gave a gentle hum in confirmation, stepping away from the staff. By now everything had been properly sucked into her body. Though her shape was still largely deformed in some places, it was slowly settling. Her chest beginning to come back together, her arms returning to a normal color and size slowly but surely. Everything was being compressed and organized in proper.

"It would be good if they survive. They were useful and helpful to get me started-- Though the change in knowledge is discomforting, I'll miss the understanding of economics and Microbiology. Perhaps I should find some alternative means of becoming more intelligent." Alice murmured as she followed along with Reem, not really minding too much about the people she helped outside of vague well wishes. There was no overflowing concern or worry. She didn't seem to be hateful or bothered by them either. It was an air of indifference many who knew Alice would recognize as her default.

When told she wouldn't go to the junkyard though, Alice seemed deflated, not literally but metaphorically as she lowered her head in disappointment. At the very least, she did seem to acquire some metal though, it wasn't a complete loss at the very least. "Next time then perhaps. It would be very unpleasant to remain at this level of development for too long. If anything my Evolution has only turned backwards at this stage. This isn't acceptable, forward progress is necessary." Alice asserted, but regardless, still intended to follow Reem