SHAPESHIFTERS
The Part 35
Interesting, really caught Marco's attention.
Luxurious settlements, ordinary people who can visit, a castle that is heavily guarded, all of those things are really surprising to Marco.
Nothing he saw there ever crossed his mind.
Motor vehicles passing by, since then that Marco can see, are expensive vehicles, and only occasionally seen large vehicles, which may carry goods for trade.
Marco saw members of the Sums family who were still walking with him, along the edge of the asphalt road in the hot sun, really makes Marco feel very sorry.
It is only fitting that the children of the Sums family look disappointed, with the condition of their lives now.
Members of the Sums family, indeed look like very poor outcasts, when compared to other shapesifter residents.
Especially when they walked into the location where people gathered to sell.
The appearance of a simple member of the Sums family, looks striking contrast when compared to other people, who look luxurious, with expensive clothes, complete with jewelry.
Not infrequently, Marco caught the sight of the person who saw the Sums family, with a look of disdain, and as if disgusted to see the whereabouts of the Sums family, who were among them there.
The Sums family, stopped their journey in one of the empty sidelines of the building.
They then held the merchandise carried in the cart, with a large plastic and thick on the grassy ground on the side of the road, where people passed by.
"How can people here have such luxury?" marco asked, half whispering to Adaline.
"Every generation of shapeshifters, other than the refugees, was granted one-time permission, to take the gems at one of the mining points," replied Seba, who apparently could still hear Marco's words.
"By capitalizing on gems, they can do business, like ordinary humans. So that they can get richer, and can enjoy life like ordinary people who have money" continued Seba.
"Yes, that's right. But, because of that too, their power as shapeshifters, is diminishing.." flints chirped.
"I mean, how?" ask Marco.
Flints seemed to take a deep breath.
"They're still shapeshifters, but they can only change shape, while their strength to fight is getting longer, more and more gone" Flints replied.
"It's all because of the new Alpha." said Seba.
Marco had no idea what it all had to do with Alpha, and just fell silent while looking at Seba.
Seba seemed to be aware of Marco's gaze that was asking for an explanation from him.
"My guess... Only guess... The luxury that citizens enjoy, makes them not often train their strength when changing shape...
And just imagine, for a dozen years of not training, were they still strong enough to fight? Especially against Alpha" Seba said.
"Isn't Alpha usually unopposed?" ask Marco.
"If it's a real Alpha, no one can oppose it. But, the one now leading is not Alpha, just a temporary replacement. So that his leadership can still be resisted by all shapeshifters" Seba replied.
"Therefore also Alpha makes strange rules, so that the refugees do not dwell much, and prefer to leave, or stay where they have been hiding all this time...
In fact, if only all the escapees returned together here, the Alpha could now be overthrown" continued Seba.
"I don't reject a blending lifestyle and acting like an ordinary human being. Which I do not accept, because the refugees are too denigrated by Alpha," continued Seba again.
Not long after, there were some people approaching them there, and looked at the dried corn brought by the Sums family.
After Seba and Flints had been negotiating with those people for some time, it seemed that there was already a deal.
The men bought corn from the Sums family.
"You can take a walk... Me and Flints are going to deliver these corns" Seba said.
Fint and Fent then take a walk, in a different direction from Adaline and Marco.
"Is there anything you want to buy?" ask Adaline.
"Hmmm... There aren't. Moreover, I didn't bring any money," Marco said.
"I just want to look around" Marco continued.
"If there's something you want to buy, just say it. We've all been given money to shop" Adaline said.
"Hmmm... Not necessary. Just buy your needs," said Marco.
Marco and Adaline then walked around there, where many shops selling clothes, daily necessities, to jewelry, and other trivial objects.
"Can you tell which one of them is an ordinary human being?" ask Marco.
"No. Now shapeshifter pendants, have been sold a lot. So, there are only ordinary people who wear it" Adaline replied.
"You mean this locket?" marco asked as he touched the necklace around his neck, and showed it to Adaline.
"Yes" answered Adaline.
"What is different is only in the carving of the frame. And there's no way you're gonna stare into someone's chest, is there?" adaline continued, then laughed.
Worth it, if there was a pendant similar to his, which Marco saw only sold at flea markets, and garage sale at that time.
The place is similar to the shopping centers in big cities.
Even the trading center there, the merchandise is still more complete than the one in the city of Bridget.
It seems, there is no ordinary human being, who would suspect that the place, is a gathering place for humans who can change shape.
After some time they walked, Adaline did not show any signs that there was anything she wanted to buy.
"Are you not going to buy something?" ask Marco.
"No. The money my parents gave me was usually more I saved, than I wasted it, to buy what I didn't really need" Adaline replied.
"It's not just me, Fint and Fent usually do too. We just take a walk to satisfy our eyes, to look at things that are not in our home" continued Adaline.
"In addition to growing corn, are you not trying to raise?" ask Marco.
"Hey! Ranch said?" adaline asked with her furrowed brows.
"Yes. I'm raising my house, and the results are much more and more stable than my corn plants" Marco said.
"You keep livestock? Are you seriously saying it?" ask Adaline, who now looks more like a confused person.
"Yes. I raise cows, chickens, and over the past month, I've added some sheep to my farm" Marco replied.
"Is something wrong?" ask Marco.
"How can you raise livestock if ordinary animals are always frightened when they see us?" Adaline asked again, as if not believing what Marco said.
"No. They're... I mean my chickens, just afraid that I might turn into an eagle" Marco said.
"When I'm human, they're normal" Marco continued.
Adaline's eyes looked enlarged, looking as if they were deeply shocked by Marco's story.