Sadie pressed her lips tightly together in an effort to hold back her laughter, but it was too late. Cynthia's eyes had already narrowed into an offended frown.

"It's not funny!" Cynthia said with a high-pitched tone. Sadie felt the underlying hurt beneath her anger. So she tried to apologize, but Cynthia was having none of it.

With a swift, unexpected lunge, Cynthia launched herself at Sadie. Taken off guard by the ferocity of the charge, Sadie stumbled backward, her arms windmilling awkwardly as she fought to maintain her balance.

Cynthia then barreled into her with an unbearable strength that belied her small frame, shoving Sadie with a bearish grunt of exertion. Sadie was sent flying to the end of the room, the world tilting on its axis as gravity took over. She landed hard, the breath whooshing from her lungs.

But in that instant, Cynthia snapped back from the momentary madness, and fear sucked the rosy hues of derangement from her face.

Sadie lay there, unmoving, Cynthia's eyes widening in alarm. No sound of breathing heightened Cynthia's worry, a profound silence deepened the chasm between them—a reflection of the stark separation brought by death.

"Wh...What have I done?" Cynthia stammered, her shocked expression petrified.

Sadie's chest dilated suddenly, gasping for air as she awoke. Slowly, she raised herself into a sitting position, a searing band of agony lashing against her spine.

"Your strength seems to have increased." Sadie remarked hoarsely, kneading her aching back.

"Wh...Why aren't you angry with me?" Cynthia asked, her voice wavering. "I've transformed into a beast!"

Sadie stood up, locking eyes with Cynthia. It was time to reveal her own transformation. She raised her hand to face level, claws extended, and admitted, "Because I am one as well."

Cynthia, unimpressed, regarded Sadie with doubt, as if dismissing her claws as mere nail extensions. "And what kind of animal are you supposed to be?"

"Can't you tell?" Sadie replied, visibly bothered by Cynthia's skepticism. "A sloth!"

"Why haven't your looks changed at all?"

"I guess it's because I already used to look kinda slothy."

The simplicity of Sadie's words brought amusement to Cynthia, and soon, laughter filled the room, dispelling the lingering tension.

"You always know how to make me laugh even when I don't feel like it." Cynthia admitted, drawing closer to her friend.

She scrutinized Sadie's facial features, looking for any signs of transformation. "On second glance, the dark circles under your eyes do seem darker."

"That's because I've had a hectic week actually." Sadie sighed as she prepared herself to involve Cynthia in her operation. "Cynthia, I need your help. There's a crime syndicate near my house. I've discovered they're using the docks to funnel victims into Arkinson City. We need to go there tonight and look for anything suspicious."

"What? I can't possibly go out looking like that. People would point fingers and laugh at me. I'm not some vigilante bear; contact the authorities."

"They're in cahoots with the criminals!" Sadie said, frustrated. "A little boy near our school has been kidnapped, and I fear the worst if we don't rescue him in time."

"What do you need me for?"

"Well... I need a partner, and... I can't explain it, but I feel more confident when you're around. I feel an urge to impress you, to protect you from harm. Hell, even death seems less serious when you are smiling near me."

Cynthia furrowed her eyebrows, deeply affected by Sadie's words. Before Sadie could move away, Cynthia wrapped her arms around her in a tight bear hug. But Sadie didn't mind this time; she simply let herself go in the embrace of her friend.

As Sadie rested her head on the shoulder of Cynthia, the graffiti of Rubicunt, that of a bear smothering a sloth with a hug, came to her mind, and she thought to herself while smiling, "Rubicunt's art can indeed predict the future."

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When Sadie broke free from the hug, she immediately told Cynthia, "We have no time to waste; stay still and let me see if it works."

Cynthia raised an eyebrow as Sadie started waving her fingers on her strange-looking watch. Then, sparkling effects surrounded a surprised Cynthia, landing on every inch of her figure.

"What's going on? Stop that."

"Don't worry; your transformation must have unlocked some unique abilities. This test will display your skills."

"Where did you even get that artifact?"

"Long story," Sadie said, still scribbling on her alien watch.

"Ugh Forget it, but make the process go quicker; it's getting unbearably itchy," Cynthia complained as she scratched her glistening arms.

The watch started displaying information about Cynthia.

