Two weeks after the two had gone shopping, life was beginning to approach some form of normalcy. Scratch and Maniko had learned each other’s quirks and how to avoid them, and begun learning, more, how to tolerate each other’s idiosyncrasies. The first week had been tense, stressful for the both of them, and it didn’t help that Scratch was adjusting to not being quite so close to the floor. During that first week, she had bumped into things quite a bit, causing an entire rack of test tubes to go crashing to the floor, something she did not tell Maniko about until he stepped on a shard of glass in the kitchen.
Still, for the first time, Scratch had felt genuinely happy, each day she woke up, not having to feel she needed to fight the world for food or a place to stay out of the rain. And more, while he wasn’t her brother, Maniko may as well have been all her life! Scratch latched onto that notion rather quickly, calling him such, which caused no end of headache for the poor rabbit.
Maniko felt much the same, though he was loathe to admit it aloud. He watched her change over time. It had only been two weeks, and yet..it felt much longer and he was happy that she had accepted his offer to live with him. It helped him focus knowing that someone relied on him. He caught himself almost calling her ‘little sister’ more than once, but...at least for now, he wasn’t quite comfortable calling her that, even if she insisted on calling him brother!
He felt happy either way, and protective over Scratch, even if things would change, he knew he would do his best to be part of her life and keep her safe! It seemed that his strengthening potion hadn’t done much, aside from causing her to skyrocket in size, and for that...part of him was glad. Being an experiment meant it could do so much more, and yet now, the effects had surely passed, no other growth spurts, no unusual reactions, just a single rather surprising reaction!
Scratch today though, was in rare form, having finally adjusted to navigating the house at her new height, she stretched out luxuriously in her bed. It had taken some searching, but after a few days, she had talked Maniko into letting her have bed sheets she had picked out, and she found one set that had a pattern of @ symbols. She felt drawn to them and smiled as she looked down. These...were HER sheets, this was HER room! That dresser? That was hers too! She was surrounded by things she never realized she could ever even have and somehow...it made her feel comfortable and content!
She climbed out of the bed, carefully pulling the sheets back up and took a deep breath, another day, another opportunity! She smoothed down the sheets and adjusted her pillows, each of which had a stitched in @ as well. She turned to her dresser, picking up that hairbrush that Maniko had given her. She was tempted to change it, because she hated the color...but really, it was the first thing that was truly hers and despite that small irk, it carried sentimental value for her. She began to brush out her fur, sighing as she recalled how, just two weeks ago, she wouldn’t have been able to run a brush through it! To think, just being clean had such a big impact!
She looked herself over, snowy white fur mirrored with bright, intelligent blue eyes and smiled. She LIKED this new life, and she would never let it go if she could help it! Finally, after she was done admiring herself, she opened the drawers, pulling out her outfit for the day. Blue jeans and some loud shirt displaying a band she had never heard, but the patterns were pretty, multicolored and more importantly, it was her shirt! She slipped it on, looking over herself in the mirror , giving the purple tufts on her ears and tail a final brush before she set her brush down and walked to her door.
Scratch yawned and stretched as she opens the door and makes her way into the kitchen. In the two weeks, she had managed to figure out how to walk without slipping on the smooth wood flooring. She opened the cabinet, looking up at the cereals that Maniko had purchased. Before she moved in, it was some sort of bland fiber rich stuff, and now, there were all kinds of sugary snacks for her to choose from. She felt like marshmallows today and picked up a box of cereal that was, almost all marshmallows. She pulled down the biggest bowl from the cupboard and fills it all the way to the top!
Maniko walked into the kitchen just as she pours that bowl. He’d noticed that Scratch was eating...an awful lot, but she wasn’t getting fat with it. Instead, on the contrary, she looked healthy, her coat shining and he could no longer see her ribs, so maybe she just needed that much? Either way, it was something he was glad that he had a good job for, feeding her could be a full time job if he had a less important position!
He looked on, amused as Scratch grabbed a spoon, not even bothering with milk as she began shoveling that cereal into her mouth, taking another big spoonful before she had even swallowed! Maniko simply chuckled to himself, shaking his head as he walked out into the kitchen proper, having stayed by the door to watch her for a moment, “You realize it’s not going anywhere right?” he asks as he pulled out the chair opposite her.
