The Muitale district was the most unique sector of Morphia, and that was saying something. In a land where even the surroundings could change without warning, Muitale still looked like a patchwork of the strangest architecture one could imagine. Naturally, this was because it emphasized form over function. Muitale was where most "overloads" who could not fit comfortably into society anymore were housed.
This meant their dwellings were created strictly for the purpose of housing them in whatever form they had ended up in due to their final transformation, whether it was multi-limbed, invertebrate, aquatic, avian, chimeric, or even unidentifiable, the Muitale district had assisted living facilities or care facilities that catered to their survival in relative comfort, although usually minimal freedom simply due to their current forms. In one sense, it was a researching transformative magician's wet dream; in another, their worst nightmare. No one knew when or why a person would become overloaded with transformative magic, or whether there was a logic to it, but it was a danger to anyone who lived in Change. Some would change a million times and never get stuck, others would last barely ten. In order to provide a safe environment for and enable study of these victims, Morphia settled them in Muitale.
"Deev, a guest for you," the building caretaker called out while knocking on the door, then after hearing a voice say "Come in!" he unlocked the door.
"Hi Deev," Lowris greeted as she entered, closing the door behind her.
"Lowris, long time no see!" a strange figure happily replied. Standing on a perch before Lowris was a creature with the lower body and wings of a large bird, but the upper torso and face of a human female. In other words, a harpy. "C'mon in, make yourself at home."
Lowris looked around the residence, which had many perches and a nest, but only two simple chairs, obviously not for use of the owner. It was fairly apparent why Deev was in Muitale; being a harpy, she had only wings and no hands, therefore no easy way to open doors, lift items, write, or many things humanoids would take for granted. In fact, Deev had become quite capable of using her bird-like talons in place of hands, but even that had its limitations. As Lowris sat down, Deev hopped over to a large cabinet and pulled out a basket with her talons, then awkwardly hopped to the table in front of Lowris on one foot while holding the basket handle with the other. Finally, she placed the basket of fruit on the table.
"Help yourself!" Deev said kindly, then bounced back to her perch. Deev had been one of the first "overloads" Lowris had met in Morphia, and what was a research subject soon became a friend as well. That being said, Lowris had never met Deev in her original form, and sometimes wondered how she would have appeared. What was it like to know you would never look like "yourself" ever again? Lowris picked up a juicy-looking fruit and started munching on it.
"So, what brings you to this side of town? I hear you Inspectors have been busy of late, how come you have time to wander out to see me?" Deev asked, and while Lowris did feel slightly guilty for not having seen her friend, she knew Deev wasn't blaming her.
"Actually, Deev," Lowris started, "I was wondering..."