Health Condition: Stable

Race: Human

Gender: Female

Hybrid Animal: Bear, Arctodus simus genus

Level: 1

Experience Points: 50/2000

Attributes:

1. Strength: 7

2. Agility: 4

3. Intelligence: 4

4. Endurance: 3

5. Perception: 2

6. Charisma: 8

7. Luck: 9

"Arctodus simus..." Cynthia said.

"Yes, it seems you are descended from the short-faced bear, the biggest and most formidable bear in all of history."

"Isn't it the one that created a migration barrier for early humans along the trek through the Bering landmass in the Americas? I remember them from Miss Antonella's Pleistocene epoch lessons. I've had nightmares about them that day, but aren't they supposed to be extinct?"

"They've made a revival through you, it seems. Let's make sure this time they can stick around. To tell the truth, Cynthia, when I came to you, I was expecting a rabbit's foot for luck, not a bear paw."

"You do tend to underestimate me, Sadie. I may look innocent and somewhat dependent on others, but I have a very wild and rambunctious spirit."

"Of course you do," Sadie said. "Want to check your abilities now?"

"Stop teasing me and tell me already," Cynthia insisted.

**Abilities:**

1. **Avalanche Charge:** Gather momentum and charge forward like an unstoppable force, knocking down enemies in your path and causing terrain disruption.

2. **Guardian's Embrace:** Establish a temporary protective aura around a person you are hugging. Allies within this embrace receive enhanced defense, making it a safe haven during intense battles.

3. **Honeyed Healing:** Rub honey on wounds to rapidly regenerate health over time. The sweeter the honey, the faster the regeneration.

Sadie blushed while reading the last ability, and Cynthia could read her thoughts. "What? Are you gonna try and coat me with honey now?" she said teasingly.

"You are sweet enough as it is," Sadie said embarrassedly, and Cynthia proudly lifted her chin, considering the tone for her next words carefully.

"We should move fast if we want to rescue your friend."

"Would you mind if I borrow a shirt from your closet and change first?"

"Ehm, sure. It's that door," Cynthia answered, pointing her arm toward her closet room.

"That does not look like a closet door," Sadie thought as she approached the pastel-colored door in Cynthia's room. Upon opening it, a vast room filled with an assortment of over a hundred brands from the latest fashion lines came into view.

As Sadie hesitantly stepped inside the walk-in closet and shut the door behind her, racks of clothes neatly organized flanked her from both sides as she tried to navigate to the least conspicuous articles of clothing.

Large floor-to-ceiling mirrors captured every angle of Sadie, amplifying her features and making her feel targeted and exposed under the soft overhead lighting.

"How can Cynthia feel any sort of privacy in this changing room while a thousand eyes are on her? I guess her inner self is not her worst critic."

Towards the very end of the spacious closet, she found an unbranded casual hoodie crammed on a shelf, as if hidden.

She pulled it out and sat on the plush couch to change.

However, she didn't feel comfortable unbuttoning her coat under all these mirrors. Her eyes darted to a laundry basket nearby, and she got an idea. Her arms dug into the basket, catching a top shirt which she wrapped around her eyes to lessen her unease with her own reflections.

The faint scent of Cynthia still clung to the top which covered her eyes, helping her to calm her down. She slipped out of the coat and into the casual hoodies.

As Sadie made her way back to the exit, she passed by custom-built shelving showcasing Cynthia's elegant collection of bags and shoes. Intrigued, Sadie picked up a heel with Sammy-red bottoms, turning it around in her hands for closer inspection.

"Why do these have red soles?" Sadie mused, running her finger over the distinctive feature. "Did Cynthia manicure their bottom herself?"

While uncertain about the intricacies of fashion, one thing was clear – if Sadie ever donned heels, her own feet would likely end up just as red. Her attention then shifted toward a pair of brown boots discreetly tucked beneath.

"These could come in handy to conceal Cynthia's transformation. People might mistake the fur for an extended part of the boots," she reasoned, picking up the pair and grabbing an embellished headband from the top row.

As Sadie opened the closet room to exit, she spotted Cynthia sitting on the bed, casting soft glances her way. Approaching her, Sadie fixed the headband near Cynthia's bear ears, seamlessly integrating them into the accessory.

"Quick, get dressed and let's go. I'll wait for you outside," Sadie urged. As she headed out, she heard Cynthia giggling, prompting her to turn around. "What's amusing?"

"Nothing," Cynthia replied, her giggles continuing. "I just get giddy before entering my closet."

With a nod, Sadie turned away. On her hoodie, spelled in glitter and gold, was the word "Princess."