“Yeah, but it’s SO good!” she said, talking through a mouthful, munching away happily. She isn’t exactly very clean, the cereal spilling over the bowl and onto the table as she stuffs her face! Maniko watches as the cereal falls onto the table and shakes his head, “You should slow down, you know, it’s easier to clean up after.” he said.
Scratch looked at the table, shrugging at the pieces of cereal that spilled over, “I’ll clean it up after.” she said, sounding almost annoyed, “You know I will!”
Maniko just sighed, “I know, but if you took your time, you wouldn’t have to clean up at all, that’s all I’m saying.” he said as he scooted his chair in more.
It was like this most meal times. Scratch never really learned etiquette when it came to eating and Maniko understood that. When you don’t know when and where your next meal might come from, it was easy to just...pig out and binge when you could, but she also knew now, she didn’t need to worry about those kinds of things here! Maybe someday he could get her to realize that. Still, knowing she had such a healthy appetite and that he could handle the expense, eased his mind. He didn’t have to worry about the young cat going hungry, and soon, she would never fear going hungry either!
Maniko sat quietly, just thinking about what to do. It was a lazy day, he wasn’t hungry yet but he didn’t need to go into work. In fact, given the circumstances, he had taken the time he had off, just to make sure he could help Scratch adapt and adjust. “Scratch, I know you can read and write, and I’m glad for it, but I wanted to ask, do you want a more formal education? I can’t promise anything, but I’d be willing to homeschool you if you want!” he offered smiling.
Scratch actually stopped, her mouth open with the spoon almost there. After a moment, she sets the spoon down, “You...you know, I didn’t even think about that. Can I have some time? I certainly don’t think it’s a bad thing, but I just need to think on it okay?” she asked.
In truth, Scratch was tempted, and touched by the offer, and it would do much to help her understand why things had happened the way that they did, but….to learn all of these new things, after so much else has already changed, she felt it may desperately overwhelm her. All these new feelings, all these new opportunities, she didn’t know how to process them all! Still, she would never forget the new life she had, and that she had Maniko to thank for it!
Scratch stretched and scratches her head for a moment before she picks up her bowl. She walks over to the sink and rinses it, “I’m going to go take a shower okay?” she asked.
Maniko blinked in surprise, “Are...you okay? I mean, I didn’t offend you or anything did I?” he asked
“Oh no, nothing like that, I just feel a bit off is all. Hopefully a shower will help me feel better. They usually do!”
Scratch left the kitchen, and headed back to her room. She hadn’t lied, she was feeling dizzy, light headed, like something was weighing on her chest as she opened her drawer to snag some new clothes. Sure she had just changed, but she was about to shower, so why not? She felt another wave of dizziness as she looked at herself in the vanity mirror, feeling herself sway a bit, she grabbed onto the dresser and took several deep breaths. The dresser rocked though, and a loud clatter echoed in the room. Her eyes fluttered closed as she tried to fight the sensation of vertigo that gripped her. It took her a moment before she could open her eyes again and realize her brush had fallen off of the table and slid under her bed.
Luckily the wave of dizziness had passed and she was feeling much better. She knelt down, letting out a silent curse as she realizes the brush slid too far under for her to just crawl under the thing, at her new size, she could barely fit under the bed in the first place! She just frowns, she remembered how hard it was for Maniko to muscle the bed into the house, and how winded he was. She didn’t know if she could move the bed herself but she was going to try!
She wrapped her fingers under the edge of the bed and lifted, bracing for the weight...that never came, she stifles a slight yip of surprise as she yanks back the bed hard, preventing it from flipping! It didn’t feel like...anything! How did he struggle so hard? Did he just make a big show to make her feel like it was hard or something? Her head tumbled with thoughts and uncertainties as she just looked at her one hand, holding up the bed. Silently, she shakes her head, reaching to pick up the brush as she carefully set the bed back down. She could sort this all out after her shower!
Scratch just sighed as she walked over to the bathroom, she hadn’t bothered to close the door and the bathroom was kept open when someone wasn’t in there, holding a bundle of her clothes. She reaches for the handle and pulls the door closed, but almost loses her balance as the knob...just breaks off in her hand. She stared at her hand, looking at the knob bewildered, deep dents molded to her fingers as the end was snapped clean off! The door had closed! But she had no way to get out! She felt panic set in, what just happened? She didn’t feel anything and the knob just snapped like a twig in her fingers?!
