. "Ah, how are you this morning, my friend?" A cheerful, rumbling voice interrupts your thoughts. A turn brings you face to face with a man and his beard. It's quite momentous, that beard with it's tight curls and salt and pepper hair. Maybe you could get your hair to do that. It is impressive. The man behind the beard reminds you of those almost forgotten parts of your grandparent's history. Santa Clause. His cheeks are rose, and his brown eyes twinkle in the artificial light. Even though you shouldn't judge people before you get to know them, even the crazy scientists in a top secret lab, you take immediate liking to him.
. "I am well," you reply graciously. "And you?" The man chuckles and takes you by the arm."The same, but I doubt you came to talk about ourselves. Would you like to see them?"
You don't know what he's talking about, but you nod your head anyways. Well, curiosity killed the cat and the lonesome reporter. His head is even with your nose. His white coat flaps behind him as he all but rushes you to a large room-chamber, your mind supplies. The room rivals a street in length. A glance upwards has the room reminding you of an apartment or a hotel without any decorations. Glass upon glass cubes arrange in three rows, and set into the walls are more of them. The glass is clouded a smoky grey, and a steel iron door faces the walkway.
. The scientist grins at your obvious awe. "Come now, you have yet to meet the best part!" He escorts you to the first glass container and presses his hand against it. The contact of warm flesh has the glass clear, and you gasp. A large monster peers at you with startling blue, faceted eyes. Impossibly small pupils are almost swallowed up in the thing's iris. White, sickening white skin that gleams like wet leather covers the monster's body. A long arching, powerful neck moves and the animal twist its head sideways to stare at you some more. Toned muscles ripple under the tight skin, pulling over the delicate frame. A deep chest tapers into a whip thin tail on the opposite end. Four legs hold the abomination upright, and it must take quite some effort, for the legs are thin and delicate. Claws, still white, emerge from the monster's small toes.
. Eeeehuff. It huffs on the glass, displaying a black tongue and black teeth made for slicing. The steam fogs up the glass for a moment, before it disappears. The monster's lungs expand and it huffs at you again. This time, an angular face head butts the barrier and it dances away. The man at your side gives you a nudge.
"What do you think?" He inquires, smiling at the thing enjoying the attention.
"It's horrible. What is it?" you reply, still staring at it. It is some freak of genetic experimenting. Such an animal could not be build so... awkwardly.
"That is a Muratii. It is our greatest project yet. Come, I shall explain everything you wish to know."
~Muratii~
[Murr-ah-tea]
[Murr-ah-tea]
The year is 2138. From many decades of mixing and splitting genes, a monster was born in a test tube in the middle of an unknown lab. It took expensive resources, but it was done. Scientist had created the first genetically modified animal that could meet every want of a potential owner. These Muratiis, as they were called, had to be kept in sterile conditions because their genetic make up reacted violently with anything else. All it took was extended contact with an item, a gene, or an implant before the Muratii would change their own genetic make up to match it. It was brilliance. The possibilities were endless.