A moment of panic hit Scratch, not because she could be trapped, there WAS a window after all and she had gone through it before, but rather, she had just broken the doorknob! She dropped the knob with a loud clatter on the ground, taking a step back in shock, “Maniko?!” she called out, “I...think I broke something!”
Maniko sighed as he stood up. He wondered what she had broken now, after all, she had been rather clumsy for a while, adjusting to living in a home. Several glasses from the cupboard, a plate...his nice picture of that carrot were all casualties (though he had a sinking suspicion she broke the picture on purpose!) and while he could replace it all easily, it was exhausting, wondering what would happen next! He made his way, standing outside the bathroom door, “What happened?” he asked.
“Well, the door knob snapped off!”
“What do you mean it snapped off? Those just don’t break you know!” he said feeling a slight rush of annoyance. Scratch had been on a roll since she moved in, and replacing everything she broke was starting to wear on him, even if she looked so pathetically cute every time she did!
“Well, I mean, the knob isn’t on the door anymore, it’s all dented and stuff!”
Maniko groaned, wondering if she’s playing a game with him (wouldn’t be the first time) as he reached to open the door…only for the knob to fall off in his hand as there was no support on the other side. He blinks, staring at the knob for a moment, “Huh...it really DID fall off!”
Maniko leaned down, and started to place his eye against door to peer inside, though he paused, “You’re...dressed right?” he asked, not wanting to embarrass her (or him for that matter!)
“Yeah yeah, I’m dressed,” came the impatient reply, Though as Maniko moved to look through the hole where the knob HAD been, he hears a loud creaking and looks up at the door. He barely catches that Scratch was attempting to push the door open from the inside and it hits him....as the door hits him, popping off its hinges with one last groan as the hinges ripped right out of the wall!
Scratch stood stunned for a moment, hands out, as the door collapsed into the hallway having scratched the paint and gouged out a line in the wall across the way where the edge of the door had struck. Of all the things she expected when she pushed, having the door just utterly fail to BE a door was certainly not on that list! She looks at the jagged holes where the screws ripped out of the wood and then to her hands, “Did I just do that?” she asked.
The only reply was a groan from Maniko, still under the door where it had crashed into him! Scratch lets out a soft gasp, “Brother!” she calls out, lifting the door off of him and tossing it into the hallway (oblivious to the large scratches on the polished wood floor) and looks to Maniko. He wasn’t too bad off, looks more like a bump on the head than anything else, and he had avoided being scratched, but still, the young lapine was quite unconscious from the door careening into his head!
Scratch looked around, what should she do?! Maniko had been hurt, and she had likely caused it! She felt fear that she had never had bubbling up inside of her. What would she do if something permanent happened to him? Where would she go? Could she even just stay on the streets again after everything she had learned and experienced?! She reached down, scooping up her adoptive brother, “Please be okay….pleeeeease be okay!” she said over and over in concern, placing a finger near his nose.
The soft, gently rush of warm air as Maniko breathed caused Scratch to let out the lungful of air she had been unintentionally holding. She cradles her adoptive brother, walking past the wrecked door to his room, where she carefully lays him on the bed. She sits next to him, unsure just what to do other than wait. That knob...might have been her, she’s never smashed anything intentionally! Well...aside from that stupid carrot picture, but she felt guilty about that nonetheless!
She watched the gentle rise and fall of Maniko’s chest, twiddling her thumbs as she thought about carrying him into his room. She wasn’t sure she WAS carrying him, he was so light, it felt like she was carrying a feather pillow and she knew from experience that the young rabbit at least had some weight to him! She fidgeted, not used to sitting still for so long, but her concern was warring with her normal chipper and hyper nature and she was determined to stay by Maniko’s side!
Luckily for Scratch’s heart (and her impatience), Maniko’s eyes slowly flutter open. Those green orbs staring almost in confusion at the ceiling. He groans as he started to sit up, only to find himself pushed rather hard back down, “No, don’t sit up, I...kinda dropped a door on your head,” Scratch’s voice echoes in the quiet room, “I didn’t mean to, I barely pushed, I was wanting to lean on it and...and…well, it just kept going.” she said, as she bit her lip.
Maniko winced, she didn’t look like she was pushing hard, but he couldn’t move, it was like she was shoving him into the bed! “Scratch, I won't, I get it, stop pushing so hard, I hurt bad enough without having to struggle to breath!” he said, watching as Scratch pulled her hand back, clasping both of them together nervously, “So....the whole door?” he asked, looking out the bedroom and into the hallway, “Yeah, you did a real number on that.” he admitted.
Maniko thought, running through his head what just happened. The hinges wouldn’t have just failed, that didn’t make sense, the way they were twisted from where he could see, that was a lot of force… was that potion working? But it had been weeks, the effects should have faded by now! Was it different because she had splashed it on her instead of drank it? That must be it, but that would mean it should wear off faster. Maybe the potion wasn’t a complete bust after all!
He sighed as he looks up, seeing Scratch look back down at him, “Scratch, that’s pretty unusual. I want you to do something for me, can you go down to the basement and grab one of the washing machines down there? I know it’s a stupid request, but I have a hunch. Be careful, don’t push on doors okay?” he said chuckling.
Scratch didn’t know why he wanted her to grab a washing machine, how would that help him after she had hit him with the door? But Maniko understood what he needed far more than she would! She stood up, nodding as she left Maniko in the room. She was afraid to touch anything, more specifically, she was worried what else she might break on the way there. Despite these concerns though, she safely made her way through the kitchen and hallway, pausing in front of the door to the basement.
The last time she had gone down there, Maniko was teaching her how to do her own laundry, and before that...she had been stealing from him. So much had happened since that day. She reached hesitantly for the door. The bathroom knob had just broken in her hands and she didn’t want to repeat the mistake! She carefully pinches the knob with just her fingertips, gently turning and opening the door. Thankfully, nothing broke, but she felt like the doorknob was made of paper and it was all she could do not to crumple it!
The trip to the basement was quiet, she reached to turn on the light, flicking the switch, only pausing as she heard the plastic clattering on the stairs. She turned the lights on, but she wasn’t going to be turning them off now that the lever had snapped! She frowns and chalks this up, just one more thing that’s making this day difficult.
Her feet hit the stairs as she looked down into the dim light in the basement. Luckily it didn’t take her long to find one of the spare washing machines and she triumphantly walks up to it. She takes a deep breath, remembering just how heavy these things were when she learned how to do laundry and braces herself as she moves to wrap her arms around the boxy device.
She wasn’t sure what she had expected, but what happened, most certainly was not it! As her arms wrapped around the box, the machine buckles with a metallic shriek as her arms dig into the metal as if she were picking up cardboard. She fell back, landing hard on her rump and tweaking her tail as she pulled hard to lift, not expecting the thing to just...come right up! She lost her grip as the washing machine clatters to the ground with a resounding crash! She freezes, looking at the large chunk of concrete that ripped up where the machine had struck the floor…there was no way she should have just lifted it, much less sent it skidding disastrously along the floor!
Scratch called out, knowing there was no way that Maniko hadn’t heard as the washing machine slammed into the ground, “I’m okay!”. She thinks to herself, tapping her chin like she had seen Maniko do to gather his thoughts. It didn’t help, but soon she places both hands on either side of the machine and lifts, not quite as energetically as before, but it was enough. She was still braced for the weight, but the machine felt like...well, like she was carrying a stack of papers. Awkwardly sized, massive papers, but papers nonetheless!
She felt a rush of happiness at this. She could lift such a heavy device! It was clear it still was, and yet, this was nothing! She could hold this thing all day if she wanted to! She smiles to herself as she starts to head up the stairs, “I got it Maniko!” she called out to him.
Maniko finally sat up as he hears that crash, his ears standing up as he feels a rush of concern. Did Scratch get hurt? Was he asking too much of her? Was he wrong about this? He was only able to relax when he heard her call from the basement, letting out a sigh of relief. He finally ran his fingers through his hair as he waits for her to come in.
He was not, however, prepared for the state of the washing machine when Scratch brought it in. Deep dents where the metal had given way for her arms and fingers, scratches, scuffs, the front door warped beyond closing. It wouldn’t work again, but it hardly mattered in that Scratch didn’t even seem winded carrying the heavy thing all on her own!
Maniko just looked on stunned for a moment as Scratch hefted the boxy device inside, pausing so it wouldn’t wreck the door frame! Scratch realized she wasn’t going to get it in the room and decided the better way would be to get it all inside, rather than have it intact, after all, Maniko hadn’t said she NEEDED to keep it in perfect condition! So, she clutched the washing machine and pushed, the metal screaming as it bent inwards, the door almost popping off as she smashed it just small enough she could fit it through the door, “Will this work?” she asked.
Maniko smiled at Scratch, “That’s perfect, I was wanting to see how this new strength was progressing, turns out, it’s much further along than I had thought! Well, not that I had expected this in the first place, the potion’s effects should have worn off only days after it affecting you, but still, let’s see how far we can take this!” he said, “I want you to try and smash the washing machine flat for me, flat as you can make it with just your hands!”
Scratch looked on for a moment, thinking how best to do this. Finally, she just tensed her arms and pushed her hands together! The metal shrieks, bending, buckling, bolts popping and shearing, the sound was incredible, filling the room enough that Maniko needed to cover his ears as Scratch made short work of the request, soon she had pressed her hands together enough that she was left with a deformed, flattened chunk of metal that barely resembled the washing machine it once had been!
Scratch felt a rush as she did this, it felt good, she felt powerful when she crushed that machine, taking great joy in taking something so structured becoming something else! The metal, once formed, was now whatever her hands had let it become! She smiled brightly and sighs, “Can...can I break more?” she asked.
Maniko nodded, “Yes, try and fold it in half as many times as you can!” he said as he watched on. Scratch takes that to heart, the metal groaning as she folds it as easily as if it were a piece of paper. Four...no five times before she started to look like she was struggling! Even if the potion had worked right in the first place, this far exceeded anything he was planning for this!
Every aspect of the test was impressive. Even when she started to struggle, she had to be pushing several tons worth of force! He had only intended for it to be a very minor boost, doubling or maybe tripling the base strength, but this was an order of magnitude more! Scratch finally stopped on the eighth fold, her muscles actually beginning to bulge as the excited kitten purred to herself, dropping the heavy chunk on the floor! “That...that was a washing machine!” she said excitedly.
Maniko chuckled, “Yes, was being the operative word! Here, I have a thought, you wanted to get into that safe when you first came here, how about we see if you can’t break that?! I mean, it’s so much thicker and the metal should be very hard to bend or dent!” He said.
Scratch grinned excitedly and reaches, picking up Maniko, “Hey, woah! Wait wait! I’m not a toy or something!” he grumbles out.
“Yeah, but you’re hurt, so I’ll carry you so you’ll not be hurt any worse!” Scratch says defiantly as she carries Maniko like she was cradling a child. Luckily for him, she doesn’t waste much time pulling out a chair and sitting him down.
As Scratch started to empty the safe (wouldn’t want all those vials to get mixed up after all), Maniko began to think again. Why did she grow, and why the super strength now? The ingredients shouldn’t have resulted in her growing, except maybe muscles, but she didn’t seem to change in that department.
Maniko ran through all that he had put in, listing the chemicals in his head, and thinking on which ones had been filtered through magitek or enhanced. Everything should have affected her muscles. Wait...maybe the potion did everything it needed to in the first place! Her body was so small before, maybe it wouldn’t have been able to handle the enhanced strength and she needed to grow a bit to even handle the boost in the first place! That HAD to be it!
All the time, Maniko dwelled, Scratch busied herself, carefully collecting those fragile vials, she broke a few, but luckily nothing too dangerous and concerning, and more, she didn’t get any on her fur. She was worried, carefully setting the tubes on the table before she started to work on the safe!
The metal buckled, and dented, she had to try so much harder this time, grunting as the safe begins to crumple! She’s impressed she can, seeing how much thicker the safe is, but something wasn’t right, she felt dizzy, trying hard to stay up as she keeps trying to crush the safe!
Maniko doesn’t notice as Scratch starts to sway, her ears drooping as she feels her head rush. She stumbled backwards, letting out a soft low moan before she suddenly collapsed onto the floor! The crash brought Maniko out of his reverie as his eyes snap first to the safe, twisted, disfigured, buckled in where her hands were, but...that wasn’t what worried him. He saw scratch on the floor.
“Scratch! Oh no! What happened?!” he cried out, rushing to her side!
The third part in the Skylines story for Meister_Li (https://inkbunny.net/MeisterLi). Scratch and Maniko get used to living with each other, and for Scratch, domestic life! Though the vial she had spilled on herself when she first broke in was not finished with her!
